duties according to the Lords direction else had the former labour beene lost in like sort in vaine had the publishing of the Gospel beene although by the Apostles thēselues had they not established such ordinances euerie where as serued for the strengthening and proceeding of it of which the setling of the ministerie and appointing Pastors ouer people is the principall Reas. 1. How necessarie was it for the whole administration of God among his people to haue a set place of abode that they might aske counsell at his mouth offer sacrifices Ilasticall and Eucharisticall put vp their prayers vnto him and receiue from him instruction and speciall direction and hence was it that the Lord sometimes setled himselfe at Siloh and sometimes his dwelling was in Sion and no lesse nay far more full comfort may we receiue in our assemblies and Bethels where the Lord as the sunne by his Ministers as by so many cleare lights not onely dispelleth darkenesse and errors in mind and manners but directeth vs in all our waies we haue to walk answereth vs in all our doubts in all our petitions raiseth vs in our falls supporteth vs in our weakenesse and prouoketh vs to cheerefulnesse in all the pathes that are good in his sight 2. Our weakenesse is such that notwithstanding all the benefit of standing ministeries we are euer recoyling and falling backeward more and more our bodies are not more prone to pine away for defect of daily foode then our soules if by the meanes of the heauenly Manna they be not daily repaired no eie seeth not the neede of daily directions to guide vs to daily duties and those which must be often done we must often be put in mind of 3. Experience sheweth that in such places where such ministeries be not setled we neede not seeke for adulterers swearers drunkards theeues and lyars such soyles are fruitfull of such imps that a man would thinke the old Sodomites were returned from hell yea the malitious man slacketh not to sowe these too thicke in such fields as good seede is cast into continually 4. The ordinance it selfe speaketh for it owne necessitie beeing the meanes wherby those who by it are brought to the faith are also preserued in it the milke whereby babes begotten grow to strong meate and are led from their infancie to their full age in Christ. For we may not alwaies be babes and weaklings but there is a perfection of Christianity which hereby we must be led vnto Heb. 6.1 not that any perfection of knowledge or holines can be attained of vs as Anabaptists foolishly dreame but partly in respect of that further degree which we ought euer to contend vnto for in the schoole of Christ we may waxe olde daily learning and the greatest scholler shall yet be farre from perfection and partly comparatiuely men of grace and knowledge may be called perfect and haue attained a further degree of perfection then such as are rude and ignorant subiect to be carried about with euery winde and are not yet gotten out of the elements of religion a man is said to be of perfect wisedome strength and other gifts of bodie and minde in comparison of a child or one not come to mans estate a Master of Arts may be called a perfect scholler in respect of a schooleboy and to this perfection of Christianitie are we led by meanes of this ordinance Vse To reprehend such as conceit themselues that when they haue gotten a smattring of knowledge they must needs haue faith also and afterward need no Ministerie nor sermons but marke where the life of God is it will make the soule craue the daily bread as the naturall life doth the bodie neither seeth that man any thing of God and the mysteries of his kingdome as he ought that presumeth of his knowledge so farre as that when he hath begunne to build and laid a foundation like the foole giueth ouer and neuer commeth to laie the roofe Perfection of true knowledge is the sight and sence of imperfection and religion in the heart espieth daily wants and decaies in the soule and repaireth to the ordinarie Ministeries for the daily repairing of them Which ordinances whosoeuer cōtemptuously forsake great schollers they may be but they were neuer good men Vse 2. Let vs reioyce that the Lord hath so liberally supplyed vs in this necessitie and testifie our thankefulnesse in diligence and subiection vnder the setled ministerie that our iudgements wills and affections may be setled in the truth for to the obseruer it will appeare that such for most part are wauering and variable who content themselues with a variable ministerie now hearing one now another now here now there without fixing themselues to some one As for such as vnder a setled ministerie come and goe at their pleasure now they heare one Sermon then another slipping in and out as they list to them I say litle is their conscience great is their sinne and manifest is their ficklenesse and inconstancie in their religion 3. Hence is a ground of petition that God would place Pastors in euerie congregation that his kingdome might come euerie where that euerie candlesticke might carie a burning and a shining light seeing we see here that it is Gods ordinance that so it should be And the greater the haruest is the more ought we to apply the Lord of it that he would thrust forth labourers into his haruest remoouing whatsoeuer impediments he seeth to hinder such a blessed and glorious worke As I appointed thee After that the Apostle had declared Titus his place and dutie he commeth to the second point namely his direction therein not giuing him leaue to adde any thing of his owne invention or alter any thing which Paul himselfe had done but bindeth his hands from doing or vndoing any thing in his whole administration but as Paul had commanded and appointed him the tenour of his commission reacheth no further Whence we may learne that Doctr. The ordering and gouerning of the Church is not left arbitrarie no not to an Euangelist but Apostolicall direction must goe before and guid him The Church is the house of God and must not be ruled by mans inventions but by the direction of the great housekeeper and seeing the father hath committed all the gouernement of it to his Sonne who hath purchased it with his blood the charge and burden of it now lieth vpon his shoulders and his prerogatiue it is to giue laws and orders and by his voice to rule the house of Iacob The whole Tabernacle to the verie pinnes must be framed according to the patterne and yet that was a mooueable in comparison of our most stable administration which shall continue to the ende of he world and the Lord in describing the parts thereof seuerally still remitteth them to the commandement to the patterne and forme shewed in the mount See Exod. 25.9.26.30 cap. 27.8 c. twise repeated in so
lusts of it 3. After the inward disposition vse outward helpes as 1. auoide occasions as chiding contentions multiplying of words which though they be winde yet doe they mightily blow vp this fire 2. depart from the companie of the contentious as Iacob from Esau and Ionathan avoided the furie of his father by rising vp and going his way 3. driue away with an angrie countenance whisperers tale-bearers flatterers who are Satans seedesmen by whom he soweth his tares euery where and his bellowes by whom he bloweth vp these hellish sparkles desirous to bring all things into combustion and confusion 4. Pray for strength and grace against it especially for the contrarie vertues of humilitie meekenesse loue and a quiet spirit which is of God much set by and hauing obtained strength and victorie against the assaults of it forget not to be thankefull but breake out into the praises of God as Dauid when he was turned backe from his rash vowe of destroying Nabals familie could not containe himselfe but testified the gladnes of his heart in these words Blessed be the Lord which hath sent thee this day to meete me and blessed be thy counsel and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed blood Not giuen to wine In this precept the Apostle prohibiteth a vice which is as great a let vnto ministeriall duties as any other namely the drinking of wine and strong drinkes for vnder one kind all the sinnes of that kind are forbidden Wherein all vse of wine is not inhibited the Minister it beeing a good creature of God and pure vnto the pure and in wâ—â—kenes of the bodie or griefe and heauines of heart permitted to his chearing and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 vnto them that haue griefe of heart and let him drinke that he may forget his miserie And Timothie himselfe may and must drinke a little wine for his health sake yea and besides this case of necessitie it is not vnlawfull for a Minister sometimes to take his more free libertie herein for his honest delight and pleasure as in Christian and religious feasting at marriages or other meetings of friends seeing Christ himselfe at a mariage feast not onely not prohibited vse of wine but by his first miracle of turning water into wine furnished the same with great plentie and abundance But here these rules must be obserued 1. this free and delightfull vse must not be ordinarie and customable 2. the heart must alwaies be watched that it be not oppressed nor made heauie to godly duties Luk. 21.34 3. Iosephs affliction must not be forgotten Amos. 6.6 The thing therefore condemned in the precept is when a minister is giuen to the wine a quaffer or a wine bibber one that sitts at it with pleasure swilling in wine or strong drinke and such a companion as the Prophet speaketh of who continueth at the wine or beere til it inflame him A vice which in common men hath many woes denounced against it in the Scriptures but most hatefull in a Minister as it is also the greatest let to the faithfulll performance of ministeriall duties both which the Lord himselfe hath prooued true in that one strange iudgement inflicted vpon Nadab and Abihu vpon occasion of which the Lord maketh a generall lawe that seeing they as some thinke in their drunkennes had offered strange fire and were burnt with fire whosoeuer therfore should come to minister before the Lord should vpon pain of death carefully avoid all lets and hinderances whereby they might be vnfitted vnto their dutie and seruice all which by Synechdoche are comprehended vnder that one kind of wine strong drink as those which most disturbe the minds and senses of men froÌ„ their duties And where our Apostle affirmeth that Gods steward may not be giuen to wine nor a striker what else doth he then second that of our Sauiour in the parable teaching that of all men the steward may not sit with drunkards nor smtie his fellow seruants Reasons 1. To be addicted to the wine or strong drinke taketh away the heart Hos. 4.11 that is troubleth the vnderstanding confoundeth the senses and equalleth a man to the bruit beast without vnderstanding and thus disableth the man of God in all the practise of his calling As the wise man therefore saith Prou. 31.4 It is not for kings to drinke wine nor Princes strong drinke least he drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of the children of affliction so much lesse is it for the Minister and Pastor set ouer Gods people least he forget Gods decrees change his iudgements as Aarons sonnes did And hence is it that the Lord deliuereth a double reason of that former lawe both to the same purpose 1. From the end Aarons sonnes might not drinke wine or strong drinke that they might be able to put difference betweene the holy and vnholy cleane and vncleane and so rightly discerne of the seueralls of their charge 2. that they might teach the children of Israel all the statutes of the Lord herein implying that if they did not carefully abstaine from wine they could not but be interrupted in both these To the same purpose may we obserue howe aptly the Apostle ioyneth these two precepts together vnderstand what the will of the Lord is and be not drunke with wine for commonly such as giue themselues ouer to this lust are by the Lord giuen vp to sottishnes that what gifts they haue had are withered and taken from them of which examples are too frequent Secondly this sitting at wine calleth him from the duties and meanes of his fitnesse vnto his calling he cannot attend to reading exhortation doctrine which is straitly enioyned euerie Timothie 1.4.13 Thirdly such a man is so farre from performance of any faithfull duty that he cannot but become rather an enemie to those that doe For the manner is that when the seruants of God call men to sackecloth ashes mourning these invite to the pots bankets still strengthning the hands of sinners when God by his Prophets calleth to weeping mourning baldnes sackcloth these call to ioy gladnesse sâ—aying oxen killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine eating and drinking and saying to morrowe we shall die Such Priests we read of Isay 56.9.12 when the Lord calleth all the beasts of the field to deuoure and spoile what say these fellowes Come we will bring drinke and fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrowe shall be as this day Thus the loue of wine makes them faile in vision and the sitting at wine lulleth them a sleepe euen on the top of the mast as Salomon speaketh of the drunkard that in times and places of most present and desperate dangers they see none nor feare any 4. It disableth all the duties that such a one in his most sobrietie can performe suppose them neuer so commendable seeing he hath made himselfe and calling so contemptible for what authoritie can
according to Christs institution that the whole worship of God be purged from humane traditions and superstitions that the Church discipline be executed according to the word of God that not onely thefts murthers adulteries forceries which euen heathen kings haue rooted out of their countries be punished but also blasphemies cursings atheisme heresie drunkennes Sabbath-breaking c. In a word we yeelde vnto the soueraigne power soueraigne authoritie to driue all sorts of men Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill to all those duties religious or secular which God hath laid vpon them and according to their care herein haue they beene commended or disallowed in the Scriptures Now that Princes should not command but according vnto God the Lord hath appointed them meanes as 1. The booke of the lawe to be by them continually to iudge of all matters according to the mouth of the Lord and to frame and execute their lawes according to the same 2. The ministerie to explane and lay open and put them in mind of their dutie out of that booke For these two Magistracie and Ministerie serve one an other as the left hand the right But here Ministers must take heede that they take no more vpon them then to aduise and aduertise from the Lord seeing this is one maine difference betweene Magistracy and Ministerie that although one haue an eye to the other in that Magistracie must stablish the Ministerie and the Ministerie direct Magistracie yet neither of them may execute the other Moses and Aaron must communicate their counsels and labours but both must knowe their owne standing After them Iosuah must ioyne with Eleazer Dauid the king must take advise of Nathan and Gad the Prophets Iosiah with Huldas so long as Iehoidah the Priest liueth to direct Ioas he prooueth well but after his death he waxeth worse And Vzziah will seeke the Lord in the dayes of Zachariah the Priest but afterward degenerateth and groweth verie naught and vnlike vnto himselfe Thus as formerly we haue stablished the regall power ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall as wel as others so now haue we also ouer all causes Ecclesiasticall as well as Ciuill with this onely exception vnder Christ who must still be acknowledged the soueraigne Lord and King of his Church to rule it by his own word and lawes according to which direction while they square their gouernement as Moses did all in the temple by the patterne shewed in the mount happy are the people happie is their gouernement happie are themselues in their administration but thrice happie shall they be in their account Quest. But all this while you onely bind the Prince to the lawes of Christ in gouerning the Church doe you giue him no power to make Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions of his owne Answ. Yes but concerning this point I thus conceiue that Ecclesiasticall lawes are of two sorts 1. Such as prescribe both the matter and manner of the worship of God and the whole substance of Church gouernement which are all the lawes of Christ himselfe made to his hand 2. Other Ecclesiasticall lawes which remaine for the supreame power to make are of two sorts 1. Either edicts for the authorizing and commanding the excution of the former lawes for the building and repairing of the Church that it may be a louely spouse of Christ. Or 2. such constitutions as are circumstantiall and in things meerely indifferent which may varie according to the variablenes of times places and dispositions of Churches and here he hath power to make Church-lawes of his owne so as the rules of the word be not transgressed concerning things indifferent And I thinke this a truth not denied by any In performing both these latter Kings and Queenes are called nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to the Church Now follows the second ground to be laid for the resoluing of the former point namely that seeing Kings are of power to doe what they list although not euer lawfully in regard of the lawes of God or nature yet safely in respect of his subiects who may not violently resist their persons or proceedings for who shall say vnto him what doest thou in this regard they may and sometimes doe command vnlawfull and vniust things and inflict grieuous and heauie burdens vniustly whether must obedience and subiection be yeelded them or no Ans. The conclusion is It is neuer lawfull to resist or rebell or vse any violence against a lawfull Magistrate for this were to rise vp in armes against the ordinance of God and consequently against God himselfe The Apostle Peter indeede calleth it an humane ordinance or creature but not in regard of the author as if it were deuised by man but of the ende because it is ordained of God for man as the proper subiect and for his profit as the proper ende of it And therefore though Popish Friers and factors stand within Corahs tents with poisoned daggers digging out the life-blood of Christian Princes and especially the Iesuites those cursed Shebaes which make no bones by themselues and others most treacherously to slay their kings and masters yet Dauids heart smote him when he made but a slight assault vpon the skirt of Sauls garment because he was the Lords anoynted teaching vs by his example another lesson then by violence to helpe our selues if we could doe it out of the vniust commandements and executions of those whom God hath set in eminence and authoritie aboue vs. But here we must take direction how to carie our selues towards lawfull Magistrates commanding or imposing vnlawfull things For consideration must be had whether the command bind vs to doe or to suffer and beare any vniust thing If the former enioyning vs to doe that wherof we haue not good ground to do it of faith here the supreame power of all must be obeyed and the prince only in and for the Lord for so Cesar must haue Cesars as God may haue Gods Daniel and his fellowes deliberated not to answer the King but boldly and readily professed that they would neuer worship his Image they would submit themselues to his furie but durst not to his commandement The Martyrs in Queene Maries time whose mention and memorie is honourable resisted not nor rebelled they willingly and ioyfully gaue their bodies to the flames but still professed against the idolatrous worship and doctrine established by law In Ieroboams time those which could conforme themselues to the edict of the calues were doubtles counted obedient and had the grace of the times and it went hard with others that durst not saue their labour but repayred to the Temple still but the Lord condemneth and accursed such wicked obedience and bringeth euill vpon all Israel for it No power on earth can make the conscience safe in the doing of a thing vnlawfull although in a thing indifferent conformed to the rules of the word the Princes law is a binder It is a weake speach therefore to say I do this and that
way in writing to the Iewes but because he knew his person and name to be merueilously hated at Ierusalem and that he was growne into great contempt among the enemies of the Gospell from whom he had separated whose furie he gaue place vnto and would not excite by adding his name beeing desirous that they should entertaine the naked truth for it selfe And howsoeuer it is a vaine thing to be peremptorie in defining it to be Pauls yet is it more vaine to conclude it none of his because it wants his name for by the same reason it hauing no bodies name they might conclude it to be no bodies nay rather vpon this occasion wanting his name it is liker to be his 2. From Pauls example euery Christian man may learne to be readie to giue his name to the Gospel and like a child of wisedome by a bold profession to iustifie it vpon euery iust occasion many are too indifferent herein and loth to be knowne disciples of Christ the shame it is of many professors in such a sunneshine day as this to cast themselues with Nicodemus into the night A seruant of God This is a title which all the Apostles delight in for thus also Peter Iames Iude in the beginning of their Epistles stiled themselues which is not to be vnderstood in a generall sense as Reu. 7.3 for thus not onely they but all Christians nay more all creatures euen the worst are some way seruiceable vnto God in executing his will but it here specially respecteth that office and function to which they were set a part expressed more particularly in the next words and an Apostle Doctr. This beeing the first title whereby the Apostle would get himselfe authoritie teacheth That the very name of a seruant of God is full of honour and authoritie The Apostle comparing the glorie of Christ with the glorie of the Angels Heb. 1.14 advanceth them as farre as possibly he can that Christ his glorie beeing so much more excellent then theirs there described might be most highly exalted and yet the highest ascent of their honour which he can rise vnto is to title them ministring spirits standing about God from which seruice they are honoured with glorious names of thrones dominations powers Rulers principallities and although the Scriptures most vsually vnder this title expresse the low and humble condition of Christ who tooke on him the forme of a seruant yet also thereby the Lord would sometime signifie his great glorie as Isa. 42.1 Behold my seruant I will leaâ—e vpon him mine elect in whom my soule delighteth The Apostle Paul when he would prouoke himselfe to magnifie the free mercie of God toward himselfe maketh this the ground of his glorie and reioycing that God had counted him faithfull and put him in his seruice Vse 1. This serues to teach ministers their dutie that seeing the Lord hath so highly honoured them as to draw them so neere vnto himselfe as it were admitting them into his presence chamber yea vnto his councell table they are in way of thankefulnesse more straightly bound to two maine duties 1. diligence 2. thankefulnesse First diligence in wholly giuing vp themselues and strength in the dispatching of their masters businesse whose now wholly they are their eare is boared neuer to depart from him so as now they may not seeke or serue themselues but take themselues to be as the ciuill law calleth seruants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as sustaine no person but are become dependances and adiuncts yea indeede reasonable instruments in the hand of their master If motiues would stirre vp our diligence vnto the worke of God we want not a multitude as 1. this master hath most absolute power of life and death ouer his seruants 2. his eie is euer ouer them which prouoketh euen eie-pleasers to quicknesse 3. the fruit of diligence is the sauing of our selues and others 4. blessed shall that seruant be whom the master shall finde so doing 5. without this thou shalt become the vnprofitable seruant that shall be bound hand and foote and cast into hell the seruice is difficult as beeing an haruest an husbandrie a building a planting all which require labourers and painfull workemen it is the diligent hand that bringeth these workes to a commendable passe nay more it is a sighting with spirituall weapons against mightie and malitious enemies and requireth quicknesse and courage This busines needeth not whole armies of such souldiers as we reade of 1. Sam. 17.24 who ranne away when they sawe Goliah a farre off one poore and contemptible Dauid who is as good as his word when he saith Thy seruant will goe and fight with the Philistim v. 32. brings the businesse more happily forward then a nation of the former in whom we see the picture of the euill and slothfull seruant whose ende the Euangelist recordeth to be fearefull The second dutie is faithfulnesse It is required of euery dispenser that he be found faithfull and this faithfulnes must appeare 1. in gaining disciples not to himselfe but vnto Christ Iohn was a faithful seruant to Christ he must increase and I must decrease and Paul I seeke not yours but you but this was to present them as virgins vnto Christ. The lawe of equitie concludeth that whatsoeuer the seruant gaineth should become the masters But the world is full of vnfaithfull seruants who when they should come in their Masters name come in their owne Gehezi runnes after Naaman for talents of gold and change of raiment and saith his master sent him 2. In seeking to please and approoue himselfe vnto his master and not to other men Thus was Moses faithfull but as a seruant in all the house of God nay Christ himselfe is herein preferred Heb. 3.2 that he was faithfull to him that appointed him But wherein was this faithfulnes seene In Moses in that he did all things according to the patterne in the Mount In Christ in that his doctrine was not his but his fathers neither did he any thing of himselfe but all that his father taught him that spake he and all that he sawe the father doe that did he This same was the faithfulnesse of the Apostles also who preached onely what they had heard and seene of Christ and deliuered onely what they had receiued and this must be the faithfulnesse of vs their successors the Pastors and teachers to the ende of the world Vnto which we may bee mooued not onely in that we haue such a cloude of worthie examples but also in that we serue a good master one full of faithfulnesse readie to retribute our fidelitie with infinite advantage a farre more foreceable argument to bind vs vnto God then that of the Apostle to binde seruants to faithfull seruice of beleeuing masters And lastly because our master standeth in neede of our faithfulnes now when the most haue forsaken him I meane not onely the Clergie of Rome
the God of our Lord Iesus Christ would giue the Ephesians to know what the hope is of his calling Secondly the subiects in whom it is The Saints for as the practise of beleeuers before Christ to waite for his first comming in humilitie as we read of Simeon Annah many others so now beleeuers as constantly waite for his second comming and the comforts of it Reu. 22.17 And that it belongeth only to the Saints is cleare 1. In that it is ioyned with the faith of the elect in this text 2. Because it ariseth from faith is nourished by it and is proportionall vnto it 3. The thing hoped for belongeth only to the Saints they only haue right in the tree of life and only they enter in through the gates into the Cittie 4. That which meriteth the thing hoped for that is the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ belongeth only to them for them only he praied while he was on earth for them only he died he rose againe ascended into heauen and now maketh requests at the right hand of his Father Thirdly the obiect of this hope Things to come and namely after the resurrection life eternall In which regard the Apostle calleth it an hope laid vp in heauen which is all one with that in the text hope of life eternall vnto which it lifteth vp the heart and affections Where the excellencie of the grace may be conceiued from the excellencie of the obiect it is not conuersant about momentanie and sleeting matters not insisteth in things below but about durable and eternall things to come and not onely comforteth the soule here below in earth but crowneth it hereafter in heauen And this grace it is which putteth such a difference between the godly and the wicked that whereas these are well appaied and contented with things present and wish for most part there were no other heauen then that happinesse they enioy here vpon earth the other looke vpward and outward and see a farre off and are such as waite for the adoption of sonnes and the redemption of their bodies which is the full haruest of those first fruits which they haue alreadie receiued Fourthly it is added in the description that this grace of hope doth firmely and not waueringly expect this eminent obiect and this it doth both because it is grounded not as the Papists teach vpon mans merit power or promises but vpon the most firme promise of God more stable then the hills of which mention is made in the next words as also in that the holy Ghost who first worketh it doth also nourish it yea and so sealeth it vp vnto the heart as it can neuer make ashamed it may indeede be tossed and shaken with many kinds of temptations yet in the patient attending vpon the Lord it holdeth out and faileth not Fiftly the fruit or effect of it is in the last words expressed namely that it prouoketh vnto all holy duty yea and continueth the beleeuer in it Thus Abraham by faith obeyed God and held out looking for the recompence of reward whence it is that as true faith is called in the Scriptures a liuing faith so found hope is also called a liuely hope that is such an one as is effectuall in the heart of the beleeuer to stirre him vp vnto all heauenly conuersation Vse This doctrine teacheth vs what a rare thing this grace of hope is among men and that the thing it selfe is not so common in the world as the opinion of it Aske any man how he meaneth to be saued the answer will be he hopeth well and he trusteth in God that hoping well he shall haue well but if this doctrine be true it followeeh that as faith is not of all no more is hope For it is a grace peculiar to the Saints who are very fewe in comparison of the multitude And is a companion of faith which is not the portion of the most It casteth anker in heauen and striueth not to become the heire of the earth as most men do whose whole studies are to plant and build and call the houses after their owne names and raise their families and make themselues great in the earth of whom we heare the holy Ghost speaking that their hope is onely in this life and they haue no hope in their death It is also accompanied with many graces which are not the garlands of euery head not the beauties of any but the spouses of Iesus Christ. It is not found but in an heart humbled with the touch for sinne and yet possessed with true peace in God grounded on that promise which is made to the poore in spirit for of these two it is ingendred It procreateth and preserueth heauenly mindednes lifting vp the heart to wait and wish for their masters comming so as that day neuer commeth vnawares vpon them as it doth on those who are yet in the night and in darkenesse It suffereth not a man to walke in the wayes of sinne either in hope of mercie or presuming of repentance but he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe and auoydeth the corruptions that are in â—he world through lust It vpholdeth the heart in obedience and dutie both by exciting the will and the diligent hand to vndertake and performe and strengthening the whole man in temptations dangers and distractions vnto all perseuerance in the wayes of God So that although when pleasure or profit is to be cast off or when crosses and losses betide the hypocrite for his obedience all his hope perisheth and vanisheth as the dewe before the sunne yet this hope maketh not ashamed but comforteth in this life and crowneth in the life to come Let blindnesse therefore make fooles bold whose propertie it is to beleeue euery thing yet the wisedome of the wise will cause him to vnderstand his way and not suffer him to nourish for hope either a doubtful desire of somthing which with Balaam he may naturally wish or a dreame in the slumber of conscience deluding with a perswasion of life that heart which is as dead as a stone within him Which God who cannot lie hath promised before the world began The pronoune relatiue which some from whom I would not easily depart referre rather to the word truth then eternall life because of that in the 3. ver But hath made his word manifest and thence indeede might our Apostle iustly haue defended his doctrine from suspition of noueltie beeing the same which was looked for euen in the first ages of the world and now made more manifest by which occasion were offered to ouerthrowe sundrie newe broaâ—hed nouelties of the Popish doctrine not sauouring of ancient antiquitie But I rather encline to that other construction referring the relatiue vnto life eternall immediately going before which as we haue heard it to be expected by hope so is it here said to be promised by God for in the promise hope hath his
vnyoked and free though by Satan sorcery and all vnlawfull meanes but that is not Gods time of thy release but thy owne thou hast not staied but preuented the proper and due time of thy deliuerance And what is the issue of it surely thou hast escaped a beare but a lion meetes thee thou art leaped out of the panne but into the coales thy very breaking of prison hath made thy case more hopeles and desperate then euer it was before thy durance had beene farre lesse miserable then thy escape Standest thou in feare of any euill or hard measure from Satan or men moderate also hence that feare seeing there is an houre for the power of darkenesse to worke in and till that houre come an haire shall not fall from thine head Let the Iewes take vp neuer so many stones against Christ yet he shall escape out of their hands let them seeke to take him yet shall none dare to lay hands vpon him if his houre be not yet come Let Herod seeke to kill him he will not sticke to send that foxe word that he must worke so many dayes in despight of him to day and to morrowe that is now for the present and afterwards vntill his consummation Againe standest thou in neede of any present good whether any spirituall mercie or temporall fauour lift vp thy heart and hands vnto God in invocation but prescribe no time leaue that to him who alone knoweth the proper time of making his blessing seasonable and wholesome Thirty yeares after the promise notwithstanding many prayers in the meane time is the proper time when Isaac must be obtained The Cananitish woman was not heard till after three sore repulses Lazarus must not be raised by Christ till the fourth day no nor Christ himselfe till the third Thou must haue a time to sowe thy praiers and water them with teares of repentance and then in due season thou shalt reape if thou faintest not 2. Hence we haue a ground of strength in temptation Doe we see the daies wherein iniquitie aboundeth the wicked flourish the godly perish and eaten vp of the wicked as bread well waite a while God hath a due time to conuert so many of them as belong vnto him and to make of them of persecuting Sauls preaching Pauls or otherwise a set season to ouertake them as birds in an euill net Both the daies of the Lord are set the day of refreshing and the day of retribution The former is the day when Iosephs head shall be lifted vp the latter is that conuenient time of the Lord when he shall execute iudgement against the wicked ones of the world The same night which expired the 400. yeares the armies of the Lord were deliuered out of Egypt and Pharaoh and his armies drowned The same night that dated the 70. yeares appointed for the Iewes captiuitie was Baltazer slaine Dan. 5.30 compared with Ier. 25.12 The time is set how long the rod shall be in wicked hands or rather how long the Lord will hold the wicked as rods of his wrath in his owne hands but it shall not be long before he will throwe them into the fire Vse 3. We are taught further wisedome in entertaining the seasons which God hath allotted to euery purpose some of which he hath hid with himselfe and some he hath made knowne to vs I speake not of the former for it belongeth not to vs to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power such secret things belong not vnto vs as to inquire of the time and day of iudgement which the very Angels in heauen are ignorant of But things reuealed belong to vs and our children to enquire into and make our best benefit of Let vs therefore imitate the wisedome of God in performing all our duties in that proper time which the Lord hath made their due seasons especially seeing he hath so clearly manifested to vs our day of grace time of our visitation it is our dutie to betake our selues to seasonable conuersion and repentance the due time of which is the present time because God this day calleth and if to day we heare his voice let vs not harden our hearts There is a time when God is neere and may be sound and that is the fit time to seek him and then is he nearer and then must we seeke him when he seeketh vs by his gratious inuiting of vs to repentance There is a time when with the wise virgins we may enter into the wedding chamber and no sooner is it past but the doore is shut and all the foolish virgins excluded A time there is when the blessing may be obtained and a time when Esau shal not get the blessing although he seeke it with tears Now is the fit season for all these duties Now learne to know God in Christ or neuer now become a beleeuer or eueâ— an Infidel Enter fellowship with God now or neuer partake with him hereafter Loue the communion of Saints here or neuer shalt thou enioy it hereafter begin to liue eternall life here or thou shalt neuer see life hereafter but abide in death Men are wise inough in outward things to strike while the iron is hote to watch their best windes which blow them profit to foreslow no time in striking vp gainfull bargaines but here as though the wisdome of men were not in them are without all prouidence and haue cast care away and yet how hath the Lord a long time manured vs that like good trees of righteousnesse we should be laden with fruits of righteousnesse and repentance in our due seasons yea how hath his pruning knife of correction followed vs for the same purpose hath not he taken many from the meanes and doth he not many waies threaten to take away the meanes from those that are left doth not the time of his mercie seeme to be dated and full expired vpon vs in that though he hath most fearefully smitten vs with durable and lasting iudgements yet he cannot satisfie his iustice but his arme is stretched out still and seeing that as his hand is against vs our hands are still against him may it not be thought that the period of his vengeance is vpon vs and that the vision of wrath and burden of England cannot long be deferred It is high time then to meete the Lord if after such prouocations yet his wrath may be turned away Wisedome yet crieth in our streetes Gods word in the mouthes of his messengers his workes of mercie and iudgement which runne into our owne eyes all of them call vs to be wise hearted to know the season of our fruitfulnesse Let vs presently answer the Lords present call Say not with thy selfe when I haue dispatched this or that businesse or purchased this or that pleasure or profit or haue ouergrowne such a trouble and distraction as though repentance stood in the change of the outward estate and
the duties of it are called not onely angels but co-workers with Christ in the saluation of men Doctr. 2. Whosoeuer would finde comfort in themselues or cleare and iustifie their callings to others or doe good in that place of the body wherein they are set must be able to prooue that they are not intruders but pressed by this calling and commandement of God that as Paul performed euery dutie in the Church by vertue of his extraordinarie calling so they by vertue of their ordinarie For can any man thinke that a small aduantage to himselfe which our Apostle doth so dwell vpon in his owne person and that in euerie Epistle making his calling knowne to be committed vnto him not of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ See Gal. 1.1 and cap. 2.7 Eph. 3.2 1. Thess. 2.4 The necessitie of this commandement appeareth 1. because it implyeth a fitnesse in the persons so commanded for the Lord sendeth not a message by the hand of a foole for this is as he that cutteth off the feete A Prince would not send an ambassador who is onely able to reade his message out of a paper euerie poste might doe that but one of parts and gifts by whom the message might carrie all the grace it possibly could Euen so the Lord sendeth the tongue of the learned some Ezra some Apollos men mightie in the Scriptures and full of authoritie in regard both of life and doctrine In the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes we read that they must be sitted two waies 1. they must be washed with water that is purged from the euills which might corrupt and blemish their callings 2. instructed and furnished with gifts and they two sorts 1. of graces as wisdome vnderstanding c. signified by the garments with which they were to be arrayed 2. of sweete smell the which both by holy doctrine and life they were to diffuse in the Church signified by the sweete oyle powred on their heads v. 12. These onely are sanctified and set apart by the Lord to serue before him Exod. 29.4 2. This commandement imposeth a necessitie to performe the duties of the calling the acknowledgement of which breedeth conscience and willingnesse therein not for the profit and commodities but because the dispensation is committed vnto him Paul seeing that necessitie was laid vpon him denounced a woe against himselfe if he should not preach the Gospel not for the vaine applause of men but to please God which tryeth the hearts 1. Thess. 2.4 3. This commandement maketh the function and works of it powerfull fruitful in the hearts of all men euen the greatest and whereas such as haue not their commission sealed from the Lord finde not their sacrifices burnt by God but often labour all day and all night and catch nothing yea themselues with their worke perish together the tongues which the Lord armeth from aboue are cheines vnto authorities linkes of iron to binde Nobles and Princes and bridles euen to the deuils themselues yea not seldome by vertue hereof Princes and people may stand vp in apologie and iust defence of a poore man whom the Lord reporteth as Ier. 26.15 He is not worthie to die for he hath spoken to vs in the name of the Lord. 4. This commandement bringeth much comfort in all troubles raised vp against men whilst they endeauour in the faithfull execution of this most thankles office amongst men which otherwise might well be taken for so many plagues wherewith God followeth him who runneth vnsent for such is Gods grace as he neuer commādeth but includeth also a promise of blessing to the obseruer and namely of speciall protection which is so necessarie for such as are dispatched to encounter against Satan and the wickednes of the world so as hereby the heart is fenced and strenghthened against the malice of Satan and men which while the sonnes of Seeva wanted we see how mightily Satan who easily espied their want of commission preuailed against them Vse 1. Let no man presume to take vpon him any office in the Church vncalled no man taketh this honour to himselfe Christ himselfe must be appointed of his Father Vse 2. Let none content himselfe with the calling of man separated from Gods calling for this was the guise of the false Apostles against whom our Apostle opposeth himselfe and calling almost euery where who were called of men but not of God Vse 3. In all other callings let men be assured they haue Gods warrant both in the lawfulnesse of the callings themselues and in their holy exercise of them passing through them daily in the exercise of faith and repentance not forgetting daily to sanctifie them by the word prayer Doctr. 3. Ministers may and ought to be more or lesse in the commendation of their calling as the nature and necessitie of the people to whom they write or speake do require As the Apostle here magnifieth his authority in that he is a seruant of God 2. an Apostle of Iesus Christ 3. that he receiued his Apostleship by commission and commandement of Christ himselfe and 4. all this while hath by sundrie other arguments amplified the excellencie of his calling the reason of all which is not so much to perswade Titus who was before sufficiently perswaded of it but partly for the Cretians sake that they might the rather entertaine this Doctrine so commended in the person of the bringer and partly because many in this I le lifted vp themselues against him and Titus as men thrusting in their sickles into other mens fields too busily or else if they had a calling yet taking too much vpon them both in correcting disorders and establishing such nouelties among them as best liked thē so as here beeing to deale against false Apostles peruerse people and erronious doctrines as in the Epistle we shall further see he is more prolixe and loftie in his title otherwise where he met not with such strong opposition he is more sparing in his titles as in the epistles to the Coloss. Thessal c. So was it the pride of the false Apostles that made him say By the grace of God I am that I am and that grace of his which is in me was not in vaine and they are Ministers I am more in labours more abundant c. Vse In our daies when the basest of men account so basely of the Ministerie as the most abiect and despised calling will it not be thought very seasonable to insist vpon the iust excellencie and dignitie of this calling can it be thought vnequall if we take more care then vsuall of freeing it from contempt which is more then euer The faithfull Ministers of Christ can and doe thinke as basely of themselues as any man can thinke or speake of them and if they aduance their calling it is not pride nor pleasure vnto them but they are compelled vnto it as Paul I was a foole to boast of my selfe but
suppressed And as the charge must be iust so it must not be frailties or infirmities that hang vpon our nature commonly corrupted but grosse and open sinnes yea and enormious crimes in the sight of the sunne the iust challenge and proofe of which disable a man from this function by this Apostolicall Canon And howsoeuer he that is the cleanest and hath washed himselfe in snow water hath his owne clothes that will pollute him yet read we of diuerse in the Scriptures that haue attained to walke without reproofe as Iob Zacharie and Elizabeth and many euen priuate Christians at this day through Gods mercie liue without crime though not any saue the Sonne of God himselfe euer liued without sinne All which open to vs the meaning of the precept Doctr. How able soeuer a man be to teach yet if he be of corrupt conuersation and scandalous in life he is not fit to be chosen for a Minister Reasons 1. Our Apostle here in the first place and more largely insisteth vpon the life of him that is to be chosen and afterwards in fewer words requireth his fitnes for doctrine and so in his charge to Timothie that he should laie hands on no man rashly addeth that some mens sinnes goe before hand and some mens sinnes follow after iudgement as though he had said more largely Vse all the circumspection thou canst yet some hypocrites will creepe into the Ministerie some are inwardly profane and such close sinners thou canst not discerne till afterward they manifest themselues others are open sinners of which thou maiest iudge aright these latter thou art to hinder the former reclaime or seasonably remooue and so salue vp the sore againe for how requisite is it that such a sweete and sauorie doctrine should be matched with a sweet and sauorie Christian conuersation 2. That such an high calling is to be graced with an vnreprooueable life was typified in the law sundrie waies as after we shall more clearely see in the positiue vertues required especially in that prohibition that none of Aarons sonnes or seed that had any blemish in him might once presse to offer before the Lord neither come neere the vaile nor stand by the Altar 3. A scandalous and obnoxious person shall neuer do good in his calling For although the things of Christ as the Word Sacraments and Doctrine depend not vpon the person of the Minister but on the ordinance of Christ neither in themselues are the worse in bad mens hands no more then a true mans peece of gold in the hand of a theife yet by our weaknes in such a mans hand they are weaker to vs and although no man can answer or warrant the refusing of pure doctrine which is not to be had in respect of persons for the spotted life of the Minister who while he sitteth in Moses chaire be he Pharisie be he hypocrite must be heard yet can it not be but that the wickednes of Helies sonnes will make the people abhorre the offerings of the Lord which what a greiuous sinne it was before the Lord see 1. Sam. 2.17 Againe how can he benefit his people whose hands are bound whose mouth is shut and cannot vtter the truth without continuall galling and sentencing of himselfe and when euery scoffer shall be readie to say to him art thou become weake like one of vs and the word shall be still returned vpon himselfe how can it be expected that he should do good amongst them Christ preuented that scoffe Phisitian heale thy selfe and Paul sheweth the dutie of euery Minister namely to minister well and the fruit of it he getteth a good report and great libertie in the faith Wherein let a Minister be wanting if he were able to speake with the tongues of men and Angels yea if he had a fierie tongue sitting on his head he shall neuer be able to preuaile with ignorant persons who must be sensibly taught and that aswell by their eie as by their eare 4. It is a most dangerous condition to himselfe to be a good teacher of a bad life for such a one is in the snare of the deuill that is when he seeth his life still more and more exprobrated and himselfe more despised euery day then other for it is iust with God that with the wicked should be reproch then he beginnes to grow so bold and impudent as that he casts off all shame and care and as one desperate and hardened in sinne prostituteth himselfe remorselesly vnto all lewdnes and vngodly conuersation Vse 1. Hence may we see the reason why the Deuill so mightily laboureth to slander the most faithfull Ministers of Christ namely that by the contempt of their persons their doctrine also might be condemned And therefore he will play at small game ere he sit out If he cannot hinder the Ministerie he can disgrace it If he cannot discontinue it he can continue a deuill still that is both an aduersarie and an accuser of it for either Christs Disciples wash not or fast not or Christ himselfe is a good companion or Iohn Baptist is too austere and precise or some natural infirmitie as Elishaes bald pate shall be cast as a rub in the way to make the Doctrine lesse welcome And all this because long experience of many ages hath taught this old serpent that the most wretched miscreant euen Herod himselfe will heare gladly Iohn Baptist if he conceiue him as he is a good and godly man carying himselfe without reproofe and exception The selfe same is the ground why he setteth himselfe in all ages to shoue in and hold in the Ministerie such persons as like vnfauorie salt are too base for the dunghil euery way for the ouerthrow of this apostolicall direction vsing and vrging most impregnable arguments drawne from affinitie affection some base and seruill demerit letters and requests of great men or gifts which blind the eyes by which and many other meanes Satans Ministers for the Apostle calleth them no better keepe out the Ministers of God What mischiefe these stratagems of Satan haue wrought in the Church we may see and bewaile and prouoke thence our prayers that the Lord would so let his kingdome come euery where that such maine pillars of Satans kingdome may be shaken and broken especially in reformed Churches which professe and auow the lifting vp of the scepter of Iesus Christ. Vse 2. Note hence what conformitie is most vrged by Christ in all his Ministers namely the â—â—iting to vncorrupt doctrine an vnblameable life by these two shall all men know who are the true Ministers sent of Christ this voice and these hands are infallible distinctions not onely of Ministers from other men but euen of Ministers among themselues and the maine and intolerable inconformitie of Ministers is the suiting of Iacobs voice with Esaus hands The Minister hath not done his dutie when he hath pointed to others the way to heauen and
or countries reformed on the suddaine No this is a worke which must first be performed by seuerall persons and so brought into families and so into townes and so into countries For otherwise let neuer so good lawes be enacted for common welths neuer so pure orders in any Church the labour is no lesse then lost But especially let the Minister looke to this that first himselfe then his house and then Gods house be reformed Vse 2. Here is a note to knowe a true professor by not to deeme him as he appeareth abroad but if thou wouldst haue the iust length of his foote follow him home from Church see how wisely he walketh in the midst of his house see whether his house be a Church how his children are ordered whether his seruants be like Cornelius his seruants and in a word whether he and his house at home serue the Lord. Doctr. 2. He that would haue the blessing of gratious children he must beginne at religion planting it in them as their tender yeares will beare training them in the institution and reformation of the Lord seasoning them with the words of pietie distilling and by little and little dropping into them seeds of holinesse and the feare of God and prouiding that they might if it were possible sucke in godlines with their mothers milke For this is the way to haue his house a little Church and house of God besides the approbation of his owne faithfulnes And that this is the dutie of parents we might be plentifull in Scriptures and reasons but briefly let euery father consider 1. that he is one cause of his childs euill he hath helped him into sinne and hath begotten him in his owne image the heathen could say that there are two maine causes in a lewd father of a lewd child 1. the euill nature and disposition of the parent 2. euill education now seeing the best of vs bring too much miserie vpon them by the former we had neede be meanes by the latter to drawe them out of it 2. This is a good ground of all other nurture and discipline teach them all the doctrine of manners all tongues together with all arts sciences yet let thē want this one discipline thou leauest them to the curse of God the ende of their liues is peruerted and in stead of beeing the staffe and ioy of thine age they shall perhaps become thy greatest scourges True it is which Salomon vttereth and which euerie parent in some measure shall say My sonne if thy heart be wise I shall reioyce whereas by the iust iudgement of God many lewde sonnes neuer come to knowe or performe dutie to parents because parents haue had small or no care to teach them dutie towards God 3. Marke how the Lord looketh vpon this dutie and accordingly blesseth or curseth fathers and children Abraham was to be a mightie nation c. and the Lord would not hide his secrets from him because he knewe he would teach his familie Gen. 18. On the contrarie Ely otherwise a good man how seuerely was he with his whole house corrected for neglect of this duty see the historie 1. Sam. 2.29 4. Euery Christian must extend his care euen to posteritie and be a meanes to leaue his children the true worshippers of God in the places where he hath liued or shall liue abroad in the world for as if we would haue the Church of God and his truth continue amongst vs we must then bring it into our houses so if we would haue it continue after vs when we are gone we must leaue it with our children that they may continue it in their houses also Quest. But wherein especially doth this dutie consist and how may we performe it Ans. It standeth in two things 1. in acquainting them with the grounds of truth necessarie to saluation and this must be done by priuate catechising 2. by bringing them to the publike assemblies so soone as they are able to sit either fruitfully or reuerently and in both these watch ouer their profiting Thus maist thou and oughtest to teach euen a child in the trade of his way Obiect But this is a vaine thing to trouble children alas what would you haue children to doe Answ. But although it may seeme to be fruitlesse while they are young yet will they remember it saith Salomon they are old teach thy child to speake well while he can but speake and when he will conceiue afterwards the sense and meaning of it 2. Thou shalt not loose thy labour for by this meanes thou shalt displace at least restraine naturall folly which is bound vp in their hearts if thou dost nothing else 3. Looke vpon the examples of godly parents Hannah brought Samuel to Heli his instructor so soone as he was weined 1. Sam. 1. Salomon was but a tender child when Dauid his father taught him and said let thy heart hold fast my words Eunica the mother of Timothie taught him the Scriptures of a child and what excellent fruits and testimonies appeared in these of their timely instruction Vse Let euerie parent resolue of the timely instruction of their children that as he hath begotten them in the flesh he may be a meanes to beget them in the faith also that as he is the father of their bodies he may also become after a sort the father of their soules also and let the mother be a nurse to the soule of her little ones as of their bodies and both fathers and mothers vse meanes that as their children waxe in bodily strength and stature so also they may growe to some strength and age in Christ Iesus But this dutie is not discouered in the fruits of it nay the practise of our youth without and on the Sabbath pointeth with the finger to that rule that is within doores throughout the weeke and if to profane the Sabbath sweare raile curse game contemne superiours be notes of faithfull children there is a number such but if these be things better beseeming the education of infidels it is a shame for professors of the Gospel to haue them so rife amongst them And what other is the next cause of the generall profanenes and dissolutenes of our age surely because men content themselues to send their children to Church and yet some scarse that and many that for a fashion that if they can meete with knowledge of God or religion there so it is but they banish it out of their houses And how infinitely doe we hereby disadvantage our selues The Papists confesse that all the ground we haue got of them is by catechizing and it is to be feared we shall loose our ground againe for want of it Iulian himselfe cannot deuise a readier meanes to banish Christian religion then by pulling downe schooles and places of education of children by chatechising And when lost the Church of Rome the soundnesse of religion but when they put downe chatechisme and set vp idols
and images the bookes of laimen and children Considering therefore the corruption of the heart which needes reformation with the soonest euen as the bodie must be framed at the first swadling and weedes plucked vp at the first peeping vp together with the commandement of God which enioyneth the parent to whet precepts vpon his children the practise of Christ calling babes vnto him and instructing his familie and lastly the benefit which hence shall redound to thy child thou leauing him the onely pearle and treasure which is likely to abide with him be not wanting in thy endeauours but giue all diligence whereby thou maist be the father not of children onely but of faithfull children Not slandered of riot As the Apostle requireth that the children of Ministers should be taught in wholesome doctrine so now by remoouing the contrarie would he haue them sutable in their manners and behauiour that euen in the Christian carriage of the children the fathers fitnes to gouerne may be approoued scandall may be avoided neither his doctrine nor life may be iustly excepted against Whence in generall may be noted that the carriage of a mans children is a great credit or disgrace to his profession which as it is true in euery professor so especially in the Minister for either the fathers glorie is seene in his gouernement or the profanenes of the children is the fathers blemish A wise sonne saith Salomon is the crowne of his father but lewd children are like Simeon and Leui which make their father otherwise a good man stinke among his inhabitants There was a lawe enacted that if any man laid slanderous things to his wife as that he found her not a virgin the woman her selfe may not followe the action in clearing her selfe against her husband least the mariage should seeme to be dissolued pendente lite but the Lord most wisely ordered that the parents should for her and why they surely because their name and honour was impeached in that their daughter was accused to be corrupted in their house and they did not their dutie in watching ouer her virginitie and accordingly as the matter was found in issue the father was dealt withall for if the defamation prooued vntrue the partie must make the father amends by giuing him an hundred shekels of siluer and yet shall he not be troubled with his daughter and if the daughter was conuicted she must be brought to her fathers doore and all Israel must stone her and the reason is added why she must be there stoned because she hath wrought follie in Israel and plaied the whore in her fathers house that is for transgressing the lawe of God violating her parents authoritie and credit and defaming her fathers house But an especiall lawe besides was made for the daughter of a Priest If a Priests daughter play the whore she polluteth her father and therefore she must be more seuerely dealt with then any other she must be burnt with fire Obiect If it be said that whosoeuer of other tribes were deprehended in the same follie were also put to death I answer yea if they were espoused or married but if virgins except a Priests daughter were not And well may the Church esteeme of a man according to the gouernment of his children seeing the Lord himselfe goeth before in this example How was Abraham honoured in his eyes in that his children were so instructed and ordered how was Ionadab graced by the Oracle of God himselfe promising that he should not want a man of his seed to stand before God for euer and all for the obedience of his sonnes testified in following their Fathers so strait iniunctions And on the contrarie how were good men blemished and dishonored for the profanes of their children as Eli is said to honour his sonnes aboue God More specially we are to consider in the precept 1. The speciall vice prohibited 2. the hatefulnes of it 3. the vse 1. Riot is a prodigall and lauish wast of a mans substance in eatings drinkings intemperance voluptuousnes vncleannes or any other filthy lust The word in the originall beeing taken from a certaine people who were wont to spend their whole daies in feeding and stuffing themselues and this was the greatest part of their care and calling whom for this cause the Grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as cannot be saued from a most desperate miserie or else such as saue nothing for themselues and their family but in the end beeing brought to extreame want and penury die most miserably 2. The hatefulnes of this sinne appeareth 1. In that it is a note of all profanes and irreligion for the text opposeth it to faithfulnesse 2. It is branded to be a course of the vnconuerted yea the verie knot of all the lusts of the Gentiles and called excesse of riot see 1. Pet. 4.4.5 3. It is not onely an enemie to religion but euen foileth all ciuill vertues as iustice temperance sobrietie peace chastitie humilitie â—â—uth c. For what is the ruffling and roysting life of a number of our gallants and lâ—stie bloods but an intemperate an vnpeaceable course beeing men of a word and a blow breathing out nothing but bigge words loud lies fearefull othes hauing so farre forfeyted all their truth and credit as they may iustly be suspected least when they speake truth they as their father the deuill doe it to deceiue not at any time conceiuing or acting but what may stand with their brutish appetite And yet these men call themselues and one another good companions and good fellowes but if euer the Lord open their eies to see their waies their owne tongues shall confesse that all this while they were so farre from the suite of Saints and good men that they were vnfit companie for honest ciuill men 4. Such an hatefull sinne this is as where it riseth to any height in children the Lord will haue the parents themselues to become both accusers and witnesses against their children and prosecute them till they see them stoned to death whereof the Lord giueth two reasons 1. to take away the euill of sinne 2. to take away the euill of infection that all others may feare by his example 3. The vse 1. Let no man that would be counted religious vphold riotousnes in his children it beeing a note of vnfaithfulnes irreligion and a tainted heart How can such parenâ—s be counted faithfull that suffer their sonnes and daughters to runne into the infamie of pride prodigalitie excesse not vsing meanes to reclaime them but rather fitting them by outward means with fewell to these flames Shall God command thee to bring out thy riotous sonne to stoning and wilt thou rather strenghthen him in this sinne 2. If the sinne be so hatefull in all mens children much more in the sonnes of Ministers against which our Apostle leuelleth And let all our youth especially Ministers sonnes of whom there are
but no commandement hath a speciall promise annexed but the fifth and therefore the Lord looketh it should more especially be respected 4. the taking vp of this dutie will be a way and meanes to wipe away the future teares and griefe of their parents in their own ruine yea a foundation and ground of the glorie of their father and the ioy of their mother and besides a seede of the obedience of their owne children to themselues if in time to come God shall vouchsafe them any for it is iust with God that lewd children who haue bin the rottennes of their parents bones should themselues be plagued with rebellious and lewd children 5. Looke vpon examples Salomon bowed to his mother though he was a king and aboue her in the throne yet he set her at his right hand nay the true Salomon Christ himselfe is said to be obedient to his parents notable was the obedience of Isaac even to the knife in the hand of his father and a liuely type of Christ who was obedient to his heauenly father and that vnto the death Whereas on the contrarie disobedient children neuer escaped vnpunished as in the examples of Cham Absolom Reuben Ophni Phineas Abimelech and many others as we might plentifully explane And looke what dutie the Lord requireth to naturall Parents the like also is due to those who are in stead of fathers and mothers as stepfathers tutors masters Ruth loued Naomi her mother in lawe and claue vnto her as vnto her owne mother the sonnes of the Prophets obeyed their masters as their owne fathers Elisha spake of Eliah my father my father 2. Kin. 2.12 this lesson if it were so heedefully regarded as it might would be of speciall vse in this place aboue all other in the land besides wherein so many youth miscarrie euen for this because they cast off the yoke and willingly knowe no dutie nor subiection to superiours tutors and those who are in stead of parents vnto them The second point here to be noted is that the cause of lewdnes of sons is for the most part the indulgence or other want of gouernement in the parents for this the Apostle implyeth when he measureth the fitnesse of the fathers gouernement by the carriage of the children for can fathers let their reine loose to libertie and licentiousnes and the sonnes feeling the reine in their neckes not runne riot at their pleasure and fling out and kicke like a colt in a fat pasture knowing neither owner nor feeder and doe not many fathers deserue to haue their eies plucked out by their children who for want of gouernement cause their childrens eies to be picked but by the rauens of the valley some neuer had the feare of God themselues and cannot teach their children the wayes of God nay many hate Gods feare in themselues and in their children and in all Gods children whence by a secret iudgement of God it is that as they taught them no dutie towards their heauenly father so they denie all dutie not seldome to their earthly paâ—ents Others may not displease their children and so either are fond and loose their authoritie not chastening theÌ„ while there is hope or else they pamper them as men do the beasts they would feed vp and not seasonably breake them or else by mild reproofes they rather cocker and beare them in their sinnes then correct them as Eli did or else if they be but crept out of childishnesse oh then they are past the rod Parents must haue their children counted men when they are but boyes and neuer so fit for the schoole and discipline by all which meanes they bring in the ende mischiefe on their children and shame vpon themselues this indulgence in Dauid was the ouerthrowe almost of all his children but especially noted in the fall of Adoniah his father would not displease him from his childhood to say what hast thou done Yea but parents say what would you haue vs doe they be but young and youth must haue a time and we may not euer be dulling them with correction their owne rodde will beate them well enough in time and soone ripe will be soone rotten To whom I say I would haue you to consider the state of your children and the great measure of follie that is bound vp in their hearts which the rod of correction only can driue out 2. To knowe that if children get head while they are so they are likely to hold it when they are stronger note the speach of Salomon Euen a child maketh himselfe knowne in his works whether his worke be good and pure that is you may reade and gesse in a child how his course is likely to prooue afterwards we reade of good children that became good men seldome or neuer of wicked children altered it is not more commonly then wickedly said young Saints old deuils but truer it is that seldome doe young deuills become old Saints 3. That it is the note of a fleshly minde in thee to loue nothing but thine owne flesh in thy children and to carrie no loue to their soules nay it is not loue but hatred which spareth the rodde or call it loue if thou wilt it is a cruell loue cruell I say 1. to thy child 2. to thy selfe 1. to him because thou neglecting his timely correction the Lord either causeth him to fall into the hand of the Magistrate the father of the countrie or else takes him into his owne hand to controll or else cut off whereas thy rodde might haue giuen him wisdome and thy timely rebuke might haue deliuered his soule from hell that is his life from the graue 2. to thy selfe for we seldome read but that the darling child was the sorrowe and shame to the parents according to that of the wise man a child let alone to himselfe shameth his mother and God hath most crossed his children in their children best beloued to teach them to loue all of them in good measure Neither in all this would I haue parents to prouoke or exasperate their children as Saul did Ionathan 1. both by an vniust commandement to deliuer his friend and an innocent to death as 2. by an vndeserued reproach calling him the sonne of an harlot and 3. by a furious action of casting his dart at him to slay him which made Ionathan rise and leaue him Neither yet doe I here exact the forfeyt of euery offence in the child as neither the Lord doth of his children knowing that the child is the fathers owne bowells and that the parent after a sort suffreth with the child and sometimes God himselfe threatneth and forbeareth and warneth his owne children as Exod. 32.34 But yet this precept enioyneth parents so seasonably to breake their childrens corrupt desires as that they be farre from disobedience to God or themselues and therefore that is a worthy precept of Salomon to euery parent read according to the best translation
Be thou great in the feruencie of thine anger in forgiuing a fact that is shew thy great indignation against that sinne the correction of which for the present thou forbearest saying that is threatning that if thou shalt deliuer him thou wilt further punish him afterwards And thus trayning them in obedience at home it will become thy glorie and their beautie abroad Whereas the cause that now they swagger and are masterlesse abroad is because they were neuer well mastered at home and the reason why now in mans estate perhaps vnder a faithfull ministrie they are so incorrigible is because in their youth they bare no yoke were not inured with corrections Fathers affoarded no helpe to the Ministers by their good education and therefore now good meanes cannot preuaile with them Verse 7. For a Bishop must be vnreprooueable as Gods steward not froward not angrie not giuen to wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre The Apostle in the former verse hauing spoken of those positiue vertues required in the priuate life of euery Minister in the former part of this verse he enforceth them by reasons and in the latter part reckneth vp many vices from all which he must be free if he will be vnblameable The reasons are two the former of which is included in the change of the name a Bishop the latter propounded in a comparison He is Gods steward In both which regards his care must be doubled that he may walke vnblameable before his people For the former of these to vnderstand it the better we must consideâ— two things 1. the signification of the name 2. the force of the argument By the name Bishop he meaneth those whom before he called Elders and throughout the new Testament it is indifferently giuen to all teaching elders that is Pastors and Ministers and so is here to be taken A title well knowne in the Apostles daies in the tongue then commonly vsed to betoken a painfull office and a diligent labour borrowed from such as are set in the watchtowers o◠〈◊〉 oâ— campes to espie and by a loud voice or sound of a trumpet or otherwise by a bell or warning peece to discouer and signifie the approaching of the enemie for such were properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or watchmen and from hence the name was by the Heathen translated to signifie such gods as they conceiued the patrons of their countries or cities yea by the spirit of God in the Scriptures to signifie Magistrats so calling them to put them in minde of that care and charge which heauily lieth vpon them And yet more frequently and fitly it is attributed to the Pastors and teachers of the Church Not onely the great Pastor and Archbishop of our soules 1. Pet. 5.4 and the Apostles Act. 1.20 but to other pastors and teachers who in so many places as so many cities of God are set as on a hill to descrie and with the voice of Christ in the word as with so many siluer trumpets at their mouthes giue warning of those most cruell and fierce enemies and spirituall wickednesses which seeke the vtter subuersion of the Church the Citie of God And that thus the word must needs generally be taken in the new Testament appeareth Phil. 1.1 where the Apostle writeth to many Bishops in one citie Philipi and Act. 20.28 speaketh to many Bishops in one citie of Ephesus and here the Apostles argument and context can admit no other acception How this generall title came after to be restrained it is not so pertinent and profitable to discourse The learned may see it in Ierome vpon the place As for my selfe as before I promised in the title of Elders I mind not to trouble the peace of the Church about names and titles Doctr. This very name fastneth vpon euery Minister this maine dutie namly to keep watch in his charge ouer the soules of his people to discouer vnto them both Gods affection vnto them and their estate with God Thus the Prophets beeing the Bishops of the old Testament are called not only watchmen Ezech. 3.17 and Seers 1. Sam. 9.9 but Gods Trumpetters Isa. 58.1 and their successors in the new Testament are called not only eyes and light of the bodie Matth. 6.22 but also voices as Iohn Baptist was the voice of the 〈◊〉 Mark 1.3 Ioh. 1.23 And yet the word considered 〈◊〉 the composition of it betokeneth a more intent watchfulnes instantly considering the wants and necessities of the Church for the seasonable supplie of the same by feeding and by ruling which we read seldome separated in the Scriptures See Act. 20.28 Heb. 13.17 1. Tim. 5.17 1. Pet. 5.1 Thus must euery Minister whom the Lord hath made an ouerseer of his people watch their soules as those who must be counteable for them for if they die for want of food and be famished or else for want of ordering of admonition reprehension correction and censures according to Christs holy institution there blood shall be required at the Pastors hand for looke what charge Ahab had concerning Benhadad the same hath euery Minister concerning euery soule committed vnto him Keepe this man if he be lost and want namely by thy default thy life shall goe for his life See also Ezech. 3.18.19 Vse 1. Whence it will follow that looke how vnfit blind or dumb men are for a watchtower so vnfit are vnlearned and vnpreaching Ministers for their places How can he be called an eye that hath no eye how can he be called a voice that is dumb how vnfaithfull is the sleepie watchman who that he may haue ease careth not to betraie an whole citie How dangerous are they both for if the eye be dark how great is this darknes if the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch By both of them vision faileth and by both of them people perish See for this purpose a notable allusion Isa. 56.9.10 where the Lord compareth his Church to a flocke of sheepe the Priests and Prophets to shepheards and shepheards dogges the enemies of the Church to wolues and wilde beasts and beeing offended with his people he calleth all the beasts of the feild and forrest to deuoure and rauin that is the Chaldeans Assyrians Antiochus and the Romans by all whom they were diuersly oppressed and the reason is added because the watchmen were all asleepe the doggs were sleepie and greedie dumb and barked not ease tooke vp some couetousnes others and therefore no remedie if those that should driue away enemies from the Lords folds cannot be at leisure to espie the danger but a fearefull spoile and destruction most needs befall such a people Which if it be so then let euery Minister stirre vp his watchfulnes and care and though the faithfull discharge of his dutie cannot but purchase him the malice of many yâ—â— let him be conâ—ent to make exchange of such freinds and freindship with the fauour of God who as he hatâ—
who thinke it Christianitie enough to be harmelesse ciuill or neighbourly men or if they can say with the Pharisie I am not thus and thus an oppresser an vsuâ—er nor as such and such precise and nice fellowes who are as much hated of them as euer were the Publicans of the Pharisies I pay my Church duties and giue euerie man his owne and this is the religion of the common Protestant But suppose thou wert thus guiltles as thou saist yet art thou not yet halfe a Christian for the Apostle Peter writing to beleeuers enioyneth them not onely to flie the corruptions that are in the world through lust but moreouer to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and patience and godlines and brotherly kindnesse and loue and addeth two reasons 1. If these things be in you and abound c. teaching that without these positiue vertues all the knowledge of Iesus Christ and consequently his profession is idle and vnfruitfull 2. If any haue them not he is blind and cannot see a farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged that is such a one seeth but a little in heauenly things and little regardeth that couering and curing of sinne goe together nor that remission and purging of sinne goe with sanctification of life and studie of well doing and consequently can be no Christian which agreeth with Christs owne posession that if any abide in him he cannot choose but bring forth much fruit Againe it shall not be enquired in the last iudgement what thou art not nor iudgement passe according to that thou hast not but what art thou what hast thou hast thou receiued the spirit of Iesus Christ if thou hast not the spirit of Christ thou art none of his hast thou reciued the fruits of that spirit such as are loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnesse faith meekenes temperance If any haue the spirit of Christ it is life in him vnto righteousnesse these shall shewe the faith of thy heart and that thou art a sound Christian and not in shewe as the most content themselues to be Now to come neerer the vertue it selfe the word signifieth one friendly to strangers and readie to lodge and entertaine them a dutie much commended in the Scriptures vnto all Christians as a sweete fruit of liberalitie but vnto the Minister especially as a father and president vnto the flocke In the precept consider foure points 1. The occasion of it 2. whether it bindeth euerie Minister and how farre 3. the reasons enforcing it 4. the vse First the ground of it was the distressed estate and condition of the Church which by reason of many tyrants and persecutors was driuen into many straights partly perceiued in present and partly foreseene by the propheticall spirit of the Apostle not onely in the tenne persecutions then imminent but also in the seuerall afflictions in the world in which they were to finde tribulation euen to the ende of it For as it is in this aspectible world which is subiect to so many changes and mutations because it standeth in the vicissitudes of yeares moneths daies nights so much more is it in the spirituall world of the Church which in the earth is acquainted with her winter as well as summer her nights as well as dayes somtimes the sunne of righteousnesse most comfortably shining and imparting his heate and light by his neere approach vnto her yea and sometimes there be two sunnes in this firmament for together with the sunne of the Church the sunne of the world affoardeth warme and comfortable dayes for the full beautie libertie and glorie of the Church But sometimes againe this sunne departeth in dispeasure and carrieth the sunne of the world with him then is a blacke winter of the Church nothing but stormes and tempests persecutions and trialls one in the necke of another and scarse one faire gleame betweene Now in such times the poore Church is driuen to trauell for rest and the innocent doue of Christ cannot finde in her owne land any rest for the sole of her foote well may she flie abroad to seeke her securitie In all which times euerie Christian is bound by this and such like precepts to giue her harbour and safe conduct till the dash and storme be ouer Besides suppose the Church in generall at her best estate yet the particular members of the Church are for most part poore and needie and euen then subiect to many troubles for keeping the faith and good consciences by meanes whereof they are often driuen from house and home and sometime are in banishment and exile sometime in prison and bonds all whom the Lord commendeth to the charitable and Christian deuotion of Christian men and bindeth them to the cheerefull receiuing and releeuing of them in such necessitie let them be strangers yet if they be of the houshold of faith they haue right to harbour and releefe and in the practise of this dutie the Apostle requireth that the Minister be the foreman Secondly It will be inquired whether euerie minister must be harborous and hospitable and if he must what shall become of them whose liuings are scarce able to harbour themselues and much more of the swarmes of our tenne-pound men and verie many scarse halfe that to maintaine their familie it seemeth that euerie Minister ought to be a rich man Ans. It is not for me to prescribe any thing in the Church constitutions concerning Impropriations and Nonresidencie the former whereof were they restored to the Church and the latter remooued out of the Church no doubt there were but that sufficient ministers might be sufficiently maintained furnished to hospitalitie through the land But this I say that the poorest Minister may not exempt himselfe from this dutie neither is altogether disabled from it a poore man may be mercifull and comfortable to the distressed some way or other as if with Peter and Iohn he haue not money nor gold nor meate to giue yet such as he hath he can giue he can giue counsell prayers and affoard his best affections such cups of cold water shall not be vnaccepted nor vnrewarded of him whose propertie is to accpet a man according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not where he seeth a readie minde Thus must that place 1. Tim. 5.10 be vnderstood such widowes as were to be receiued into the seruice of the Church were to be chosen of such as had beene hospitable and harberous Now in all likelihood many of them if not the most were verie poore and had no great matters to be liberall of therfore the Apostle seemeth in the next words to declare wherein this hospitalitie might be shewed euen by such as had knowne want namely if they had performed bodily labour vnto them washed the Saints feete bestowed their best affections and chearefull labour for their releefe and thus might these poore widowes
like that widdow Luk. 21.2 casting in their two mites into Gods treasurie finde more acceptance with him then many rich men in giuing greater beneuolences to the distressed Saints Thirdly the reasons enforcing this precept vpon the Minister especially are these 1. In regard of strangers he must take vp this dutie whether they be strangers from the faith that hereby he might winne them to the loue of true religon which they see to be so mercifull and liberall or else if they be converted much more that he may comfort and confirme such as are banished or otherwise euill entreated for the confession and profession of the truth for if euery Christian much more must the Minister be affected to those that are in bonds as though himselfe were bound with them and consequently looke what kindnesse he would receiue if he were in their condition the same to his power hee is to bestowe vpon them 2. In regard of his owne people vpon whom by this meanes he sealeth his doctrine sundrie waies but especially if he keepe open house for the poore Christians in want he bindeth the soules of such receiuers to obey the word and encourageth them by his entertainment in their entertainment of the Gospell Which is the reason rendred by Hezekiah why the people must giue the Priests a portion of their offerings to encourage them in the lawe of the Lord. And thus by both these meanes the Minister by receiuing the poore members of Christ becommeth a great helpe vnto the truth which dutie is imposed euen vpon euerie Christian by the Apostle Iohn 3. Ep. 8. Fourthly the vse 1. It teacheth that it were to be wished that the maintenance of euerie Minister were competent certaine and proper vnto himselfe that he might haue wherewith to performe this so necessarie a dutie 2. In regard of poore strangers to stirre vp ministers and people to a liberall heart towards them all but especially if they be such as the land of whose owne possessions beeing vncleane come ouer vnto the land of the possession of the Lord wherein the Lords tabernacle dwelleth Pittie it is that hauing such a clowd of examples in the Scriptures to lead vs in this dutie yet that it should be so farre out of request How fewe children hath Abraham the father of our faith among vs who sit in the doore of their tent to watch for and enforce strangers to receiue their best entertainment Few be our Lots who will vndergoe any losse any indignity before strangers shall sustaine any harme at all he will offer his owne daughters to their violence he will vse reasons they had knowne no man and that which would haue perswaded any but the Sodomites hee vsed last that they were strangers and were come vnder his roofe Few Iobs who will not suffer the stranger to lodge in the streete but open their doores to him that passeth by the way Gaius hath fewe followers who was Pauls host and the host of the whole Church he was no inkeeper but his house was as open as any inne to receiue distressed Christians Fewe women of account imitate the Shunamite who constrained Elisha as he passed by to turne in and eate bread that consult with their husbands to trimme vp some little roome for the men of God and to set them vp a bed and a table a stoole and a candlesticke nay I wish that euen the old Gentiles themselues might not be induced to the shame of Christians who so religiously obserued this dutie that of all other vertues they made their greatest god Iupiter the patron of it and called him therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as we abound with examples so we might be plentifull in reasons and motiues to prouoke our hearts hereunto but to auoid prolixitie I will name these foure 1. It is a notable fruite and testimonie of faith which worketh by loue vnto all but especially towards the houshold of faith So soone as Lydias heart was touched and she baptized marke how heartily she inviteth Paul and Silas to her house If yea haue counted mee faithfull come into my house and abide with mee and she constrained vs Act. 16.15 2. It is a fruitefull and gainefull course of Christianitie neuer any lost by it Some hereby saith the Apostle haue receiued Angels as Abraham and Lot and with them the one had besides the promise of a sonne the destruction of Sodome reuealed vnto him and the other had deliuerance from the same And surely such strangers as of whom we speake namely poore Christians bring no small good with them That woman of Shunem that receiued the Prophet had aboue a Prophets reward the promise and gift of a sonne when she was olde and the raising of him to life when he was dead Iacob being hunted from home Laban receiueth him and is blessed for his sake Rahab entertaineth the Spies sent from home and not only she but all her family is saued in the sacking of Ierico Ioseph beeing sould from home Egypt receiueth him and all the Land was preserued by him Gaius his loue was testified to the Church in his time but is commended in the Church through all ages What good our selues haue gotten by strangers amongst vs we should be vnthankefull not to acknowledge the blessing of the poore hath light vpon vs and we haue a long time fared better for affording harbor to the poore Saints of God which haue come a farre vnto vs. 3. Consider that our selues may become strangers for the earth is the Lords and he may giue our Land to other inhabitants and make our selues strangers and then we would looke for more kind entreatie then a number shew toward strangers And lastly if that be a strong reason of the Lord Lev. 10.19 Loue the stranger for yee were strangers it bindeth vs much more who all of vs are strangers and pilgrims here vpon earth not hauing here any continuing citie but we looke for one to come Heb. 13.14 Obiect But some may be dissemblers and wicked men whom we may receiue for brethren and Disciples and not knowing a man I may be abused and loose both my gift and reward Answ. Christian wisedom and Christian loue must goe hand in hand But here is a case in which charitie must ouerrule the matter and that is not suspicious but hopeth the best of euery one where there is no euident proofe or presumption to the contrarie And if thou receiue a Minister distressed in the name of a Minister or a priuate distressed man in the name of a righteous man and giue him but a cup of cold water with a good heart in that thou thinkest he belongeth to Christ let him be what he will at his owne perill thou loosest neither gift nor reward Christ hath vndertaken to repay it thee thou performest a fruit of faith which shall further thy reckoning Vse 3. If strangers by this precept may challenge harbor much more may
the poore members of Christ amongst our selues If a stranger who is cast out of house and home for the profession of Christ ought to be releeued much more our owne suffering in good causes whether bonds or imprisonment losse of liuing banishment or whatsoeuer they suffer if for keeping good conscience And the like is to be said of our aged feeble and impotent poore who haue beene in many places of the Land pittilessely neglected and despised so farre as notwithstanding the wholesome lawes prouided in that behalfe some of them haue beene suffered to pine and die in the streets for want of harbor and releefe The Lord lay not this sinne among other vnto our charge Now when we call rich men to reserue some portion of their wealth to such godly vses oh no they will cast their bread on no such waters and they finde no abilitie to doe any thing this way this were to weaken their estate and to straine themselues so as they should not be able to hold out Which no doubt were the reasonings of the Corinths whom the Apostle that he might stirre them vp to beneficence and liberalitie towards the Saints wisheth them to consider what Christ had done for them he strained himselfe and was content when he was rich to become poore for them Christ weakned another manner of estate for vs then any man can for him he left all his glorie for vs but how few will leaue their shame their trash their couetous and voluptuous lusts for him and to such as aske where they should haue to hold out if they should be so readie to distribute he answereth in the 9. chapter following the same argument that the Lord findeth seed to the sower and he maketh men rich to all liberalitie vers 10 11. Others obiect and say but such a one hath offended me or I know this or that by him or he deserueth no such thing at my hands Answ. But take heed this be not a churlish Nabals answer to Dauids iust request spoken out of partiall couetousnes rather then as the truth of the thing is Againe let the person be what he will looke thou on Gods image in him this offends thee not iniuries thee not is not vndeseruing of thy loue and the fruite of it and if thou giue not to the man giue to manhood in him and consider that he may be a partner in the grace of life with thee Reasons 1. Hereby thou art like God he sparseth abrode he vnweariably giueth good to good and bad straine thy selfe so thou expresse this vertue of his 2. What thou giuest to Christian men thou giuest to Christ himselfe If Christ were on earth againe doubtles rich men would send to know his wants and store him with presents Now we haue not himselfe with vs but the poore we shall alwaies haue to shew our affection to Christ in who hath said in that yee doe it to one of these little ones that beleeue in me yee haue done it vnto me 3. An hard man had rather lend to one that is able to repay him then giue to such an one as is not If thou wilt not giue any thing to Christ by giuing to the poore lend vnto him and he will become thy pay-master 4. Because many would giue vnto others but for feare of wanting themselues marke the promise of blessing Prou. 11.25 The liberall person shall haue plentie and he that watereth shall haue raine and vers 24. There is that scattereth and is more encreased on the contrarie he that spareth more then right commeth to pouertie and he that turneth his eare from the crie of the poore himselfe shall crie and not be heard and iudgement mercilesse belongeth vnto him that sheweth no mercie I would to God all this would bring on our rich men who will doe nothing for the honour of God but halfe the way that the Macedonians were come vnto who bestowed to the vse of the poore Saints to their abillitie yea euen beyond their abillitie but till men learne to giue themselues first to the Lord and then to his Ministers as they did it will neuer be done that is till they giue vp themselues to obey God teaching them such duties in the mouthes of his Ministers A lover of goodnesse Hauing exhorted to the doctrine of beneficence and liberallitie to the poore Saints Now the Apostle perswadeth vnto the ground from whence that must rise for otherwise it will prooue rather a shadow or carkase of a vertue then a vertue or true grace it selfe which perhapps may profit another but not ones selfe This ground is true Christian loue of which the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 13.3 If I giue all my goods away to the poore and want loue it profiteth me nothing and therefore I thinke it is rather to be read a louer of good men seeing the word in the originall beareth well either reading True it is that these two are neuer to be abstracted one from another for good men are to be loued for their goodnes and whosoeuer loueth goodnes loueth good men as he that hateth good men hateth goodnes it selfe yet of these two the context seemeth to fauour and carie vs to the latter For as the Apostle would haue the Minister harberous so would he haue his house an harbour not for idle and voluptuous much lesse vitious persons but for good men and besides there is another word more fit to expresse the former sence as Beza obserueth By good men are vnderstood those vnto whom the Lord hath imparted and communicated his goodnes not generall goodnes which he extendeth ouer all his creatures but his speciall grace in Christ whereby he embraceth a small number in comparison of the whole masse of mankind whom of the children of wrath he chuseth to the adoption of sonnes on whom he stampeth his owne image and so maketh them both louely to himselfe and worthy to be loued of vs also Now for the better vnderstanding of the precept two questions are to be resolued 1. Whether good men only are to be loued and not euill Answ. As God is good vnto all Psal. 145.9 but especially to Israel and those of a pure heart Psal. 73.1 yea as he loued vs when we were enemies but much more now beeing reconciled by the death of the Sonne so is the commandement directed vnto vs to loue and doe good vnto all but especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. Besides this word seemeth to eye such an inward affection as draweth into the fellowship companie and conuersation of another in whom for some goodnes appearing it delighteth and vnto whom it would still draw some degrees nearer Whence thus we may fasten the dutie more surely vpon our selues I am indeed bound to loue all men in respect of Gods image humanitie and common nature and the common law of nature seeing I my selfe were I neuer so bad would be loued of all yea and in regard
that they may participate with me in the same grace of life but how much more then such as are not men only but good men who haue Gods image renewed vpon them Saints by calling such as excell in vertue how should not all my delight in comparison be set vpon these If I must manifest my loue to all men these may well challenge brotherly kindnesse see 2. Pet. 1.7 2. Quest. Whether this precept belongeth only to Ministers or no Ans. It is here directed vnto the Minister and commended to his practise in the first place as a speciall both helpe and ornament to his calling and person both to shew himselfe a freind and familiar companion of all them that feare God for such as a mans companion is such is himselfe as also to confirme encourage and whet vp himselfe and others in all the waies of God not only by his publike Ministerie but in his priuate course and conuersation For by this meanes Pastor and people would not liue estranged but by mutuall conuersing together and receiuing mutuall knowledge one of anothers course gifts and wants might receiue also mutuall admonition instruction strength And thus the worke of God would thriue in all their hands And what an encouragement would it be to pietie and vertue if publike persons would cherish those who are comming forward Surely if the Magistrates eie be on them that are faithfull in the land as Dauids was Psal. 101. and if the Minister be a companion of all them that feare God as euerie Timothie ought to be we should see men flie as clowds for multitude and as the doues for swiftnes vnto the windowes of the Church But yet this commandement beeing no other in the owne essence then that old generall commandement giuen to the whole Church from the beginning as also that new commandement that is renewed by Christs appearing by which although many lawes were antiquated and reuersed yet this lawe of loue of the brethren was reuiued and diuersly enforced it of necessitie belongeth to euerie one that professeth the Lord Iesus in the most inward closet of his heart and affections to carie such as are members of the bodie of Christ sonnes of God temples of the holy Ghost and heires of the kingdome of glorie Now the reasons enforcing it vpon both Ministers and people are these 1. Because the Lord hath deerely loued such as here he commendeth to our loue for these he hath giuen his onely beloued Sonne vnto these he hath giuen his spirit for these he hath prepared glorie and imortalitie he walketh with them protecteth them prouideth for them in a word will not be in heauen without them 2. There is no man so vile but he professeth he loueth God now it is certaine that whosoeuer delighteth in God he delighteth in his image wheresoeuer he see it for he that loueth him that begat cannot hate him that is begotten and he that loueth not the brethren knoweth not God is in the darkenes and not in the light and in saying he loueth God he lyeth and the truth is not in him neither can a man cleaue any otherwise to the bodie of Christ then by loue to the brethren 3. Consider how louely the societie and fellowship of the Saints is In their meetings a man may be holâ—en forward in knowledge faith and obedience and depart thence wiser and better he may haue the vse of all the graces God hath bestowed vpon them his owne grace is preserued with increase his inward peace and ioy more setled here is the communion of Saints which is the beginning of heauen it selfe Vse 1. Many Ministers herein faile who beeing men of corrupt minds and affections oppose themselues against good men if there be any in their parishes more carefull of their waies more conscionable more forward in religion then other these are as beames in their eyes the obiects of most bitter invectiues in the meane time they giue their right hands of fellowship vnto loose and base fellowes who ought to be as vile in their eyes as they are in themselues whom I wish timely to consider that it was alwaies noted for an infallible propertie of a false prophet to strengthen the hands of sinners cast downe such as they ought to haue spoken peace vnto from the Lord. 2. Although the Lord hath by most straite iniunctions prouided for the welfare of his children not onely in regard of their safetie but their louing entertainement also in the world with acknowledgement of all such offices of loue done vnto himselfe and of which himselfe will become the rewarder yet notwithstanding according to the prophecie of the Lord of the holy Prophets In the world good men doe and shall sustaine affliction their good shall be returned with euill to the great affliction of their soules and the world which knoweth not but to loue her owne taketh no notice of such but to hate them and hated they are and shall be of all men almost for the name of Christ. Hence haue such in all ages were they Prophets Apostles or Christians of whom the world was vnworthie beene thought burdens vnworthie to be borne or liue in the world Here one Caine casts down his countenance vpon him whose works he seeth better then his owne he cannot giue him a good looke An other wagges his head at such a man as the Iewes did against Christ in derision of him An other is readie to burst for anger and rage as those wicked ones against Steuen Sometimes superiours breath out slaughter and threatning as Saul against the Church Sometimes equalls yea and inferiours trie them by scornings and mockings so as Ieremie himselfe shall heare the reuilings of many against him Nay the base multitude shall tell Christ himselfe that he dealt with a deuill And Satans mallice is so like it selfe in his instruments that if it be laid in their power they proceede to drawe the sword and stretch out their hand as Herod against Iames to take away their liues and euen in killing them thinke they doe God good seruice But how good were it for them to haue nothing to doe against such iust men for who deale they against or against whom doe they rise vp against simple men no surely but against God himselfe him they persecute him they blaspheame the apple of his eie they poare in Now who euer rise vp against God and prospered or who euer kicked against such prickes and bruised not himselfe Is not he eternall to outliue all his enemies Herod the Archenemie of Christ dyeth but the enemie of Christs enemies is euer liuing And is not his wrath the messenger of death cannot his power grinde his enemies to powder or shall not his right hand finde them out Againe thou art for the present a cursed man that louest not good men marke the terrible threatning I will curse them that curse thee so as what thou intendest against them shall fall vpon thine owne
of iniquitie and therefore depart from me Holy This holinesse respecteth God himselfe his worship his holy things as the word sacraments prayer his sabbaths his sanctuarie in all which the Minister ought to be an example of holinesse and yet not onely in these but in his whole conuersation also The commandement is generall to all Gods people be ye holy for I am holy which requireth both the internall sanctification of the heart and the externall symbolls and profession of the same But more necessarie is it yet for the Minister to be cloathed with these robes of holinesse both that inward which standeth in getting and keeping faith and good conscience and that outward which consisteth in a religious and strict course of life And yet this must not be so taken as that holinesse is so essentiall to a minister as that he cannot be a Minister that wanteth it for Iudas may be a disciple and a deuill too but that it is a dangerous estate vnto himselfe and hurtfull to others for him to be destitute of it How necessarie it is for men to put off their shoes that is their vnsanctified lusts and affectons before they come to stand vpon such holy ground I will take a little paines out of the Scriptures to demonstrate and then make some vse of it To omit the extraordinarie ministerie and Ministers of the old Testament as the Prophets some of whom were sanctified in the wombe and others had their lippes touched with a coale from the altar to remooue their pollution the ordinarie Ministers in the sanctuarie and temple were 1. Leuites 2. Priests 3. the high Priest Many things were required in the setting apart to their service the lowest of these which were after a sort furthest remooued from God whose seat was in the Sanctuarie but many more to the sanctification of the higher and those that approached nearer or next of all As first the Leuites were inferiour to the Priests as whose office was to serue vnder them to helpe to carrie the tabernacle and vtensils of it to keepe watch for the safetie of it together with the holy vessels and instruments to helpe them in killing the beasts for sacrifice although they might not meddle in offering them vnto the Lord yea as inferiours to the superious they paid vnto the Priests the tenth of their tenths And yet what a number of rites and ceremonies did the Lord enioyne to be performed before these could be admitted to these inferiour seruices first in the tabernacle and after in the Temple As first they must be of one peculiar tribe peculiar by Gods owne election for the first borne of all Israel Numb 3.13 2. Whereas the congregation was not numbred but from 20. yeares old and aboue Num. 1.3 for till then they were not apt to goe to warre the Leuites must be numbred euerie male from a moneth old and aboue Num. 3.15 not because they were then fit for seruice but that they must then be brought before the Lord and set apart to his seruice euen from the beginning of their daies 3. They must not be presented before the Lord before the 33. day of their age for till then they were legally impure and vnsanctified Leu. 12.3 but after this time they must growe on to the thirteth yeare which was the first yeare of this seruice Numb 4.43 at which time they must be taken from among the children of Israel and set apart to the Lord Num. 8.6 And further in this separation there were two things more for 1. they must be purged and then consecrated Their purification was 1. by sprinkling purification water vpon them 2. by washing their clothes 3. by shauing the haire of their whole bodies 4. by preparing two bullocks the one for a burnt offring the other for a sinne offering for them see for these Num. 8.8 Their consecration stood likewise in foure things 1. After all this preparation in drawing them neerer to the Lord v. 9. 2. In the imposition of the Israelites hands vpon them freely giuing them from themselues to the Lord and his seruice vers 10. 3. In Aarons receiuing them of the people and shaking them before the Lord v. 11. as such as now being mancipated to his seruice were to goe and come at his becke as also such as who daily were to shake off that corruption which hindred thē in their callings 4. By laying their hands on the heads of the two bullocks prepared acknowledging the expiation of their owne sinnes and in way of thankefulnesse now wholly offring themselues vnto that seruice When all these rites were performed they were admitted to administer and not before Secondly the Priests the sonnes of Aaron whose office was to teach the people the doctrine receiued from God to pray for themselues and the people to blesse them and offer sacrifices for them had yet more state in their consecration for besides many of the former rites as imposition of hands their shaking before the Lord and the sacrifices common with the former 1. In the election of such a one more care was had no deformed man no man wanting or abounding with any member no blind or blemished person might come so neere vnto the Lord. 2. In his consecration he must not haue his garments washed as the other but must haue newe garments put vpon him Exod. 28.41 neither must he be sprinkled as the Leuites with holy water but with holy oyle and blood from the altar and thus must he be consecrated seuen dayes Exo. 29.30 3. In his office he may not lament for the dead of his people no not for the Prince but onely for those that are neerest of blood in his owne house Leuit. 21.3 he may not marrie a whore nor a woman diuorced or one polluted v. 7. the reason of all this is because he must be holy to the Lord. 4. In his failing and offending he must haue more clensing then many other men before he cā be admitted vnto his seruice for his sinne cannot be put away without a whole bullocke Leu. 4.2 and no more was required for the expiating of the sinne of the whole congregation v. 14. and the blood of the bullocke must be sprinkled seuen times before the Lord for the Priest as well as for the whole congregation implying that the Lord requireth as much sanctitie in one Priest as in all the people Thirdly as for the high Priest both in that he was a more eminent type of Christ as also came nearer the Lord then all the other euen into the holy of holies he must haue peculiar garments made by cunning men filled with the spirit of wisedome euen beautifull and glorious Exod. 28.3 in these he must be consecrated in these he must stand before the Lord in one part of which namely the frontlet which was put vpon his forehead must be written holinesse to the Lord that by the Lords appointment that might be most conspicuous Againe
into admiration to see the gifts giuen them knowing them to be vnlearned Act. 4.13 or else they were most fearce and bloodie enemies as Paul whom the Hebrewes could not beleeue that he was become a Preacher of that truth he had persecuted vntill the Lord gaue further testimonie of him Act. 9.26 3. The matter of this word is an euerlasting truth the Law an eternall rule of righteousnesse as ancient as God himselfe the Gospel an euerlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 containing promises of eternall truth which shall haue their stabillitie after heauen and earth shall be no more besides such assured articles of faith concerning God in the three persons and the Church of God that if an Angel from heauen should come and teach another doctrine he must be accursed Moreouer such diuine prophecies and predictions together with the exact accomplishments although some hundreths yea thousands of yeares passed betweene as by this one part sufficient euidence may be gathered of the faithfulnesse and steadfastnes of the whole 4. The forme of it which is the conformitie of it with God himselfe maketh it appeare that if God be faithfull this his word must needs also be so in that it resembleth him in his omnipotencie for this power and arme of God neuer returneth in vaine but doth all the worke of it In his wisedome giuing most perfect and sure directions resoluing all doubtfull cases and making wise vnto saluation In his puritie and perfection beeing an vndefiled and perfect law In his omniscience it searcheth the heart discouereth the thoughts deuideth betweene the marrowe and bone Heb. 4.12 In his iudgement acquitting beleeuers to whom it is a sweete sauour of life to life condemning Infidels both here and much more at the last day Ioh. 13.48 In his truth and veritie as here and Coloss. 1.5 it is called the word of truth 5. The ends shew the certaintie and faithfulnes of it it beeing the onely meanes of regeneration 1. Pet. 1.21 of begetting faith Rom. 10. and consequently both of freeing men from hell and damnation and of assuring them of that freedome the onely word that can supplie sound and firme consolation yea setled and assured comfort vnto distressed consciences none of which ends could it euer attaine if it selfe were vnsound and vncertaine Now as it carrieth with it all these grounds so are there without it a nūber more wherby we may confirme the same truth as 1. It is the foundatiō of the church Eph. 2.20 against which if hell gates could euer preuaile the Church were vtterly sunke 2. Hereunto hath the Lord tyed his Church as to an infallible direction to the law and to the testimonie without which there is nothing but errour and wandring ye erre not knowing the Scriptures 3. This truth hath beene aboue all other oppugned by Satan Antichrist heretikes tyrants yet neuer a whit of it was euer diminished Salomons bookes may be lost but not these of the true Salomon Iesus Christ. That the Scriptures were burnt in the Temple and that Ezra composed a newe Scripture is to be reiected as a Iewish fable Ezra might put together parcells of Scripture scattered and compose them into bookes But where were Ezechiel Daniel Zacharie Hagge or what were they doing to suffer all the Scriptures to be lost in their times or where was the watchfull eie of God could it winke or nodde or not see or not preuent the perishing of his word vtterly from the Church 4. This word hath beene so certenly sealed in the hearts of the elect of all ages that where it once was harboured in truth it could neuer be shaken out by any kind of most exquisite torture and torment All which confirme the doctrine propounded most plentifully Obiect But some bookes of the canonicall Scriptures are perished Answ. Many indeede are reckoned but they were either not canonicall or the substance of them is still contained in the canonicall Obiect But if God himselfe had written the whole Scripture as he did the law and had deliuered it to men as he did the tables to Moses then had there beene no doubt of the certaintie of it but it was written by men Ans. Yet is it as certaine as if God had immediately writ it with his owne finger for holy men spake and writ as they were mooued by the holy Ghost not as men but Gods instruments guided by extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of the spirit Obiect In 1. Cor. 7.12 Paul saith I speake not the Lord. Ans. The plaine sense in one word is I giue counsell in this case of mariage by collection out of the word of which the word hath not deliuered any expresse lawe and no more can be gathered of it Vse This doctrine is of speciall vse both vnto teachers and hearers vnto teachers it affoardeth a twofold instruction 1. if it be so faithfull a word to hold it fast 2. to hold themselues fast vnto it For the former the teacher must looke that he lay such hold on it as he neuer suffer it to be wrested from him no danger no fauour no power no subtiltie may force him to vnfasten his hold much lesse goe backe and recoile from it or play fast and loose with it or so carrie it as one that would swim betweene two waters but carie it and hold it out as faithfully and constantly as becommeth such a faithfull word Ieremie on this ground that he had a sure word after he had beene smitten and stocked he went not into corners nor behinde the wall to speake the will of him that sent him but as one that had laid faster hold on it in tearmes of defiance and personall application to the stoutest and proudest of them he vttereth with much boldnesse and plainnesse what he had in commission The like we read of Amos against Amaziah The like of the Apostles thorough the Acts and their Epistles and all vpon this ground that the Lord sent them with a faithfull word And if reasons will perswade to this dutie we haue not a fewe For 1. what sound comfort can any Minister finde in life or in death but in beeing found faithfull where was Pauls reioycing towards his death but that he had fought a good fight and had kept the faith 2. This faithfull word was not easily purchased vnto vs but by the blood of many a faithfull man both of Pastors and people shed in our owne and other countries and should the preachers of it esteeme lightly of so precious and so dear a purchase 3. If the Pastor depart or be driuē frō the faithfull word how can his people hold it he is guiltie of all their Apostacie from the faith Let the Pastor receiue such a blowe the sheepe cannot but be smitten 4. Looke on the danger and Gods righteous iudgement on such teachers as esteeme of mens words and writings aboue that is meet in the meane time not embracing this word in the loue of their
so monstrous and among other one especially made them noted and hated of all the world namely that Iupiter the cheife of the gods was dead and that his graue was with them the which with other fables made them so ridiculous as that they became a proverb among the nations insomuch as to lie was to play the Cretian Neither did the Poet speake of some slipps of the tongues of some few or some falls seldome ouertaking them but of an habit and affected custome and exercise of lying and fayning which generally and continually they were so tainted with as little or no soundnes vprightnesse and faithfulnesse but trecherie guile falsehood appeared in their dealings Doct. Falsehood and deceit in word and deede is condemned not only by the light of the Scriptures but by the light of nature it selfe Which appeareth expressely not onely by the testimonie of this Pagan Poet but by other lights in nature for the naturall conscience of man accuseth and checketh for it yea in children thēselues it maketh them blush at the report of a lie Besides the most graceles men of men account it the highest disgrace to haue the lie giuen them the infamie of which vice is such as none wil take to it none wil confesse it And on the contrary the heathen so extolled truth in word in practise as of all other vertues it was sayned to be the onely daughter of Iupiter as whom most neerely it resembled Vse How should we who would be reputed Gods children abhorre that practise which euen the sonnes of men are ashamed of shall the sparkles of naturall light make the naturall conscience of a Heathen and gracelesse man accuse him of this sinne and shall not the cleare light of grace force the consciences of professed Christians to reprooue them Is it iustly reputed a disgrace to common men to be taken with a lie how disgracefull should it be to Christian men shall the Heathen professe truth to resemble God so expressely as that it is his deare only daughter and shall Christians who finde in the Scriptures the whole image of God stiled by the title and comprehended vnder the name of truth in their practise scarce expresse it as a part of that image And yet how many Christians are behind euen millions of the Heathen who although they be commanded euery man to speak truth to his neighbour yet shame they not to defend that they may lie and forsweare too for the advantage of themselues and others and therefore they say that though they dislike hurtfull lies yet see they not but they may as they do lie in iest or for the good of their neighbour especially to saue his life For this say they hurteth none nor is against the law of charitie and they find it commended to them in the practise of the Midwiues to saue the male infants of the Hebrewes of Rahab to saue the Spies and Michol and Ionathan to saue Dauid from Sauls furie and in the doctrine and writings of some of the Fathers as Origen Ierome who in regard of the profitable ends held these no sinnes To all which in few words I answer 1. That euery lie is hurtfull whether in iest or earnest for euill or for good because it is an enemie to truth and against the ninth commandement 2. For iesting or sporting lyes the threatning is generall Psal. 5.6 thou shalt destroie them that speake lyes vntruthes may not be spoken although they be not thought and Prov. 6. Thou shalt destroie the lying tongue he excepteth not if it be not in sport or for a good ende And many of the Heathen themselues saw the sillines and follie of this shift we reade of the Lacedemonians that they would not suffer their lawes to be gainsaid in iest and yet the law of the Lord may be controlled and gainsaied in iest of Christians When Thespis the first stageplayer was asked if he were not ashamed to vtter so many lyes in such a worthy audience he answered he did it in sport But wise Solon replied If we approoue and commend this sport wee shall finde it in earnest in our contracts and affaires and euen so by Gods iust iudgement it befalls Christians who vsing to lie in sport get an habit of lying in earnest and by his iesting lyes raiseth a suspition of his words that he cannot be beleeued be he neuer in such earnest 3. For officious lies so called there can be no such because in euery lie some office or dutie is violated But they hurt no man yes if they hurt not another they hurt a mans selfe many waies againe if they hurt not the parties for whom yet hurt they the parties to whom they are tolde who are abused and vrged to beleeue a lie and were not this yet they hurt and preiudice the truth which ought to preuaile But the end of them is good Yea but that which is euill in the nature and constitution may neuer be admitted let the end be neuer so good which is pretended The least euill may not be committed for the greatest good to helpe man we may not hurt God Moses would rather be blotted out of Gods booke then God should be dishonored Nay we may not tell the least lie for Gods greatest glorie and much lesse for mans good Iob 13.9.10 Will you make a lie for him as one lyeth for a man surely he will reprooue you And if a lie would make to Gods glorie yet he is not vnrighteous to leaue it vnpunished Rom. 3.7 But they be not against charitie Yes for charitie reioyceth in truth and if they were not yet are they directly against pietie which two louing freinds may admit no diuorce 4. For the examples alleadged and all of that kind we must distinguish betweene the facts of the faithfull and the manner of them The facts of sauing the children and spies c. was commendable and argued the feare of God and loue of his children but the manner of putting these in execution was neuer approoued in the Scriptures although the facts themselues were Neither is it strange that faith and sinne should combate together in the same action in this condition of the infirmitie and imperfection of the dearest Saints of God vntill that perfect come 5. The verie heathens condemned all dissonance and dissent betweene heart and tongue thoughts and speaches the one whereof was bestowed on vs by God to expresse the other Let vs therefore who professe the loue and feare of the Lord shew our selues to be of the remnant of Israel by this in that we neither doe iniquitie nor speake lyes nor haue a deceitfull tongue found in our mouths And to helpe our selues in this dutie meditate on these reasons 1. All falshood and lyes are directly against God himselfe who is truth it selfe so as by them a man becommeth most vnlike vnto God and most like to the deuill who is the father and first founder
as any lyon or wolfe I haue spared no pray and as subtile as any foxe to deceiue my brethen I haue spit out my venome both to the face and behinde the backes of my neighbours and especially against the houshold of faith the professors of religion Oh what a beast was I in all this But now seeing my vnderstanding is restored vnto me againe I will neuer hereafter carrie my selfe but like a man not making my lusts my lawe any longer but reason shall be my guide nay nor that onely but like a Christian man I will by Gods grace suffer my self to be guided hence forth by renewed reason yea by the word and spirit of God If I must needes in any thing resemble the beasts it shall be the oxe and asse in knowing my Lord and Master the storke and crane and swallowe in acknowledging the seasonable time of my repentance the serpent in Christian wisedome the lambe and doue in Christian meekenes and innocencie and thus resembling them I neither shall be nor accounted a beast nor yet be condemned by any of them But if any loth to leaue his brutish properties will be a beast still and followe his lâ—st it is fit hee should see the ende of his way in one of his predecessors Prou. 7.22 He goeth on as an oxe to the slaughter Many such thinke and pretend they goe to heauen but deceiue not thy selfe no vncleane thing entreth within the gates of that holy citie thou shalt stand with thy fellowes without Reu. 22.15 Without shall be dogges and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters or whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies and one day shall by experience teach thee that the bread of children belongeth not vnto dogges Slowe bellies In these words this people of Creta are by their Poet accused of habituall idlenes and intemperance who howsoeuer to the duties either of the first or second table they were as heauie and slow as any snaile yet in the feeding of themselues and following Epicurus his trade so diligent and instant they were as euery man seemed rather to be a bellie then a man and therefore doth the Poet by an vsuall figure of speach thus expresse them And as this whole hexameter so much more was this part of it more frequent among the heathen who were wont prouerbially to call such persons bellies as they saw addicted to idlenes gormandizing and intemperance Doct. A life led in idlenes and delicacie is condemned both by the light of nature and of the Scriptures Of the former there is good reason seeing it is against that order of nature which God set in all his creatures at the first euery one of which are sâ—ill vnweariably employed according to their first institutions The celestiall bodies stand not still but by miracle In all inferiour bodily creatures if well ordered there must be these three things 1. An order of the parts the feete may not stand vpon the shoulders for that is the place for the head 2. A proportion of them or a symmetry for the eye may not be bigger then the head 3. A function of each of them for euery one of them must haue some distinct office which it must diligently attend vnto 2. And if we looke vnto the Lords institutions with man we shall see that this idle and dronish kind of life was banished out of paradise it selfe from that innocent estate to the preseruation of which all the creatures offred vp themselues to saue mans paines and yet euen then must Adam dresse the garden then when he was a more absolute Lord ouer all the earth then any man euer since was or is ouer any part of it yet might be not liue as many of our gentrie out of a vocation and calling but must abide in that vocation whereto he was called And euen in paradise seeing the Lord instituted no more Saboaths then one in seauen daies what would he else declare then that innocent Adam was no lesse bound then now we are to employ the most part of the weeke about the things of his calling still in the midst of them remembring to shew forth the loue of his creator and the religious keeping of a good conscience 3. And how much more now since the fall may we thinke is man borne to trauell as the smoke to flie vpward for seeing that by the curse of sinne the creatures haue denied their former serviceablenesse but vpon condition of great industrie and trauell Gods ordinance and commandement is that now in the sweate of our faces we should eate our owne bread prouiding for our selues and ours which is besides the pleasing of God who delighteth that man should make his calling a part of Christian obedience a sweete fruit of our paynes carrying vs more comfortably thorough our way in the world 4. And yet looking nearer the matter we find this order and ordinance of God more forceably fastned vpon those that professe themselues Christians euery one of whom must be so farre from that inordinate walking as that he must withdraw himselfe from such And if any man be he neuer such a professor of Christ will not worke he ought not to eate let him starue his blood be vpon his owne head For such as these in the profession especially whose pride whose ease whose tooth whose play bring in arâ—eareges vpon them vnawares are the spots and blots of religion Now therefore that such as professe the Lord Iesus may the better be contained in this order of God both for the discharge of their owne dutie and the good example of others these reasons are to be considered 1. That God who hath set vs in our callings hath promised also to be with vs to giue vs good successe in them to helpe vs to beare out the tediousnes which sinne hath brought vpon our labour to giue vs his protection in these our waies to feed and maintaine vs by the blessing of our labour in the house in the field in our stock and in our store whereas pouertie arresteth the idle person Prov. 28. the idle shall be filled with pouertie And all this is to encourage vs to faithfulnes and diligence in the duties of our callings See Ioshua 1.8 2. Whereas all other creatures liue vnto themselues man was appointed to liue aswell to others as to himselfe the Church the countrie the familie the poore euery man challengeth a part in euery man And therefore although some other creatures be all a bellie as the crabfish who walketh with her teeth yet a Christian man must be a hand to one an eye to another a foote to another a shoulder to support another he must not only consist of bellie and teeth Aske thy selfe then what good doth my life to Church to Commonwealth to family to men and if thy conscience answer truly little or none then maist thou conclude surely I am rather a
bellie then a man But many such bellies want eares 3. An honest calling is a schoole of Christianitie that 1. looke as little children are sent to schoole to keep them out of hurts and vnhappie turnes so diligence in the calling fenceth vs from taking harmes by Satans temptations we lie not so open vnto his assalts againe it is a bridle to restraine our own lewd desires abating wicked lusts abandoning lewd company and fitting vs for the Lords appearing whose seruice we are in 2. In this schoole of the calling a man performing duties for the Lords sake hath daily practise and encrease of graces such as faith obedience patience meeknes constancie truth invocation thanksgiuing and hence are daily enabled to take out further lessons for time to come from the daily experience of Gods goodnes for time past 3. In this schoole we learne to be teachers of others and in time come to be patternes vnto others of the right vse of the world while our selues vse it euery day as not vsing it at all and while we so play the good husbands as that we keep our selues from beeing worldlings not laying by our heauenly minds in the midst of our earthly busines whereas the idle person that entereth not into this schoole is out of Gods protection and neuer out of Satans snares his heart is like the feild of the sluggard ouergrown with thistles and weeds his lusts so farre preuaile with him that he is rather a spectacle of reproch then a patterne for imitation and if euer he had any good things in him they are perrished for want of emploiment for as the rust fretteth vnused iron and the mothes eate vnworne garments so good things ar shaken out of the heart of him that neglecteth the vsing of them 4. Consider the danger of those that stand idle all day long passing their dayes in all delights one in one voluptuous lust another in another the Apostle saith of them all that liuing in pleasure they are dead while they liue the soule of such a one is but as a carkase his bodie as a coffin he rotteth away in vnprofitablenes while he liueth and as a standing poole putrifieth the prouerb is true of such a man his soule is but as salt to keep his bodie from stinking aboue gound And thinke we they shall liue when they are dead who are dead while they liue no surely but seeing they did not subiect themselues to the law of all mankind Gen. 3.19 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou get thy bread they shall neuer escape that other sentence take the vnprofitable seruant binde him hand and foote his hands and feete were bound when I called him to walke and worke now bind him hand and foote and cast him into hell Now for the latter of these vices reprehended in the latter word it is worth marking to obserue how aptly the Poet ioyneth them together which seldome are disioyned because the one of these is the gound of the other And as it is true in all sinnes which we say of euills that one commeth not alone for they are accompained still with their supporters so these two sinnes are of such speciall acqaintance that as we say of a paire of turtles looke where one is the other lightly is within lesse then a coytes cast so where the one of these is it will not be hard to descry the other If there be idlenes there will be intemperance and if intemperance there must needs be idlenes And therefore our Sauiour hath combined them as neare as the cause and effect which cannot be sundred Luk. 21.34 Take heed least your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennes and so that day come on you vnawares implying that intemperance oppresseth and maketh the heart dull and heauie and when the heart is so aggraued the whole man is vnfit either for heauenly or earthly exercise In like manner the combination of Sodoms sinnes sheweth the same truth Ezech. 16.49 Pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse And therefore seeing a man can neuer sufficiently perswade diligence in the calling till this intemperance be disswaded it shall not be amisse in few words to speake of this sinne and perswade the contrarie vertue for the preseruation of it And because this kind of intemperance is restrained to the bellie I describe it to be an inordinate appetite or immoderate desire and vse of meate and drinke and this is when a due meane is exceeded either in the costly and excessiue preparation of them for our selues or others or in the two liberall and excessiue vse of them so prepared a vice which is a speciall enemie to all good duties towards God or man making men vnfit to the word of God either to read or heare it vnfit to pray to meditate to remember the works of God with praise and thanksgiuing so as a man giuen vp to this sinne is sunke downe in Atheisme nay in Idolatrie hauing no other God then his bellie a more base idolatrie of many Christians then euer was any of the Heathen who would worship the sunne moone starres and glistring mettals but to haue worshipped the bellie and draught they would haue abhorred And for the duties of the particular calling they must lie lea the bones of such full bodies had rather be at rest or to keepe them from sleep must rise vp to play but altogether vnweldie to any more serious busines And thus by this sinne men make themselues in stead of Gods Temples Satans kitchins filling their bodies with noysome lusts and deadly deseases their soules with a number of dangerous sinnes which shut them out of heauen framing their liues liker to the bruit beasts then reasonable men and in their deaths for most part no lesse brutish then in their liues Now for the better auoiding of this sinne I will propound some reasons and after them some rules of direction The reasons are three 1. The Lord is liberall but not prodigall of his creatures and they are his and not ours but by his leaue neither doth he euer giue leaue to vse them to our owne hurt as many riotous persons doe who with the glutton faring deliciously euerie day in their feasting and banquetting besides the wast of many excellent creatures of God 1. loose their time 2. spend their goods which ought to haue beene otherwise employed 3. neglect the duties of their generall calling of Christianitie and omit the necessarie affaires of their particular course of life 2. This is one of the practises of those that are in the night whereas we professe our selues to be of the day and is a weed or rather an olde ragge which must be put off before Christ can be put on 3. The time calleth vs rather to fasting weeping and euerie worke of repentance then to eating drinking chambring c. For if we consider the workes of the Lord we shall see his arme stretched out and his hand
reuenging among many other sinnes euen this of the abuse of his creatures and this with such lingring lasting and sharpe iudgements so variable and so generall as hath not beene heard of in the dayes of our fathers read Isai. 5.11 Besides we see the afflictions of Ioseph Amos. 6.6 the necessities of many of Gods deare seruants the abundance of poore their great want of releefe their miserable complaints c. that woe shall befall him that liueth to eate when so many of Gods children cannot get that they may eate to liue Now the rules of direction are 1. to moderate excesse in preparation for our selues and others to knowe that not aboundance but sobrietie is the ornament of a table a rule which seemeth to be dead with our forefathers whose dishes for sort number price and seruing out were inferiour to our sauces and yet to shew vs that man liueth not by bread they were stronger of more constant health and of longer life then we are 2. To moderate excesse in the vse of meates and drinkes prepared we must take out the Apostles lesson 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God the glorie of God must be our white to ayme at in all the actions of our life of which none is so small out of which the Lord challengeth not his owne glorie and therefore as we liue not to our selues but vnto him so we must not eate to our selues but vnto him and this we doe when by our eating and drinking we fit our selues for his seruice and our owne duties namely by keeping the bodie vnder and dailie subduing it rather then by pampering and feeding it vp 3. To containe thy selfe in compasse in both labour still to hunger and thirst after righteousnes that is after that meat which the Sonne of man shall giue for the more thou hungrest after Christ the lesse doest thou after these things Rom. 13.14 Put on Christ and take no care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Christ is the treasure vnto which the Christian heart must be lifted he is the carkase vnto which our thoughts ought to flie he is meate indeede drinke indeede bread of life water of life blessed is that soule that hungreth and thirsteth after him for it shall be satisfied yea blessed is that hunger and thirst which is neuer but accompanied with a continuall feast This testimonis is true The Apostle setteth his hand and seale to this euidence of the Poet not thereby allowing the whole fabulous poeme whence he fetcheth it but according to his drift which is the iust reproofe of this people he onely approoueth this particular report Whence 1. note that euery truth beeing primarily from God it must be receiued whosoeuer be the instrument teacher of it for the Apostle disdaineth not to borrow a part of the truth from this gracelesse and heathen man Nay there is not the basest of Gods creatures into whose schoole we cannot sometimes profitably enter for else would not the Lord haue sent vs to the oxe the asse the emmet and much more can he who opened the mouth of Balaams asse to reprooue the madnes of his master teach by weake and feeble base and simple men yea if he please by gentile and heathen men Vse This taxeth the pride of many who thinke themselues too good to learne of such whom they conceiue meaner or inferiour to themselues such a pride possessed the Pharisies thou art altogether borne in sinne and dost thou teach vs But if they considered the wayes of God they might see him stirring vp most base and simple men to teach the doctor the Scribe and the wise men of the world that he may ashame them and teach them to depresse their high thoughts 1. Cor. 1.26 Bretrhen you see your calling not many wise but God hath chosen the weake of the world 1. to confound mightie things 2. that no flesh should reioyce v. 29. Let this prouoke our diligence to knowe not so much by whom as what the Lord teacheth attending vnto the counsell of God and not the condition of man whome he vseth let him speake by neuer such abiect persons if they bring the truth it is our part to become fooles that wee may be wise and then are we such fooles when we depart with all opinion of our owne wisedome that we may be wise in God what meanes so euer he pleaseth to vse the Gospel teacheth vs that poore women and creeples could tell often tidings of Christ when all the great clerks knew not of him 2. This reprehendeth the waywardnesse of many who not fancying the persons of their teachers refuse their doctrine though neuer so true and profitable Would men deale thus in ciuill things If fire should take a towne in the night and the watchmen beeing all fallen asleepe a stranger nay a mans enemie should giue him warning that his house were on fire were it safe for a man to rush at it because his enemie telleth him so No neither would any be so vnwise and if the truth in an heathen Poets mouth be so entertained by the Apostle himselfe much more euerie diuine truth in the mouth of the meanest Minister of the Gospel Let the vessell be neuer so earthen the treasure is heauenly let the foode be nourishable hungrie Elias stands not vpon it whether an Angel or a rauen serue it Secondly note that this testimonie beeing true Titus might haue been discouraged and occasioned hereby to haue meditated of his departure from them as an hopeles people or to haue repined that the Apostle should place him among such a companie of beasts rather then men But yet Titus must and doth with courage goe on in his worke among them and plowe vp to the Lord euen this stiffe ground It is the lot of many gracious Ministers to be called and planted among rude barbarous and beastly people such as these Cretians were yea among viperous broods who will reward their faithfull paines and trauell in begetting them to God with extremitie of wrong and violence Ier. 26.8 and little comfort finde they vnlesse the Lord giue them a breathing time by the means of some Ahikam or other v. 24. Now what must the Minister doe in this case Surely as he came not of his owne head so now is he not at his owne hand to remooue himselfe at his pleasure And if he should depart vpon this ground he should perphaps meet with lesse comfort in leauing an vncomfortable people then in staying amongst thē If God bid Ionas arise and goe to Nineveh but he will betake himselfe to a ministerie of more credit and lesse labour the Lord will teach him before he get to Tarshish that he is not his owne man and that no creature shall shelter him from trouble whilest he flieth it as fast as he can If Moses be called to speake to Pharaoh he must not excuse the
Papists and others deale with such as stand with Iesus Christ and especially that great Antichrist the Pope to testifie his malice and rage against Christ and his truth striketh with the sentence of excommunication both Kings and people whosoeuer receiue not his marke in their hands and foreheads But our comfort is that Christ is not in such counsells no more then he was in that counsell of the Iewes when the blind man was cast out neither the spirit of Christ presenteth himselfe whatsoeuer they bragge and babble of his infallible assistance And againe such as are cast out of and by such counsells if they stand with Christ and for him he presently taketh them vp and meeteth with them as he did with the blind man ver 35. 3. Such also as wickedly profane this high and great censure pronouncing this fearefull sentence either for trifles seeing the Apostles neuer vsed it but against Apostates incestuous persons blasphemers and great offenders or else for malice pollicie mony or any other end then to bring men to soundnes in the faith Doctr. 2. Both Pastor and people must haue care and conscience that they may become found in the faith both in iudgement which is here aimed at especially as also in practise of which the precept is giuen 1. Tim. 5.7 These things command that they may be blamelesse Neither of them must thinke it inough that in the spirituall life of grace they keepe life and soule together except this life be accompained with health and soundnes for as in our bodily life we thinke it not inough that we liue but we prize our health and soundnes aboue all earthly things skin for skin and all that a man hath will he giue for his life and yet of an vnhealthfull languishing and painfull life men are so wearie as with Iob they would seeke for death as for treasures so much more carefully ought we to preuent and remooue such spirituall diseases and infirmities of our soules which hold vs vnder that we cannot become the louely plants in the Lords house euen fresh and well liking And that we may be better acquainted with the doctrine and our dutie it will not be vnprofitable to note the difference betweene a spirituall disease and a spirituall infirmitie An infirmitie is a rellike of sinne subdued in the beleeuer but still bewraying it selfe like the grudging of a vanquished ague whereby the child of God is prone to the practise of sinne and is made heauie and backward in performing spirituall duties A disease is the ordinarie preuailing of some sinne or sinnes against grace I say not euery preuailing of sinne is a disease for infirmities may sometimes preuaile not only within the soule but also without the bodie as Noahs drunkennes Lots incest c. but that which is vsually preuailing for some time and more frequent maketh a sicknes and disease in the as in the bodie not euery distemper or qualme or headeach is a disease but some distempered humor which hath beene longer on gathering more tedious in affecting and more dangerous in threating the very life of the patient Now both these may be in a regenerate person neither of them in the wicked the former because regeneration is indeed the roote and possibilitie of all graces but not the act of them the latter because in the wicked is no grace at all against which sinne striueth and grudgeth none against which sinne can frequently preuaile for all is corruption all is rottennes and raigning sinne as it is not in the weakest of the regenerate Vse Let euery Christian labour for soundnesse against both these the which beeing so necessarie as whereon the comfort of all Christian life dependeth I will shortly describe 1. some meanes whereby the carefull Christian may both come by and keepe this soundnes and 2. some reasons which shall serue as spurrs in the flanke to prouoke to the more carefull vse of those meanes The meanes which I will propound are three 1. To be carefull to get and keepe a good heart see that the heart be sound that is vpright and sincere for while a man is not heart-sicke all other infirmities and diseases are not vnto death Secondly when the heart is well watch it to keepe it well carefully auoiding whatsoeuer would hinder or hurt the soundnes of it and especially 1. False doctrine which as poison speedily destroyeth the soule whether it be Popish leauen or libertine doctrines of some Protestants 2. Wicked manners which if they be in smaller things are like those slippes and slidings whereby men breake their armes or legges or if in greater sinnes are like those downe falls which threaten the breaking of the necke of the soule and a totall falling from soundnes in religion both these must be shunned because the least sinne breaketh or disioyneth something and so hindreth Christian soundnes Thirdly be carefull to know vse the best meanes of spirituall health and here those which are of daily vse are especially two 1. To keepe a good diet be constant in the word Sacraments prayer keepe thy houres of publike and priuate exercises before the Lord feede vpon the purest foode euen vpon wholesome doctrine not rising out of earth but deliuered from heauen 2. By spirituall physicke or surgerie daily beate downe thy bodie mortifie thy corruptions subdue thy lusts and swelling affections by applying the corrasiues of the lawe and curse of it against the sinnes of thy soule and then bind thy selfe vp with the lenitiues of the Gospell and if thy owne skill faile thee suffer thy selfe if at any time thou be bruised or out of ioynt although it be painfull for the time by Gods skilfull Surgeons to be handled and set in ioynt and so restored to soundnes againe Now the reasons or motiues to the carefull vse of these meanes are fiue 1. drawne from euerie mans necessitie which is not so little as it is little felt and perceiued The poore woman in the Gospel tyred for 12. yeares together with her issue of blood spent all she had on Physitians to cure her of her griefe and the reason was because she felt the paine and tediousnes of it but we who cannot weare out one weeke nor one day in bodily griefe without many complaints can carrie many bloodie issues of sinne in our soules euen from our cradles to our graues and complaine of no griefe no paine and so neuer seeke for cure nay because we deeme our selues sound men we refuse cure when it is offered We reade in the Gospell of a number of people who followed and flocked after Christ for the cure of their bodily maladies and griefes and the casting of deuills out of their bodies but of verie fewe who complained of their spirituall diseases and issues or of the blindnes and deafnes and lamenes of their soules or cryed to haue their sinnes the works of the deuill cast out of their soules And yet is there no necessitie hereof
because men see it not 1. Consider how many we haue who conceiue that they are sound Christians and say they beleeue in Christ they thank God and they hope to be saued by Christ as soone as the best and yet the life of Christ much lesse foundnesse of soule was neuer in them yea nothing else but raigning sinne if to be daily drunke and to be sound stakes on the alebench to sweare to lie deceiue boast contend quarrell contemne the word and Christian practises and men will make sound Christians we neede not goe farre to seeke such sound men 2. Of such as are Christians and of the number of beleeuers how are many crazy and ouergrowne with bad and vicious humors some of couetousnesse some of licentiousnes some of idlenes and some worse then these The creple that lay at the poole of Bethesda eight and thirtie yeares had neuer more neede of putting into the poole then they that should a man looke wholly vpon some and not vpon others with them our congregations would seeme rather spirituall spittles then the Temples of Christians 3. How had the best need of that counsel giuen to the Church of Sardis Reu. 3.2 Be awake and strengthen the things which remaine and are readie to die for I haue not found thy workes perfect or sound before God for the truth is such a generall consumption of grace possesseth the most that were the bodies of many so farre wasted and spent as their soules are from that which hath beene in them long could they not look to remaine in the land of the liuing Secondly it is the soundnes of faith which the Lord is delighted in for neuters and no bodies fish nor flesh hote nor cold he cannot digest but speweth them out of his mouth halfe Christians he accounteth no Christians and therefore be altogether a Christian or thou art neuer a whit What a Christian at Church and a companion at home a bible in thy hands at Church and presently a paire of cardes or dice at home here in the companie of Saints and there of deuills incarnate here of them that feare an oath and there of them that cannot speake one sentence without an oath for the preface the Lord noteth thee for rotten at the core and stampeth thee for a counterfeit although thou beest neuer so cunningly washt ouer Thirdly this maketh all our duties chearefully vndertaken conscionably performed and mercifully accepted it cloatheth all our actions with seeming and sutable affections if they be exercises of repentance with godly humilitie if duties of loue with Christian compassion and charitie without which they were rather as carkases without soules then the fruits of sound and sauing faith Fourthly this soundnes carrieth assured comfort with it both in life and death many are the trialls and temptations of Gods children by the deuill and his instruments and through many afflictions are the Saints passed to their glorie the least of which were able quite to ouerturne them if they had not this sound proppe to leane vpon to which the promise is made that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Againe infinite are the frailties and weakenesses of Gods children yea not onely in their declinings but in theit best duties in which they are drawne the nearest vnto God the which would vtterly disheart them were it not that they knewe that is not perfection but sinceritie and a sound endeauour vnto it which is their reioycing here belowe Hezekiah in a sore brunt hauing the sentence of death denounced against him as it seemed out of Gods displeasure for he wanted issue had nothing to comfort him although he was a king but onely that he had walked in vprightnes before the Lord shewing vs that with this soundnes of heart possessing Christ and walking worthie of him we may with boldnes meete the Lord in iudgement yea then when heauen and earth shall be shaken together Fiftly on the contrarie what horrors of their fearefull apostacie haue many carried to their graues the cause of whose withering was euen want of moysture and soundnesse at the roote and most iustly seeing euen the deare Saints of God haue tasted the bitter fruit of smaller declinings and that by improuidence out of which they haue not beene recouered without shame and sorrowe as in Dauid Peter Noah c. If any yet thinke this doctrine more then needeth let him further consider 1. That the day of triall may not be farre off euen our day of famine by particular iudgement or death 2. The generall iudgement cannot be farre off when only such shall be pronounced blessed in whose spirits are found no guile 3. That he may shrowdly suspect himselfe to be an hypocrite who herein differeth from a sound Christian that the one can be content to be called on the other is vnsound at the heart and cannnot endure to be gaged Ver. 14. And not taking heed to Iewish fables and commandements of men that turne away from the truth As the Phisitian or Surgeon hauing cured some disease or sore at his departure forewarneth his patient of such meates and meanes as may bring the same or worse euills vpon them so dealeth the Apostle who hauing prescribed a course by meanes of which this corrupt and rude people should be brought to soundnesse in the faith he chargeth that whereas they had beene formerly addicted to lies and fables which had beene the occasions and feeders of their vnsoundnes and spirituall diseases yet now they should no longer attend to such fables and commandements of men which otherwise will be as powerfull as euer to preuaile against them to the turning of them away from the truth the which is now preached among them 1. the meaning 2. the doctrines Iewish fables Although all fables in matter of religion be to be reiected yet especially he mentioneth these of the Iewes because they were most dangerous of all 1. Because they directly opposed themselues as ouerthrowers of the whole doctrine of the Gospel and the merit of Christ. 2. They were perswaded vnder most strong pretenses for they came as from Gods owne mouth and from his owne people from such as were borne vnder the law so as they were vrged as things of surest ground and strongest authoritie from God himself and his greatest Prophet Moses But what were these fables Ans. Vnder this head may be comprehended all the false glosses and false interpretations of the law of Moses vrging the externall and literall but not the internall and spirituall meaning of the law for which corruption Christ challengeth the Iewish teachers Matth. 5.6 and 7. chapters 2. All their fabulous inuention in their Talmud such as that concerning the comming of the Messiah and the great feast at his comming and of the fruitfulnes of the earth which at that time shall bring forth in stead of eares of corne loues of bread and a number such of which Paul saith they are for number infinite and for
be subiect to the law of God Thus euery way the wickednes of man is great all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are only euill continually neither can be other seeing whatsoeuer riseth of flesh is no better then flesh Vse 1. Hence we see in part the corruption of our nature and in it the reproach of our first sinne and fruit of our first transgression whereby we might learne to be ashamed of our filthines which is thus seated and resteth not onely in the inferiour parts and powers of the soule or as Papists speak in the flesh and sensual part but euen in the reasonable most excellent part of the soule which is the minde and conscience This very cōsideration should be as a hammer to beat down proud thoughts which rise vpon the gazing of outward things and respects on which so many beare themselues who doubtles would quickly strike saile if they could turne their eie a little to see themselues by nature and naturall courses the children of wrath enemies of righteousnesse haters and hated of God Many a man blesseth himselfe in that he keepeth his bodie cleane from vnlawfull filthinesse his hands pure from open iniustice his words free from iniuring men and thus content themselues with a ciuill righteousnesse which is to glorie in the flesh But could they looke vnpartially into their soules they should finde a filthie sinke and puddle steaming out noysome and graceles parts into the whole behauiour all which thrust them vnder the regiment of death Yea euen the best of men regenerate finde this lawe of euill with them which ministreth smal ioy to some parts of their liues when they see the seedes of all sinne in themselues and these seedes to rise vp into the blade and care sometime before they attend to cut them downe or weede them vp and when they finde themselues as readie to yeeld an haruest of iniquitie as others if the good husbandman should not still be pruning and dressing them 2. As man could proceede from an habite of good to the priuation of it so can he not of himselfe go backe from this priuation to the habit seeing no freedome at all is left in any facultie of his soule to spirituall good Is the mind and conscience and all things impure to the vnbeleeuer and hath his will any more priuiledge then the other how erronious then is that doctrine of the Church of Rome and the schoolemen who teach that mans free will to good is not altogether lost but much weakened in spirituall motions that it can dispose and prepare it selfe to grace and that it coworketh with the grace of God in the verie first beginnings of grace Whereas the Scripture teacheth that man is so farre from his owne helpe in his recouerie that he resisteth it and fighteth against it till the Lord mightily subdue him as he did Paul on his way to Damascus The first degree or preparation to the cure is the knowledge of the disease but the naturall man will not be brought to acknowledge and confesse his estate Psal. 14.3 there is no man that vnderstandeth his way our Apostle hath elsewhere also ruled this case 2. Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a thought and therefore much lesse to will Philip. 2.13 It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doe where we are not said to will actiuely but acted that is so farre as God maketh vs to will good Let our pouertie then be hence acknowledged Gods glorie magnified Christs merit amplified in which alone we recouer all our wants and are raised out of our graues of death 3. Hence we see the necessitie of regeneration in euerie part Eph. 4.22.23 be renewed in the spirit of your minds confesse then and crie out with the leper I am vncleane I am vncleane and seeing if Christ wash thee not thou hast no part in him pray with Peter wash me Lord not my feete onely but my hands and head yea my whole bodie and my whole soule my whole man The Apostle prayed that not onely the inferiour faculties of the Thessalonians as the affections and appetite which are the feete of the soule might be washed but vseth this forme The God of peace sanctifie you wholly 4. If the wicked man be thus vncleane then hate his companie the vile person is to be contemned come not neere him touch him and thou wilt be defiled he is filthie within and without and with the leper must be thrust out of the campe for feare of infection Doctr. 3. Before this naturall vncleanenes be purged euerie thing is vncleane vnto a man the vnbeleeuer tainteth euerie thing that he toucheth nothing within him nothing without him which is not polluted although not in his owne nature yet vnto him and in his vse Let a naturall man turne him to any action word or thought all of them not excepting the best are against God because they proceede from vncleane mindes and consciences 1. His actions spirituall euen his best seruices as praying hearing reading receiuing of Sacraments almes all these beeing the sacrifices of the wicked are abhomination vnto the Lord who first looketh to the person and then the gift who if he turne his eare from hearing the lawe euen his prayer is abhominable if he choose his owne wayes let him kill a bullocke for sacrifice it is all one as if slewe a man if he be a polluted person that toucheth any of these holy things shall they not be vncleane yes surely the most diuine ordinances are turned to him to sinne for the Lord first requireth pure parts and then pure actions Ezech. 36.26 2. His ciuill actions his honest dealing in the world his buying selling giuing lending his labour care yea all the duties of his calling are in and to him no better then sinnes 3. His naturall actions as eating drinking sleeping recreation physicke all are vncleane vnto him 4. All Gods creatures and humane ordinances as meate drinke cloath goods lands buildings mariage single estate in a word the whole way of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord Prou. 15.9 All these are witnesses of his sinne and filthinesse all of them are enlargers of his woe and damnation because he wanteth faith to lay hold on the Lord Iesus whereby the iust doe liue haue their heart purified and so are made Lords ouer the creatures Vse 1. Seeing no man can with good conscience goe about any thing while he is in his sinne and vncleannes let it mooue euerie man to beware especially that he approach not neere the courts of God nor compasse the altar without washing his hands in innocencie The Ministers may not take the word into profane mouthes and hands themselues hating reformation The brasen lauer must put them in minde of their dutie which was set betweene the tabernacle and the altar that the Priests might wash their hands and feete whensoeuer
they came before the Lord and the Lord will be sanctified in all that come neare him people must not bring oblations with hands full of blood the Lord is soone wearie of such sacrifices Isai. 1. An earthly king accepteth of no seruice tendred by a traytor and both ministers and people must learne to renew their repentance before they attempt any religious duties whether publike or priuate 2. Let this doctrine mooue vs to discerne aright betweene the estate of the beleeuer and vnbeleeuer that the wretchednesse of the one may breake our hearts for our sinnes and the happinesse of the other may hearten vs in euerie good dutie The difference is eminent For 1. whereas the thoughts of the godly are for most part tending to God to heauen and the things of heauen and their hearts are still inditing good matter wherein the greatest part of their soundest ioy and comfort is placed the thoughts of the wicked are earthly lewde and vngodly often accusing themselues and making away to the most iust sentence of the almightie True it is that the godly iudge themselues worthie to be destroyed for their iniquitie but yet they see great light in that darkenesse which the wicked neuer behold but are reserued in horror vnto the darknesse of the great day 2. The speeches of the godly tend to the praise of God for the heart enditing a good matter the tongue will be speaking of the praises of this King Psal. 45.1 their talke tendeth to edification and ministreth grace to the hearer their tongues speake of matters graue and high matters of Gods kingdome of grace here and of glorie hereafter the speeches of the wicked are either to magnifie themselues or proude or earthly or rotten and vnsauourie for the streames can be no sweeter then the fountaines whence they issue 3. Whereas the workes of the godly are wayes which God hath ordained that they should walke in vnto the ende of their faith which is their saluation the workes of vnbeleuers are crooked paths tending vnto yea the causes of their destructioÌ„ 4. Whereas all the miseries of the godly are signes and fruits of Gods loue working to their best and out of which the Lord giueth them a sure and seasonable deliuerance the calamities of the wicked are not onely euident signes of Gods wrath and malediction but the beginnings of eternall punishment the first fruits of there destruction and the downfalls to hell it selfe out of which is no redemption 5. Whereas the godly haue the promises of this life and that to come and walke in the strength of them cheerefully and their hope shall neuer confound them the vngodly mans false application of promises are but a false fire they may scramble and pull the promises vnto them but the childrens bread belongeth not to such dogges God hath promised nothing to such but threatned against them all the plagues written in his booke which shall surely ouertake them 6. Whereas the life of the godly is a meane to blessednes and an encreaser both of their grace and glorie that they may see their saluation daily nearer them then when they first beleeued all the life of the wicked on the contrarie is accursed and an heaping vp of sinne and plagues If they pray their prayer is turned to sinne If they heare or read they receiue or pronounce the sentence of death against themselues If they receiue the Sacraments the deuil entreth into them as he did into Iudas If they giue almes they giue that which is none of their owne If they enioy prosperitie they are lifted vp as the theefe on the ladder for a more fearefull breakneck If they see many daies the last of them will be more wofull because they haue contemned so great grace and saluation 7. Whereas the day of death is better to the beleeuer then the day wherein he was borne for his bodie is cast on a sweete sleepe and laid in a bed sanctified and sweetned by the blessed bodie of the Lord Iesus his soule sent vp to the glorie prepared for the iust and both of them freed from all sinne and the wofull fruits of the offence of God and passed as by a straite doore to a long life euen for euer and euer the death of the wicked is most accursed the sentence of an angrie and seuere iudge and an entrance or wicket to eternall woe and miserie And thus such workes receiue such wages such labours such rewards the stipend is proportionall vnto their paines and their death not vnsutable to such a wretched life Seeing then that faith putteth this difference and faith cleareth the eye to let it see this difference labour for faith rest not till thou canst finde it in the signes of it without this grace God hath no pleasure in thee neither will accept any offering without this spirituall eye thou shalt not see any such difference betweene the righteous and wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not but thou shalt still account the proud blessed and perhappes be soone contented to fit and cast in thy lot among them And whosoeuer thou art that hast obteined this grace be thankefull for it make much of it vse meanes to cherish and encrease it for hence only is thy acceptation with God and hence onely thou knowest thy selfe and thy seruices to be thus accepted Vers. 16. They professe that they know God but by workes they denie him and are abhominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate The Apostle proceeding in the proofe of that which he had said that nothing was cleane to the vnbeleeuer whose cheife faculties were polluted bringeth in this proofe by way of answer to a secret obiection for some might say But see you not that many whom you thus condemne are men professing religion both teachers and others such as speake well of God of Christ and discourse exceeding well concerning outward righteousnes and sanctimonie of life and therefore they seeme not to be so iustly or at least too rigorously taxed Notwithstanding all which the Apostle concludeth against them that they were no better then he had said For let it be granted that both the vrgers and practisers of such laws and traditions giuen by men should still pretend pietie and seruice of God and should cloke all their ceremonies and constitutions vnder pretence of deuotion yet herein Paul espieth only the fruit of their corruption and that is groâ—â—e hypocrisie apparant in the fight and opposition betweene their profession and their practise They professe indeed they knowe God and all their outward carriage is so composed as if they only were the sonnes of Abraham skilfull in the law strict obseruers of it in the least particles thereof that if all religion were to be measured by their outside they could not chuse now beeing conuerted from Iudaisme to Christianitie but goe for good Christians But in workes they denie him they
thriuing in grace that they haue wholesome meate Psal. 119.4 Behold I desire thy commandements quicken me in thy righteousnes for as in the bodie if meat when it is digested send not vertue whereby the operation of it appeareth in all the parts the bodie is diseased some obstruction or opilation hindreth the worke of it so is the soule obstructed with the itching eare couetous thoughts hardnesse of heart formall worship all which keepe the soule barren and emptie of grace yea leane and ill looking in the eyes of God Seeing therefore the Lord hath spread his table for vs and liberally furnished it with store of this wholesome foode let it appeare in our soules by our strength to labour in Christian duties to which we are called to ouercome the temptations vnto sinne to carrie the victorie in our strife against our owne lusts let it appeare in patient and cherefull bearing of affliction and in the thankfull entertainment of blessings especially of the best kind And thus by commending the Lords bountifull hospitallitie and liberall prouision in his house we shall adorne our profession and winne others to wish themselues entertained in the same seruice with vs. Now all these things shall be happily attained of teachers and hearers if they come to this busines thus qualified and affected First If they come as the elect of God whom he will teach 1. humbled in the sence of sinne past and of present corruption 2. acknowledging the errors of their iudgement and practise and 3. praying for the illumination of the one and the reformation of the other Secondly if both of them captiuate all humane wisedome to the obedience of Christ who is the scope of all the Scripture desiring to knowe and make knowne nothing but Christ and the merit of his sufferings Thirdly if both of them bring the loue of the Scriptures as which onely containe all sauing knowledge admiring Gods infinite wisedome power iustice and mercie shining out in them euen as when the people sawe Moses doe that which all the Magicians could not doe they with Pharaoh acknowledged that that was the finger of God this is a truth which prevaileth against all the deceits of vaine men as Moses rodde deuoured all the roddes of the Magicians Lastly if both of them teach and heare not onely to knowe or make knowne but with purpose to bring things deliuered into practise of which thing many are agreed if they could conclude of the time of their obedience as well as Dauid did Psal. 119.60 I made hast and delaied not to keepe thy commandements Vers. 2. That the elder men be sober honest discreete sound in the faith in loue and in patience Now the Apostle commeth to direct Titus how to apply his doctrine aptly to the seuerall sexes ages and conditions of men Whence in generall is to be obserued that Doctr. Euerie faithfull Minister must fit and apply his doctrine to the seuerall ages conditions and occasions of his people that euerie man and woman young and olde superiour and inferiour may knowe not only what is lawfull but what is most expedient and beseeming our age place and condition of life It is true that all vertues in generall are commanded as all vices in generall are forbidden to all persons of what sexe or estate soeuer yet there be some speciall vertues which are more shining ornaments in some age and condition then others as in young men staidnesse and discretion are speciall beauties but are not if wanting such blemishes in their yeares as in olde men because of their obseruation and experience So there be some speciall vices though all are to striue against all which are fouler spots and staines to some age then to other and some to which men and women are more subiect by reason of their age or sexe as youth to headines and rashnesse old age to teastinesse frowardnes couetousnesse c. women to curiositie loquacitie c. against all which the man of God must in speciall furnish and arme his people instantly striuing to roote out such noysome weedes as of their owne accord appeare out of the earthie hearts of men as also to plant the contrarie graces in their stead Examples of this practise we meete with all euerie where in the Epistles Paul in diuerse of his Epistles as to the Colossians but especially to the Ephesians describeth in particular the duties of wiues husbands children fathers seruants masters see chap. 5. â— â— Peter in the 2. and 3. chapters is as large in the distinct offices of subiects wiues husbands seruants And from this practise the Apostle Iohn dissenteth not 1. Ioh. 2.12 where he giueth his reasons why he writeth to fathers to babes to old men and to yong men Besides these examples are sundrie waightie reasons to enforce the doctrine As first the faithfulnesse of a wise steward herein appeareth namely in distributing to euerie one of his Masters family their owne portion of meat in due season Luk. 12.42 Secondly to this purpose is the word fitted to make euerie man readie and absolute to euerie good worke and thus the wisedome of God is made to shine to all eyes who can behold such a perfect rule of direction in faith and manners Thirdly well knewe our Apostle with other the men of God that generall doctrines though neuer so wholesome little preuaile are but cold and touch not men to the quicke without particular application to their seuerall necessities till Peter come to say you haue crucified the Lord of glorie we read of no pricking of their hearts Vse 1. This dutie requireth also a man of vnderstanding an Ezra a prompt scribe a learned tongue not any bare reader no nor euery preacher attaineth to this high point of wisedome not bosome sermons nor euery learned discourse reacheth vnto it If he must be a learned Physitian that must first finde out the disease and then apply a fit remedie to the same he must be much more learned then he and one acquainted with more rare secrets of simples that growe from heauen who can here minister to euerie soule according to the estate of it which is farre more hidde then that of the bodie as to the wearie soule a seasonable word and to the secure heart the iust weight of terror and threatening Besides who seeth not that this verie dutie requireth no flatterers no selfe-seekers no time seruers but men of courage bold through God to apply his word to all conditions of men high as well as lowe rich as poore not healing the hurt of great ones with sweete words nor respecting persons no more then the Lord himselfe doth whose word it is but binding euen kings in chains and nobles in fetters as Nathan did Dauid Thou art the man For if the word hath plainely described euerie mans dutie then the dispensers of it must faithfully deliuer out the same Secondly hearers must hence learne 1. to be subiect to the doctrine deliuered in the
ministerie be they old or young rich or poore one or other must yeeld obedience vnto it For seeing the Scripture is furnished to teach all men all their duties and the ministerie ordained by God to discouer the wisedome of God olde men must not disdaine to sit downe at Christs feete nor young men to learne how to redresse their waies nor the rich to become rich in God nor the poore to become poore in spirit nor the master to acknowledge a master in heauen nor the seruant to become the seruant of Christ. 2. To desire fit instruction in the ministerie and come to vs as the people Publicans soldiers to Iohn Master what shall we doe See Acts 2.37 and 16.30 3. To praie that we may deliuer fit doctrine Eph. 6.19 and for me that vtterance may be giuen to speake as I ought No man but would desire and call for a fit plaister or potion for his bodie but when we labour against mens particular sinnes directly and speake aptly to their consciences like vnrulie and inconsiderate patients they fret and storme if we come any thing neere the quicke of their galled consciences No man but in trouble of spirit or terrour of conscience would heare from vs words of comfort but there is a deale of proud flesh which would vnremooued for euer hinder their â—ound cure which when it is consumed we are readie to supple with words as soft as oyle but till then men must pray for wisedome to daunce to our pipe and as we must set our selues against the sinnes of all ages and callings so must they themselues against their owne sinnes 4. Whereas many thinke that those sinnes are least to be striuen against which are incident to the age or sexe and that we lay intollerable yokes on youth which must haue the swinge and for olde men because their age carrieth them to teastinesse and frowardnes therefore they may better be forborne these may hence see their error neither is this any other then to strengthen the hands of sinners and a giuing of scope to natural corruption If men indeede were so humbled as that they were readie to despaire because they cannot ouercome such corruptions then might we say that no temptation hath befallen them but such as goeth ouer the common nature but otherwise to plead for any libertie in excusing sinne is an hardening of the heart and a backe by as to repentance The elder men Doctr. Our Apostle exempteth not old men from beeing subiect to the doctrine of God because of their age but rather sendeth them first to schoole notwithstanding all that knowledge and experience which they might pretend 1. Ioh. 2.13 For Gods schoole is as well for olde as for young in which men are not onely to be initiated in the principles of religion but also to be lead forward vnto perfection of wisedome and seeing no man can attaine in this life vnto perfection therefore euerie man is still to presse forward and to waxe old daily learning something And there is great reason that as old men must first be instructed by Titus so they should be the first in learning their dutie Seeing First in regard of example for their presidence preuaileth much and would be a great inducement to the younger who neede all incouragements in the wayes of God which example not beeing generall giuen by our elder men besides that they entangle themselueâ— in the sinnes of the younger we cannot maruaile at the licentiousnes of our youth Secondly the honour of their age yea the ornament and crowne of their yeares is to be found in the wayes of righteousnesse that is in a life lead holily and iustly which two can neuer be found but in a heart submitted to the word of God the rule of both The want of this crowne maketh much olde age burdensome dishonourable and old men to liue euen vndesired because they are not onely euerie way vnprofitable but hurtfull and gracelesse not onely old stockes fruitlesse in their age but withered and keeping the ground barren also Thirdly whereas old men are delighted with relations of idle antiquities and things formerly passed as long as they can recall the holy Ghost recalleth them from such vnfruitfull spending their time and sheweth them that Christ and his doctrine both of them beeing from the beginning are most auncient and consequently the knowledge and remembrance of him is a matter best beseeming them to haue their senses and tongues exercised herein should bee the delight oâ— their age to be conuersant in the holy exercises which witnesse of him should be their chiefe busines as old Annah went not out of the Temple and olde Simeon waited there to see his saluation Fourthly their time by the course of nature cannot be long to fit themselues to heaven and therefore they had not neede slacke any opportunitie which might hast them thither they by reason of their time should see saluation nearer then when they first beleeued and imitating naturall motion in grace become more violent towards the center they ought to haue experience of the sweetenesse of the Lords yoke and shewe all chearefulnes in well doing while they abide in the flesh they should forecast to leaue a sweete sent behind them of a religious carriage toward God in all the duties of pietie and of a louing carriage towards all men Vse 1. This condemneth the frowardnesse of many of the elder sort who although they neuer learned to knowe Christ and the way of life when they were yong yet are neither afraid nor ashamed to say that they are now too olde to learne him the which speach bewraieth that as yet they neuer learned him aright as also that they are verie farre from saluation for whosoeuer is too olde to learne the meanes is too olde also to attaine the ende besides the extreame follie of such an vngodly profession for would the oldest man that can be sent on a iourney in a way both vnknowne to him and not easie to be found or held so sillily reason with himselfe I will right forward I neuer came this way before neither doe I knowe it but I will neuer aske of it for I am too olde now to learne it and yet thus madde are olde men in the matters of God and his kingdome Others would faine learne but not of young men this standeth not with their grauitie But howsoeuer maturitie of yeares is not to be neglected in a minister seeing that in the ordinarie course it carieth with it ripenes of iudgement yet Gods grace in youth must not be despised 1. Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth and who is commanded here to teach olde men but Titus a young man As for that place 2. Tim. 3.6 a minister must not be a young scholler it is not meant of one young in yeares but young in faith one lately conuerted to the Christian faith and as it were a tender and young plant in
and therefore necessarily supplieth it with moysture and heate of grace And the promise is that those that waite vpon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall lift vp their wings as the Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not waxe fainte Secondly The comfort of old age dependeth hereupon the tedious and diseased daies of which whosoeuer would comfortably passe they must prouide themselues of this supplie For who is it that can say he hath pleasure in those daies when for the darknes and miserie of them the sunne and the moone and the starres seeme to fall from heauen vnto whom Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath not risen and vnto whose heart that bright morning starre hath not discouered his brightnes the least beame and glims of whose sauing grace farre surpasseth the sunne in his strength What comfort can be to him whose strong men that keepe the house that is whose armes tremble for weaknes and whose thighs bow themselues as too weake to beare the weight of the bodie vnlesse the Lords arme and right hand become his strength and as a staffe to leane vpon as he was to Dauid 2. Sam. 22.19 What ioy remaineth vnto him whose age hath worne away most of his senses that now hath his eyes dim as Isaaks that with Barzillai he cannot discerne between good and bad he hath no tast in that he eateth and drinketh he cannot heare any more the voice of singing men and women vnlesse he hath attained the eyes of faith to see God in Christ and so with Simeon he can behold his saluation vnlesse he find rellish and tast in the bread of life vnlesse he can heare the sweet note of Gods spirit consenting with his owne that he is Gods child together with that sweet harmony of a good conscience kept before God and men in all things which is heauenly musick vpon earth In a word what solace or reioysing can be to him who hath one foote in the graue that seeth death so neere him daily threatning him and no way to escape him vnlesse herein also the spirit sustaine his infirmitie by assuring him that Christ is his life who hath bereaued that serpent of his sting poyson and venome so as he shall doe him no more harme then helpe him towards his happines Thirdly why should not we thus prouide against that rainie day and furnish our selues against the euill of it seeing the heathen were by nature taught to prouide for themselues such props of their age as they thought would most bestead them both for their vtilitie and delight there is no man that finding his eyes decaying needeth to be vrged to prouide spectacles nor he whose loynes faile him to prepare him a staffe to leane vpon and much more should grace teach euery Christian that when with Dauid through age or otherwise he findeth his flesh fayling him and his heart also then to make the Lord his hope and his portion for euer Fourthly the recompence of this dutie is beyond all our thoughts seeing the blindnes of the bodie is made vp by the vision of the Lord Iesus and God the father appeased in him bodily weakenesse supplyed by spirituall strength corporal death abated yea exchanged with heauenly life all which not onely quell the feare of death approaching but euen whet the desire of it For if Simeon seeing Christ in his armes praieth for his peaceable departure If Moses seeing the land of Canaan from the toppe of mount Nebo could willingly submit himselfe to die If the three famous Patriarchs who neuer sawe the promises accomplished to their owne persons but a farre off promised to their posterities could willingly die in faith how much more shall they be able to wish their desolation who by the eye of the faith shall behold that heauenly Canaan and that celestiall Ierusalem of which the other were but darke shadowes Vse This doctrine cries shame vpon many old men that are as weake or weaker in soule then they be in bodie farre more blind more staggering euery way more sensles more dead they perceiue their faces and eyes looke drooping to the earth and yet their spirits neuer a whit more lifted vp vnto heauen they see the world forsaking them as not able to cherish them any longer and yet cannot they be drawne to forsake the world they cannot but behold the earth casting them off it and making a way fot the next age their posteritie and yet they cast care away and neuer prouide themselues of a continued citie The eie of their bodie seeth how they are growne into yeares and striken in age but the eye of their mindes see not the gray haires here and there vpon them no more then Eprhaims did Euerie man can see and say they are come euen to the period of their dayes and yet no man can say they are come to the beginnings of any true grace Thus although multitude of yeares should teach wisedome vnderstanding faith application yet may young Elihu truely obiect to the reproach not of a fewe that olde age is not alwaies wise Further vrging of this point although carried further in the deliuerie I purposely omit The Lord graunt all of vs whome it concerneth to learne thus much as is said In loue This second vertue beseeming the elder sort not onely as olde men but auncient Christians is brotherly loue which casteth eie vnto all the duties of the second table as faith principally to the duties of the former and most fitly ioined with faith as being the inseparable companion of it and such a marke as freeth it from imputation of deadnesse or vnsoundnesse Which vertue is inioyned euerie Christian olde or young both because it is the newe commandement of Christ as also a note of a Christian and true disciple of Christ Ioh. 13.35 and is besides the bond of vpright dealing in humane societie without which men were little better then wolues or wilde beasts But it is here rather commended to elder men who in this vertue as in the former and following graces must be more at the last then at the first and in whome this grace of loue must be proportionable vnto their faith for this may not be an infant if the former be of riper age but according to the proportion and growth of faith must loue abound And it must be obserued that our Apostle requireth not the vertue simply or in remisse degree or small measure but soundnesse in loue in such a degree and measure as that age seemeth of it selfe to call for Now if we would knowe wherein the soundnesse of loue consisteth it is then sound when it hath soundnesse 1. in the ground 2. order 3. seate 4. worke 5. durance of it First the true ground of all the loue of the creature is the loue of the Creator all the loue of man must issue from the loue of God and all duties of the second table must
wherein is excesse And the woe is as generall against all such as are ouercome with wine and no drunkards shall enter into the kingdome of heauen But in women and old women it is besides the sinne most filthy and shamefull The very Heathen accounted wine and strong drinke disagreeable from the nature of women and therefore enacted lawes against their vse of it but the word of God is not so rigorous which giueth them as well as men leaue to vse wine for their weaknes and often infirmitie yea sometimes for honest delight as well as for necessitie but alwaies moderately for strength and not for drunkennes neuer tying their delight or desire vnto it nor suffering themselues to be ouercome by it for of whatsoeuer any is ouercome to that he is in bondage And the reasons why the Apostle directed this precept vnto old women seeme to be these 1. It is not vnlike but that the women of those times as they had like meetings vpon their necessarie and womanly occasions so had they the like practises as now are in request in them as much idle and busie chat not a fewe needles drinkings and gossepings wherein they much exceeded that to which their condition or nature and much lesse grace called them vnto The which meetings although some of them are necessarie yet for women to be addicted vnto them or excessiue in them in vnwarrantable speaches drinkings meriments c. sauoureth of darkenes of the flesh and is farre from beseeming women that professe the feare of God and obedience or subiection to the word of God which condemneth drinkings as well as drunkennes which are fruits of an vnregenerate estate And thus the Apostle by this precept backeth the former the due obseruance of which would cut off much false accusing in such meetings and in the neglect of it it is impossible but that the tongue will be walking without his owne hedge and wandring beyond the pale of it The prouerbe is true what euer is in must out in the cups Agreeable to that holy prouerb of Salomon to whom are contentions to whome are stroakes and wounds without cause euen to those that stay long at the wine teaching vs that the hands and tongues also of such lash on strike spare not no not their dearest friends 2. The moderation of the elder women should be an example to the yonger as the next words import an hedge to containe them in compasse from whom otherwise in such meetings some lightnesse might breake out 3. For a matron to make shipwracke of shamefastnes modestie sobrietie grauitie and whatsoeuer else may be the grace of that sexe and age by giuing place to this one inordinate desire what a grieuous sinne were it how many sinnes attend it euen so many as there be fearefull fruits and effects of drunkennes as wandring eyes lustfull lookes tongues speaking lewd things gestures and actions more seemely for bruit beasts then either women or Christians 4. Besides the more publike scandall if we consider the priuate damage of this sinne in women we shall finde the Apostle had reason sufficient to condemne it in them For whereas the Lord hath laide this dutie on the wise woman to build vp her house to regard the wayes of her familie so as her diligence and labour should if not much increase yet at least preserue and saue that portion of maintenance her husband bringeth in accordingly as his heart trusteth in her this one sinne strips her of all fitnesse to gouerne the family which for her goeth at sixes and seauens as we say it wasteth and consumeth the substance both priuately at home and by calling in companions from abroad and thus she sinfully wrongeth her family for the present lodeth her husband with debts and dangers and depriueth her children of that comfort which was meete should be reserued and laid vp for them Doctr. Out of the word we may further note the follie of our corrupted nature making vs readie to yeeld our selues slaues and seruants to the creatures which by Gods institution and ordinance should serue vs. And we yeeld vp our selues seruants vnto them diuerse wayes as 1. in the immoderate desire of getting them vnto vs when men men will be rich and hasten so to be when they will fare deliciously goe sumptuously dwell stately which to compasse they will become base seruants to any man any sinne or any drudgerie for a time 2. When in holding them the mindes and affections of men dwell in the delight of them as when the abundance varietie goodnesse sweetnesse and pleasure of meates drinkes pastime merie companie gorgeous apparell faire buildings drawe downe the heart make it drunke with sensualitie and forgetfull of God Thus the Lord chargeth his people when thou wast in prosperitie thou saidst I will not heare this hath beene thy manner from thy youth for now the heart is held as in chaines and hath it not in the power to turne it selfe to any other truer delight 3. When a man hath it not in his power to forsake or part with them when of all that he is owner of he is not the master of any small part to employ to any good vse or in any worke of Christian charitie and liberalitie And numbers are such base drudges to their wealth as they will as soone part with their vnprofitable liues as in the forgoing of a small and trifling commoditie testifie any fruit of faith and thankefulnesse to God the giuer or of loue and mercie vnto men whom he hath made receiuers but they wast away their daies and vanish away themselues as though they were not in adding and increasing of wealth by any meanes as if they were borne to make their heires happie by their owne going to the deuil as the common speach is 4. When they are as fetters and clogges from the performance of good duties vnfitting men to the duties of their generall and speciall calling whereunto they were ordained to make vs fit and seruiceable Thus men loose their libertie Vse To resolue of the practise of these precepts 1. To vse the world as not vsing it neither growing proud in the smiles nor too much depressed in the frowning of it 2. So to take our parts of our lawfull liberties as that we be neuer brought vnder the power of any thing vnder the pretence of libertie in the creatures we may not become slauish vnto them but carrie an equall minde both to want and abound 3. To avoid all occasions whereby vnawares we might be drawne vnder their power as looking at the wine in the cup for hereby thirst will follow drunkennes so of daintinesse softnes riotous and spend thrift companie for by such meanes and examples the heart becomes wholly diuorced from God and glewed vnto the creatures But teachers of honest things It will be here asked how standeth this with that in 1. Tim. 1.2.11 Let the woman learne and I
vnto them to be instituted in all discipline and instruction whence the whole information of youth and that generall education which they receiue from Masters or Tutors is by the best humane writer vpon that argument expressed by this same word Secondly he taketh occasion hence to enter into more particular description of such vertues as should cause the faces of the younger women to shine and these be seauen in number 1. Loue of their husbands 2. Loue of their children 3. Temperance 4. Chastitie 5. Home keeping 6. Goodnesse 7. Subiection or obedience vnto their husbands Thirdly he enforceth the necessary practise of all these duties by a disparate argument namely the reproach and blasphemy which otherwise in defect of them will redound vnto the word of God of which three points we are to speake in order Out of the first of which we learne Doctr. What must be the fruit of the elder womens carriage and speach namely the making of the younger wise in the generall wisedome of godlines and honestie Euery practise and euery speach of theirs ought to be either a precept or example of wholsome instruction Prov. 31.6 The vertuous woman openeth her mouth in wisedome the fruit of her lips yeeldeth instruction and her life is a shining lampe which doctrine as it is cleare both here and elsewhere in the Scriptures so is it of exceeding profitable vse 1. To older women to teach them warines in all their words and behauiours and looke to their carriage both abroad and at home as well within their owne houses as the house of God whose eyes are euery where beholding the good and the badde euen in the denne with Daniel and the dungeon with Ioseph that they may walke wisely euen in the midst of their houses so setting themselues coppies of religious conuersation to those ouer whom they are set fasting praying reading instructing in priuate in which priuate duties they shall meete perhappes with much more comfort although publike duties be more powerfull that in all common actions also of life they may bring them to this touch whether they will instruct others in wisedome or no. By which triall if vnpartiall not a few shall find their behauiours and speaches fitted to traine the younger sort to prattle and plaie the busie bodies to scoffe to quip raile heartburne their betters to instruct them to become as bold in behauiour as souldiers to court it like curtezans and at the best to fill their heads with old fables and follies which corrupt minds and breed to more vngodlines whereas they ought in these yeares to account all that time of their life lost wherein the younger sort gathereth not some vertue or good from them And although this lesson especially be directed to elder women yet is it profitably to be extended vnto all Christians of what sex or age soeuer euery of whom ought to sanctifie their speaches and actions by the word and by prayer if euer they would attaine this high point of Christianitie of becomming shining lights and promoters of the glorie and kingdome of God aswell in others as in themselues not speaking or performing any thing vnwarrantably rashly or carelesly or without this aime and end set as a white before their eye namely the edifying of themselues and others 1. Cor. 10.31 2. Whereas it is commonly but inconsideratly thought to be only a ministeriall dutie to make men and women wise vnto saluation we see hence the contrarie that it belongeth not only to other men but euen to women also but with this difference and reseruation that the Mininistry and Ministers are appointed the ordinarie principall and publike meanes of begetting and preseruing men and women vnto God but this more priuate and common instruction is appointed for the encrease and strengthning in that grace giuen Againe the Minister like a good Master builder is to laie the foundation and the rest of the people are like labourers bring filling to the worke and house of God and may not depart from his precepts and directions and therefore Iude exhorteth the Saints to edifie one another in their most holy faith Let not women therefore be ashamed thus to labour with the Ministers in the Gospel no more then those holy women which laboured with Paul nay rather because it is a good note that their names are written in the booke of life let them be incouraged vnto this holy precedencie and testification of Christianitie in euery word action and behauiour neither let them make daintie fearing that in these corrupted daies none will be hastie to follow their right ordered steppes for seeing this is the ordinance of God appointed to this end and vse it shall prosper to the same purpose in such as whom the Lord hath any delight in to build them vp further when they shall heare the gracious speaches of their lippes and see the grace of their liues and as for others let them at their perill neglect their owne duties yet shall it not be without vse in them also as not without comfort to their owne soules in the day of the Lord. That they loue their husbands Now our Apostle teacheth younger women how they should carie themselues in their familes and propoundeth many marriage vertues which ought to discouer themselues in all women called vnto that estate and in younger women are speciall ornaments whose loue modestie chastitie humilitie and subiection should be as the vailes of their heads and as the chaine and garland of their necks The first of these is loue challenging rightly the first place because it is the leader of all the rest and the cheifest of them easily drawing the other after This loue must be set vpon two obiects 1. their husbands 2. their children for this is such an affection as is to be set vpon their owne proprieties and not any besides Obiect But this may seeme a needelesse precept for is it not naturall for women to loue their husbands and children or can a woman â—ate her owne flesh can the members but loue the head or can any monster of women so farre loose naturall instinct as to forget the fruit of her wombe Salomon commanding the child to be diuided knew out of his wisedome that nature could not but worke and bewray it selfe in one of the parties Answ. Many by Gods iust iudgement and their owne corruption are become without naturall affection whome this precept taketh hold vpon 2. The best nature of all if it be not extinguished as in the former yet is greatly corrupted and can produce nothing pleasing to God and therefore hath the Lord bound women to this affection of loue by a surer and straighter bond then that of corrupted nature hauing by his owne commandement laid it vpon them as a calling to walke in that the performance of it might be an obedience of faith and not a worke of naturall instinct a dutie of conscience as well as of affection 3. Though
Eue was made for Adam and not Adam for Eue yea she was made of him and not be of her and therefore euen in innocencie was shee subiect vnto Adam though then without griefe and molestation which afterward came in by sinne Secondly consider Gods lawe and institution after the fall Gen. 3.16 Thy desire shall be vnto him and he shall rule ouer thee as if he had said seeing thou canst not rule thy selfe meete it is that now especially since thy sinne hath set thee out of order that thou shouldst be put vnder the rule and power of an other yea although this subiection be not so liberall sweete and free as before the fall but ioyned with sorrowe and difficultie yea although often thou vndergoe vnequall commands and this also is the Apostles reason Adam was not first seduced but Eue and therefore her honour was first lost and a lesse liberall subiection was bound vpon her so much more surely Thirdly the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is of his Church and therefore as the members are subiect to the head without reasoning so should the wife be vnto her husband he prouideth for all answeareth for all defendeth all as the head and doth not he best deserue the preheminence hath not nature giuen the highest place and prerogatiue vnto the head and were it not most vnnaturall that the wife by seeking for soueraigntie and rule ouer her husband should set the head vnder the feet And further by this superioritie he becommeth the image of God vnto his wife and his lawfull commandements haue a stampe of God set vpon the thing commanded and therefore she must signifie that she hath a feeling of him in her heart as the image of Gods maiestie glorie and soueraigntie through her whole behauiour in a meeke and quiet spirit shewing her selfe the glorie of the man respecting his authoritie as the Lords his will as the Lords in right and lawfull commands against which if she rebell shee riseth vp against the Lord himselfe In these regards especially the Apostle concludeth this dutie and exhortation Col. 3.18 wiues be subiect to your husbands that is yeeld your selues vnto the will direction and discretion of your husbands for it is meete or comely namely in regard 1. of the law of nature 2. of Gods institution after the fall 3. the husbands headship and 4. womanly infirmitie Neither is it onely meete but so necessarie as where it is not performed it cannot be but the family should be laid open to ruine and downefall no otherwise then if the feete should refuse to goe the eye to looke the hands to take the things which the head commandeth the whole man must needes perish All which considerations take away all the friuolous obiections of women for exemption from this so naturall and necessarie a dutie Some plead they are yoked to foolish Naballs others are matched to such as neuer consider their paines and kindnesse and not meeting with that kind and thankefull retribution from their husband which they expect take themselues freed from such strict obseruance others could loue their husbands passing well were it not for such or such a bad qualitie and others are tyed to frampoll or conceited persons and so drawe conclusions both of their vnfitnesse to gouerne and the inconueniences of their owne subiection But against all these reasonings which are so vnreasonable as that they directly fight with Gods ordinance and that order which he hath put in nature which admitteth nor of such exceptions here is a cannon of batterie Thou must and maist before thy marriage consider whether he be a wise man or a foole but after thou must knowe he is thy husband which if he be thou must be subiect ouer whome be it that he be a foole and thou wiser then he thou maist affect no rule but knowing still thy place by thy goodnesse wisedome counsell and perswasion if it may be preuent his or thy hurt as Abigail did As for his vnworthinesse whatsoeuer it may be in thine eies yet the Lord depriueth him not of his worthinesse to rule ouer thee who hast entred into the marriage league with him And for his vnfitnesse he cannot be so vnfit to gouerne thee as thou art to gouerne him who wert taken to be an helpe and not an head vnto him and a monstrous thing were it in nature for the feete to direct the head But that women should obey their husbands none are so rude as not in generall to acknowledge but come to particulars as 1. wherein 2. the manner how there growes some question The former the Apostle answereth Eph. 5.24 Wiues be subiect in all things that is in all lawfull and bonest things in all which there must be a departure from their owne wills if a contrarie commandement proceed from the husband yea euen in those things which may seeme to be her peculiar for the gouernment and keeping of his house whether in his absence or presence she must administer according to his minde and direction For so the members of the bodie are subiect to the head each doth his owne dutie yet all by the appointment of the head mooue or rest themselues And thus the Church dispenseth to the sonnes of God the children of the Church all necessaries for their direction consolation and saluation but yet by the prescript and order of Christ the head and not any thing without his appointment and no more is the wife to administer no not in the absence of her husband against or contrarie to his minde Looke vp to the heauens and verie nature will teach this lesson while the sunne is absent the moone takes vpon her gouerneth the heauens and shineth aboue all the starres but yet not without the borrowing of all this light from the sunne if Philosophie teach vs truely but when the sunne is present she giueth place contracteth her light and reuerenceth him after a sort by vayling her face at his presence vpon whom she wholly dependeth and thus should it be with the wife when the husband presenteth himselfe whether in person or in his commandement Quest. Whether the wife may dispose of goods without her husband consent to good vses Answ. There is no question but she may 1. of any goods before marriage excepted 2. of those her husband giueth her after marriage for these also are proper goods and not common 3. If she haue generall consent when his heart trusteth in her and referreth in generall things to her discretion 4. If she haue implicit consent when her husband knoweth she giueth and holdeth his peace 5. In extreame necessitie for often the case suffereth not to expect his consent 6. In the vnfitnesse of the husband to gouerne as suppose he be striken with frensie and madnes for then the disposing of things is deuolued vpon her 7. In his longer absence as suppose he be a souldier marchant or seafaring man 8. Of that she can well
be sober minded These words containe three points in their order to be considered 1. The persons to whom the precept is directed or whom the precept concerneth namely young men who must be taught and dealt with as well as any others 2. The manner how they must be dealt withall Exhort 3. What they must be exhorted vnto that they must be sober minded From each of which we learne a profitable instruction Doctr. Out of the first point we are taught that young men must looke to their waies and conteine themselues in their duties as well as others of whose courses the Lord taketh as good notice as of others For 1. here the Minister is giuen in charge to teach them as well as others Peter must feed lambs as well as sheepe and they beeing a great part of the Church must honour God in their places as well as the auncient in theirs 2. If the Pastors and teachers haue the ouersight of them and must as well watch ouer their soules as others then must they also for this cause obey them and be submitted vnto them 3. If the word be directed vnto them as well as others they as well as others must be directed by it But Iohn writeth as well to young men as the older and to children aswell as fathers Salomon aduiseth the young man to remember his creator in the daies of his youth Dauid to redresse his waies according to the word Vse 1. This doctrine reprehendeth a common error in the world for generally men thinke that religion and attendance vnto the word is for old age but as for youth it must sow the wild oates it must haue his course young men must settle themselues in the world and ground their estate first for other matters they haue day inough before them to mind them in and from this first error proceeds a worse that the religion of this age for most part is but promises without practise and those promises but hypocrisies without any soundnesse But all this is but the wisedome of the flesh euen sensuall and deuillish cleane contrarie to Gods wisedome which vrgeth the young man if euer he would be setled in a good estate to found it in the remembrance of God and asking the question how a mans life should be rightly ordered propoundeth it in the person of the young man because that is indeed the age of right reformation For settle the soule vpon his lees of sinnefull lusts custome in sinning prooueth another nature and in continuance becommeth vnchangeable and incorrigible Let a man through his youth set his face against heauen and blaspheme the religion of God it shall be as hard for a blackmoore to chang his skin or the leopard his spottes as for such a one who hath beene accustomed to euill to learne to do well for the curse is commonly passed against them who haue beene so long fruitles neuer more fruit grow vpon thee and what other can the ground that bringeth nothing but thornes and bryers expect but that the end of it should be to be burned Vse 2. Let this be a motiue vnto all young men to looke betime to the ordering of their waies and if God call timely as he did young Samuel earely in the morning beware of running another way but with him answer speake Lord thy seruant heareth and the better either to perswade them to the obedience of this precept or else to leaue them the more excuseles in the departure from their dutie I will 1. by some reasons inforce the dutie and 2. prescribe some meanes for the more happy practise of the same For the former First that age is the haruest and summer in which whosoeuer sleepeth is the sonne of confusion but he that gathereth is the child of wisedome It is with grace as it is with grafts there must be a time of insetting and a time of outgrowing and both these must be seasonable before fruit can be expected the seed must be sowne in youth that must come vp in age nip a blossome in the spring and where is the hope of autumne We can conclude that a man borne to nothing if he idle out his youth and applie his hands to nothing is so farre from likelihood of proouing a rich man that he cannot escape ragged clothing as Salomon speaketh but needs must hee beare a wallet and die a beggar and how is it that we want wisedome accordingly to conclude that where Sathan can make youth vnprofitable little good nay much spirituall beggarie may be expected in all other ages through the life Secondly another reason the Apostle Iohn vseth I write vnto you young men because yee are strong young men are called out to beare the heat of the day because they are in their strength and are chiefe champions either for good or euill If then their strength be spent in the practises of pietie and religion such workes are so much the more excellent because they are performed with more courage zeale strength and resolution But if vnto any vice they powre out their strength or stand the patronage of any sinne their actions are so much more sinnefull and outragious by how much they are more violent wherein although for the time they may reioyce yet let them know that they shall come vnto iudgement at what time they must be counteable for all their strength and the imployment also of it Againe in regard of this strength they are most fit for the spirituall combate strength is for warre saith Rabsachie and therefore if they could not heretofore be Preists vnto this seruice yet let them now serue as voluntaries vnder the Captaine Iesus Christ then any longer abide vnder the colours of his enemies Thirdly for young men to be early graced is a beutifull sight in the eyes of God and his children it filled Paul with ioy to remember Tymothies timely faith When Christ saw but some ciuill vertues in a young man otherwise bewraying many great corruptions so louely were they vnto him that it is said he loued him When children crie Hosanna what a great prouocation of the elder sort is it of which the Lord will make great vse to their shame and conuincement that as it was a shamfull rebuke to the Israelites when Christ said of the Cananite surely I haue not found so great faith in Israel so shall the elder sort be confounded when he shall say surely I haue not found so great faith zeale knowledge obedience in rulers fathers masters as in prentizes seruants children Or as he prouoked the Pharisies Iohn came in the way of righteousnesse and yee beleeued not the Publicans and harlots beleeued him and yet when you saw that you neither beleeued nor repented of your vnbeleefe verely I say vnto you that Publicans and harlots shall enter into heauen before you so shall it be said The elder sort receiued not the word but many of the younger
sort were diligent hearers and when the elder saw this yet repented they not to beleeue it verily the younger shall be gathered into heauen before the elder who without timely repentance shall neuer come there Fourthly young men had need call their waies to remembrance that their consciences may haue peace in the testimonie thereof when they are older for the vanities of youth vexe the heart many yeares after Dauid praied against the sinnes of his youth not without a bitter sence and sting of them It was the voice of Ephraim Ier. 31.19 I was ashamed yea confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth God may now in thy youth suffer thee for want of knowledge and conscience to be senceles of thy most grosse sinnes as Iosephs brethren were but afterwards if thou belongest vnto him he will waken thy conscience and make the thought of them as bitter as euer the practise of them was pleasant when they shall fill thee with trouble of conscience and make thee call great things into question yea bring thee not onely to doubt of thy effectuall calling to grace but almost to despaire of thy saluation especially if thy sinnes of youth by long continuance be grown into customes and can hardly therefore be subdued euen then when thou art conuerted Wouldest thou be fenced now against all these afterclappes Now is the time wherein thou maist preuent such afflictions Nay more thou maist by drawing neere vnto the Lord and bearing his yoke in thy youth laie the foundations of thy comfort in any future affliction during the daies of thy pilgrimage as Iob did the one thirtieth Chapter of whose booke containeth nothing but a gathering vp of himselfe vnto his comforts and hopes through the recalling vnto minde the innocencie and vprightnesse of the former part of his life As Hezekiah also did who when sentence of death had passed from the mouth of God and his Prophet against him had no such hold of comfort elsewhere then in calling to mind the innocencie of his life a testimony that he was in couenant with God and might looke to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Remember Lord how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Now for the helpes furthering this dutie 1. Young men must take notice of that great bundle of follie which is naturally bound vp in their hearts the corruption of that age beeing such as needeth not any occasion without it selfe to cast it downe 2. That the meanes to redresse it is the studie of the Scriptures vnto the rules whereof they must haue regard and not to the examples of men 3. That if they will needs be giuen to imitation then must they imitate not the most but the best of that age such as was young Daniel who in tender yeares was able to vtter knowledge Dan. 1.4 young Samuel who so soone as he is weaned must stand before the Lord 1. Sam. 1. young Iosiah who at eight yeare old walked vprightly 2. King 21. young Timothy who knew the Scriptures of a child yea of Christ himselfe who increased in wisedome as in stature so as at twelue yeares olde he was able to confound the Doctors and great Rabbies of the Iewes 4. That against all the discouragements they shall meete withall from men as that they are too forward soone ripe and young Saints c. they must oppose the Lords good pleasure who requireth firstlings first fruites first borne of man and beast the first moneth yea and first day of that moneth for the celebrating of the passeouer and delighteth in whole and fat offerings not in the lame leane and blind sacrifices which his soule abhorreth for of all the sonnes of men the Lord neuer tooke such pleasure as in such who were sanctified euen from the wombe Some of the learned call men to the timely seruice of God from the allusion of Moses rodde Exod. 3. and Isaies vision cap. 9. both of the almond tree because of all trees that soonest putteth forth her blossomes how sound that collection is I will not stand to enquire onely this is true that such as would be trees of righteousnesse and knowne to be of the Lords planting laden especially in their age with the fruites of the spirit must with the almond tree timely budde and blossome and beare that their whole liues may be a fruitfull course whereby God may be glorified and themselues receiue in the ende a more full consolation The second point in the verse is The manner of teaching young men Exhort young men so 1. Tim. 5.1 Exhort old men as fathers and young men as brethren The scope of the Ministerie is to draw all men to dutie and beeing ordained of God out of his singular loue for the winning of men all the duties of it must be performed in such louing manner as that men may be rather wonne and drawne then forced thervnto yea euen young men who for most part are headlesse and furthest from dutie must by the spirit of meeknesse be restored and reclaimed Doctr. The Pastor is not alwaies to vrge and vse his authoritie but sometimes he must lay it downe and in some cases where he may by the word command he must rather choose to entreate Paul in all his epistles seldome commandeth out of his authoritie although Apostolicall aboue the authoritie of ordinarie ministers but euer almost perswaded entreated out of his loue Thus he dealeth with Philemon for the receiuing of Onesimus Though I haue much libertie to command yet I rather beseech thee ver 8. For might not he haue commanded a Christian to remit an iniurie and receiue a Christian seruant vpon his repentance and yet he besought him so to doe And thus although we want not power to command men vpon their owne perill and so fasten Christian duties vpon them yet we rather entreate men to be reconciled vnto God yea we are to beseech and exhort men in the Lord Iesus that they encrease more and more c. 1. Thess. 4.1 And the Scriptures are so delighted with this manner of teaching by exhortation that the speciall worke of the ministerie is called by this name Act. 13.15 the men of Antioch came to Paul and Barnabas and said If ye haue any word of exhortation say on and yet this word of exhortation was a sermon which they desired to heare preached againe the next Sabbath We heard cap. 1.9 that the Minister must therefore hold fast wholesome doctrine that he may be able to exhort as though this were all he had to doe But here must be great wisedome and circumspection vsed for although the Minister is often to turne his power into prayers and threats into entreaties yet must be beware that he so lay not downe his authoritie as that the word loose any but abide still a word of power to command obseruing wisely to this purpose these two
commonly is vpheld by bitternes of word writing rayling and reproaches consider here the Popish writers dealing with Protestants putting off euen humanitie it selfe and all but the image of the deuill which standeth in malicious lying and accusing of the brethren The heate also and bitternesse of the Germaine diuines beeing farre aboue that which becommeth brethren maketh not vnto but against the goodnes of their causes Oh that we could all remember that Christs kingdome is peaceable himselfe instructeth with all meekenesse perswadeth intreateth seldome threatneth and neuer was his voice heard in the streets the spirit descending vpon him like a doue sheweth how farre he was from bitternes and contradiction 2. This inseparable qualitie of withstanders sheweth that to speake euill of professors is to withstand the truth so is the boldnesse of such who taxe Ministers discountenancing sinne as too bold to whom sinne may be bold enough before it meete with an angrie countenance from them In a word therefore let vs take vp that vse which Christ raised of this doctrine Let wisedome be iustified of all her children Doct. 3. Euerie godly mans endeauour must be to stoppe the mouthes of such aduersaries and so make them ashamed Obiect But it is an impossible thing they will haue alwaies something to say Answ. Yet so liue thou as thou maist boldly appeale vnto God let thine owne conscience be able to answer for thy vprightnesse and so thou openest not their mouthes if now they open them against thee it is their sinne and not thine and thus this precept is expounded 1. Tim. 5.14 Giue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake euill And is inforced with speciall reason 1. Pet. 2.12.15 This is the will of God by well doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men If any shall say why I care not what they say on me they are dogges and wicked men and what are we to regard them the Apostle telleth vs that yet for Gods commandement sake we must not open their mouthes but performe all duties of pietie and humanitie vnto them 2. Because they watch occasions to â—raduce we must watch to cut off such occasions Luk. 6.7 the Scribes and Pharisies watched Christ whether he would heale on the Sabbath to find an accusation against him Christ did the good worke but by his question to them cut off so farre as he could the matter of their malice by clearing the lawfulnes of it So out of their malice we shall draw our owne good and thus it shall be true which the heathen saide that the enemie often hurteth lesse and profiteth more then many friends 3. What a glorie is it for a Christian thus to slaughter enuie it selfe to keepe shut that mouth that would faine open it selfe against him to make him be cloathed with his own shame who sought to bring shame vpon him and his profession when a wretch cannot so put off his forehead as to accuse him whom he abhorreth no more then he can the sunne of darknes when it shineth yea when the Prince of the world commeth to sift such a member of Christ yet he findeth nothing iustly to vpbraide him withall Vse Would God professed Christians were carefull not to open profane mouthes who shall not neede to watch long but they shall meete with matter too much with swearing lying oppressing in some with sabbath breaking and formall seruice in others with pride stomake contentions and vndying almost immortall suits in lawe in a third sort and yet more pitifull that the Papist shall scarse neede to watch a whit but his mouth is presently opened to the slaundring of the Gospel by the dead and carkase faith not of a few Vers. 9. Let seruants be subiect to their masters and please them in all things not answering againe 10. Neither pickers but that they shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things After that our Apostle hath at large described such Christian duties as must be vrged vpon free persons of all sexes and ages Now he commeth to such as are required in those that be in seruile condition and estate And in these two verses propoundeth two points 1. He pointeth them to such vertues as especially befit them 1. He inforceth them with a reason drawne from the end of them namely the adorning of the Gospel The vertues are fowre 1. subiection 2. pleasing of their masters in all things 3. silence propounded in the opposite of it not answering againe 4. faithfulnesse illustrated by the contrarie not pickers The enforcement is in the last words that euen they may become ornaments vnto the Gospel which by a periphrasis is called the doctrine of Christ or God our Sauiour thus must they be not in some or few but all things that is in all their speaches actions and behauiours The whole sence of the verses together is this And now oh Titus hauing applied thy doctrine vnto other estates at length cast downe thine eyes vpon them that are of inferiour condition for they beeing members of the Church aswell as any of the former thou must fit and serue out vnto them also their portion wherein thou must exhort them that they be willingly submitted and subiected vnto the power and vnder the will of their masters yea what euer their masters be let them be vnbeleeuers vnmercifull froward yet let them cast to please them in all things wherin God their Masters master is not displeased And although themselues be religious and called vnto Christ yet let them acknowledge their places and neuer aduance or embolden themselues to returne vndutifull answers vnto their masters or mistresses as the manner of many is Let them not vse any vnfaithfulnesse but all good fidelitie which is the cheefe vertue of a seruant and that in euery thing which requireth the same and especially let then beware of one point of vnfaithfulnesse namely the secret purloyning and filching the least profit of their masters to turne to their owne or other vses without their masters priuitie And if all this while they serue such hard masters as returne them small thanke or other retribution for their faithfull seruice yet this shall they do they shall bewtifie the doctrine of the Gospel which they professe and in commending it they shall get thanks of God who will not dismisse them without a plentifull reward The first and proper dutie of euery seruant is subiection or a stooping vnder the authoritie of his master Which standeth 1. in an inward reuerencing in heart the image of God in his superioritie This reuerent subiection of the heart the Lord in his owne example requireth in all his seruants Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my feare and is the first dutie of that commandement honour thy father and mother the Apostle Eph. 6.5 calleth for feare and trembling from seruants toward their masters 2. In the outward testimonie of this inward reuerence both
be glorified by vs hath he called vs out of the world which lieth in wickednes vnto holinesse and so fitteth vs to euery good word and worke oh what a thing were it for vs to walke in such waies as are distastfull and dishonourable to God and no whit distinguish vs from the profane and vngodly of the Lord needed the Lord haue bin at halfe the cost and labour with vs for such fruits as these or is this that returne which he expecteth of all his paines Vse Would any know whether he be a good tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord set into Christ and liuing and thriuing in him let him looke to his fruits which be they neuer so good cannot make a tree good but can declare it so to be Examine then thy selfe whether thou art a new creature whether old things be passed away and all is become new whether thou findest the effect of the blood of Christ purging thy conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God whether thou walkest in the light as he is in the light hence it will appeare that this blood is still distilling vpon thy soule to cleanse thee from all sinne there is no more conspicuous note or euidence that a man hath escaped condemnation and is in the state of grace then that which is giuen by the Apostle as a touchstone Rom. 8.1 Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But what haue they to do with Christ who hate the light in whom sinne ruleth to destruction who walke in the waies of the world and in the lusts of their owne hearts and eyes who are led by the spirit that beareth rule in the sonnes of disobedience who in stead of shewing out the vertues of God beare vpon them the brand and expresse image of their father the Deuil some in mallice and enuie against God and good men as he was a manslayer from the beginning some in vncleannes and filthines as he is called an vncleane spirit others in rayling swearing and cursing who haue their tongues set on fire from hell others in vnrighteous words and deeds as he is a lyar from the beginning some in tempting and seducing others to their owne lure enticing to companionship drinking gaming c. as he compasseth the earth to doe mischeefe of all these we may say as Christ to the Iewes Ye are the children of your father the Deuil for his workes yee doe And others also in whose liues such open vnrighteousnes breaketh not out yet because they cannot shew the fruits of righteousnes we may cōclude against them that they were neuer washed by Christ. The adopted sonnes of God imitate the naturall Sonne who when the Iewes said Tell vs art thou that Christ that we may doubt no longer he presently sendeth them to his workes If I doe not the workes of my Father beleeue mee not so art thou a Christian and the child of God as thou professest and beleeuest I say if thou dost not the workes of God thou art not to be beleeued Now the workes of God are 1. to beleeue in his Sonne 2. to endeauour to keep all his commandements 3. to practise the duties of repentance and invocation and that daily 4. to call others especially those that belong vnto thee vnto the knowledge and seruice of the true God that thou with thy house maist serue the Lord 5. to make thy calling and euery dutie to man branches of obedience vnto God These would make thee diligent in the Ministrie for faith must be maintained neither canst thou obey all vnlesse thou knowest all the third would cause thee to watch against sinne in thy self the fourth to banish it from thy family the last would make thee beneficiall to all men hurtfull to none and by all shalt thou adorne thy holy profession These works of thy father cheerefully and constantly performe and we will beleeue that thou art the child of God Thirdly note that the thing that God requireth in a professor is zeale forwardnes and earnestnes in well doing and that his whole course should be a studious prosecuting of good workes The same word is vsed in 1. Cor. 14.1 Couet spirituall gifts but the word is be zealous after or zealously addicted vnto them and cap. 12.31 Be zealous after the best gifts the same teacheth the same Apostle Gal. 4.17 It is a good thing euer to be zealous in a good thing and is a vertue euery where called for in the scriptures yea such a one as without which good things cannot be done well or in good manner Now because euery forwardnes and earnestnesse euen in good things is not commendable zeale for Peter euen in Christs defence may hastily draw his sword and rashly lay about him therefore to the right ordering of it there must alwaies goe with it these three things First the light of knowledge that it may both beginne and end with the word Paul reprooueth the Iewes who had zeale and that for the law of God because it was not according vnto knowledge yea he condemneth that hote zeale wherewith himselfe was enraged in the time of his ignorance because it had turned almost to the wasting of the whole Church To this head are to be referred those blind deuotions of the Papists at this day who are much in zeale whereby they are in continuall tumults as the Ephesians for their Diana but ignorance must be the mother of these deuotions Secondly it must be guided by good discretion it must be wise as well as warme in greater matters greater and lesser in lesser A wise man will not powre out all his indignation against euery trifling displeasure nor set his whole strength to that which he can wipe away with a finger There must alwaies be a fire of zeale kept burning in the soule as the fire on the Altar neuer went out but it must be a iust zeale proportioned according to the occasion euen as we keepe the fire on our hearths all day long but enlarge or lesson it according to the occasions of the house If some great good be in thine eye tending to the great glorie of God and great good of his Church stirre vp and adde to thy zeale till it become a great flame but in smaller and minutiall matters to carrie an vnbounded and vnbridled zeale were to call for a sword to kill a flie or an hatchet to breake an egge and yet zeale must euer fence the heart from affecting committing or communicating the least euill in the world Thirdly it must carrie with it sincere affection abandoning all by-respects besides the glorie of God desire of mens good and conscience of the good dutie it selfe In doing any good thing the close corners of the heart must be well searched seeing much deceit and guile lurketh in them and if with the Papist we doe any thing neuer so good for the matter and neuer so zealously for the manner to merit at the
speake let him speake as the word of God and the embassadors of Christ must speake his message euen as himselfe would vtter it 2. The soule of the word is the presence of the spirit which euerie Minister must striue to make demonstration of for else it is but a dead letter or sound it is the spirit that quickeneth it and maketh it liuely and mightie in operation it is not the demonstration of the person nor manifestation of the man that getteth authoritie to the word but when out of good conscience a man faithfully striueth to make it appeare to the consciences of others that not he but the spirit of God speaketh in him that when simple men shall perceiue the secrets of their hearts made manifest they may fall on their faces and worship God saying God is in this man indeede 3. The Prophets and Apostles haue gone before vs as presidents in this behalfe Micha 3.8 I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of iudgment and of strength to declare Iacob his sinne and Israel his transgression Before Isai was sent on his message his lippes were touched with an hote coale from the altar The Apostles accordingly were not sent to witnes of Christ vntill the spirit had descended vpon them and that in the forme of fierie tongues to signifie that themselues beeing kindled with zeale and feruencie in the Lords businesse they should also by their doctrine enflame others and that their speech should not light any where but it should kindle and enflame the hearts of the hearets But the most perfect patterne of imitation herein we haue in the cheife doctor of his Church who not onely after his resurrection could and did make the hearts of the disciples burne within them euen in his ordinarie talke but all the time of his humilitie it is truely verified of his whole doctrine that he taught with authoritie and not as the Scribes Indeed neuer man spake so nor can speake by the confession of his verie enemies for neuer man spake so in his owne name verily I say vnto you neuer man confirmed his speaches with such powerfull and proper miracles neuer man spake with such peculiar grace zeale libertie and command of the spirit in the conscience but yet all his Ministers are to imitate him in zeale in power in libertie of speach and spirit for the glorie of God and come as neere this copie as they can Vse Ministers must take heede of coldnes in their ministerie of liueles and spiritles preaching of powerlesse and a frozen manner of deliuering the word alwaies preseruing a fire of zeale and conscience in themselues mettals we knowe will not worke without fire no more will the steely and stonie heart of man melt or soften without the spirituall fire taken from the altar And yet here I must not be vnderstood as condemning all coolenesse or moderation of speach for doctrine may be ponderous and weightie where the speach is calme and treatable still waters often runne the deepest and Salomon saith that a man of knowledge spareth his words but yet it followeth that he must be of an excellent spirit so there must of necessitie be at the least a soft fire in these distillatiōs But the thing iustly condemned is when men by their owne default beeing giuen ouer either to pride sensualitie or worldlynesse haue benummed their spirits and are become frozen without power or life in their ministerie and so bring forth their doctrine as many women doe their children stil-borne teaching as the Scribes onely of forme without zeale or conscience or experience of that they speake And before I leaue this point it must be knowne that whereas I require heate and authoritie in the deliuerie of the word that therefore euerie heate should be warrantable for some is iustly condemned as 1. all heate of humane affection proceeding from perturbation and passion 2. all inconsiderate heate of youth 3. all heate not well guided although in good men full of godly affections but suffered to boyle ouer so farre as a man looseth his memorie and interrupteth his doctrine and whole discourse 2. A flattring Ministrie is an enemie to this authoritie for when a Minister must sing placebo and such sweet songs it is impossible for him not to betraie the truth 3. To withstand this authoritie or to weaken it is a fearefull sin whether in high or low and the Lord will not suffer his messengers feet to be cut off 4. Hearers must 1. pray for their Teachers that they may deliuer the word with authoritie with boldnesse and with open mouth Ephes. 6.19 Coloss. 4.4 2. Not deeme this authoritie in Ministers humor or anger or bitternes and much lesse madnesse with Festus and least of all to cast them in prison as men rauing as Ieremie was cap. 29.26 3. Not to refuse to yeeld subiection vnder this authoritie nor be angrie when it beateth down some practise which they are loth to part with seeing it is iust with God to reprobate put out the light of such as refuse the conuiction of the light offred The third and last precept of this Chapter and verse Let no man despise thee teacheth two things First how people and hearers should entertaine the Ministers sent them of God seeing they cannot without great sinne despise them for seeing the Lord who could by himselfe worke the saluation of men yet is pleased to vse as his helpers herein weake and base men whom he assumeth into fellowship with himselfe to become coworkers with him although not in the act of conuersion yet in the Ministrie of it who dare despise such whom the Lord so farre honoureth and therefore calleth them his white horses horses in that he vseth them in his battailes against sinne Satan the world and wicked ones and white for the puritie of their doctrine and integritie of their liues yea his Angels namely such as by whom he reuealeth his good pleasure vnto vs and his owne voyce by whom he beseecheth men to be reconciled Secondly how carefull is the Lord to preserue his Ministers from contempt when he affirmeth that such as despise them despise himselfe that sent them In which sence we read that the posteritie of Caine contemning the preaching of Noah dispised and contended against Gods spirit so Israel murmuring against Moses and Aaron Moses saith he hath heard your murmurings against the Lord for what are we that yee haue murmured against vs. Thirdly how vnnaturall a part were it for children to despise their Fathers and what seueritie hath the Lord shewed against it in his law but godly Ministers are the Fathers of their people I am your Father saith Paul and Onesimus yea and Titus here begotten by him vnto the faith he calleth his sonnes Let no cursed Cham presume to scorne them which is not so hurtfull to them as dangerous to themselues beeing the next way to bring themselues vnder
remembrance of euerie Christian dutie Thus Ministers may be called the Lords remembrancers not onely for putting the Lord in minde of his couenant towards his people and of the peoples wants but also in that they must not be silent but restles in whetting the doctrine of God legall and euangelicall vpon the people and so be euer putting them in minde of their couenant and dutie vnto God Paul acknowledged himselfe such a remembrancer Rom. 15.15 as one that putteth you in remembrance through the grace giuen me In the 2. Tim. 2.14 be giueth Timothie a generall iniunction to put all his hearers euerie where in remembrance of such precepts as he deliuered to him and sending him to Corinth he giueth him the same commandement and maketh him such a remembrancer as here he doth Titus The Apostle Peter also knewe verie well that this dutie lay vpon him 2. Pet. 1.12.15 I wil not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things and three seuerall times in fowre verses repeateth the same thing in that place to shew how instantly that dutie lay vpon him Obiect But the spirit bringeth all things into the minds of the faithfull therefore the ministerie is needlesse to this purpose Ans. Things subordinate fight not among themselues The spirit indeed doth it principally but by the word in the ministerie instrumentally The reasons of the doctrine are these 1. None is so farre instructed but is wanting much in knowledge and much more in the cheerefull practise of that which he knoweth and therefore euerie one hath neede of quickning and stirring vp and who is he that carrieth flesh about with him that findeth not the heauinesse and vnweldinesse of it vnto any thing that is good therefore the Apostle Paul telleth the Romanes that although they were filled with goodnesse and knowledge and were able to admonish one another yet he thought it needefull to put them in remembrance of their dutie and Peter writing to those that had knowledge and were established in the present truth thought it meete so long as he was in this tabernacle to stirre them vp by putting them in remembrance so as we neede not feare in this case the spurring of free horses seeing no man is so free but he needeth spurres Secondly none are so strong but they stand in neede of this confirmation as well as the former quickning neither can any caution or any admonition be too much in things of such moment Thirdly no mans memorie is so found but as out of a leaking vessell good things are euer running out and when such things are slipt away they had need be renewed and recalled againe Vse 1. Ministers must not desist from teaching and exhorting as many that thinke a little inough nor discouraged when people forget their wholesome doctrine but incourage themselues in their dutie which is to keepe in mens memories the mindfulnesse of their duties 2. When they come to teach they may not seeke out vaine and strange speculations which were neuer heard of before but teach plaine things yea and deepe mysteries in plaine manner as such who respect the weaknes both of the apprehension and memorie of their hearers 3. An wholesome thing it is to teach the same things often whereby things deliuered are recalled into the memorie curious men cannot abide repetitions nor heare common things notwithstanding these be excellent helps of memorie which is the cause of such grosse and euery-where palpable ignorance in the most familiar principalls of religion But the wisedome of godly teachers will be not too much to yeeld vnto the nicenes of their hearers nor to feare to do that which is the safest for them as Paul speaketh which if it be let it be to vs what it will or can it will be our part that by our practise they may finde the profit Doctr. 2. We learne hence also what it is that should possesse and take vp the memories of Christians namely those lessons of Christianitie which they heare in the ministrie For 1. The commandement must be bound vp vpon our hearts and we ought to make our memories the statute booke of our soules and by diligent meditation chaine this booke vnto our selues The precept is in Prov. 4.21 Keepe these words in the midst of thy heart for they are life and health of the bones Secondly herein standeth the sanctitie of the memorie partly in retayning the rules of life and partly in presenting and offring them vnto the mind vpon occasion of practise both to direct and vrge the conscience to obedience Thus Dauid hid the word in his heart the blessed fruit of which was that hee did not sinne against God and indeed holy memorie preserueth the holinesse of the whole man Thirdly forgetfulnesse of the word is euery where in the Scriptures taxed as a greeuous and hatefull sinne Be not forgetfull hearers deceiuing your owne selues saith Iames haue you forgotten how I fedde so many thousand c. saith Christ to the Disciples and the author to the Hebrewes haue yee forgotten the consolation which interrogations are seuere reprehensions and indeed it is the mother and nurse of most sinnes as we see in Peter who forgat the words of Christ till he had thrise denied him whereas if he had remembred them it is likely he had beene preserued from the sinne for when the cock crew he remembred the words and when he remembred them he went out and wept bitterly euen so the forgetfulnes of the words of Christ maketh men so often to denie Christ in his word and in his profession as in many vnchristian practises it doth appeare and although we account but a small matter to forget them yet if euer Christ looke backe vpon vs we shall as bitterly as Peter bewaile it in the end Vse This serueth to mooue the best of vs to repent and reforme also this fearefull sinne Obiect Some will say I would remember the word but I cannot my memorie is so bad c. Ans. It is a great complaint and verie generall but what merueile For 1. the most that can acknowledge that they haue learned and laid vp nothing almost from all the sermons they haue heard care not for the word esteeme not of it with any reuerend regard the things they care for they can remember well inough and so would they the word if they did respect it Dauid accounted the testimonies wonderfull and therefore his soule kept them 2. They come to the Church and for fashion sit out an houre and giue some attention as though they cared for it but yet they haue no delight in it and therefore force not much either of the hauing or holding of it they can in the meane time remember old sinnes of their youth and the madde prankes of many yeares olde but not a lesson of yesterdayes deliuerie the reason is because they delight in the one and not in the other whereas if with Dauid they
as an other Some there are that seeme very religious can come to Church go in the count and companie of Christians and religious persons but verie vnmercifull ouergrowne with couetousnesse and in priuate for a pennie aduantage discharge all religion till Church time againe Others are mercifull inough but carelesse of religion altogether some are iust in their dealings but vncleane or intemperate others are temperate but vniust lyars swearers and no fidelitie in them The Apostle Iames meeteth with all these teaching vs 1. that pure religion standeth not onely in harmelesnes and keeping ones selfe vnspotted but in visiting the fatherles and widow that is the frequent practise of workes of mercie and charitie many say if I were rich I would do thus and thus but art thou a Christian art thou religious then though thou beest poore thou art mercifull Paul commended the Macedonians that beeing but poore yet they were rich in liberalitie toward the Saints 2. in cap. 2.10 that he that offendeth in one point of the law is guiltie of all and he that saith thou shalt not commit adulterie saith also thou shalt not kill now if thou dost no adulterie yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the law Vse 3. If a Christian must employ himselfe in euery good work then must men so cast and contriue their courses that neither duties of pietie hinder the duties of their calling nor these stand in the way of the other And he that hath the heart of the wise to know time and iudgement forecasteth both wisely and knoweth one of these to be subordinate but not opposite vnto the other Hence must Christians forecast and remember the Sabboath before hand and so order and husband their times and seasons that there may be place and time and oportunitie for euery good worke in the week-day and especially for the best workes whether publike exercises of religion or priuate prayers and exercises in the family Which wise managing of affaires because men are wanting in therefore sometimes the Sabboath must be encroched vpon and Gods seruice iustled out for some carnall matters other times weeks exercises are neglected because this inconuenience or losse in the calling was not seasonably and prudently preuented the priuate seruice of God also in the family must now and then be laid downe for a time or turne because some other domestical distraction hath deuoured the time allotted for it Let no man then seperate those duties which the Lord hath coupled if thou beest readie to the duties of thy particular calling forget not the duties of the generall if thou wouldst be seruiceable to men forget not in the meane time thy seruice of God If thou canst be diligent to prouide for thy selfe and thy family set sometime apart to looke out to enquire into and releeue the necessities of Gods children family abroad But woe to such knots of companionship tied fast by the deuil to sporting gaming or other vngodly lusts that neither the duties of their calling on the weekeday nor religious exercises on the Sabboath can obtaine them Doctr. 2. That euery Christian ought to keepe in himselfe a fitnes and readinesse to euery good worke is plaine in the Scriptures For 1. in duties of pietie we are enioyned not only to come to the house of God but to take heede to our feete and to wash our hands in innocencie before we compasse the Altar and first to sanctifie our selues before God and reconcile our selues to men and then bring our gift If we preach we must doe it readily and of a readie minde for then we haue reward If you heare you must be swift to heare and readie to heare rather then offer the sacrifice of fooles 2. In performance of duties of loue and mercie vnto men we are called to readinesse in distributing 1. Tim. 6.18 and mindfulnesse to distribute Heb. 13.16 3. In priuate duties when God giueth vs peace and opportunitie we must serue him with cheerefulnesse and good hearts Deut. 28.47 4. In priuate iniuries we must be ready to receiue yea to offer reconciliation and to forgiue which is another good worke and so in the rest Reasons 1. We herein become like vnto God whose nature is to accommodate himselfe to our good whose readinesse to giue bountifully and forgiue freely is hereby shadowed 2. Hereby we also bewtifie and as it were guild our duties when they come off without delaies without grudging murmuring or heauinesse but as from men inuâ—ed to weldoing 3. Hereby we may laie hold of Christian consolation in that this readie and willing mind is accepted where often power of doing good is wanting and indeed the regenerate often want power and abilitie vnto good but to want will and desire is dangerous Vse Whosoeuer would finde this grace in himselfe must trie it by the companions of it As 1. there must be a good heart cheerefully and willingly disposed vnto and in the doing of good 2. Thess. 2.17 The Lord must first mooue and perswade the heart for so the word signifieth as well as to comfort and then establish his to euery good word and worke Hence are we exhorted to do euery thing heartily as to the Lord. The Lord would haue none to offer any thing to the building of the tabernacle but whose heart incouraged him and whose spirit made him willing If thou findest not thine heart accompanying thy duties but thou doest thy religious duties for necessitie law fashion or for some sinister end and thy duties of loue with a straite heart or an euill eye thinking any thing bestowed too good or too much thou hast slaine thy action before the birth it was neuer quickned it hath no life noâ— soule God who loueth only a cheerefull giuer will not endure it 2. He that is continually readie to euery good worke cannot but be abundant in good workes the phrase little differing from that 1. Tim. 5.10 The widow that hath beene continually giuen to euery good worke for else this readinesse could not be other then an idle preparation Dost thou continue in prayer in all things giue thankes hast thou bin diligent in trayning vp thy family in Gods feare hast thou with Onesephorus often refreshed the Saints doth the loynes of many blesse thee and the blessing of the poore and widow returne vpon thee shew me the â—oats and garments thou hast made shew me the knowledge and feare of God in thy family expresse the faith thou professest by such fruits of faith as these are and then hast thou profited in this precept els thou as yet commest short of it 3. In such a partie will be a forgoing and departure with things of price yea the best thing he hath will not be too deare to purchase that dutie which he seeth God requiring at his hands which if it be wanting because many good works are costly a man cannot be ready to euery good worke Now to apply the
peculiar to mankind which he loueth better then all the workes of his hands besides as creating him in his owne image and giuing him Lordship ouer the rest of the creatures and hence he delighteth in the title and stileth himselfe from his loue to man and not from his loue to the Angels or any other creature And yet this loue of God must be brought a little lower if we would settle it on his right obiect for it is not generall nor absolute but respectiue and hauing reference vnto Christ as the verse implieth in whom it freeth from the miserie mentioned in the former verse and accepteth vnto that especiall mercie mentioned in the next In a word here is a greater and more glorious loue then was seene in the creation and preseruation of all things in the world here is a loue electing redeeming regenerating and glorifying miserable men a loue aduancing our humane nature in his sonne who tooke not the seed of Angels but of Abraham a loue which hateth worldly Esaus in comparison of his Iacob whom he calleth out of the world not by the outward sound of the Gospel only but by the effectuall call of his spirit in their hearts whom he loueth not as creatures but new creatures liker vnto himselfe then all the other by a restored and renewed image and for whom he hath reserued more loue in heauen when they shall become yet liker vnto him in all holines in the holy of holyes Quest. But how can such loue of man be ascribed vnto God seeing that so many vessels are prepared to destruction and so many millions are hated before they haue euer done good or euil and secondly of those that are dearest vnto him many yea the most are so afflicted and distressed that they scarce see any good day can this stand with such a bountifull loue Answ. First the goodnes of God must stand with his wisedom which affoardeth not the same degree of goodnes to euerie one it is not against the goodnes of a potter to make ignoble vessels to dishonour as well as to honour seeing the former haue also their good vses How could the goodnesse of a father appeare if he should set vp hogs and dogs at his table as well as his children as the Lord is good so he is wise to be so good to each in their degree as may make for his owne honour and advantage 2. This goodnes and loue of God must stand with his iustice also as well as his mercie Hence the Apostle would haue vs to cast our eye on two things at once in God when we would be satisfied in this point The goodnesse and the seueritie of God for this goodnesse cannot suffer euill and sinne in the impenitent vnreuenged it cannot suffer the good and bad to be alwaies mingled together no more then the good husbandmen can alwaies suffer the wheat and chaffe on the same floore 3. This loue and goodnesse is more seene and shining in sauing one soule by his Christ then his seueritie in the deserued death of al the vngodly the former beeing meere mercie the latter due desert Secondly he correcteth indeede his children often sharpely but the ground is good euen this loue and goodnes 2. the manner and measure is good with rods of men and not aboue their strength 3. the ende is good to drawe them nearer vnto himselfe Doth a father loose his loue when he correcteth his sonne whom he tenderly loueth was Christ hated when he was on the crosse or in the graue so when the adopted sonnes are conformed to the naturall they are not lesse but more loued in that they are not suffered to runne with the world that so they may not be condemned with the world Vse 1. This goodnesse of God is a singular consolation to such as are his It will not suffer them to want any good thing that is good for them but it will most certenly and seasonably communicate it it hath giuen the sonne and how can it but with him giue all things remission of sinnes peace of conscience wealth length of dayes grace and glorie Is the fountaine in thy fathers grounds then maist thou looke to drinke to sacietie of euery good thing shall any good thing be wanting to him that feareth the Lord no surely for his goodnes is entailed vnto them by promise by oath yea by season and possession But looke well to the purity of thy heart seeing God is good especially to the pure of heart Secondly we are taught hence sundrie dutyes 1. In the want of any good thing in confidence affiance of our hearts to flie to this fountaine of goodnes it is a liuing fountaine that knoweth not the yeares of drought here faithfully aske it hopefully expect it and in longer delaies or denials onely know it is a wise loue of a father who neither giueth his child hurtfull things nor yet any store of good things till he know how to vse them 2. In the receiuing or enioying of any good thing the praise and glory must be returned to this wel head which is the sea from which all the riuers of goodnesse flowe and to which they ought to reflâ—we as euery fauour then commeth from the Father of lights so let it lead vs vnto him againe 3. To admire and speake often of this goodnesse of our God and say with the Church who is a God like vnto thee for he not onely is pleased to take away iniquitie and passe by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage but to walke friendly and familiarly with men not onely the worthies of the former world such as Enoch who walked with God Moses with whome he talked face to face as a man with his friend Abraham with whom he imparted his secret counsels Iacob with whom he wrastled familiarly but euen vnto our selues whome he hath pleased not onely to admit vnto eternall saluation in his sonne but hath in the meane time reuealed vnto vs his secret thoughts sent out his spirit to accompanie comfort quicken raise and enlighten vs and his word to rule and direct vs and in the ministerie of it euen striueth with vs that he may leaue vs a blessing behind him It was his great familiaritie that he should shewe Moses the land of Canaan before his death but he hath shewed vs a farre off that euerlasting rest and receptacle of all the Israel of God And Paul himselfe was not more beholding to this goodnesse when he was taken vp into the third heauen then we are in hauing so many high mysteries reuealed vnto vs and so many great things put into our hands by faith and hope which we cannot vtter with our tongues nor yet with our hearts conceiue and shall our hearts be barren in the meditation and our mouthes mute and dumbe at such a goodnes as this is 4. To imitate this goodnesse of God whose nature and image we must put on daily we must grow
regard meete to be done by the whole 2. Euery one ought to tarrie to helpe the congregation in prayer for the infant and to ioyne in the praise of God for the ingrafting in of another member into the bodie of Christ. 3. Euery one ought to helpe himselfe both in calling to minde his owne baptisme his promise and ingrafting into Christ as also to examine what fruit he reapeth of the death and resurrection of Christ into which he is set and so to be either humbled or thankfull as he findeth his estate 4. Lastly how much so euer vsed yet is it a most vnreuerent part towards this ordinance what an vngodly contempt were it to runne out from hearing the word and why is it not also in running from the Sacrament which is the seale of that couenant as if men were loath to be present where the blessed Trinitie presenteth it selfe to such a gratious purpose as this is namely to seale such benefits to one of that congregation And more it is a disordered thing for the good of the Church requireth that the Congregation should come in together and goe out together wherein the Lord is so strait that the King might not depart till all was ended Ezek. 46.10 He shall goe in when they goe in and when they goe forth they shall goe forth together Let euery man make more conscience of this dutie hereafter and seeing Christ himselfe disdaineth not to come to Iohns baptisme let vs take heede of running from Christs And the renewing of the holy Ghost Now we come to speake of the inward means of our saluation wherby the Lord setteth vs into this new condition here called the renewing of the holy Ghost wherein to vnderstand it better we will consider two points 1. what this renewing is 2. why it is called the renewing of the holy Ghost and so come to the instructions For the former It is a grace of God whereby the corruption of nature in beleeuers is by the power of the holy Ghost daily renewed vnto the image of God I say 1. it is a grace of God 1. Pet. 1.3 Who according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs to a liuely hope 2. by which the corruption of nature which is the proper obiect of it called in Scripture the flesh the old man not the substance of bodie or soule which were not decaied or perished but the corrupt qualities which by the fall tooke place in them 3. is renewed this is a word of relation and opposed to that olde corruption drawne from the old Adam for so is the new birth by the spirit opposed to that old natiuitie which is of the flesh Ioh. 3. Againe the word importeth a compleat worke vpon the whole subiect for as in the birth of a child not one or moe parts and members but the whole child is borne so in the new birth the whole man must be borne againe the whole man must be a new creature in which is not the framing of something out of something but of something out of nothing For if the Popish doctrine were true that there were some power in nature whereby the holy Ghost a little freeing it it could of it selfe will and performe that which is truly good then were man but in part new and so could not be called a new man a new creature or be said to be borne againe neither raised vp from the death of trespasses sinnes but reuiued and recouered as out of a swoone or some desperate disease nor renewed but a little repaired and mended But because the corruption of nature is gone ouer the whole man as we haue a little before heard so this renewing must be in the whole man and in the same order 1. It must begin in the spirit of the minde Rom. 12.2 the first worke in this new creation also must be to make the light to banish the darknes and blindnes of minde vnder which are comprehended the vnderstanding will and affections 2. It must proceede to the outward man and conuersation that euen the members of the bodie may become the members of Christ and obedient vnto the law of the mind renewed and so the whole may become a liuely reasonable and acceptable sacrifice vnto God In these two standeth the renewing of the whole man required 1. Thess. 5. The God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God your whole soule bodie and spirit be kept blameablesse where is mention of the spirit as the very soule and life of a renewed person and is no other then the grace of sanctification opposed to the corruption of nature which is seated both in soule and bodie 4. I adde In beleeuers because regeneration is the vndeuided and inseparable companion of faith which is called the faith of the elect as we haue heard 2. Thess. 2.13 Chosen you to saluation through the sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth whence it followeth that as faith is not of all no more is regeneration neither is this grace further tied to the Sacrament then where it meeteth with a faithfull receiuer 5. I say daily for although the beleeuer be renewed in euery part yet all is but in part it is so compleat in the subiect as that it is yet a continued worke and not consummate vntill we all meete in the vnitie of the Sonne of God when that perfect is come for so long as we are here below this righteousnes of God is revealed from faith to faith and we are changed from glorie to glorie and we walke from strength to strength In all things growing vp in him which is the head he that is iust must be iust still and he that is holy must be daily more holy and thus encrease vntill the perfect day 6. I adde vnto the image of God Eph. 4.24 Put on the new man which after God that is after Gods image is created in righteousnes and holines see also 2. Cor. 3.18 We are changed into the same image of God for as Adam was created in the image of God so must euery beleeuer be renewed vnto that blessed condition In a word looke what the image of God was which was giuen vs by our creation vnto the same must we be wrought now by the grace of the second couenant but that stood not in the substance of the soule and naturall faculties of it so much such as vnderstanding free will memorie c. but 1. in the knowledge and illumination of it Colos. 4.10 Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge 2. in the righteousnes and integritie of the whole man Eph. 4.24 Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines The second point in the meaning is why this is called the renewing of the holy Ghost Answ. Not that it is not wrought as well by the other persons beeing a worke without themselues for the Father reneweth as beeing the foundation and
euer haue a Christian on the gathering and gaining hand and therefore hath appointed priuate instruction in the family priuate prayer priuate meditation priuate reading and conference things scarse vsed among Christians though they scarce can be Christians that vse them not and hath promised that where and when two or three be thus gathered in his name he will be present and he is no where emptie handed yea where one man apart shutting his doore praieth or meditateth alone the Lord seeth in secret and repaieth his paines with such store of grace as all men may see him openly rewarded yea let a man be most alone if in such duties he is in most comfortable companie and fellowship with the Lord. Doctr. 2. All the grace that is bestowed on vs is by meanes of Iesus Christ for with him is the fountaine and headspring yea he is the head which sendeth life sence motion and direction into all the members resembled in that holy oyntment which ran downe from Aarons head and beard euen to the skirts of his garment The Euangelist after he had affirmed that Christ was full of grace and truth addeth that of his fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace so the Apostle Colos. 2.9.10 In him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead bodily and wee are compleat in him But how come wee to share with him in it The next words declare it which is the head of all principality and power as though he had said because in himselfe he hath the well-head of glory and maiesty the which becommeth ours in that he is also the head of his Church And as here our Apostle in general concludeth that all the graces of regeneration are through him so were it easy in particular to goe through the rest of the graces and obserue them in the scriptures all ascribed to this proper cause As 1. peace with God and our selues Rom. 5.1 2. entrance and accesse vnto the Father through him Eph. 2.18 3. wisedome and vnderstanding whereby God in him purposed to enrich vs Eph. 1.8 4. consolation and comfort which aboundeth through him 2. Cor. 1.5 5. eternall saluation which is the gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 But in such a plaine doctrine we will spend no more time Those generall places will saue vs that labour Ephes. 1.3 who hath in Christ blessed vs with all spirituall blessings and Rom. 11.36 for of him and thorough him and for him are all things and 1. Cor. 1.30 he is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Vse 1. Want we any grace call vpon God in the name of Christ Whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name he will giue it vnto you get Christ to be thy owne become a true beleeuer that thou maist in him beginne thy prayer with our father this is the way to be rich in grace What a chaunge was there in Zacheus when as once Christ came vnto him whereas before there was nothing in him but iniustice oppression forging and whatsoeuer was naught now we see faith loue iustice mercie restitution reformation yea with saluation euery grace accompanying it 2. Hast thou receiued any spirituall grace sacrifice not vnto thine owne net but be thankfull vnto God in Christ. This the Apostle teacheth in his owne practise in the former place to the Romans of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer 3. Take heede of quenching that grace neither grieue that good spirit of God by thy sinne for thou camest hardly by it for Christ must come downe from heauen humble himselfe to the deaâ—h rise againe ascend and now make continuall intercession before he could procure thee the least grace A thing very little thought of Vers. 7. That we beeing iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Now follow the ends why we are brought into this new condition which are two 1. our iustification before God 2. the purchase of life eternall In the former are to be considered 1. what is meant by iustification 2. what by Grace 3. the doctrines Iustification is the absolution of a sinner from his sinne and the punishment of it by the satisfaction of Christ the Redeemer apprehended by faith 1. The absolving of a sinner this the Apostle declareth when he opposeth vnto it accusation and condemnation It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne for seeing a man by nature and the cursed practise of sinne is depriued of the glorie of God and cannot but heape vp wrath against the day of wrath before euer he can come to a comfortable estate he must be acquitted necessarily of the guilt and curse of his sinne both in the high court of heauen where God is the supreame Iudge as also in the inferiour court and consistorie of his owne conscience Now if it be asked how the sinner shall be thus absolued the rest of the words of the definition declare For 2. I adde it is by the satisfaction of Christ the Redeemer wherein are contained both the matter and forme of the iustification of a sinner The matter is Christs satisfaction his obedience in his life in his death in fulfilling the law and in suffering for our not fulfilling it and the merit of all manifested in his resurrection and glorious ascension The forme is the imputing of that obedience whereby the righteousnes of Christ doth now become the beleeuers as truly and really by imputation as it was Christs owne in action So as it is no legall iustice which requireth personall obedience in the straitest tearmes of the law but Euangelicall whereby the beleeuer satisfieth by the merit of a Mediator and in the person of a suretie which satisfaction is accepted as though it were performed in his owne person And thus the cure is proportionable to the disease that looke as by the first Adam sinne went ouer all who are naturally borne of him namely by imputation and propagation euen so by the second Adam iustice and righteousnes is imputed vnto all which are supernaturally borne of him And 3. I adde that this satisfaction of Christ is apprehended by faith the proper worke of which grace is as by an hand to receiue Christ with his merits and bring him home into the owne heart whence it is that to beleeue in Christ and to receiue him are put for one and the same thing Ioh. 1.2 it is the mouth of the soule whereby we eate and drinke his flesh and blood Ioh. 6. yea such a speciall instrument to this purpose that it is said in sundrie places to iustifie vs by laying hold on the merits of Christ which properly iustifie and we by it though not for it are said to be righteous Secondly by Grace in Scripture sometime is meant the gifts of grace that is any good gift which proceedeth from the fauour and loue of God towards man whether priuatiue withholding euills
sanctified persons are iustified Hence is it that we read this inheritance to be entayled to them Act. 20.32 Inheritance among them that are sanctified by which note mocking Ismael is cast out close hypocrites lurking in the bosome of the Church and open profane Esaus the childrens bread is not cast to such dogges Read for this 1. Cor. 6.10.11 3. This doctrine teacheth vs to set our hearts vpon this inheritance a man that hath any possibilitie to befall him cannot keepe his mind but it will be running after it insomuch as many wicked children in regard of their patrimonie will enquire into their fathers yeares and grow sicke of their mothers and it is ordinarie that such as looke for windfalls by decease will be feeding their hearts with their hopes so should it be with vs who may without iniurie to our Father long after our inheritance in heauen and as wee see men take no content in any part of the earth no nor in the whole comparable to that peece or portion which is their owne euen so should not we suffer our hearts so to wander after earth or earthly things as that we settle our contentment any where but where our inheritance and our treasure is The which desire if it filled our hearts three worthy fruits of it would manifest themselues through our liues 1. It would moderate the eagar cares of this life and would not suffer men to become drudges or sell themselues as slaues vnto the earth for he that taketh himselfe to be an heyre of heauen is well inough prouided and cared for alreadie his father hath left him so well as he need not basely shift for himselfe 2. It would content the minde with any present condition This it was which contented Abraham Isaac and Iacob with their continuall pilgrimage vpon earth because they looked for a better citie when as once this tooke vp their hearts they could cheerefully sit themselues downe in their tents they could dwell in strange countries contentedly they could receiue the promises a farre off thankfully they could goe on in obedience to God what way soeuer he called readily and in all this they did not for the present desire a better outward condition but thought that the best portion which their heauenly Father allotted out vnto them So we see how men expecting reuersions are content for the time to liue bare and goe neere the wind and swallow vp their present wants in hope of that to which they are heyres they thinke the time of their further enlargement is not farre off and this helpeth well to put off the present 3. It would strengthen the heart in induring chastisments and corrections vnder Gods hand or from mans for they know they are heyres indeede but as yet in their minoritie and for the time must be put vnder Tutors and the rodde as well as others but the time commeth which will bring their lands into their owne hand and then they shall be at their owne hand and haue libertie inough and herewith may the children of God raise their hearts from vnder the heauiest afflictions 4. Set thy selfe well to keepe this inheritance and the deeds of it laie vp the couenant safe in the closet of thy soule hide the word which is the indenture of God passing it vnto thee in the midst of thy heart let not Satan or any cheater defraud thee of it There are many vnthriftie prodigalls in the world who no sooner can their lands or portion come within their hands but by riotous and vnthriftie courses they soone become their owne executors but let it be written to euery child of God Art thou borne by thy second birth to such faire demeanes art thou heyre to such a goodly birth-right oh prize it aboue all that can be giuen in exchange for it Beware of profane Esaus speach What is this birthright to mee No rather take vp Naboths answer to King Ahab who would haue gone beyond him for his patrimonie God forbid that I should sell the inheritance of my Fathers God forbid that I should for this or that sinfull pleasure this or that messe of pottage or trifling commodity or whatsoeuer coyne hauing Satans superscription vpon it sell mine inheritance 5. This doctrine affoardeth sundrie grounds of most sweet consolation 1. The meanest beleeuer is a great heire and that to all Gods best blessings a truth which fewe see as they might and ought and therefore faile of that comfort which God hath put into their hands Obiect Alas wil a poore despised soule say I am lesse then the least mercie of God and am not worthy to gather the crummes of mercie vnder the Lords table Answ. Exercise thy selfe in the duties of faith repentance invocation loue of God and men and thou shalt not want a worthinesse to bring the inheritance home vnto thee for neither doth the Lord immediately giue it thee nor canst thou immediately receiue it but by Christ the Mediator who hath worthinesse inough at his hand thou hast it Obiect But I am a weake creature and vnable to receiue it at his hand Answ. Yeâ— but goe on sincerely in a good course let it be neuer so weakely or faintly he will not breake a bruised â—eede comfort thy selfe for be it thou canst not as thou wouldst know and apprehend him yet he can knowe and apprehend thee and this will be thy saluation 2. Gods children beeing such heires they cannot but in the meane time be well prouided for till their patrimonie fall We know that great heires in their minoritie are well and honestly maintained their fathers beeing rich and kinde will not suffer them to want things fit for them and what they want in the purse they haue in their education and if they be any way scanted for the present they shall afterward find it with much aduantage 3. In any want thou beeing thy fathers heire mayst boldly repaire to thy Father with good hope to speede in any request which he seeth fit for thee and making for thy good and he will be so farre from sending thee away emptie that it will be his ioy that thou canst discerne and make request for things good for thee this wilâ— be a prevailing motiue with him oh this is mine heire I may not denie him that which is so good for him 4. Whatsoeuer losse may befall thee beeing the child of God thou loosest not thine inheritance Thou maist loose thy libertie thy living thy friends thy life but thine inheritance is reserued in the heauens thou shalt cease sooner to be a man then an heire yea when other by death loose all thou shalt by it be entred into thy full estate This expectation of a durable substance caused the Saints to endure with ioy the spoyling of their goods Heb. 10.34 5. In the enduring of afflictions comfort thy selfe herein thy Father may frowne chide buffet and scourge thee but he will neuer disinherit thee Other fathers sometimes out
priests must notwithstanding publikely not onely read but expound it Which is committed vnto me according to the commandement of God our Sauiour Our Apostle insisteth still in the iustifying of his calling and sheweth how he came to be a dispenser of such great mysteries as these are of which he hath spoken it was not ambitiō which made him thrust himself in for a Pastor neither necessitie or want which vrged him to take vp this calling as many base wretches now a dayes make it as a citie of refuge for whilest he went with commission against Christians wee neuer read that he was glad to worke with his hands to minister to his necessities neither was it ease or honour which solicited him for euer after the vndertaking of it he was in disgrace in perills in paines and labours aboue all the rest of the Apostles neither was it a voluntarie motion taken vp of his owne head which mooued him vnto this function of preaching But first it was a businesse or charge committed vnto him of trust or wherewith he was betrusted Secondly he receiued it by commandement the nature of which commandement sheweth that he was so farre from vndertaking this office of his owne will that it was rather forced vpon him the word in the originall is properly a martiall word taken from the wars wherein the Captain hath a power to presse soldiers and to place them in the foreward rearewarde or wings at his pleasure from whome or from whence they may not start vnder paine of martiall law to which he seemeth to allude when he saith that he had fought a good fight And how Paul was extraordinarily pressed into this field euen against his heart and as we say the haire appeareth in that he must be beaten downe to the ground strucke starke blind eate and drinke nothing in three dayes that of an extraordinarie waster of the Church he might become an extraordinarie chosen vessell to publish the doctrine he had persecuted And thirdly he receiueth no more commandements from the high Priests to afflict the Saints but a commandement of a faire contrarie nature from the high Priest of our profession euen from God our Sauiour Which may be meant either of the sonne to whom the title of Iesus or Sauiour is properly ascribed in Scripture whence is notably prooued the diuinitie of Christ who as God meriteth mans saluation or else rather here of the Father the epithite beeing truely referred vnto both for the Father saueth by his Sonne and the Sonne by his flesh in reconciling vs vnto the father Againe the father is called a Sauiour as he is the God of life imparting to the elect through his Christ the life of grace and glorie which message of life the Apostle was to publish by vertue of this commission and commandement which is said to shewe this order to be receiued both from the Father our Sauiour and the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 1.1 If here it be asked whether Paul was called onely by the commandement of God The answer is yea onely for herein is the difference betweene the Apostles and ordinarie Ministers the proprietie of the former was to be called immediatly by Christ of the latter to be called of God but by men beeing generall to all ordinarie Consecrations that there is required a twofold presence 1. of God 2. of the Church as Iunius out of the Schoolmen learnedly obserueth but not so in extraordinarie callings to which the former sufficeth without the latter Out of these words naturally arise these three considerations 1. That the office of preaching is an office of trust 2. That whosoeuer vndertaketh must finde himselfe pressed by this calling and commandement of God 3. A direction from the Apostles example how and when ministers may and must insist in the commendation of this office Doctr. 1. That euerie minister called by God is one of Christs committes vnto whom he betrusteth now after his departure the care and ouersight of his spouse who is deerer vnto him then his owne life appeareth in that they are called stewards of this great house hauing receiued the keyes to open the kingdome of heauen and to distribute to the necessitie of their fellow seruants chosen vessells as Paul not to containe but to carrie the pearle and treasure of the kingdome feeders as Peter husbandmen to whom the vineyard is let out till his returne Of the doctrine much more afterward Vse 1. The honour of a Minister is faithfulnesse in the diligent and carefull discharging himselfe of that trust committed vnto him the principall part of which repose standeth in the faithfull dispensing of Christs legacies to his Church according to his owne testament which as it is his dutie enioyned 1. Cor. 4.2 so is it his crowne his ioy his glorie that by his faithfull paines he hath procured the welfare of his people and bringeth with it a great recompence of reward for if he that sheweth himselfe a good and faithfull seruant in little things shall be ruler ouer much what may he expect who is faithfull in the greatest Happie is that man that out of the vprightnesse of his heart can say with Paul that nothing no not his life is so deere vnto him as to fulfill his course with ioy and the ministration he hath receiued If any man aske how he shall come to this I answer he must take the course that Paul did 1. he must teach the whole counsell of God and keepe nothing backe v. 27. and 2. he must dispense it sincerely not handling it deceitfully nor making merchandise of it but 1. as of sinceritie as in the sight of God 2. in the declaration of the truth approouing himselfe to euery mans conscience here by he shall become a sweete sauour to God euen in them that perish whereas the false and foolish Prophet hath a cuppe of gall and wormewood tempered by the hand of the Lord Ier. 23. and the Prophet Ezekiel sheweth both the head and tayle of this vnhappie condition the first entertainement of him is a woe and his farwell a curse and therefore I say to euery one present whom it doth or may concerne as Paul to his Timothie O Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thee and That worthie thing which is committed vnto thee keepe it yea I charge you all in the sight of God who quickeneth all things that you keepe this commandement Vse 2. The ministerie is no calling of ease but a matter of great charge nor contemptible as many contemptuous persons thinke it too base a calling for their children but honourable neere vnto God of great trust a calling committing vnto men great matters and worthie things which not onely the Angels themselues haue dispensed sundrie times but euen the Lord of the Angels Iesus Christ himselfe all the while be ministred vpon earth the honour of which calling is such as those who are employed in
hence see their error that conceiue of any Church in earth so well setled and ordered that it needeth no further reformation little know such the necessitie of the Church and the continuall bendings euen of her strongest towers See we not that almost euery yeare requires a new parliament for the ordering of the commonwealth that new disorders may be restrained or redressed by new lawes doe we see any man let his house but from yeare to yeare but he will surely bind the tenant to constant reparation as often as neede shall require and yet inconsiderate men can boldly and bluntly bolt out they meruaile what men meane that seeke for more and further reformation and they cannot tell what they would haue But alas are we so neare God as we cannot possibly be drawen nearer what meane then the common blasphemings drunkennes fornications riots Sabbath breakings what sinnes not committed almost without all feare what meaneth it that such dens and breaches are vnmade vp but that hogge and swine may enter into the presence chamber of the great King Let the strong man keepe these holds we shall see all the earth fit still inough But easily may we in euery particular member see the necessitie of daily strengthning the whole against such daily declining as the first and purest Primitiue Churches planted by the Apostles themselues could not free themselues from and much lesse any since The second branch of Titus his dutie is the placing of Elders in euery citie where that we may come to the meaning of the Apostle must be considered 3. things 1. who are meant by Elders 2. who must place these Elders 3. where they must be placed 1. The persons to be placed are called Elders that is Ministers Pastors Bishops for those who are here called Elders are called Bishops v. 7. true it is that sometimes the word is vsed generally for any that beare any Ecclesiasticall function in which sense the Apostles themselues are sometimes called Elders yet here I take it it must be vnderstood of those who labour in the word and doctrine for such are described thorough the Chapter The reason of the name is taken from their age not as though they alwaies were the oldest men for wisedome is not tyed to graie haires and Timothie was one of them and yet a young man but in regard of the wisedome experience and staiednesse required in such as are to be called to this office which ought to be such as ordinarily is not to be found in young yeares For how meete is it that the man of God should be furnished with grauitie and authoritie that euery way he may be worthie of double honour both in regard of his person as also of his gifts place and workes sake The Papists euery where translate this word Priests and make praesbiteri and sacerdotes all one Wherein although the word cannot be more vnfitly translated yet would we bee loath greatly to striue with them about names and titles as hauing matters of greater moment and difference moe then we wish were it not that the very name were a supporter of that horrible Idolatrie of theirs so infinitely derogatorie to the onely sacrifice of Christ. And therefore seeing the Ministers of the newe Testament are neuer so called in the newe Testament but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it were good and safe to keepe our selues to the titles the Gospell hath giuen vs. And seeing that the Papists impiously not onely retaine the name in the proper signification but also an office of Priesthood flatly opposite vnto the Priestly office of Iesus Christ it is no lesse then our dutie to oppose our selues against both such an office and such a title Which in the proper signification is so peculiar as it is attributed to none vnder the Gospel but vnto Christ himselfe I denie not but in the cōmon acceptation of the word it is ascribed to all Christians both Ministers and people who are called an holy Priesthood and beleeuing are made Kings and Priests vnto God Neither is it denied but that some of the Greeke and Latine fathers called the ministers of the Gospel Priests but this was by improper and translated speach partly in that by their ministerie they doe daily offer and sacrifice men vnto God Rom. 15.16 and partly because they held the places in the Church which the Priests and Leuites did before the comming of Christ imitating herein the Prophets themselues as Isay 66.21 prophesiyng of the glorie of the newe Testament saith that the Lord would take of their sonnes for Priests and for Leuites not that they were to be such as were to offer typicall and figuratiue sacrifices of that onely sacrifice as the Iewish Priests nor yet commemoratiue as the Romish seeing all sacrifices but onely the spirituall oblations of Christians were ceased but he calleth them by that name then in vse noting them onely as the successors of the Priests and Leuites but not ascribing any proper worke of that office vnto them 2 The person placing these Elders is Titus who hath commission giuen him that as the chiefe gouernour and moderator of this action should establish teachers of sound doctrine in all the cities throughout the Iland and because the whole action was to be chiefely ordered by him it is wholly ascribed vnto him as the Consull is said to create Consuls when notwithstanding there was a court or assemblie of Consulls at the choise or appointment of them Which if it be not thus to be vnderstood I see not how Elders could be appointed by election as the manner of the Apostles was Act. 14.23 and Timothie must neither lay hands on any man rashly nor yet partake herein with other mens sinnes namely such as were vsed to be ioyned with him in this businesse 1. Tim. 4.14 3 The place where is in euery citie that is wheresoeuer there is a body of people for a fit congregation there must a Pastor or Elder be placed the phrase is of the same valour with that Act. 14.23 When they had ordained Elders by election in euery Church For euen in the Apostles dayes there was a certaine kinde of distinction of Churches and congregations for the Elders had their flockes ouer which the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers and which depended on them 1. Pet. 5.2 Act. 20.28 Doctr. Euen there where the Church is planted is such an absolute necessitie of a setled ministerie as without it it is impossible that religion can either thriue or continue and therefore as the Lord had formerly dealt in planting his politie among the Iewes so doth he here in planting Christian religion among the Gentiles no sooner was his law giuen concerning his Tabernacle but Aaron and his sonnes and the tribe of Leui must be sanctified to the office of Priesthood to attend on holy things to teach and offer and performe their seuerall