meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
we iustifie them both these belong vnto God and therefore are not to be vsurped by any man We must iudge the best of them according to the rule of Charity l 1 Cor. 13 7. Which hopeth all thinges and beleeueth all thinges We know God reserued to himselfe m 1 King 19 18. 7000. in Israell in the daies of Ahab that neuer bowed the knee to Baall and he hath a few n Reuel 3 4. names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments which shall walke with him in white for they are worthy We may say with the Apostle of them o Acts 17 30. The time of this ignorance God regardeth not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent We are not therefore to looke what they haue done but consider what by the word they should haue done and what by the same wee ought to doe And touching the thriuing and prospering of them that neglect this duty this is an Obiection fitter for Atheists then Christians to vse Christ hath taught vs that this is no rule to measure good or euill he sheweth p Math. 5 45. That the Father maketh his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust vpon the godly and the vngodly The Wiseman hath taught that by outward thinges we cannot q Eccle. 9 1 2 vnderstand whether we be loued or hated of God We see the wicked for the most part prosper more in the World in worldly things then the godly as we read Psal 73. 3 4 5. and Iob 21. 8. 9. Obiect 7. Lastly it is obiected that some which haue beene diligently and duely taught doe yet liue as leudly and prophanely as they that neuer knew any thing of God I answere it may be this is thy wrong and rash iudgement The world speaketh euill of those that will not follow them into all excesse of ryot But let vs grant it to be so yet heerein they play the wrangling Sophisters and Cauillers alleadging a false cause for a true For I am sure this course of learning is not the cause of the loosenesse of their liuing If grace had beene in their hearts it would bee a meanes to make them beleeue and liue better He that knoweth his Maisters will is more likely to performe it then he that knoweth it not nor careth for the knowing of it He that hath his eye-sight is more likely to walke without stumbling and falling then he that is blinde so he that is instructed in the waies of godlinesse hath better meanes to walke in the feare of God then hee that is ignorant and knoweth nothing True it is some that know their Maisters will doe it not some that haue their eyes open fall downe now and then yet none can be so voide of reason to conclude from hence that it is not necessary to know his will or to open our eyes Thus much for the remouing of the obiections and the scattering of those Mists and Clouds that stood before vs. Vse 1. Now let vs come to the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing it belongeth to the Maisters and Gouernours of Families to instruct them in godlinesse we gather that it is not enough for them to prouide for the bodies of such as are vnder them and belong vnto them in this life but they must care most especially for their soules and bodies in the life to come They then are greatly deceiued who when they haue giuen them meate and Money thinke themselues sufficiently discharged If we onely feede them and fill them to the full what doe we more to them then to our brute Beasts If we onely cloath them and pay them their wages r Math. 5 20. what doe wee more to them then the Turkes and Infidels that feare not God that know not God doe performe to their Children and Seruants If we thinke our selues discharged by prouiding for them and leauing vnto them a temporall patrimony and possession and neuer regard to make them heires and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen what do we more then the Iewes or Gentiles that are ignorant of Christ and his Gospell What should it auaile vs or them to leaue them rich in the World and poore in God To lay vp for them treasures on earth and to neglect the treasures of Heauen which are the true and enduring substance True it is Fathers and Mothers are bound concerning this bodily life to make honest prouision for the sustenance of their Children and therefore all vnthrifty Dicers and Drunkards which wast and wash away their goods whose Children may well bee accounted fatherlesse and their Wiues as Widdowes haue no Å¿ 1 Tim. 5 8. spark or portion of naturall Fathers in them neuerthelesse they are charged not onelie to bring them vp in the World but to prepare them for the World to come It is a vaine and foolish imagination to dreame that wee haue done our part or discharged a Fathers and a Mothers duty when we haue nourished appartelled and brought vp our Children whereas wee haue a farre greater account to make before God for their soules They are also greatly deceiued who if they send them to the Church on the Sabbaoth day and bring them to the place of Gods worship they thinke they haue answered the charge required of them These men post ouer all their dutie to the Minister and lay the burthen to ease themselues vpon his shoulders They care not they spare not to lay load vpon anothers backe that they may not beare it or touch it with their little finger But God cannot thus be mocked or deluded or defrauded who commaunded that themselues should rehearse his Lawes and Commaundements to their Children and Housholds Indeed it is a commendable duty to see that they serue God and to accompany them vnto the house of God but this is onelie halfe if halfe our dutie or rather to do our dutie to halues we must both prouide that they may bee taught and also teach them our selues when the Minister hath planted wee must water when he hath preached wee must see how they profit and by all meanes assist him in the worke of the Lord. They are also greatly deceiued who take themselues to be discharged of their duty when they haue taught them to say the ten Commaundements the Lords Prayer and the Creede or the Articles of Faith because they say they haue done what they can and are able to performe no more If they can doe no more it is a shame for them that they will be Fathers before they can doe that which is the duty of fathers It is one thing to teach them to say them another to vnderstand them It is not enough for vs to helpe them to speake the wordes vnlesse wee labour to make them conceiue the meaning of the wordes The Commaundements of the Law and the petitions of the Lords Prayer stand not in the bare wordes but in the true meaning
signe of their Reprobation Lydia is commended in that she l Acts 16 4. attended vnto the things which Paule spake but it was the Lord that opened her heart before she could be a faithfull and fruitfull hearer To this purpose Moses speaketh to all Israell m Deut. 29 2 3 4. Ye haue seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto al his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great Myracles and wonders yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Nowe as this ouer-throweth such as teach and maintaine an vniuersall Vocation so it must serue to settle vs in the trueth of the Doctrine of particular election and predestination n Rom. 9 15 16 18 13 14 That it is neither in him that willeth nor in him that rundeth but in God that sheweth mercy He sheweth mercie vpon whom he will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom he will haue compassion therefore he hath mercie vpon whom he will and whom he will he hardneth God loued Iacob and hated Esau so that it was saide The elder shall serue the younger The Lord electeth some vnto life and saluation before the foundations of the world he elected some and therefore not all before the beginning of the world and therefore not for their deserts who then had not their beeing vppon the earth Who art thou o Iob 9 4 Rom. 9 20. that wilt dispute with GOD Or what shall it auayle vs to question it and quarrell it with the Almightie May the p Esay 10 15. Rom. 9 21. Clay reason with the Potter or the Axe with the Carpenter or the Sawe with him that draweth it or the Rodde with him that taketh it Or shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus Dare any Seruant pry and search into all the secrets of his Maister Canst thou follow track the way of the Fish in the Waters of the Fowles in the Ayre of a Serpent vppon a stone of a Shippe in the Sea Let vs not aske a reason of his will but rather say with the Apostle q Ro. 11 33 34 O the deepenesse of the Riches both of the wisedome and Knowledge of GOD Howe vnsearchable are his Iudgementes and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his Counsellor or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompenced If God should doo equally well vnto all his Creatures then were hee after a sort so much lesse to be praised and magnifyed of some for his benefites seeing he should do nothing specially and singulerly to them more then to others Neither is there are iniquitie in our God in so doing for may hee not r Math. 20 13 do with his owne what he will May he not lighten what eyes hee will or shoot away what arrowes he is disposed without our certaine knowledge of his secret counsels Obiection But some man may say when an whole assembly haue the same meanes the same Ministery an whole Family the same teaching and instruction How is it that some beleeue others will not beleeue Some are conuerted others are hardned Some are elect others are reiected Answere I aunswere it is not for the Creature curiously to search into the workes of the Creator but to bee wise according to sobrietie and as well a man might demaund why all in the fielde is not pure Corne but some Tares Why all in the Barne is not Wheate but some Chaffe Why Trees beare some leaues and not all Fruite Why in a great house there are Vesselles of Golde and Siluer some to an honourable and others to a dishonourable vse Why there are as well Goats that will not heare as Sheepe that heare the voyce of the Shepheard The Lord Iesus adoreth the Counsell of his Father heerein and confesseth the reason to bee his will and heauenly pleasure and farther then this whosoeuer goeth higher then this whosoeuer ascendeth and deeper then this whosoeuer searcheth shall wander as in a maze and neuer returne shall fall downe headlong into a Gulfe and neuer rise vp againe Our Sauiour saith Å¿ Mat. 11 25 26 I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the Wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto Babes It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such As for the condemnation of the wicked and the execution of the heauy wrath and iust iudgements of God there is more then sufficient due desert in the Reprobate and though the righteous Lord worke therein yet beware thou imagine any euill in him The raine moystneth an euill Tree and therefore it beareth bitter and no better fruite In that it beareth fruite it commeth of the moysture but in that it bringeth foorth euill fruite it commeth of his owne Nature The Sunne by the strength of his heate and vertue of the Beames thereof rayseth out of the Dirt and Dunghill many foule and filthy sauours that infect men and corrupt the Ayre the raising of them vp is from the Sunne the vnwholsome and noysome smelles are from the places themselues The Raine is not properly the cause of the euill fruite but the Nature of the Tree and therefore it woorthily calleth for the Axe to cut it downe and then iustly deserueth to be throwne into the fire The Sunne is not directly the cause of those filthie sauours that are extracted out of stinking Ponds and puddles but the Miery and marish Ditches themselues So is it with God he is as the Raine that falleth and as the Sunne that shyneth from Heauen t Acts 17 28. Hee mooueth the euill man who worketh euill the action is of God the euill is from the free will of man and from the soule spirite of the Deuill God is not the Authour of the euill and therefore let u Iam. 1 13 14 no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Seeing then the grace of Election of Redemption of Iustification of Vocation of Sanctification is not generall nor generally giuen vnto all but according to the free purpose and pleasure of him that chooseth redeemeth calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Let vs acknowledge his great mercie to the praise and glorie of his name when hee maketh his owne ordinances auayleable which we see in many to bee vnprofitable let vs confesse his louing kindnesse toward vs when he doth beget vs by the immortall seede of regeneration and worketh effectually our saluation For what haue wee in vs to mooue the Lorde to sauour vs and followe vs with a
are not ignorant of his enterprises Hence it it that he saith ye ought to forgiue him and to comfort him and to confirme your loue toward him which is as much as if hee should desire them to take him againe for a Brother Vse 1. The Obiections being answered which stood before vs as a Cloud that dimmed and darkned our sight let vs come now to the Vses of the Doctrin and see what we may conclude from hence First seeing former offences are vpon our repentance to be forgiuen we learne that we ought all to be of a plakeable Nature easie to be appeased and ready to be intreated we must be inclinable to mercie and passe by offences that might prouoke vs to anger It is a fruit of true loue described by the Apostle q 1 Cor. 13 4 5 6 7. It suffereth long it is bountifull Loue enuyeth not Loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it doth no vncomely thing it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill it reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the truth it suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges it hopeth all thinges it endureth all thinges There is no man but gladly desireth to haue God that is able to be ready and willing to forgiue him his sinnes and therefore we ought to be like affectioned toward our Brethren It is a great comfort to the weakenesse of our Faith which needeth all proppes and pillers to sustaine and vphold it For though the forgiuenesse of our Brethren be no cause of our forgiuenesse it is a signe and testimonie whereby we are infalliblie confirmed that as surely as we remit others we shall be remitted Nothing maketh vs more resemble the Lord then to be mercifull hee is the God of patience r Psal 103 8 9 14. He is slow to anger he is full of compassion and of great kindnesse he will not alway chide neither keepe his anger for euer he knoweth whereof we are made and he remembreth we are but Dust On the other side nothing in the World maketh vs so like vnto Sathan and to be transformed into his Image as malice and enuy Hence it is that he is called a Tempter a Slanderer a false accuser the authour of all hatred and dissention This appeareth in the example of our first Parents so soone as they were placed of God in the Garden immediatly Sathan set vpon them and sought to dispossesse them of that happy estate If then wee giue our selues to hatred and mallice and neuer thinke our selues well but when wee are disgorging the rank or and enuy of our boyling stomackes we shew our selues not to be the Sonnes of God who is Loue it selfe but to be the Children of the Deuill who is maliciousnesse it selfe For He Å¿ 1 Ioh. 3 8 9. that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was made manifest that Sonne of God that hee might loose the Workes of the Deuill Whosoeuer is borne of GOD sinneth not for his Seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of GOD. This reprooueth those that keepe old reuenge and setled mallice as a festered sore rusting and rankling in their hearts to the satisfying of their owne lustes to the poysoning of their owne Soules and to the dishonouring of Almightie God This we see to haue beene in Caine who hating his Brother and suffering the Sunne to goe downe vpon his wrath in the end his wrath conceiued brought forth Murther and Murther when it was finished wrought out his destruction The like appeareth in Absolom toward his Brother Ammon For when Ammon had defiled his Sister Tamar respecting neither the wickednesse of the Fact nor the shame of his Sister nor the reproach of his person nor the offence of his Brother nor the blaspheming of the enemies nor the scandall of the Church nor the offence of his Father nor the defiling of his Fathers house Absalom t 2 Sam. 13 23 29. conceiued hatred in his heart and executed vengeance vpon him to the full two yeares after he dissembled his purpose till occasion serued and afterward his mallice brought forth a lamentable effect when he goared his Sword in blood It is esteemed among carnall men a token of valour to reuenge but indeed it is no better then slauish weaknesse and want of true fortitude So then they are possessed with the Spirit of the Deuill that are content to shake hands and promise forgiuenesse that speak deceitfully euery one with his neghbor flattering with their lips and gloze with a double hart yet keepe in mind the remembrance of old iniuries waiting and watching for opportunity of time place and means to execute the bloody designes of their beastly hearts Would we be thus dealt with all at the handes of God Would we be thus forgiuen Would we haue halfe a forgiuenesse and no more of him Woe and woe againe were it to vs if we were thus forgiuen Let vs deale as faithfully and fully as sincerelie and vnfainedly with them as we desire to haue the eternall God to deale with vs u Math. 7 2. For with what iudgement we iudge we shall be iudged and with what measure we mete it shall be measured to vs againe Let vs bannish from vs all lame and halfe halting remission which keepeth a part and peece vnforgiuen if we would haue the Lord forgiue all and cast them into â—he bottome of the Sea for euer let vs be like minded toward our Brethren Otherwise our owne consciences shall conuince and condemne vs so often as we say the Lordes Prayer seeing we pray most fearefully against our selues and as we reserue behinde in a corner of our hearts a peece of our mallice so wee desire the Lorde also to reserue a part of his wrath for vs and of his punnishment against vs. Obiection If any thinke himselfe wise enough to shift off this danger and say so long as I cannot resolue with my selfe to bee in Loue and Charity with my Neighbour and to forgiue him that hath offended me so long I will not vse the Lordes Prayer but some other good and godly Prayers For we are not tyed to this or that forme we haue many excellent Prayers beside wee may vse any of them Answere See Foole Foole how subtile and crafty thou art to deceiue thy selfe Blinde people play x Perk. on the Lords Prayer with the Lords Prayer as the Fly doth with the Candle or as the child doth with the Knife whereby it falleth out that the one is burned the other is wounded Take heede God is not mocked we cannot dallie with him It is not this or that forme that God regardeth it is our being in that estate not reconciled to our Brother that bringeth vpon vs suddaine destruction For God is Loue y 1 Iohn 4 16. and 3 14 15. And hee that dwelleth in
went in and lay with his Fathers Wiues Heere are sundry deuillish and wicked practises Incest Murther Rebellion treason all abhominable enormities and yet God saith k 2 Sam. 12 12 He did all these things These sinnes were most foule and filthy to looke vpon as they were the inuentions of the Deuill the perswasions and practises of euill men but as they are punishments sent of God vpon Dauid for his offences they were beautifull in their time they were the righteous sentence of a iust Iudge who cannot deale vniustly in iudgement Thus much of answering these few Obiections Now let vs proceede to conclude some Vses out of this truth Vse 1 The Vses that will arise from hence are many but wee will onely touch the principall This Doctrine serueth for reproofe for comfort and for obedience For it serueth to reprooue and conuince sundry persons that eyther know not or knowing doe abuse this prouidence of God whereby he taketh care of all thinges that are in the World and directeth them to a right end And first of all we set against it and oppose vnto it the dreames and dotages of Atheists Epicures Libertines and such like Wretches who either deny wholy there is a God or make him sit as idle in heauen as themselues are vpon the earth so that albeit he know and see all thinges yet hee worketh or ordereth not the speciall actions of men that fall out These are they that pull God out of his Kingdome and set vp Chance and Fortune as an Idoll and make it their God We must all learne and confesse that the Lord that is the Creator of Heauen and Earth is also the Ruler and Gouernor of all euen the least Creatures The whole world from the highest heauen to the center of the Earth is subiect to his prouidence He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will he giueth life and l Acts. 17 28 breath he preserueth them so that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment Whether they be things with life or without life with reason or without reason generall or particular euill or good Angels or Men necessary or not necessary all are ruled by his decree So then Chance Fortune are words of the Gentiles and are blindly vsed by such as are called Christians whereas nothing can be done without his will and working who is omnipotent What seemeth more casuall then the Lot Yet The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition is of the Lord. Prou. 16. 33. This is it which our Sauior teacheth m Math. 10 29 30. and 6 26. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of thē shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred So that we see Chance and Prouidence cannot stand together but the one ouerturneth the other Secondly it reproueth such as frō hence take encouragement to commit sin to breake out into sundry outrages or to liue securely because God can turne it to our good and maketh it serue to set forth his mercy This is that presumption and sin of rebellion touched by the Apostle Why do we not euill that good may n Rom. 3 8. come thereof whose damnation is iust So in another place o Rom. 6 1 2. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that Grace may abound How shall we that are dead in sinne liue yet therein We confesse indeed that God is the Soueraigne cause of all euents that are brought to passe and whatsoeuer the enemies of the Church intend and enterprise whether the Sonnes of Men or the Deuill and his Angels he staieth and hindreth or represseth and disappointeth and alwaies disposeth it to the good and saluation of his children Neuerthelesse this doth not excuse or free the Instruments that he vseth from fault They do the will of God blindly and ignorantly but they do crosse his will openly and purposely so that his prouidence doth not exempt the wicked from their euill doing Dauid knew well enough and confesseth as much that Shemei was sent of God most iustly to cursse him and to raile vpon him when he fled from the face of his son Absolon yet in his last speach to the King his Sonne he doth not defend him or excuse him o 1 King 2 8 9 But giueth charge and commaundement to be reuenged of him and not to account him innocent If then euill instruments cease not to be guilty before men much more faulty shall they be before the iudgement Seate of the Almighty and much lesse shall they escape punishment for transgressing the Law of God For howsoeuer wicked men be well moued by God to execute his worke by them who may vse any of his creatures according to his owne power pleasure yet in asmuch as they being moued of God do peruersely and crookedly and wickedly moue themselues to will and work euill so that themselues are the workers and causers of their own euill works whereby it commeth to passe both that they grieuously offend God and afterward seuerely punished of him Wherefore such as resist God rebell against his law and striue against his will cannot say they haue done his will inasmuch as they had no purpose to keep his ordinances therefore make themselues subiect to all his iudgements Lastly this reproueth the Church of Rome that among many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we mainetaine that God is the author of sin We hold we teach priuatly publikely by word by writing in Schooles in Churches that God is not the author of sin but the deuil mans own corrupt wil whosoeuer teacheth and preacheth otherwise if it were an Angell from heauen we hold him accurssed Hence it is that the Prophet saith p Psal 5 4. Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee So the Prophet Habakuke q Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse Likewise Zephany saith r Zeph. 3 7. The iust Lord is in the midst thereof he will do none iniquity In like manner the Prophet Zachary saith ſ Zach. 8 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your harts against his neighbour and loue no false Oth for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. Thus we heare that he loueth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse so that he is the authour of all good of no euill If we would heare this farther opened the Apostle Iames is a witnesse of it t Iam. 1 13 14 Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he drawn away by his owne concupiscence and is entised This is the conscionable Doctrine of pietie and the contrary wee renounce and
friends The delight that men take in these is vaine and of no value nay it bringeth in the end Gall and Wormewood and biteth as a Serpent If thou delight in thy Wife Children Seruants Friends and Familiars in the flesh in a worldly and wicked manner and neuer considerest from whence thou hast them nor receiuest them as the guiftes and blessings of God that thereby thou mayest haue sound ioy and true happinesse heaped vpon thee it is extream folly and madnesse What was the end of Ahabs ioy in his wife in his sonnes in his posterity They were at the last thogh multiplyed exceedingly cut off from man to beast and none of them left to water a wall How many are there that being free and at liberty to make choise of Friends of Wife of Seruants of Companions do neuer set the Lord before their eyes who hauing little grace in their owne hearts make an election of such as are most vngracious and gracelesse They desire not to be Companions of such as loue the Lord and his Law but respect riches or beautie or honour or such outward Ornaments as perish with the vse and cannot cleanse the soule Wherefore let all superiors know and vnderstand that it is a duty and instruction belonging vnto them to delight themselues and set their hearts vpon such as are religious and vertuous and to shew their anger and displeasure against those that are faithlesse and feare not to offend the Lord with their wicked liues and vngodly behauiour For this shall bee our praise and commendation in the choise of our frends and in the gouernment of our houses to follow the example of God our Creator who is the most prudent and perfect Gouernour His fauour doeth embrace and his goodnesse compasse on euery side such as faithfully serue him and sincerely worship him but his wrath and angry countenance is fierce against those that walke rebelliously in the contempt of his Lawes and liue licentiously in the profession of his seruice Thus ought it to be in his people that gouerne in his feare such as they see feare God they must honor they must commend they must encourage they must countenance but such as are stubborne against themselues and stiffe-necked against God they must reprooue and reiect they must discommend and discountenance by all meanes they can For all such as suffer disorders and misbehauiour in their charges without checke and controulement shall finde the faultes of their Inferiours turne to their owne reproach and reproofe The Wiseman teacheth m Prou. 14 34 that sinne is a shame to a whole people and to a great company much more then shall it turne to be infamous and ignominious to a house and to the Maister of the house as we see in Eli and his sonnes Secondly it reprooueth such as hate and abhorre those that shewe the seeds of Faith and the sparkes of grace and the fruits of the spirit to bee in them It is an euill as we heard before not to preferre and make choyse of such as are good but it is a great deale worse to loath and dislike such as are godly when they haue made choise of them and brought them home into their owne doores They that haue obtained this mercy to finde grace with God do bring the blessinges of God with them into the house they come not empty and alone but full fraught and furnished with great Treasures if that we had spirituall eyes or hearts to discerne it A Religious and a vertuous Wife is n Prou. 31 10 11. a great Iewell her price is farre aboue the Pearles for she will do her Husband good and not euill all the dayes of her life and yet many repine and murmure that their wiues haue so much knowledge and that they are too zealous in the truth They neuer thinke they bring them to much riches and substance but if they labour to be rich in God which is the true Treasure they thinke a little to be too too much They neuer complaine that they are in fauour with great men from whom they may reape a commodity but if they seek to be in fauour with God from whom euery good giuing euery perfect guift proceedeth they make a scoffe and a mock at it They ought to encourage them and stirre them vp to good things and not hinder them in their course They ought themselues to teach and instruct them not discourage them from learning of others Thus it is also many times with many Fathers that pretend a loue to their children but it is in the flesh not in the spirit in the world not in the Lord in earthly things not in heauenly If their Children haue embraced the Gospell in sincerity and seeke after the meanes of their saluation with diligence they thinke they are too forward and feare they wil proue too praecise and so make more account of others that are more loose in life and prophane in conuersation This fault was in good Isaac who preferred his son Esau hated of God before Iacob that was loued of him So do the Fathers of our times delight themselues most in their Children that are most lewd and shew least fauour to such as most deserue it And thus it fareth with many Pastors Teachers of the people who ought to go before them in soundnesse of Doctrine and vprightnesse of life and by all meanes to bring forward such as are comming on to spurre and stirre vp such as are sluggish to comfort such as are carefull and zealous and to discountenance such as are open or secret enemies But how many are there that would be called and accounted faithfull shepherds and true Teachers sent of God who are affraid their hearers should bee too forward like enuious Maisters that are loath to haue good Schollers repine at it to haue any profit too much vnder them Thus they nuzzle them in ignorance that are blinde they strengthen the hand of iniquity they encourage euill doers and discourage those that would faine walke in the wayes of godlinesse It was the earnest desire of Moses o Num. 11 29 That all the Lordes people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them If wee haue this spirit let vs neuer reproach those with learning too fast that are vnder our charge who ought to be our comfort in this life and shall be our crown in the life to come Vse 3. Lastly seeing it belongeth as a speciall duty vnto vs to shew our greatest affection to such as haue in their harts most religion it serueth as a comfort and encouragement to al callings euen the lowest that are among men to labour after good things and to seeke to serue and feare the Lord seeing such as are the meanest and of basest reckning with many are respected and recompenced of him This is a notable encouragement to consider that God taketh care of vs and requireth of men to do vs good The
of Iesus Christ The persecutions of all true Christians which are imprisoned for Christs sake are the persecutions and must bee esteemed as the persecutions of Christ himselfe This Apostle writing to the Philippians and mentioning his Chaines p Phil. 1 13. calleth them his Bands in Christ. And in the Epistle to the Colossians he saith q Col. 1 24. Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Heere hee calleth the afflictions which he in his body suffered the afflictions of Christ So he exhorteth Timothy not to be ashamed r 2 Tim. 1 8. of the testimony of our Lord nor of him being his Prisoner but to bee partaker of the afflictions of the Gospell according to the power of God All these testimonies doe teach vs that all such afflictions as are occasioned through the Gospell and brought vpon the godly for righteousnesse sake are not onely to bee called their afflictions but the afflictions of Christ Iesus for whose cause they come vpon them Reason 1. The reasons hereof are plaine and euident For first they are sustained for his names sake and therefore may fitly be called his If then we endure them for his cause and for the witnesse of the Gospell whereof hee is the matter and Author he is the occasion of their trouble and therefore they are to bee accounted his He must needes be a party with vs for whose cause and occasion we are troubled A man of any humanity and naturall affection will make himselfe a Companion in tribulation with him who is punished or troubled for his debt and offence When Abiathar came to Dauid and told him how that his Father and his Fathers house were slaine for succouring of Dauid ſ 1 Sam. 22 12 he presently tooke to himselfe saying I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy Fathers House abide thou with me and feare not for he that seeketh my life shall seeke thy life also for with me thou shalt be in safegard The truth of this reason is set downe by the Prophet when he saith t Psal 44 22. Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually and are counted as Sheepe for the slaughter Hereunto the Apostle alludeth u Rom. 8 36. and concludeth the reason in the Epistle to the Romans Cha. 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perrill or sword As it it written For thy sake are we killed and are counted as Sheepe for the slaughter Seeing then afflictions are sustained for Christs cause whose shall they bee better accounted then his Reason 2. Secondly there is a neerer coniunction betweene Christ and his members so that we are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones If then we bee made one with Christ x Ephe. 5 30. euen members Of his body of his flesh and of his bones the afflictions that are ours must needes be made his the persecutions that are ours must needes be made his the persecutions that are ours are his persecutions our imprisonment is his imprisonment For they that are faithfull are the body of Christ and hee their head so that they with him make but one Christ Hence it is that the Church which is the company of true beleeuers y 1 Cor. 12 12 is called by the name of Christ If any member suffer the head suffereth with it as wel as the members there is such a sympathy feeling between thē so is it betweene Christ and his Church their greefe is his greefe their sorrow is his sorrow their trouble is his trouble This reason is included in the words of the Apostle writing to the Colossians when he saith I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body sake which is his Church Vse 1. Let vs come to consider the vses First see heere what Christ accounteth of the sufferings of his Seruants Hee accounteth whatsoeuer is doone to them that are faithfull a◅ done vnto himselfe whether it bee good or euill whether it be comfort and consolation or trouble and persecution True it is Christ Iesus is ascended into the heauens and sitteth at the right hand of his Father so that he can suffer no more he can dye no more yet now hee suffereth in his members that confesse his name and reioyceth in his members that praise his name when they are troubled hee is troubled and when they are comforted he is comforted And first touching afflictions all such as offer wrong and iniury to the Saintes doe offer wrong and iniury to Christ himselfe This appeareth in the words of Christ to Saul who had obtained letters from the High-Priests to put in prison those that called on his name saying to him z Acts 9 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He might haue said why persecutest thou my Saints Why bringest thou them bound to Ierusalem But to enforce his reproofe he telleth him with whom he hath to deale and to whom the iniury and indignity is offered to wit to Christ A notable lesson for all persecuters to ponder vpon and carefully to remember Whensoeuer they take crafty and wicked counsell against the Children of God and they are plotting and contriuing any mischiefe against them when they whet their tongues or draw their Swordes or busie their heads or set a worke their hearts to ouerthrow and destroy them let them by and by consider that Christ calleth vnto them from Heauen with a reuenging voyce Why persecutest thou me If this voyce of Christ were alwaies sounding in their eares and entring into theyr hearts and piercing their consciences it would represse their rage and asswage their mallice intended against the people of God If any man among vs that liueth in the Church were asked the question whether he would persecute Christ in his person imprison him reuile him wrong him afflict him and put him to death if he liued vpon the face of the earth he would bee ready to aunswere God forbid and to defie him that should offer to charge him with it he would aunswere hee looketh for saluation from him and meaneth not to contriue the destruction of him yea he would be ready to say with Hazaell what Is thy Seruant a Dogge that I should doe this great thing 2. Kinges 8. 13. But let vs not deceiue in our selues in vaine wordes that cannot profite whatsoeuer is wrought against the Seruant redowneth to the reproach and contempt of the Maister and Christ will be reuenged of the afflictions layde vpon the least and poorest member that belongeth to his body as if they were infflicted vpon his owne person Hence it is that the Euangelist describing the forme and manner of his last iudgement when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead
Surely mine Enemy did not defame mee for I could haue borne it neyther did mine Aduersary exalt himselfe against me for I would haue hid mee from him but it was thou ô Man euen my Companion my Guide and my Familiar which delighted in consulting together and went into the house of God as Companions This falsehood haue the faithfull felt in all Ages This had Christ himselfe experience of being betrayed of one of his owne Disciples and Houshold So haue his members continually prooued the same beeing exercised by the deceipt of false Bretheren This was the sinne of Caine n Gen. 4 8. Who spake friendly to his Brother but when he had him alone in the Fielde he rose vp against him and slew him This was the sinne of Ioab o 2 Sam. 20 9. his false and fraudulent dealing with Abner and Amasa he spake peaceably but meant treacherously Art thou in health my Brother And so smote them with the sword that they dyed This was the sinne of Iudas p Mat. 26 48. who had Haile Maister in his mouth and couered the hollownesse and Hypocrisie of his heart with the kindnesse of a Kisse but this was a token of his Treason and the signe that he had giuen to apprehend him It was not a Kisse of loue but a Testimony of his villany and therefore Christ saide vnto him Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kisse Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn exhorteth 1. Iohn 3. q 1 Iohn 3 18 19. My little Children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth for thereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts This is the true loue which standeth not in word but in deede which lyeth not in the tongue but in the heart which consisteth not in an outward shew but in the inward truth Such was the loue of the godly gathered together after the ascention of Christ they loued together in truth and had all thinges common in the vse For r Acts 2 44 4 32 34 35. all that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common they were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them faide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne neyther was there any among them that lacked Where the Euangelist declareth that their harts and affections were so ioyned in God that being all members of one body they could not suffer their fellow-members to bee destitute accounting the defeating and defrauding of them as it were a spoyling and robbing of themselues Wee must not deny our helpe to them that are in Christ but shewe our selues ready to cloath him to feede him and to visite him in all his members as wee shewed before otherwise wee are no true members but dead members And to our deare Sister Apphia c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first and cheefe person to whom the Epistle is directed Now let vs come to such as are lesse principall being ioyned with him which are these first Apphia Secondly Archippus Thirdlie the Familie of Philemon to whom this Epistle was to bee read The first that commeth to bee considered is Apphia whom he calleth a beloued Sister This Woman seemeth to be the Wife of Philemon my reason is because she is placed immediatly after Philemon and before the Minister and Pastor of the Church For no cause can be assigned why she should follow Philemon and goe before Archippus but that she was the Wife of Philemon and therefore the Apostle ioyneth her next vnto him in place as she was ioyned to him by the ordinance of God And this Å¿ Chrysost hom 1. in Phil. Theophyl in Epist Phil. is the iudgement of many Now as Paule before did ioyne with himselfe Timothy so in this place he ioyneth Apphia as a Companion with Philemon that thereby he might make the way more open to obâ—…ine his purpose Good Women ought to doe much with their Husbandes and the Apostle prouoketh her by naming and saluting her to be a moouer and perswader of her Husband to this charitable and Christian duty Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers of their husbands We learne from hence that it is required of all Christian Women to be helpers and furtherers of good things in their Husbands It is the dutie of Wiues to stirre vp and spurre vp their Husbands to all Christian duties and holie fruites of Religion The ende of her Creation was that she should bee an Helper vnto Man especiallie in the best thinges for the Woman was made for Man and not Man for the Woman and therefore GOD saide from the beginning t Gen. 2 18. It is not good for Man to bee alone let vs make him an Helper meete for him Salomon describing in the Booke of Prouerbes a vertuous Woman whose price is farre aboue u Prou. 31 10 11 26 27. the Pearles he saith The heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no neede of spoile Shee will doe him good and not euill all the daies of her life c. She openeth her Mouth in Wisedome and the Lawe of Grace is in her tongue shee ouer-seeth the waies of her Household and eateth not the Bread of idlenesse An example of this dutie wee haue in the Wife of Manoah the Mother x Iudg. 13 22 23. of Sampson when her Husband was greatly affrighted and astonied at the sight of the glorious departure of the Angell of God who ascended vp in the flame of the Altar and cryed out in the perplexitie of his Spirit and terrour of his heart We shall surely dye because we haue seene the Lord She encouraged him and comforted him being greatly cast downe If the Lord would kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meate offering at our handes neither would hee haue shewed vs all these thinges nor would now haue told vs any such Another example we haue in the Shunamite a Woman of great estimation when she perceiued the Prophet Elisha to come often that way y 2 King 4 9. she saide vnto her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holy Man of God that passeth by vs continuallie let vs make him a little Chamber I pray thee with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. Where we see she stirreth vp her Husband to doe good to the Prophet and to prepare him a study by himselfe fit for his Meditations And the Apostles doe often vrge this duty and teach that all Women should bee helpess not hinderers furtherers not discouragers stirrers forward not houlders backeward from good things Reason 1. The Reasons are plaine For first they may by the gracious goodnesse of GOD be blessed Instruments to winne their Husbands to the Faith by beating
but they blush not with brazen faces and Iron fore-heads to breake out into all prophanenesse Let these take heede y Math. 10 33 least Christ bee ashamed of them when he commeth into his kingdome If wee be ready to confesse him and to professe his truth he will acknowledge vs before his Father which is in Heauen Obiect 2. Some say it is a note of hypocrisie to performe these duties and condemne them as Hypocrites that teach their Families These are euill Seruants that out of their owne mouthes may bee iudged Let them pray to haue their stony hearts taken away and new hearts giuen vnto them z 1 Ioh. 3 20. For if their hollow and hypocriticall hearts doe condemne them God is greater then their harts and knoweth all thinges And let them take heede they sit not in iudgement vpon others least with the same measure that they mete it bee measured to them againe Let them iudge nothing before the time but reserue iudgement to the Iudge of the whole world Obiect 3. Others say it will let and hinder their Seruants worke wee must haue so much praying that we shall haue little working These men can alot and alow no time for the Lord but thinke euery houre lost that is not spent in businesse of the World and affaires of this life These are like to prophane Saule who when the Philistims pressed toward him and hee was to aske counsell of the Lord a 1 Sa. 14 19. Hee commaunded the Priest to with-draw his hand that is he saide vnto him the season serueth not to seeke vnto GOD wee cannot spend the time in calling vppon him let vs goe vnto the battell and fight against our Enemies These men are like to wretched Pharaoh when Moses called vppon him b Exod. 3 4. to let the people goe into the Wildernesse to serue and sacrifice to the Lord he is charged to make them idle and to cause them to surcease from their workes These men are like to couetous Iudas c Iohn 12 4. who when Mary annointed Christes feete complained of the wast and said Why was not this Oyntment solde for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore Wherefore our Sauiour answereth such in his reply to Martha who was much troubled and cumbred about much seruing d Luke 10 41 One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Nay to be instructed in true Religion and to set out a time for calling vpon the Name of God is so farre from hindring our Seruants worke that it shall further it and giue a blessing vnto it We are commaunded to meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night e Iosh 1 8. that so wee may make our way prosperous and haue good successe in the workes of our hands And the Prophet teacheth That except the Lord builde the House and watch the Citty the labour of the Builder and of the Watch-man is in vaine Obiect 4. Others say they shall bee mocked taunted and scorned by the World they shall be tearmed Precisians they shall be called Puritans But wee must not seeke to please men by running into the displeasure of God For oftentimes it falleth out through the iust iudgement of God that whilst we hunt after the pleasure and fauour of men against God wee haue the fauour neither of God nor Men. The Apostle saith of himselfe writing to the Galathians f Gal. 1 10. If I should yet please Men I were not the Seruant of Christ It was the lot of Christ it hath beene the portion of all true Christians to bee scourged by the viperous and venomous tongues of vngodlie men that care not for God nor regard any Religion We are faint Souldiers not worthy to beare the Name of Christ if wee fly out of the fielde for euerie idle word and taunt of the tongue cast out against vs. Wee must prepare our selues against greater encounters g Ephe. 6 11. and arme our selues against wordes and Swords we must buckle both with the Deuill and with Deuilish men hand to hand except we will yeild him both our bodies and Soules to our destruction Obiect 5. Some say they cannot bring the vnlearned to knowledge and that youth are stubborn they wil be youth still and we were once youths they should hardly keepe any Seruants if they should strictly tye them to this order nay they should fly the Parish rather then beare this yoake I aunswere first let vs remember that GOD giueth the knowledge of his Mysteries euen to the simple and lowly minded that feare him Secondly consider that young men are commanded h Eccle. 12 1. to remember their Creator in the daies of their youth and shall giue an account of all thinges vnto God As for their stubbornnesse the word of God is the best remedy to bend them and make them pliable vnto all goodnesse so that the Prophet saith i Psal 119 9. Wherewith shall a young Man redresse his way In taking heede thereto according to thy word But if they bee so stiffely and stubbornely minded that they will not be reclaimed and reformed their roome is better then their company If admonitions will not winne them they are to bee auoyded thy house is better without them then with them Neither are we to feare their flying away and departing to another place for if this course of instruction were taken in hand euery where the Obiection were answered and their mouths stopped For whether would they goe to escape this training vp in the principles of Religion It is certaine they could turne themselues no whither but it would meete with them in all places Obiect 6. Others obiect our Fathers did well enough without obseruing any such order I trow you will not condemne them Why should wee make ourselues wiser then they They troubled not themselues or their Children with learning of Catechismes and wee see men doe well enough prosper in the World yet busie not their heads about this I answere if they meane those forefathers and Ancestors whose steps we should follow as Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Iosua Dauid and diuers others which were indeede our Fathers then we may bee assured out of the word of truth that these busied and bestirred themselues this way they taught their Children they instructed their families they reformed disorders they remooued the disordered If they meane our forefathers that liued in latter times when darkenesse couered the earth no maruell if they were not vrged thereunto themselues or that they vrged not others for then they liued at the dyet of the Prelats and nothing pleased the Prelats better then the ignorance of the people k Math. 15 14 they were the blinde Leaders of the blinde they could neither enter into the Kingdome of heauen themselues nor suffer those that would enter Notwithstanding we will not meddle with condemning our forefathers neither will
Let them know therefore that they must render a greater account then of teaching them to vtter and pronounce the wordes they must cause them to vnderstand them they must sow the Seedes of Christian Religion in their hearts they must instruct them with all diligence they must exhort them with all earnestnesse they must charge them to feare God and to walk in his waies that so their children may be made Gods Children and so giue them to him againe of whom and by whose blessing at the first they receiued them Vse 2. Secondly seeing all Housholders must teach their families it is their duty first of all to reforme themselues that so their people may be reformed They that are the chiefe in the Family must looke vnto themselues and goe in and out before them by good example that so they may the better looke vnto those that are vnder them It is a Testimony of our great loue toward them and an earnest desire to win them to the truth and to embrace true godlinesse when we seek to saue their soules He that loueth the soule t Plutar. in Alcibia loueth truely for the foule is the principall part of man They therefore that are carelesse in training vp their children in religion cannot assure themselues that they bear any true loue vnto them Let them shew neuer so much comfort compassion to their bodies yet all their mercies are cruell so long as they neglect the chiefest care that ought to be in them toward their soules We may iudge thē to be more inhumaine and vnnaturall euen more then sauage beasts who not onely by neglect of teaching their Children the feare of the Lord but by corrupt example of liuing do lead them into euill and so murther their soules For how many children in stead of good education and godly instruction do heare their Fathers delight in swearing doe see them deale deceitfully and vniustly and walke in euerie euill way If wee should beholde a man killing his owne children and laying violent hands vpon his owne flesh if wee should see him destroy his posterity and shed the innocent blood of those that came out of his owne loines who would not accuse and condemne him of vnnatural murther and barbarous cruelty But there are many many thousand Fathers in the world that are the Murtherers and Butchers yea the death and destruction of their owne Issue They gaue them life but they are the causes of their death They gaue them a temporall being but they bring them to eternall condemnation They should direct them in the right way to Heauen but they leade them into the pathes of sinne and so thrust them downe to Hell with their owne handes For so long as we teach them not to honour God but to dishonour him and regard not whether they know Christ Iesus or not but are patternes and presidents vnto them of all prophanenesse wee are guilty of their blood and are worse then those that take away their naturall life and shall one day holde vp our hand at the barre of Gods Iudgement to bee arraigned for it For they onelie kill the bodie and when they haue done can do no more but we cast away and spill the Soules of our Children which is the greatest rigour the vilest murther and the extreamest crueltie in the world If therefore we would be cleere and pure from the bloud of our children let vs traine them vp in godlinesse and take heed to our selues reforming our owne waies and endeuouring to bee examples vnto them in all holinesse and true righteousnesse This is it which Ioshua u Iosh 24 15. professeth in his exhortation that he maketh to the people that they would with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord. Ioshua 24. 15. If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lorde chuse you this day whom you will serue whether the Gods which your Fathers serued beyond the floud or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but I and my house will serue the Lord. The like we see in the aunswere of Queene Ester to Mordecai when shee had exhorted to gather the Church together to Fasting and Prayer that God might be intreated to open a way for their deliuerance x Ester 4 16. she addeth I and my Maids will doe likewise A like practise we find in Dauid Psal 101. as he declareth that his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with him and that such as are vpright should serue him so he professeth y Psa 101 2 3 He would walke in the vprightnesse of his heart in the middest of his house hee would set no wicked thing before his eies but hate the workes of them that fall away For well did Dauid know that if the Maister of the house were euill the Family ordinarily could not bee good and that the example of the highest it alleadged as a warrant to the lowest to follow It is great pitty that a Child should heare an euill word or see an euill deed they are so ready to imitate that which they heare and see Let vs therefore looke diligently to our selues what examples we lay before them Vse 3. Thirdly this doctrine directeth vs to haue in our priuate Familes the priuate exercises of Religion It is no small praise of the house of Philemon that he had so taught and instructed his Family that hee had the liuely Image and true representation of a Church in it discharging after a sort the duty of a Pastor within his owne walles So the Apostle Paule saluteth Aquila and Priscilla z Rom. 16 3 5 and 1 Cor. 16 19. and the Church that is in their house Euery Gouernour of an house and Maister of a Family must endeuour that his house-hold may deserue the Name of a Church He should be the speaker they the hearers he the Pastour they the flocke he the Minister they the people hee ready to instruct they ready to be instructed A priuate Family should be as a priuate schoole the Gouernour is the Maister of the Schoole euery one within his gouernment is a Scholler to learne of him This shall bee a singuler commendation vnto vs if we so order our seuerall charges and places of gouernment as that they may bee called rather Churches then priuate Families rather Schooles then Houses rather Temples of GOD then dwellings of men rather Tabernacles set vp to serue the Lord then buildings erected to serue our selues Now wee shall attaine to this praise and estimation among the faithfull if our houses doe resemble Churches by the practise of such exercises as are performed in it For the Maister is both a King and a Pastor within his owne house a King to rule and correct a Pastor to instruct and reprooue yea to remooue such as are obstinate and obdurate Let vs therefore all of vs set vp little Churches in our houses let vs vse in them prayer to God
73. Psalm Å¿ Psal 73 25 26. Whom haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh faileth and mine hart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer So the Apostle Paul accounteth all thinges as losse and dung in comparison of the grace of God Whereby we see that all men should principally and in the first place seeke wish and intreat for the feeling of Gods fauour in Christ as the blessed Fountaine of all good things to come vpon vs. Reason 1. Let vs consider the causes and Reasons of this point First one drop of his free loue is better worth then all the World and it shall yeelde vs more sweet and sound comfort in the latter end If we should put the grace of God and the glory of the world and peize them together in the ballances the least dramme and drop of the fauour of God toward vs would ouer-weigh and ouer-sway all the whole World and all the thinges that are in the World which worldly men make their chiefest Treasure This the Prophet Dauid found by experience so soone as he had prayed for the louing countenance of GOD hee addeth t Psal 4 7. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheate and their Wine did abound This giueth a man more sound comfort then hee can finde else-where Wee haue a common saying that runneth in euery Mans mouth Giue a man good lucke and throw him into the Sea But this is a Diuine truth Let a man haue the free Grace and fauour of GOD and then neyther Sea nor Land neither Fire nor Water neyther Sword nor Pestilence neyther force nor Famine neyther any other thing shall be able to hurt him We see this e Exod. 14 30. in Moses and the Israelites when they were come to the Red Sea and Pharaoh with his Army followed at their backes they were brought through the Sea as on dry Land and were carried safely in the Wildernesse as on Eagles Winges by the prouidence and protection of God The three Children f Dan. 3 27 6 22. were cast into the Furnance Daniell was thrown into the Lyons denne yet they were not consumed with the Fire neyther he deuoured by the Lyons This made the Prophet say g Psal 23 4. Though I should walke through the Valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill for thou art with me thy Rodde and thy Staffe they comfort me All other comfort is no better then discomfort all other ioy is no better then sorrow and vexation of Spirit without this according to the saying of the Wise-man h Eccle. 2 2. I said of laughter Thou art mad and of ioy what is this that thou dost Reason 2. Secondly the grace and loue of God blesseth sanctifieth and furthereth all other thinges vnto vs honour wealth wisedome riches strength fauour friendship and whatsoeuer befall the Sonnes of Men. The Prophet testifieth Psalme 45. Because God had blessed him for euer i Psal 45 2 3. therefore it is said vnto him prosper thou with thy glory ride vppon the word of truth and of meekenesse On the other side the want of the loue and grace of God curseth all other things vnto vs yea defileth and poysoneth them and maketh them deadly our honour it turneth into shame our strength into weakenesse our wisedome into foolishnesse our riches into snares our beauty into vanity our sauour into hatred We haue many examples in the word of God and by daily experience offered vnto vs of this truth the wisedome of Achitophell the honour of Haman the valour of Ioab the beauty of Absolom the knowledge of Iudas all these were good and great blessings of God but all are turned to be cursses vnto them because wanting the free grace of GOD they wanted the sanctified vse of them Seeing therefore the loue of God is of greater price and more excellent value then all the world and seeing his grace sanctifieth and seasoneth all other blessings and the want thereof bringeth a cursse vpon them wee conclude and gather from these reasons that the free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be intreated and desired for our selues and others Vse 1. Now let vs make vse of this point First let euerie one of vs seeke to haue our hearts established and setled in this free grace to finde and feele in vs his loue shed in our hearts by his holy Spirit Let this bee our first our chiefe our principall and special care to obtaine the loue and fauour of God that wee may be beloued of him This was the prayer of the Prophet k Psal 51 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit So the Apostle teacheth l Hebr. 13 9. It is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace We see how men are filled and carryed away with naturall presumption euen from their Cradle perswading themselues to stand in a sure estate and thinking to escape the wrath of God but of this free grace they haue no tast no desire no feeling of any want They imagine themselues to stand in no neede thereof they presume they are in the fauour of God they dreame that he cannot chuse but loue them If we want any earthlie blessing the helpe of Friendes the health of bodie the Treasure of this World we can very quickly feele it our senses are sharpe enough to discerne it but though we want the grace of God and his fauour toward vs wee haue no more feeling then dead Men hath wee neyther feele it nor desire it nor once regard it We spend our strength wast our life and consume our daies in seeking riches honours pleasures and preferments but wee neuer looke so high as to the grace of God We lye groueling like the Beastes vpon the Earth wee vse euery day nay euery houre nay euerie minute the blessings of God f Acts 17 28. In whom we liue and mooue and haue our being yet wee will not lift vp our eyes to the chiefe cause of all the Grace of God Let vs therefore aboue all thinges seeke earnestly for the grace of God wherein the Foundation of all our happinesse is laid He that liueth in his fauour hath comfort in all sorrowes and miseries He that dyeth out of his fauour dyeth as a Beast nay worse then a beast and shall haue fellowship with the Deuill and his Angels it had beene good if such a one had neuer beene borne For euen as the rich man in the Gospell desired g Luke 16 24 one drop of Water to quench the fire and to coole his tongue and if he might haue gotten it hee would haue preferred it before the gaining and obtaining of a thousand Worlds so when God shall set our sinnes in order before
vs and the Gulfe of his wrath ready to swallow vs we shall cry out for one drop of Grace for one drop of Faith for one drop of comfort to refresh our pining Soules and to deliuer vs from the shaddow of death Now is the time to desire and seeke after grace if we let slip the present occasion offered vnto vs we shall afterward cry out for it and complaine of the want of it and yet shall neuer attaine vnto it Thus was it with the rich Man when he entreated Abraham to haue mercy on him and to send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water to coole his tongue beeing tormented in that Flame Abraham answered Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Thus was it with the foolish Virgins who slumbred and slept and regarded not to procure and prouide Oyle h Mat. 25 10 11. for their Lampes for when the Bridegroome was come and had shut the Gate they cryed in vaine Lord Lord open vnto vs who receiued their answere Verily I say vnto you I know you not Thus it shall be with those in the last day which shall say i Math. 7 22. Lord Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out Deuils And by thy Name done many great workes For then hee will professe vnto them he neuer knew them depart from me ye workers of iniquity So shall it be with those that haue neglected the time and passed ouer the opportunity k Luke 14 25 26. who begin to say Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our Streets to whom he shall say I know you not whence ye are Let vs all be wise and beware by their examples that we do not delay the time from day to day Let vs craue this guift of God that we may haue it in time of neede and in the houre of tentation If now while we haue time we shall desire and labour to obtaine grace wee shall not neede heereafter to stand in feare of Death or to cry out through horror and despaire O that I had one drop of Faith O that I had one drop of Grace Vse 2. Secondly seeing grace is in the first place aboue and before all other blessings to be desired and required at the handes of God let vs learne the high-way and enter into the beaten path that leadeth to this Grace and when wee haue learned it let vs walke in it in a constant and setled course Now the steppes l Three steps leading vs to finde Gods grace that wee must make to trace it and finde it out are these The first degree or steppe is to dislike our selues and to bee in disgrace with our selues Euery man naturally is in loue with himselfe and his owne shadow But wee must cast off this selfe-loue that cleaueth so fast and hangeth on and learne to know our selues and to hate our selues No man can magnifie Gods mercy sufficiently vntill hee attaine to the knowledge of his owne misery Daniell a man gratious and dearely beloued of GOD acknowledged this in his prayer and as it were ascendeth into the presence of God by this steppe m Dan. 9 7 8. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and vnto euery Man of Iudah because we haue sinned against thee This was the course that the Prodigall Sonne tooke and the way that he entred g Luke 15 21 Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Thus did the poore Publican insinuate himselfe into the grace of God and departed iustifyed in his sight he smote his breast saying h Luke 18 13 Lord be mercifull to me a Sinner To be proud and puffed vp with our owne righteousnesse and to trust in our owne wisedome is the fore-runner of a fall The second step to obtaine grace is after we haue felt this want and misery in our selues wee must not rest there but earnestly desire and inwardly hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly thinges First we must feele our selues empty before our Soules can haue this hunger Our Sauiour describing true blessednesse to his Disciples and shewing wherein it consisteth contrary to the iudgement of the World hee saith i Math. 5 3 6. Blessed are the poore in Spirit that is that know themselues poore that feele themselues poore and voide of righteousnesse and then he addeth Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled We must k Iohn 6 27. and 4 14. hunger after the meat that neuer perisheth wee must thirst after that Well of Water which springeth vp vnto euerlasting life If wee neuer hunger after grace we shall neuer haue grace The whole desire l Math. 9 12. not the Phisition but they that are sicke They m Iohn 9 41. which thinke they see are made blind and their sinne remaineth Lastly it is required of vs to lay hould by the hand of a true Faith vpon the grace and mercy of God in Christ Iesus offered vnto all of vs in the promises of the Gospell generally and learne to apply them to our selues particularly Christ calleth those n Mat. 11 28. that are weary and heauy laden promising to ease end refresh them In the last and great day of the Feast Iesus stood and cryed saying o Iohn 7 37. If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He teacheth p Mark 16 16 That he that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued These are generall promises these require particular application Wee cannot receiue them into our hearts and make them our owne except we lay houlde of them by a speciall Faith This liuely Faith bringeth Christ home to vs and openeth the doores of our Soules to entertaine him If then we feele our owne miserie if we hunger after mercie and if wee apply the promises of the Gospell to vs particularly we shall be assured to finde the grace of God and tast plentifully and abundantly of his loue So many as truely desire grace must looke to attaine it by these meanes and climb vp to the top of it by these steps and degrees as by certaine staires Vse 3. Thirdlie seeing grace is first of all to bee craued it directeth vs to obserue and keepe a good order in seeking and crauing thinges at the hands of God We are taught first to seeke his grace and fauour as the roote and Fountaine and then peace welfare and other blessings He that will receiue fruit from the tree must come to the roote and body before he can come to the braunches so if we would haue peace health
Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
delight hath the Nurse then to see her child liue in health grow vp in strength and stature and prosper in the world So there is no comfort like to this comfort no ioy like to this ioy no delight like to this delight to behold the haruest of the Lord the sheepe of Christ the Children of God to flourish and to encrease more and more to grow from faith to faith from grace to grace b Ephe. 4. 13. vntill they all meet together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ Hence it is that after the Apostle had testified his ioy and thankes to God for the faith and loue of the Colossians he addeth c Col. 19. 10. for this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding that ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all thinges being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God and let vs by this example comfort our selues in such as increase in good thinges and pray for such as are comming forward We liue in a decaying and declining time wherein many haue forgotten their first loue we see the cold season and Winter of all Godlines wherein men are frozen in the dregs of Sinne. Wee may behold with our eyes if we be not starke blinde a generall wasting languishing and consumption of the heate and heart of Religion If then in this common pining of the vital parts we may discerne any reuiuing and refreshing to appeare or any flourishing of Godlines which seemed dead at the root to spring vp let it be a comfort vnto vs and teach vs to giue God the glory who maketh light to come out of darkenesse and life to arise out of death This serueth to reproue those that neuer desire the profiring of their people nor regard what their estate and how their standing is in heauenly thinges they neuer consider whether they goe forward or backward whether they grow vpward or downe-ward to Heauen or to Hell to God or to the Deuill to Saluation or to damnation These are they that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers These are they that liue of the Alter but care not to minister at the Alter they will be sure to reape carnall things but they haue no conscience to sow spirituall thinges They liue of the Gospell but they will not preach the Gospell The Apostle testifying his longing and thirsting after the saluation of the Church said I seeke not yours but you But these men if they would speake the truth from their hearts might say we seeke not you but yours we care not what become of you so that we may find the sweetnes of that which is yours How farre are these from the zealous affection of the same Apostle who became all thinges to all men if by any meanes he might saue some he teacheth that a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and denounceth a woe vpon himselfe if he preach not the Gospell Let vs all in our places follow his example and pray vnto God to giue the grace of conuersion to turne the hearts of men to the sauing knowledge of the Gospell and where he hath granted this mercy let vs pray him to encrease it more and more and to continue it vnto the day of Iesus Christ Vse 2. Secondly as the growing in good thinges is matter of ioy so on the other side it is caused of great sorrow and griefe of heart when the professors of the saith and hearers of the word and such as seemed louers of the truth do not profit but reuolt do not goe forward but goe backward do not grow better and better but become worse and worse It must not seeme strange that great sorrow ariseth vnto the seruants of God when men do not profit in good thinges We see what worldly sorrow is found in worldly men that causeth death the least occasion of losse the least feeling of trouble the least crossing of their humors can draw from them abundance of teares But such as are led by the spirit of God are spiritually minded d 2. Cor. 7. 10. they haue godly sorrow that causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of This was in the Prophet Dauid when he saw a decay in Godlines and a growing in wickednesse e Psal 119. 136. mine eyes gush out with Riuers of water because they keepe not thy law This was in the Prophet Ieremy f Ier. 9. 1. and 4. 19. O that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the Daughter of my people This was in Christ our Sauiour when he came neere to Ierusalem he beheld the Citty and wept for it g Luke 19. 41. 42. O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but now are hid from thine eyes This was in the Apostle Paule when he saw the reuolting and back-sliding of the Galathians h Gal. 4. 19. and 5. 7. O my little Children of whom I trauaile in Birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine ye did runne well who did let you that ye did not obey the truth This is a speciall note to discerne and distinguish true Pastors from hirelings and faithfull shepheards from Wolues for the true Ministers of Christ are inwardly touched and grieuously pained to behold the present sinnes of the people and the future iudgments of God hanging ouer their heads This is a great griefe of heart and goeth neere them to see so little growth of Godlines so little fruit of their labours so great encrease of all vngodlines This reproueth those that make a mocke of sinne and can laugh as heartilie at the committing of iniquitie as at the best ieast and the greatest sport If we begin once to laugh at sinne we will not make any conscience to commit it When once we do not sticke to ieast at it we will quickly come to it in good earnest When we can make a play of it there is but a short step to put it in practise The very Heathen i Plutar. in Solone Valer. Maxim lib. 2. Cap. 6. saw thus much that had but halfe an eye that if they suffered euill to be committed merrily and in sport they should finde it practised in their earnest contracts common affaires And many of the heathen by other Heathen are commended k Tacit. in his description of Germany among whom vices were neuer laughed at But how many are there among vs that would be counted and are indeed called Christians
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
of prayer both publicke and priuate for our selues and others is most necessary It is a speciall gift of the spirit which is common to all for all haue not the grace of Prayer The Apostle saith i 1 Tim 2 1. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The neglect of this is a note of a ranke Atheist k Psalme 53 4. who is described not to call vpon God Christ Iesus did oftentimes pray he was feruent and continuall in it hee spent whole nights in Prayer When he was in his Agony he prayed once and againe and the third time This condemneth those that are carelesse and negligent in the practise of this dutie that are so couetous for themselues that they can craue nothing for their Brethren If one member of the body should scrape all to it selfe what would become of the rest Such are vnnaturall members as take care onely for themselues These can say the Lords Prayer and rehearse the wordes but their hearts are farre from the meaning and right vnderstanding They say Lord giue vs our daily Bread that is to me and to my brethren not to me alone nor to them alone but to me and to them to these my Brethren as well as to my selfe These men are liberall in words bur couetous in mind their mouths are opened and enlarged but their harts are restrained and instraightned they thinke they neuer haue enough and that their Brethren haue too much They are farre from giuing thankes vnto God for them who repine at euerie morsell that they eate and at euery blessing that they enioy Vse 2. Secondly we learne that the weakest and meanest in the Church are not to be despised and contemned inasmuch as they may by their prayers and other meanes helpe the strongest and the greatest The Apostle teacheth that God hath so framed the members of the body l 1 Cor. 12 21 22. That the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be feeble are necessarie The strongest stand in need of the helpe of the weakest the greatest of the meanest the highest of the lowest the richest of the poorest the Prince of the people All mankind are so created as that they are not perfect of themselues but euery one wanteth the ayde of another One Nation standeth in need of another no Countrey yeeldeth all commodities No man hath all the gifts of Nature but some one some haue others We see it euen among the brute beasts such as are excellent in craft and mighty in strength yet haue their wants together with their wiles and their maimes ioyned with their great might The Fox is subtle to keepe himselfe from snares yet hee is weake to guard himselfe from Wolues on the other side the Lion is strong enough to guard himselfe from Wolues but he is not subtle enough to keepe himselfe from nets We haue not all thinges requisite and necessary for vs we haue not all properties to be commended wee runne into many dangers from whence the meanest may helpe to deliuer the mightiest So then seeing we are enioyned to pray one for another and thereby may helpe one another let vs know that we must despise no man reproch no man hate no man but consider that at one time or other we may want the help hand of him This doth the Wise-man point vnto m Eccl. 9 14 15. when he mentioneth a little City and few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found therein a poore and Wise-man and he deliuered the Citty by his wisedome And wee haue a notable example heereof in the siedge of Abell by Ioab a wise woman cried out of the Cittie and mooued him to returne from the assault We see how forcible the praiers of Abraham were to mooue the Lord to spare the n Gen. 18. Sodomites if tenne righteous persons had beene found in the Citty Thus God testifyeth that he was restrained by the Prayers of Moses and as it were o Exod. 32 10 tied with bands that hee was not able to destroy the people Let vs therefore make much one of another and let no man hate his Brother in his heart but know that his prayers auaile with God for him Wee see the Prayers of the Church profited Peter much though he were an Apostle p Acts 12. for thereby he was deliuered out of prison and from the daunger of death by the Ministry of an Angel So they profit vs if they be faithfull and seruent Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to entreat the mutuall Prayers one of another We heard before how all the people prayed Samuell to pray for them So did the people come to Moses and entreat this duty of him q Num. 21 7. that they might be deliuered from the fiery Serpents The Apostle is oftentimes earnest in requiring this at the Churches handes r Rom. 15 30 Brethren I beseech you for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me When we are poore and can doe our Brethren no other good yet may we benefit them by our Prayers When we see our Brethren in necessity in danger in affliction in persecution in sicknesse and in great misery when we haue no hand to help them no power to deliuer them no means to succour them no fauour to speake for them yet wee haue hearts to lifte vp for them to God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation and by praying vnto him for them we shall do them much good giue them much comfort minister vnto them much helpe and procure vnto them speedy deliuerance This shall bee more auaileable and profitable vnto them then all other meanes of helpe and succour vsed for their safety without this Let such as are of the greatest giftes earnestly craue and call for the prayers of those that haue lesser and smaller gifts This reproueth such as neuer regard them nor require them that thinke they haue no neede of them nor know the necessity of them It is all one to these men whether they bee prayed for or not whom God no doubt doth oftentimes crosse in the works of their hands that they do not prosper because they make no account of the Churches Prayers It reprooueth such also as regard not the publick assemblies of the faithfull and the meeting of the Congregation of Christ in one place where Prayers are made for the Church where praises are sung and thankes are rendred for the blessings of God yea heauen and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out his glorie as it were with the voice of one man All our
6. Faith Loue do alwayes go together We learne hereby that faith and Loue are allwaies coupled together faith is not without Loue nor Loue without faith but faith and Loue goe together in all the seruants of God and can neuer be seperated and put asunder When Paule praied for the Thessalonians he remembred these two z 1. Thes 1. 3. to be in them their effectuall faith and their diligent loue It is said of the Church gathered together after the assention of Christ a Acts. 2 44. that all they which beleeued were in one place and had all things common Such as were true beleeuers were also commoners together such as had Faith in Christ had Loue toward the Saints This Luke sheweth more plainly afterward b Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Heere we see Faith and the manifestation of Faith by the fruits of Charity ioyned together To this purpose the Apostle saith c Gal. 5. 6. In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auayleth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by Loue. Heere also he coupleth Faith with Loue in one Yoake declaring that Faith is effectuall in the duties of Loue. So the Apostle Iohn teacheth that faith in Christ and Loue one toward another are thinges euer ioyned together d Iohn 3. 23. This is then his Commandement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue Commaundement And the Apostle Iames speaking of the effectuall faith of Abraham whereby he beleeued and was iustifyed declareth that e Iam. 2. 22. the Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the Faith made perfect All these Texts and Testimonies of Scripture serue to teach vs that our faith must be accompanied with Loue and the one not deuided from the other Reason 1. The truth heereof will better appeare to euery one of vs If wee consider the Reasons For first they are as the Tree and the Fruite as the Roote and the Branch as the Fountaine and the Streame as the cause and the effect Faith is the Tree the Roote the Fountaine the cause Loue is the Fruite the Branch the Streame the effect The cause and the effect are Relatiues and haue relation and reference either to otherâ— so that the cause cannot be without his effect nor the effect without his cause and therefore both these must goe together The Prophet describeth the blessed man f Psal 1. 3. to be like a Tree planted by the Riuers of Waters that will bring forth her friute in due season whose Leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper Reason 2. Secondly faith separated from Loue or Loue separated from faith is a false faith and a false Loue. Faith without Loue or separated from the fruits of Loue is dead and without life a naked name without the thing an empty shaddow without substance a dead carcasse without breath It is nothing worth without Loue. The Apostle saith If a man had all faith so that he could remoue Mountaines g 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and had not Loue it were nothing he should be as sounding Brasse or a tinkeling Cymball So we read in the Epistle of Iames i Iames 2 20. That the Faith which is without workes is dead it is a Bastard Fayth a counterfet Faith an idle Faith which is no true Faith indeede but onely in Name For as a painted hand is no hand so a seeming Faith is no Faith Againe Loue without Faith is without his right order yea without his life soule his true cause and forme and so not good but euill not approued but reiected of God k Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23. For without Faith it is vnpossible to please God and whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne All workes of Iustice Mercy Righteousnesse to releeue the poore to feed the hungry to cloath the naked without Fayth are nothing worth nay all these beautifull shewes are beautifull sinnes except they be seasoned with Faith Againe to afflict thy soule to humble thy selfe to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments without Loue that is to do the duties of the first Table and to neglect them of the second Table is but Hypocrisie and maketh vs abhominable in the sight of God Seeing then Faith and Loue are as the cause and the effect that liue together seeing they loose their Names and Natures being disioyned and diuided one from another wee see it euidently and strongly to appeare that Faith in Christ and Loue to the Brethren as Mother and Daughter are ioyned together in euery true Christian Vse 1. The Vses are now to be considered First seeing these two guiftes are coupled together one with another it followeth that they must neuer be separated in a Christian man He that is ioyned with the head must also bee ioyned with the members and hee that hath his part in the Communion of Saints hath his fellowship also with Christ If it be a generall rule deliuered by Christ l Math. 19 6. that the thinges which God hath coupled together no man must separate it holdeth in this particular that Faith and Loue are not to be disioyned and dismembered forasmuch as God hath lodged them as two ghests in one house locked them vp as two Pearles and Iewels in one Closset It is a rule published by the m Cicer. de offic lib. 2. Heathen that all Vertues are knit together in one Chaine so that he which hath one hath all of them hee that wanteth one of them wanteth all so is it with this worthy paire of Heauenly graces we must not haue a Faith without Workes nor Workes without Faith but our Faith must be fruitfull to bring forth Workes and our Workes must bee thankfull to confesse them to be receyued from Faith Our Faith worketh by Loue our Loue liueth by Faith our Faith respecteth Christ our Loue respecteth the Saints Thus must these two be found in euery one of vs for they meete together in all such as shall be saued This n Titus 3 8. made the Apostle say in his Epistle to Titus Chap. 3. This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might bee carefull to shew forth Good-Workes These thinges are good and profitable vnto men Let vs examine our owne hearts whether we finde these two graces in vs which must bee as two twins that reioyce and take delight to bee together or two Sisters that accompanie one with another like Martha and Marie in one house so must these be two Vertues in one heart Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith in his first Epistle o 1 Iohn 4 20 21. If any man say I Loue
we see Christ is made the Author and finisher of our saluation Reason 2. Secondly to put a difference betweene the Creator and the Creatute betweene the things pertaining to God and the things pertaining to men No creature is to be beleeued in nor any blessing that we receiue from Christ We beleeue the Church not in the Church the Communion of Saintes not in the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes not in the forgiuenesse of sinnes as wee shall see afterward Seeing therefore we haue Iustification and saluation from no other then from Christ and seeing we must make a difference and distinction betweene him and all other creatures it foloweth that we must beleeue in him and fasten our Faith as a sure Anchor of our soul vpon him Vse 1. Let vs see what are the Vses of this Doctrine and how wee may profitably apply it to our instruction and edification First seeing it is our dutie to beleeue in Christ we learne that Christ Iesus is true and eternall God equall with his Father to be worshipped and glorifyed together with the Father the blessed spirit This serueth to conuince the Heresie of the Arrians Iewes Turkes Persians and sundry other Infidels who deny the Deity of the sonne of God and cast him downe into the row and ranke of meere creatures who notwithstanding f Phil. 2 6 10. being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to bee equall with God at whose Name euery knee must bowe both of thinges in Heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Therefore we saw before that the Apostle in his salutation wisheth Grace and Peace to come vpon them to whom he writeth this Epistle as well from Iesus Christ as from God the Father If Grace and Peace come not onely from the Father but from the Sonne it followeth that he is God equall with the other Hence it is that he sayth in the Gospell g Iohn 14 1. 11 and 12 44. 10 30 and 14 11. 9 38 Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee let not your heart be troubled And againe He that beleeueth in mee beleeueth not in me to wit an ordinary man as they falsly imagined but in him that sent me And in another place Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me I and my Father are one So when Christ had restored sight on the Sabaoth day to him that was borne blinde he sayd Lord I beleeue and worshipped him Whereby we see that whosoeuer is without the Sonne is also without the Father he that beleeueth not in the Sonne beleeueth not in the Father Hee that worshippeth not the Sonne Worshippeth not the Father So then this is a certaine and inuincible Argument of the Deitie of Christ that wee are to beleeue in him forasmuch as Faith is a Worshippe due onely vnto God Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is a principle necessarie to be holden of al men that we must beleeue in the Son we must put a difference betweene these sayings to beleeue God to beleeue in God For albeit hee that beleeueth in God beleeueth God yet it is not so on the contrary euery one that beleeueth God doth not by by beleeue in God The Deuils themselues as we shewed before do beleeue God they beleeue Christ they confesse him to bee the son of the Father they know him to be the Iudge of the Worlde the Sauiour of mankinde the holy one of God and yet they doo not beleeue in him they put no confidence in him they looke not for life and saluation from him but are assured they are reserued to destruction This maketh them cry out in h Math. 8 29. the Gospell Why art thou come to torment vs before the time And the apostle Iames sayth i Iames 2 19. The Deuils beleeue and tremble They beleeue God touching his Nature and attributes they beleeue Christ touching his Person Natures and Offices They beleeue the Holy-Ghost touching his Person and Guifts They beleeue there is a Church and singular prerogatiues imparted to it and bestowed vpon it And albeit our Faith must goe beyond the faith of the Deuils yet they goe farther then many professors of the Gospell among vs that haue no knowledge of these things So then it is required of vs not onely to beleeue that there is a Sauiour of the world but wee must beleeue that he is our Sauiour beginning our saluation in this life and perfecting it in the life to come This confuteth the Popish opinion that holdeth that wee may beleeue in the creatures as well as in the Creator in the Saints as well as in Christ in mortall men as well as in the eternall God They teach that wee may beleeue not onely the Church but in the Church not onely Moses k Rhem. Test vpon Rom. 10. but in Moses not onely the Prophets but in the Prophets Wee are charged to beleeue in the blessed Trinity in God the Father in God the sonne and in God the Holy Ghost but l Ruffin in Symbol when the speech is not of the God-head but of the Creatures and Mysteries we are not taught to beleeue in them and therefore we are no more to beleeue in the Church then to beleeue in baptisme in the resurrection of the bodie the Communion of Saints and in the participation of glory We are indeede to beleeue m Exod. 14 31 2 Chro. 20 20 Moses and the Prophets that they spake not of themselues that their word is not the worde of man that they ran not before they were sent but we are not to beleeue in them We are indeed to beleeue Peter and Paule n Angast tract 2â— in Iohan. but not in Peter and Paule Wee are to beleeue the Scriptuers but not in the Scriptures o Euseb Emissen de Symb. hom 2. for that were to bestow vpon the seruant the honour of the Lorde and to giue to man that which is proper to the diuine Maiesty Wee must beleeue in Christ Iesus our onely sauiour as for those that beleeue in any other or seek saluation in any other then in Christ whether in Saints or in Angels or in themselues they beleeue not in Christ as in their onely Sauiour For p Cyprian de duplic martyr he beleeueth not in God who doth not place in him alone the trust of his whole felicity who doth not put his affiance in him who doth not depend vppon him who is not assured of his good will and fauour looking for saluation from him and for deliuerance from all euils Vse 3. Lastly seeing it is necessary for vs to haue faith in Christ it is our dutie to vse all meanes to attaine to this Faith Many there are which are deceiued in thinking they haue it who indeede haue it not These suppose they are full of Faith who are as empty vessels and neuer tasted the sweetnesse of it as
charged to haue a care of all mankinde but as it is fit and conuenient that they which are of the same family should be helpfull and beneficiall one to another rather then to such as are of another family which are not so neerely ioyned vnto them so we must haue a care to doe good to all the sons of men but it is requisite that those which are members of the same body nay which are Sonnes and Daughters Bretheren and Sisters hauing the same God for their Father the same Church for their Mother the same Christ for their elder Brother which are begotten of the same immortall seede nourished with the same Milke and gathered together in one hope should be beneficiall and bountifull one to another rather then to those that are forraigners and Strangers not linked to them by the bond of Faith nor ioyned with them in the bodie of Christ Wherefore the Apostle saith to the Phillippians p Phil. 2 1 2. If there bee any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Loue if any fellowship of the Spirite if any Compassion and Mercie fulfill my ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same Loue being of one accord and of one iudgement He teacheth vs to haue one minde and heart he admonisheth vs to cleaue together and to hold together We see how those of the Kingdome of darknesse and destruction do couple and combine themselues together against the Church and chosen Children of God for doubtlesse q Acts 4 27. we may say as the Apostle did Against thy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentles and the people of Israell gathered themselues together And as the Prophet speaketh r Psal 83 5 6. They haue consulted together in heart and haue made a league against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ismaelites Moaâ— and the Agarims Gebal and Amalech the Philistims and the inhabitants of Tyrus c. So is it in these dayes the vngodly rabble of prophane persons haue ioyned together and make as it were a Conspiracie against the godly the prophane and Atheistes the Papistes and Libertines set themseâ—…es against the faithfull of the Lande and open their mouths against heaueâ— they deuise all horrible and detastable slaunders to worke their confusioâ— Wee finde hard entertainment in the World because wee are chosen out of the World Wee are hated of them because we are not Companions with them in euill We are reuiled and slaundered of them because wee will â—ot followe all excesse of ryot to the slaunder of our profession and to the dâ—shonour of God Wherefore the Children of light should company and consort together beeing the Sonnes of God heyres of his Kingdome members of Christ Temples of the Holy-Ghost The vnreasonable Creatâ—res may condemne vs. We see Cattle heard together Sheepe flocke togethâ—r Fishes shole together and Birds of a Feather will flye together O what a sâ—…me is it then for vs to make a rent and diuision in the bodye of Christ by seperating our selues one from another in affection of heart and practise of life A true Christian man or woman is like a Candle that consumeth it selfe to giue light to others So must Gods people spend those gifts which God hath giuen them for the benefit of their Brethren This Å¿ Wherein the communion of Saints standeth Communion which we are to yeeld to the Saints standeth in two things not to speak of the Communion that we haue with Christ our head but one toward another Fitst in affection Secondly in gifts In mind and affections wee must be of one heart to mourne with them that doo lament and to reioyce with those that God doth comfort We see this to be in the natural members of our body if one member do suffer the rest are pained if one reioyce the other are comforted This dutie the Apostle remembreth vnto vs t Rom. 12 15 16. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of like affection one toward another So the writer to the Hebrewes moueth vs u Heb. 13 3. to Remember them that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body If our selues were in prison we would haue a sensible feeling of our imprisonment and wee would be readie to complaine of the want of the fruits of loue in others toward vs if we were not visited and comforted Let vs therefore practise that toward others which wee would haue practised toward our selues This must all true Christians haue in minde that they must haue tender harts and compassionate affections putting on the bowels of mercie and commisseration in regard of the miseries that befall the Church in generall or our Brethren in particular Christ Iesus is touched with a feeling of their miseries and accounteth them as done to himselfe as appeareth when he said x Acts 9 4. Saule Saul why persecutest thou me This reprooueth those that weepe when the Church reioyceth or reioyce when the Church weepeth The Prophet Amos complaineth of this deadnesse of hart in his dayes y Amos 6 6. The people drank wine in bowls they annointed themselues with the chiefe oyntments they stretched themselues vpon Beds of Iuory but no man was sorry for the affliction of Ioseph If we be not touched with a sight sence of the Churches miseries it is a plaine argument that we are dead members not liuing rotten members not sound sencelesse members not feeling The second part of the Communion of the Saints standeth in the communication of gifts The gifts of God to be imparted to our Brethren are of two sorts For as we consist of two parts the soule and the body so the gifts are of two kinds Spirituall graces and temporall Blessings Wee must bestow vpon them spirituall gifts procuring their good by example exhortation comfort prayer reproofe We are z Heb. 3 13. Gal. 6 1. willed to exhort one another while it is called to day wee are admonished when any man is fallen by occasion into any fault as spiritual men to restore such a one with meeknesse considering out selues least we also be tempted Touching temporal blessings we must be ready content to bestow such goods as God hath bestowed vpon vs for the good of our fellow-members If we haue this worlds good we must not hide our compassion from them for then wee cannot assure our selues that the loue of God dwelleth in vs. Vse 2. Secondly seeing we are charged to prouide for the goodly poore and not to see them want it teacheth that we are all the Lordes Stewards to dispense and dispose his blessings to others We holde all that we haue of him and we hold all at his will and during his pleasure hee may thrust vs out of our houses when he listeth For properly we are not Lordes but Tenants not Owners but Stewards not Possessors but
and extreame necessity accompanied with extreame iniquity and impiety is a double misery a double wretchednesse a double vnhappines Let this therefore comfort vs and temper the greatnes of our affliction seeing God doth care for vs aboue all his Creatures yea before the rest of mankind charging those that are rich in this world to make a difference betweene man and man betweene person and person betweene poore and poore euen such a difference as he himselfe hath made who preferreth the sheepe of his owne Pasture before Goates the Sonnes and Daughters of his owne familie before bastards the heires of his Kingdome before Aliens and strangers the vessels of honour before the vessels of dishonour As for the poore that are wicked vngodly leud and prophane so long as they liue in their wickednesse vngodlines leudnesse and prophanenesse they are no parts of Gods family they are bastards not sonnes they are members of the Deuill not members of Christ they are cages of vncleane Birdes not Temples of the holy Ghost they are as dung and drosse of the earth not siluer and Gold for the Lords house Seeing therefore God doth cast them downe into the second ranke let not vs aduance them aboue their place God is the God of order not of confusion and if we be of God let vs establish among vs the order that he hath planted Let vs iudge with righteous iudgment and lay all partiality aside Let vs not respect the poore because they are our friends but because they are the freinds of God Let vs not see to those that are neerely alied to vs but to those that are of the kindred of Christ which heare o Mat. 12 50. Luke 11 28. his word and keepe it who are his Mother Sister and brother Heereby they shall be encouraged in well doing and we shall by our godly care of them prouoke them to greater zeale and to a constant continuance in their profession Wherefore let this be the rule to guide and gouerne vs Such are to be vsed best which are indeed best let them haue most releefe of the body that haue most grace and godlines in the heart Godlines giueth the preheminence and vngodlines bringeth reproach and setteth a note of infamy vpon his face that is defiled with it True it is others must haue their portion and proportion but it must be so rated that they be in the first place prouided for that are most religious in heart and painefull in their callings and thankfull to their weldoers For where true Religion hath taken place it will make them diligent in their busines and seruiceable to those of whom they haue receiued good thinges As for those that are idle and vnthankefull they neuer tasted of sound Religion and do nothing else but abuse their profession Thus much of the persons to whom we must do good that is especially to the faithfull Toward the Saintes The faithful are heere called by the name and title of Saints By this word are all such called as are the true members of Christ-Iesus whether they be liuing or dead in this life or out of this life But in this place onely such are meant as liue vnder the couenant of grace and fight the Lords battels against Sinne the World and the Deuill Now they p Why the Godly are called Saintes are called Saintes or holy for these causes First because they are separated by the mercies of God from the filthinesse and damnable condition of this world they are gathered into a Church and set apart for the pure seruice of God Secondly because they are purged and cleansed from their sinnes by the precious bloud of Christ Thirdly because they expresse the fruite heereof in holines and righteousnesse they are altered and changed from that which they were by nature they are regenerate and created anew they are renewed in their willes affections purposes and practises This is contray to prophanenesse Doctrine 9. Such as truely belong to Christ are Saintes We learne from this title giuen to the faithfull that they which truely belong to Christ are Saintes that is are sanctified cleansed and purged from their sinnes and iniquities by the bloud of Christ are deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne and are enabled by the grace of God in some measure to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of their life In this respect the Isralites when God had chosen them out of the world to be his people and seruants a Exod 19. 6. 1 Pet 2 9. are called a royall Priesthood and an holy Nation This name of Saints is vsuall and common with the Apostle Paule in all his Epistles In the Epistle to the Romanes he writeth to all Rome beloued of God b Rom 1 7. Acts 9 41. called to be Saints So he writeth to the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are c 1. Cor 1 2. and 14 33. sanctified in Christ Iesus Saintes by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place and afterward he saith God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes So he sheweth in the Epistle to the Ephesians d Ephe 3 8. and 5 3. that to him the least of all Saintes this grace was giuen that he should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ The Prophet Dauid also saith e Psal 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saintes that they turne not againe to folly All these places do plainely proue that they which beleeue in Christ and belong to him truely may be called Saintes and holy men Reason 1. The reasons are these First because they are there-vnto called and chosen in Christ they are thereunto iustified and redeemed by Christ For we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be holy f Ephe 1 4. He hath chosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue It is the end of our calling as the Apostle teaeheth 1. Thes 4. This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication c. for g 1. Thes 4 3 7. God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines It is the end of our redemption as Zachary sheweth that the Lord God of Israell hath visietd and redeemed his people h Luke 1 68 74 75. that we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare al the daies of our life in holines righteousnes befo rt him Seeing therefore God hath called vs with an holy calling and appointed vs to be Saintes by his decree of our election by the efficacy of our calling by the vertue of our Iustification and by the power of our redemptiō it followeth that all the faithfull may worthily
glory in the names of Christians we would be accounted Christs we take vpon vs the Title of Saints and yet we are not carefull to bring foorth the fruits of Christians and to lead a sanctified life All Trees in the beginning when the world was created were made fruitfull nothing was barren nothing fruitlesse If we be the Garden of God we must be rrees of righteousnesse k Psal 92 13. and beare much fruite euen in our old age Many that are barren in bearing good fruit are too fruitful in bringing forth the vnsauoury fruits of the flesh which the Apostle nameth Gal. 5. who may iustly feare the curse that God l Luke 13 7. laid vpon the Figtree and euery day look to be hewne downe and cast into the fire It is not enough for vs to bee fruitful but we must labour to be more fruitfull It is not enough to bee holy but we must be more holy It is not enough to be Saints but we must encrease in sanctification This the Prophet sheweth in the Psalme m Psal 92 12. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree and shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall florish in the Courts of our God they shall stil bring forth fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing Where we see that Gods Children are neuer void of the fruits of faith but haue them in them to their endlesse comfort Other Trees oftentimes fall to degenerate and grow out of kinde and if they do holde out yet age maketh them decay and dye albeit you digge and dung and water them neuer so much it cannot keepe them from wasting and withering it is not so with the faithfull which are planted in his Church as it were in his Garden euen in their old age they bring forth abundance and store of fruit albeit they bee neuer sold yet they shall neuer be barren but yeeld a plentiful increase being continually watered by the working of the spirit To this purpose Christ speaketh in the Gospell m Iohn 15. 1 2 I am the true Vine and my Father is tâ—e Husbandman euery branch that beareth no fruite in me hee taketh away and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite And in the Reuelation of Iohn he saith n Reuel 22 11 He that is vniust let him be vniust still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still On the other side there is no comfort to prophane persons that are irreligious that are meere naturall men that find no change in them that are not bettered by the meanes afforded vnto them from God that keepe the spots of the Leopard and the skin of the Blackamoore continually vpon them These walk in the flesh and sauor nothing but of the flesh and therefore of the flesh shall reape corruption This is that which the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh o Heb. 6 7 8. The earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Briars is reprooued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Where hee compareth those that continue in faith and bring forth the fruits of faith to good ground that answereth the labour of the husbandman but such as forsake the faith and a good conscience he resembleth to euill ground these bring foorth nothing but the vnfruitfull works of darknesse as it were so many thornes Thistles and therefore are neer to cursing consuming So the Prophet Esay notably expresseth this p Esay 65 20. There shall be no more there a child of years nor an olde man that hath not filled his daies for he that shall be an hundred yeare old shall die as a young man but the sinner being an hundred yeares old shall be accursed The faithfull in Christs kingdom shal flourish through his gifts be blessed of God but such as are vnfruitfull are accursed albeit they seeme for a time fresh and flourishing yet they are no better in the sight of God then dead carkasses and stinking carrions So that we see there can be no comfort without sanctification Vse 4. Lastly as all they that are in Christ are Saints so it is our dutie to vse the fellowship and to delight in the Communion of Saints abhorring renouncing separating and with-drawing our selues from all vngodly and vnlawfull societies of men in the world The q Psal 16 3. 119 63. delight of the Prophet was in the Saints He professeth himselfe to be a companion of al them that feare the Lord and keep his precepts The coniunction communion of the faithful is threefold in piety in amity in glory In piety because the harts of the faithful are ioyned together in faith in the feare of God In amity because they loue togither as children of the same father knowing that heerby we shal be known to be the disciples of Christ if we loue one another In glory because they are heirs of the same kingdom where are many mansion places prepared for theÌ„ If we desire to be partakers with the children of God in eternall happines in the heauens as al men wil seeme desirous of blessednes we must be vnited to them in a godly life in Christian loue we are willing to hear of felicity but we care not for the practise of piety or for walking in charity Balaam that was hyred with the wages of iniquity to curse the people of God wheÌ„ he saw the goodly order among them cried out r Num. 23 10 Let my soule die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his He desired to communicate with the godly in eternal life but he would not ioyn with them in a reformed life But it is necessarily required of vs to be linked to them in loue to be of one heart and to be ioyned with them in godlynesse to be of one faith if euer we look to enioy with them the same inheritance of immortality Such therefore as will neyther be friends and familiars with them but hate and abhor them worse then a Dog or a Serpent nor be Worshippers of God with them reforming their liues repenting from Dead-works but follow the lusts of the flesh with greedines and draw iniquity as with cartropes must know that they shut out themselus from the kingdom of heauen shal not ascend with them into the mountain of God Now as the faithful delight in those that are faithful and the godly in such as are godly so they account it a great griefe to be among the vngodlie where they shall see much iniquity and heare God dishonored feel themselues many waies indangered This made
in life more backward in good thinges more prophane in heart more contemning the word of God and loathing the meanes of saluation then they were in the beginning of their dayes This is our estate and condition most lamentable and fearefull and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and sluggish Schollers that thinke they take to much learning for their money and neuer consider that we are the men and that the prouerbe concerneth our selues God will enter into iudgement with vs and if we be not learners in his Schoole he will remoue vs and discharge vs out of his Schoole It had beene better for vs that we had neuer knowne God that we had neuer receiued his truth nay it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or beene borne Turkes and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Gospell among vs and not to heare it or to heare it and not to learne by it or to learne by it and not to obey it and grow daily in the practise of it This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Christ our Sauiour against those Citties where his word had beene preached and professed and his great miracles had beene wrought and shewed n Mat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24. Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall be easier for them at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto Heauen shalt be brought downe to Hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee He compareth heere Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sydon likewise Capernaum with Sodom that is the places where Christ had dwelled where the Gospell had beene offered where many of his miracles had beene manifested with such Citties as neuer had the Law neuer heard the Gospell neuer saw the Prophets neuer knew the Doctrine of saluation but liued in ignorance and in idolatry And in this comparison he teacheth that such Townes and Villages as haue had the preaching of the word and the ministry of the Gospell among them shall receiue greater punishment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had these meanes offered vnto them We would all of vs thinke it a very harsh and homely comparison and farre from all likely-hood of truth if I should compare vs euen vs of Isfield with Sodome and Gomorrah wee know o Ezek. 16. 49. how foule and filthy these places were we confesse they are loathsome in our eyes and odious in our eares we know that for their wickednesse they p Gen. 19 â—4 were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by which we shall all be iudged that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vnto vs and do not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans for our iudgement shall be greater and our punishment heauier because our sinne is heinouser No sinne greater then the contempt of the Gospel as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Gospell and therefore no reward of sinne shall be more horrible So that we may truely say from the mouth of Christ it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for our Village Let vs apply this to our selues and lay it to our heartes to worke in vs true repentance Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum had many priuiledges and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchsafed vnto them and yet they are vpbraided by Christ with their vnthanke-fulnesse toward the Gospell so that the case of Sodome is made better Take heed therefore least we contemne the Gospell and so committing one of the greatest sinnes wee make our selues guilty of the greatest iudgementes that can fal vpon mankind The contempt of the Gospell hath brought the heauy hand of God vpon the Iewes that were Gods owne people Let vs not be high minded we are no whit better but rather feare least God spare not vs and tremble vnder his grieuous but yet righteous iudgements who spareth not those that are deere vnto him when they sinne against him Vse 2. Secondly we are bound to vse the meanes that may further these guiftes in vs that is the ministry of the word which being reuerently vsed hath a promise of blessing It is a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our paths it setteth vs in our way and directeth vs vnto our iourneies end The Apostle teacheth q 1 Cor 3. 6. that Paule planteth Apollos watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease to wit by the planting and watering of the Ministers The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground he soweth his Corne but he cannot make it spring vp nor send the earely and latter raine So is it with the Ministers of the Gospell the Lordes Husbandmen they must labour in his field which is the Church that the people may grow in faith and grace This reproueth those that attend not to the ordinance of God with care and diligence but neglect the worke of the Lord in them They will not suffer themselues to be ploughed and tilled that grace may grow in their hearts as Corne doth in the Fieldes They say they increase and proceed in the waies of Godlinesse but they will not vse the meanes which God hath ordained and therefore they do deceiue themselues He that heareth not at all doth not grow at all he that heareth negligently groweth slowly in any good thing For as we sow so we shall reape Againe this checketh the dulnesse and drowsinesse of such as when they haue begun in the spirit would end in the flesh which say the word is profitable and necessary to gather a Church but not to continue it to begin faith but when it is begun and begotten in vs we need not heare still we haue faith already by the preaching of the word we shall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it still we haue that wrought in vs which the word is appointed to worke These men vnder a colour of hauing faith do scorne and deride the preaching of faith But the word is not onely the immortall seed to beget vs but wholesome food to sustaine vs it is milke for such as are weake and strong meate for such as are of riper yeares He neuer had faith by the word that seeketh not the strengthning of it by the word It is not enough to haue saith but we must
subuert the truth their knowledge to ouerthrow the faith their riches to vndoo the poor their credit to crosse iustice their authority to disdain their strength to oppresse the weake their power to contemne others and euery gift to the dishonor of the giuer as the Serpent did his wilinesse to deceiue These are al like mad men armed It were better that a mad man had no armour and weapon then that he should vse or rather abuse them to the death and destruction of others so it were better these men wanted these guiftes then that they should prophane them to the dishonour of God to the hurt of others and to the bringing of a fearfull iudgement vpon their owne soules It were better to do nothing then to do euill as we say it is better to be ydle then to be ill occupied It were better to let the sword rest in the scabbard then to drawe it out to wound the innocent to let our riches corrupt and our garments be moth-eaten and our treasure be cankred then we weare them with pride wast them in drunkennesse whoredome and all wickednesse We must one day giue an account vnto God both what we haue receiued and howe wee haue bestowed that which we haue receiued If the Marchant that hath had his Factor in a strange Country wasting his goods committed to him on harlots and in riotous liuing will call him to an account how hee hath spent his time and mispent his goods shall wee not thinke that the eternall God will summon vs before the barre of his iudgement seate to giue in a reckoning an exact account what we haue done with such guifts as he hath lent vs and how we haue bestowed them The third reproofe Thirdly they are here also reproued which bar and lock vp such guifts of such as might be profitable to the Church and Common-wealth which suffer them not to imploy their guifts that desire to imploy them which doo little good themselues and yet hinder those that would do good The Dogge that lyeth in the manger will not eate the Hay himselfe nor suffer the Oxe that laboureth to eate of it So we haue lamentable experience of such men or rather Beasts as open not their own mouths but haue learned to shut the mouthes of others that would preach the gospell These are like to Amazia that proud Priest of Bethel that falsely informed the King against the true Prophet of God Amos and charged him to hold his peace a Amos 7. 10 12. hee sent to Ieroboam king of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the Land is not able to beare his words And hee saide to Amos O thou the Seer flee thou away into the Land of Iudah and there eate thy Bread and prophesy there but prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the Kinges Chappell and it is the Kings Court These are like to the cruell Priests and Prophets that suffered not b Ier. 26 8. 38 6. Ieremiah to publish the word of the Lord but stopped his mouth and clapt him vp in prison and if their rage had not bin repressed and their malice restrained they woulde not haue rested till they had put him to death and brought him to destruction He was as a silly Lambe in the iawes and clawes of blood-sucking Wolues and led vnto the slaughter hee sought not anie reuenge against them but onely said c Ier. 26 14. 15 As for me bohold I am in your hands do with me as ye thinke good and right but know ye for certaine that if ye put mee to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood vpon your selues and vpon this Citty and vpon the Inhabitants thereof for of a truth the Lord hath sent me vnto you to speak all these words in your eares These are like to the d Acts 4 17. and 5 28. chiefe Priest and Pharisies who threatned and charged the Apostles that they should thenceforth speake or teach no man in Christs name but they answeared We ought rather to obey God then men And againe Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge ye These are like to that ambitious Diotrephes mentioned by the Apostle Iohn in his third Epistle e 3 Iohn 9 10 who as hee loued to haue the preheminence among them so hee pratled against the true seruants of God with malicious words and not therewith content neither hee himselfe receiueth the Brethren but forbiddeth them that woulde receiue them and thrusteth them out of the Church It is an horrible sinne to take away the preaching of Gods word from men For whatsoeuer men pretend to excuse their sinne and what Figge leaues soeuer they patch together to couer their shame they are guilty of the destruction and damnation of so many soules as by them might haue bin instructed Iudas was guilty of an hainous sinne for betraying and deliuering the body of one innocent to a temporall death but these shall be arraigned of high treason against Iesus Christ who betray many thousand soules into the hands of Satan and throw them into the iawes of death euen of eternall death Such are the bloody Papists which deny the vse of the scriptures to the people and debarre them of the meanes of getting knowledge And such are all carnall Gospellers which thinke the preaching of the Gospel to be a needlesse and superfluous thing and account the people to haue sufficient so that they haue a praying Ministry alone and the seruice read distinctly among them Let vs therefore take heede that we doo not stoppe the course of the Gospell or put out the light that would shine into our hearts but rather further with all our power the trueth that God hath set vp among vs and spread abroad his sauing health that so glory may be gained to his name The fourth reproofe Lastly it reprooueth the neglect of employing the gifts of God bestowed vpon them that is in the people Whether God haue giuen vs spiritual graces or temporall blessings we must take heede how we vse them We are readie to heare and willing to learne the faults of the Ministers yea we can speak of them our selues and talke of them all day long wee can tell that some vse not their guifts to the good of the Church others abuse them to the hurt of the Church but neuer consider how themselues employ their owne guifts or what account they shall giue to God that hath bestowed them The benefite of them is not in hauing of them but in the vsing of them not in the enioying but in the employing not in the possessing but in the practising Not to vse them is all one as if we had them not For as the couetous man wanteth as well the things that he hath as those which he hath not so doo these sluggards receiue the grace of God in vaine which haue the vse
of those thinges they enioy no more then of those things which they haue not obtained This made the Apostle say f Heb. 6 11 12 We desire that euerie one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope vnto the end that ye be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and Patience inherit the promises God is constrained oftentimes to take away the means that he sendeth for our good whē we make no good vse of them he taketh away good Pastors he sendeth setteth vp euill Pastors in their roomes when we do not profit nor are careful to make others profit by vs. This the Prophet Zacharie denounceth from the mouth of the Lord g Zach. 17 16 I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor healt that that is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp but he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare the clawes in peeces This also Christ our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell h Math. 13 12 Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that he hath Furthermore in the parable of the man that going into a farre Countrey called vnto him his seruants and deliuered vnto them his goods we see that the euil seruant that hauing receiued a Talent hid it in the ground brought onely a Talent to his Maister againe hath i Math 25 28. that taken from him and it is giuen to him that had gotten and gained fiue Talents It is accounted an euill Tree not that onely which bringeth forth euill fruit but that also which bringeth forth no fruit It is accounted euill ground not onely that which beareth Thornes and Briars but that also which bringeth forth no Corne for the vse of man He is accounted an vniust steward not onely that wasteth his Maisters goods conuerteth thē to his own vse but he that keepeth them safe and sound without imployment which he had receiued to lay out to dispense and to distribute He is accounted an euill seruant not onely that selleth to others or reserueth to himselfe his Maisters Corne which he should haue sowed in the earth that it might haue brought forth great increase and a plentifull Haruest but he that keepeth it by him and in the end deliuereth it backe in the same manner and measure that he tooke it So are we vnfaithfull seruants vniust Stewards and euill bestowers of our Maisters mony if we let it lye by vs and do not imploy it to some gaine If then they be blamed and vnrewarded that gaine nothing what shall they be esteemed that loose the Stocke and dash away the principall Againe if God haue giuen vnto vs this worldes good he requireth of vs to do good with it to helpe those that are in want and to distribute to the necessities of the Saintes Hath God beene liberall to vs that we should be hand-bound and heart-bound vnto others He hath left the poore with vs that we should be in stead of God to them k Exod 4 16. as Moses is said to be giuen to Aaron in Gods stead as a wise Councellor so we are appointed to be vnto them as a wise distributer supplying that which is wanting vnto them How should God giue much vnto vs when for his sake we will not giue a little If we were in their case and condition and had experience how great the misery of want is and how heauy the burden of pouerty is we would be willing to be refreshed comforted and eased l Mat 7 12. Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Whatsoeuer we do vnto them shall not be vnregarded or vnrewarded we sow it in a fruitfull ground and we shall reape it againe with great encrease Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must imploy that which we haue receiued to the benefite of others it serueth greatly to comfort such as haue beene careful to communicate to others rhose thinges that they haue receiued and to make them partakers of the same comfort that they haue reaped by them It is a blessed thing when men haue endeuoured to their power to benefit others to exhort them to admonish them to comfort them to refresh them and haue vsed our guiftes to the profit of our bretheren O what a wonderfull comfort and consolation shall it be vnto vs when we must leaue this world and go the way of all flesh to remember that we haue not spared to do good to others wee haue not failed to benifit others we haue not ceased to scatter abroad a part of that which we haue gathered Let vs lay this to our heartes and apply it to our consciences both we that are the Ministers and you that are the people If we that are made watchmen ouer the Citty of God and ouerseers of the Church shall to the vtmost of our power imploy our guifts and spend our selues to giue light to others God will not forget the labour of our hands but great shall be our reward in heauen according to the promise mentioned in Daniell the Prophet m Dan 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Heereunto accordeth the answere of Christ to the question of Peter n Luk 12 42 43. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Maister shall make Ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall find so doing We shall find more comfort of conscience and ioy of heart and gladnesse of spirit when we depart this life that we haue beene faithfull in that little committed to our trust and made others partakers of it as well as our selues then if wee had great abundance of earthly blessings and were owners of the whole world The like comfort shall all faithfull people of God find that haue distributed their Maisters goodes they shall receiue their reward according vnto their worke We see the haruest is answereable to the seed time and they shal reap as they haue sowed Then they shall tast the sweetnesse and reap the comfort of their labor bestowed in applying themselues to the profit of others Their last day shall be a blessed day vnto them when they shall finde God as readie to communicate vnto them his glory as they haue bin to do to others their duty and to bestow vpon them the fruits of mercy and the works of charity The greatest good is to seeke to gaine their soules the next is to giue to their bodies On the other side howe vncomfortable shall that day of our leparture be how wofull and full of trouble bringing
he perished for hunger and died through want and famine True it is when they saw some men with their eyes languishing in misery and heard them with their eares pitifully complaining in their extremity they were sometimes touched with commiseration and compassion toward poore persons but they neuer called or accounted this duty of humanity a vertue but onely an humane passion or naturall affection Furthermore they neuer builded or erected any Hospitalls or houses of refreshing to lodge and nourish the poore neither had the Princes their Almoners to distribute their Almes as Christians haue When a Child was borne mishapen and euill-formed among them it was killed a Halicarnass Rom. Antiq. lib. 2. yea it was not onely allowed but commanded to stifle and strangle it that it should not be brought vp a cruelty and inhumanity against Nature and a despite and iniury done to the Creator who created them and formed them in their Mothers wombe They made account of poore men as they did of Beasts for alas as those poore wretches came into the Market place set themselues to sale as men do their Cattle so such as bought them standing there at offer proffer had full possession to do with them what they would they had power to kill their bondmen at their pleasure when and how and for what cause they thought good and were not subiect to giue any account of their death and for their so dooing They did ordinarily slay their slaues and Seruants when they became vnprofitable b Dion in Augusto vnto them and reserued such as were strong to labour and able to doo them seruice Moreouer they set vp sundrie Theaters for Combates to offer pleasure and make pastime to the Beholders and caused their poore Slaues to band themselues in two partes one against another then they brought them forth causing them furiously to set one vpon another with naked swordes and with naked bodies none of them being furnished with any defensiue Armour and the people assembled to see this most vngodly sport laughed at it and tooke no lesse pleasure to looke vppon it then wee take pleasure to see Cockes fight one with another Thus we see what the Religion of these Panims and Miscreants was barbarous beastly bloody defiled with all cruelty contrary to al pitty and piety regarding the poor no more then brute beasts and making no more account of them but for their seruice they drew from them and for the want they had of them For among all the morral precepts which they taught and deliuered we neuer read that they spake any thing that they prescribed or perswaded any thing touching the poore nor that they euer established any good pollicy to helpe them Notwithstanding it agreeth well with naturall reason that euery one do good to his like And it is a sound principle confessed among all c Lamprid. in Atexan What thou wouldest not should be done to thee do it not vnto another but we must do to another as we would he should do vnto vs. But the Religion which is called the Christian religion goeth farther and beginneth where nature leaueth vs It teacheth vs to respect the poore as our own flesh to regard them as the members of Christ to account of them as of those that beare the Image of God to releeue them as heires of the Kingdome of Heauen and to remember that the Lorde Iesus accepteth and rewardeth that which is done vnto them as doone vnto himselfe So then no man can denie but all men must confesse that the Christian Religion is in all points more excellent and perfect then all other Religions which are of Men and sauour of the Flesh Vse 2 Secondly seeing the works of mercie must be shewed to the poore Saints it reproueth those that are wearie and backward in doing good and haue no care to releeue them that liue in great pouerty and penury We see manie that are bountifull and as I may say prodigall and wastfull in pampering of themselues and feasting the Rich which haue no neede and stande not in want but are sparing and fast-handed towardes the poore These are like vnto the Rich man that was cladde in Purple d Luke 16 19 and fared deliciously euerie day but woulde not yeelde vnto poore Lazarus the Crummes and Offals that came from his Table This is a great vanitie to gaine praise and commendation from the Worlde to bee great Cheere-makers to the rich and to bee miserable to the poore and needie Indeede it is no sinne to entertaine thy rich Friendes and to Feast thy Kins-folkes e Gen. 18 26 as Abraham did Abimelech but the other to feede the poore rather then to Feast the rich ought to be more common and is approued to be more commendable But such as follow all riot and liue in all excesse are most hard-harted toward the poore For diuellish prodigality and Christian liberality cannot stande together Such as wast their goods in riotous liuing thinke it ill spent that is giuen to the poore especially that which is bestowed vpon the poore Saints We saw this in the rich Glutton who abounding in outward blessings would communicate nothing to Lazarus as full of wants as he was of sores Wee haue heereof a liuely picture set vppe to bee seene in the Sodomites f Ezek. 16 49 who exceeding in excesse of pride and fulnesse of Bread offended there-withall in contempt of the poore and weakning the hand of the ndeeie Behold the practise of all that spend and wast their wealth in drunkennesse surfetting and such like wickednesse it greeueth them more to giue a penny to good vses then to lauish and dash away a pound in following and feeding their beastly humors whereby God is dishonoured the poore are robbed their bodyes are disfigured their good Name is impaired and their soules are endaungered for euer There is no man g Obiections of miserable men against liberality that delighteth in any sinne hut hee hath pretence and excuse for his sinne The sloathfull seruant that hid his Maisters Talent and treasure committed vnto him alledged this for himself h Math. 25 44 I knew that thou wast an hard man which reapest where thou sowedst not and gatherest where thou strowedst not So the sluggard saith i Prou. 22 13. There is a Lyon without I shall be slaine in the street In like manner such as are miserable and mercilesse toward the poore members of Christ are readie to couer their shame though it be with Figge-leaues to dawbe vp their hardnesse of heart though it bee with vntempered morter and to paint their hypocrisie though it be with deceitfull and fading colours Let vs see what their Obiections are hindering their liberality and shutting their handes or rather their hearts from this compassion so often commanded of God and so much practised of the godly Obiection First they say they cannot do that which they desire they fear that they
haue saide he was some couzener or Coniurer some Impostor or deceiuer as often before they had falsely and blasphemously charged him Or had they faith in their owne power to beleeue when they would and to receiue him to be the Sauiour of the world These carnall men do resemble and reason like vnto the Scribes and Pharisees If God would descend from heauen as they wold haue Christ come downe from the Crosse then they would immediately beleeue then they would no longer lye in their sinnes But if God should with his dreadfull and terrible voice speake vnto vs we were not able to appear before him nor to abide the hearing of it but should bee swallowed vp with feare and stand amazed as dead men When God spake vnto the Children of Israell in the Mount they fledde from him and could not endure his presence they stood a farre off and cried vnto Moses g Ex. 20 18 19. Talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talke with vs least we die Shall we then in the foolishnesse and pride of our own harts challenge the Lord to come foorth vnto vs and presume to settle our selues to enter talke and communication with him when the earth quaketh at his voyce and trembleth vnder him When the Mountaines are remooued before him h Esay 6 2. and the Angels couer their faces from him If we wil not belieue the preachers of the worde nor content our selues with this ordinance of God but woulde haue eyther reuelation from Heauen or the presence of God or the person of Christ or the glorie of an Angell or the appearaunce of the dead or wee know not what we shall neuer bee partakers of the benefits of Christ we shall neuer receiue to beleeue wee shall neuer haue the grace of regeneration bestowed vpon vs. God hath not left vs to the preaching of Angelles but to the Ministry of men If we will not yeelde obedience to the voyce of God speaking to vs in his Ministers wee would not regard his owne immediate voyce thundring downe vppon vs nor beleeue if a damned soule or ghost shal come out of hell to preach vnto vs. If we will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets i Luke 16 31. we would not beleeue though one came vnto vs from the dead Wherefore let vs leaue this vanity and in a conscience to God and obedience to his ordinance in a loue to our own souls and desire of our own saluatiō let vs euery one be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath Now to the end we may heare aright k Three things required to be good hearers of the word of God three thinges are required of vs Preparation Attention and Meditation ioyned with practise Preparation before we heare Attention in the time of hearing Meditation and practise after our hearing When Christ had propounded the parable of the Sower and the seed in the end he gathered from thence this note and draweth this conclusion and admonition l Luke 8 18. Take heede how ye heare For some present themselues to the Ministery of the Word for forme and fashion for company and custome without conscience others thinke it enough to bee present howsoeuer they be affected in the hearing or mooued after the hearing It is therefore necessary that we should be prepared before we come Now to this preparation three thinges are necessary Faith Feare and Desire first we must haue Faith without which the Word is as a dead Letter without life and as an empty sound without power and if we doe not giue credit vnto it m Heb. 6 4 2. it cannot profit the hearers Secondly we must come with feare that we may feare God in his word and auoyd the breach of it For the Lord hath n Esay 66 2. respect vnto them that are of humble and contrite hearts and tremble at his word We must set our selues o Act. 10 33. in the presence of God and heare as if we saw him present before vs and so receiue the word as from Christ himselfe the Teacher of his Church Thirdly we must come with good stomackes as vnto a feast prepared for vs we must hunger and thirst after the word to feede our empty Soules desiring it and longing after it as doth the dry ground after the Dew of heauen and the shewers of Raine This the Apostle Peter teacheth p 1 Pet. 2 2. Desire the sincere Milke of the word of God that ye may grow thereby Hee that thinketh himselfe full before he come to the Lords house is no fit Guest to be partakers of his dainty fare In hearing the word we must be attentiue and intentiue to that which we heare As we are present in bodie so we must be present in minde God opened the heart of Lydia to attend to those things that were deliuered by Paule This is very profitable q Three benefits of attention many waies and helpeth as a Soueraigne remedy against the rouing cogitations of the minde against the entertaining of other actions of another Nature and against the loathsomnesse and wearinesse that for the most part accompanyeth the most holie thinges of God First we are subiect to vnconstancy and lenity of minde our hearts are ready to wander and goe astray from the present work in hand and oftentimes are carried away from the best matters so that wee neither remember where we are nor consider what we doe nor endeuour to profit as we ought Secondly it auayleth against those deceits and destructions whereby we entertaine other actions of piety which with-draw vs from the present occasion and duty of hearing required of vs. For some thinke they do God good seruice when they offer vnto him no bettet then a will worship which is abhominable before him Hence it is that many thinke it enough to be present with the assembly and regard not how they be occupyed so that whlie the Congregation is imployed one way they are imployed another while it performeth a publike action they are exercised in some priuate deuotion as for example when the Church is hearing they are praying or when the Church is praying they are reading This is to offer the Sacrifice r Eccle. 4 17. of Fooles For the publique actions of the Church must be publikely attended of all the assemblie and there is neither time nor place vnto any thing that is priuate or proper to one or to few For the Minister beeing a a publike person is alwaies either the mouth of God or the mouth of the the people the mouth of God to speake vnto vs from him and to deliuer the word in his name the mouth of the people and Congregation to speak vnto the Lord for vs so that the action is common to the whole Church So then it cannot stand with the rules of the word and the comely order that God hath left to his Church that in the time of publique
prayer of hearing the preaching of receiuing the Sacraments of singing of Psalmes any should exercise and busie themselues otherwise then as the whole assembly doth in their priuate reading or in priuate prayer or in priuate meditation thereby seuering themselues in deuotion and action from their brethren with whom they haue ioyned themselues in bodily presence Our Sauiour Christ speaking of priuate Prayer giueth this direction Å¿ Math. 6 6. When thou prayest enter into thy Chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly For it is a manifest contempt of the ordinance of God a disdaining of our Bretheren and a diuiding of our selues from the Communion of Saints to worship God in publique place alone by our selues and it were better for vs to hearken then to wander and to vse our eares then our eyes Thirdly this earnest attention helpeth against the common disease of wearinesse and irkesomenesse of hearing whereby it falleth out that we sit in our Seates as men placed vpon Thornes impatient discontent moouing hither and thither and angry that we are detained so long from that which we more desire If wee would examine our owne hearts how earnest oftentimes we are and not in following our owne vanities and idle pastimes to note them with no worse Title that we can spend whole daies and nights in them without tediousnesse it might worthily make vs ashamed not to be able to stay and abide an houre or two in the house of God for the increase of our Faith and the furthering of our saluation Hence it is that we make such hast to be gone and thinke euery minute and moment of time an houre till we depart we abide not the Prayer after the Sermon to craue of God his blessing vpon our hearing which as it is a necessary part of the Ministers duty so the people with all reuerence and humility ought to ioyne therein For he that will not wait and stay to craue the blessing of God dooth carry home with him to his house the cursse of God and neuer profiteth by that which he hath heard After our hearing is required Meditation and practise of that which we haue heard that wee may be bettered in iudgement in knowledge in affection We should be carefull t Psal 119 11 24. to remember it to ponder vpon it to lay it vp in our hearts and to frame all our doings by it There is a double vse and benefit of Meditation It serueth vs against the negligence and security of those that hold the Word no longer in the mind then the sound is in the eares and remember the instructions no longer then they abide in the Church like riuen and rotten Vessels that leake and let out the liquor as fast as they receiued it For they are no sooner dismissed and risen from their seates but their hearts are strayed and their tongues applyed after earthly nay after prophane things according to their seuerall affections and vaine delights Again it helpeth more deeply to imprint in our minds and engraue in our memories that Doctrine which we haue heard and it furthereth vs in a wise and profitable application of euery point taught vnto our selues He proueth the best Scholler that thinketh often vpon his Lesson after he hath had it And touching practise which is the end of our hearing preparation attention and meditation Christ himselfe hath saide u Luke 11 28. Iames 1 22. Psa 119 105 Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Likewise the Apostle Iames pronounceth those onely to be blessed Which are not forgetfull hearers but doers of the word So then it is plaine that the end of hearing is not vaine speculation or a bare knowledge of the will of God but a care to obey it and performe it For which cause the word is called a light for our paths and a Lanthorne for our steppes to the end we should walke in it and liue by it and seeke direction from it Vse 4. Lastly this Doctrine giueth good direction to such as haue authoritie either to ordaine and appoint fit persons or to present them to certaine places For seeing the regeneration of man is wrought by the preaching of the Word it teacheth the ouer-seers of the Church to looke to their office and to take heede that they do not rashly lay their hands vpon ignorant and vn-sufficient persons or such as are scandalous and loose Liuers and then thrust them vpon the people to looke to their Soules which are not worthy to feede their Cattle or to wipe their shooes The Apostle giueth this rule to Timothy x 1 Tim. 5 22 Lay handes suddenly on no Man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Moreouer he would not y 1 Tim. 3 10 haue the Deacons to haue the office of attending on the poore vnlesse they were first tryed examined and after tryall approoued let them saith he first be proued then let them Minister if they be found blamelesse therefore much rather ought the Ministers themselues to be proued before they be approued as the calling is higher and the danger greater if they be found vnfaithfull and vnworthy They must not be carried away by friendship or fauour or Letters of commendation but approued onely of such as are apt to teach and vnblameable in life The Apostle giueth this as an vnchangeable rule neuer to be broken z 1 Tim. 3 2. 3. Tit. 1 6 7 8 9. A Byshop must be vnreproueable apt to teach not giuen to Wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre c. For when an vnfit man contrary to this order is put into the Ministry he is as much to be reproued that doth admit him as he that doth present him and as he that is represented and admitted seeing he maketh himselfe partaker of his sinnes But to passe this ouer let vs come to such as are Patrones and haue the bestowing of Church-liuings it standeth them vpon to make choyce of all Teachers that may bring the people to Faith and repentance least it come to passe through their meanes that the people be vntaught and least the Prophet complaine of them as hee did of the cheefe Rulers and Leaders after their returne from Captiuity when euery one sought their owne priuate profits and pleasures but had no time or at least would spare no leisure to prouide for the setting vp of the Temple of God a Hag. 1 4. Is it time for your selues to dwell in your Fielde-houses and this House lie wast This offence and abuse commeth from three cheefe heads and issueth from three Fountaines for it proceedeth partly from ignorance partly from carelesnesse and partly from couetousnesse By ignorance when they knowe not what care is committed vnto them and what trust is reposed in them By negligence when they feele not the greatnesse of
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
danger of thy life it may be taken from thee and thou from it which maketh it to bee but a shadow of true gaine But the profit of godlinesse is of a contrary Nature if once we haue gotten this Pearle the Theefe cannot steale it the moth cannot corrupt it the Sea cannot drown it the rust cannot fret it the Land cannot loose it the length of time cannot consume it the greatnesse of danger cannot take it from vs the vnfaithfulnesse of seruaunts the subtlety of enemies the fraud of false Brethren the force of the mighty the violence of the Oppressor the partiality of the Iudge the wresting of the Lawe can neuer depriue vs or debarre vs of this benefite yea b Cicer. pro Archia poeta that which an Heathen man saide once of humaine learning may more truly and iustly be spoken of godlinesse which indeed is true learning the which whosoeuer wanteth what Ornaments of Nature and Art soeuer otherwise he hath is vtterly vnlearned nay a starke foole It will follow vs as a sweete guide abroad to solace vs it will stay with vs a pleasant companion to delight vs at home it will lye with vs as a bed-fellow in the night to teach vs whereon to meditate it will sit downe with vs as a guest at the Table to direct vs it wil bee with vs as a skilfull Physitian in sicknesse to comfort vs it will sticke and stand to vs in prosperity to humble vs it will cleaue fast to vs in aduersity and in the euil day to refresh vs it will waite vppon vs in death it will descend with vs into the graue it will ascend with vs into heauen and alwayes follow vs from place to place as the shadow doth the body This made the Apostle Iohn say Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Reuel 14 13. To conclude therefore so often as wee thinke of true Religion or remember the day of our conuersion we must think with our selues that we made the most blessed change that euer was made and hold this for a firme and sure principle that no gaine is like to this gaine no profit like to this profit Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christian Religion planted in the heart of a man maketh him good and helpfull to others who before was vniust and vnprofitable let euery one proue his effectuall calling and true conuersion by earnest seeking after the good of others and by a carefull abstaining from hurting troubling and wronging of others It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer then to offer wrong to receiue then to requite to take then to giue Obadiah liuing in Ahabs Court is commended for the manifestation of his Faith by his Workes as the Tree that sheweth what it is by the fruites hee hid c 1 Kin. 18 13 the Prophets of God from the sword of the persecutor and fed them in the Caue in the time of famine The Prophet affirmeth and assureth that such shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and rest in his holy mountain as make much d Psal 15 4. of those that feare the Lord and honour them whome God hath honoured To this purpose the Apostle setteth this downe as a certain signe of our adoption that God accepteth vs as his sonnes and daughters to wit our loue to the Saints e 1 Ioh. 3 14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren Euery one must be able to shew the soundnesse of his faith and the truth of his conuersion by the fruits of his calling f Math. 3 8. and by the workes of regeneration and amendment of life An iniurious man that loueth himselfe but not another that hath no care to doe good to his Brother but to himselfe onely is not yet truely conuerted to God nor deliuered from the bondage of sinne nor made a member of Christ nor engrafted into the true Church nor endued with the grace of sanctification he is yet in the flesh and not in the spirit he is yet in death not restored to life he is the bondslaue of Sathan not brought into the liberty of the sonnes of God For where there is no change in conuersation there can bee no assurance of true conuersion The meditation of this point must enter deeply into our harts teach vs to try our selus whether as yet we born again by water and the spirit or not Whosoeuer can say thus I haue beene in bondage to sin now I am set free I haue beene the prisoner of Satan now I am at liberty I haue liued vnprofitably to God vnprofitably to my selfe vnprofitably to others now I haue learned to lead my life to the honour of God to the benefite of my brethren and to the comfort of mine owne soule whosoeuer I say can say thus may be assured of his conuersion and turning vnto God and that God hath begun his good worke in him which hee will finish at the appearance of Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore know and consider that it is required of vs to repent of sinnes to turne to God to chaunge our hearts and to amend our liues that so we may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and expresse our obedience to the Gospell To be without the fruits of the Gospel is to denie the Gospell and to be without godlinesse of conuersation is to be without Christ and to bee without an heart inwardly sanctifyed and without a life outwardly regenerated is to be without faith It had beene better for vs that we had neuer had the Gospell offered vnto vs then to haue it to contemne it It had beene better we had alwayes remained in darknesse then to haue light come among vs and not to walke in the light It is a worthy exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians g 1 Thess 5 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the Children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night neither of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as others do but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee drunken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and of the hope of saluation for an Helmet It is not euery h Math. 7 21. one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that hath an earnest and carefull endeuour to do his will It is not enough for vs to bee called a Christian to beare the name of a Protestant to renounce the name of a Papist to make shew of the true Religion and to be an hearer of the word we haue learned better things and must giue an account of a farther dutie Obiection We will say peraduenture we hate and detest all the blinde and erroneous
opinions of Heretickes of Arrians of Papists of Atheists of Anabaptists of Libertines and such like that wee renounce all those opinions that derogate any thing from the true worship and honour of God as denying of Christes Godhead his Manhood his Mediation that we abhorre all kind of Idolatry and superstitious seruing of our God Answere But is this the whole conuersion of a man Or is this the perfect worke of Repentance that ought to bee wrought in vs We must goe farther then thus and yet my Bretheren I would we all went so farre Many stand in the midway and haue not proceeded to learne and practise those duties We must hate all ignorance of God and of his word which is the Mother and Mistris of all sinne and error we must loue and embrace the knowledge of God reuealed and offered vnto vs from time to time we must seeke after it as a Treasure wee must receiue it otherwise wee deceiue our selues We must hunger and thirst after the sincere milke of Gods word and account their feete beuatifull that bring it vnto vs we must say Come let vs go vp to the house of God that he may teach vs his wayes and that we may walke in his pathes But do we thus Nay when it is offered doe we not spurne and kicke against it as the Horse and Mule that is without vnderstanding Doe we not mocke and deride the Prophets of God and preachers of the word labouring to instruct vs in the right way and are wee not for the most part made worse and our hearts hardned that wee can receiue no instruction If we loued the light we would delight in it wee would be reformed by it we would be transformed into the obedience of it but our prophane works do testify against vs that we hate both the light and those that are the Authors and the bringers of it I might alledge many other workes of darkenesse that swarme in our liues and make vs swarue from the rule of righteousnesse left vnto vs in the word If we liue in beastly drunkennesse in vnclean lusts in hatred in malice and such like fruits of the flesh we are not yet partakers of a new birth we are not become new creatures we haue not yet put on the new man we cannot do good to any of our brethren When Abraham was to trauell among the Heathen that knew not God among the Idolaters that worshipped not God among the prophane Infidels that were neuer conuerted to God i Gen. 20 11. he saide The feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wiues sake He could looke for no duties of loue no practise of righteousnesse no fruites of humanity toward him to proceede from them that were vnmortifyed vnsanctifyed and vnregenerated It is the great mercy of God to mankind to giue to them his word which restraineth their actions subdueth their affections and ordereth men which otherwise would be outragious Monsters as Wolues Tygers Lyons Beares Buls Bandogs nay Deuils incarnate one to another who beeing left to themselues they would be as Cormorants or Canibals ready to deuoure and eate vp one another being not onely without piety but without ciuility without curtesie without humanity If therefore his word do not alter vs nothing wil nothing can Thus then we see that seeing it is the conuersion of a man that maketh him any way profitable or seruiceable to others we must all labor to be born againe otherwise it had bin better wee had neuer bin borne and wee must seeke true Repentance and the conuersion of the heart otherwise wee shall be vnprofitable members in the Church of God Vse 3 Lastly seeing it is the turning of vs to God that turneth vs to the good of men it serueth as a notable direction vnto vs to teach vs that whosoeuer desireth that such as belong vnto him should be profitable and faithfull vnto him let him labour to plant godlinesse in their hearts and to sowe the seeds of eternall life in their minds It will bee able to minister no comfort vnto thee to see godlinesse flourish in others and to heare of their conuersion to God endeuour to bring it home to thine owne house and to settle it in the doores of thine owne family A better duty thou canst not perform vnto their soules and so vnto them then by this which will bring the blessing of God with it and remoue the curse of God from thee and thy family Who is it if he were asked the question that would be trobled with an vnfaithfull Wife with stubborne Children with vntrusty Seruants or who is it that would not account them the greatest plague and punishment that can befall a man in this life to haue such a dissolute and disordered house If then any desire to be with comfort and contentment matched with a prouident and profitable wife blessed with gracious and obedient children furnished with diligent and dutifull seruants let them seeke out such as truely serue the Lord make choise of such as shew liuely fruites of their vnfaigned conuersion be carefull to traine them in the knowledge of God and to procure their saluation This was Abrahams care and Conscience to instruct such as did belong vnto him and this was the cause that hee had a blessed wife partaker of the same inheritance with him that followed him vp and downe in euerie place as God called him he had a faithfull Isaac ready in all duty to obey him he had carefull and trusty seruants that contented not themselues with eye-seruice but performed their duties in the singlenesse of their hearts as seruing the Lord and not man Would we then haue our Wiues that lye in our bosomes and are giuen as the deerest and neerest companions of our life to be found faithfull vnto vs of pure and chast conuersation louing their children gouerning their house and giuing no occasion to the aduersary to speake euill Let vs make them faithfull to God and endeuour to work true Religion in them k 1 Pet. 3. as they which are heyres together of the grace of life Such a blessed couple were Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Zachary and Elizabeth Aquila and Priscilla with sundry others This made the Prophet say l Psa 128 1 2. Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies c thy wife shall be as the fruitfull Vine on the sides of thine house thy children like the Oliue plants round about thy Table Moreouer if we desire to haue our Children the fruite of our own body and the fry of the Church to be good and dutifull vnto vs as euery one wold haue them do their duty to him and will cry out against them when they behaue themselues rudely and vnreuerently let vs be carefull of their conuersion let vs giue them the sweete taste of Religion and let vs teach them this trade of the feare of God We
multitude of his compassions Doth he see vs any better by Nature then others whome hee hath reiected and refused No in no wise We are of the same moulde with them and by nature no better then they Let vs not stand vpon the righteousnesse of our owne nature or the deserts of our own works or the goodnesse of our Ancestors but seeke to haue grace in our hearts x Ouid. Metamorph lib. 13. Quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco and not to call that our owne which we our selues haue not done The Father shall not be saued by the Childe nor the Childe by the Father y Ezek. 18 25 26 27. but euery man shall confesse the wayes of God to bee equall and giue an account for himselfe Manie godly and faithfull parents haue had children appointed to wrath and reserued to destruction and therefore whether our fore-fathers were beleeuers or vnbeleeuers let not vs looke so much vpon them to glory in them or to rest vpon them or think to be saued by them as enter into our selues and labor to approue our obedience in the sight of God Vse 3. Thirdly seeing that in good houses are found euill persons it putteth all Parents and Maisters in minde of a necessary duty and offereth them comfort in the discharge of their duty Their duty is not to forget or neglect to pray vnto God earnestly constantly and continually for Gods blessing vpon his labours in their family For when wee haue doone our best endeuours and vsed the greatest diligence there remaineth somwhat behinde to be performed for our Children and people euen to wait for the encrease of our labors and the worke of Gods Spirit to season and sanctifie their hearts that belong vnto vs. It is not the outward worke of teaching that can conuert the soule and reforme the life We can but speake vnto the eare it is God that speaketh vnto the heart Hence it is that some beleeue and others blaspheme some are bettered by the word others are made worse by instruction and become desperate and extreamly wicked as the Sun that softneth the wax and hardneth the Clay The Iewes that were fedde by the word z Acts 13 45. and 19 9. were filled with enuie and contemned the ordinance of God offered vnto them and spake euill of the way of God and the meanes of saluation So it was with Pharaoh the more Moses and Aaron spake vnto him so much the more his heart was hardened For the word thorough the corruption of our nature is as an Hammer that hardeneth the Anuile as a fire that consumeth the Stubble and as a Raine that bringeth vppe briars and bushes that are reserued to be burned There is no godly Housholder but if he be diligent to marke the manners and to know the behauiour of the people about him he shall espy not onely many vnreformed in themselues but secret enemies to reformation in others So that it is their parts to entreat God both before and after the meanes vsed to make them effectuall and profitable and to desire him to encline their hearts to practise and obedience We must follow the example of the Husbandman who after the sowing of his seede and Tilling of his ground a Iames 5 7. looketh for the early and the latter raine to come from heauen so must we call vpon God our Heauenly Father to send a gracious raine to moysten their hard hearts and so to soften them as that they may bee fit to receyue instruction This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth b Ier. 31 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God And in another place the Church saith c Lamen 5 21 Turne thou vnto vs O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old Whereby we see that we must depend vppon God to poure out his grace vpon them and to beginne in them the work of regeneration Moreouer this serueth to comfort all faithfull Parents and godly Maysters who haue with a good conscience beene carefull to discharge their duties and to reforme their families albeit many remaine obstinate and continue setled in the Dregges of their sinnes It is vnpossible for the d Ier. 13 23. blacke Moore to change his skin and the Leopard his spots it is hard for them to do good that are accustomed to do euill Our labour shall not bee in vaine to our selues albeit it be in vaine to others our worke shall return into our owne bosome albeit it will not enter into the bosome and breast of others This is it which Christ our Sauiour saide to his Disciples whom he sent vnto the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell When e Math. 10 12 13. ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Our carefull endeuours shall be rewarded of God albeit they be smally regarded of men they are approued in Heauen albeit reproued reiected in earth When the Prophet Esay bringeth in the Lord Iesus complaining that his preaching tooke none effect among the vnthankfull people of his owne hard-hearted Nation hee comforteth himselfe in this assurance that he knew his labors should not be in vain in the Lord f Esay 49 4. I said I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my work with my God So shal it be with euery one of vs that are deuout and diligent in doing our duties and in instructing our families God will not measure our paines by their profit nor reward our diligence according to their negligence g 1 Cor. 3 8. For euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour This ought to be an encoragement to al men to take pains with their people and to comfort them against al discomforts that arise in their way to slake their diligence to cool their zeal to hinder their paines and to stop the course that happily they haue begun to win their families to a loue of the truth Vse 4. Lastly seeing euill persons are found where good meanes are vsed it teacheth all those that are vnder the gouernment of godly Masters not to blesse themselues as though they were happy because they dwell not in prophane places because they serue not prophane Maisters because they are partakers of instruction which many thousandes want but it belongeth vnto them to labor by all meanes to make the vse of the meanes offered vnto them to bee fruitfull and effectual for their saluation For as when we come into the congregation of the faithfull we ought to bee prepared and fitted to receiue the spirituall food of our soules so in comming to the priuate exercises of
maliciousnesse be ye curteous one to another and tender-hearted freely forgiuing one another All these Testimonies and examples as a Cloud of Witnesses serue to teach vs that repentant offenders must be forgiuen and their offences blotted out of our remembrance Reason 1. The reasons to confirme this truth farther to our consciences are not far to seeke but neere at hand For first hereby we imitate our heauenly Father and are made like to him As we are commaunded to be holy as he is holy so we are charged to Be mercifull Å¿ Luke 6 36. Ezek. 18 23. because our Father also is mercifull who hath not desire that the wicked should dye but that he should liue if he returne from his waies God is prouoked of vs euery moment and we are indebted vnto him ten thousand Talents yet he is intreated of vs and he is reconciled vnto vs so that he maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the good and euill and the raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust ought not we therefore to loue one another and to forgiue one another after his example This is the reason vsed by the Apostle t Col. 3 12 13 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye It were wofull to vs if God were not ready to forgiue for we finde our selues ready to offend and one sinne vnpardoned is sufficient to make vs be condemned Reason 2. Secondly our forgiuing of our Bretheren giueth comfort and confidence that we our selues shall be forgiuen We are taught to gather assurance of pardon to our owne hearts from our readinesse to forgiue others that God wil in Christ hath forgiuen vs our trespasses This we see in the fift petition of the Lords Prayer when we are taught to say and to pray u Luke 11 4. Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euerie man that is indebed to vs. Euery one would be glad to haue a sure testimony and infallible witnesse of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes for from hence commeth our greatest comfort Now there cannot be stronger Argument to worke in vs this perswasion seeing that we by examining our affections toward our Brethren may conclude the certainety of Gods mercy toward vs. For our forgiuenesse is not made x Cyprian sermo 6 de orat dominica the cause but the signe and Seale of Gods forgiuenesse for as much as his pardoning of vs doth worke in vs the pardon of others Reason 3. Thirdly it is a certaine thing that such as will not forgiue shall themselues neuer be forgiuen Our forgiuenesse is vpon condition if we remit the offences of others if we retaine them our owne sinnes are also retained If then the example of God and our owne assurance cannot draw vs to this duty let the greatnesse of the danger moue vs to forgiue which hangeth ouer their heads that harden their hearts in hatred and mallice against their Brethren This our Sauiour setteth downe immediatly after the Lords Prayer y Math. 6 14 15. Mat. 11 25 26 For if ye doe forgiae men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if ye doe not forgiue Men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses And in another place he saith When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any Man that your Father also which is in heauen may forgiue you your trespasses for if you will not forgiue your Father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses This the Apostle Iames assureth z Iames 2 13. That there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against condemnation This we see in the example of that euill Seruant that fell from his Maisters fauour and was denyed forgiuenesse For when as being vnable to pay a Mat. 18 26 27 28 29 30. He cryed for mercy desired forbearance and promised payment his Maister had compassion vpon him loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when that Seruant dealt hardly with his Fellow-Seruant that ought him an hundred pence so that he laid handes vpon him tooke him by the throat and cast him into Prison his Lorde called backe his grant and required the debt of him and deliuered him to the Tormentours This may seeme very strange at the first that his Lorde should forgiue the Debter yet and afterward exact the debt of him to pardon the offence and to punnish the offender This may seeme all one as if a Magistrate should remit the theft and execute the Theefe But we shall not greatly maruaile at this dealing if we consider that God giueth pardon vpon condition and that we receiue pardon vpon condition True it is this condition is not alwaies or heere in this place expressed but it is here and alwaies to bee vnderstood Notwithstanding sometimes the condition is added as when Christ saith Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen Luke 6. So that he forgiueth vs our offences condicionally that we forgiue the offences of our Brethren Thus he forgaue the Seruant that was not able to pay to teach him compassion and mercy toward those that were indebted vnto him If we will not forgiue but require of our debters the vtmost farthing we shall finde the Lord as hard and our selues to make a Law against our selues Wherefore to the end that Gods example may be followed in well doing that our owne consciences may be assured of forgiuenesse and that great danger is incurred through want of forgiuenesse we learne that God requireth it as a speciall duty of vs to shew our selues ready and forward to forgiue our Bretheren that haue wronged and offended vs. Obiections made against this doctrine And howsoeuer this Doctrine be proued by Scriptures cleered by examples and confirmed by reasons yet as it standeth not with the liking of flesh and bloud which is ready to reuenge and breath out threatnings so carnall reason ministreth many obiections which are not to be passed ouer but to be diligently discussed and dissolued It shall not therefore be amisse before we proceede to the vses to answer such questions as stand in the way whereat the vnleatned stumble as at a stone that lyeth in the way which being determined we will handle the Vses Obiection 1. First seeing we are bound to forgiue euery one that is indebted vnto vs the question may be asked whether this extend to all debts and that we are charged to forgiue all our Debters Answere I answere debts are of two sorts either Ciuill which commeth by Couenants of buying and bargaining one with another without which the life of man cannot consist Of these mutuall Couenants and Contracts betweene
they are done more then what is done This is it which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 8 12. If there bee first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not This layeth before vs the abundant kindnesse of God who albeit he be a spirit euery way perfect yet he accepteth our lame and defectiue seruice Our duties shall be all acceptable in his sight though they bee performed in great weakenesse and mingled with many imperfections which were sufficient to cause them to be reiected and refused if we be carefull to do them in the truth and vprightnesse of our hearts and with chearefull and ready minds All things must be done in loue and this must bee considered in all the workes of our hands This ministreth a double comfort First vnto such as are of poore and lowe degree to consider that GOD regardeth the heart more then the hand and our willingnesse more then our worke Hence it is that euen seruants whose condition is lowest in the family and which meddle not in great matters or in waighty affaires or in excellent works yet are charged with this affection and in sincerity to behaue themselues in those inferiour duties x Col 3 22 23 Ephes 6 5. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Where he sheweth that seruants must do their duties not as seruing for the penny or ayming at the filling of their belly or contenting themselues to please their maisters eie but euen as seruing God looking for a recompence from him knowing that he hath placed them in that estate requireth those things in truth and sincerity to be performed as vnto him For the Lord doth not see as man seeth he doth not look to the outward action but he beholdeth with what hart al things are done and therfore measureth according to euery mans deed whether he be high or low rich or poore Lord or Seruant The best hart hath the best recompence the worst hart hath the worst wages There is a great difference between work and work some are great some litle some beautiful some base some high some mean some low but whatsoeuer I do if I do it chearfully as seruing my master Christ that looketh vpon me albeit my calling be neuer so simple as to wash dishes to wipe shooes to scoure the spit to sweep the house I please God therein as well as he that manageth a kingdom that ministreth Iustice that preacheth the gospel True it is the work is greater to rule the affairs of State then to remain in the kitchen yet he shal be better accepted of God that performeth these smal things hartily then he that doth the greatest works grudgingly either drawn by importunity or cōpeld by necessity Thus it doth fal out that a poor seruant carrying this mark and testimony with him is more acceptable to the Lord then he that hath done greater things to the iudgment of the eie to the shew of the world and to the sight of men Secondly this serueth as a singuler comfort to euery one of vs that groane vnder the burden of sin that feele the weaknesse of our faith and are dismaied at the smalnesse of our sanctification Wee know how busie Satan is to watch his aduantage of our infirmities and imperfections to perswade vs that we haue no faith at all that we are without repentaunce without grace and without regeneration because we feele great defects and many wants in our best workes and our best gifts But this must comfort vs that God accepteth of that measure that he hath giuen vs euen according to that which we haue not according to that which we haue not A weak faith shal be as auayleable to apprehend Christ as a strong faith If we haue a desire and an hungering after grace z Psal 145 15 and 10 17. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and saue them God hath assured vs that as hee hath begun his good worke in vs so he will finish his work and in his good time bring it to perfection When we finde any dulnesse and vntowardnesse in our selues if we hate and dislike them and labor to profite and grow forward in sanctification God accepteth our willingnesse and readinesse though our strength be not answerable to our desire or the outward worke answereable to our hart For God is faithful and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue the strength that he shal giue vs and the Lord Iesus is a merciful Highpriest who will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Let vs al therefore looke that a willing and ready mind be found in vs. Againe this must be considered in all things If we come to hear the word and to exercise the duties of Gods worship if we do it for fashion sake for feare of the law for the praise of men or for custom they are nothing worth they ought to be performed in obedience to God in loue of his ordinance in delight of his worship in singlenesse of heart and in an earnest affection to the meanes of our saluation The like we might say of giuing of almes and liberality toward the poore if they be not bestowed with promptnesse of minde with compassion of heart and with feeling of the wants of those that craue our helpe they are nothing at all respected of God nor they that distribute thē rewarded of him Vse 2 Secondly seeing only that duty which is done freely and not by compulsion deserueth due commendation this reproueth al those things that are don vpon wrong grounds and euil foundations It is not enough to doe a good thing but we must do it well It is not sufficient to do those things that are godly but we must do them in a godly manner Let euery one heerein carefully examine his soule and try his owne heart whether hee do the duties of his calling vnwillingly vncomfortably and vpon necessity for feare of danger for auoyding of shame for keeping of his credit for praise of the world or such like causes which are all false motiues or whether he do them hartily and chearfully as in the sight of God before whom all things are naked open This is to be considered as well of the Minister himselfe as of the people that heare him and are partakers of his labours The calling a The Minister must preach willingly and of a readie minde of the Minister is an high and mighty calling he is the Steward of God and a watchman ouer the people for whose soules hee must giue an account in that great day of the Lord. It is not enough for vs to labour among them though wee should worke and
before mine eyes cease to doe euill learn to do well All these were but as outwarde Ceremonies without substance which the Prophet Ieremy r Ier. 7 8. calleth Lying words that cannot profit Outward obseruations of religion wil deeeiue vs if we rest vpon them put our trust in them If we performe a worship to God without the heart we dishonor God we deceiue our owne soules and wee encrease our condemnation We draw neere Å¿ Esay 29 13. Math. 15 7 8 to God with our mouths and honor him with our lippes but our heart is farre from him and therefore wee worship him in vaine who is not delighted with outwarde shewes and with ydle shadowes but requireth the singlenesse of the soule and the willingnesse of the minde He looketh vpon the heart when we come before him Wee see how carefull men and weomen commonly are when they come to the place of Gods worship to haue all things in the outward man decent and cleanly they looke vppon themselues that their faces be washed their Garments brushed their linnen white that no spot no blemish no want no wrinckle may appeare in them but if wee go no farther we are but Hypocrites and dissemblers in the sight of God all our glorious shewes are no better then abhomination before him So then as the wiseman teacheth it standeth vs vpon to giue to God our harts which is the best present we can offer vnto him We are taught in the Lordes Prayer to pray vnto God t Math. 6 10. that we may do his will vpon the earth as the Angels do which are in heauen They performe the will of God readily and without any grudging they obey his commandements whensoeuer he sendeth employeth them faithfully and chearefully No one of them slacketh in his function but is diligent in the execution of that which is giuen him in charge Thus it ought to be with all of vs we must delight in Gods worship and encourage others to delight therein We must make the house of God a place of pleasure wee must make his word our meate and drinke and our continuall hearing must be a daily refreshing vnto our soules Vse 4 Lastly seeing all Christian duties must be performed of vs willingly wee are heereby guided and directed in our obedience that we are not to hinder the necessary duties of Christianity belonging vnto vs by obiecting fleshly reasons as it were laying stumbling blockes in our owne wayes to keep vs backe from a willing free and chearfull going forward in the works of our calling and in the parts of Gods worship We see when many are called to a new course of life and told of the necessity of labouring to get knowledge and hearing the worde of God they can obiect for themselues I shall loose my time neglect my businesse hinder my estate make my selfe a laughing stocke vnto others I shall misse such a bargaine I shall omit such a iourney I shall want such a meeting of Good-fellowes of Friendes and of Neighbours These are like u Mat. 22 5 6. Luk. 14 16 17 to those Guesse mentioned in the Gospell who beeing bid to the banket made their excuses and woulde not come they made light of it and went their wayes one vnto his Farme and another about his Merchandize Our Sauiour teacheth that when the word of God is preached vnto vs x Math. 13 22 the cares of this world the deceitfulnes of riches and the lusts of other things choake the word and it is made vnfruitful The world is a deceitfull baite and the glory thereof dazleth our eyes that wee cannot discerne the vanity thereof Againe when the duties of Loue and Charity ought to be extended toward those that want releefe and the fruits of mercie they are readie to obiect I shall weaken by giuing to others the means of my maintenance I shal disable my selfe I shall hinder my family and Children whom I must prouide for or else I should be worse then an Infidell and thereby giue cause to my aduersaries to reioyce and triumph ouer mee Thus euery one is wise in his owne eyes and carnall reason is apt enough to Minister fleshly obiections to slake our zeale and to hinder our course of obedience But let vs stop our eares against the songs of these enchanters which seeme to bewitch not our bodies but our soules These are nothing else but words full of distrust and doubting proceeding from Infidelity Let vs learn to rest vpon Gods prouidence by wel-dooing and looke for his blessing This is it which the Apostle remembreth where he laboureth to moue the Corinthians to releeue the distresses of the Saints y 2 Cor. 9 7 8 Giue not grudgingly or of necessitie and God is able to make all graces to abound toward you yet yee alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things may abound in euery good work As it is written he hath sparsed abroad and hath giuen to the poore his beneuolence remaineth for euer Such as liued in the Church in the dayes of the Apostles when there were many poore many extreamly poore z Acts 4 5 2 were moued to be liberall yea very liberall and bountifull vnto them so that they that had possessions solde them and distributed them as euery one had neede Many of them no doubt had wiues Children and were burthened with charge and family of their owne yet they accounted nothing peculiarly their owne but they had all things common they had them not only for themselues but for their brethren To conclude therefore we must beware wee be not led aside by the subtlety of Satan and the corrupt immagination of our owne Nature to bee hindered thereby from practising such duties as are required at our hands He that wil not follow the calling of God vntill the flesh minister no obiection against it shall neuer haue the commendation of obedience He shal neuer go about any good duty but we shall finde somwhat stand in the way to crosse it either our pleasure or profit or somewhat else will round vs in the eare to make vs forsake it or delay it or condemne it When the word of God reproueth any sinne in vs that seemeth sweete vnto the flesh we shall meete with a thousand tentations to perswade with vs to continue in it with greedinesse and to follow after it with all eagernesse Wherefore so soone as wee know the will of our heauenly Father let vs prepare our selues to do it and to delight in it and step ouer the rockes of offence that stand before vs to make vs fall that so God may be delighted with vs take pleasure in our obedience proceeding from the heart 15 It may be that he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receiue him for euer 16 Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother beloued especially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the flesh and in the
of being restored It is a worthy saying of the Prophet to Amaziah K. of Iudah being like to loose a great sum of mony which hee had disbursed for the leuying of forren forces x 2 Chr. 25 9. The Lord is able to giue thee more then this If he see it good profitable for vs he can and wil repay it in the same kind for who looseth for Gods cause doth not get but if he do not recompence earthly things with earthly he wil assuredly bestow vpon vs such riches as are immortal immutable such a treasure as is eternal not fading but enduring for euer in the heauens A notable practise heerof we haue in Iob ch 19. in al his troubles which were exceeding great he comforted himself in this I know that my Redeemer liueth that I shal see him in the last day Somtimes he doth restore in the same kinde that which we haue left seemeth to be lost we see in the former example of Iob what a blessed end the Lord made so if we wil wait with patience and tarrie his leisure be content with his workes we shal behold the end better then the beginning Moreouer we see the merciful dealing of god toward his children from whō he withholdeth personal blessings To som he giueth strength of body swiftnes of foot quicknesse of sight readinesse of hearing aptnesse of the hand together with a due proportion comlinesse of euery part But to others he denieth these things so that we see some blind others lame crooked deafe deformed Notwithstanding God ofttimes supplyeth these wants and recompenseth these infirmities with a most plentifull measure of better that is of heauenly graces We see this in the example of the blind man mentioned by the Euangelist Iohn he wanted the sight of his bodily eies y Iohn 9 29 30 31 32. but he had a greater light shining in his hart a deeper insight into the doctrine of saluation then the chiefe of the Pharisies that were accounted the only Rabbies and maisters in Israel so that we may truly say that the blindman did see and they that thought themselues to haue their eye-sight were starke blinde For when the Pharisies said of the Messia We know not from whence this man is the blind man answered said vnto thē Doubtles this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eies now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he c. if this man were not of God he could haue done nothing This was a worthy and open confession of the great work of God that had bin wrought vpon him wherein he saw more true and heauenly light then al his enemies who then boasted of the name of the church and cast this simple man out of the Synagogue But if we consider the poore man of the one side the proud pharisies on the other side which of them was most blind and whither of thē was a member of the true Church Surely God gaue a maruellous light of knowledge to his weake seruant that he was not ashamed to confesse Christ Iesus acording to the measure of grace giuen him whereas the blind Pharises were blind leaders of the blind saw nothing Heerupon Christ saith z Iohn 9 39 40 41. I am come vnto iudgment into this world that they which see not might see that they which see might be made blind And when the Pharises which were with him heard these things said vnto him Are we blind also He answered If ye were blind ye should not haue sin but now ye say we see therfore your sin remaineth Let vs not therfore despise such as haue infirmities or deformities of the body nor vpbraid them with them which are not in their powers to put away rather let vs take heed of the blots and blemishes of the soul to wit of sinne which maketh the greatest scab and scarre and bringeth reproach vnto the person Let vs beware of the blindnesse of the minde of the hardnesse of the heart of the wounds of the soule and of halting with God The blindnes of the mind is a sin and the punishment of sinne so that God is offended with it whereby it differeth from the blindnesse of the body which indeede is a certaine affliction but it is no transgression it is a kinde of misery but no iniquity it is a crosse but it is no sinne But the inward blindnesse of the minde is in it selfe a sinne and breach of Gods Law and maketh a man culpable of iudgement and guilty of eternall death because none is so blinded but he hath first pulled out his owne eyes and refuseth the light of the Gospell offered vnto him a Eph. 4 18. through the hardnesse of his heart Againe this ought to bee a special comfort vnto vs and to suffice to asswage all greefe conceiued for the want of earthly blessings if God haue denied vnto vs the vse of one or many of our members as of our eyes our eares our tongue our hands our feete and haue made vs blind or dumb or deafe or lame or maimed let vs not be discomforted or sink down vnder the burden but rather considering the recompence that he giueth vs another way and the supply that he maketh by spirituall graces let vs humbly giue him thankes b Mat. 5 29 30 remembring that it is better for vs that one of our members perish then the whole body should be cast into hell We see the holy man Iob hauing had great losses and dammages brought vpon him to his great hinderance and decay in earthly thinges acknowledged the hand of God in it gaue him the glory saying c Iob. 1 21. Naked cam I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lorde Hence it is that the Apostle saith Hearken my beloued Brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith heires of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that loue him Iames 2. If God haue made me blinde yet if hee haue giuen me the eyes of my mind to see the mystery of faith in this life and the excellency of glory reserued for me and all his Saints in the life to come I haue wherewith to comfort me aboundantly in the want of bodily sight If God haue made me lame to halt with my foot and therby want many outward pleasures that many seek and find yet if he haue vouchsafed this mercy vnto me d Gal. 2 14. to make me walk with a right foot to the truth of the Gospell I cannot want sound comfort and inward peace to my own soul God looketh not vpon the person of man he accepteth no man for his outward forme
Away from me ye wicked for I will keepe the Commandements of my God So the Apostle Peter admonisheth al those that would be deliuered from destruction m Acts 2 40. To saue themselues from a froward generation Likewise Moses Aaron exhorting the people to beware of Corah Dathan and Abiram and the Rebellious rowt of their adherents saith n Numb 16 21 24 26. Seperate your selues from among this Congregation depart from the Tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye perish in all their sinnes The vngodly haue their prophane meetings their drunken feasts their vnlawfull pastimes let vs not pertake with them in their euill which is the right way and the ready means to quench all holy desires and good purposes in vs as fast as the friendship of the faithfull is able to kindle them in our hearts When shall wee see wicked men striue and contend to come into the Company of the godly They account nothing so vnsauoury vnto them nothing so irkesome nothing so troublesome albeit they might bee helped and benefited by their blessed meetings How is it then that we should desire or affect the conuersation of the vngodly by whom we can no way bee furthered in any good thing but be corrupted and defiled in our wayes to the dishonour of God to the danger of our soules and to the peruerting and poysoning of others Vse 3 Lastly seeing there is a Communion and fellowship of all the blessinges of God bestowed vpon vs it is our dutie to loue one another to performe al duties of loue to the benefit of others as if we were one man This the Prophet teacheth o Ier. 32 38 39 They shall be my people and I will bee their God and I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their Children after thē So the Apostle p 1 Pet. 2 17 3. 8 4 8. 5 5. Peter chargeth vs to loue brotherly fellowship saying Be of one mind one suffer with another loue as Brethren be pittifull be courteous submit your selues one to another render not euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are thereunto called that ye should be heires of blessing Whereby it appeareth that there are many duties as it were branches of this loue as wee see Rom. 12 9 10 13. where many particulars of this vnfaigned and feruent loue are expressed and we are admonished as members of one body to prouide one for another We are bound to employ our gifts not only to our own benefit but to the benefit of the whole body as the eye seeth not for it self alone the hand worketh for all the parts the foot walketh for euery member So if we be true and faithfull Christians we ought to carry this minde to be ready to do seruice one to another If we haue knoledge it is our duty to teach others if we haue wisedome it is our duty to counsell and direct others if we haue the guift of exhortation we are to disswade from Vice to perswade to Vertue and to stirre vp others to good things If we haue riches and outward blessings we must giue chearefully not onely of our superfluity but of our penury and necessity if neede so require We haue al receiued som gifts none is an empty vessell without liquor or a dead tree without fruite God to make men without excuse hath bestowed somewhat vpon all q Math. 25. 1 Pet. 4 10. Some haue receiued fiue Talents some two Talents and some one Talent Let euery man as he hath receiued the guift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God We are ioyned together in a spirituall society and haue great neede one of another as the hand cannot say to the foot I haue no neede of thee so no man can say to any of his Bretheren I haue no neede of you The rich cannot liue without the poore and contrariwise the poore cannot continue without the rich As it is the duty of such as are poore to labour in their callings it is the dutie of the rich to releeue them not to despise them to comfort them not to contemne them to help them not to disgrace them These practises of loue are a Christian mans badge declaring euidently what Maister he serueth to whom he belongeth We must shew our selues ready to ride and runne to vse our Friends and pursse for the good of others Hence it is that the Apostle commendeth in the Church of the Thessalonians not onely their loue r 1 Thess 1 3. but their labour of loue performed with all carefulnesse and cheerefulnesse Our loue therefore must not be idle but diligent not standing in word but in worke not in profession but in action Moreouer we must by all good meanes procure the good one of another and beare the reproofe of a friend that seeketh to set our sinnes before vs and to bring vs into the right way This is it which the Apostle signifieth to the Galathians ſ Gal. 4 12. Be you as I for I am euen as you I beseech you Brethren ye haue not hurt me at all Whereby he meaneth that albeit he was compelled to vse sharpe reproofes as it were eating Corasiues and strong Purgations that thereby he might stirre them vppe to repentance and shew them from whence they were fallen yet his minde was not changed toward them nor his loue turned into hatred as if he should say Think not that my conuincing of your errors and reprouing of your back-sliding from the sincerity of the Gospel proceedeth from any mallice toward you for I am the same man I was and therefore looke that your minds be not estrange from me for I doe tender you euen as mine owne selfe Seeing therefore a mans friend is all one with himselfe one is bound to seeke the good of another and to beare the reproofes of things amisse with all patience Lastly let our cōmunion worke in vs a liuely feeling as well of the prosperous estate as of the hard condition of our Brethren eyther to reioyce with them or to lament with them as occasion is offered This is the exhortation of the Apostle to the Romans Chapt. 12. when he hath stirred them vp to loue without dissimulation to seruice without slothfulnesse to humility without disdaine to patience without reuenge to blesse without curssing to distribute without grudging to pray without fainting he saith t Ro. 12 15 16 Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of like affection one toward another This teacheth vs that all the godly ought to haue as it were the same will and wish u Phil. 3 16. they ought to thinke the same thinges to speake the same thinges to further the same thinges one in another The profits and disprofits of our
haue practised nor the example of the Church at Hierusalem hath warranted To this Pestilent and poysoned Sect of detestable Heretiques we may ioyne as Cozin-Germans those mischieuous and miserable Male-contents that hold in word the lawfulnesse of priuate possession but follow in practise the vnlawfulnesse of more then an Anabaptisticall communion These are they that bring discontent to see others enioy more then themselues endeuour by vnlawfull and vngodlie actions to bring in an equality of all thinges pulling downe Hedges filling vp of Ditches burning of Houses remoouing of Markes breaking downe Fences digging downe Enclosures dispaling and disparking the boundes of Landes and laying all things common as they did in the Insurrection of f In the raigne of Richard the second Wat Tyler Iacke Straw and many others which we haue seene or heard done in our daies yea many idle and disordered people hoped and looked for a commotion in the latter daies of our late Soueraigne For as Esau hating his Brother and thirsting after the murther of him thought in his mind g Gen. 27 41. The dayes of mourning for my Father will come shortlie then will I slay my Brother Iacob so these ryotus routs of Rebels intending to fish in troubled waters and minding to make a prey of the richer sort said among themselues The daies of mourning for Queen Elizabeth will come shortly then we shall haue enough then we shall make the Churâ—…es pay for all then we will want nothing that is to be had Let vs take heed of such vngratious person as begin a conspiracy and lay the foundation of an Insurrection Though they call vs to come with them and would haue vs to ioyne in league with them let vs beware we cast not in our lot among them nor walke in the way with them for their feete run to euill and their broad paths are the beaten paths of death Vse 2. Secondlie seeing euery man hath a state in his own goods it teacheth vs this duty that we ought to be content with that portion which we haue be it more or lesse be it small or great be it a simple or a worthy portion and to be by all meanes thankfull for it considering with our selues that the difference of places Lands Possessions with the properties thereof be of God and are to be acknowledged as his guift True it is men do sometimes encrease their wealth by vnlawfull meanes by robbing and wronging of others to their owne condemnation but then they want comfort and peace in the possessing of them they cannot say they eate their owne Bread they cannot esteeme God to be their helper Let vs hate such wicked shifts and renounce from our hearts all deceitfull dealing Let vs seeke for a blessing vpon our labour at his handes that is the disposer of all thinges in Heauen and Earth Let vs learne h 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8. That godlinesse is great gaine if a Man bee content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the World and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out therefore when wee haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content This is it which the Apostle teacheth Heb. 13. i Heb. 13 5 6. Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse and be content with those thinges that yee haue for hee hath saide I will not fayle thee neither forsake thee so that wee may boldly say The Lord is mine helper neyther will I feare what man can doe vnto me Wee shall neuer deale faithfully with the goods of other men nor for Conscience sake abstaine from wrong and Iniustice vntill we rest contented in our hearts with things present and depend by Faith vpon Gods prouidence knowing that hee hath by his gracious promise bounde and charged himselfe with vs and for vs in all thinges necessarie as well for our bodies as for our soules He is a mighty God and a mercifull Father that neuer fayleth nor forsaketh his Children that trust in him that call vnto him that depend vpon him If this Faith be in vs it will swallow vp many cares and consume many feares which distract and distemper vnbeleeuers in this life Let not our heart thercfore be addicted to Couetousnesse nor let vs suffer our selues to be carried away from God by the greedy and gaping desire of Riches nor seeke to augment them abound in them by vnlawful means nor possesse them with vexation of mind or with affiance in them But let vs rest in our seuerall Callings and conditions of life with contentation and a quiet Conscience not swelling in heart or disquieting our selues in vaine with longing after an higher state and standing then the Lord hath allotted and allowed vnto vs. If once our affections ouer-flowe the bankes of our present conditions so that we cannot vse with thankfulnesse that which we haue receiued we can neuer be perswaded to bee contented but wee will not stick now and then to borrow of the Law of equity shifting prouiding for our selues what wayes wee can without difference and breaking out into vnhonest and vnorderly courses without conscience Let vs therefore k Rules to be remembred to worke in vs contentation for our better instruction in this point lay vp in our hearts these few Rules followes to worke in vs contentation First that all of vs enioy more then we deserue and can iustly challenge at the hands of God If we would haue a crum of bread wee must craue it of him and say l Math. 6 11. Giue vs this day our daily bread Secondly that we oftentimes doe want outward thinges because we esteeme no more of inward graces and spirituall blessings We haue no promise of God to bestow vpon vs earthly gifts any farther then we aske by praier and seeke by faith heauenly things according to the saying of Christ m Math. 6 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you It is therefore Gods great iudgement vpon such gracelesse and thanklesse men as contemne these thinges that belong to a better life that oftentimes they are brought to feele the want of the transitory things of this life Thirdlie that it is a great subtiltie and pollicy of Sathan to inueigle and intangle our mindes with the desire of such benefits as we want thereby to cause vs to murmure and to mooue vs to distrust for them and to disgrace the present benefits which we enioy and so to prouoke vs to be vnthankefull The people of Israell abounded plentifully in many great blessinges in the Wildernesse and tasted liberally of Gods goodnesse yet n Exod. 14 11 and 15 23. 16 2. 17 2. when they suffered the least want of Water or Bread and had not their lusts satisfied at their owne desire they did breake out into impatiency of spirit and forgate the mighty works that he had done for them Their present want made them to
distaste and dislike al the rest of Gods mercies o Gen. 41 4 7 Euen as the euill-fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the well-fauoured and fat Kine or as the thin and blasted eares of Corne deuoured the rancke and full eares in the dreames of Pharaoh Let vs not therefore burne with a desire of an higher estate but labour to finde our hearts and mindes throughly setled in that large and liberall portion which we haue in present possession by the good hand of God toward vs. Fourthly that the Lord doth not alwayes actually bestow vpon his Children the riches and wealth of this World but nurtereth them vp to depend whollie vpon his faithfull promise who hath giuen them his word that hee will not leaue them nor forsake them And in the meane season he worketh in their hearts a patient bearing of the wants and necessities of this life but in the end he will bestow vpon them eternall blessings that neuer shall haue end and heauenly graces that neuer shall decay Fiftly that one drop of Gods fauour toward vs is better worth and more of value then this whole World that is but vaine and transitory If wee cannot rest in this fauour of God in the want of outward thinges it is most certaine we haue not yet learned truely to prize and rightlie esteeme the fauour of God Such as cannot bee content to forgoe and forsake earthlie things neuer truelie felt the forgiuenesse of sinnes Let vs learne to rest in the least tast and touch of the grace and fauour of God whatsoeuer it bringeth with it whether wealth or want whether plenty or pouerty whether prosperity or aduersity Lastly we must remember that Nature is content with a little so that if we haue food and raiment we ought to be content as we noted before This was the vow of Iacob when he went from his Fathers house while he was in the way to Haran p Gen. 28 20 21. If GOD will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me Bread to eate and Cloathes to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord be my GOD. There are two pointes of mans life his entring into the World and his going out of the world the space comming between both these receiueth many changes and alterations many differences and diuersities Some are poore and some are rich some noble some vn-noble some high and some low The beginning of all is equall the end of all also is equall touching this life for as we brought nothing into this world so we can carry nothing away with vs We came q Iob 1 21. naked out of our mothers womb and naked we shall return thither The time betweene our rising and falling our birth and death is of short continuance and therefore we ought not to be carefull to heape vp Riches r Psal 49 17. For as much as we shall take nothing away when we dye neyther shall our pompe descend after vs. If a Man haue neede of one onely Pot or Pitcher of Water it is small wisedome and great vanity to try to draw vp a whole streame If a little prouision will serue for the iourney and voyage that we vndertake it is a needelesse and bootlesse thing to hoard and heap vp great store of furniture for a small occasion Let vs therefore take heede of all excesse and content our selues with the moderate vse of outward blessinges enioying such thinges as we haue with cheerefulnesse and thankfulnesse bearing the want of such thinges as we haue not with patience and meekenesse depending vpon GOD for his blessing in all thinges that any way concerne and belong vnto vs. To loue Riches is a token of a base and abiect minde to couet and desire them when we want them is a signe of a wretched and miserable minde to vse them well to our priuate commoditie and the publike vtilitie when we haue them is a Testimonie of a commendable and contented mind Vse 3 Lastly we learne from this Doctrine to take good heede that we do not abuse our propertie and dominion of those guiftes that God hath giuen vs bestowing them onely to our priuate vse and with-holding the comfort of them from others to whom they ought of right to be imparted and imploied For albeit the possession of them bee ours yet there is an vse of them belonging to the Saints the property of goods and the communion of Saints standing together Whensoeuer we haue these outward thinges we must not with-hold them when they may profit the Church and refresh the Saints We must not be couetously and corruptly minded like Naball who when Dauid and his Men were in necessitie in the Wildernesse saide Å¿ 1 Sam. 25 11 Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I haue killed for my Shearers and giue it vnto Men that I know not whence they are Hee challengeth all as proper to himselfe his Bread is his his Water is his his Flesh is his all is his he hath nothing for Dauid nothing for his Seruants nothing for others This we see in the dealing of Laban toward Iacob he saith vnto him These Daughters are my Daughters these Sons are my Sonnes these Sheepe are my Sheepe and all that thou hast is mine He challengeth all to himselfe he leaueth nothing to Iacob Gene. 31. 43. The Apostle Iames teaching vs to prooue our Faith by our workes saith t Iam. 2 15 16 If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your Bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those thinges that are needfull what helpeth it Whereby we see that mercifulnesse to our poore and needy Brethren is commaunded so that as we beleeue a communion to be among all true professors so we are charged to be as the Cloudes that drop downe the sweete shewers vpon the Hearbes as liuely Fountaines of Water that flow out plentifully to the vse of others as fruitfull Trees bringing forth store to feed others We must consider that we are but Stewards of our goods that are lent vs for a time for which wee are to giue an account and of which wee are to giue a yearely rent to the cheefe Lord which his poore Children are appointed to receiue at our owne handes whom we are bound to releeue with our goods He hath saide u Math. 26 11. The poor ye shall alwaies haue with you but me ye shall not alwaies haue This duty is oftentimes required and beaten vpon in the word of God This appeareth in the practise of Iob who being accused falsely of his three friends to be an Hypocrite is compelled to boast after a sort of his workes as the fruits of his Faith and the assured Seales of his vnfained profession x Iob 29 12 13. I
our selues too deepely for other mens debtes our mindes bee distracted with pensiue thoughtes our hearts bee pierced with bitter Sorrowes and our bodyes be â—…st into loathsome prisons as it hath fallen out to very many before our eyeâ— If Riotous liuers and prodigall persons that wast their wealth in vanitâ—… and spend their goods vnthriftily doe request and require vs to giue ouâ— words or to be bound in bands for them we are not bound to doe it by â—he Law of God nay we are bound not to doe it by the Lawe of God wâ— b 1 Tim. 5 8. are bound to prouide for our owne families or else wee haue denyed tâ—e Faith and are worse then Infidelles that are in the world and out of the â—hurch The Apostle in giuing of Almes and extending of our liberalitie â—owardes the poore Saints Would not c 2 Cor. 8 13. haue one ouer-burdened and another â—ased One oppressed and another released One pressed downe another to high â—ifted vppe The same proportion is to bee holden and obserued in this case Indeede d 1 Cor. 13. Loue seeketh not her owne but is bountifull Neuerthelesse it is no fruite of Loue required to bee in vs that one should bee greeued and another eased that one should bee hindered and another helped Vse 3. Lastly seeing it is not vnlawfull or forbidden to binde a mans selfe by band or otherwise to another it ought to teach all Creditors and Lenders not to be rough and rigorous ouer a surety No cruelty toward any is lawfull If it be a Malefactor that hath committed an heynous crime and deserueth the punishment of death he is not to bee proceeded against with a desire of priuate reuenge and a satisfying of our cruell minde and a thirsting after blood If it be a Debter that is fallen into decay hee is to bee dealt withall in Mercie and Commisseration not with Rigour and Seueritie If then wee are to deale so with a Debter much more with a surety When we see a man that hath beene well aduised in it and circumspect to preuent daungers and foresee damages so farre as the eye of mans vnderstanding and iudgment can reach we ought not to take aduantage of his error but to shew him what fauour possibly we can If thou seest him fallen into thy hands deale with al mercifulnesse toward him and consider not so much what thou mayst do by Law as what thou oughtest to do in loue neyther thinke what rigour of Iustice will permit but what the right of equity will allow thee to do It is a true saying e Terent. in Heautont act 4. scen 5. that the Heathen saw into Extreamity of Law is oftentimes the greatest iniury and want of Charity that can bee Hence it is that Salomon exhorteth sureties to deale wisely to ridde themselues out of daunger and to vse all lawfull meanes to free themselues from trouble and not delay to promote and procure their owne good Prou. 6 3. My Sonne if thou be surety for thy Neighbour do this now and deliuer thy selfe seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor go and humble thy selfe and sollicit thy friends He would neuer giue this deuise and direction what hee should do that as ensnared and entrapped by suretyship vnlesse the Creditor were to be drawne to shew pitty Now in these words g Three rules to be obserued of them that haue bin entangled by rash suretiship he giueth a three-fold counsell what to doe and how to behaue our selues when we are entangled with rash suretiship First wee must not sit still or neglect the opportunity to deliuer our selues from danger we must submit our selues to him to whom we are bounde and into whose power thou art fallen and at whose mercie thou standest craue pardon and patience at his hands request him earnestly to bee friendly and fauourable toward thee in releeuing or releasing thee and letting of thee alone Say vnto him and say it in trueth of thy heart and with full purpose of performing Doubt not of your debt be content for a while and God willing I will discharge all at the last Secondly we are willed and warned to go to our friend or to him whom wee tooke for our friend when wee became surety for him and to vrge him instantly to pay his owne Debt and discharge thee of the danger without delay tell him it is for his cause that thou endurest this trouble and bearest this burthen and that for dooing good to him thou sufferest and sustainest this losse will him to considâ—… of thy kindnesse that haddest not the power to deny the engaging of thy â—elfe to helpe him in his necessity Thirdly we are admonished and aduised to go to our friends that louâ— vs and desire our good and are greatly greeued for our affliction entreatâ—…g them to pitty our case pardon our negligence and helpe vs out of these bâ—iars in which wee are entangled hoping neuer to come into the like incoâ—…berances againe These are the wayes that we are to take and the patheâ— that we are to walke in In the practise of them being sanctified to our vse we may looke for a blessing from God and hope to finde comfort in our owne hearts But if thou thinke to escape the handes of thy Creditors by hyding or absenting of thy selfe from him or standing out against him or holding sute with him and answearing him at the Law thou art deceyued Thou shalt better prouide for thine owne peace and security by submitting thy selfe to the party to whom thou art bound by intreating the person for whom thou art bound and by soliciting thy friends to consider thy case and their owne in thee All this doth Salomon not onely counsell vs to do but to do it speedily and to take little rest vntill wee be deliuered from this daunger saying h Prou. 6 4 5 Giue no sleepe to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye lids deliuer thy selfe as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter as a Bird from the hande of the Fowler Heereunto accordeth and agreeth the saying of Christ our Sauiour i Luke 12 58 While thou goest with thine aduersarie to the Ruler as thou art in the way giue dilligence in the way that thou mayest bee deliuered from him least hee draw thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Iaylour and the Iaylour cast thee into prison I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast payde the vtmost Mite There is nothing to bee gotten by opposing of our selues against such as may hurt vs and by keeping out of their sight with a purpose to defraude them and to defend our selues It is most true which Salomon speaketh in another place k Prou. 22 7. The Rich ruleth the poore and the borrower is Seruaunt to the Man that lendeth Whereby hee meaneth that commonly it falleth out among men that the rich ouer-rule the poore and that the Debters are
his Ministry by which he was at the first conuerted and hitherto continued in the state of grace which remained as a Seale engrauen and imprinted in his heart Doctrine 4. Such as haue gained vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. From hence we learne that such as haue gained vs to God or preserued vs in the state of Saluation by the preaching of the Gospell ought to be most deare vnto vs we owing vnto them euen our selues and whatsoeuer we haue besides to doe them good The benefits bestowed vpon vs by the Ministry of the word can neuer be sufficiently esteemed nor worthily enough prized nor aboundantly enough be recompenced and rewarded Hence it is that when Elisha sell sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed Ioash the King of Israell came downe vnto him and wept vpon his face and said z 2 Kin. 13 14 O my Father my Father the Charrâ—t of Israell and the Horsemen of the same Where we may learne what to account of the Teachers of the Church by the testimony of a King that sitteth on his Throne if he do so account of theÌ„ such as are inferior to him must not make lesse reckoning of them Hereunto commeth the saying of the Prophet a Esay 52 7. Nah. 1 15. How beautifull vpon the Mountains are the feet of him that declareth publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion Thy God raigneth Where he sheweth by way of admiration that it is one of the greatest benefits to haue Pastors sent vnto vs that may direct our steps into the way of peace and guide our feet to eternal life This is the estimation that the Galathians had of Paul and the commendation which Paule giueth of the Galathians that they accounted nothing too dear or too good for him b Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despied not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus What was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue pulled out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me Where he sheweth that he was entertained among them as an Angell nay aboue an Angell euen as Christ himselfe To this purpose he writeth to the Corinthians c 1 Cor. 4 1. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God By all which testimonies it is manifest that such as conuerted vs to the faith and brought vs to be Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen ought to be dearely and entirely beloued of vs. Reason 1 Neither should this seeme strange vnto vs. First of all they are most of all to be loued and highly esteemed of vs that doe vs most good we are most deeply indebted vnto them that labour most for our benefit This it is which our Sauiour insinuateth in the parable of the lender that had two debters the one ought him more the other lesse and he forgaue them both declaring that he iudged vprightly d Luke 7 43. Who supposed that he would loue him most to whom he had forgiuen most The greatest benefit requireth of vs the greatest loue But the Ministers do vs or may do vs the greatest good if we lay not a barre in our owne way For the blessings that God bestoweth vpon men by the Ministry of his Pastors and Teachers are spirituall and eternall blessings but the blessings that the hearers do returne and recompence to their Ministers are Temporall and as the Apostle speaketh and calleth them Carnall saying e 1 Cor. 9 11. If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things it is a great thing if we reap your carnall thinges They fight our Spirituall battels for vs and what do we not owe to such Reason 2. Again they are vnto vs in stead of Christ they are his officers that he hath appointed in his Church who when he ascended into heauen gaue gifts vnto men and ordained those that should teach his people vnto the end of the World Hence it is that the Apostle saith f 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christes stead that ye be reconciled vnto God If we did beleeue that the Ministers were left vs in Christes stead and did supply his roome we would otherwise respect them and esteeme of them then we doe Reason 3. Thirdly they are the Ministers by whom we beleeue and consequently by whom we are saued They are our Fathers in Christ by whom we are begotten to eternall life To this end the Apostle saith g 1. Cor. 3 5. Who is Paul then And who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery Man Can we haue a greater blessing bestowed vpon vs then Faith without which it is vnpossible to please to God But Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD And the word is brought vnto vs by the Ministers of God Seeing then that they deserue the greatest loue that doe vs the greatest good Seeing the Ministers are vnto vs in the place of Christ Iesus and lastlie seeing they are the Instruments by whom we beleeue It followeth necessarilie that such as turne many vnto righteousnesse are highly to be regarded and to bee greatly magnified of vs aboue many others Vse 1. The Vses arising from hence are of diuers sorts First of all it directeth vs to other necessary truths to be learned of vs. It is noted by the Apostle to be one generall vse of the Scripture that it serueth and sufficeth to teach all truth needfull to saluation so the former point being receiued will help vs to finde out and conclude other truthes First we learne that wheresoeuer there is a true profession a sound feeling and true tast of Religion or ioy of saluation there will be a reuerent account and ioyfull entertainement of the teachers and publishers of the Gospell On the other side a light slender account of the Ministers argueth a light account of the word of Christ of the doctrine of saluation and of the truenesse of Religion Let euery one of vs examine our owne affections and try our owne hearts by this Touchstone It is vnpossible to make any diuorse betweene the true Ministers of God and the true Doctrine which is according to godlinesse He that honoreth one magnifieth the other and hee that contemneth the one despiseth the other Whosoeuer it is that being distempered and diseased esteemeth of his health or desireth it he will honour the Physitian that cureth and recouereth him He that being wounded is throughly healed will greatly regard him that gaue vnto him the salue to make a plaister He that hath beene ignorant and is taught the knowledge that he had not before will make much of him that
be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question We must build vpon his promises as vpon a stable and steadfast foundation that shall neuer be remooued Heauen and earth shall passe away x Math. 5 18. But his word shall not passe away We haue the word and Oath of God y Hebr. 6 18. as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is vnpossible that he should lie or we be deceiued We haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. We haue the earnest penny as a certaine pawne left vnto vs z Rom. 8 16. And the spirit of adoption testifying with our Spirits that we are the Sonnes of God Wee haue the grace of Sanctification written in our hearts whereby we are dead to sinne and crucified vnto the world Wherefore seeing we haue so many waies to warrant his gracious goodnesse vnto vs why doe we yet stand in doubt and wherefore are our minds wauering in his mercies a Iames 1 6. As a Waue of the Sea tossed by the violence of the Windes Let vs enter into our owne hearts and consider our owne dealinges toward our Brethren If we finde our selues ready to forgiue and inclined to remit the iniuries done vnto vs and willing to release or at least to forbear the debts that we may worthily challenge of many our poore and needy brethren we may from this compassion toward them gather an vndoubted perswasion as a necessarie conclusion to our selues that his mercie shold be extended in great measure toward vs that he will neuer forget his wonderful compassion knowing that whomsoeuer he loueth vndoubtedly he loueth vnto the end He is neuer wearie of well-doing his gifts are without repentance He is not as man that he should lye nor as the Sonne of Man that he should change b Iames 1 17. With whom is no variablenesse nor shaddow of turning We are variable and vnconstant but hee is alwaies the same and will make good the words that are gone out of his owne mouth Let mee obtaine this pleasure in the Lorde c. The Apostle in these wordes doth testifie that these things which he requested of Philemon were in the Lord that is agreeable to the will of God He doth not craue them to please himselfe or to pleasure Onesimus onely but he asketh them because he knoweth that the obtaining of the same will be acceptable to God Here then he sheweth what ought to be the end that we propound to our selues in making suites and requests to others we must consider not so much what may content vs as what God commaundeth and alloweth Doctrine 2. Whatsoeuer we desire prouoke and perswade others to do must be in the Lord. From hence we learne that whatsoeuer we doe mooue desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord that is warrantable and conscionable standing with the will of God and a good conscience This is it which the Apostle handleth Phil. 4. Whatsoeuer thinges are true b Phil. 4 8 18. whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these thinges And afterward in the same Chapter commending them for a worke of mercy he sheweth That it was an odour that smelleth sweete a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God Likewise Ester 4. 14. When Mordecai would perswade Ester c Ester 4 14. to aduenture her credit and life in the behalfe of the Church which was sold to the mercy of the Sword and to the tyranny of the Enemies hee sheweth the equity and lawfulnesse of it though it were dangerous for her and threatned death vnto her Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time As if he should say Thou owest this duty to God and seruice to his Church being aduanced to the Kingdome for this end and purpose and therefore it is well-pleasing in his sight Thus doth Nehemiah exhort the Rich and the Rulers among the peoole to restore the Landes the Vine-yards the Oliues the Houses together with the hundred part of the Siluer and of the Corn and of the Wine and of the Oyle that they exacted of them shewing that in so doing d Nehe. 5 9 11 12. They should walk in the feare of God and redeeme themselues from the reproach of the Heathen Thus the Apostle perswadeth the Thessalonians to sanctification e 1 Thes 4 3 7 Because it is the will and pleasure of God who hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse By all these consents as by most strong Euidences and firme Witnesses it appeareth that we ought to haue the warrant of Gods word and approoued will to allow whatsoeuer we require or prouoke others to doe Reason 1. This will be made very plaine and manifest by sundry reasons First of all true loue will require onely such thinges as are honest Such as proceed further and make their owne will the rule and line to square out other mens actions with all doe want true loue and are not indeede true Frrendes The Apostle describing the Fruites and effects of loue saith f 1 Cor. 13 6. It reioyceth not in Iniquity but reioyceth in the truth It is a good sound note of a right friend to request such thinges onely as are iust and seemely The very Heathen by the light of nature could g Cicer. de amicitia see thus farre and teach how farre we are bound to pleasure and profit our friends Reason 2. Secondly such requests as are lawfull and lawdable doe giue warrant in crauing boldnesse in asking and comfort in obtaining Such requests shall neuer make vs ashamed to mooue them nor cause vs to take the repulse or denyall when we haue mooued them We see this in the example of Mordecai when he craued of Ester to make intercession for her people shee looked more into her owne danger then into the Churches deliuerance and respected more her owne person then their safetie notwithstanding hee h Ester 4 13. knowing his request to be honest and lawfull would not giue ouer but continued his suit though hee were delayed yet he was not daunted though he were denyed yet he was not discouraged but went forward boldlie vntill he receiued a gracious aunswere The like wee see in the Woman of Canaan who came to Christ for her Daughter that i Math. 15 22. Was miserably vexed with a Deuill albeit she receiued a three-fold repulse or a three-fold delay yet such was her Faith that she would take no denyall but did stride ouer all things that might seeme to hinder her and neuer would cease vntill shee had obtained her request Whereby we see that her honest request was granted and she went not away empty Reason
3. Thirdlie such motions receiue a blessing from God If we craue and desire nothing at the handes of others but that which is right our perswasions shall be accepted of God who hath the hearts of all men in his owne power to change and alter as it pleaseth him When Ester asked of the King to haue k Ester 7 3. her life giuen her at her petition and her people at her request shee had it granted and more also then she asked On the other side vnlawfull and vngodly suits do oftentimes turne to the confusion of such as obtaine them albeit they may florish for a time yet in the end they are snared with the words of their owne mouth We see this in the example of Haman who after he was exalted in honour next vnto the King he craued of the King very earnestlie l Ester 3 9. That all the Iewes should be slaine and put to death in one day this he obtained and preuailed in his suit but he neuer liued to put it in execution but was hanged on the tree which he had prouided and prepared for Mordecai Wherfore seeing it is a cheefe and principall rule in friendship to request and require onely honest thinges seeing such requestes though they bee great giue comfort and assurance of obtaining and seeing they receiue a blessing at the handes of God it followeth that whatsoeuer we prouoke or procure men to doe must haue a faire warrant and be agreeable to the will of God Vse 1. The vses of this doctrine are not to be omitted First we learne from hence other truths for the strengthning of our Faith So long as any of our Bretheren aske that which is good craue of vs to giue our consent to that which is lawfull we ought to haue our eares and our hearts opened to hearken vnto them No request among ten thousand is more reasonable then when the word of exhortation is offered vnto vs and we are moued to repent and bring forth the fruits of amendment of life So long as we follow our owne lustes and delight in the prophanenesse of our corrupt hearts wee walke in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and runne the way that leadeth to destruction If then any come vnto vs and perswade vs to turne vnto God and to forsake our former waies who are better or greater or surer Friends vnto vs then these For who can wish vs greater good or procure vs greater benefit then to seeke to saue our soules and to make vs inheritors of Gods Kingdome Wee ought therefore to make much of them and not send them away from vs weeping These seeke not themselues but vs they ayme not at their owne profit but ours it is our duty one to another to exhort one another while it is called To day Are they charged and commanded to haue mouths to speak vnto vs and ought not we to haue eares to hear them and hearts to obey them On the other side it is necessary to deny whatsoeuer is vniust and vnhonest and vnreasonable whatsoeuer we are required and by whomsoeuer we are importuned For as it is a commendable vertue not to deny m Prou. 3 28 or delay a Christian request put vp vnto vs so is it as praise-worthy to refuse to hearken and yeelde to any vnlawfull and wicked desire What though we be deare friendes or great acquaintance or neere Brethren What though we haue a mutuall communion of good thinges among vs Should we therefore abuse this coniunction that we haue one with another It is accounted by the Heathen Philosophers n Haec prima lex in amicitia sanciatur vt neque rogemus res turpes nec faciamus rogati Cicer de amicit as the first Law to be obserued in friendship that we neither request things shamefull and dishonest neyther doe them when we are requested It is an absurd thing to imagine that they which refuse to gratifie vs in vngodly things and to follow our corrupt minds and to be ready at our pleasure to call light darkenesse and darkenesse light good euill and euill good should be saide to part friendship and to transgresse the limits of peace and concord For it is a base and blinde excuse and a weake pretence not to bee allowed for a man when he hath done euill to confesse he did it for his friendes cause or at his friendes request There is no man so closely tyed vnto any that for their sakes he should submit himselfe to that which is euill and so make himselfe partaker of their sinnes There is little difference betweene him that committeth euill and another that yeeldeth to the committing of it Let vs therefore know that God requireth of vs this dutie to take diligent heed that we giue no consent to euill nor incline our hearts to obey those that would prouoke vs vnto it They are Instruments of the Deuill that would draw vs to iniquitie and pull vpon our owne heads the heauy wrath and displeasure of God so that we ought as much to abhorre them and to fly from them as if we heard the Deuill himselfe speake vnto vs and therefore to say vnto them Come behinde mee Sathan or auoyde Sathan thou art an offence vnto me We haue a worthy example of this in Ioseph when his Maisters Wife cast her eyes vpon him and saide Lye with me he hearkned not vnto her but denied her request and refused to be in her company Behold saith hee o Gen. 39 8 9 my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the House with me and hath committed all he hath to mine hand there is no Man greater in this House then I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but onely thee because thou art his Wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against GOD. A Carnall Man that is nothing else but a Lumpe of Nature and a Masse of Flesh and an heape of corruption would maruaile much at the great simplicitie of Ioseph in this place and thinke hee dealt like an vnwise man who by obeying his Mistresse might haue gotten great honour purchased much fauour and rid himselfe from much trouble which afterward hee fell into as well through the false accusation and information of his Mistresse as also through the rashnesse and hastinesse of his Maister Yea Ioseph himselfe if he had looked no farther then to the beholding of glory and prosperity might haue reasoned thus with himselfe What shall I doe in this case I am in great trouble on euery side If I doe not consent vnto her I shall be falsely accused euilly intreated hardly imprisoned and cruelly handled I shall liue in all woe and misery all the daies of my life were I not therefore better to hearken vnto her voyce and thereby auoyd all these troubles that hang ouer mine head whereas on the other side I am likely by her meanes to come to honor and preferment and to be in greater
to others but are incident to the Nature of Man and may come vpon our owne heads it would be an effectuall meanes to hold vs backe from iesting and scorning at others in as much as it bringeth the wrath of God vpon vs and our posterity Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is our duty to be glad thereat when any good things befall our Brethren it standeth vs vppon to search and enquire in loue after the condition of the Saintes in particular and of the Church in generall For how shall we reioyce and be glad at their good if we be not carefull to know in what state they are and how they fare This dutie wee may see practised in the holie Scriptures by Abraham Lot Nehemiah Dauid and diuers others who were both carefull to succour and releeue such as were in distresse and watchfull to informe themselues of the wantes and necessities of their Bretheren And thus wee may see how one Church prouideth for another as the Church of Antioch of Macedonia and of Corinth q 2 Cor. 8 9. for the poore afflicted Members of Christ that were at Ierusalem This reproueth such as albeit they see the troubles of the Church with their eies and heare the complaint of the poore with their eares yet shut their eyes and stop their eares and passe by them as the Priest and Leuite did when they saw him that fell vpon Theeues lie wounded and halfe dead These shal finde as little mercy at the hands of God as they shew to their afflicted and distressed brethren If then we would find mercie in time of need let vs shew mercy and comfort in the time of calamity when our Friends our Neighbors our Kindred are in trouble And albeit we neuer see our Bretheren lie in their affliction nor ouer-whelmed with sorrow that we should succor them yet are we not thereby iustified and discharged vnlesse wee also haue bin carefull to enquire of others how they do what they want and wherein they stand in neede of our helpe It is recorded of Abraham and Lot that while they offered their seruice to entertaine strangers r Ge. 18 19 Heb. 13 2 3. Nehemiah â— they receiued Angels into their houses at vnawares When Nehemiah met with some of his Brethren that came from Ierusalem he tarried not vntill they made relation of the estate of the Church to testifie his zeale to Gods worshippe his loue to the poore Saints his desire of the prosperity of the faithfull but hee preuented them and asked earnestly of their welfare Thus did Dauid remember the kindnesse betweene him and Ionathan and forgat not to shewe it to his posterity and to the house of Saule and albeit hee had dealt graciously and mercifully with many yet he called for more and left none of them vnregarded Let this affection rule in vs and draw out of vs this testimony of a louing heart Many there are that will seeme to bee friends of the Church and to regard the good thereof and when helpe is craued of them will not bee behind hand to deale liberally toward the releeuing therof This is a good beginning and a commendable vertue which is to be cherrished in them for there are hundreds and thousands that neuer come so farre nor proceede to this steppe but declare themselues either open enemies or sencelesse Newters that looke onely to them-selues but haue no feeling of the estate of others Neuerthelesse if God haue giuen vnto vs a bountifull hand wee must not rest there and stand at a stay wee must learne a farther lesson and ascend vp higher and shew more loue to the Church then to giue to them that aske and to succour such as we see in necessity for we must giue an account of a farther duty euen vse our tongues that God hath giuen vs to enforme our selues in the knowledge of their condition that we see not that are absent from vs that are vnknowne vnto vs. We see how desirous and greedy men are of newes and to enquire of Trauellers the estate of places and persons that they may seeme to bee ignoraunt of nothing and in this they are very Athenians Å¿ Acts 17 21. who gaue themselues to nothing else but eyther to tell or to heare some newes But this desire of nouelty argueth the vanitie of our minds or serueth to the delight of the outwarde man or at the farthest bringeth with it onely a momentary pleasure and slender profite If we would know such newes as may delight our selues and others and bring great pleasure and greater profit both to our selues and others let vs inquire how the poore people of God do let vs aske of their welfare let vs vse all meanes to know their estate this shall be well pleasing to God comfortable to our selues profitable to the Church and auayleable to stir vp others to follow our example Vse 3 Thirdly if it be required of vs to bee touched with a feeling of the good things that come to our Brethren then it followeth that wee ought much more to be moued to reioyce at our owne good He will neuer bee glad at the benefit that befalleth another that is no way affected at the good that befalleth him-selfe When wee haue the meanes of instruction offered vnto vs and wee beginne to bee conuerted vnto the faith there is matter of exceeding great ioy and gladnesse set before vs. It hath beene an old Å¿ Herod in Clio. custome for men to celebtate and solemnize their birth day the day wherein they were borne and brought forth into the world and we haue one example of it in the Gospell of Herod t Math. 14 6. Marke 6 21 who when his birth day was kept made a Banquet to his Princes and Captaines and chiefe estates of Galile If this were vsed among the Heathen to retaine in memory the rememberance of that time wherein it was saide A Man-child is borne into the world how much more ought we that are Christians to make the day of our new byrth a day of ioy and gladnesse a day of mirth and delight a day of feasting and reioysing in the Lord wherein we haue beene borne againe and made the Children of God For the first birth is vnto death the second is vnto life The first birth giueth vs a being the second giueth vs a good being in God the first birth is to condemnation the second birth is to saluation By the first birth we are made the vessels of wrath by the second wee are made the heyres of the heauenly kingdome The first birth u Ezek. 16. 1 2 is in vncleannesse the second birth is in righteousnesse and in true holinesse By the first birth we beare the Image of the first Adam by the second wee beare the Image of Christ the second Adam By the first birth we can do nothing but euill x Gen. 6 5. inasmuch as the immaginations of the thoughts of our heartes are onely
It is a property of the good and diligent seruant who being bidden to go will run about his businesse or being required to do little will gird vp his loynes and doe more as on the other side the Wiseman teacheth Prou. 10 26. that as Vineger is to the Teeth and smoake to the eyes so is the slouthfull to them that send him When we behold such an encrease in godlinesse and a running in the race of Christian duties let vs be mindfull to giue God the glory and the praise who hath touched their hearts to bring forth so great fruits Contrarywise it is the cause of much griefe and sorrow when men deceiue the hope and expectation that is conceiued of them in the best thinges when we looke for a plentifull Haruest and finde onely a few blasted eares when wee expect an encrease and see nothing but a fearefull fainting and languishing in honest and holy duties This is it which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes reproueth in them p Heb. 5 21. When as concerning the time ye ought to bee Teachers yet haue ye need againe that we teach you what are the first principles of the worde of GOD and are become such as haue neede of Milke and not of strong Meate The like reproofe is cast vpon the Galathians Chap. 3 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the trueth to whom Iesus Christ was before described in your sight and among you crucified Oh! see see the misery of our dayes all come short of the duties that are required of them be they neuer so iust honest necessarie so greatly to Gods glorie and the aduancement of true Religion If men would come thus farre to yeeld halfe so much as is requested of them or as farre as they should wee should iudge it much and it would appeare greater then it is Beholde the barrennesse and backwardnesse of our daies that yeeld no better fruit If a man would take a Light and search vppe and downe from house to house where shall he finde a true-hearted Philemon of whom we may boldly say as Paule doth in this place I know that thou wilt do euen more then I say I would we were come thus farre to say of our professors I know thou wilt do as much as I say We haue not learned to performe so much we have started backe from our former zeale we are fallen from much to little and from little to nothing at all and from nothing to lesse then nothing that is from no good to much euill For how many might a man single out by name and point out with the finger who nothwithstanding their happy beginnings raysing a woonderfull expectation of a glorious end are now become dry and withered of whom we may say I knowe thou wilt doe nothing I know there is nothing in them I know they haue embraced this present World These are q Iob 6 15 16 c. like those Streames or Channelles which immediately after a showre of Raine runne swiftly and promise to the poore Traueller that wandereth in the VVildernesse a most comfortable refreshing but in time of neede deceiue him So is it with such as haue embraced the Faith and seeme to haue receyued into their drie heartes the sweet r Deut. 32 2. Dewes and pleasant showers of the Word who appeare zealous for a time and afterward fall away they deceiue the hope that hath beene conconceiued of them and the end with them is worse then the beginning The Doctrine that hath dropped vpon them as the raine vpon the hearbes and the great raine vpon the grasse is quite dried vp and no remnants therof are to be discerned according to the saying of Christ Å¿ Math. 25 29. Vnto euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but from him that hath not euen that he hath shal be taken away This is notably expressed in the parable of the Man that going into a strange Country called his seruants deliuered and deuided to them his goods and when one of them went his way and hidde his Talent in the earth it was taken from him that had beene slouthfull and giuen to him that had gained fiue Talents Againe if the time would serue it were easie to shew how sumptuous costly and full of expenses men are to maintaine their vanities pleasures and delights aboue that we can desire or imagine but in other thinges most nigh and niggardly and hand-fasted We see how wasting and prodigall they are in the pursuit of their carnall lustes they thinke no cost to be too much no charges too great Vse 3. Lastly it is the duty of euery man to labour to be answearable at the least to the expectation that the Church hath had of him and to endeuour to be as good as he hath made shew off perfourming therein the practise of his profession not deceiuing any of the Seruants of God therein This requireth of vs a carefull obseruation and marking of the manners of men both of their beginnings and proceedings and not to stand as idle behoulders gazing in the aire that we may vnderstand the time the meanes the forwardnesse the knowledge the shew that hath beene in many all which haue promised much and caused vs to expect good thinges at their handes and yet oftentimes in vaine This appeareth in the song of the Prophet Esay Chap. 5. Wherein he setteth before the peoples eyes their great vnthankfulnesse t Esay 5 4. that albeit the Lord had done for his Vineyard what he could yet it brought forth wilde Grapes in stead of good Fruit and therfore he threatneth that the Thornes shall ouergrow it the Beastes should spoile it the Raine shall not nourish it Thus also the Apostle speaketh to the Hebrewes who as hee exhorteth them that leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ they should be led forward vnto perfection so he threatneth such as turne backward with an horrible iudgement that shall come vpon them a fearefull curse that shall ouertake them u Heb. 6 7 8. For the earth saith he that drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Briars is reproued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Whereby we see that an heauy curse belongeth vnto all such as answeare not the hope that is conceiued of them they deceiue men much they deceiue as farre as lieth in them God himselfe but especially they deceiue their owne soules We pitty those greatly whom we haue seene fresh and lusty strong and sturdy of body when they grow weake faint sickly and decaying in age and strength but much more ought we to lament to see those that haue beene forward and gone before many others to haue need to be taught againe the first principles of Religion and to
eies by bowing downe the knees and such other gestures as testified the sequestring of all their thoughts from the earth and earthly cogitations and the bringing of all their mind to the meditation of heauen and heauenly things Secondly we haue need in prayer of perseuerance continuance Wee must not giue ouer and wax weary It pleaseth the Lord oftentimes to defer to heare to helpe vs not that he neglecteth vs or forgetteth vs or wisheth our hurt but to exercise our Faith by delaying Wherefore all rash presumption ought to be far from vs which dareth to prescribe vnto God either the time or the maner of our deliuerance and of granting our requests It is our duty to wait patiently vpon the Lord and to refer vnto him the meanes and maner of helping of vs. The woman of Canaan n Math. 15 22. is a notable example to teach vs to continue in prayer euen then when wee seeme to haue the repulse and deniall The Widdow in the Gospell is a o Luke 18 1 2 worthy president to this purpose to moue vs to this perseuerance and not to giue ouer Lastly we must beware that we aske no more then God giueth vs leaue to aske in his word We must require those things that are fitting vs to craue and beseeming God to grant Many men neuer consider these things but are rash and heady in their petitions regarding neither what he in goodnesse and Iustice can giue neither what is profitable for themselues to receiue Some craue riches to spend in lust and riot other wish for strength to be reuenged of their enimies p Rom. 12 21 whom they ought to receiue with goodnesse Others are not ashamed to ask foule and filthy things which one would blush to aske of a mortal man which the Heathen q Pers Satyr 2. themselues haue condemned These are the causes why our prayers are not heard because we aske amisse and do not submit our willes to his will Our wils are carnall and corrupt his will is pure and holy and the rule of all righteousnesse The 3. thing required in prayer The third point to be obserued in prayer is that it proceed from an humble and contrite heart If pride do compasse vs as a Chain and an high conceit of our selues possesse vs we are deceiued if we suppose to obtaine anie thing at the hands of God A proud Begger is hated of God and scorned of men There can nothing be seene more deformed and despised then a poor man that is proud There is nothing can worse sort together then a proude heart and a beggers purse God euer-more resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the humble and lowly The Prophet Dauid declareth this Psal 51 16 17. Thou desirest no Sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in Burnt Offerings The Sacrifices of God are a contrite spirite a contrite and a broken heart O Lord thou wilt not despise We must learne therefore truely to feele our owne pouerty and misery let vs consider that we neede all things that we aske and so ioyne an earnest and feruent affection and desire of obtaining Indeed wee cannot alwayes haue a like feeling but wee must alwayes striue against deadnesse of heart and dulnesse of spirit Let vs shake off all vaine-glory and pride and giue all the glory to God as the poore Publican did in the Gospell Thus haue the faithfull done r Psal 143 2. Dan. 6 17. Esay 64 5. Ier. 14 7. as appeareth in Dauid Daniell Esay Ieremy We must not bee like the proud Pharisie Å¿ Luke 16 11. that stood vpon his owne righteousnesse and condemned other of wickednesse and prophanenesse Let vs also come with Repentaunce not onely crauing pardon for sins past and making an humble Confession of faults present but desiring grace to be strengthned in time to come Lastly let not our prayer be a lip-labour for forme and fashion sake but earnest and feruent When Saneherib inuaded Iudah and besieged the strong Citties and thought to win them for him-selfe Hezekiah and the Prophet Esay with him t 2 Chr. 32 20 cried to heauen Thus doth the Prophet Ieremy speake u Lam. 2 19. Arise cry in the night in the beginning of the Watches poure out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift vp thine hands toward him c. Heerunto accordeth the Apostle Rom. 8 26 27. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sights which cannot be expressed but he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Thus it appeareth out of the practise of the Prophets Apostles what kinde of prayers God accepteth True it is they auaile much howbeit they must be feruent Cold prayers turne into sinne and neuer bring with them any blessing We will seeme to drawe neere to God and to honor him howbeit it is only with our mouths and lips which is a vaine woorshipping of him We will needs cal vpon his name but our prayers freeze betweene our teeth and are vttered without zeale These are they that pray but it is in such sort as if they neuer meant to speed If a Child should craue any thing of his parents in that manner they would take them-selues to bee abused The fourth thing required in prayer The 4. thing expressed in the former description of praier is that it must be put vp in the name of Christ Iesus He is the Mediator of the new Testament he standeth between the wrath of his Father vs he maketh continuall intercession for vs. If then we would haue our prayers accepted we must come in his name he is the High-priest of our profession he offereth them vp vnto his Father who accepteth them not for their woorthinesse but for his worthinesse not for their merits but for his merits as wee shall shew farther in the Doctrine following In his Name did the Fathers come to the Throne of Grace and presented their prayers before God assuring themselues to bee heard for his sake This is manifest in the prayer that Daniell maketh Chap. 9. 17. Now therefore O our God hear the Prayer of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vppon thy Sanctuary that lyeth wast for the Lords sake He acknowledgeth Christ Iesus to be the heire and Lord of all things in whom and through whom God would accept his praiers This we might farther Å¿ 1 Sam. 3 21. 2 Sam. 7 21. shew by other examples yea it is taught vs by the mouth of Christ himselfe t Iohn 16 23. Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shaâ—… aske the Father in my name he will giue it you As no man can come to the Father but by him so no man can obtaine any thing but by him
if he goe about to perswade vs that wee shall merit eternall life by our faithfulnesse in our Ministry and by diligent instructing of the people committing to our charge q Lib. de obitu Knoxi we must resist the subtill Serpent and defie him and deny his merrits It is the duty of all the godly that haue this Worlds goods to giue almes to the poore especially to the godly poore but if he mooue vs to giue Almes that we may get Heauen or gaine the praise of men we must striue against his tentation and not suffer our selues to be deluded by him For this is as much as if he should say vnto vs I would haue thee pray but thou shalt obtaine nothing I would haue thee giue almes but thou shalt haue no reward Seeing then we are subiect to a double tentation of Sathan who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour so that he will if it be possible hinder vs from Prayers or if he cannot will corrupt them with his Leauen of merrit we must prepare to resist him r The meanes how to resist Satan in his tentations both waies Whensoeuer he goeth about to stay vs from praying vnto our heauenly Father we must resist him strong in faith and oppose against him these Meditations Let vs remember Gods most holy commaundement to call vpon him in the day ſ Psal 50 15. of trouble and that wee are continually to watch and pray t Luke 22 40 46. least we fall into tentation We haue together with the precept a promise annexed for our comfort and greater encouragement to this duty that he is neere to all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth yea the eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers Let vs consider that there is an absolute necessity of the inuocation of his Name and of crauing his assistance that we may be freed and deliuered from the snares and assaults of the Deuill and that hee would giue vs strength to ouercome them and not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power but giue a blessed issue of the tentation that we may be made able to beare it And as the necessitie is great to call vpon him daily In whom we line and mooue and haue our beeing so the profit thereof is no lesse it bringeth a blessed experience and tryall of Gods goodnesse and mercy toward vs It encreaseth his spirituall graces in vs and maketh vs zealous in all good workes It obtaineth those thinges that we want and remooueth the iudgements that hang ouer vs or are vpon vs. We haue the examples of all the faithfull as a Cloud of Witnesses to incite vs to this duty And if we put foorth our hands to take and vse any of the Creatures or blessings of God without asking him leaue we are no better then Theeues and Robbers These and such like Motiues serue to kindle our zeale in Prayer to quench the fiery darts of the Deuill which he casteth at vs. If he go about to puffe vs vp with pride through an opinion merriting by any euen our best workes of Prayer or Preaching or Almes-deedes wee must know that all our workes are vnperfect and that the good thinges in vs are his owne guifts Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe and all his labours u 1 Cor. 15 9 10. I am the least of the Apostles by the Grace of God I am that I am and his Grace which is in me was not in vaine I laboured more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the Grace of God which is with me And in another place x 1 Cor. 3 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease Againe y 1 Cor. 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why boastest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it It is a worthy saying set downe by our Sauiour z Luke 17 10. When ye haue done all those things which are commaunded you say We are vnprofitable Seruants wee haue done that which was our duty to doe Wherefore we must labour in all our workes to see our imperfections to cast downe ourselues in humility before the Iudgement seat of God and to referre all things to his glory The Apostle giueth this generall rule a 1 Cor. 10 31 Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God And if in these ordinary and naturall workes we must ayme at that end as at a marke how much more in the Mysteries of our saluation and the great keyes of our Religion ought wee to giue thankes vnto God for blessing vs with spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges We are not able to inspire Grace into our barren hearts it is the guift of God and therefore he must be confessed the giuer of euery good giuing and perfect guift to the glory of his owne Name And for our selues let vs in all duties of our obedience Prayer Almes or whatsoeuer workes approoued of God prepare our selues to bring humble and broken hearts freed from the Thornes of pride and vaine-glory This is taught by Dauid in the Psalme b Psal 51 17. The Sacrifices of God are a contrite Spirit a contrite and a broken heart ô God thou wilt not despise The like we see Esay 66. c Esay 66 2. To him will I looke saith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my wordes And thus was the practise of Daniell in his Prayer d Dan. 9 18. O Lorde encline thine eare open thine eyes and behold our desolations for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies This humility shall appeare to be in vs if we referre the end of all our actions to the honour of God and make that to be the scope Let the principall end be the glory of God the next the saluation of our Soules the third the edification of our Brethren in Christ Iesus Let vs cause our light so to shine before men that they may glorifie our Father which is in Heauen and then let vs follow those thinges which concerne peace and where-with one may edifie another Vse 2. Secondly as by the free bestowing of the graces of God we are taught to giue him all possible praise so it taketh away all opinion of the merits of workes wherein proud flesh is ready to trust For to place Merit and Iustification in our owne workes is to rase down a cheefe Foundation and principall Piller of Christian Religion both because thereby we abolish Grace and renounce saluation by Christ and make euery man a Sauiour to himselfe and so exclude saluation by Christ all which are shamefull Heresies and horrible blasphemies and detestable abhominations As many
God that sent her and her that counselled him and her counsell that restrained him from shedding blood A fire is soonest quenched by water and anger is soonest appeased by gentlenesse Let vs plant this in the Garden of our hearts and learne to giue good speeches one to another and shew a friendly Countenance euen to them that wrong vs and abuse vs without any purpose or desire to reuenge This is a Vertue hard to be found in these daies among the sons of men they cannot speake well one of another This gentlenesse that teacheth vs to deale courteously toward each other is thinly sowne in the furrowes of our hearts Wherefore wee must know that humanity and courteous dealing are not as some immagine excluded from Christians as if nothing should be in them but rigor and austerity Indeede they are to deale roughly and rigorously with wilfull and wicked men that are offensiue and vnruly but we must be gentle meeke and lowly toward such as are willing to bee enstructed Hence then it appeareth that our common formes of salutation are commendable both practised by worde of mouth and vsed in writing standing vpon the warrant of Gods word and example of the faithfull Let vs therefore accustom our tongues to ciuility to blessing wishing al good one to another This becommeth our profession and witnesseth to all the world that we are of pure conuersation Vse 2. Secondly this Doctrine serueth for reproofe of diuers and sundry abuses that are too rife and common among vs. It seemeth a light and ridiculous thing to many to salute and to be saluted but it is of great force and auaileth much to the obtaining and getting of good will It is a point of courtesie and humanity to salute others and to pray for them Let no man say these are very small and slender matters to be spoken of and stood vpon We must acknowledge that our obedience is to be shewed euen in the least and not in the greatest matters onely And a true Christian is to bee seene and knowne when he will yeeld in the practise of lesser points and such as are not of greatest importance Wherefore seeing euerie Christian must thus behaue himselfe it reproueth diuers sorts of men First such as are so strongly possessed and rankely ouer-grown with malice and reuenge that they neither will salute such as they meet nor answer such as salute them These men are dainty of their speech and as sparing of their wordes as if euery word of their mouth were worth a wedge of Gold Hence it is that many stand vpon termes of their reputation and looke to haue others bend vnto them they say k Some pinch curtesie who shall begin to speake and salute first Why should I salute him first Or wherefore should I beginne to speake vnto him Shall I yeeld my selfe or bring my selfe vnder him to be made his Foot-stoole I will not stoope or bow downe he hath first wronged me let him therefore first seeke to be reconciled and if I should speake to him I know he will not answeare me nor looke toward me These are goodly pretences and coulourable shiftings to maintaine Hatred Displeasure and priuy Grudgings one against another and cause vs to pinch curtesie who shall beginne to deale curteously one with another But art thou resolued that thou wilt not beginne first and as it were breake the yee but wait vntill another beginne to salute thee Thou must consider that the very Publicans and Sinners do the same as our Sauiour teacheth Math. 5 46 47. l Mat. 5. 46 47. If yee loue them which loue you what reward shall yee haue Do not the Publicans euen the same And if ye be friendly to your Brethren onely what singular thing doe yee Do not euen the Publicans likewise Wilt thou not yeeld and giue place first Be constant and setled and vnmooueable in a good thing but in keeping an old grudge or a new displeasure a goodman ought not to be stubborne and obstinate to continue therein for euer Doest thou thinke it a shame and reproach to thee to change thy minde Who doth so esteeme and iudge Doth God No he accounteth it thy greatest honour to yeeld to that which he commandeth Doe the godly among whom thou liuest No thou shalt reioyce them and giue good example to other and and heape coales of fire vpon their heads whom thou hast offended and giue a sound testimony of thy vnfained loue to thy brother that hath offended thee Hath he hurt thee first and done thee wrong Be it so hee hath done euill euery man will confesse it no man will deny it no man can defend it Doe thou good to him againe for his euill and prouoke him by thy example and do that which becommeth thee without looking wherein he faileth Let vs seeke to be like our Heauenly Father who maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the euill and good and sendeth Raine on the iust and vniust It is a common thing in such as are rich and mighty to passe by the poore and neuer or seeldome vouchsafe them a word of their mouth which costeth them nothing It is a praise and commendation to be honourable yet humble A proud heart testified by a scornefull eye and a silent tongue is to be reprooued wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer it be found On the other side it is a great encouragement to men of the lower sort when such as are great and mighty in the world doe kindly salute them and friendly speake vnto them they are greatly affected at it they are mooued to loue them and stirred vp to be cheerefull in well doing when they see they are regarded and not despised or accounted base in their eyes nor respected as their Foot-stoole Secondly such as are reprooued make an outward shew of the perfourmance of this duty but inwardly are as farre and some-times farther from the right practise of it then the former These are such as are true Christians in name but not in deed in shew but not in substance in word but not in heart These haue Charity in their lippes but enmity in their soules They speake of peace but they nourish hatred A man would iudge them to be the flower of curtesie and to haue all couplements of humanity in them and yet nowithstanding all this is but a maske and vizard to colour their hipocrisie These are a most vile and wicked kinde of men that haue sweete and sugred tongues but malicious and enuious hearts and full of venom This we see in Ioab m 2 Sam. 3 27. and 20. 9. who tooke Abner aside in the Gate to speake with him peaceably and smote him vnder the fift rib that he died and likewise he dealt with Amasa he said to him Art thou in health my Brother and tooke him by the Beard with the right hand to kisse him but with the other hand he smote him with the sword and shed out his bowels to the
ground The like salutation we see in Iudas who had giuen the multitude that came with swords and staues from the High-Priests and Elders of the people a Token saying n Mat 26 48. 49. Whomsoeuer I shall kisse that is he lay hold on him and forthwith hee came to Iesus and said God saue thee Maister and kissed him Thus hee betrayed the sonne of man with a kisse We must haue our words and hearts goe together and not one wander and stray from the other We must not haue our words softer then Oyle hide swords and speares within vs. This is cruell and deceitfull dealing this is farre from true Christianity this is farre from that plaine and simple dealing that ought to be in vs. Such men are the most dangerous and pernitious enemies that are they are hardly knowne and therefore hardly auoyded One of these false hearted Brethren is worse then an hundred open professed aduersaries A pit which is couered so that thou canst not see it is more likely to worke thy hurt and cause thee to fall into it then that which is manifest to be seene Let vs therefore remember that our words bee alwayes seasoned and accompanied with truth Let our mouth speak as the heart thinketh and let vs take heed of lying cogging cozening glozing smoothing and dissembling which are the workes of the deuill the fruits of the flesh and the badges of Hypocrites Thirdly as we haue heard that they are to be reproued that disdaine to speake to others and such as are content to vse friendly greetings in word but their hearts go not with them so likewise such are condemned as vse vnkinde and vncourteous speeches nay foule and vncleane vngodly and prophane communication This the Apostle teacheth Ephes 4. o Ephe. 4 31. Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnesse Such was the snappish answere of Caine p Gen. 4 9. Am I my Brothers keeper So for this cause Nabell being a churlish currish man q 1 Sam. 25 10 11. is concluded to be a foole and a wicked man This vnciuill bitter dealing is a great signe and a certaine note of an vnregenerate and carnal man Let vs beware of al railing rotten speeches The mouth is the Messenger of the heart and from the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A filthy tongue argueth a filthy heart an vnbrideled tongue a licentious heart A poysoned tongue that casteth out banning and cursing doth manifest a cursed and corrupt heart The tongue that raueth and rageth beyond all measure and belcheth out blasphemies and vomiteth out pocky and plaguy speech as it were the ouer-charging of a loathsome stomacke doth shew be it spoken with reuerence a pocky and plaguy heart It is a shame almost to speake those thinges I will not say which these men do in secret but which they speake openly publickely euidently And yet alas how common a thing is it when men and women are a little heated and prouoked to wish all euill to fall vpon the persons of their Bretheren and their Cattle nay sometimes vpon their owne wiues their own children their owne Seruants their owne Cattell crying out a vengeance on them a plague of God to come vpon them a Murraine take them the Deuill of hell go with thee and such like which come from an vncircumcised mouth nay from an vncircumcised and vnregenerate Neyther let any alledge for the excuse of their cursed and wretched speeches It is a custome they haue gotten but that they minde and meane no such thing whatsoeuer they speake for first this is a cursed custome and a custome in sinning the greater it is the worse it is The more thou doest accustome thy tongue vnto it the harder it is to be left Our Sauiour teacheth r Mat. 12 35. 36. that A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges and an euill man out of an euill Treasure bringeth forth euill thinge But I say vnto you that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of Iudgement If then we must reckon and account at the end of the World and of our life for idle wordes what madnesse is it for vs to cast out and disgorge blasphemous wicked and cursed speeches which will bring vpon vs horrible plagues and heauy punishments to be suffered in hell fire Hence it is that Christ saith in the wordes following Å¿ Verse 37. By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned Heere-unto the Apostle Iames agreeth t Iam. 1. 26. Chap. 1. If any man among you seemeth Religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine Neither let them say they thinke not euill they meane not as they speake for this doth not take away the euill but rather increase it in asmuch as they adde sinne vnto sinne hypocrisie to impiety as it were drunkennesse vnto thirst Let such acquaint their hearts with blessiing not with cursing and striue against their corruptions which are growne to an head and haue gotten a custome in them remembring the saying of the Prophet Psal 109. u Psal 109 17 18. As he loued Cursing so shall it come vnto him and as he loued not blessing so shall it bee farre from him as he clothed himselfe with Cursing like a rayment so shall it come into his Bowels like water and like Oyle into his Bones Let vs therefore all of vs put in practise the precept of the Apostle x Ephe. 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edefying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers Where he declareth that corrupt speech should be to the eare as vnsauory meat to the stomacke A rotten Sheepe is knowne by his bleating so is an vnregenerate heart by his wordes Wherefore as the tast abhorreth rotten meate so should our mindes loath and detest rotten and vnreuerent talke Vse 3. Lastly seeing we are taught to vse all gentle and curteous communication and all louing salutations and well-wishings one toward another this teacheth vs that we must all diligently study and practise the gouernment of the tongue to order it aright and in due manner This is a worthy study it is an hard study it is a profitable study Hence it is that the Prophet saith y Psal 34 12 13. Psal 34. What man is he that desireth life and loueth long daies for to see good Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile To this purpose he speaketh in another Psalme z Psal 39 1. I thought I will take heede to my waies that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth brideled while the wicked is in my fight The difficulty and hardnesse of this study the
other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican If a man haue one of his eyes or legs weaker then the other will hee reiect or neglect it and not rather looke to it and seeke to strengthen it and cure it Whē the fire is going out we are wont not to cast water vpon it but to thro on more Coales or to bring more Wood to kindle it When the bodie is feeble and sickly we doe not vse to starue it or stifle it but to cherrish it to dyet it and keepe it warme So ought it to be in the members of Christes body when we see any stand at a stay and as it were begin to pine and languish we should bring them home into the Sheepefold of Christ when we see any wounded we should binde vp their wounds and poure in Oyle and Balme to refresh them wee must seeke them that are lost and gather them that are dispiersed As for those that discourage and discountenance such as are of humble and broken harts and by their vnseasonable seuerity bring them to despaire let them know that they are no better then the very Instruments of the Deuill who are hired as Iourney-men to doe his worke and doe vsurpe the very office of the Deuill He is the accuser hater and persecuter of the faithfull but especially he seeketh to vndermine the weake and to swallow them vp in the quicke sandes of desperation without helpe or hope In this consideration the Apostle moueth the Corinthians to forgiue the incestuous person saying a 2 Cor. 2 10 11. To whom ye forgiue any thing I forgiue also for verily if I forgaue any thing to whom I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it in the sight of Christ least Sathan should circumuent vs for we are not ignorant of his enterprises Wherefore as God hath appointed comfort to his afflicted and contrite seruants so they are iustly to be taxed that shew rigour when they should shew mercy and draw out the sword when they shoulde put it vp Of these mercilesse men doth the holy man Iob oftentimes complaine who when he lacked and looked for comfort but could finde none he was b Iob 12 4. 16 2. as one mocked of his Neighbor and crieth out in the extreamity of his sorrow of his friends Miserable comforters are ye all Thus it fareth with many of Gods deare Children and our poore Brethren when as thorough great anguish of soule and vexation they call as Iob once did for comfort c Iob 19 21. 1 Haue pittie vpon me haue pitty vpon me O yee my Friends for the hand of God hath touched me yet their acquaintance are strangers vnto them their neighbors haue forsaken them their brethren are remoued farre from them and their familiars haue forgotten them True it is there is a time of seuerity and sharpenesse and such as are obstinate and vntractable as an vntamed Heifer are to bee terrified with sharpe handling that they may bee made feare But there is a difference to bee made betweene sinner and sinner and the seruants of God must discerne aright betweene Offender and Offender not iudging of all alike nor dealing with all alike according to the Doctrine and direction of the Apostle Iude Haue d Iude 22 23. compassion of some in putting difference and other saue with fear pulling them out of the fire c. This Wisedome we ought all to craue that we may do things in due season that we may not purge humors when wee should restore Nature neither yet go about to heale when we should cut and lance The Wise-man to this purpose hath a woorthy saying Prouerbes 25 11. A word spoken in his place is like Apples of Gold with pictures of Siluer Let vs not be in the number of such e Ezek. 13 22. and 34 4 5 6. As with our lies make sad the heart of the righteous whom the Lord hath not made sad nor strengthen the handes of the wicked that hee should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life Let vs take heede that it bee not iustly and truely spoken of vs which the Prophet chargeth vppon the Shepheardes of Israell The weake haue yee not strengthened the sicke haue yee not healed neither haue yee bound vppe the broken nor brought againe that which was driuen away neither haue yee sought that which was lost but with cruelty and with rigour haue ye ruled them c. God will require an account of vs touching his Sheepe and such as we despise he accounteth and respecteth as most deare and precious in his sight Secondly must we haue a respect to the weake Then we must acknowledge it to be our duty to cherrish such good things as we see in any of our Brethren remembring the saying of our Sauiour Math. 18 33. Oughtest not thou also to haue had pitty on thy fellow-seruant euen as I had pitty on thee God doth shew mercy and pittie vpon vs and therefore if we will bee his Children we must not be vnlike our heauenly Father Such is the state and condition of men that whethersoeuer we turne vs wee cannot but see some of our Brethren feeble and fainting and ready to sinke vnder the burthen so that they are ready to perish vnlesse we put vnder our hand to vphold them In this respect so many as are members of the Church ought to be so many Physitians one to another that we may bee meanes of curing and comforting one another We are charged to be keepers of them to look vnto them and by all good meanes to tender their good It is an excellent precept giuen by the Apostle Gal. 6 1 2. Brethren if a man be suddenly taken in any offence ye which are spiritual restore such one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted beare yee one anothers burthen and so fulfill the Law of Christ Where we see the Apostle vrgeth vs to this duty by putting vs in minde of our owne infirmity We so stand to day as that wee are readie to fall to morrow nay we continue this houre that we are readie to giue ouer the next Yea such is the mercy of God oftentimes toward such as are weake ones that when he hath made them once to see their own frailties he maketh them at the last stronger and more stedfast in the Faith then such as seemed to bee more forward and many degrees before them How weake was Nicodemus He i Iohn 3 2. came to Iesus by night at the first hee had a good desire to be instructed but he was ignorant in the principles of Religion he durst not shew himselfe openly to bee his Disciple for feare of the Iewes The like wee might say of Ioseph of Arimathea another Disciple of Christ k Iohn 19 38. but secretly to auoid danger notwithstanding God did so blesse them both with encrease of strength and the spirit of courage and boldnes that
But let vs take heede we doe not deceiue out owne heartes and flatter our selues in a bare title when the truth of the thing doth not belong vnto vs. If a poore simple Begger that hath nothing but ragges and rents to brag and boast himselfe off should foolishly perswade himsefe he were a King and Monarch of the world could this vaine opinion any whit auaile him or minister any comfort vnto him In like manner if we delight to be called Christians and yet want the annointing of Christ we are as farre from being true Christians as the former begger is from being a Prince of the earth Wherefore if wee will haue the thing with the name and the truth with the title we must bee as Kings bearing sway ouer our owne lustes and proclaiming continuall warre against the Deuill the World and the flesh We must thus raigne ouer our selues and then we shall be Kings indeed We must be carefull to haue the word dwell plentifully in vs and endeuour to instruct others We must offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto the Father we must make prayers and supplications vnto him and resigne vp our selues our soules and bodies to his seruice A carnall Christian that liueth in the flesh is no Christian An ignorant Christian that walketh in darkenesse is no Christian Such then as are led by their owne lustes and carried away by their owne corruptions giuing themselues ouer to all loosenesse of life are not spirituall Kings but very Slaues and Bond-men nay the basest Vassals that breath vpon the earth Such as are blinde in the matters of God and haue nothing in their mindes but grosse ignorance knowing nothing of religion nor desiring to know nothing of the meanes of saluation cannot bee spirituall Prophets but sottish persons and blinde men that are not farre from falling into the pit of destruction Such as approach not to the Throne of grace with broken and contrite heartes and call not vpon God are not spirituall Priests but come neerer to the prophane Athiestes who are saide not to call vpon God and thinke it no profit to pray vnto him Fourthly let vs consider the third title giuen to the Sonne of God hee is called our Lord which teacheth vs to acknowledge him to be the Ruler and Gouernour of his Church and of euery particular member thereof And if he be the Gouernour and guide woe vnto them that will not be ruled and gouerned by him When he perswadeth vs to perfourme obedience to the morrall Law he giueth this as the reason o Exod. 20 2. I am the Lord thy God Thus doth the Prophet bring in the lord speaking vnto vs p Mal. 1 6. If I be your Lord where is my feare We must therefore conforme our willes to his will and resigne body and soule to be ordered and directed by him All men are willing to acknowledge Christ a redeemer but not a Ruler a Sauiour but not a Lord. Euery man would gladly and willingly haue a portion in Christes redemption but they regard not to perfourme him any obedience They are forward to heare of this Mediatorship but they take no delight to heare of his Lord-ship they loue not to be vnder his dominion they care not for the bearing of his yoake they desire not to yeelde subiection to his word They determine to make their lustes to be their Lordes and themselues seruants and slaues to their sinnes These are such as haue another Lorde set ouer them which ruleth in their hearts to wit the Prince of darknesse and the God of this world his workes they do his lusts they fulfill and to him they obey These are those enemies mentioned by Christ Luke 19 27. that will not that he should raigne ouer them who in the end shall be brought and slaine before him Wherefore if euer we looke to finde Christ our Sauiour let vs first make him our Gouernour if wee would haue him be our iustification let him become also our sanctification if we would haue him ease vs of our burthen and refresh vs of our wearinesse we must take his yoake vppon vs and suffer our neckes to be acquainted with it Fiftly obserue that the Grace heere asked for Philemon and others to whom the Apostle wrote is called the grace of Iesus Christ to teach vs that Gods graces and benefits come vpon vs thorough him and as nothing was made without him that was made so nothing is giuen without him that is giuen If then we would haue right and interest in any of the blessinges of God we must labour to be in Christ and to haue assurance that wee are in Christ If we touch and tast any of them and yet be not ingrafted into him we are Vsurpers and no better then Theeues and Robbers wee haue no more right and Title to any of the Creatures or Graces of God then the Theefe hath to the true mans purse Christ Iesus is heire of all things and we by him For if p Rom. 8 17. we be sonnes then are we heyres euen the heires of God and heyres annexed with Christ as for the vngodly they are Bastards and not sonnes and the Bastard cannot inherit hee is barred from claiming any interest in the inheritance True it is such as are out of Christ doe many times abound in earthly blessings and they enioy Houses and Landes and Temporall possessions and they can shew their Writings and Conueyances and Leases Deeds and Euidences how they holde their inheritances from men yet notwithstanding all these in the middest of them they are miserable and that for three causes Wicked mens case euen in earthly things is most miserable First because albeit they may haue many thinges yet they can haue right to nothing and they lay hold on such things as doe not belong vnto them God made the world and all things therein for his own sonnes not for the base borne for his Seruants not the Deuils slaues They are like the Moth which breedeth in another mans Garment but is soone shaken out the Moth hath no right to be there and therefore is brushed off or picked out and cast away This is the comparison q Iob 27 16 17 18. of the Holy-Ghost teaching that all vnregenerate persons are Intruders and can lay no lawfull claime by the Law of God to the thinges they possesse and therefore the Land-lord of the world may and will thrust them out at his pleasure Secondly as their right is nothing so they want the right vse of them If they had right vnto them yet had no comfortable vse of them it were a great iudgement but these men haue neither The Apostle teacheth r Titus 1 15. that Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing it nothing pure but euen their Minds and Consciences are defiled There is no peace to the wicked in the midst of ioy they are in heauinesse in the midst of life
in this manner passe them ouer Now let vs handle the perticular Doctrine that ariseth from this Salutation The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your Spirit Amen This is the last clause of the Epistle wherein he wisheth the same that he did in the beginning to wit the grace of Christ If there had beene any more notable or excellent blessing to craue and desire for him then this grace of Christ no doubt he would haue asked it and should haue obtained it for him Hee would haue made some mention of it either in the beginning or at the latter ending or in some other place of this Epistle But seeing we finde no other blessing rehearsed or required beside this grace of Christ it is most certain the Apostle knew no greater or better guift then this grace of christ And indeed he which nameth and commendeth the grace of Christ doth except or exclude nothing which is good for vs or profitable vnto vs either in this life or in the life to come For the grace of Christ whereby we vnderstand the free fauour of God which we by no duties or workes haue deserued or can any way deserue comprehendeth vnder it as it were within the compasse of it euery good thing and euery perfect guift For the spirituall blessings of God as Remission of sinnes Iustification Sanctification and eternall Life doe all flow from this grace as from a Fountaine Now it is called the grace of Christ and that fitly and worthily because he hath obtained it for vs by the price of his owne precious bloud he hath deserued to haue the same bestowed vpon vs. For the grace of God the Father properly belongeth vnto him and Christ Iesus his naturall sonne in whom alone he is well pleased is the Treasure Store-house of his Father by whose hand is bestowed whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs. Doctrine 1. Spirituall thinges are to be prayed for and preferred before earthly thinges Seeing therefore the Apostle maketh so great reckoning of this grace that he speaketh of it first and last and remembreth it in the beginning and in the ending and sendeth this Salutation vnto him wee learne from hence that Spirituall thinges are to be prayed for and preferred before earthly thinges they must haue the first place and earthly thinges be set in the last place This appeareth in that forme of blessing which God prescribeth vnto Aaron and to his Sonnes d Num. 4 6 23 24. Thus ye shall blesse the Children of Israell and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Heere we see what the Priests and Leuites were especially to craue to wit the fauour of God and his free grace This is plentifully prooued in the Psalmes of Dauid as Psal 4. e Psal 4 6. Many aske who will shew vs any good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs where he sheweth that the multitude call for Riches and Honour and Pleasure and account them the onely good thinges but the godly preferre the fauour of God before all and make it their chiefe felicity And in another place f Psal 80 3. Turne vs againe ô God and cause thy face to shine that we may be saued The Church was now in affliction they wanted temporall blessings yet their chiefe desire was to feele the louing countenance of God to shine vpon them This appeareth farther vnto vs in the Lordes prayer left vnto vs by Christ our Sauiour to direct vs to pray he teacheth and prescribeth this order vnto vs that g Mat. 6 9. we first of all aske such thinges as concerne God and his glory and then those thinges that belong to our selues Thus are the prayers directed that the Apostle Paule maketh and offereth vp for the Churches to which he writeth he craueth aboue all thinges grace and peace he desireth that they might haue h Ephe. 1 7 3 16. Collos 1 9. the Spirit of wisedome and of reuelation that the eyes of their minde may be lightned that they may be strengthened in the inner man Yea this is so plaine and pregnant a truth that the very Heathen in their best meditations haue confessed i Virgil. eclog. 3. A loue principium this that God must haue our first thoughts and the beginning of all our workes who blesseth those that are so begun and giueth vnto them good successe If all these Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament alleaged out of the New and confirmed by the vniforme consent of the Gentiles be laide together wee may gather from thence that in our praiers and iudgements we are to preferre and desire especially and principally spirituall things Reason 1. If any doubt remaine in vs let vs consider the reasons that so it may bee remooued First Spirituall and Heauenly blessings are beyond all comparison more excellent and bring more sound ioy of heart then earthly blessings can doe The Prophet testifieth this by his owne experence k Psal 4 7. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheate and their Wine did abound The thinges of this life are corruptible the thinges of the life to come are incorruptible The Apostle Peter speaking of the inheritance of eternall life calleth it l 1 Pet 1 4. immortall and vndefiled and that withereth not reserued in heauen for vs. But among the earthly Treasures what more excellent then Gold Yet he calleth it m 1 Pet. 1 7 18. the Gold that perisheth and afterward Ye are not redeemed with corruptible thinges as Siluer and Gold from your vaine conuersation but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot If then all worldly thinges euen those that be most pure and precious be transitory and corruptible they are not chiefly to be esteemed Reason 2 Secondly howsoeuer the wedge of Gold preuaileth much with men and can in a manner doe all thinges yet it is of no force with God it cannot remoue his iudgements or turne away his wrath from vs it cannot redeeme or pay the ransome of one Soule we were boght with a greater price Hence it is that the Prophet saith n Psal 49 6 7. They trust in their goodes and boast themselues in the multitude of their Riches yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his Brother he cannot pay his ransome to God If riches that can doe much could doe this then the richest should be the happiest and the poorest men should be the most miserable But this standeth not with the will and wisedome of God To this purpose the Prophet Ezekiell saith o Ezek 7 19. Zeph 1 18. They shall cast their Siluer in the streetes and their Gold shal be cast farre off their Siluer and their Gold cannot deliuer them in tht
not and enioy them as though we possessed them not To this purpose the Apostle Peter saith Chap 5. f 1 Pet 5 7 Cast all your care on him for he careth for you Wherefore then should we nourish immoderate and excessiue cares in our bosomes seeing we haue assurance of Gods care towards vs Let vs trust in him and be secure without all distrust and feare If we haue spent our daies in the following and pursuing after the vaine profits of this life let vs bethinke our selues what we haue done and study to redeeme the time that is to come and consider wherefore we were created redeemed The things that are seene are temporall the thinges that are not seene they are eternall Let vs aboue all preferre those thinges that are able best to preferre vs. Let vs not liue heere as men that spend all their daies in catching after feathers and following toyes and trifles that cannot profit If we should see a man wast his yeares from day to day and from moneth to moneth and from yeare to yeare and hauing liued forty or fifty yeares hath done nothing but catch after shadowes runne after Butter-Flies follow after Gew-gawes or behold the Moone-shine in the waters or alwayes looke downe vpon the earth or alwayes blowe vp Feathers in the Aire would we not thinke him starke mad and iudge him out of his wittes Euery man is ready to accuse him of Madnesse no man would thinke he did him wrong to call him so or craue pardon for that he hath done But bee not too hastye to censure such and to passe the sentence of Madnesse vpon them least the Parable be applied to thy selfe and be verified of thy selfe The wise man who knew best who are Fooles and what to iudge of folly preacheth and proclaymeth both in the entrance and end of his wordes g Eccle 1 2 12 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity If then these things be all vaine nay Vanity it selfe it is more then certaine that such as spend their time and wast their years and consume their strength in catching after these toyes these shaddowes these shewes these feathers these follies these trisles and spend more yeares in pursuing after these earthly thinges then they do houres in attaining Heauenly thinges may truely be accounted Fooles or Mad-men or sottish or such as are possessed with a Spirit of giddinesse that runne vp and downe hither and thether and know not what they do Wee vse commonly to pittye such as are mad and beside themselues and out of their right wittes None are farther out of the way nor more destitute of true Wisedome then these men are that haue the least care of the best thinges and the greatest care of the least thinges Let vs beeware least while we thinke our selues to be wise we become starke fooles while we thinke our selues spirituall we be proued to be carnall and while we loath madnesse and folly in others we loue madnesse and folly in our selues Vse 3. Lastly seeing spirituall thinges must be placed and preferred before earthly we learne another duty from hence namely that we ought to make greatest account of the greatest blessings and such as are highest of all must also be highest in our estimation These we ought especially to pray for of the want of these we must haue a speciall feeling Wee are ready to aske for our daily bread but we do not desire the bread of life we do not hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse Wee are wholly ignorant of the right manner and method of praying wee regarde not to obserue the order which God hath ordained Christ Iesus instrcting vs to pray h Math 6. and leauing vs a perfect pattern how to make prayer both for matter and method hath made this the fourth Petition to haue our daily bread giuen vnto vs. But we will not pray after this manner we will not obserue this direction we make this our principall care we make it the first Petition nay we make it both first and second the third and sourth the fift and sixt we make it the beginning and the ending we set it before and behinde wee enter with it wee conclude with it wee make it all in all to haue earthly blessings and temporall commodities and bodily necessities supplyed vnto vs. What a shame is it vnto vs that if we will not know the preheminence of heauenly thinges aboue these mortall and transitory vanities we should be such great strangers at home and so ignorant of our selues and of those parts whereof we consist Who is so simple that doth not vnderstand that the soule is more noble and excellent then the body If then it be more worthy as being a spirit an immortall spirit ought we not in the first place to prouide for it Ought wee not to adorne it with all spirituall graces Ought we not so to quallifie it as that it may be inheritour of eternall glory Let vs therefore affect the things of certaine abode and seeke after Wisedome Faith Sanctification and the true Riches of the Spirit If our Treasure be in Heauen our hearts will be there also Let vs lay vp and locke vp our Treasure in Immortality let vs be sure to lay a good foundation against the time to come One thing is necessary this is the good part that shall not bee taken away from vs. All humaine thinges are full of vncertainties and the meanes of their decaying and vanishing are manifold the Rust the Moth the Canker the Theefe beside a thousand other casualties that take them away from vs. It is an holy and heauenly admonition giuen vnto vs by Christ Math 6. i Math 6 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse and then all other thinges shall be ministred vnto you This checketh and controlleth the preposterous order and bad practise of most men in their callinges they set the wrong end forward they labour first of all to get wealth and wellfare from day to day and from yeare to yeare but neuer thinke of the roote of welfare and from what Fountain all earthly blessings spring to wit from the grace of God Let vs imploy our paines to get Gods fauour and then transitory thinges Wealth Peace Honour Liberty and such like will follow so farre as they shall bee expedient for vs otherwise all our abundance shall turne to be our bane woe and destruction all thinges shall be accursed vnto vs our Table shall be made a snare to take vs and torment vs. The grace of God in Christ is sufficient to make a man blessed and without it all other thinges though we had them in the greatest measure cannot free vs from cursednes Now it is vnpossible that euer we shuld seeke for these gratious gifts of God except we feele our own misery in the want of thē It is the want of health which we desire to haue restored the feeling of our
disease which we desire to haue remoued that driueth vs to the Phisitian And we haue no promise to obtaine earthly thinges except we seeke them as we ought to seeke them and follow the right manner that God hath left vnto vs to find them Many seeke after them and pray for them but they do not obtaine because they aske amisse It is our duty not onely to pray for lawfull thinges but also in a lawfull manner A man may do a good thing after an euill manner it is in our actions so it may be in our prayers An indirect and vnsanctified order may marre and corrupt a good and godly prayer To conclude therefore let vs know that this grace and fauour of God so often remembred in Paules Epistles and so often craued and prayed for to be bestowed vpon the Saints is onely able to giue satisfaction and contentment vnto the soule to stay and rest vpon and therefore we ought aboue all other thinges to labour earnestly to feele it in our hearts Indeed it seemeth nothing and base in his eyes that hath it not but when a man once knoweth the worth and value of it and tasteth the sweet comforts of it within him he is ready to sell all that he hath to enioy it and retaine it he is content to renounce and forsake all Dignity and Honour all Glory and Praise all Health and Beauty all Friends and Fauour all Wealth and Treasure all Ioy and Delight all Mirth and Melody yea Brethren and Sisters and Lands and Wife and Children and all thinges that may be deare vnto him rather then depart from this Iewell of grace farre in price aboue all the Iewels of this World It is with vs in respect of spirituall thinges as it fareth with the buyer while he is in buying his commodity before he is possessed of it according to the discription of Salomon Prou. 20. i Prou 20 14. It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth He diminisheth the goodnesse of it he saith it is to much it is not worth the money you aske for it but when he hath purchased and possesseth it he praiseth his penniworths and iudgeth it better then his money So is it with all Heauenly graces so long as we are destitute of them we thinke them not worth our labour and trauel seeking and enioying we esteem euery houre too much that is spent in following the meanes appointed to obtaine them and albeit God call vnto vs k Esay 55 1 2. to come to buy and eate to come I say and buy Wine and Milke without Siluer without mony yet we haue no eares to heare nor leisure to attend nor harts to consider of his calling But when once we haue found thē and know the iust price and value of them we would not loose them for all the World nor for a thousand worldes if they were offered vnto vs nay we are willing to sell all we haue to haue them continue and abide with vs according to the counsell of the same Salomon Prou. 23 23. l Prou 23 23. Buy the truth but sell it not likewise wisedome and instruction and vnderstanding Let vs therefore grow in loue with this grace of God that we may haue our hearts established with it Let vs do that now which wee would do at the last gaspe and breath Then we are ready to renounce the World and to preferre one drop of grace and faith before a Kingdome Let vs now begin to learne wisedome let vs prostrate our selues before the Throne of grace let vs neuer giue rest to our soules vntill we find it and let vs sue vnto him that is the Author and Fountaine of all grace to wit Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory and praise for euer Amen FINIS A Table of the principall Contents of this Booke A ABraham receiued Angels page 281. Hee and Lot reconciled 252 253 Absence of the Pastour hurtfull 196 Absence of the people from the Pastor 202. reasons against it 203 Abuse of the Ministers 397 Abuse of Gods prouidence 299 Accepting of personnes 189. not with God 331 Acount of our faith must be giuen 91 92 Action differs from euill in it 307 Admonition 207 Adoration of Saints 146 Adulterer penitent is no adulterer 318 Affect such as haue most grace 186 Affection betweene Pastor and people 189 Afflicted are not greatest sinners 13 Afflictions serue for confirmation of others 12. common to godly and vngodly 19. they are profitable 207 Agreement betweene Paul and Iames in matter of Iustification 191 192 All things not to be done of al. 11 Almes houses 156 Almes must be chearefull 285 Amen 494 Anabaptists 265 367 387 Apphia Philemons wife 8 Appeare all must before God 337 Apostataes 486 Application 76 Archippus 8 Assurance of faith no Doctrine of presumption 180 Assemblies of the Church 84. they are beasts that reiect them 85 Assurances lawfull 385 Aske no vnlawfull thing of others 418 Atheists 209 Attention required 219. three benefits of it ibid. Authoritie giuen to the Ministers 163. they must not abuse it 170 Authoritie absolute no man hath 419 B Backbiters 427. the sorts of them 427 428 Back-sliders 132 150 491. they proue worse then others 486 Bands where the greatest are should be most loue 337. the more bandes are broken the greater sinne 341 Good Beginninges helpe not without proceeding 132 Bellarmines doctrine of Princes 267 Benefit of others is to bee sought 135. Benefits that come by instruction 40 Benefit bestowed vpon Saints shall not be lost 280 Better too forward then backward 75 Birth-day 424 Blessed that suffer for the truth 14. not all that heare 242 Blessed that liue in Gods fauour 57 Blessings are to be craued from GOD in Christ 61. ascribe them not our selus 63 Blemishes of body no sinnes 315. to be patiently borne 316 Blind zeale See zeale Blind deuotion 288 Blind not to be discouraged 311 Blindnesse of minde a sinne 310 311 wherein it differs from blindnesse of body Ibid. Blood of the Martirs 13 Body must bow to God 94 Bondage of the wicked 115 Bond-Seruants whether they may fly Epist Dedicat. Brother who is 256 Borrowers often Theeues 412 Bretheren faithfull are 33◠They are bound to loue each other 342 Brownists 177 C Calling giuen of God 336. Euery minister hath two callings 268 Canker of the Common-wealth 381 Canonized Saints 120 Cause makes a Martyr 19 Care two-fold 504. It must be had of euery member 189 Censurers of the Church 168 Chaplaines 200 Chance 299 Charity 315 256 Christ reiecteth none how base soeuer 5 Christ and the faithfull one body 16. he accounts our sufferings his 16. He is the Obiect of our Faith 106. Our saluation is wholly wrought by him Ibid He is true God 107 Christ is harboured in his members 145 446. he is the annointed of the father 463. Why he is called Lord. 493.
ſ Gen. 31 40. Hee was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and his sleepe departed from his eyes whatsoeuer was torne of Beastes he brought it not vnto him but made it good himselfe This is it which the Centurion in the Gospell confesseth and commendeth in his seruants t Math. 8 9. For I am a man also vnder the authority of another and I haue Souldiers vnder me and I say to one Goe and he goeth and to another Come and hee commeth and to my seruant do this and hee doth it These examples also of that seruant and Souldier that waited vppon Cornelius is notable to this purpose u Acts 10 7. who being trained vp in the feare of God shewed all fidelity and forwardnesse to performe the will and commaundement of his Maister and went to bring Peter by whose Ministerie they might bee further instructed Thus we see that religious seruants are the best Seruants the most dilligent Seruants the most true and trustie Seruants the most prouident and profitable Seruants and therefore it belongeth to al Masters of families to be carefull to teach them the feare of the Lorde and to traine them in the wayes of godlinesse Heereby they shall honor God heerby they shal do great good to their soules heerby they shal discharge a good Conscience heereby they shall procure their owne profite and further their owne gaine Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but nowe profitable both to thee and to mee The Apostle in this place speaking of the estate of Onesimus and shewing what hee was before his Conuersion and what hee was after dooth fitly distinguish the times and sayeth that before his Calling to the Faith hee was vnprofitable seruing to no other purpose but to feede himselfe and fill vp a place but no good no grace no godlinesse appeared to bee in him But where did he conuerse and lead this life Was it where the name of God was not knowne or where the sound of the Gospell was not heard No it was in faithfull Philemons house This may at the first seeme a very strange and wonderfull thing that he liuing in so religious an house in so reformed a family with so godly a company which had the reputation of a little Church should fauour nothing of piety nothing of Christianitie but remaine in vnfaithfulnesse toward God and in vnrighteousnesse toward his Maister Doctrine 2. In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants From this description of Onesimus in the time of his ignorance before his eyes were opened and his heart reformed wee learne that it falleth out notwithstanding the desire and diligence of the Gouernors of the house that in reformed families are oftentimes found vnreformed persons In godly places do many times lurke vngodly Children and vncorrigible seruants into whose hearts no instruction will enter and whose disposition no meanes of reformation can alter We see this in the first family that euer was vpon the earth and there haue beene no more wicked men in the world then they that haue had the best meanes to direct them Adam had malicious and murthering Caine Abraham had persecuting and sauage Ishmaell Noah had scoffing and cursed Cham Isaac had vngracious and prophan Esau Dauid had ambitious and aspyring Absalom So it was with Eli with Samuel with Hezekiah with Iosiah sundry others who after good means vsed by themselues haue found much euill practised by their Children The Fathers are often carefull to lay a good foundation to nurture their children with good instruction a Homer Odysis lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet few children prooue like their Fathers but are a degenerate and vnregenerate off-spring Reason 1. And albeit this do sufficiently appeare vnto vs by Testimonies of Scripture and by daily experience yet we shall farther be confirmed in this truth if we waigh the Reasons whereupon it standeth First Religion commeth not by inheritance and grace cannot be conueyed by propagation but euery man begetteth his like as he himselfe is by nature as one Serpent engendereth another This Moses teacheth that when Adam was faln from God and had lost the grace of sanctification b Gen. 5 3. He begat a child in his owne likenes after his owne Image Godly Parents may leaue their children temporal possessions but they cannot bequeath vnto them Faith and a good conscience which are not to be found in the naturall man Reason 2. Secondly there must be a new byrth begun by Gods spirit for the grace of regeneration whereby we are brought to haue one foote in Gods Kingdome is not of flesh and blood but of water and the spirit it is not of the will of man but of the worke of God This is it which our Sauiour setteth downe c Iohn 1 12 13 and 3 3 5. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name which are borne not of bloode nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of man but of God Likewise when hee disputed with Nicodemus who was ignorant of this Doctrine he saith Verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of Water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God It is he onely that gaue the heart that is able to change the heart it is hee that gaue the eyes that is able to open the eyes Reason 3. Thirdly albeit the vnregenerate persons and loose liuers doe not want education and good bringing vp yet they are not amended and reformed because God doth not purpose their conuersion but appoint their confusion The Lord stirred vp Pharaoh d Rom. 9 17. to this same purpose that hee might shew his power in him and that his name might be declared throughout al the earth yet he sent vnto him Moses and Aaron to cleare his owne Iustice to make him without excuse The like the Scripture speaketh of the sonnes of Eli who were reproued of him for making the Israelites to trespasse and to abhorre the offerings of the Lord yet they regarded not his reproofe beeing the Father of their bodies the Priest of the most high God and the iudge of the people and this reason is rendered why they obeyed not his voice hearkned not to his Counsell e 1 Sam. 2 25. Because the Lord would slay thē So then whether we do consider that grace cannot be conueyed by propagation or that it is the proper worke of the spirit to effect our regeneration or that God will glorifie his great name in the confusion of such as break the bands and cast away the Cordes of Discipline from them wee cannot greatly maruaile that in reformed places are oftentimes to bee found vnreformed persons Vse 1. Let vs make vse of this Doctrine and see
both what may bee learned by it and how it may bee applyed vnto vs. First of all it teatheth that though education bee a notable meanes of reformation and working good in the hearts of those that heare instruction and albeit Parents and Maysters bee thereby discharged as they that haue done their dutie yet bare teaching is not sufficient to conuert the soule and to settle the Conscience in good thinges Noah was as carefull for the instruction of Cham and Canaan as of the rest that were of his house belonged to his charge yet they followed not his Doctrine but scoffed at him that was both Pastor and Parent Dauid a man after Gods owne heart walked in the middest of his house in the vprightnesse of his Conscience yet he had an incestuous Ammon a Rebellious Absolom a licentious Adoniah all of them vngodly and vngracious Children So then although education be a good meanes yet it is not a sufficient meanes to worke reformation He that laboureth in planting and watering is nothing except God giue the blessing of encrease We see this euidently in the publicke assembly as well as in the priuate family in the house of God as well as in the house of man There is a difference of hearers according to their diuers dispositions f Math. 13 13 14. some are deafe hearers that haue not their eares boared through to the heart they haue onely outward eares and regarde no more but outward hearing and are no way mooued with that which is spoken dead-hearted dull-eared dim-sighted heauy-headed Others beside their bodily eares haue the eares of their hearts opened by the word and worke of the Spirit made plyable and tractable to receiue imbrace and beleeue that which they heare So is it in the priuate instruction vsed in priuate Families all that heare with the outwarde eare are not reformed all that are instructed are not conuerted Obiection What then Shall not Fathers teach their Children and Maisters their Seruants and Householders their Families because some haue not beleeued and many remaine as blinde and blockish as they were at the first Answere Yes it is their dutie to bee dilligent in teaching them and in laying the foundation of Christian Religion among them howsoeuer it bee receyued or reiected of such as bee in their houses and belong vnto them Were not he a simple Husbandman that would neglect to sowe his Ground because hee knoweth that some of the Corne will neuer grow vppe to bring foorth fruite but dye in the earth Or were not hee an vnwise Law-giuer that will not haue wholesome Lawes enacted and established because some transgresse them and disobey them and make no account of them Or were not hee a very foolish Father who because hee hath one rude and riotous Sonne that will not reuerence his person nor fulfill his Commaundements nor regarde his Authoritie nor feare his threatninges woulde therefore holde his peace and refraine himselfe from instructing and informing his other Children in the wayes of Godlinesse Or were hee not a badde Gardiner who because some of his Ground bringeth forth Weeds and Nettles would therefore refuse to water the Hearbes that are meete for the vse of man When the Lorde sent his holy Prophets to reprooue the stubborne and stiffe-necked Iewes hee knewe what entertainement them-selues shoulde finde and what effect their Doctrine woulde haue taken yet to make them without excuse they were commanded to go that they might be conuinced of sinne seeing there had beene a Prophet among them The Prophet Ieremy being called of God to preach the word is told afore-hand that they shoulde not obey his word g Ier. 1 19. Ezek. 2 5 7. and 3 7. but fight against him Likewise Ezekiell being sent to the children of Israel is shewed that they would not heare him nor cease from their waies Whereby we see that howsoeuer the people were stiffe-necked and stif-harted howsoeuer their faces were stronger then the Flint and their fore-heads were harder then the Adamant yet God would haue his worde offered vnto them and laid before them He hath mo endes then one of the preaching of his word sometimes he vseth it to soften and sometimes to harden sometimes to saue and sometimes to condemne somtimes to be h 2 Cor. 2 16 the sauor of life vnto life and sometimes to be the sauor of death vnto death So should it be with all godly housholders howsoeuer they haue many that harbour in their houses are entertained within their wals that regard not the fear of God but pull away their shoulders from the sweet yoak of God yet they are not to surcease or wax faint and weary but to continue the instruction of them the powring of water vpon the hard stone proouing if God at anytime will soften their harts and giue them repentance that they may come out of the snares of the Deuil of whom they are holdē captiues We know not at what time God may work in them and call them to a sight of their sinnes and to a turning from their sins They may heare that in the time of their ignorance which they may practise in the time of their knowledge They may hear that Doctrine which though it lye hid and couered as Corn in the earth or as fire in the ashes a long time and seeme buried in perpetuall forgetfulnesse yet it may afterwardes break forth as the light and kindle in their harts as a mightie flame Thus peraduenture it might be with this Onesimus when he was conuerted by the Ministry of the Apostle to the Faith of Christ he might cal to his remembrance many good thinges that hee had heard before but neuer a whit regarded nor respected and now profit by that Doctrine that before he had despised and derided The Disciples of Christ did not by and by receiue nor conceiue of his preaching but when i Iohn 2 22. hee was risen againe they remembered what hee had deliuered vnto them So ought wee to deale toward such as are committed vnto vs let vs plant and water committing and commending the successe and encrease of all our labours vnto God Vse 2 Secondly seeing where there are good meanes are many times godlesse and gracelesse men we learne that to heare to saluation and to receiue willingly instruction is no generall or common grace no man can beleeue sauing hee to whom it is giuen It is the guift of God that must open the vnderstanding and boare through the eare and sanctify the heart before any can heare with a desire to vnderstand or lay it vppe with a purpose to practise and obey Hence it is that the Prophet saith k Esay 50 5. The Lord GOD hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neyther turned I backe The Euangelist Luke teacheth that when the Apostles preached the Gospell so many as were appointed to saluation beleeued which was a fruite of their election others mocked which was a
from another So then let vs remember these few points fit to be learned and practised of vs. Knowe what kinde of man hee is for whome thou becommest a surety If he be a stranger to thee meddle not with him if he haue broken his credite with any before suspect him if he bee a shifting Companion discard him if he bee vnsufficient to pay his owne debt deny him if the summe bee great and thy ability little so that it may hinder thee and thy Calling if thou be driuen to pay it enter not into it and if thou canst not see which way thou mayest be freed from the perrill and daunger that hangeth ouer thy head flye away from it as from a Serpent that will sting thee as from a Canker that will consume thee as from a Gulfe that is readie to swallow thee There are ſ Two Cankers that consume the Cōmon-wealth Vsury and Suretyship two eating sores that are in Nature as a Gangrene which are as two Vultures that are continually gnawing vpon the heart deuoure the flesh euen vnto the bones to wit Vsury and Suretyship These are neere of Kinne one to another and are ioyned together as the Father and Sonne as the cause and the effect The vnmercifulnesse of the Vsurer constraineth the poore debter to craue mercie of the suretie I speake of that Vsury that byteth and of such suretyship as vndoeth Of that Vsurie that oppresseth and of such suretyship as when it hath taken away the coat will take away the Cloake also which strippeth a man of the Iewels where-with he was decked of the furniture wherewith he was stored of the Garments wherewith he was cloathed Notwithstanding there is great difference to bee made betweene them t Prou. 30 15 This Vsurer is as the Hunter the Suretie as the prey The Vsurer as the Horse-leech doeth cry alwayes bring bring the poo◅ Surety is made as the Porter on the Packe-horse that beareth till his shoulders breake It is necessary for euery man to haue these notes before his eyes that he be not sodainly taken or rather ouer-taken by the instigation and importunity of others This reproueth such as make an ordinarie and common matter of it and a notable point of good fellowship the part of a good nature louing disposition to be of a flexible nature as the soft wax to yeild to euery mans request in this businesse Wee see generally that they which haue the least purpose to pay and the smallest care to performe that which they haue promised are for the most part most forward to vndertake and offer themselues their words their wealth their bandes their bodies for other men But such as are most carefull and Conscionable in payeng their Debtes answearing the Arrerages that accrew by the false-hoode of faigned friends are most backeward to yeelde their neckes to this yoake assuring themselues that it is farre better to walke at libertie then to haue his feete put in the Stockes for Correction Wherefore let no man blame those men that hang backe and are not readie to serue euerie mans turne nor to graunt euerie mans request with their Band and Obligation How many are there in this present and haue beene in former times that haue beene quite vndoone and fallen into decay and with that fall haue throwne downe their Wiues and Children for euer by yeelding to gratifie others and damnifie themselues thorough this meanes of rash Suretyship Such as are cruell Creditors and liue vppon the prey as the u Math. 24 28 Eagle doth vpon the Carkasse wil shew no more mercie to the debter that is come in his danger then the miserable rich man x Luke 16 21 did to the Begger that lay at his Gate This we see in the Creditor mentioned 2 Kings 4 1. where one of the Wiues of the Children of the Prophets commeth cryeth and complaineth vnto Elisha That her Husband that feared the Lorde being dead the Creditor came to take her two Sonnes to bee his Bond-men This also appeareth in the practise of the vnmercifull Rich-men mentioned in Nehemiah 5 1. 4 5. so that there was a great out-cry of the people and of their Wiues against them who sayde Wee haue borrowed Money for the Kinges Tribute vppon our Lands and our Vineyardes and now our flesh is as the flesh of our Bretheren and our Sonnes as their Sonnes And loe we bring into subiection our Sonnes and our Daughters as Seruants and there be of our Daughters now in subiection and there is no power in our handes for other Men haue our Landes and our Vineyards If then wee would not willingly draw vppon our selues the burdens of other men nor see with our eyes the taking away of our goods for which we haue laboured nor heare with our eares the crie of our wiues and Children spoyled of their hope and expectation nor feele our selues bitten with hunger pinched with cold throwne into prison and vexed with all kinde of miseries let vs looke to it betimes least wee repent when it is too late It is profitable and Heauenly Counsell giuen by Salomon Prou. 22 26 27. Be not thou of them that touch the hand nor among them that are surety for debts If thou hast nothing to pay why causest thou that he shold take thy bed from vnder thee It is a true saying He is happy that can by other Mens harmes can learne to beware Let vs not be cruell and vnmercifull to our own Families nor rush our selues into these Quicke-sandes of troubles and turmoyles that after follow at the heeles of this rashnesse Let vs vse all carefulnesse and dilligence to know the party for whom wee promise to become Pay-Maisters Let vs weigh his Truth and Honestie his Estate and Ability his Profession and Piety And withall let vs examine our selues thoroughly and ponder our owne sufficiencie that wee bee not at vnawares surprized and hastily ouertaken Let vs prooue our selues and enter seriously into this Cogitation and consideration whether wee bee able without shaking of our Wealth or Substance or diminishing of our credite and estimation or weakning of our estate to discharge that which wee haue vndertaken if our friend for whome wee are bound should fayle and fall downe Neyther let any Foolish and Vndiscreete persons Obiect that this pretending of daunger and entering with warinesse is to be accounted no better then a wanting of Loue that ought to bee in vs For it is rather a point of good Wisedome and Discretion to looke vnto our owne estate and to beware and to bee warned in time by the falles and ruines of other Men. How manie are falne from great Riches to extreme pouertie from much to little from an high condition to great Beggerie and misery and beene as it were consumed with the scorching heat that this fire of Suretyshippe hath cast out Wherefore let vs learne to bee Wise betimes and take heede by the chaunges and chances of other men least by engaging