three miles on foot in an afternoon to sermon not out of novelty but necessity for being forced from York in the beginning of these times she lived in Holdernes where the Minister preached but once a day she was his auditour so often as he preach'd yet could not satisfie her self with hearing but once as he did in preaching once and therefore though it was winter she would have gone so far often even on foot I suppose for the encouragement of her servants to sermon I have heard her frequently admire Gods great goodnesse to this sinfull Nation in vouchsafing unto it such abundant provision both for life and Godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.3 for said she brown bread with the Gospel is good fare and I am verily perswaded she could have lived on the coursest bread so she might but have had the water of life with it but however she could have been content to have lived with the Gospel yet she ever desired that they who labour in the word and doctrine might fare well To this purpose she would have opened her hand wide though a minister had a competency of temporal estate yet she would say that was nothing to them that lived under his ministry as he laboured among them so the Labourer was worthy of his hire 1◠Tim. 5.18 not only what might be necessary for subsistence but something for encouragement 19 Levit. 17. She was a woman that would not suffer sin to lye upon those that were her charge for want of seasonable reproof yet she alwayes tempered her reproofs with the spirit of meeknesse 6 Gal. ◠was wise to observe the fittest time and place together with the disposition of the person and having done this committed the successe to God by prayer If she saw that she did not reclaim one by her admonitions as she desired she would conclude her reproof and advice with that pathetical expression well 13 Jer. 17. if you will not hear my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and her sincerity appeared in this that she was as willing others should admonish her and would desire them to do it she would say to her daughters and others under her it may be you are afraid to anger me but I pray if you see any thing amisse in me tell me of it She was one of a very peaceable and courteous conversation dissention she hated and was grieved very much when any fell out in her family if that her self had taken an offence at any person in her house though most justly yet she could not have been satisfied till reconciled to them yea she would have condescended to have sought peace of her inferiour although she had been the party that had received the injurie She was sometimes troubled at the strangeness of friends but then she remembred a saying of Mr. Aiscough and would say oh that I could do as he prescribed the saying was this it may be thou art troubled for Gods people 's not loving of thee but do thou labour to love them and thou shalt never answer for their not loving of thee She was very frequent in meditation when she had been conferring with others then she used to go aside to commune with her own heart and discourse with her self 4 Psal 4. And though she was alone yet she was not alone for the Father was with her She often would mention a Speech of Mr. Birchalls with tears 16 Ioh. 32. Ah Soul if thou hadst meditated on God more thou hadst loved him more She was a woman whose Speech was seasoned with salt 4 Colos 6. 5 Eph. 29. 10 Prov. 20.21 ever ministring some good to the hearers Her Tongue was as choice silver and her Lips did feed many I have observed how ready she would be upon all occasions to administer matter of gracious discourse I have condemned my self and others of mine own calling for our sluggishnesse I considered that out of the abundance of the Heart the Mourh speaketh 12 Mat. 34. and concluded that she had a greater Treasure of good things in her than we had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Meat-times she would especially move such conference the better to season the meat She thought according to the Greek saying A plentiful Table to feed the Body without good discourse to feed the Mind is little better than a Manger She was a woman of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7.13 4 Eph. 14. 13 Heb. 9. 2 Tim. 3.14 holding fast the form of sound words and not tossed about with every wind of Doctrine indeed she was so established with grace the best preservative against Errours and with Timothy so assured of the things that she had learn'd knowing of whom she had learned them that she was not easily removed This may serve as a tast to shew how full she was of good works I proceed Dorcas was full of Alms-deeds which she did 6 Mat. 3. so was our Dorcas How full I know not for I believe she did not let her left hand know what her right hand did 7 Mark 36. But I read in the Gospel how Christ when he had cured an infirm Man charged him that he should not publish it but the more he was charged to conceal it the more did he divulge it So I suppose though she charged those to whom she gave Almes that they should not divulge it yet they could not be kept secret I have heard that her House was a little Hospital not so much because the poor came thither for relief but because relief went from thence for the poor So that what Hierom said of Pammachius that he was munerarius pauperum et egentium candidatus The like may be said of her she was the candidate of the Poor as ambitious of their Prayers as others are of their praises accounting when she had given an Almes to have received rather than done a good turn Whilst her Husband was alive the poor had both Food and Physick And whatever he gave himself as his disposition was well enough known I do believe and not upon slender grounds that she kept a Stock of her own with her Husbands approbation for the poor and pious uses I have given you a brief account of the life of our Dorcas I come now to her Sicknesse and Death which because they were but short therefore I will not be long about them She was Sick and Dyed I told you there is a providence of God to be observed in the Sicknesse and Death of his Saints and so there was a remarkeable providence in the Sicknesse and Death of this Saint so well known and observed that I forbear to mention it And it came to passe in those days So it is come to passe in these days these calamitous and distracted days wherein the Church stood in great need of her Prayers that she was Sick and is Dead The times are bad already we have cause to fear because of her
The words contain in them the description of a good Woman of the Primitive times a Woman that excell'd most of our Women now as much as those times for Purity and Integrity excel ours those times were more Pure and Savouring of Christian simplicity than ours though not so pleasant and delicate and so it is likely were their Women Concerning her in the Text you may observe 1st her Sex a VVoman 2d her Name Tabitha or Dorcas 3d. the Place of her Residence Joppa 4th her Profession a Disciple 5th her Practice full of good VVorks and Almes-deeds which she did Lastly her Sicknesse and Death And it came to passe in those days that she was Sick and Dyed Something of each of these Her Sex a Woman That is observed to be true of Women which is spoken of Jeremiahs Figs those that were good were very good 1 Kin. 21.25 2 Chron. 22.10 those that were evil very evil 24 Jer. 3. So those Women which we read of in Scripture that were wicked were very wicked as Jezebel and Athaliah but those that were good very good as Mary Anna Elizabeth and Dorcas whatever may be Salomons meaning 7 Eccl. 28. Yet it is easie to observe that the New Testament affords good store of good Women therefore when Soloman saith that he had not found one Woman amongst a thousand perhaps he meaneth not one good VVoman amongst his thousand VVives and Concubines that he had 1 Kin. 11.3 Or else his meaning is that in respect of the discovery of Hearts and Natures whether in good or evil it is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a VVoman than of a Man Take his words in the most rigorous manner and all that can be with soundnesse gathered from them is that good VVomen are rarer than good Men grant it yet when they are good they are as we say rarely 2 Luke 37. 1 Luke 6. 15 Mat. 28.16 Act. 14.15 9 Act. 39. 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Epist Joh. 4. that is very good and do equal if not exceed men How famous is Anna for her Devotion Elizabeth for her blamelesse Conversation the Canaanitish VVoman for her Faith Lydia for her diligent attendance unto the VVord Dorcas for her Charity Lois and Eunice for their pious education of Timothy The Elect Lady and her Children for walking in the Truth And though Eve eat that Fruit which occasioned the fall of Man-kind yet Mary bare and brought forth that Fruit which hath raised and restored Man to a greater happinesse than he lost 1 Luk. 48. and therefore all Generations call her blessed I care not for making Comparisons between Men and Women seeing they are both one in respect of Nature and differ only in Sex Let those that please themselves in playing upon Women remember that when God created Man he made them Male and Female 1 Gen. 27. and both after his own Image I will only say this that if God send Man to School to Learn of such a despicable Creature as the Pismire 6 Prov. 6. Let him not think it any disparagement to learn sometimes of a Woman especially such an eminent and vertuous Woman as Dorcas Paul the great Preacher of the Gentiles disdaineth not to acknowledge Priscilla one of his helpers in Christ Jesus 16 Rom. 3. And there are writings of Learned Men extant de illustribus Foeminis as well as de illustribus Viris I will shut up this with one word of exhortation to women for should I not exhort women to be as good as they have been I might be thought to flatter them I would have you know therefore that whilst I commend women that have been good my purpose is not to flatter those that are not good or at least not so good as the Holy women in old time who trusted in God and adorned themselves not with plaiting of hair wearing of Gold putting on of Apparel so much as with the adorning of the hidden man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5. I would have women therefore for their encouragement to take notice that they have as fair Copies of their own to write after as notable Patterns of their own Sex to imitate as men have Study therefore to be as Modest Meek Humble Obedient Chast Temperate Devout and Charitable as the Holy women of old time that you may deserve such an Honourable Testimony as the Holy Ghost giveth unto Dorcas VVhether Dorcas was Maid VVife or VVidow is to us uncertain nor is it much material to enquire Labour yee to be full of good works as she was and it shall be your Honour and an Honour to your Sex be your Estate what it will So much of the first particular The second follows and that is her Name Tabitha which by interpretation is called Dorcas Dorcas now stands in need of interpretation as Tabitha did then Tabitha is a Syriack word Dorcas a Greek word they both signifie in English a Roe or Goat Many Parents I suppose have given their Children since this name for Dorcas sake but why Dorcas Parents should choose to call her so may seem strange to us who are ignorant of the reason However let us not be offended at the name when we can find no fault with the Person with God there is no respect of persons much lesse of names but if it were before verbum Soeculi it is now become verbum Ecclesiae 10 Act. 34. Jacob signifies a supplanter or deceiver yet God disdaineth not to call himself the God of Jacob. The Person if good dignifies the Name be it never so mean and the Name though never so good cannot dignifie the Person if he be evil and unworthy Abel was a good man yet his name signifies vanity Lydia was a vertuous woman yet her name signifies a standing Pool Absalom was a traiterous and troublesome Son yet his name signifies a Father of Peace and Michol the Daughter of Saul was none of the best women yet her name signifies one who is perfect To be sure it can be no disparagement to Dorcas to be so called seeing the Church compareth Christ to that thing which her name imports scil a Roe 2 Cant. 9. And the Roe is commended to us in Scripture for a loving pleasant Creature 5 Prov. 19. Thus much we may take notice of that the Lord knoweth every one that belongs to him by name which he reckons unto Moses as a special favour 33 Ex. 17. And when the famous names of the wicked shall rot the obscurest names of his own people shall be had in everlasting remembrance 10 Prov. 7. 112. Psal 6. The place of her Residence Joppa Joppa was a Town situated by the Sea side Port-Towns have been observed to be great inlets to the Gospel it was part of the inheritance of the Tribe of Dan formerly known
he that is barren in good works and yet bears high and broad the sail of Profession seems to be afraid lest the World should not take notice of him for an Hypocrite Good works likewise without a knowledge and profession of Christian Religion Splendida peccain are no better than glorious Sins as Augustine calls them no better than the virtues of Heathens Quid vobis ethnici cum virtutibus qui christum dei virtutem ignoratis unto which though we give the name yet they want the nature of virtue For as Bernard said What have you Heathens to do with virtues who are ignorant of Christ the virtue and power of God unto Salvation But where a profession of Religion and a practice of good works are in conjunction they make integrum sanctum an entire sincere compleat Saint Such an one was Dorcas in those days such an one was the Dorcas of our days First in general Full of good works then more particularly and Almes-deeds which she did In general She was full of good works When it is said that Dorcas was full of good works it is not meant that she was perfect 3 Jam. 2. for in many things we offend all and every Sin is a defect Much lesse may we think that She did works of supererrogation They are super-arrogant that think themselves righteous above the Rule As full as Dorcas was I dare say for her blessed Soul that She thought her self empty and barren Ears that are most laden with Corn hang lowest down to the ground and holiest Persons have alwayes the humblest thoughts of themselves Hereby therefore I conceive are meant three things 1. She was full of that is abundant in good works as when it is said 2 Chro. 24 25 that Jehojada waxed old and was full of days the meaning is he grew very old and when it is said of wicked worldly men that they are full of Children 17 Psal 14. the meaning is they have many Children So Dorcas was full of good works that is she was a very good woman and did abound in good works To be full of good works is as much as to be fruitful Dorcas her good works were not few as the gleaning Grapes 24 Isa 13. when the Vintage is done or as the shaking of an Olive Tree two or three Berries in the top of the uttermost bough four or five in the most fruitful branches thereof 17 Isa 5 but she was full of good works like the Vine before it is gathered and the Olive Tree before it be shaken 2. She was full of good works that is She did not only abound but in some sort super-abound considering her condition She did very many good works even beyond the expectation of those that knew her when they compared what She did as they imagined with what She had they would not have thought that She had so rich a Treasury that would have furnished her to expend so liberally They could not but think that her fulnesse of good works abroad would bring her to want at home Yet so it was She did many good works nor did they draw her dry but some way or other She was supplyed that She still did more it is very probable that Dorcas was not a woman of great worldly Estate and if she had not been notable for her good works She might in other respects have lived obscurely enough But whatever her estate was She had a free heart and did not for fear of wanting her self hold back her hand from supplying the necessities of others The Widow that cast her two Mites into the Treasury is said to have cast in more than they that cast in greater gifts 21 Luk. 1 2 3. because what they gave was out of their abundance but she cast in all that she had So Dorcas was full of good works that is She did abound yea she did super-abound comparing her abilities with her expence She did more than she was supposed able to do 3. She was full of good works that is her works were not only abounding but abiding She did not satisfie her self with what good she had done 3 Phil. 13.11 Eccles 6. but still she did more with the Apostle she forgot that which was behind and though shee had done very much good yet still she with-held not her hand according to the injunction 6 Gal. 9 10. Let us not be weary in wel-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not as we have therefore opportunity let us do good Out of the good Treasure of her heart She was still bringing forth good things 12 Math. 35 She was like the Orange-tree of which they write that it is bringing forth fruit all the year long as some are ripe so others are still budding And as it is said of the Church of Thyatira 2 Rev. 19. her works were more at the last than at the first Hereby She made it appear that she was no Hypocrite who is moved by an external principle and doth his good works only for particular ends and therefore continues not always to do good But She was a sincere Christian whose good works flowed from an inward Principle of grace and were directed to an universal end Gods glory So then Dorcas was full of good works that is She did very much good more than could be expected from such a Woman and thus she continued to her death 24 Mat. 46. and so was one of those blessed servants whom her Lord when he came sound well-doing Good works are sometime strictly taken for works of Charity because that Love is the fullfilling of the Law Aug. lib. 10. de civ Dei ca. 1. hac sibi Deus vel pro sacrificiis vel prae sacrificiis placere testatur God accepts of works of Charity for sacrifices with such sacrifices God is well-pleased 13 Hebr. 16. Yea he accepts them before sacrifices I will have mercy and not sacrifice 9 Math. 13. But oftentimes good works are taken more largely for the whole obedience of a Christian so we are said to be Gods workman-ship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Sure it is 2 Eph. 10. the Law is the Rule of good works and therefore obedience to any branch 1 Joh. 3.4 of the Law is a good work as the breach of any part of the Law is an evil work and as the Logicians say there is no created being but it is reduced into one of the ten predicaments so there is no duty or good work commanded of us but it is contained in one of those ten words 10 Deut. 4. as Moses calls them that is Commandments These good works in other places of Scripture are called good Fruits 3 Jam. 17. Fruits of righteousnesse 1 Phil. 11. Fruits of the Spirit 5 Gal. 2. Fruits worthy of Repentance 3 Luk. 8. and amongst many other expressions they are called armour of light 13 Rom. 12. Good works therefore are
of a very large extent yet it hath pleased the Holy-Ghost to reduce them under three heads 2 Tit. 12. Sobriety towards our selves Honesty towards our neighbour and Godliness towards God So that when it is said Dorcas was full of good works the meaning is this She was very Sober Honest and Godly in respect of her disposition and full of Acts of sobriety honesty and godlinesse in her conversation Only take notice of this before I come to the Doctrine Though Dorcas be here commended for her good works yet the Scripture speaketh sometimes of good works by way of Diminution and debasing of them which in what respect it is done is very necessary for us to observe Take notice therefore when good works are compared with the righteousness of Christ in relation to justification then they are rejected as unable for any such use and called menstruous rags 64 Is 6. dross and dung 3 Phil. 8. when the best works we do are considered in the Court of Justification there they are damnable and have so much dross in them that God doth reject them as wholy insufficient but look on them as fruits of Faith done out of obedience to Gods command and with respect to his Glory and so the Scripture doth highly commend them Thus then the Scripture commends good works against the Antinomian who holds them unnecessary but condemns good works yea the best works against the Papist who holds them to be meritorious whereas when we have done all Nisi Deus per misericordiam pareret non haberet quos per justitiam coronaret in Ps 100. we must say that we are unprofitable and acknowledge with Augustine that unless God did spare in mercy he should find none whom he might Crown in justice surely he that relyes upon his works doth like a man that on a moon-shinie night mistakes his own shadow for a bridge and so falls into the River and is drowned Now let the observation be this All that make profession of the Gospel should accompany their profession with fruitfullness in good works So Paul gave in charge to Titus These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have beleeved in God be carefull to maintain good works 3 Tit. 8. two greek words are observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it be their care and study the bent of their minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or rather to be examples and presidents going before others in good works these are the richest and most usuall styles of commendation in Scripture Moses a man mighty in words and deeds Cornelius 7 Act. 22. 10 Act 2. 7 Luk 4.5 9 Act. 39. 16 Rom. 23. 2 Tim. 1.16 a man fearing God and giving much Alms. The Centurion worthy of favour for He hath built us a Synagogue Dorcas made so many Coats for the poor Gaius the Host of the Church Onesiphorus hath Paul his earnest Prayers for mercy because he often refreshed him and as one observes wittily the Scripture speaks but little of the learning of the Apostles but much of their Acts. The reasons why Professours of the Gospel should be full of good works are these 1 because true Christian Religion doth not consist meerly in Negatives It is not sufficient to abstain from evil except we do good cease to do evil learn to do well 1 Isa 27. That Tree which bears not good Fruit 13 Luk. 7. is a Cumberer of the ground and shall be cut down for the Fire as well as that which boars ill fruit and poysons the ground We must not only put off Wrath Malice Blasphemy 3 Colos 8. c. filthy Communication and Lying but put on also bowels of Mercie Kindnesse Humblenesse of mind Meeknesse Long-suffering and above all Charity which is the bond of Perfection 18 Luk 11. Thou sayst that thou art no Extortioner unjust or Adulterer but this is not sufficient thou tellest of the evil works which thou dost not but where are the good works thou dost though he be usually accounted a good man that doth no evil yet he is rather an evil man saith Chrysostome that doth no good And we read that at the day of Judgement men shall be condemned not only for the evil that they have done 25 Matth. but for the good that they have left undone Many there are that seem to be Religious when they deceive their own hearts For pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Father-lesse and the Widow and to keep our selves unspotted from the world 1 Jam. 27. Hereby we give testimony of the truth of our Profession when we are fruitfull in good works For he that professeth himself to be a Christian and is barren in good works is like a painted Tree that stands only for shew like Zeuxes Vine painted so lively that the Birds came to pick at it thinking to have filled their bellies but went away hungry as they came or like the Fig-tree in the Gospel of which Christ thought to have eaten 21 Mat. 18 19. Ruffin Eccles Hist. lib. 2. c. 10. but when he came near it had nothing but leaves as one Moses renowned for piety said to Lucius reputed an Arrian Bishop tendring the confession of his Faith to clear himself Tush saith he what tellest thou me of the Faith of the Ears let me have the Faith of the Hands So thou tellest me that thou art a constant hearer of the word thou art able to discourse out of it but Oh man what tellest thou me of the Faith of the Ears or the Faith of the Tongue let me see the Faith of the Hands Few I confesse troubled with the deaf and dumb Spirits in these times Ubi bona opera non apparent ad extra ibi fides non est ad intra Mr. Burgesse but most having withered Hands It was a saying of Iohn Husse that where good works are not without there Faith is not within and so some learned men say that good works are necessary to preserve a man in the State of Justification though they do not immediately concurr to the Act as in a man although his Shoulders and Breast do not immediately concurr to the Act of Seeing yet if a mans Eyes and Head were not knit to those parts he could not see and though the Fire do not burn as it is light yet it could not burn unlesse it were so The chief scope of St. Iames his Epistle is to urge hearers to be doers and vain boasters of justifiing Faith to justifie their Faith by their works 2. God is gloryfied by good works therefore saith our Master 5 Mat. 16. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and gloryfie your Father which is in Heaven The men 31 Job 20. 29 Job 15. 1 Jam. 25. for whom our Heavenly Father is Gloryfied are such whose works shine before men who warm the Loins of the Poor and
true virtue consists in action Sure it is man was made for action and though some Sciences in comparison of others more operative are termed speculative yet not one of them whose speculation tends not to and ends in some operation whereby man is advantaged and God honoured specially Divinity which is scientia affectiva effectiva We lose the sweetnesse of all our speculations reading and discoursing about Divinity if we reduce them not into good works It is the profit of practice which makes the study of the Law so sweet and that is accounted the best pasture which is seen in the flesh and fleece of the Sheep To little purpose it is that we do excolere animum Till and sow our minds with the Seeds of good notions if these Seeds bring not forth fruit in our works and actions The blessing of Daniels pulse and water 1 Dan. 15. was seen in the fatnesse and well-favourednesse of his countenance So the blessing that God gives to all our Meditating Reading Hearing and Discoursing is seen by our fruitfulnesse of good works What is a man the better for the Seed he soweth if it rot in the ground or bring not forth a crop that will reward him for his labour If a mans Meat be sweet and doth not nourish him it is a sign of an ill digestion and thy notions are raw indigested notions if they turn not into actions and operations And as we lose the sweetnesse so others lose the benefit of our speculations if not converted into good works therefore an idle person is not unfitly compared to the dumb jack in a Virginal whilst the other dance out a sweet and winning Musick it disturbs the whole body with an ill-distemper'd lazinesse 2. Dorcas was not Evil for her works were good One might better be idle than not well-employed for to be sure 1 Cor. 3.15 his work shall be burnt if he be not burnt for his work so that he is sure every way to receive losse and he that is not imployed in doing a good work suffers a double losse both propter lucrum cessans propter damnum emergens For whilst a man hath been doing evil he might have been doing some good which would have proved an advantage to him therefore in that respect he suffers losse but he hath been doing evil which will prove unto him evil and here is a double losse Now unto the Constitution of a good work many things are required especially these four a right Rule a right Motive a right Principle a right End 1. A right Rule that is the Law of God As the Artificer can draw no good line which is not commensurate to the Rule So neither is any work thou dost good though never so specious if not conformable to the Word In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men 15 Mat. 9. The blind whelps of will worship and ignorant devotion God regards not Counterfeit Coin is so farr from being currant that the Coining of it is a capital Crime and all works which have not the stamp of Gods word upon them are so farr from being acceptable that they are abominable to him and he rejects them with a who hath required these things at your hands 1 Isa 12. 2. A right Motive Unto a good work it is requisite that we do not only what is commanded but that we do it ex intuitu voluntatis because it is commanded In all good works there must be not only a knowledge of but a respect to the will of God 1 Thes 4.3 1 Thes 5.18 1 Pet. 2.15 12 Rom. 2. 5 Eph. 17. 7 Mat. 16. 4 Jer. 14. 18 Ezek. 31. which is therefore used so frequently as an argument to enforce our obedience because we ought to do every thing in conscience to Gods command For to do that which God wils and not to do it because he wils it is not obedience and therefore not a good work 3. A right Principle and that is a good heart Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit Such as the Fountain is such are the Streams Therefore we are commanded to wash our Hearts to make unto our selves new Hearts because we must be good before we can do good When the People of Israel promised that they would do all that God had commanded them by Moses What saith God Oh that there were such an Heart in them 5 Deut. 29. It is not for thee to promise that thou wilt lead a new life endeavour to be full of good works 11 Rom. 2. â— Oh labour to get such an Heart in the. By nature wee are wild Olives therefore we must by Humiliation be cut off from our own Stocks and by Faith put into Christ and so the property of the ground of our Hearts alter'd and meliorated 8 Rom. 8. ere we can bring forth good Fruit. Therefore we affirm that an unregenerate man cannot do a good work for they that are in the flesh 1 Sam. 24.13 cannot please God and wickednesse will proceed from the wicked 4. A right end and that is Gods glory whereunto all our Actions must be referred or else seem they never so good 1 Cor. 10.31 they are no better than Pharisaical Therefore the Apostle prays that the Philippians might be fill'd with Fruits of Righteousness to the glory and praise of God 1 Phil. 11. It is the mark 1 Phil. 11. that directs the eye Therefore where a mans mark is not good his aim is nought and so is his Action No Creature we say was made by it self and therefore not made for it self but him that made it So there is no good work which we can do of our selves therefore we ought not to do it for our selves but for his praise from whom we have the power 2 Cor. 5.5 And I make no question but so farr as a man is convinced that what good he doth is from God and not himself so farr will he direct the good that he doth unto God and not to himself Therefore a true Christian ascribes the glory of his good works to God as the Author and directs his good works to the glory of God as his end Lastly Dorcas was not unfruitful for she was full of good works This was the praise of the Romans that they were full of goodnesse 15. Rom. 14. of Stephen that he was full of Faith and power 6 Act. 8. and of Barnabas that he was a good man and full of the Holy-Ghost and of Faith 11 Act. 24. This was their praise and will be ours if we be such or in truth endeavour to be so Yet this is a small thing in comparison of the Glory that shall redound to God for what is our praise to Gods glory now herein saith our Lord is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit 15 Ioh. 8. A Christian in Scripture is compared to
an entrance may be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1 11. It is time now that I hasten to a conclusion I have spoken what I intend of Dorcas in the Text. Let us now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give me leave to parallel the Dorcas that is dead in our days 27 Pro. 9. with the Dorcas that was sick and dyed in those days And surely in water face cannot answer to face more adaequately than her conversation that is now dead did answer to Dorcas whilst she was alive But before I fall on this I beg leave to enter two Pleas in this Holy Court The one on the behalf of others the other on the behalf of my self First I profess that I was not desired either directly or obliquely by the Person deceased or any of her Relations or other to speak any thing of her Alas it needed not 11 Hebr. 4◠31 Prov. 31. for though dead she yet speaketh and her own good works whereof she was full were sufficient to praise her in the Gates The second Plea I enter on the behalf of my self and that is this if I had been desired yet I should not have said any thing of her had I not known her my self and took it for granted that many others knew her to be a person exemplary for Piety and so worthy to be commended as a pattern for our imitation Therefore what I do in an extraordinary case I do not intend to bring into an ordinary use or encourage others to do it And now having put in these two Pleas I set my self to the work I know Ne immittas pecus tuum in pratum ubi non est sepes I have matter enough if not more than I can Methodically dispose But I remember the councel of the Proverb Put not thy Cattel into a pasture where there is no hedg Therefore I will bound my self within the limits of the Text. First then it is said of Dorcas that she was a Disciple so was the Gentlewoman deceased and as it is said of Maason not only a Disciple but an old Disciple 21 Act. 16. and her Age rendred her Disciple-ship the more Honourable for the hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of righteousnesse 16 Prov. 31. hoariness is then honourable Canities tunc venerabilis est quando ea gerit quae canitiem decent Chrys when it doth such things as becomes such an Age. So did she behave her self as Paul bids Titus direct the Aged Woman 2 Tit. 3. She was in behaviour as becommeth Holiness and a teacher of good things Her conversation was a dayly Sermon to the young women about her Now when I say that she was a Disciple my meaning is as in the entrance I explained it first that she was a professour of the Gospel and this she was not ashamed of but accounted her glory and therefore would not dissemble her profession in any place or amongst any company She was not like those effoeminate women Tertullian speaks of who were pudoris magis ne mores quà m salutis And though she did not as she did not expect to escape the scoffings and reproaches of wicked persons yet being conscious to her self of nothing whereof they might accuse her having the witness of a good Conscience she accounted her accusations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .. her glory and thought that they did but according to the Attick phrase wash her fairer with such aspersions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have often observed it in her how she despised the shame which attended the profession of the Gospel She was a Disciple that is a Learner one that had her dependance upon the ordinary means of instruction She was not like those that having got a little knowledg by the Ministery come to be puffed up and afterwards contemn it herein dealing with us as Mules do with their Dams having sucked our Milk they kick us with their heels She was farr from the fancie of perfection either in knowledge or grace and therefore was she sensible of the necessity of the means 1 Pet. 2.2 3. She was converted by the Ministery of the word and so she desired the sincere Milk of it to grow thereby having once tasted how gracious the Lord is The Ministery she allwayes looked on as a Divine calling and the ordinance of preaching as the means 4 Eph. 11 12 13. whereby God would gather in and build up the Saints till the comming of Christ and though she had attained to a great measure both of understanding and holiness more than ordinary and had her aboad in a place where she enjoyed the best helps to increase them yet she despised not the weakest means Two Two things there were indeed which she disliked that men should take upon them the Ministery as a calling who had not a lawful calling to it 5 Heb. 4. The other was that very young experienced men should take upon them this weighty Office She thought them like young Children that would be feeding and serving themselvs before they knew with what hand to do it or were able to distinguish between the right hand and the left So do they take on them to feed not only themselves but others not only with Milk 5 Heb. 14. but strong Meat before they have their Sences exercised to put a difference between the right hand and the left between Truth and Errour She was sensible what advantage such Preachers give to Papists and Sectaries and therefore it was a desire of the credit of the Ministery together with the successe of it that made her wholly to dislike the one and in a great measure to dislike the other Dorcas was full of good works so was this our Dorcas Good works are two-fold either inhoerent wrought in us or transient wrought by us She was full of both First of good works inhoerent wrought in her that is of the graces of the Spirit 45 Psal 13. Like the Kings Daughter all glorious within And her adorning was chiefly of the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible for after this manner in the old time 1 Pet. 3.4 5. the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves She accounted Gods Image her greatest brightness and glory 3 Rom. 23. grace was her Jewel and her Soul was a Cabinet full of such Jewels The first means of her conversion unto grace I have heard her sometimes say was the ministery of one Mr. Rhodes a painful Preacher who at that time lived in or not farr distant from Hull Before that time she would say she was very vain ignorant and inconsiderate and yet it may be her vanity then was as good as that which passeth for great grace among many now I mean strict civility but being once spiritually illuminated with Paul she accounted that which the World esteems