the gifts of grace from stirring growing Thus hauing remoued the quench-coale from oppressing 1 Cor. 9. vlt. the fire of the spirit like an ouer-laded beast eased of his burden we will adde some incentines to blow and stirre it vp that it may kindle flame and ascend and they be either publike or priuate 1. Goe not my friend from Ierusalem to Iericho where Helpes to stir vp grace in vs. though the situation is good the waters are nought but plant thy selfe vnder a powerfull ministerie and then diligently attend to the word When Paul had said quench not the spirit hee addes immediately despise not Prophecyings Preaching will 1 Thes 5. 19. like a mightie wind cause this spirituall fire to kindle and burne within vs. 2. The sacraments The one puts vs in minde of our promise the other of the comming of our Lord in glorie Will not the least token from a friend cause our hearts to leape within vs Did not the babe spring in his mothers wombe when the mother of Christ came neere him and shall not grace bestirred vpin consideration that he is at the verie dores 3. Good companions Saul will Prophecie among the prophets and the greenest wood burne being bound with the dry one coale will kindle many and diuerse litle brands set one another on burning when Silas came to Paul did he not burne in spirit 4. Diligence in our particular callings This will constraine vs to stirre vp the grace that is in vs for the actions thereof are like so many instruments without which wee cannot set this fire a working and through idlenesse doe not our gifts lye dead rust and canker 5. Singing of Psalmes When we ioyne with others in this action how will grace flame within vs euery word will lift vp the minde and each period leaue a sweete relish behind it that will glad the spirit Loue-songs doe noe more inflame lust than the song of songs will grace in the hart 6. Lastly admonition it will worke wonderfully if it bee performed with circumstance and in season It s like oyle that makes the face shining and glorious or the morning dew that waters the tender plants Where this fals grace wil sprout and flourish The priuate helpes are 1. Reading either the scriptures or other holy writings This being done in a corner will refresh the spirit It s like foode to the fainting Passenger 2. Meditation he that sits long by the fire shall haue his body to grow hot and his cold spirits to become actiue nimble Let this be done thorowly and it will make grace to stretch it selfe beyond its ordinary wont and the Christian to be rapt out of himselfe He that viewes the sunne will soone cast downe his head so hee that thinkes seriously of the sonne of God will cry I haue ioy enough 3. Praier who euer in his secret chamber went to God by praier but hee was rauisht in minde and in the strength of that action spent all that day without wearines God giueth the greatest gifts in secret and like man reueileth himselfe a not such a one possesse the place of one that 's lawfully sent and called of God and man and make the ground of the Church barren Let them then who assume to themselues this office of dignitie Vse 1. take heed what they doe The person ordinated must be of good report well qualified For otherwise it may and will be the very bane and pestilence of the Church when men vnfit not furnished with convenient gifts are ordinated inducted What saith our Lord If the blind lead the blinde doe not both fall into the ditch Mat. 15. 14. This also from the rule of relation must teach them who Vse 2. enterprize this high calling to be carefull to enter in an holy manner at Gods doore not the deuills window Such can neither expect the protection or blessing of God They sit like a man on the toppe of a mast the least gust makes them subiect to drowning Some assume this place as a theefe an vntamed horse backe him with much a doe ride him in a sweat and come downe with a mischiefe It may be iustly said to such friend how camest thou in hither who sent thee or requireth this at thine hands Whereas Timotheus his gifts were increased by prayer Prophecy and imposition of hands wee may conclude that The ordinances of God are not without profit if rightly practised Doct. 7. Who euer vsed any in an holy manner but preuailed for a blessing Was not the plague stayed when Aaron tooke a censer put fire thereon from the altar and incense according to Moses command and did not the blood of the Paschall Lamble stay the Angel which destroyed the Aegiptians from touching the Israelites When was preaching or praier vaine in the Lord if duly performed Numb 16. 8. Exod. 12. 23. 2 Sam. 24. 16. Acts 2. 41. and 4. 31. and 16. 14. Ia. 5. 16. 2. Chro. 30. 20. Isa 38. 5. For hath not each ordinance a special promise Aske and Reas 1. ye shall haue Seeke and ye shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And shall wee thinke that the condition on our part performed the Lord will faile on his word Let not such a thought once creepe into our minde Mat. 7. 7. What if our best actions be imperfect is not the sinne Reas 2. remoued by the blood of Christ Iesus shall he not present them to his father without spot without rinckle When our Lord hath corrected our errours cut off the superfluitie supplied the defects of our doings then shall they appeare good before God and receiue a recompence of reward Rev. 8. 3. Away then with that old and no lesse profane complaint Vse 1. Isa 58. 3. We haue fasted and thou seest not afflicted our soules and thou regardest not and what profit is there in seruing Iob 21. 15. the almightie Was not Ahabs humiliation rewarded Iehues zeale commended and in some sort recompenced Yet were they not Hypocrites reprobates Their word was the Lord of hosts but their proper scope the praise of men the safetie of themselues not the glory of God rather their proiects were an earthly kingdome Shall wee thinke then that sinceritie in Gods service is without reward that his ordinances are not being in an holy manner performed profitable euery way to his faithfull servants What stronger motiue can be in the world to induce men Vse 2. to be frequent in good duties than this consideration Humble thy selfe the Lord shall lift thee vp Preach the Saints shal then be gathered the body of Christ edified Fast and pray and thou shalt prosper Commune with the best of Gods seruants bee a companion to them that feare him Come often to the Lords table and corruption shall wither dye the fruite of the Spirit grow flourish and waxe strong within thee For is not the promise of God true doth not his word stand for euer
or wherewith shall I be Mat. 6. 32. clothed For he knoweth whereof thou hast need and will relieue thee Fathers lay vp for their children not children 2 Cor. 12. 14. for their Fathers doe they not What shall I more say but as Ioab to Amnon Why art thou so sad And why is thy 2 Sam. 13. 4. c. countenance cast downe Art thou not the Kings sonne Aske what thou wilt and he shall giue it thee The profane of our times may hence learne to take heed Vse 4. how they wrong the faithfull God is wise in heart mightie in power Who ever waxed fierce against them and hath Iob. 9. 4. prospered for their sakes He hath destroyed great Kinges and mightie Sehon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Psal 136. 19. 20. Exod. 14. 25. Basâ—an He can plucke off thy Charet-wheeles strike thee in the hinder parts cause thy heart to faile thee for feare and in a moment fetch thy soule from thee better were it for thee to haue a Mill-stone hanged about thy necke and thou to be cast into the bottome of the Sea than to offend the least of these faithfull ones they are deere in his sight tender to him as the apple of his eye Can a Father put vp the vniust wrongs of his loving children The husband of his chast and dutifull wife In no wise then take heâ—d to thy selfe for if thou fight against the faithfull thou dost iniury to Gods sonnes and his dearest Spouse who one day will in wrath take vengeance on thee and grind thee to powder From God the Father Having handled the title of God we come to speake of the second thing appropriated to him the which is that All spirituall lessings flow from God the Father Doct. 12. Every good gift and every perfect giving is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights Iam. 1. 17. Whence had the Apostles Prophets that heavenly treasure wherewith they were inriched if not from God Silver hath his Iob. 28. 2. veine Gold his mine Yron is taken out of the earth and Brasse is moltâ—n out of the Stone but grace mercy and peace are not to be found in the land of the living nature saith it is not to be found in me wealth and honour cryes nor in me Came it from nature then should all men partake of it Reas 1. none excepted for shee communicateth to all her off-spring the like gifts though not in degree and measure Neither is it purchased by pence or followeth the flux of Reas â— royall dignities for then should Kings Nobles rich and great men be the onely subiects of it who in truth very rarely possesse it See 1. Cor. 1. 26. I will not insist here to confute the Romanists but leaue Vse 1. them to stand or fall to their owne Master but first learne we hence whom to prayse for grace and mercy and every good gift that we enioy say not mine owne hand hath procured me this treasure least thou be found a lyar against God for what hast thou that thou hast not received One 1 Cor. 4. 7. cause why we are so proud and ingratefull is want of consideration how that what we are by the free favour of God we are that which we are Good Iacob ascribes his two bands to proceed from the mercy of God Reade his confession Gen. 33. 11. And secondly this may direct vs whither to runne for Vse 2. grace and mercie and peace goe not to man or Angell but to the Lord else maist thou returne like the foolish Virgins with thy vessels emptie Take the counsell David gaue his sonne Salomon on his death-bed Know God for 1 Chron. 29. 11. 12. greatnesse and power and riches and honour I adde and all things are in his hands And now we proceed And Christ Iesus our Lord Out of this phrase wee obserue first that Christ Iesus is a Lord. Doct. 13 〈◊〉 Iehovah said vnto my Lord Sit at my right hand and yee call me Lord and Master and yee doe well for so â—em Psal 1 10. 1. Ioh. 13. 3. And he is Lord two wayes either as he is Elohim God or Emanuel God with vs. As he is God 1. By creation for he is the beginning of every creature all things were made by him and without him was not made any thing that was made Ioh. 1. 3. And secondly by providence The Father worketh hither to and I worke Ioh. 5. 17. As God with vs he is Lord also 1. By purchase for he Word became flesh so that by a communication of properties we are said to be purchased by the bloud of God Act. 2â— â—â— 2. By mariage He is the bridegroome the head and husband Ioh. 3. 29. Ephes 5. 23. of his Church and therefore Lord over it 3. By dignitie he is our elder brother and in ancient time such gouerned and had a double portion Deut. 17. 15. 21. 17. 4. By donation for God the Father hath put all things into his hand and given him all power in heaven and in Mat. 28 18. Ephes 1. 22. earth And is Christ Iesus thus many wayes our Lord 1. We Vse 1. must know him for what madnesse greater than to be ignorant not acquainted with our Master Who can with any comfort serue an vnknowne Lord Certainly they that know not Christ are Sathans slaues and none of his servants Also we must learne his will and what he requireth at Vse 2. our hands for otherwise we cannot doe it such servants cannot please him Many stand on their good and honest meaning but without knowledge the minde is not good Prov. 19. 2. And when we vnderstand it and him we must indevour Vse 3. 2 Pet. 2. 20. to do his commands for it were better not to haue knowne his will theâ— after we haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement given vnto vs of our Lord such shall be beaten with many stripes God shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on all them that know him not and obey not the Gospell of Christ 2. Thes 1. 8. Finally We are to depend on him for food for wages Vse 4. for rayment convenient in all dangers to flee vnto him for succour both in life and death and we may doe thus with hope and boldnesse when we know him and his will seeke his glory make his enemies ours obeying all his commands for we are never made strait in him but first we are made strait in our owne bowels And we nay hence gather also that All Chrisians are fellow-servants Doct. 14. Paul and Timotheus Prince and people men and women Iew and Gentile Deut. 17. 20. Acts 10. 35. Gal. 3. 28. 1. For hath not one God created them Mala. 1. 10. Reas 1. 2. Are they not purchased by the same price 1 Cor. 6. 20. 3. Haue they not all one and the
title great and good enough these are the servants of the most high God was no small commendation Mala. 4. 4. Acts. 16. 17. For what is God Is he not the first cause of all things Reas 1. And supreme governour of the world The King of Kings and Lord of Lords And is it no honour immediatly to attend vpon him Is it a small honor to be next to our Soveraigne What then shall it be to be so vnto God He that serveth God may better his estate in so doing Reas 2. yea were he an Angell therefore it is no base but an honorable thing His actions shall be guided by the golden Rule and silver Reas 3. Precept of his Word and such as the one is the other is to be accounted for if the Rule be excellent the thing ruled by it is so too of necessitie And it is honor in this for all the creatures shall be their Reas 4. attendants and subiect to them Sathan shall not dare in his liuery like a Serieant to arrest them and the good Angels Psal â—1 11. shall preserue them and pitch their tents about them till they take possession of heaven Away then with that to be abhorred Proverbe What Vse 1. profit in serving the Almightie What honor in an holy life Let men thinke what they will holines to God is an honor vnto man and never was man dishonoured who in sinceritie served this Master Here let the Lords servants though poore and base in other Vse 2. respects yet reioyce in this that they serue the Lord. For this is to be of the true line Princely bloud and noblest familie He that can truely say I serue God giues himselfe the greatest title of dignitie This should moue all men poore especially to become Vse 3. the Lords servants for this is the onely way to honor and all promotion O that men did thinke so then fewer words would winne them from the world to attend on this never to be praysed-enough Master And this point should moue Parents to make their sons Vse 4. the Lords servants We esteeme it a wonderfull honor and so it is indeede if wee haue a childe that attendeth on his Prince returneth to his Countrey being clothed in silke and sattin and having one of the Kings rich coates vpon his backe what should we then esteeme it to haue a sonne clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ and enriched with all the saving graces of the spirit Angels attending on him and a Kingdome prepared for him Is this nothing Then labour for it for your selues for your children I serue Out of the word serue I obserue that A Christians course is not idle but laborious Doct. 5. Service is laborious a religious course is service therefore laborious Name what you will in religion and it requireth labour diligence Are we not commanded to enquire seeke knocke worke and create It is as it were a new creation Ier. 6. 16. Mat. 6. 33. 7. 7. Phil. 2. 12. Because its a difficult thing to get faith keepe faith or to Reas 1. liue by faith faith comes not by nature it growes not in every mans heart neither is it as some iudge so easily to be had he that will haue it must haue a broken heart rent by the Law for as a man doth not plant Trees on rockie mountaines no more doth the Lord sow this seed in stony and hard hearts he that will possesse it must attend diligently Pro. 8. 34. at the postes of Gods house for it comes first and is begot by hearing of the Word Preached and then prayer Rom. 10. 17. and the Sacraments will conserue it increase it Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe and Lord increase our faith But it s Mark 9. 24. Luk. 17. 5. a prettie piece of service to liue by faith when all reason failes vs then to cast our selues vpon the Lord and to depend vpon his bare promise as I may say is a worke of wonderfull difficultie haue not the best of Gods servants Psal 7â— 2. staggered and almost fainted in this piece of service Some cry tush I never doubted I will never be moved Well to such I say nothing for though they bragge they beleeue every thing yet I know that if I should tell them their estates they will not beleeue that one thing And as it is a hard taske to get faith keepe faith and liue Reas 2. by faith so it is no lesse labour to get a sound knowledge of the Precepts to keepe it and practise it Paul knew the Law of God but what a stirre had he to obey it And if we must cry and call for knowledge seeke and search for her Prov. 2. 4. as for silver oare in the earth bowels will it be a matter of lesse moment to put it in practise No no. The vnderstanding like a needle will pierce thorow and into the Precept when the will like a knottie and ill-twisted threed comes churlishly after It s hard to find out a narrow and vntroden path but more difficult to walke in it and not either to be weary or wander the Vses follow And seeing a religious course is not idle but laborious Vse 1. what shall we say of such as take no paines at all in service of that nature How few know their Master or his will And then how can such serue him Who inquireth and cryeth after the vnderstanding of the rules of this great Art by which this worke of religion is to be squared Haue we not more shuffling of cards than searching the Scriptures Playing than praying Feasting than religious fasting Running after goods but fleeing from all grace and goodnesse Some will not set a foot within the Lords vineyard gather one grape of sound knowledge or an eare of vnderstanding if they doe this is their service We haue beene at service And if they kneele downe lift vp their hands and stay till the worship of God be ended though their minds wander their hearts be at home and they returne never the wiser I ween the worser yet they doubt not but God on their part is well served and for his part very well pleased Why should not these men be thus deluded who know they doe little if any thing in Gods service and yet hope to be rewarded And is to serue God laborious Wee must then be of Vse 2. good courage gather strength and quit vs like men he that hath an hard taske will proportion his power according to the toyle The longer the ground hath lien fallow the stronger must be the Teame to teare it in sunder and the farther we take a iourney the more pence must wee put in our purse so the more difficult this dutie is the more must we looke about vs arme our selues and be prepared for the well performance of it And for the better discharge thereof we must labour for What is
corruption beate downe the old man and the new will grow strong and ouer-master him 4. Striue to encrease thy faith For as that groweth thy strength will come The more naturall spirit the more corporall power so the more spirituall strength and ability by faiths increase For as naturall actions are said to proceed from the one so may all spirituall seeme to flow from the other No spirit no motion no faith no power 5. Censure not the weake doe not count him as nothing lest the Lord strengthen him and weaken thee And what 1 Cor. 4. 7. hast thou which another hath not that thou hast not received This is a foule evill in our dayes and haue not such beene met withall yea God often letteth such blood who are so ranke censurers of their weake brethren 6. Vse that power well that God hath imparted vnto thee for by vse it will growe and to such more shall be given God will not giue addition augmentation of strength when as he seeth the abuse of that we haue 7. Adde to all these often and earnest prayer crying with the Prophet firmely sustaine me O Lord with a free or as some reade a Princely spirit Psal 51. 13. For Prayer like the still dew the tender Plants will cause a growth of spirituall strength And of loue Loue being here related indefinitely without its obiect will giue vs full scope to treate of it at large First then it shall be noted that The children of God haue the spirit of loue Doct. 6. This grace by the holy Ghost is shed abroad in the hearts of all good Christians whether publique or private persons not one who is borne againe wants it Rom. 5. 5. 1 Io. 4. 8. For what we had by Creation we haue in part by Regeneration Reas 1. Shall not the second Adam Christ recover for vs by Redemption what we were spoiled of by the first Adams transgression The Apostasie and Anastasie fall and rising againe are equall in this though not in the latitude of their obiect for the fall was of all the restauration is but of some Io. 17. 9. c. Againe Christians are members of Christ and from that Reas 2. vnion haue of his fulnesse received grace for grace Had Adam stood all his seed had participated of what goodnesse was in him shall not those that be regrafted into Christ doe the same in truth though not in measure If it were not thus why should they be said to be partakers of the divine nature Io. 1. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 4. And haue the children of God loue Wouldest thou then Vses be one of them First Learne what loue is and secondly Striue for it Loue is an Act of the Will embracing with delight whatsoever Loue defined is first approoved by the vnderstanding In this Description are six particulars whereof we will speake in order First I say its an Act. For 1. all Divinitie is practicall and consists not in a bare and naked speculation And 2. if loue were a passion as some will and not an action then the promise should belong to the suffering Patient not the working Agent the which were absurd for its a more blessed thing to loue than to be loved because the louer hath a promise for his action but the beloued person none for his passion Secondly And it is an act of the Will not of the tongue or hand for 1. Divinitie is the rule of the Will immediately though of the whole man mediately 2. Againe if loue were not an act arising from the will but from an affection seated in the heart as the most hold then should loue cease in the Saints at their deathes and the Angels never haue it the which may not be admitted Thirdly In the third place we affirme that this act embraceth the obiect beloved For 1. The nature of loue is to vnite it selfe to the thing loued as the hand taketh hold of what the eye beholdeth And 2. should not the Will after its extension be conioyned to the obiect affected it would never be at rest and setled 3. Hatred reiecteth therefore loue embraceth Fourthly It embraceth with delight for 1. As every flower hath its smell so every action in Divinitie is accompanied with delight and comfort none excepted 2. Besides the Will doth imbrace what 's offered to it as good and the fruition of a good thing must needes breed delight else nothing can Fiftly Whatsoever Here note the latitude of the obiect of loue for it may be either truth or errour good or euill person or thing by accident and the reason is 1. In that the vnderstanding may present to the will an apparant truth for the truth it selfe As the silly fish catcheth the counterfeit flie for the naturall through misapprehension And 2. the will may be so much corrupted though it be not deceiued that it may with delight embrace the thing that is euill as we may see in wicked men and deuills Sixtly Whatsoeuer is first approued by the vnderstanding In this sentence we see the order of the wills act for the vnderstanding precedes it in acting as the eye the foote The reason is 1. because of an vnknowne thing there can be no loue or desire and 2. as whatsoeuer is in the inward sence was first in the outward so whatsoeuer thing is in the will was formerly in the vnderstanding It is with the inner man as with the outward The eye may be compared to the vnderstanding the feete likened to the affections and the hand to the will the eye beholds the obiect the feete carrie vnto it and then the hand takes it by acting so the vnderstanding iudgeth then loue coveteth and the Will as the hand worketh for it if it be not possessed if it be then it indeuours to retaine it still Now from this that hath beene sayd many things may be deduced 1. That They that know not God cannot loue him Ignorant Corrolaries from the definition persons haue not the loue of God For from the vnderstanding proceeds sound affection and there is no desire of what we know not 2. That Errour in the vnderstanding deceiveth the affection for loue takes things as they are presented and iudged if the one be deceived the other is also This is manifest 3. Besides I conclude hence that The affection is more worthy than the vnderstanding and the Will than both For that which is for another is of lesse dignitie than the thing for which it is The Sabbath was for man the Woman for man therefore Man is more worthy than either 4. Moreouer this followeth also that The affections doe immediately attend the vnderstanding as we receiue obiects and are in the first act Patients so then they importune the Will like an earnest suiter to worke for what they affect for the Will commands them actiuely When God workes to man he beginnes at the outward and inward sences and ends his worke at the
we note that Power loue and a sound minde should moue vs to be resolute Doct. 1. in good actions and to stirre vp all other gifts we haue receiued Againe we obserue as they bee in opposition with the word feare that Doct. 2. The Spirit of power expelleth feare For the weaker is easily subdued by the stronger Men of strength will with ease ouercome feeble Infants Besides we collect that Loue driueth away feare Perfect loue casteth it out as another Doct. 3. Apostle writeth 1 Ioh. 4. 18. And this may be obserued also that A sound minde putteth away the Spirit of feare Doct. 4. He that knoweth all the dangers in his voyage and hath skill to guide the Barke will not feare shipwracke Ignorant Pilots so iniudicious Christians are timorous persons Reasons For 1. It will teach a man why he should feare 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 2. What to feare and what not to feare 3. When he is to feare when not to feare And 4. How to feare for kind measure Wouldest thou then not feare as the wicked doe then striue for a sound mind a profound Iudgement And as they depend one on another we gather that Power loue and a sound minde are of absolute necessity for a Doct. 5. resolute Christian Preacher or private person For Power without Loue can worke but will not Reasons 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Loue without power would worke but cannot And Power and Loue can and will but a sound minde is requisite to guide both Woe then to those that stand in the Sanctuary of God to feede his flocke and haue none of the three neither seeke for them It had beene good for such they had gone to plow or Cart. I say no more of them but the Lord haue mercy vpon them In the name then and feare of God let vs striue for these Vse 2. three this cord will not easily be broken Get wee power loue sound minds so shal we be resolute in good courses and fight valiantly the battels of the Lord. Sleepe not with the veyle of darknesse ouer thine eyes couer not thy heart with the mantle of hatred neither be thou like the cripple that is alwaies crawling or relying on his crutches But get thou the annoynting of grace from aboue that thine â—â—es may be opened loue shed abroad in thy heart and strength and nimblenes to run through the whole man Omit not the season neglect not the meanes least thou seeke one day and shalt not be heard And finally we note another thing that Doct. 6. Power loue and a Sound mind are the gifts of God Man by his fall lost all Learne then whom to praise for them if thou best them whither to goe for them if thou want them VERS 8. Be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of mee his prisoner But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God TWo things in generall in this verse are to be obserued The Logicall resolution 1. A Dehortation 2. An Exhortation In the Dehortation are three things 1. What the Apostle dehorts from viz. Shame 2. Whereof Timotheus must not be ashamed viz. 1. Not of the Testimony of Christ 2. Neither of Paul his prisoner And 3. The ground why hee must not bee ashamed is contained in the word Therefore In the Exhortation three things also may be noted 1. To What the Apostle exhorts him and that is to suffer afflictions 2. What afflictions such as accompany the Gospell 3. How he must suffer according to the power of God And the word Therefore may also be a ground to the Exhortation as to the Dehortation The Theologicall Exposition Be not therefore This word therefore presupposeth two things 1. An inference drawne from some precedent reason 2. A thing to be omitted or performed subsequent Ashamed Shame is an effect that followeth the commission of some evill and alwayes is a companion of true repentance But by not being ashamed Paul intendeth more as Boldnes resolution constancy perseuerance Of the testimony of our Lord. That is the Gospel of Christ and it may be called his Testimony for 2. Reasons 1. For Christ did seale it with his bloud 2. Because in the Gospel testimony is giuen of Christ Testimonies are either divine or humane they be inarteficiall arguments hauing little force of arguing or prouing a thing and that they borrow from the artificiall for they haue it not in their owne nature Now the Gospel is a divine testimony and hath great power and authority because the author of it Christ was trueth it selfe and they that penned it were carried by the Spirit and could not erre Neither of me his prisoner There be two sorts of prisons and prisoners spirituall or corporall of spirits or of persons Peter speaketh of spirits in prison where note by the 1 Pet. 3. 19. way that soules departed are in place contrary to the iudgement of some But here is meant a corporall or personall prisoner for so was Paul at that present And he ioynes himselfe with Christ because his cause was coupled with Christs The Exhortation followeth But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel or Doe thou suffer together for the Gospel This word Partaker intimates 2. things 1. Companions or diuers persons 2. A thing devided or shared amongst them The persons Companions to Timotheus was Paul and others the thing they had part of was afflictions And afflictions are such as either wound the soule or body for man consisting of a double substance may suffer two kinds of torments But man onely can hurt the body not the soule of Paul was in their fingers Of the Gospell Gospel in Greeke is glad tydings and Gospel some deriue of God and speech saying it is an old Saxon word signifying Gods speech or good speech The sense is Endure such troubles as accompany the Preachers and embracers of the word of God and of Christ According to the power of God There is some difficulty in the vnderstanding of this phrase and my Authors say nothing to content me Some vnderstand them thus Being moued by or with the power of God others reade Being perswaded by the Gospel which is according to the power of God that is in which the power of God doth plainly shew and declare it selfe For my part I take this to be the truth that Paul wold haue Timotheus to suffer as he was able and had or should receiue ability from God And hee seemes to answere a secret obiection that might arise in his sonnes heart He might thus reason How am I able being yong and weake to endure such great troubles as accompany Paul and other strong Christians Paul takes away this thus Why Timothy doe thou suffer according to thy power beare what thou art able for that 's all I require of thee or that the Lord will afflict thee withall Being that the Lord hath
perswaded Iapheth to dwell in Shems tent God was both the God of Iewes and Gentiles at this season Secondly The Apostles had diuers tongues to preach to them Paul was their Apostle many of them converted the Wise men were Math. 2. 9. the first fruits And the Gospell was writ in their Dialect So that the barren wombe brought forth more children then the married wife Reas 3. Ioh. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 8. The Kingdome of God came then to mens doores they might serve the Lord in all places which was no small benefit Reas 4. And finally greater grace was giuen after Christs comming then before him Therefore the Temple Prophecied 2 Cor. 3. of in Ezekiel was bigger then in the dayes of Moses It s true that some particular persons were rare and excellent vnder Isai 6. 8. c. the law but if we looke at whole Churches they then exceeded them vnder the Gospell This serueth to confute those that of late are sprung vp Vse 1. who hold the contrary doctrine and surely they are deceiued I would know of them Why Abraham desired to see our dayes why the second Temple was more glorious then the first wanting many things that the other had why Iohn the Baptist was the greatest of all the Prophets yet the least vnder the Gospell greater then he Why Paul called Gods ordinances for so they were in former time beggarly rudiments why Genealogies were to be reputed as fables why the Patriarches without vs are not said to be perfect why Simeon desired for a time he might not see death And then cryed when Christ was exhibited in the flesh Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. If it were as they would haue it They will say that Christ was truly and as plainly seene Obiect vnder the Law in the sacrifices as now vnder the Gospel 1. I answere No for the word was made flesh he walked Sol. 1. amongst his brethren they saw him handled him heard him beheld his wounders and miracles saw him condemned crucified raised and carried into heauen and what more lyable to sense then all these things 2. We haue the same sacrifices in the letter and may make 2. vse of them and in stead thereof we haue the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper which represent Christ as clearely except we should hold that our eye sight is more darke and dimme then their was For what more lyably to sense then breaking of bread powring out of wine the which represent the crucifying of Christs body and shedding of his bloud But if any lust to be contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God And in the next place I am constreyned to reproue two Vse 2. sorts of persons the prophane and professors For the first kind notwithstanding all the great meanes which they enioy yet to see to they are very beasts Spots they be in our Markets blots in our feasts like the Dog and Sow vomiting and lapping vp the filthines of euery sinne wallowing in the mire of all vncleannes and neither fearing God or reuerencing man they speake euill of all in authority and contemne and condemne too the things and persons highly in fauour with God It s fearefull to liue in ignorance but how farre greater damnation are these worthy of seeing light is come into the world and they loue darknesse more then light Shall it not be easier for Sodom and Capernaum in the day of iudgement then for these Haue we not some that deny the Lord that bought them tread vnder foote the bloud of the new couenant and crucifie againe the Lord of Life Witnesse our swearing drunkennes and drinkings our whoredomes fornications and all manner of wickednesses Doe not some count it their grace to appeare gracelesse glory in their faithlesnes accent their words with vaine phrase make the beginning Conclusion of their sentences to be nothing else but an oath It were tolerable for men if at any time to stumble in the night but to drinke stagger and fall in the day is damnable And how shall such persons escape condemnation if they neglect so great salvation Wherefore seeing you haue the light become children of the day hence forward abandon the workes of darknesse reprouing them rather And I may not omit those of the better sort who take not as they ought notice of Gods providence over vs in these latter daies We cry out of many things amisse but see and say nothing of what is amended How many haue desired to see the dayes that we haue yet it was not affoarded them Are we awake or sleeping why then doe we not behold how the Sunne these 60. yeares hath continually shined in our Horizon What if the Papists haue sought to eclipse it haue they prevaild How many haue warmed their cold spirits at this flame whose parents neuer put finger to a sparkle of this fire Hath not this Sunne expelld many mists and clouds of darknes Doth hee not run his circular motion still and haue not many a poore soule passed through the darke night of this wildernes to the fruitfull and cleare shining day in the land of Canaan Wherefore prayse God for that you haue and pray often and earnestly that the Sunne of the Gospell may neuer set or the Candle of the word be put out so long as the Sunne and Moone endure Be not like Rahel crying for your wills as she did for children or else ye dy And be not offended to heare me speake a word more Repine not murmur not and fret not at that Manna you haue for many haue fed well of as course and little food looked fat faire and well liking and rested contented with lesse then an Homer full For Gods power is alwaies the more seene in weake meanes then stronger Yet I wish we might be sensible of what we find amisse and recommend it to God by prayer putting to also our helping hand yet wisely oportunely and euery one in his owne rancke and order And seeing that the dayes wherein we liue are better then Vse 3. the dayes of old wee must striue and be better also The more choyse dyet we feede on the fatter and fairer should we be the clearer light the cleaner must we keepe our selues from pollution contamination When trees are remoued to a more fertile soyle doe we not expect that they should spread further and be more fruitfull then before when cattell are put into a better pasture will we not looke for greater growth more labour at their hands Shall not we then grow strong worke mightily in the Lords vineyard and resolutely run the wayes of his commands Is not our light brighter our spirituall food better and our iourney shorter then why is there not some equall proportion Brethen these things must be thought vpon made vse of or else our account one day will be the greater the heauier for vnto whom much is giuen
couetous when he hath gotten goods the Prodigall hauing satiate his soule with the huskes of pleasures the ambitious when he hath climbed to the highest pitch of honour thinke they liue the onely Iouiall life and yet all dwell and breathe in the chambers of death and as the Apostle speakes are dead while they be aliue no better than walking ghosts in the formes of liuing men Let such buy and build plow and sow marry and beget many children yet the vntimelie birth is better than they The basest life exceedes as much the best meere being as Adam the red earth whereon his body was made but this life excels all others Gods only excepted more than men do beasts or Angels Deuils Why then let the worth of it moue thee the withering of this is worse than the death of the Gourd of Ionah And will not this consideration that all thy actions are but as so many beautifull sinnes and distastfull vnto the Lord set thee a worke to obtaine it Then call to mind how it maketh all things beautifull and well pleasing to the eye Will not our flesh tremble to see a body without a soule the teeth closed the eyes open the lips shrunke and the bloud set blacke and swart in the face and members is not such an obiect odious to man Euen so yea worse are we being dead in sinne to God and good persons Yet if all that 's said will not moue thee to this then know No life here no escape of death hereafter And immortalitie We collect hence that Life spirituallis eternall Doct. 10. It is not like the Lillies that flourish to day and wither to morrow Methushelah liued long yet died at the age of 969. but he that once hath the life of grace shall see no corruption Mortality shall put on immortalitie and though the body perish yet this life is in the soule being a more excellent subiect for as he that puts off his apparell doth not leaue his naturall life in it so he that layes downe the body loseth not the life of grace and immortalitie with it For as the naturall life is in the body not in the apparell so the spirituall life is in the soule not in the dead corpse after the separation Mat 19. 29. Mark 10. 17. Ioh. 5. 24. 1 Cor 15. 53. For Christ hath purchased eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Reas 1. Christ was a holy person yea God aswell as man and he obeyed freely these two made the satisfaction of Christ sufficient And there is a proportion betweene Adams sinne and Christs sufferings 1. Finite sinne offending Adam Christ Adam Christ Adam Christ 1. Finite suffering satisfying 2. Finite sinne offended the infinite God 2. Finite suffering satisfied the infinite God 3. Finite sinne infinitely offended the infinite God 3. Finite suffering infinitely satisfied the infinite God So that life must be infinite because the satisfaction was infinite in value and worth and equall to the offence in remouing eternall death God hath promised eternall life and hee is faithfull and Reas 2. cannot denie himselfe 1 Ioh 2. 25. Christ from whom this life is deriued liueth for euer and Reas 3. maketh intercession Heb 7. 25. Reu 1. 18. Else it were better with the wicked than the faithfull of all Reas 4. men they were most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And the word is called eternall 1 Pet. 1. vlt. And we read of an eternall house an eternall weight an eternall kingdome an eternall crowne and an eternall inheritance This 1. Confutes those heretikes that hold the soule is Vse 1. mortall 2. the Papists also who say that a man may haue true spirituall life and lose it But we see that Christ hath brought life and immortality or immortall life and if this life should end then it were mortall This makes also for the comfort of such whose friends Vse 2. are departed in the Lord why be of good cheare they are not dead but liue for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing This vse is of great vse were it well vsed This likewise might and ought to encourage all to goe Vse 3. on with cheerefulnes and Christian resolution and not be afraid of death seeing after it followeth eternall life death like a dore le ts the soule passe a better roome of habitation And here we haue a strong motiue to moue vs to labour Vse 4. for this life Is it immortall incorruptible why then striue for it What man would not liue long why liue this life once and liue for euer and that thou maist thou must 1. Be vnited to Christ for euery branch that abideth not in Helpes to life spirituall him is cast out and withereth All spirituall life floweth from this coniunction For as the graft hath life from the vnion with the stocke so haue we from Christ Ioh. 15. 2. Heare the Gospell preached for the word of is God spirit and life and he that beares this voyce though he were dead yet shall be liue What though we cannot quicken our selues yet we may vse the meanes And the Angell may trouble the water and Christ come and heale vs when we are at the wels mouth and vnable to helpe ourselues 3. Pray often Dauid neere about 19. times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme prayeth Lord quicken me Lord giue me the spirit of life c. Did he thus sure then it was good for him to be practised of all such as would be quickned and enliued Finally and aboue all things resist no good motion that thou hast in the vse of Gods ordinances or at any time else for this is to driue the author of all life from vs. Entertaine them therefore and kindle those sparks by obeying of them so shall thy soule liue and not dye Through the Gospell Here is manifested the instrumentall cause by which death is abolished and life brought vnto vs whence let this be noted that Though all grace come by Christ yet it is deriued vnto man by Doct. 11. meanes of the Gospell For that declareth how it may be attained and no other Reas 1. writing God giues his spirit with the Gospell not by the Law Reas 2. Gal 3. 2. and hence it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. This must worke in vs a loue to the Gospell and a care Vse 1. to continue it amongst vs. Had we but one herbe in our grounds that would cure all diseases would we not hedge about it water it and by all meanes seeke to preserue it it from perishing Why the Gospell is this herbe that tree whose leaues onely cure all the nations We must make much of them that bring this Physicke Vse 2. for the wounded spirit how should such men be respected Pray we that the word may runne and be scattered to the Vse 3. foure ends of the world otherwise death will reigne life
that patterne consisting of sound words being so in themselues as likewise able to worke and preserue soundnesse in thee To the knowledge whereof thou camest by the writings especiallie that thou hast receiued at my hands And know thou that this patterne cannot any wayes else bee obserued but by the aide and helpe of that faith and loue the which God the father hath shed abroad in thy heart not for any desert of thine but through his meere mercie hath confer'd them on thee by Christ Iesus Where as Paul hath disswaded and perswaded and now Doctrines dediâ—â—d giues Timothie a rule by which he may be directed in his proceedings we first note from his example that Perswasion and disswasion are to be accompanied with direction Doct. 1. 1 Cor. 12. vlt. Heb. 6. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 2 It s not sufficient for a man to say doe this and not that but he must lay downe rules and helpes whereby he with whom he is to deale may be inabled for the dutie For otherwise a man will either stand still and doe nothing Reas 1. or if he doe not so yet he shall worke out of all good order Againe else the minister should not deliuer the counsell of Acts 20. 27. God guilty should he be of the peoples blood and so consequentlie without sound comfort This correcteth the hot and fierie spirits of some who like Vse 1. an vnskilfull rider be alwayes spurring but neuer guiding They cry why will ye doe that and wherefore doe you this but doe not giue them direction how to auoyd the one or performe the other And so it fals out that the one hath no profit the other as little comfort Let vs then learne as to perswade and disswade so to direct Vse 2. others God willed that Moses should build him a tabernacle yet he gaue him a patterne how to be directed in the perfecting of the same So let ministers haue an eye to this that their people may doe all things in comelinesse and in order Keepe thou the patterne c. As these words be a direction we gather that The best way to maintaine the puritie of Religion is to haue a Doct. 2. patterne Exod. 20. Ier. 6. 16. Gal. 6. 16. Psal 119. 9. For God at the first writ the patterne in mans heart by the Reas 1. Adam had the the law writ in his heart at the creation Rom. 2. 15. which he might haue beene kept from all sinne and impuritie as may be thus proued For 1. The Gentiles many yeares after had some remainders of the law by which they were guided in their hearts the which could not haue beene had it not beene engrauen in Adams at the creation 2. Those to whom the Lord will shew mercy he hath promised that he will put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ier. 31. 33. Heb. â— 10. 3. We are commanded to write it vpon the tables of our hearts Pro. 3. 3. and the Prophet saith He hid the word in his heart Psal 119. 11. 4. Euery creature had the rule created with him and in him whereby he was to be guided in all his actions But man sinning broke the patterne and obliterated these excellent rules that were perfect in him at his creation And if the rule was not within him where was it or why should God guide all his other creatures by an internall precept and not man And euerie good man may find this in himselfe and see it in others that the more holy they grow the more shall they find the word of God imprinted in their hearts And doubtlesse when that a man is perfectlie sanctified which will not be here he shall haue the law absolutelie 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. renewed and engrauen in him so that in this sence the word may be said to abide for euer And here we might adde the iudgement of the Hebrew Pirke R Eliezer in Gen. 2. doctors and the most that euer writ for the further confirmation of this that Adam at his creation had the law writ in his heart and was to haue beene guided by it The reason I stand to proue this is in that those who hold that Christs actiue and passiue obedience doe not concurre both of them to mans iustification seeke to maintaine that Adam had no law in him or out of him to guide him except the trees of life and death good and euill But certainly this is a farre fetcht shift and as farre from the truth 1. For the trees were as Sacraments to seale life or death vpon the breach or obseruation of the law as ours be Adam broke the morall law 2. When Adam ate the forbidden fruite did he not breake all the Decalogue 3. Sathan was subtile and tempted Adam to breake the kings seale for that spoiled all the rest And the blotting out of a word or sentence is not so great an offence in any deed or writing as to destroy spoile and abuse the seale 4. Why did God giue the tables in stone afterwards if man was not to be guided by them in his creation Was he then bound to God and his brother and not before or did God make a new law or set Adams sonnes a taske their father neuer had But we let this passe and proceed to giue further reasons of the point in hand Againe the naturall powers of man are much weakened Reas 2. much more the spirituall since Adams fall And the Lord seeing that gaue his people a law writ in two tables of stone for a patterne and why then 1. Because the children of Israell were multiplied as the Why the law was writ in Moses time sand by the sea shore according to his promise made vnto Abraham 2. In that the gouernours of families were growne negligent and would not teach their house and children the lawes of God 3. And especiallie in regard at that day there was scarce any print or footesteps of the law left remaining in the hearts of the sonnes of men For processe of time had worne them out 4. And finallie for that the people began to murmur at the doctrine of Moses and Aaron crying they tooke too much vpon them as if they had bound heauier burdens than the Lord himselfe prescribed to them Besides in the course of our Pilgrimage we shall meete Reas 3. with many false teachers infinite and innumerable errours and heresies and how can these things be discerned otherwise than by a true and infallible rule Furthermore doe we not see how that grounds are good Reason 4. in all beginnings as to dispute speake c And last of all patternes helpe our darke iudgements â—eas 5. better our affections confirme our memcries and yeeld vs comfort and incouragement in all our proceedings This serueth to confute our aduersaries who denie the Vse 1. people the patterne of all puritie the word of truth They may be likened
meanes to furnish our selues But will this winde blow this tyde returne this fire descend and this treasure be got when we expect it desire it No such matter Then take the oportunitie leost the time come and the evill dayes approach wherein we shall say that are haue no pleasure in them And let the rarenesse too of this thing worke in vs some desire to endeuour for it For all men haue not grace and faith it s sowne but in few Countries and where it is it s not found growing in each mans grounds Wee say that things farre fetcht and deare bought are the greatest dainties Why doth not this treasure come from farre and what Ship could bring it to vs except Christ the Lord What could purchase and ransome it but the precious bloud of the Sonne of God Will not these things allure thee Why then beware least the Lord haue a purpose to kill thee Keepe The thing we note from hence is this that Grace once gotten is to be preserved Doct. 2. We must hold fast the good gifts we haue and neither suffer sinne or Sathan to plucke them out of our hands And every where we are bid to grow therein Revel 2. 25. Heb. 6. 6. 2 Pet. 3. vlt. Lude 21. Because if grace grow weake the patterne will not be Reas 1. practised When all the parts of the naturall body be in a consumption can we walke and worke in the duties of our particular callings And if the New man waxe pale and pine away the pathes of Gods commands will not be run or trodden For as all naturall actions proceed from the bodies strength and the purest spirit so doe all spirituall from the vigour of grace and the Newman Againe if grace decay then corruption will grow for as Reas 2. it was in another sense said of Christ and Iohn the Baptist so may it of these two When the one encreaseth the other decreaseth This checketh the carelesnes of some Christians who Vse 1. play the Prodigall with their spirituall portions in mis-spending or permit their graces to fall into a consumption It was a reproofe made by the Spirit I haue somewhat against Rev. 2. thee for thou hast left thy first loue and the same hath befallen many persons When men haue got some competency of wealth they lye long in bed and will not vp to worke and and so their riches waste In like manner it falleth out with Gods children for when they haue attained to some competency of gifts they are highly conceited grow idle neglect the meanes and so are ouertaken with spiritual pouerty then the which what greater damage losse We must then learne here not onely to get grace but to Vse 2. keepe it We will mourne if we loose our money grieue if we be depriued of our corne naturall strength and earthly commodities And shall the losse of grace neuer pinch vs pierce vs Shall Ionah be so dejected for his Gorud and we neuer be moued when grace is withered ready to persh Shall the earth-worme sigh at the losse of goods and we neuer shrinke at the shipwracke of heauenly gifts No greater damage then this none lesse regarded more insensible Let our plants begin to prin our haire waxe gray or fall it will make some impression But grace may decay the spirit faint and few be wounded in heart Yet to such a time shall come of great mourning Then get grace keepe grace so shall corruption be expelled extenuated and the patterne of sound words obserued practised A second instruction we gather out of the word Keepe which is that Spirituall gifts are in danger of loosing Doct. 3. Grace got may be lost Else wherefore should Paul bid his sonne keepe the worthy things in his custody We giue the greatest charge when things are most subiect to perill damage or destruction This poynt hath its proofe in holy writ For did not Sampson loose his spirituall aswell as or rather then his corporall strength and sight the shearing of his head was the cutting and killing of grace in the heart for by that another thing is meant The Church of Ephesus left though not totally lost her first love David desired to gather strength See Iudg. 16. Rev. 2. 4. Psal 39. vlt. 51. And this cometh to passe through our own negligence Reas 1. for when we doe not employ these talents to their proper ends or watch ouer our selues or neglect the meanes to preserue them or dig them in the earth not vsing them at all we shall either haue them remoued from vs or at the least weakened in vs. Fire must haue fewell or it will cease to flame infants are to be fed or they will be feeble And so must the babe of grace the new borne child of faith or fall into a fit of languishing Againe it may come to passe in respect of the Preachers Reas 2. and that of the bad or better sort False Teachers did creepe into the Church of Galatia and they fell from their former stedfastnes And when such as be truly sent preach rarely coldly negligently and watch not ouer their flocke much grace may be lost by their default Let the sheepe fast or feed barely they will grow lanke and leane of body Besides the Diuell cannot endure that grace should grow Reas 3. and corruption decay for then he shall lose his croppe and his hope shall perish therefore he is nipping this fruite in the bud and would teare it if he could vp by the roote and though he cannot yet hee will venter at all Finally the Lord may suffer it to be lost at the least for Reas 4. a time in our owne feeling and that for these causes 1. When we begin to swell waxe big and are puffed vp with his graces which should humble vs. 2. When we are too seuere in censuring of our weake brethren And 3. When we grow ingratefull to him for the gifts he hath freely conferred vpon vs. For God cannot endure pride security or ingratitude therefore he permits oftentimes a winter whereby for a season these flowers looke dead and withered Wonder not then if we see some backsliders in our Vse 1. times as hath beene in former ages For it s no vnusuall matter to finde declinings in this kind And it 's a disputable question whether any Christian what euer except hee depart soone after his conuersion doth grow and goe from strength to strength without some losse of the inward power of the graces wherewith he is endued For Churches in generall persons in particular haue had their symptomes and distempers And this is to warne all men to watch the more diligently Vse 2. ouer themselues that this languishing doe not befall them As also to try themselues if they haue not fallen already from their former perfection and left their first faith And here two things may seeme needfull to bee proposed 1. How farre a man
Townesmen doe still liue by stealth I scarce know one of many who will not filch and steale And shall we not then iudge him a foole that will be drunke for company and follow the most though they be the worst Noah might haue followed the old world Onesiphor us all Asia the Queene of the South haue staid at home Lot ate and drunke with the Sodomites and the Prophet Mithaiah Prophesied lies with 400. false Prophets vpon as good ground But should they haue then escaped drowning burning and damnation Would these examples haue exempted them from fire and destruction yet they were great many and mightie for multitude In the next place therefore let vs neuer be led by the most Vse 2. but the best for if we follow the many millions who drink vp sinne as the fishes doe water we shall participate of their paine and torment Let vs all then with good Iosuah resolue that we with our families will serue the Lord for heapes of lewd examples exempt none that tread their darke steps from cursing and burning Wherefore with fewest follow the truth in loue and neuer runne after the rude and rash multitude to commit evill Another point we may single out from the comparing of them that fell away with him that stood stedfast in the faith which is that In the time of persecution few haue beene found faithfull Doct. 2. Psal 12. 1. 1 King 19. 10 David cryeth Helpe Lord there is not a godly man left Elias I am left alone The faithfull are fallen from the earth diminished are the righteous Luk. 2. 35. For affliction is harsh to flesh and bloud it will not easily Reas 1. be sustain'd vndergone Oh! how hard a thing is it to forsake all and follow Christ Because many were neuer throughly rooted and grounded Reas 2. in the trueth they haue not deeply tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore they pitty themselues Stand not amazed then if vpon the same ground thou Vse 1. seest whole troopes cast off the yoke throw their ensignes in the field and run away For the strong water of affliction will carry vnsound mindes like chaffe on heapes before it Let this sword be drawne pierce the hearts of one or two the Hypocriticall thoughts of thousands will be vnsheathed discouered Luk. 2. 25. Then boast not too much of others or thy owne resolution Vse 2. in the times of peace for thou maist well with Peter in an hot skirmish shrinke and shriuell seeke out a secret place and deny thy Master Many cry I would haue dyed rather then haue done as such or so But wast thou euer in like triall hast thou proued thy prowesse by experience in equall perill why then ti 's somewhat to the purpose If not doe thou feare for wisemen will it 's but vaine boasting cowardly like bragging And I haue seene this that bawâ—ng curres bite least soonest run away so hot spirits in calme times haue proved the greatest cowards when Garments haue tumbled in bloud I had rather be that sonne who promised nought and yet did his Fathers will then he that said enough but did nothing And so we come more directly to the words as they are independant and absolute in themselues And first of all we collect this instruction that A good gouernour may procure a blessing to the whole family Doct. 3. For Pauls prayer was grounded on the Lords promise Gen. 19 30 27. 39. 5. therefore he might prevaile Lot did so to Sodom Ioseph to Pharaoh's house Iacob to Laban Lydia and the Iaylor being Act. 16. baptized and beleeuers no doubt but their families fared the better for their sakes Rahab the harlot saued many aliue so Iosh 22. Paul in the ship For godly gouernours are in the Couenant of grace and Reas 1. the Lord hath promised to be their God and the God of their seed also and shall his promise take none effect Away Gen. 17. 7. with that A second reason may be drawne from the neare vnion Reas 2. that is amongst them for Masters and seruants Parents and children make as it were but one body so that if it goe well with the head welfare the members Whelpes fare the better for the childrens sake in gathering vp the crumms that fall from their fingers This serues in the first place to cut off the many cauills Vse 1. which such men vse to make They vse to reply like the virgins when they are moued to distribute to the necessitie of the Saints I would but I feare that I haue not enough for my selfe and children you know that I haue a great charge and no small thing will maintaine so many fill all these mouthes And He is worse then an Infidell that provides not for his family Thus couetous men quote Scripture to serue their wicked purpose but neuer else Yet alas they neuer consider the prayers of the Saints how God of oftentimes punisheth their posterity with pouertie for their pinching nay taketh from them his word and Spirit the greatest iudgement on earth as he did by the family of Ieroboam And though children be punisht for their owne sinne yet that they are punisht such a time and in such a manner or measure often commeth to passe through the wickednes of parents As we see that when the Canaanites sinne was full they brought a speedier and greater curse vpon their posterity This may be a great comfort for good gouernours for Vse 2. certainly they shall not loose their reward hast thou visited the widowes and fatherlesse washed the Saints feete distributed to their necessities then shall the Lord shew mercy to thee and thy seede after thee build vpon 't for God is true of his promise yea such as comfort his shall be comforted of him But on the contrary such parents as pinch and spare withhold their hands from doing of good when iust occasion is offered they shall lay vp wealth for him that shall wast it nay peraduenture they shall neuer know who shall be their heire and is not this vanitie and a great griefe And this may be a strong Motiue to moue parents to be Vse 3. good and godly for their childrens sake wouldest thou haue thy throne established thy feede flourish and thy posteritie blessed then be mercifull to the poore become an honest man feare God and worke righteousnes A wicked father and prophane mother as much as in them is doe pull downe pouertie shame contempt and all the fearefull curses of the Almighty vpon their owne soules and bodies with their children also Oh! that they would beleeue this Let naturall affection moue thee if the feare of God will not worke vpon thee to doe good and to be pittifull And know thou this that wicked Parents are likest to the Deuill murtherers from the beginning no sooner haue they giuen the weake infant a being but by their sinnes as so many sharpe
others to returne that you may escape the dreadfull and importable wrath to come But alas wicked men for all that man or God can say or threaten they are like Iobs horse Iob 39. 21. c. they walke in the valley of sinne and reioyce in their strength of iniquity they goe out to meet the harnessed man Christ with the reuenging Scepter of iustice in his hand they swallow and breake the ground of Gods precepts with their fiercenesse they account brasse as straw iron as rotten wood they thinke that they can drinke vp as the Leviathan doth Iordan the Riuers of Gods wrath with their mouthes they smell this great battell afarre off and cry Ha ha at the sound of the last trumpet and say Tush wee shall neuer bee mooued the Lord neither thinketh good or euill But for all this God who sits on high hath girded himselfe with the garment of vengeance his sword is whetted his bow bent he will therefore make his shafts drunke with their purple blood and will for euer haue them in derision And seeing these things are so What manner of men ought we to be in holinesse of life and blamelesse conuersation Oh now consider this yee that forget this day lest thee strong God teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you And is there a day wherein the Lord shall iudge the Vse 6. world why then on the contrary heere is a world of comfort to the iust and perfect man In all thy crosses wrongs iniuries troubles persecutions sicknesses and in the houre of death look vp to this hill soare to this height and haue this continually in thy remembrance For now shall thy wounds bee cured thy infirmities healed thy enemies reuenged and all thy honest workes rewarded Now shall Sathan bee trod vnder thy foot his instruments bound in euerlasting chaines of darkenesse and thou with thy Lord and Master Christ bee carried into the holy of holies filled with ioy and bathe thy soule in the riuers of pleasure for all eternity All the men of God in their greatest anguish here below haue fetched comfort by the eye of faith at this Mountaine Iob reioyced being cast on the dunghill that his Redeemer liued and that hee should see him stand the last on earth Dauids heart was glad and his flesh did rest in hope because his soule should not bee left in deadlihead nor his body see corruption Iohn longed and cryed Come Lord Iesus come quickly and had wee the same precious faith wee haue the same precious promises why then are wee not rauished with the remembrance of these things Let the minde of the righteous wander whither it will or can this will bee the spring where to coole its thirst the poole to wash away its filthinesse the stay whereon to rest like the Arke on Mount Ararat after all its stormes and tempests This is the acceptable day of the Lord the yeere of Iubilee and the very time when all things in an vnchangeable eternall and neuer-fading condition shall be setled established Wherefore be stedfast immoueable resolute in good patient in suffering euil for this is the day that will pay for all And thus we come to handle a second doctrine Where Paul saith that day adding the Article That wee note as others from the like grounds doe that The day of iudgement shall be great and wonderfull Doct. 2. It is elsew here called the great day of the Lord. Iudè 6. Reu. 6. 17. and 16. 14. And it may bee so stiled for diuerse Reasons First if wee consider the Iudge for that addeth to the Reas 1. dayes excellency and greatnesse and that 1. for his person is hee not God and Man Wonderfull Councellor the almighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9. 6 This is hee who made all things of nothing the first and the last who though hee was deade yet now liueth for euermore Reu. 1. 18. 2. Where is his habitation and from whence doth hee come hee dwelleth in that light which no man can attaine vnto and whither can wee flee from his presence 3. How shall hee bee attended What will he come like Nehemiah with one or two poore attendants or as Naomi with Ruth or like Dauid to the King of Gath all alone No he will be accompanied with two bands like Iacob hauing a thousand thousands of Angels with him his scepter shall be in his hand to breake his enemies in pieces like a potters vessell 4. And where shall he come from Ierusalem to Iericho from Aegypt to Canaan from the East to Bethlehem No he descendeth from the highest throne riding on the wings of the wind passeth through the thicke clouds and his way shall be in the aire Then shall his signes appeare by which I vnderstand not the Crosse with the cursed Papist but that splendour which shall flow from his glorious person that like the Sun with his beames when he riseth shall enlighten all the world And it may be called great if we minde who shall be Reas 2. iudged not Paul before Festus Iohn of Herod or the Prince of the Pope But all creatures men and Angells The sea the earth death and hell shall giue vp their dead so that all euill spirits Men women and children that haue beene are or shall be must appeare before him Kings Nobles Iudges Bishops without their crownes rochets scarlet robes and worthy ensignes of honour And what acts and enditements shall be preferr'd All Reas 3. and euery one that hath beene done good or euill from the very beginning of the world vntill that day all shall be examined cleered not one omitted The booke of each mans Conscience shall be opened and Gods eternall Register so that the most secret sinne or hidden act shall come to light And doth not this adde to the daies greatnes Finally if we consider the words or matter of the sentence Reas 4. it will aggrauate the merueilousnes of the iudgment day For the Reprobate shall be rewarded with eternall torment and the elect with immortall glory the one shall haue as much misery and the other as great felicity as created natures are capable of And will this day be such and so great Are not those Vse 1. then to be checked who neuer haue it in their mindes neither make the least preparation All times seasons moneths and dayes be thought on longed and prouided for yet this that surmounteth all is forgot not regarded What prouision shall we see for the Sessions or Assizes of one little County or Citty and yet none for this generall vniuersall gaole-deliuery of the whole world where be mens wits or what doe they thinke on For to what end doth God place them here below and affoard them time and meanes but to stand spotles blamelesse at that day Yet men be vnwise and neuer consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. If a Master should set a light vpon a Candlesticke
giue his seruant wherewith to worke affoard time food and all things conuenient yet when he comes to see if his taske be finished he findes that the meate is wasted the time ended the Candle to the very socket burned and yet little or nothing of the worke furthered how would such a seruant excuse himselfe to his Master And is it not so with many of vs God hath giuen vs meate and drinke time and matter candle and fire But what haue we done Is not the lamp of our life almost consumed the Sunne of the Gospell about to set at the least from vs and yet we haue not finished the worke that was giuen vs to doe We are without our wedding garment polluted in our bloud and in regard of cloake or couer of grace starke naked How shall we then expect to avoyd that fearefull sentence Friend how camest thou hither without thy wedding garment Take him bind him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darkenes And is that day so great Then let vs all prepare for it Vse 2. before it come finish our worke be cloathed and not found idle or naked For blessed shall that seruant be whom his Master shall finde so and so doing Say not with the foole that there is no God Make not a league with hell and a couenant with death Beleeue not Hymeneus or Philetus that the Resurrection is past already neither cry with the scoffers and mockers Where is the promise of his comming Doubt not of the day and the certainty of its approaching For doth not the drowning of the old world declare it the deuouring of Sodom by fire and brimstone proue it the destruction of Ierusalem confirme it the curse vpon the Iew at this day ratifie it the hot plagues invndations of waters earthquakes extraordinary frosts the blazing starre and many petty iudgements that hourely haue and doe befall the wicked seale it Oh therefore as thou doest beleeue it so prepare for it Now time is present meanes at at hand the Lord allures thee But will it be shall he doe so euer No no Remember the foolish virgins get oyle in thy lampe grace in thy heart righteousnes on thy person and a good conscience to thy companion or else it had beene good for thee thou hadst neuer beene bred or borne For without these the iudge will frowne bend his browe and be a consuming fire The next instruction we gather is this that Christ the Lord shall iudge the world Act. 17. 31. 1 Cor. 1. Doct. 3. 7. Math. 28. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Thes 4. 15. If we vnderstand by Lord in the second place the sonne of God then the point is plaine But howeuer its a sound position For if we expound the word to be meant of God the Father yet he will shew mercy and iudgement by his sonne For he hath committed all things to his hands For by him at first were all things made by him since Reas 1. was Man redeemed therefore it s most meete they should be iudged by him The iudgement shall be visible so that its most conuenient Reas 2. the iudge should be so too Now the Fathers invisible but the Sonne in our nature is not And shall Christ the Lord iudge the world What then Vse 1. shall become of those that haue crucified him and persecuted him in his 〈◊〉 that haue trod vnder foote the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 a mocke of the bloud of his Couenant that 〈◊〉 â—â—spighted his Spirit and disobeyed his Gospell that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were betweene their teeth his flesh by their cruell oathes and would not haue him to raigne ouer them Woâ—ull and vnutterable will their condition be fearefull lamentable shall be their portion Did Moses tremble at the Mount Iohn fall downe troubled at the sight of an Angell Felix shudder before Paul and the stubborne Iewes fall at the voice of Christ backward What will the prophane men doe when he shall come to be reuenged on them and to reward them according to the number and greatnes of their sinnes Shall a man cloathed in purple or scarlet whose throne is in the dust and his breath in his nosthrills make a guilty conscience to quake and tremble shall not then the Iudge of all the world enwrapped with glory couered with iealousie and hauing the keene sword of reuenging iustice in his strong hand make the hearts of such as neuer would obey his lawes to faile them for feare shall they not wish that the Mountaines might fall on them and the hills couer and conuey them from his presence would not they be glad if they might creepe into the crannies and close caues of the earth from his reuenging and impartiall iustice And if a Lord haue mercy vpon thee a Take him away Iailor will cause such shedding of teares folding of armes and wringing of hands what will that irreuocable sentence doe Goe ye cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels I could wish that those words were grauen with a pen of iron in the palmes and foreheads of euery impenitent sinner of euery dissolute and godlesse person And shall Christ iudge the world shall he that redeemed Vse 2. thee sit vpon thee then be of good comfort for it cannot but goe well with thee No man euer hated his owne flesh consumed his reall and royall members or put away a chast virgin Assure thy selfe then that thy head and husband Iesus shall neither leaue thee or forsake thee or euer be diuorced from thee This vse is worthy our best consideration and a ground to euery honest and vpright heart of vnspeakeable comfort Therefore when Sathan Death Iudgement and hell looke thee in the face thinke vpon this thing And shall Christ iudge thee Then Agree with thine aduersary Vse 3. quickly whiles thou art in the way with him least he deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Iailor and he cast thee into prison For verily thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou hast paid the vttermost farthing And when will that be Neuer neuer And might not this word breake thine heart and moue thee to doe it When Ioseph was to goe before Pharaoh he shaued his head and put vpon him another robe or change of raiment When Hester went vnto the King she cloathed her selfe with her royall apparell And shall we meete the King of Kings wrapped in the stinking weedes of drunkennes swearing and lying couered with the monstrous clouts of fornication adultery and all vncleannes Surely if we doe we shall neuer find fauour in his eyes Let him then that hath stolne steale no more but labour with his hands And that I say to one to all I say it Change your minds and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presance of the Lord and he shall send his sonne Iesus the which is now preached vnto you to