together for the faith Phil. 1. 27. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ c. fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded c. being of one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory c. Phil. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 3. 16. I beseech Euodias c. that they be of the same mind in the Lord Phil. 4. 2. Finally be all of one mind 1 Pet. 3. 8. 9thly To walk wisely and charitably one towards another and in things indifferent to have respect to the meek to avoid offenoes The Pharisees would have accused the disciples for plucking corn and Christ for healing a withered hand on the Sabbath day till he said unto them Which of you having one sheep c. fall into a pit on the Sabbath day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out c it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day Matth. 12. 1 2 3 4 10 11 12. Luke 6. 1 2 c. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the midst of the sea Wo unto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh Mat. 18 6 7. Luk. 17. 1 2. His disciples say unto him If the case of the man be so with his wife it is not good to marry But he said unto them All men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given for there are fome Eunuchs which were so born c. and there are some Eunuchs who have made themselves c. He who is able to receive it let him Matth. 19. 10 11 12. Jesus said I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now howbeit when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide John 16. 12 13. Him who is weak receive but not with doubtful disputations or not to judg his doubtful thoughts for one believeth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs let not him who eateth despise him who eateth not and let not him who eateth not judg him who eateth for God hath received him c. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind he who observeth a day observeth it to the Lord c. Why dost thou judg thy brother why dost thou set at nought thy brother c Let us not therefore judg one another any more but judg this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way I know c. that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him who esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean And if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably c. Let us therefore follow after things which make for peace c. All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence it is good neither to eat flesh c. whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or made weak c. he who doubteth is damned if he eat c. for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 1 2 3 5 6 10 13 14 15 19 20 21 23. We then who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification Rom. 15. 1 2 3. I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to â—…ear it neither yet now are ye able to bear it 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient or profitable all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any c. 1 Cor. 6. 12. chap. 10. 23. I would that all men were even as I my self but every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner c. Is any man called being circumcised let him not become uncircumcised and is any called in uncircumcision let him not be circumcised Circumcision is nothing c. 1 Cor. 7. 7 18 19. We know that an Idol is nothing in the world c. howbeit there is not in every man that knowledg for some with conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered to Idols and their conscience being weak is defiled But meat commendeth us not to God c. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them who are weak for if any man see thee who hast knowledg sit at meat in the Idols temple shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols and through thy knowledg shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died but when ye sin so against the weak brethren and wound their weak conscience ye sin against Christ wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend 1 Cor. 8. 4 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my self a servant unto all that I might gain the more and unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jew c. To the weak became I as weak c. I am made all things unto all men that I might by all means save some c. 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21 22. All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient c. all things edifie not let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake for the earth is the Lords c. If any of them who believe not bid you and ye be disposed to go whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake But if any man say unto thee this is offered in sacrifice unto Idols eat not for his sake who shewed it and for conscience sake c. conscience I say not thine own but of the others c. Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33. chap. 11. 1. Charity seeketh not her own 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. Let all your things be done with charity 1 Cor. 16. 14. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others let this mind be in you which was also
word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2. 3 4 5. Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers c. Heb. 13. 4. Wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word c. Holy women c. being in subjection to their own husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abram calling him lord c. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledg giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 2dly Parents to their Children and Children to their Parents Noah being uncovered within his tent Ham saw it and told his brethren without who took a garment and laid it on their shoulders and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father who afterwards blessed them and cursed their brother who told them Gen. 9. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. Abram shall surely become a great and mighty nation c. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Gen. 18. 19. Thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites amongst whom I dwell but thou shalt go unto my country and my kinred and take a wife to my son Isaac c. Gen. 24. 3 Isaac when he was old called his son Esau that he might bless him before he died Gen. 27. 1 2 3 4 5. When Esau saw the women and the children with Jacob he asked him Whose are these with thee and he said The children which God hath graciously given thy servant Gen. 33. 4 5. Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age c. therefore his brethren hated him and could not speak peaceably to him c. When Jacob supposed him to be dead he rent his cloaths and put sackcloth upon him c. refused to be comforted and he said For I will go down into the grave with my son mourning thus his father wept for him Gen. 37. 3 33 34 35. When Jacob was told that Joseph is yet alive his heart fainted for he believed them not c. after he revived and said I will go see him before I die Gen. 45. 26 27 28. Joseph met his father and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while and Israel said unto Joseph Now let me die since I have seen thy face Gen. 46. 29 30. When Joseph brought his sons unto his father Israel Joseph bowed himself to the earth Gen. 48. 9 10 11 12. The sons of Israel did unto him according as he commanded them for c. Gen. 50. 12 13. That thou mayst tell in the ears of thy son and of thy sons son what things I have wrought in Egypt and my signs c. that ye may know that I am the Lord Exod. 10. 1 2. When thy son shall ask What means the offering of the first born c thou shalt say unto him By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt c. and slew all the first-born Exod. 13. 12 13 14 15. chap. 12. 25. 26 27. Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed-him and they asked each other of their welfare Exod. 18. 5 6 7. Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land c. Exod. 20. 12. He who smiteth his father or mother shall be surely put to death c. He who curseth or revileth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death Exod. 21. 15 17. Levit. 20. 9. I will make them to hear my word c. and that they may teach their children c. Deut. 4. 10. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently or whet or sharpen unto thy children and shall talk of them c. Deut. 6. 6 7. chap. 11. 18 19. If any man have a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastned him will not hearken unto them then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him c. and all the men of his City shall stone him c. Deut. 21. 18 19 20 21. Gather c. men women and children c. that they may hear c. that they may learn and fear the Lord c. Deut. 31. 11. 12 13. Set your hearts unto all the words c. which ye shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this law Deut. 32. 46. When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come saying What mean these stones then ye shall let your children know saying Israel came over Jordan on dry land for the Lord your God dryed up c. Josh. 4. 20 21 22 23. Ruths great love to her mother-in-law recorded Ruth 1. 15 16 17. Eli was old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel and how they lay with the women c. and he said unto them Why do you such things for I hear of your evil dealings c. nay my sons for it is no good report that I hear c. If a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him 1 Sam. 2. 22 23 24 25. I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken c. for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not or frowned not upon them 1 Sam. 3. 11 12 13 14. Bathsheba king Solomons mother came to him he rose up to meet her and bowed himself to her c. caused a seat to be set for her on his right-hand 1 Kings 2. 19. Job offered burnt offerings for his sons continually for Job said It may be that my sons have sinned c. Job 1. 4 5. I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide them from their children shewing the generations to come the praises of the Lord c. that the generation to come might know the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God c. Psal. 7. 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Lo children are an heritage of the Lord the fruit of the womb a reward happy is the man who hath his quiver full of them Psal. 127. 3 4 5. Psal. 128. 3. My son hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother Prov. 1. 8. A wise son maketh a glad father but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother Prov. 10. 1. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children c.
are they who came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he who sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them they shall hunger no more nor thirst no more neither shall the sun light on them or any heat for the Lamb c. shall feed them c. and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7. 9 13 14 15 16 17. The new Jerusalems glory described at large c. Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them c. and wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21. 1 2 3 4. chap. 22. 1 2 3 4 5. See more of Eternal-life Chap. 10. See the sad end of wicked men Chap. 5. CHAP. XXXVIII Of knowledg and understanding in and about Divine things and of the want thereof Ignorance about such things and the evil thereof WHen Abimelech had taken Sarah Abrams wife though in the integrity of his heart not knowing her to be Abrams wife because he had said She was his sister yet God said unto him Behold thou art a dead man for the woman thou hast taken for she is a mans Wife Gen. 20. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt and bring forth the children of Israel from among them Exod. 7. 5. Ezek. 6. 7 10 13. According to thy word that thou mayst know that there is none like unto the Lord Exod. 8. 10. I have hardned his heart and the heart of his servants that I might shew these my signs c. that ye may know how that I am the Lord Exod. 10. 1 2. Deut. 4. 35. Jethro said when Moses had told him what God had done Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he c. Exod. 18. 11. Under the law they were to offer sacrifices for sins of ignorance whether of a person or of the Congregation Levit. 4. 2 3 4 13 14 15. chap. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 17 18 19. Ye have seen all that the Lord did c. yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29. 2 4. They sacrificed c. not to God to gods whom they knew not to new gods Deut. 32. 17. Sampson said to his father Get her for me c. but his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord that he sought an occasion against the Philistines Judges 14. 3 4. The sons of Eli wicked men knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him 1 Sam. 3. 7. Elijah prayed that God would by an extraordinary means let it be known that thou art a God in Israel c. that this people may know that thou art the Lord God 1 Kings 18. 36 37 38. Because the Syrians have said The Lord is God of the hills but he is not God of the valleys therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thy hands and ye shall know that I am the Lord 1 Kings 20. 28. Solomon asked wisdom and knowledg and God gave it and riches also 2 Chron. 1. 9 10 11 12. Nevertheless they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the Countreys 2 Chron. 12. 8. Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection c Job 11 7 8. Lo these are parts of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him Job 26. 14. There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgment Job 32. 8 9. I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self c. Job 42. 5 6. They who know thy name will put their trust in thee c. The Lord is known by the judgments he executeth Psal. 9. 10 16. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledg who eat up my people c Psal. 14. 4. Psal. 53. 4. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shew his handy-work day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night teacheth knowledg c. The testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple c. The commandments of the Lord is pure inlightning the eyes Psal. 19. 1 2 3 4 7 8. Consume them c. and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth Selah Psal. 59. 13. When I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end c. so foolish and ignorant was I I was as a beast before thee Psal. 73. 16 17 22. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen who have not known thee Psal. 79. 6. They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness Psal. 82. 5. Let them be confounded c. that they may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah art the most high over all the earth Psal. 83. 18. Understand O ye brutish among the people and fools when will ye be wise He who planted the ear shall he not hear c Psal. 94. 7 8 9 10 11. It is a people who do err in their hearts and they have not known my ways Psal. 95. 10. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord Psal. 107. 43. For I know that the Lord is great and our Lord above all gods Psal. 135. 5. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk Psal. 143. 8. Psal. 146. 8. He shewed his word unto Jacob c. He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgments they have not known them Psal. 147. 19 20. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity c and fools hate knowledg c they shall call upon me but I will not answer c. for that they hated knowledg and did not chuse the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 22 28 29. Apply thine heart to understanding yea if thou cryest after knowledg c. if thou seek her as silver c. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord c. for the Lord giveth wisdom c. understanding shall keep thee Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 6 10 11. Happy is the man who findeth wisdom