and not pray for him no sooner shall a man begin to petition God for himselfe but whom he most affecteth will come to his remembrance Thus was it with that good man so is it with all that are like affected Night and day The Doctrine is this that As in the day so the faithfull pray in the night season Doct. 12. Morning and evening did David call vpon God at midnight at midnight was his voyce lifted vp to the Lord Did not Christ this And was it not the practise of his Disciples And the custome of the Churches Psal 119. 62. Acts. 16. 25. For there is no time wherein their prayers may not be Reas 1. heard the promise is made as to all places so to all seasons Then is the time quiet and still freest from distractions Reas 2. so that a man shall in a speciall manner draw neere to God and speake to him more familiarly For darkenesse shutting the outward sences and no noyse annoying them the inward are more free and better fitted for this action Also they delight in prayer and that moues them What Reas 3. causeth vnchrifts to game night vpon night Fishers to angle Yonkers to runne vp and downe in that season if pleasure or profit did not allure them And many occasions may fall out to induce them as oppositions Reas 4. of adversaries terrible dreames or the apprehension of some danger yea such an habit by the frequent vse of prayer in the day may be got that in the night they cannot leaue it What a dissimilitude then is here betwixt them and some Vse 1. persons For are there not many who neither pray night nor day It s a brand of a wicked man not to call vpon God at all and of an hypocrite not to pray at all times at all seasons Iob. 27. 10. Psal 14. 4. Pray then in the day and in the night let nor thy tongue Vse 2. cease for thou knowest not whether shall prosper better this or that VERS 4. Desiring to see thee mindfull of thy teares that I may be filled with ioy IN this Verse wee may obserue three things The Logicall resolution 1. That Paul longed to see Timothie which is also another argument of his affection 2. That he remembred Timothies weeping being a token of his loue to Paul and a meanes to encrease his affection to Timotheus 3. The end is laid downe why Paul was so willing to see his sonne and that is that he might be filled with ioy Desiring The word signifies an earnest desire such as is The Theologicall exposition impatient of delay To see Seeing is either with the eye of the mind or of the bodie the latter is here meant though the word be often vsed in the former sence Mindfull of thy teares Minding or remembring some thinke Paul alludes to Acts. 20. 37. Teares be some-time tooke for the gumme or iuyce of a Tree but here is meant the water which flowed from the eyes of Timotheus by which is vnderstood his sorrow and griefe for their separation That I may be filled Filled is a Metaphor and hath in it two things 1. A subiect of capacitie 2. An adiunct of equall proportion or quantitie Paul had a spirituall emptinesse With ioy Ioy is secret in the heart gladnesse may more evidently appeare in the face or outward gesture It hath in Scripture many acceptations here may be meant comfort and spirituall mirth For his absence might weaken his reioycing especially being in prison as also Paul having not any to assist him I though absent in body yet am not forgetfull of the The Metaphrase sorrow and griefe that thou endurest and by thy mourning at our departure a-sunder manifested the which doth increase mine affection vnto thee it being a signe of thine affection vnto me and makes me very desirous to see thee and that amongst other things I might be refreshed and in this affliction haue some addition and increase of farther ioy and spirituall comfort the which at thy comming I nothing doubt but to be filled with Where Paul desires to see Timothie so earnestly and yet Doctrines deduced Doct. 1. had writ so large an Epistle to him we note that Personall presence is to be preferred aboue writing The one is good but the other is better This was the cause why the same Apostle was so desirous to see the Romanes Why he so often purposed to come to the Thessalonians and why the Author to the Hebrewes willed them the more earnestly to pray that he might be restored vnto them the more quickly Rom. 1. 11. 15. 28. Heb. 13. 19. 1 Thes 2. 18. 3. 10. For is it not more painfull to declare the truth by pen Reas 1. than by speech This is the reason why the Evangelist having many things to write would not write with Paper and inke but trusted to see his friends and to speake mouth to mouth face to face 2. Ioh. 2. 3. Ioh. 13. 14. Againe In personall presence we may propound questions Reas 2. make oâ—iections reueale our spirituall wants and be the better resolved relieued It s good to haue the Physitian of the soule with vs for so with speed we may be cured of all our maladies A liuely voice stirreth vp the graces of God in a speciall Reas 3. manner milke from the breast doth more nourish than that which commeth out of the vessell for part of the spirit is spilt exhaust will not the countenance of a man as lightning before thunder prepare provoke to more attention image is the onely Obiect of his loue and doth not euerie good man in part resemble that and cary it about with him doe not the sparkles of grace and wisdome appeare in their faces Is there not a kind of diuine influence in their speeches They in some measure resemble their father as deare children and from the contrarie ground the wicked are an abomination to the iust They will build vp one another in their holie faith consult Reas 4. for the good of the Church and tell one another what the Lord hath done for their soules yea the very sight of a good Psal 66. 16. man in the morning a dreame of him in the night will make one walk with more cheerfulnes all the day following The face of the faithfull is like the Loadstone it conveyeth strength to many and yet is neuer the weaker poorer and as the one is reputed a great wonder in nature so is the other as great a wonder in grace This must teach those to be gratefull to God when hee Vse 1. affordeth so great a fauour We would better know the worth of it if we were a while in the want of it Had but some of vs made such a iourney as David did to Gath or Iacob to Padan-Aram had we liued a while in Meshech and pitched our tents a part in Kedar then the sight of
if the remembrance of the second death cause thee to quake and tremble yet feare not for the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against thee This ought alwaies in these pangs of terrour to wipe all teares from thine eies And the reason we are so often astonished is because we doe not minde oâ— beleeue this thing For if we did we would cry out with ioy O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie This salue is good for the fourefold forenamed soare This Physicke like Moses rod will remoue all death whatsoeuer Wherefore in thy greatest feare call to mind that death by Christ is abolished And hath Christs death destroyed death then haue a Vse 3. care that ye bring it not againe into the world Giue not food to this infant reuiue not him by any meanes For as Iudas his master it will one day betray thee lift vp his heele against thee Adam could bring in death but he must be more then a meere man who can vtterly destroy him yet striue thou to tread this serpent vnder thy feet bruise his head against the stones suffer him not to crawle or creepe For in so doing thou shalt be blessed But may some say how might I destroy death Quest Ans 1. In a word diuerse wayes 1. Thou must auoyd sinne for by sinne death came into the world Sinne to death is like fuell to the fire food to the faint wine to the weake and Physicke to the distempered patients so that he who sinnes reviues death restores to him his sting and pulleth him with speed vnto the doore and into the very inward parts of the soule And for thy better direction consider what sinnes haue brought death corporall spirituall 1. Drunkennes Deut. 21. 20. 2. Gluttonie Luk. 12. 20. 3. Vnthriftinesse Pro. 6. 12. 15. 4. Idlenesse Ezek. 16. 49. 5. Pride Acts 12. vlt. 6. Lying Acts. 5. 5. 7. Scoffing of the Prophets 2 Kin. 2. 23. 8. Ignorance Hos 4. 6. 9. Infidelity Iude 5. 10. Disobedience to Parents Pro. 30. 17. 11. Want of preparation to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 30. Finally all sinne whateuer brings death For the soule that sinneth shall die the Ezech. 18. 4. death Wouldst thou then crucifie this Barrabas that too often escapeth when Christ is executed see good dayes on earth haue grace to flourish in thee the first death to bee advantage to thee and escape the second why auoyd sinne and all the occasiâ—ns thereof abandon and flee Behold I haue told thee before 2. Thou must mortifie thâ— earthly members crucifie thy 2. inward corruptions and strâ—ue to be clensed from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit For as a disease in the body may cause death as well as some outward accident so may some secret corruption cherished in the heart as soone as some externall and grosse transgression 3. Cherish the life of grace within thee For if it flourish 3. death shall perish When corne and cockle grow together that which is the more watered will be the further from withering then feed the spirit and the flesh shall pine away 4. Often meditate of the efficacie of Christs death For as 4. the great flame will draw the lesse sparke of heate out of the finger if held to it so bring the eye of our mindes close to this obiect and death will pine away The lesser shall bee deuoured of the stronger We haue some who hold Christs death to worke this How Christs death kils death in vs. death in vs not onely as meritorious or by way of meditation but operatiuely as an efficient cause produceth its effect Yet to me it seemes to be otherwise For though it be certainly true in the two former respects yet the last is doubtfull and that for these reasons 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefore being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefoer being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 2. The death of Christ was a curse therefore causeth good by accident not of its owne nature Whereby the way we see an other errour to be in those who hold that Christs death without his actiue obedience is absolutely sufficient for our iustification But the succeeding arguments may serue to confirme the contrarie 1. That obedience which the law requireth is necessarie for our iustification But the law requireth actiue obedience therefore actiue obedience is necessarie for our iustification The former proposition I suppose will be granted neither can the latter vpon any good ground be denied Because the iustice of the Law is still inforce time not changing the nature of it 2. That obedience which was to haue iustified man before his fall is requisite to iustifie him being fallen But actiue obedience was to haue iustified man before his fall Therefore actiue obedience is requisite to iustifie him being fallen What can be obiected against this argument for the present I perceiue not 3. That obedience which Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnes which was of the law concurreth to our iustification But the actiue obedience of Christ Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnesse which was of the Law Phil. 3. 9. Therefore the actiue obedience of Christ concurreth to our iustification For who euer commenting on that text excludeth Christs actiue obedience And to say the truth passiue obedience is rather a satisfying of the threat than a fulfilling of the lawes precept 4. If the actuall breach of the Law made man vniust then the actuall obseruation of it must make him righteous But the actuall breach made him vniust therefore the actuall obseruation of the law must make him righteous Except we should maintaine that our surety Christ was bound onely to pay the forfeiture and not the principall which may not be admitted For man after his fall incurred a doubled debt both which Christ was to discharge else hee had not satisfied the full payment to God our creditor And doth not actiue obedience the one as passiue the other It s death that must remoue death life that must procure life For contrary effects must haue contrary causes such as life and death be A sharp powder or water may eate off the thicke filme that couereth the eye and hindereth sight but there is another internall principle is the cause of seeing In like manner the death of Christ may remoue what hindereth life Yet there must be another primarie cause for the procuring and conseruing of it For conclusion Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered Wherefore what God hath ioyned together let no man renta sunder And if death through Christ be abolished and by no Vse 4. other then deaths destruction was no easie action For who but he could haue done it If it had bin to haue bin abolished by another shall wee thinke then that the father would not haue spared his onely sonne But you may
others to returne that you may escape the dreadfull and importable wrath to come But alas wicked men for all that man or God can say or threaten they are like Iobs horse Iob 39. 21. c. they walke in the valley of sinne and reioyce in their strength of iniquity they goe out to meet the harnessed man Christ with the reuenging Scepter of iustice in his hand they swallow and breake the ground of Gods precepts with their fiercenesse they account brasse as straw iron as rotten wood they thinke that they can drinke vp as the Leviathan doth Iordan the Riuers of Gods wrath with their mouthes they smell this great battell afarre off and cry Ha ha at the sound of the last trumpet and say Tush wee shall neuer bee mooued the Lord neither thinketh good or euill But for all this God who sits on high hath girded himselfe with the garment of vengeance his sword is whetted his bow bent he will therefore make his shafts drunke with their purple blood and will for euer haue them in derision And seeing these things are so What manner of men ought we to be in holinesse of life and blamelesse conuersation Oh now consider this yee that forget this day lest thee strong God teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you And is there a day wherein the Lord shall iudge the Vse 6. world why then on the contrary heere is a world of comfort to the iust and perfect man In all thy crosses wrongs iniuries troubles persecutions sicknesses and in the houre of death look vp to this hill soare to this height and haue this continually in thy remembrance For now shall thy wounds bee cured thy infirmities healed thy enemies reuenged and all thy honest workes rewarded Now shall Sathan bee trod vnder thy foot his instruments bound in euerlasting chaines of darkenesse and thou with thy Lord and Master Christ bee carried into the holy of holies filled with ioy and bathe thy soule in the riuers of pleasure for all eternity All the men of God in their greatest anguish here below haue fetched comfort by the eye of faith at this Mountaine Iob reioyced being cast on the dunghill that his Redeemer liued and that hee should see him stand the last on earth Dauids heart was glad and his flesh did rest in hope because his soule should not bee left in deadlihead nor his body see corruption Iohn longed and cryed Come Lord Iesus come quickly and had wee the same precious faith wee haue the same precious promises why then are wee not rauished with the remembrance of these things Let the minde of the righteous wander whither it will or can this will bee the spring where to coole its thirst the poole to wash away its filthinesse the stay whereon to rest like the Arke on Mount Ararat after all its stormes and tempests This is the acceptable day of the Lord the yeere of Iubilee and the very time when all things in an vnchangeable eternall and neuer-fading condition shall be setled established Wherefore be stedfast immoueable resolute in good patient in suffering euil for this is the day that will pay for all And thus we come to handle a second doctrine Where Paul saith that day adding the Article That wee note as others from the like grounds doe that The day of iudgement shall be great and wonderfull Doct. 2. It is elsew here called the great day of the Lord. Iudè 6. Reu. 6. 17. and 16. 14. And it may bee so stiled for diuerse Reasons First if wee consider the Iudge for that addeth to the Reas 1. dayes excellency and greatnesse and that 1. for his person is hee not God and Man Wonderfull Councellor the almighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9. 6 This is hee who made all things of nothing the first and the last who though hee was deade yet now liueth for euermore Reu. 1. 18. 2. Where is his habitation and from whence doth hee come hee dwelleth in that light which no man can attaine vnto and whither can wee flee from his presence 3. How shall hee bee attended What will he come like Nehemiah with one or two poore attendants or as Naomi with Ruth or like Dauid to the King of Gath all alone No he will be accompanied with two bands like Iacob hauing a thousand thousands of Angels with him his scepter shall be in his hand to breake his enemies in pieces like a potters vessell 4. And where shall he come from Ierusalem to Iericho from Aegypt to Canaan from the East to Bethlehem No he descendeth from the highest throne riding on the wings of the wind passeth through the thicke clouds and his way shall be in the aire Then shall his signes appeare by which I vnderstand not the Crosse with the cursed Papist but that splendour which shall flow from his glorious person that like the Sun with his beames when he riseth shall enlighten all the world And it may be called great if we minde who shall be Reas 2. iudged not Paul before Festus Iohn of Herod or the Prince of the Pope But all creatures men and Angells The sea the earth death and hell shall giue vp their dead so that all euill spirits Men women and children that haue beene are or shall be must appeare before him Kings Nobles Iudges Bishops without their crownes rochets scarlet robes and worthy ensignes of honour And what acts and enditements shall be preferr'd All Reas 3. and euery one that hath beene done good or euill from the very beginning of the world vntill that day all shall be examined cleered not one omitted The booke of each mans Conscience shall be opened and Gods eternall Register so that the most secret sinne or hidden act shall come to light And doth not this adde to the daies greatnes Finally if we consider the words or matter of the sentence Reas 4. it will aggrauate the merueilousnes of the iudgment day For the Reprobate shall be rewarded with eternall torment and the elect with immortall glory the one shall haue as much misery and the other as great felicity as created natures are capable of And will this day be such and so great Are not those Vse 1. then to be checked who neuer haue it in their mindes neither make the least preparation All times seasons moneths and dayes be thought on longed and prouided for yet this that surmounteth all is forgot not regarded What prouision shall we see for the Sessions or Assizes of one little County or Citty and yet none for this generall vniuersall gaole-deliuery of the whole world where be mens wits or what doe they thinke on For to what end doth God place them here below and affoard them time and meanes but to stand spotles blamelesse at that day Yet men be vnwise and neuer consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. If a Master should set a light vpon a Candlesticke
and man but a faire winde them depart What shall I more say We haue raging malice and blind turbulent zeale hanging like a Meteor betwixt heauen and earth that as an ill-couch't fire wâ—rke le ts fly at all But hitherto we haue spoken in the abstract we will now a little touch the concrete We haue had with a crosse winde set sometimes on our shores the vulgar Atheist who saith in his heart there is no God and if in speech he professe him yet in practice hee denies him The proud trecherous purblind Papist iust of that brotherhood it s to be fear'd who erring from the true way stumbled on treason and brake their neckes at Tiburne Yet these spread their good deedes as the Heauens ouer the North-pole and hang their saluation like the earth vpon nothing The Hominisied Godified Familist who holds himselfe if once full come to be as perfect as Adam his father was in Paradise And we say so too but then hee must be considered as hee was after his fall not before it The mutable newfangled Anabaptist who will weare no weapons haue all things common yet wrangles with his brethren whether hee is to be baptized on the head or heeles for a worthie reason Christ it s said washed his Disciples with water on the feete The strict precise Separatist censuring his equals speaking ill of them in authoritie whose vniust rent from our congregations like the diuisions of Ruben haue Iudg. 5. 15. made great thoughts of heart And to conclude for I am too prolixe we haue had the câ—mmon Protestants who lead their liues in Folio especially at that neuer-to-be-forgotten golden voyage wherein Sâ— W. R. so many went they knew not whither who carryed themselues as if their tongues had beene pieces their breath Gunpowder the opening of the mouthes the giuing of fire with the match and their oathes piercing Bullets to haue wounded their aduersaries sometimes filching and fighting whose swords like Ioabs would droppe out on the least occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stepping from shoare to ship would drinke soule-slaying healths euery carowse being seconded with the report of a Cannon as if powder and shott had beene onely appointed to haue beat the aire scare Crowes make old folke to start and Cattell to runne a gadding Wee haue seene and shall againe the Dutch drinking and our English for company take their shares with them vntill they began to sle-ecke en-de sny that is stabbe and slash that their blood and bowels runne about their heeles If this then was thus as it was indeed shall not the men of God draw forth the arrowes of Gods vengeance set them in the noch and with an angry countenance let them rattle amidst the congregation whet the two edged sword of the word make it sharpe and keene to the hewing of the body of sinne and the shredding of such siewes of corruption asunder As the Prophet said Is this 2 Kin. 5. 26. a time to take bribes so may I Is this a people amongst whom to cry peace peace No verilie Wherefore good Reader out of thy ingenuous disposition beare with my rude rough and vncâ—uth style And thus I commend thee to God these labours to thine and the worlds light with my selfe to thy fauorable censure and faithfull prayers yet not without a setled resolution if the Lord will to proceede further in the publishing the remainder of this Epistle Thine in the Lord Iesus I. B. The principall heades handled in this Chapter verse 1. Doctrines page PReachers are to maintaine the dignitie of their persons 8 How a good name may be gotten 9 2. Great sinners may become Saints 9 Cautions to be vsed that grace be not abused 11 3. Any relation to Christ is of great importance 12 4. The lawfulnesse of our calling is to be iustified 13 Trials if we be lawfullie called to preach the Gospell 15 5. Promotion commeth from the Lord. 15 6. Spirituall life is procured by the Gospell 16 7. Saluation obtained through Christ Iesus 17 Verse 2. Doctrines page 1. Persons of good hopes are chieflie to be instructed 23 2. There is a spirituall kinred in the world 24 3. Preachers are chiefly to affect whom they haue begot or confirmed in the faith 25 4. Salutations are not for complement but pietie 26 The kinds of salutations 26 Who are to be saluted 27 A twofold limitation to be obserued 27 Whether we my salute him we know not 27 5. The grace of God greatlie to be wished for 27 How grace may be got 28 6. Mercie much to be desired 29 7. Peace a principall thing to be sought for 30 8. Men without grace haue no true and sound peace 31 9. The degrees of affection cannot be couered 32 10. None more need of mercy than ministers 33 10. God is a father and how manie waies 34 12. All Spirituall blessings come from God the father 36 13. Christ Iesus is a Lord. 37 14. All Christians are fellow seruants 38 15. Doctrines deduced not handled 39 Vers 3. Doctrines page 1. Good men are thankfull 42 Thankfulnes defined 43 Thankfulnes distributed 44 Impediments of thankfulnes 45 Helpes to true thankfulnes 46 2. Carnall friends will become foes if a man embrace the Gospel 47 3. Against all opposition we are to maintaine the truth of our profession 48 4. It s an honour for man to serue God 49 5. A Christians course is laborious 50 What is required in the seruice of God 52 How God may be knowne of vs. 53 What the law and Gospell require 54 Wherein spirituall power is exercised 54 6. The Church had the same faith before the comming of Christ which now it hath after him 56 7. The name of the righteous shall be had in remembrance 57 8. The seruice of God is then commendable when it is accompanied with a pure conscience 58 Conscience in generall defined 59 Corrolaries from the definition deduced 59 Conscience distributed 61 What a good conscience is 62 What an euill conscience is 62 A good conscience is legall or euangelicall 63 What a legall good conscience is 63 How it is distributed into compleat or incompleat 63 A compleat legall good conscience defined 63 How many things concurre to a compleat legall good conscience 64 What followeth from thence 64 An Euangelicall good conscience what it is 68 What needfull to the making vp of it 68 How it differs from a legall 69 What necessarie to procure it 70 It is neuer separated from the legall in a Christian 72 The effects of conscience 74 Its application 74 Consciences charge 80 9. Faithfull men are frequent in prayer 85 Prayer described 87 Calling vpon God distributed 87 In calling vpon God we must vse the tongue and why 87 Also the heart and why 88 How to procure the spirit 94 What is to be done before prayer 97 What in prayer 98 Helpes to auoyde wandring thoughts in prayer 99 Helpes to pray with feruencie 100 What is to be done after
would haue redemption and sanctification to precede election as if the Sons worke and the holy Ghosts in order went before the Fathers According I take it that in this sentence is declared the end of Pauls Apostleship to wit to preach the Gospell and that not in any newly invented or opposite manner but proportionable iust after the forme and effigies of that good true and warrantable patterne for he who did reach otherwise was to be accursed Gal. 1. 9. Promise Here the Apostle opposeth the Gospell and the Law not that the observation of the Law would not haue given life or was without a promise but because that man since his fall is dead and cannot keepe it therefore he is to fetch life from another fountaine viz. the gospell which is in briefe called the Promise of life Of life There is a fourefold life at the least to be found in the creatures 1. a life of vegetation as in herbes plants 2. a life of sence as in birds and beasts 3. of reason as in man and Angels 4. a life of grace called the life of God Eph. 4. 8. onely to be found in good Angels and such men as are borne againe and this is that life which is here promised by the Apostle preached and principally to be desired Which is in Christ Iesus Christ is the fountaine of this spring the roote of this tree and the very first beginner of this spirituall life and motion For without him we are dead can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. I Paul also called Saul because I was a Citizen of two The Metaphrase Provinces of the Iewes by birth and Romanes by prerogatiue yet being principally sent to be a Preacher to the Gentiles haue reserved the one cast off the other as being more familiar to them better accepted of them an Apostle and legate not of any private person but of Christ Iesus the holy one and anointed of the Lord sole Saviour of the faithfull having a true and lawfull calling not of man nor by man but of by and for the Lord being sent to no other end but to preach the lifâ— of grace and glory which is onely through the free promise of God in Christ to be obtained I I say doe ingenuously confesse without all mentall reservation or subtle evâ—sion my selfe to be the Author Pen-man of this Epistle being chiefely induced to prefixe my name declare my office shew the ground of my calling and the obiect and end of my function to silence such as might carpe at my Doctrine that the Church in all succeeding ages aswell as for the present season might receiue it as free from all error and the truth of God and that my person preaching and writing might not be contemned but as they ought esteemed regarded And now let vs proceede to gather such Doctrines as arise Doctrines deduced out of these words thus resolved plainly expounded Seeing the Pen-man reserues that name which is most accepted and best received of the people as also annexeth that title whereby the excellency of his office is demonstrated we note that Preachers are to maintaine the dignitie of their Doct. 1. persons This hath beene the care of all the Prophets in old time and Apostles in these latter dayes If it were not so what meaneth all this Am not I an Apostle am not I free haue not 1 Cor. 9. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 20. I seene Iesus Christ our Lord Are not you my worke in the Lord Because a good name is as a precious ointment aboue great Reas 1. Eccles 7. 1. Prov. 22. 1. riches and more than the choicest silver and gold to be regarded It will reioyce the heart cheere the dead spirit and prolong a mans dayes whereas the contrary is a curse and to be auoyded Otherwise if Ministers be ill reported of their doctrine Reas 2. be it never so sound or soveraigne for the soule it will be despised reiected If the vessell be counted vnsweet who will with alacritie taste of the liquor And men iudge the fruit according to the trees report Let Ministers then haue an eye to this dutie Too too many Vse 1. are carelesse in this thing and that 's the cause why they Preach so much and profit little and who ever saw good done by such a man as was contemned in his name person The Word will not speed if the Preacher be despised And for procuring a good report 1. be diligent in the discharge How a good name may be got of thy duty avoyd idlenes in thy calling 2. Againe take heed thou be not iustly accused of that which thou hast severely censured in others 3. Speake not evill of others for with what measure we meete it shall be measured to vs againe Could we cover others infirmities they would doe the like for vs. 4. And in conclusion seeke the glory of God 1 Sam. 2. 30. Prov. 10. 7. in thy proceedings for they who honour God shall be honored of him whereas they who seeke themselues shall be abased The people also must take heed how they detract from Vse 2. the credit of their Pastours It s a foule fault of some and to be reformed who are alwayes prying into and raking vp the infirmities of their Preachers cover thou their faults passe by their wants and seeke their dignitie for thine owne good and thy brethrens Nature by a secret instinct will defend the head with the losse of the hand and will we not cover our baldnesse with a Periwigge Why the Preacher is the head of the people and therefore to be respected and it s an old Axiome Doe my-Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. Againe where Paul is called an Apostle who in former times was a persecuter of the Lords people we obserue that Yong sinners may proue olde Saints great offenders godly persons Doct. 2. persecutors of the truth and people zealous Preachers Church-founders For is not Saul now among the Apostles who sometime made havocke of the Saints Did he not doe many things against the name of Iesus of Nazaret and persecute this way and word which he now maintaineth vnto the death Others who haue done the same yet haue prooved the same godly livers excellent persons 2. Chron. 33. 12. c. Luk. 8. 2. Tit. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 11. And this commeth to passe by the finger of God Hee knoweth how to doe it hath power to doe it and if hee Reas 1. will who can resist him He who made the instrument cannot he amend it so he who first formed man shall hee want abilitie to reforme him no he is in heaven and doth whatsoever hee will Sathan may resist but all in vaine Isa 46. 10. mans will may oppose but all to no purpose for his power is infinite their 's finite And is there not a possibilitie for such a subiect to be reformed Man is capable of grace if
and that proceedeth daily from vs who were able to abide it Not we Christ onely excepted so that we must flee to the promise for life and cast off the precept in this respect Besides this there is another reason rendred by the Apostle Reas 2. which is that if justification and consequently salvation had beene obtained by the Law then Christ had dyed Gal. 2. vlt. gratis in vaine for nothing Indeed the Law is able to giue life for Christ was saved by it but we are weake and not able to fulfill it And though the law be said to be of no strength it is in this respect that like a iust Iudge to an offender Rom. 8. 3. it giueth a true testimony not able to set man at libertie who is a transgressor Confutation springs from this roote of the Papists who Vse 1. tye salvation rather to the law and workes than to Christ and the Gospell Reprehension too proceeds from the same ground against Vse 2. the ignorant Protestants who being demanded how they hope to be saved Reply either by their good deeds or honest meaning this is naturall Papistrie yet good workes are in no sort to be omitted For they be the true euidences of faith as childe of a father the high way to heaven though not the principall and immediate cause of raigning these may be said to bring life as the nurse to the child faith as the mother And from hence every one that longeth after life must Vse 3. 1. deny his owne workes 2. Learne to be acquainted with the promises and to discerne them from the precepts 3. Labour for faith to apply them for knowledge except mixed with faith profits nothing Heb. 4. 2. This may also direct Ministers how to teach their people Vse 4. a principall point of Catechisme as also to worke faith in them that they may beleeue not that the law is to be omitted for that reuealeth sinnes breaketh the heart setteth before the eye of the soule Gods irresistable judgement and directs the way that leadeth to justification and salvation yet in a differing manner from the Gospell It s our Schoole-master to Christ Gal. 3. 24. Might we not hence obserue further that the principall end of Preaching is to bring men to life and salvation By the foolishnesse of Preaching it pleaseth God to saue such as 1 Cor. 1. 21. beleeue Then are they farre wide that looke for life without a Preacher Why doe they not expect children without generation a crop of corne without sowing Againe we note out of the word according that There is one method or true manner or at least matter of teaching to be practised of the Preachers for every Art is guided by its owne rule precepts obiect Which is in Christ Iesus In Christ that is from him or by him Whence let it be noted that No life or salvation is to be expected but in and through Christ Doct. 7. Iesus Whether we respect the life of motion sence reason or salvation all is conveyed to man from him he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14. 6. Ioh. 10. 10. and 17. 12. Act. 3. 15. For he created all things as he was God without him was Reas 1. made nothing that was made He is the beginning of all creatures Col. 3. 15. therefore called the Lord of life Act. 3. 15. He also as God preserveth the essence and being of the Reas 2. creature 1. In giuing nourishment fit and convenient 2. and in blessing the meanes without both which the life of man like a lampe that lacketh oyle is extinguished for man liueth not by bread onely but by every word that proceâ—deth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. Furthermore life and salvation come from Christ as he Reas 3. is our Suretie and Saviour 1. For by his death he hath destroyed death O death Where is thy sting 2. By his life he 1 Cor 15. 55. v. 22. 23. hath purchased our life as by the offence of one man came death so by the obedience of Christ came life 3. All the promises 2 Cor. 1. 20 meet in Christ and are yea and amen in him as all the lines doe in the point of a Center 4. He sends his word and spirit for to quicken vs being dead before that time in sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and trespasses In a word by his death we dye with him and through his Resurrection and Ascension we shall rise out Rom. 5. 10. of the graue and ascend and liue for ever with him From this point doe many profitable Vses spring First learne hence that the life of a Christian is no base being Vse 1. or mouing but the sweetest life of all and equalleth if not excelleth that life of Adam in the Garden because it floweth from a more pure fountaine springeth from a more honorable head and is purchased with a farre greater price Doe we not esteeme Wine by the Grape fruit by the tree Oyle by the Oliue And people by their pedigree It s called the life of God for God gaue it at the Creation Christ Ephes 4. 18. redeemed it by his Passion and it s the neerest to that life the Lord himselfe liueth and delighteth in it s a royall life for it exceedeth this life all other what ever Ther 's not a greater dissimilitude betwixt the life of a naturall man and a beast than there is betwixt this and the life of reason And it s a durable life certaine and abideth for ever and Vse 2. can it be otherwise comming from Christ Let the root liue the branches will not wither the spring flowe the rivers will be full and whilest the head is not hurt well fare the members Indeed this tree was once dead but now he is aliue Rev. 1. 18. shall dye no more death hath no longer power over him They therefore that are graffed into this stocke shall never taste of the second death For out of their branches shall flow Io. 7. 37. rivers of the waters of life And as Moses with his rod struck the rocke whence issued water to refresh the people so God with the law of his iustice strooke Christ the rocke out of whose side commeth the water of life to saue all his members Besides it also followeth from the same ground that it is Vse 3. a secret and hidden life hid in Gods bosome long before it was manifested hid in the Promise hid in the Sacrifices and Ceremonies hid from the eyes of the world hid from him that hath it for the greatest and best part of it is said to be hid with Christ in God that is in heaven Col. 3. 3. For God and heaven are often put one for the other in Scripture And it may be said truely to be a hidden life so few seeke it or find it and yet if they doe they know it not Hence
or wherewith shall I be Mat. 6. 32. clothed For he knoweth whereof thou hast need and will relieue thee Fathers lay vp for their children not children 2 Cor. 12. 14. for their Fathers doe they not What shall I more say but as Ioab to Amnon Why art thou so sad And why is thy 2 Sam. 13. 4. c. countenance cast downe Art thou not the Kings sonne Aske what thou wilt and he shall giue it thee The profane of our times may hence learne to take heed Vse 4. how they wrong the faithfull God is wise in heart mightie in power Who ever waxed fierce against them and hath Iob. 9. 4. prospered for their sakes He hath destroyed great Kinges and mightie Sehon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Psal 136. 19. 20. Exod. 14. 25. Basâ—an He can plucke off thy Charet-wheeles strike thee in the hinder parts cause thy heart to faile thee for feare and in a moment fetch thy soule from thee better were it for thee to haue a Mill-stone hanged about thy necke and thou to be cast into the bottome of the Sea than to offend the least of these faithfull ones they are deere in his sight tender to him as the apple of his eye Can a Father put vp the vniust wrongs of his loving children The husband of his chast and dutifull wife In no wise then take heâ—d to thy selfe for if thou fight against the faithfull thou dost iniury to Gods sonnes and his dearest Spouse who one day will in wrath take vengeance on thee and grind thee to powder From God the Father Having handled the title of God we come to speake of the second thing appropriated to him the which is that All spirituall lessings flow from God the Father Doct. 12. Every good gift and every perfect giving is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights Iam. 1. 17. Whence had the Apostles Prophets that heavenly treasure wherewith they were inriched if not from God Silver hath his Iob. 28. 2. veine Gold his mine Yron is taken out of the earth and Brasse is moltâ—n out of the Stone but grace mercy and peace are not to be found in the land of the living nature saith it is not to be found in me wealth and honour cryes nor in me Came it from nature then should all men partake of it Reas 1. none excepted for shee communicateth to all her off-spring the like gifts though not in degree and measure Neither is it purchased by pence or followeth the flux of Reas â— royall dignities for then should Kings Nobles rich and great men be the onely subiects of it who in truth very rarely possesse it See 1. Cor. 1. 26. I will not insist here to confute the Romanists but leaue Vse 1. them to stand or fall to their owne Master but first learne we hence whom to prayse for grace and mercy and every good gift that we enioy say not mine owne hand hath procured me this treasure least thou be found a lyar against God for what hast thou that thou hast not received One 1 Cor. 4. 7. cause why we are so proud and ingratefull is want of consideration how that what we are by the free favour of God we are that which we are Good Iacob ascribes his two bands to proceed from the mercy of God Reade his confession Gen. 33. 11. And secondly this may direct vs whither to runne for Vse 2. grace and mercie and peace goe not to man or Angell but to the Lord else maist thou returne like the foolish Virgins with thy vessels emptie Take the counsell David gaue his sonne Salomon on his death-bed Know God for 1 Chron. 29. 11. 12. greatnesse and power and riches and honour I adde and all things are in his hands And now we proceed And Christ Iesus our Lord Out of this phrase wee obserue first that Christ Iesus is a Lord. Doct. 13 〈◊〉 Iehovah said vnto my Lord Sit at my right hand and yee call me Lord and Master and yee doe well for so â—em Psal 1 10. 1. Ioh. 13. 3. And he is Lord two wayes either as he is Elohim God or Emanuel God with vs. As he is God 1. By creation for he is the beginning of every creature all things were made by him and without him was not made any thing that was made Ioh. 1. 3. And secondly by providence The Father worketh hither to and I worke Ioh. 5. 17. As God with vs he is Lord also 1. By purchase for he Word became flesh so that by a communication of properties we are said to be purchased by the bloud of God Act. 2â— â—â— 2. By mariage He is the bridegroome the head and husband Ioh. 3. 29. Ephes 5. 23. of his Church and therefore Lord over it 3. By dignitie he is our elder brother and in ancient time such gouerned and had a double portion Deut. 17. 15. 21. 17. 4. By donation for God the Father hath put all things into his hand and given him all power in heaven and in Mat. 28 18. Ephes 1. 22. earth And is Christ Iesus thus many wayes our Lord 1. We Vse 1. must know him for what madnesse greater than to be ignorant not acquainted with our Master Who can with any comfort serue an vnknowne Lord Certainly they that know not Christ are Sathans slaues and none of his servants Also we must learne his will and what he requireth at Vse 2. our hands for otherwise we cannot doe it such servants cannot please him Many stand on their good and honest meaning but without knowledge the minde is not good Prov. 19. 2. And when we vnderstand it and him we must indevour Vse 3. 2 Pet. 2. 20. to do his commands for it were better not to haue knowne his will theâ— after we haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement given vnto vs of our Lord such shall be beaten with many stripes God shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on all them that know him not and obey not the Gospell of Christ 2. Thes 1. 8. Finally We are to depend on him for food for wages Vse 4. for rayment convenient in all dangers to flee vnto him for succour both in life and death and we may doe thus with hope and boldnesse when we know him and his will seeke his glory make his enemies ours obeying all his commands for we are never made strait in him but first we are made strait in our owne bowels And we nay hence gather also that All Chrisians are fellow-servants Doct. 14. Paul and Timotheus Prince and people men and women Iew and Gentile Deut. 17. 20. Acts 10. 35. Gal. 3. 28. 1. For hath not one God created them Mala. 1. 10. Reas 1. 2. Are they not purchased by the same price 1 Cor. 6. 20. 3. Haue they not all one and the
peace of a good one and these contrary effects though to be found in one and the same person yet doe they spring from divers repugnant principles and not from the selfe same causes A good Conscience is a seeing of an act according with the A good Conscience What it is rule And here we are to obserue that in a good Conscience these particulars are required 1. A man must haue knowledge of some rule 2. The rule must be sound and infallible 3. He is to performe an act in every respect answerable to the truth of the rule And 4. he must apply the act to the rule the which being done the seeing of their agreement is a good Conscience Moses made all things according to the patterne the which when he beheld he had a good conscience for there was a proportion and correspondency betwixt the frame of his worke and the patterne GOD gaue him An evill Conscience is a seeing of an act disaccording with the An evill Conscience What it iâ— rule Suppose a man to haue vnderstanding of a true and perfect rule yet if his act should not be answerable but in some part divert from it so farre as it wants proportion or similitude to the foresaid rule so farre he hath a bad Conscience or evill seeing together and hence will follow the kindes or degrees of an evill Conscience 1. For the more sound knowledge and the lesse sincere obedience the worse is that Conscience and from hence might spring the name of an erroneous Conscience because the actions swerue from the rule 2. From obedience without a certaine apprehension of some precedent Precept ariseth the terme of a blind Conscience though properly it cannot be called Conscience 3. And from this definition we see that there may be some good in a bad Conscience For knowledge of the rule is good acts are good but as they erre from the rule by which they are to be guided they are evill and in regard such Consciences haue a threat denounced against them Yea the sight of sweruing from the rule may be good because it may be a meanes of reformation in future season A good Conscience is Legall or Evangelicall A good Conscience divided The rule whereby man at his Creation was to be guided was the Law the which had he obeyed he might haue purchased a good Legall Conscience now since his Apostasie and fall the Lord hath given him a new Commandemâ—â— for his recoverie being observed which is the Gospell and thus you may Kennâ— the ground of this distribution As for the law naturall the remnants wherof remained in the heart of the Gentiles and the law morall engraven in Tables of stone and given to the Iewes is the same for substance being but a distribution from the subiects yet they differ iâ— these particulars 1. The one is perfect the other not for much of it in time is obliterate worne out of mans heart whereas that written by Gods owne finger is complete The one is got by reading hearing studie c. The other comes by generation and imprinted in mans minde from the very wombs and as Riâ—â—bilitie is inseparable adiunct to him and this is the true cause why all men covet a kind of Religion and performe some workes that are commendable warrantable For matter therefore these two are the same as a remnant with the whole piece or some few Prâ—câ—pts with the whole of that Art A Legall good Conscience is a seeing of an act according to the What a Legall good Conscience is rule of the Law He who vnderstandeth any one Precept of the Decalogue and giueth obedience thereto may be said to haue a Legall good Conscience This we see affirmed of the Gentilâ—s who walked but according to the small reliques of the law which remained in their hearts Rom. 2. 14. 15. A Legall good Conscience is either Complete oâ— Incomplete A legall good Conscience distributed This distribution may not be omitted being of great vse For its one thing to haue a Legal good Conscience another to haue a complete Legall good Conscience the which we will define that so the difference may appeare A complete Legall good Conscience is a seeing of all acts according A complete Legall good Conscience defined with the rules of the Law But Conscience that as a Boy the Bird in his hand wee may not lose thee while we are talking of thee we will declare how many ingredients concurre for thy confection whether a complete Legall or Evangelicall But first for Legall 1. Knowledge must here be had as the ring-leader Light was the first good thing the Lord made at the Creation and saw to be good so is Knowledge in this worthie frame of a good Conscience Ignorance like the bodie of Amasa the passengers stops the way of this Worke or as darkenesse in the beginning did light in the structure of nature that it cannot be effected Blind sir Iohns neither haue nor can make others haue a pure Conscience the rule must be exactly vnderstood all the particulars thereof distinctly learned or else men will haue at the best but blind Consciences For why is Conscience called blind except in this that people act without knowledge of the rule This caused the Prophet so often so earnestly to pray Lord open mine eyes teach Psal 119. 18. c. me the way of thy statutes hide not thy Commandements fromme Salomon to cry Get knowledge get vnderstanding forget Prov. 4 5. And 30. 2. 3. not Agur to confesse he was more foolish than any man being ignorant of holy things and Paul the elect vessel chiefe Patrone of a good Conscience to esteeme of all things as drosse and dung for the excellent Knowledge of the Law and Phil. 3. 10. the Gospell For without this ingredient Conscience is naught starke naught For how can a man act according to the rule that is ignorant of it And is not damnation threatned to them who liue in blindnesse read and see wherefore 2 Thes 1. 8. if thy science be darke how darke is thy Conscience 2. After Knowledge must follow Obedience These two in a good Conscience cannot be separated the first maketh science the second Conscience For what is knowledge of the rule without obedience but a patterne without a building a cypher without a figure which stands for nothing Hence Acts. 24. 16. it is that our Apostle did lay his policie bend his forces and exercise himselfe to keepe a good Conscience a Conscience without tripping without stumbling Men must learne the Word and then fall to worke according to its directions apply the acts and Precepts â—â—ew them â—oth at once with the eye of reason and then as God did all the creatures they shall see their Consciences good and very good All the springs and brookes of our actions speeches resolutions and cogitations must runne by the banke and channell of Gods Precepts neither may we
Calling This calling is either with the tongue or with the heart Calling distributed Whence ariseth this distinction of mentall and vocall prayer confirmed by the mouth of Christ This people honoreth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Mat. 15. 8. We are to call vpon God with the tongue 1. For we haue In calling on God we must vse the tongue and why this priviledge aboue all other creatures and shall wee not imploy it in the Lords service 2. We are to giue vp all our members as so many weapons of righteousnesse to glorifie him and is not this one of the principall And some-where David calls his tongue his glory Psal 30. 13. And it is good for vs so to doe 1. It will be a meanes to keepe our minds from wandring 2. The voyce stirres vp affections and raiseth them to an higher temper 3. In so doing we shall find the Lord putting phrases in our mouth guiding it now and then in a wonderfull manner farre beyond all naturall apprehension 4. And how can others ioyne with vs or know when to say Amen should we be silent When thou prayest alone imitate Hannah let thy lips moue not thy words 1 Sâ—m 1. 13. be heard else it may seeme a sensible signe of Pharisaicall palpable hypocrisie And the heart may not be separated in this action 1. For Also the heart and why such prayers are most acceptable to God 2. They onely haue the promise to be heard 3. Otherwise they cannot be fervent let a mans breath flow from his mouth by a narrow passage were the hands hot it would coole them but if it proceed from the heart the lips being wide open were they cold it would warme them so prayer that springs from the heart is hot from the tongue onely cold as ice 4. As the Lord is the highest obiect we looke at in Prayer so the heart is the lowest center he regards in this dutie these two in all holy actions of this nature may not be disioyned 1. Vaine then are the prayers of many who call vpon God but with the tongue onely If this be not profane babling what can be Thus pray our Papists and rude ignorant Protestants so prayed the old Pharisees Christ checkes them yet their custome continues vnto this day But let vs conioyne heart and tongue else wee doe but labour in vaine What profit can wee expect in bending the knee bowing the bodie spreading the hands and smiting of the breast when our hearts are roauing from the Lord Is this to pray Is this to call aright Is this to please God Nothing lesse What is the tongue but the hearts messenger He therefore that vseth the one and not the other is like to him that runnes before he hath his errand These men may seeme to pray in the iudgement of others but before GOD they are but vaine bablers Vpon God To him is it and to no other that wee must II. pray Obserue here how God is one in essence three in subsistence the essence is not divided but distinguished When as wee say East West and North these are not parts essentiall to the world but names onely of distinction so may we say of the former in regard of GOD for the Sonne and the holy Ghost are the same individuall essence with the Father and hence it will follow that he that prayeth to one prayeth to all but as the Apostle speaketh of another thing to every one in his owne order 1 Cor. 15. 23. Vnderstand that in this definition we speake of God the Father for teachings sake And vpon God must we call First For who but He 1 King 8. 39. discerneth the spirit of man Who but He knoweth all the hearts of the sonnes of men Iâ—â— onely he that is acquainted with all our wants and vnderstandeth what is best for vs. Secondly He is also present at all times in all places to heare vs helpe vs the Lord is alwayes neare at hand so is neither Saint nor Angell Thirdly And is not God sole Lord of all things both in earth and heaven Who made vs but He Who hath wherewith to satisfie vs but He And then vpon whom should we call but He Fourthly Is not He also the obiect of our faith Shall we then beleeue in one and pray to another Will that stand with sound reason Sith then that God is omniscient omnipresent omnipotent and the principall Obiect of our Faith it followes wee are onely bound to pray to Him 1. Whence by the way wee may confute the Romanists who pray to Saints to Angels but doe they vnderstand our wants Are they present in all places What haue they they haue not received And may wee put our confidence in creatures Were not this to seeke to a blind guide Relie on a bruised Reed And when the Sunne shineth brighteâ—â— to light a Waxe-candle It is a never-â—rring Canon thaâ— He Exod. 22. 20. who sacrificeth to any gods saue vnto the Lord onely shall vtterly be destroyed they that will doe the first let them expect the second ther is but one to God the father namely Christ but many to the sonne comparing him to a Prince that hath seuerall petitions preferred vnto him by the common subiects that passe through the hands of his neerest fauorites And they say that he is a bad sonne meaning Christ who wil doe nothing for the entreaty of his mother vnderstanding the blessed Virgin but doth not Christ bid vs come vnto Mat. 12. 28. him that he will pray to the father for vs to whom then should we goe is he not our neerest kinsman our eldest brother our head our husband But if any lust to be contentious we haue no such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Againe here is censured and condemned too the ignorant amongst vs. How many may wee heare cry God blesse me father of heauen haue mercy on me Lord forgiue me which words be good we grant but hauing no knowledge of or relation to Christ are no better then vaine babling the truth is that in all our petitions wee should haue reference to him though not alwayes expressed in words yet conceiued and retained in our minds this may be the cause why Daniel looked out of the window when he prayed towards the Temple because it was a type of Christ and thereby would teach vs that there is no going to God without Christ Iesus And as we speake to the soule of man by way and meanes of the bodie so must we to the father of all spirits through the vaile of the humanitie of Christ our mediatour 3. And by this wee may iudge what to thinke of the prayers of the Iewes and Turke and heathen who either haue not heard of Christ or deny him are not their petitions to no purpose shall they speed and preuaile before God can they expect Cornelius his answer thy prayers are Acts. 10. 4. heard thy
a faithfull friend would be as an Angell of God The chilling cold of winter makes the summers sunne more pleasant so doth long absence a friends personall presence And here may the profane learne a lesson or two if they Vse 2. please for this is the true cause why the faithfull like Pigeons flocke to the house of God are to be found there in Isa 60. 8. troupes and companies Is not that the congregation of the Saints and the royall exchange where they all meet together Againe they may see why some sigh in soule and desire to be loosed For their best friends bee gone to heauen before them and Christ is absent from them Phil. 3. 20. The person that thus wept was Timothie a good and godly man whence it will follow that The best men haue a propension to weeping Doct. 3. Iacob wept and Ioseph lifted vp his voice and wept David made his bed to swimme and with teares watered his couch Mary washed Christs feet with hers and Iesus wept Gen. 29. 11. 45. 14. Psal 6. 6. Luk. 7. 44. Ioh. 11. 35. Why Haue they not the best apprension of the losse Reas 1. of good things and doe they not most clearely discerne what things are the worst Besides they haue tender affections and pitifull hearts Reas 2. and therefore are prone to shed teares This made the Prophet to wish that his head were a fountaine of teares to weepe Ierem 9. 1. for the slaine of the people and Christ to weepe ouer Ierusalem This may serue for the iust reproofe of such as esteeme it a base and cowardlie thing to fall a weeping imagining it ariseth Vse 1. from the minds inbecillitie and yet such men haue bin of greatest magnanimitie I am sure of the greatest pietie Iudge not that then odious in such men as is highly esteemed of God for feare thou condemne the generation of the iust Vse 2. How many worthy men haue beene commended for weeping and Salomon the wisest king saith there is a time to mourne and when said hee of mourning thou art madde or of weeping what is it thou dost As hee did of ioy and laughter Now because all teares bee not commendable Eccles 3. 4. we will briefely declare what it is lawfull to shed teares for and when it is prayse-worthy to weepe 1. We must weepe when we see or heare the name of God blasphemed and dishonoured Psal 119. 136. 2. When the word and Gospell is opposed and the libertie When and for what we are to weepe thereof infringed Phil. 3. 18. 3. When the Church and Prophets are persecuted and the Preachers imprisoned Psal 137. 1. 4. When the truth is reiected and not sauingly intertained Luk. 19. 41. 5. When the people perish in their sinnes and be vtterly destroyed Ier. 9. 1. 6. When religious kings are tooke away wicked ones Zach. 12. 11. Isa 57. 1. reigne in their stead and good men perish from the earth and from man call we them dailie to mind let them not be forgotten for this will breed loue augment it prouoke to gratefulnes or nothing That I may be filled with ioy Where Paul sent for his sonne and laies downe the end why hee coueted his comming we obserue in generall from this particular that In all our proceedings wee are to propound some profitable end Doct. 5. As hee did in this so we are to doe in others I easilie conceiue that this point is larger than the texts latitude what than may it not without breach of rule or art be amplie prosecuted Acts. 19. 32. 1 Cor. 11. 17. And looke through the whole booke of God and shall wee not see that the end goeth before or followeth the act as the shadow when the sunne shineth accompanieth the body For herein we imitate God our heauenlie father who obserueth Reas 1. Rom. 8 29. this method in all his proceedings as of election creation redemption vocation and the like Eph 1. 4. 5. 6. 2 And is not the goodnesse of the act in respect of the Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. end 3. are they not one and the same the end and the good for they may be converted 4. This to doe is the greatest wisdome and otherwise wherevnto serueth mans reason Let them then indure reproofe that in their proceedings Vse 1. either haue no end or that which is worse some pernitious intention Herod will tell you he sends out the wise men that if they could find Christ hee might come and worship him but was hee in earnest Nothing lesse for he meant to haue killed him Iudas had an end when hee kissed his Master but this end procured him a miserable end Dalilah had an end in weeping but a cursed one and so haue had many and haue at this time But let such obserue that neuer any came to good end that in his proceedings aimed at an euill end And I dare boldly set downe this peremptorie conclusion that whosoeuer aimeth at bad ends shall neuer haue a good end Let them trauaile of iniquitie and conceiue Psal 7. 14. c. mischiefe yet they shall bring forth a lie digge pits for others themselues shall fall therein their mischiefe shall returne vp on their owne heads for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And from this all men may learne a lesson for their proceedings Vse 2. though we grant that the pointe from the text is not so generall as wee applie it yet as a man sometimes steps out of his way to bring in one that wandreth out of his right path so will wee at this present but not without acknowledgement 1. When we come to heare the word of God wee must What are the ends to be propounded in the vse of Gods ordinances make this our scope that our vnderstanding may be rectified and our liues reformed For these bee the principall ends of preaching either to bee gathered into the true Church or to be builded vp to further perfection Eph. 4. 12. Art thou conuerted then come that life may be amended But how often doe we neither aime at the one nor at the other will a man goe to the market and not consider to what end and is not the place where the word is preached the market of the soule shall wee then returne home and not remember what wee haue bought or not direct the truth to its peculiar end thus to doe were foolishnesse madnesse 2. Againe prayer hath its ends and we in the discharge Mar. 6. 8. c. of that dutie must aime at them Therein we craue either the remotion of euill or the fruition of good or we giue thankes for fauours receiued or hoped for 3. And in receiuing the Lords Supper our end must be to strengthen all graces within vs and to make vs with a fresh remembrance to apprehend the second comming of Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 11. 26. a crumme of this bread
censure others Vse 3. for in so doing wee may bee blame worthy Let a poore Christian cry out that hee is tempted of Sathan troubled with doubting and call his estate into question the which is vsuall in the Lords children shall we not haue some that will tell it in Gath that such are haunted of the Deuill brought to despaire and not of the number of the faithfull but these grieue the holy Ghost wound their own flesh or rather declare euidently that they are strangers from the life of God Let the Magistrate with Moses represse impiety suffer not the offender to goe with out penalty and if he be resolute to advance religion how many will be ready to tell that he takes too much vpon him If the zealous Preacher with Iohn put the axe to the roote of the tree lash the conscience and speake with power what exclamations will fly like vncoucht fire workes this man is without mercy damnes vs all and sends our soules to hell afore our bodies be cold When men pray in their families search the Scriptures sing Psalmes Catechize their children and frequent the house of God shall not such be counted Puritanes nick-named Precisians And yet doe but looke into Gods booke and tell me if all the faithfull haue not done these things and the profane as branded to destruction omitted them but these grunting Swine are neuer satisfied such Dogs will vomit vp their filth and every Kyte of that nest cast vp his stinking gorge And what wonder i st for corruption will follow his kind and like grace produce the contrary effects to her from opposite principles For Christ was counted a wine-bibber Iohn reputed to haue a Deuill the faithfull to be full of new wine the same censure must and shall accompany the members and cleaue to the successors Yet let vs take heed lest falling into the same sinne we one day partake not of the same punishment or the like In the last place let vs all proue our selues whether we be Vse 4. in the faith or not for by this point rightly applyed we may doe it Thou saiest thou hast faith but hast thou the effects that follow it Dost thou beare like fruit and bring forth good workes as did thy faithfull forefathers And for our better triall haue we an eye to such as haue beene before vs and haue exercised the same vocation with vs and then if our actions be proportionable to theirs wee haue the same faith vnfeigned Art thou a Magistrate and dost thou desire to take a Who haue faith vnfeigned true triall of thy faith then compare thy proceedings with some one of that condition who in the booke of God hath beene reputed faithfull And thou maist consider to this purpose Nehemiah and take a view whether thine actions paralell his What inquirie dost thou make to know the Churches state what care hast thou to reforme things that be out of order how dost thou pity the oppressed build vp the decayed wals of Ierusalem pull downe the high places and giue charge for the Sabboths-strict-sanctification Hath the Lord called thee to practice that great art of soule sauing and is thy care so to preach and practise as that thou maist saue thine owne soule and them that depend vpon thee and dost thou yearne for the gathering together the scattered Saints to build vp the body of Christ and wish might it stand with Gods pleasure that all other with thy selfe were in the path that leadeth to heauen Is thy estate to gouerne a family How then be thy seruants and children trained vp in the knowledge of God What care hast thou to haue a little Church in thine house and morning and euening to offer vp a daily sacrifice In a word in whatsoeuer calling thou art cast is thy choicest care to glorifie thy God to worke out thy saluation and to draw others with thee to eternall glorie then be of good courage comfort thine heart for thy faith is vnfeigned and shall assuredly saue thee But if these things be omitted and the contrarie committed what should I more say except I should dissemble but that thou art a cursed Ieroboam a wretched Alexander a profaine Esaw and sonne of perdition be not deceiued for if faith haue not its perfect worke in thee and good fruits proceed not from thee thou art no graffe in Christs stocke but a wild Oliue whose end is neere to cursing and burning Why wilt thou not try thy faith by its effects if it be sound seeing this is a sure rule will not cannot deceiue thee looke thy face in this Glasse weigh thy estate in this ballance and measure thy faith by this rule for it is the onely way and I cannot giue thee a better And from these words it may also be collected that The approbation of Gods people is not to be despised but much Doct. 10. respected It s good to be well reported of by the faithfull for Pauls speech tends much to their prayse Nehem. 7. 3. 1 Kin. 18. 3. Gal. 1. vlt. For the faithfull haue the best iudgements in spirituall Reas 1. things and the least subiect to be deceiued They shall iudge the world and is not their testimonie Reas 2. of great estimation who are so honoured 1 Cor. 6. Begining Againe a good name is a great thing especially when it Reas 3. proceeds from the best people Mat. 16. 15. And finally whom they giue good report of they will Reas 4. bee sure to pray for and what can bee better Phil. 1. 5. Such then vndergoe reproofe as neuer regard the good report Vse 1. of Gods people There be many who had rather haue the applause and prayse of the Gallants and good fellowes of these dayes But doth this make for their reputation can this yeelde them any ground of true and sound consolation will they haue it glory in it but a miserable thing is it For its true honour to be honoured of the righteous Therfore Paul litle regarded to be iudged of the world In the next place this must teach them that are well reported Vse 2. of by the faithfull to esteeme it a fauour and not slightly to respect it for of a truth it will comfort the hart encourage to good and strengthen the weake faith to bee well respected of the Saints and the contrarie cannot but wound and grieue the vpright in hart I Kin. 18. 9. And let all men learne so to shew forth the fruits of faith Vse 3. that they may haue with these people the like commendation Set vp the ordinances of God in your families cast How a good report may begot out the profaine person relieue the poore Saints and entertaine the men of God For for such things sake is the approbation of Gods people acquired and if you doe these things who will or can speake euill of you if men doe yet you are blessed in that you are euill
and are not our imperfect actions perfected by the Lord Iesus Wee seeke and doe not finde because Iam. 4. 3. wee seeke and aske amisse Let me exhort thee to preach and pray read and heare propound and resolue profitable questions and then if thy labours be in vaine count me a false Prophet curse me at thy death Who euer did sow good feed in its season but had a rich and plentifull croppe at haruest If Peter cast in his nette at his masters command though in former time he hath laboured hard and caught nothing yet at the last he shall encompasse many great fishes hale them to land and be sufficiently recompenced satisfied It s not a trade but the well vsing of it not a farme but the well husbandry of it that will enrich the one and the other Wherfore be stedfast immoueable and abundant in the worke of 1 Cor. 15. vlt. the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. What did Paul and the people fast pray and lay on hands without obseruing the effect of their actions No he and they saw how the gifts of Timotheus were augmented increased in so doing whence it will follow that In the vse of Gods ordinances we are to obserue how hee dealeth Doct. 8. with vs. Haue not the Prophets Apostles and all the Lords people done thus Should we make a collection of each particular wee should be exceeding large When they did offer sacrifice did they not obserue the successe Fast and pray what effects did follow reade and preach how people were conuerted comforted or hardened In administration of the Sacraments that Many were sicke and weake and slept others healed reioiced and receiued the holy Ghost Gen. 4. 3. and 10. 20. 21. Nehem. 9. 9. c. Psal 106. 23. and 107. 6. c. Mat. 7. 28. Acts 4. 31. and 28. 23. 24. 29. 2 Chro. 30. 20. c. 2 Kin. 22. 19. Io. 13. 27. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For in so doing we come to haue an experimentall knowledge Reas 1. of the truth and fidelity of Gods promises than the which nothing is better If any man will doe his will hee may be assured that the doctrine we deliuer is not sensuall earthly Ioh. 7. 17. Iam 3. 17. or diuellish but pure peaceable good and profitable For all the Lord speaketh shall come to passe Iosh 21. 45. And will it not yeeld matter of thankesgiuing Why are we so barren in blessing of God haue our mouths so empty Reas 2. of his praises doe not continually sing songs of gratefulnesse Is it not the neglect of this obseruation Could we with the Prophet register the many mercies wee receiue in the vse of Gods ordinances we should crie as he did What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Psal 1 16. 12. Would it not also constraine vs to be more frequent in Reas 3. good duties prouoke and pricke vs forward to preach and pray will not men spend much time without wearinesse in that calling that affordeth great commoditie with constancie Who euer casteth off a profitable art or waxeth dull in doing that which his owne experience makes sure hath recompence of reward Suppose we found no fruit in thus doing but all our actions Reas 4. of this kind were blasted Yet would it not cause vs to looke out the cause why God with-holdeth a blessing Should we not finde some Babilonish garment in our tent some Ionah a sleepe in the shippe one sinne or other that hinders the good successe of our spirituall indeuours and were not this worthy of our paines Hence comes to be reproued many a person who though Vse 1. they performe holy duties yet neuer haue eye to the euent Are not these worse than Cain For he obserued the successe of his sacrifice Or Balaam Did not hee perceiue how the Lord answered him Doe wee not read that hypocrites marked what fruit they reaped in fasting and afflicting themselues Isay 58 3. Are not Christians then blame worthie who come short of such in this thing True it is that in nothing the best faile more than in not ioyning watchfullnesse in the vse of Gods ordinances Want of this one thing breedeth doubting staggering in the promises with-holdeth matter of thankfulnesse causeth slownesse dulnesse in good duties and keepeth sinne close from being reuealed discouered What shal we then do Why we must imitate men in other Vse 2. vocations recreatious When the husbandman hath cast good seede into his soile will hee not haue an eye to its rooting sprowting growing Who planteth or grafteth but obserueth how the tender blades budde shoot forth and spread themselues will not the fisherman hauing cast in his net or angle into the riuer expect whether any fish be catcht by the gill or intangled in the meshes What fowler spreadeth pantels setteth his ginne dischargeth his piece but will haunt the spring view the scrap and looke with a stretched out necke to see if any bird be caught fast insnarred or wounded Shall Physitians giue pils administer potions and grow carelesse how their Physicke workes Learne then by their examples what successe accompanieth the Lords ordinances Preacher people Sow the seede of the word in season out of season and marke which doth prosper 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eccles. 11. 6. this or that In thus doing peraduenture thou maist finde some person strucke with the shot of the word who like a wounded Pigeon will single himselfe from his former companions fall in some obseure corner of a field spread the wings of his armes and with a drouping conscience call and cry to God for mercie for pardon Pray and watch what the Lord will say vnto thee Reade and heare and take notice how thy heart waxeth hot corruption is cooled and grace kindled Yea in all holy actions looke to the successe and experience will let thee see that as the shadow followeth the body the blessing of God doth accōpanie his ordinances Aboue all things thinke thou on this so shall thy faith grow strong in the promises of God thou shalt find them a sure word that neuer faileth Also thou maist haue matter of prayse to God-ward and tell thy brethren what he hath done for thy soule And how will this experimental Psal 66. 16. knowledge encourage thee to preach pray read heare and neuer grow wearie in wel-doing At the least or if I may so say at the worst this benefit will accrue how that there is some sinne in vs not repented of one corruption or other not mortified or iust circumstance in Gods service omitted which causeth our indeuours not to prosper our best fruite to be blasted From the words diuersly considered might many more doctrines be collected as that 1. There may be increase of grace in the best Christian For Timotheus was an excellent man before this time and were not his gifts now augmented 2. That a Minister hath neede
Will as the Center And when man workes to God and for him his act beginnes at the Will but ends at the externall and extreame parts and members 5. In the next place it will follow from the fore going definition that They who loue God haue inward ioy for loue alwayes receiues its obiect with great delight And little doth the world know what melodie the children of God haue in their hearts no stranger can intermeddle with their ioy For from the best intellect and best obiect proceeds the most comfort and the faithfull haue both 6. And lastly we may safely gather that Such people as doe not embrace the Lord and endeuour not still to be vnited to him did neuer truely loue him For the nature of loue is to be alwayes present and to become one with the thing shee loueth Christ louing vs became Emanuel God with vs and hath promised neuer to leaue nor forsake vs. And if Iacob affect Rachel he would be espoused to her For by marriage they are made one flesh vnited in the neerest bond In the next place we come to handle Loue as it hath relation to its obiect Whence we may note that Gods children loue God Doct. 6. This is a short point in words but long in worke soone proued of many confessed yet of a few practised Psal 46. 7. 73. 25. 97. 10. Col. 3. 14. 1 Io. 4. 19. For they haue the best intellect therefore affect the best Reas 1. obiect which is God the acutest eye couets the choicest colours the quickest sence the sweetest smell so the best vnderstanding the best obiect Againe they preferre many Petitions to him and he Reas 2. granteth their desires by the remotion of euill and the donation of good Hence Dauid I loue the Lord because he hath heard my Prayer will we not loue him that neuer denies vs any thing we request Psal 116. 1. Before we apply the point we will lay downe some sound signes inseparable properties of this loue 1. What thing doe we see in God worthy of our affection Trials of the loue of God When the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men to be faire then they made choice of them Doe we loue his attributes of mercy and knowledge and presence and iustice for he that loues God loues all that is in God and seeth nothing but good in him 2. Doe we desire to be acquainted with him and he with vs For this is the propertie of true affection that as we know and would better know him whom we affect so we would be knowne of him that loueth vs they that are strangers in this are strangers from the grace of loue 3. Would we haue God to loue vs reciprocally For if we loue any we would be equally affected of him els our loue should be lost and our ioy not full Is it not so betwixt friend and friend how should it be otherwise than betwixt the sonnes of God and their heaâ—enly Father 4. Furthermore if we loue God we then desire to be like him 1. In nature being conformed into his image 2. In actions too into the consimilitude of his proceedings For we haue such a deepe consideration and good perswasion of what we affect that we thinke all perfection to be in it and to flow from it 5. Againe they that truely loue the Lord thinke all others should doe the same See this in Mary she thought Ioh. 20. 15. others mindes were busied about no other thing but her Lord the Church in the Canticles did the same For they see admirable things in the obiect beloued to be desired 6. In conclusion if God be affected of vs we will vse all meanes to please him to retaine his fauour and doe nothing to discontent him yea the nature of loue is such that it reioyceth greatly to haue any occasion offered whereby it may manifest its vnfeigned affection to the subiect beloued And are these things true then vndoubtedly the loue of Vse 1. God is rare in the world it is not like fire kindled on the hearth of euery mans heart or grasle that groweth in each kinde of ground Euery one will cry he knoweth as much as the Preacher can teach him viz To loue God aboue all and his neighbour as himselfe But what admirable things doe these see in God What desire haue they to know him and he knowne of him that the Lord would loue them or they to become like him in person and action doe they wonder that others do not loue him take they care to please him in al things to offend him in nothing the contrarie is manifest Wherefore whatsoeuer they bragge and boast the loue wee speake of was neuer shed abroad in their hearts this herbe is a stranger from the garden of their mindes Be not then deceiued for if these things be not in truth though not in degree found in thee thou art an hater of him and a louer of profit and pleasure and not of God Davids heart gushed out teares when others kept not his law these themselues rent his precepts like the vaile of the Temple from the toppe to the bottome Dauid set him alwaies at his right hand these neuer haue him in their thoughts David trembled at his word these feare not to sweare by his holy name David did meditate of him day and night these cry Depart from me we will none of thy wayes David made songes to praise him these write bookes and coyne oathes to dishonour him David bad the louers of God to hate iniquitie these call others to commit all villany Shall they then haue Davids portion nay how can they escape swift damnation In the second place seeing wee haue seene what it is to Vse 2. loue the Lord and the true attendants that accompanie the same let vs neuer be at rest or quiet vntill these letters of loue be engrauen on the tables of our affections and imprinted in the leaues of our mindes and to moue thee to this take these directions following 1. We must of necessitie loue something for as no place Motiues to loue God in nature will admit of a vacuitie so all mens affections will couet some obiect then loue God for hee is the best thing Take what goodnesse is in all the creatures it s no more equall to him than a drop of water to the whole Ocean he is all faire and there is nothing vnlouely in him 2. Consider also what a neere vnion is betwixt vs and him hath not he tooke vpon him our nature married vs to himselfe is he not bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and shall not this moue vs to loue him what neerer or more honorable bond what can be of greater force to allure our affection shall the creator thus stoupe to the creature and we not loue him 3. They that loue him shall not lose their labour and is not this something sometime we loue him
that will not drinke good wine out of an earthen vessell or wooden dish Math. 23. 3. 3. Who if any sentence dislike them they reiect all the rest of the Sermon these will no corne if chaffe bee growing neere it 1 Thess 5. 21. 4. Who when a Sermon is twise Preached cast it away meate that hath beene once before serued pleaseth not their pallats Phil. 3. 1. 5. Such as will not speake the truth hauing occasion but seeme worse then they are they had rather be counted wise and wicked then simple and religious 6. Those who will not professe the Gospell because Christians are poore Proud men cast off the fashion when it growes common amongst the vulgar sort Ioh. 7. 47. 7. Who when some fearefull iudgement befalls a man that hath beene forward in religion shrinke backe and are daunted Eccles. 9. These will not to sea for a skillfull Pylot hath beene drowned in it 8. Those that will haue Sermons when they are dead but will none in their life time These take Physicke when the disease is past cure Or would haue a funerall that their friends might be commended who neuer deserued any 9. That of all company care not for the communion of Saints 10. That haue a forme of godlines but deny the power of it 2 Tim. 3. 5. 11. And finally who will none of their sonnes to be divines except he be blind or maymed But beloued Let vs not be of this number but beare Vse 2. witnes to the truth the which is done 2. Wayes 1. Inwardly by louing of it and beleeuing on it 2. Outwardly by confessing it and professing it Rom. 10. 10. Ioh. 3. 33. Rom. 10. 9. Luk. 9. 26. And to moue thee the rather to it 1. Consider that God Moâ—iues not to be ashamed of but to beare witnesse to the Gospel is not ashamed to be our God 2. Christ is not ashamed to call vs Brethren 3. Thinke what an honour it is to be witnesses chosen of the Lord hee hath Angels that would doe it Act. 14. 17. 4. Our disgrace shall turne to our good Rom. 8. 28. 5. We ought to be ashamed of nothing but sin Rom. 6. 20. 6. And Lastly consider what shame they that deny Christ and his doctrine shall vndergoe another day Compare our shame here on earth with that which the wicked must partake of at Christs comming and it will seeme as nothing And that we may be good witnesses and not ashamed What needfull for a good witnesse 1. Let vs get a true vnderstanding of the worth of the Gospell 1. In respect of itselfe and 2. The great benefit that 1. we doe and shall reape by it Get a feeling of it in our hearts 2. We must striue for faithfulnes iustice integrity for 2. they will further vs. 3. Labour for loue to the truth and abandon couetousnes 3. pride pleasure c. for Loue will constraine vs. And 4. Get courage resolution for that will embolden 4. vs. This was wanting in Pilate Now from these Rules we learne that No ignorant covetous vnfaithfull and faint hearted person is either fit or able to beare witnesse of the Gospell and not to bee ashamed Neither of me his prisoner Here we might consider 1. Who was in prison Paul 2. Of whom he was put in prison of the great men of Rome And 3. His dealing towards the Saints in time past before he himselfe was in prison Whence from the person we may collect that They that haue persecuted the Gospell may proue prisoners for Doct. 1. the Gospell Againe that Faithfull Preachers haue beene vsed like Malefactors Doct. 2. And from his Aduersaries that Great mens proceedings are not alwaies according to equity Doct. 3. Iniustice may lodge in the mightiest persons What was Pharaohs course to the Israelites Ahashuerosh towards the Iewes Herods Pilates and the Pharisees to Christ and his Disciples For great men are not alwayes wise neither doth the aged Reas 1. alwayes vnderstand iudgement Iob. 32. 6. Because though they haue knowledge yet iniustice may Reas 2. be executed through couetousnes Felix may take a bribe and Iudas sell his Master for money Act. 24. 26. We must not therefore thinke that all is well which great Vse 1. men doe for they may and haue misled it and might hath and vsually doth ouercome right And let vs not hang our selues on man and make flesh Vse 2. our hope but put our confidence in God whose actions are alwayes iust and equall For God is not a God that loueth iniquity neither can the Almighty peruert iudgement Iobs friends mist it farre crying against him Art thou the first Iob. 25. 7. c. man that was borne Doest thou restraine wisdome to thy selfe hast thou heard the secret counsell of God What knowest thou that we know not and vnderstandest that is not in vs With vs are both ancient and very aged men farre elder then thy Father So some cry we haue such and such on our side What tho may they not be deceiued Againe where Paul put the Saints in prison the time past and is now a prisoner we gather that With what measure we meete to others the very same may befall Doct. 4. our selues Pharaoh was forward to haue drowned Moses and the people yet was not he and his hoast drowned themselues Adonibezek cut off the thumbes of seuenty Princes and was Iudg. 1. 6. 7. not he serued as he served them Let Iacob trip vp his brothers heeles and deceiue him both of his birth right and Gen 27. 35. 29. 25. blessing Laban shall giue him bleare eyed Leah in steed of of faire Rachel and change his wages many times And if David will wrong Vriah in abusing his wife an Absolom shall pring out of his owne bowells to defloure his Concubines in the sight of all Israel For its iust with God to measure to vs as wee haue done Reas 1. Matth. 7 2. to others and hee hath said it and shall hee not doe it Yet it is not alwayes in reuenge but to his as a correction Paul was better in the being a patieÌ„t then an agent in this regard and action is not alwayes better then passion except the ground end the rule by which the act is guided be iust good For we gaine more by Christs passion then by Adams action And the Lord doth this that we might the more warily Reas 2. avoyd sinne and not haue that punishment to fal on vs that hath done vpon others The master sometimes strikes his seruant in the sight of his sonne for a fault committed because he would haue his child to avoyd his steps by the beholding the others correction so what God doth is for our edification and that we might flee sinne and euill This may informe vs how to carry our selues in our troubles Vse 1. we must not lay the fault on him or her
he would haue his graces in vs excercised to the vttermost He that buildes a ship fitteth the burden answerable to her bignes else in part his labour and charge were in vaine For a lesser barke would haue fitted his purpose serued his turne And if our afflictions did exceed our ability then it were Reas 2. not for probation but destruction No man will ouerburden his beast for that would bruise him breake him Christ would not haue new wine put into old vessells for the vessels would burst and the wine be spilt his Disciples Math. 10. 14. had too much of the old man in them they were not renewed so much as to be able to vndergoe for the present extraordinary duties of Religion therefore for a time hee would spare and exempt them This reproues such as accuse the Lord of iniustice crying Vse 1. out like Caine My punishment is greater than I can beare for God is iust and equall in all his proceedings And heere we see the goodnes of God that in iudgement Vse 2. remembreth mercy he looketh at the ability of his children and maketh their power the rule of his proceedings his will is not but their weakenesse the ground and sole cause of their greater or lesser afflictions Yea he fits them for sufferings before he try them and then makes the burden proportionable to the measure of strength receiued By this poynt we may also be informed why one Christian Vse 3. suffereth much another lesse because of their inequalâ—ty of strength exhibited He that hath much grace shall â—eare much little suffer the lesse And itâ— plaine from this ground that to suffer many and great afflictions argueth â—â—e â—ore grace the greater ability This is for the comfort of the weake Christian for he hauing Vse 4. receiued a little strength shall endure the lesâ—e â—â—iâ—ll for God is merciful to the beasts much more to his deâ—re children What man will sâ—â—ke his vesâ—â—ll with overbuâ—dening of it breake his beast with overlading oâ— him or pâ—â—tle his servant or sonne to death by casting too great a load on their shoulders And then shall God burst his golden vessels with filling them too full of this liquor Moreouer we must learne hence that as wee grow in Vse 5. grace so to prepare for greater sufferings Christ will haue his chiefest Champions to fight the greatest combates weake souldiers shall come in the Rereward and not in the forefront or in the heate of the battell And be sure of this that if thy strength be encreased thy troubles shall be also augmented Note for all our graces in truth and in degree too shall be employed If Christ be infinite in power hee must vndergoe the infinite wrath of his father being made a sinner by imputation Furthermore if God dealeth thus with vs let vs haue the Vse 6. like hand one towards another A minister must hauean eye to discerne the state of his flocke and put a difference in his commands he must not tyre the Lambes with driving them too fast or too farre with the elder Sheepe Choyse must be made to fast and pray and to performe extraordinary duties at extraordinary times lawfully coÌ„manded lawfully to be executed Parents too and Masters must not like the taske-masters of Egypt enioyne their children and seruants a greater worke then they are able to discharge And would to God that all men would remember this in all things for its iust and equall Finally we must take knowledge of our owne power and Vse 7. neuer presse our selues beyond our might Christ would not haue some to speake of him and to tell of his workes why for they were not for the present either able to defend the truth suffer for it or those with whom they were to deale fitted to receiue it We haue many but too forward in these times except their ability were better yong Christians will be now a dayes in the heate of the skirmish without a calling casting Cannons off their carriages that neuer gaue fire to a double Muskert controll the Captaines when as they themselues neuer fought on foote Yet beare fight quarell but know thy standing thy strength and presume not like Peter aboue thy power For our direction we must know that ability is either Power distributed inward or outward Inward 1. Spirituall 2. Corporall Outward is in our head Christ or our riches And according to all this power we must beare and suffer Some Christians like great bony beggars are able to beare much but in the time of trouble they either run away or shrinke when the burden is to be put vnder their shoulders others as wee haue heard thinke nothing too heauy for them so that these are extremities on both hands and to be as dangerous avoyded The last thing we note is this that It is the power of God receiued which will support a Christian Doct. 10. in affliction This is as wine to the spirit the spirit to the soule as wind to the sayles and the sayles to the ship But in regard we haue touched it before we omit it here and proceed to the verse which followeth VERS 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was IN this verse the Apostle declareth what the Lord The Logicall resolution hath done for him and his sonne Timotheus 1. He hath saued them 2. Called them 3. Wherwith with an holy calling 4. Why hee hath done this First Paul remoues a false ground in these words Not according to our workes and Secondly hee layeth downe the true cause in these words But according to his purpose and grace c. Who. That is God for this word hath relation vnto the The Theologicall exposition last word in the foregoing verse Hath saued 1. Saluation is either corporall or spirituall 2. It is either partiall or totall Spirituall and totall is here meant and it containes 3. things 1. A freedome from some evill wee are fallen into or subiect to fall into 2. A position setting of vs in a good condition And 3. A perpetuall preservation of vs from all dangers for future time This is totally and perfectly to be saued And called Calling may be distinguished 1. By the meanes and 2. By the subiects of it The instruments are either principall or secondary God is the chiefe efficient of our calling and the Minister word and creatures are but as instruments in the workemans hand The subiect is man onely and that either generall or particular Generall as whole Nations Gentiles Iewes Particular as persons Paul Timotheus the latter here meant Moreouer calling is either effectuall or not effectuall for we may distinguish of it according to the successe And finally it s either ordinary or extraordinary ordinary effectuall calling is by the worâ— and
of the world or with the Iew in Babilon haue thy parents reiected thee thy friends cast thee off and all thy familiars waite for thy halting Yet grace shall neuer leaue thee or the Lord forsake thee but preserue thee to eternall glory Let Rachel die in trauell Abel be slaine of his brother Iames be beheaded Christ crucified and Eli breake his necke yet they shall be saued And if thou be faithfull God shall deliuer thee from every evill worke and preserue thee to his heauenly kingdome Then be of good comfort for if earthly priviledges breed such ioy what should these heauenly doe Why where bee our hearts and what doe we thinke vpon And this should teach vs thankfulnes to God who hath Vse 3. now made our spirituall estate more certaine in Christ our surety then it was at the first in Adam our father The Pope gets large summes for long pardons the Landlord great fines for a lease for many yeares But we haue a pardon and lease that are of force for euer and euer ours be signed sealed and deliuered by the finger of the Spirit through the bloud of Christ Iesus and with the full and free consent and presence of God the father Then say with the Apostle vpon the same ground To whom be praise for euer and euer Amen And is our salvation certaine How then should wee be Vse 4. pricked forward to goe on in the constant and cheerefull vse of all meanes that may effect it for doth not expectation and assurance of the end set all a worke who would plow if he had no hope of a haruest crosse the dangerous seas if he were out of all heart for his returne in safety or take Physicke should hee not thereby expect recouery of some present sicknes or the remouall of some future disease feared And had we no hope then we might be out of heart But seeing not one of our haires shall perish as Paul said Acts 27. concerning corporall safetie let vs eate and drinke with gladnes be of good courage and vse all helpes prescribed for as the wicked haue no minde to vse the meanes because they haue no hope to inherite heauen so wee by the contrary ground should be stirred and enliued to cast off sinne grow in grace suffer affliction and if need be to resist vnto blood in as much that we be assured and know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And with what willingnes will man and beast bauke and hunt being in hope to finde and catch the prey shall we then hauing such a prize in our hands haue no hearts surely it should not nor it must not be so Saved Hence let it be noted that The Salvation of man is a rare and great blessing Doct. 6. No doubt but Paul doth mention it as a speciall fauour from the Lord. And seeing in these words he seemeth to vse a Reason to moue Timotheus to be resolute in al good duties if he had knowne a better or more forcible argument hee would haue produced it for his purpose See Gen. 49. 18. Which place the two Caldee Paraphrasts expound not of Gedeon or Sampsons deliuery that were temporall and transitory but the salvation by Christ which is eternall and permanent 1 Pet. 4. 18. Io. 4. 5. Phil. 2. 12. Isai 45. 17. and this will further appeare by many reasons Let vs consider it in the causes 1. We were not redeemed Reas 1. with gold and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. Doth not the word the good word of God and the Spirit effect and apply it and was not the best message that euer Angels brought Saluation to mankind And are not all times meanes and things subordinate to Reas 2. the same this is the end of all ends Gods glory being excepted and yet his glory is procured by the same The more generall a thing is the better it is for begetting conceiuing bearing baptizing calling and iustifying yea Sanctification preceede it And is it not then the best thing And is it not directly opposed to damnation the worst Reas 3. thing that can be named the wicked shall be in hell amongst the damned Divells and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire on the contrary the Godly shall inherite heauen enioy the communion of the blessed Angells for ever and ever Finally consider what it is to be saued 1. Shall not the Reas 4. image of God in such be perfectly renewed Psal 17. vlt 2. Their ioy shall it not be full Psal 16. vlt Their habitation of pure gold and the fruition of all eternall and now lay all these together and will not the point be a trueth that mans chiefest blessednes consisteth in his saluation Come we to the vse Where we reprehend many that esteeme it a matter of no Vse 1. moment or estimation Is it a thing of weight to preserue a yong plant from withering a beast from drowning the body from dying and nothing of importance to saue the whole man from damning The ignorant man as hee vnderstands not the worth of it so hee neuer seeketh after it The Couetous cryeth its good to bee here gaine is great godlines The Epicure hee goeth in purple and fine linnen euery day fareth delicately drinketh wine in bowles spendeth his time in pleasure and altogether forgetteth his latter end The voluptuous man maketh merry saying The next day shall be as this we will haue our fill of loue and neuer once mindeth his salvation As for the drunkard biting vsurer and the swearer they long agone haue made a league with hell and a couenant with death boasting Tush God will doe neither good nor euil Zeph. 1. 12. and is there wisedome in the most high This poynt may iustifie the courses of such as take paines Vse 2. to worke out their saluation and to make their calling and election sure Goe yee on and the good Lord shall be with you Let it neuer be said of any of you ye began well but who did let you It s a fearefull thing to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh This might move Parents to make their children the Vse 3. subiects of salvation for would you not haue them to bee heires of great things Say then with Abraham Oh that Ismael might live with Noah God perswade Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Sheâ— All call with David Come hearken vnto me ye little children and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. For those be the best parents that can vse the meanes to bring their sonnes and daughters to be coheires with Christ of the kingdome of God and to participate of endlesse salvation Whereas our Lord said Weepe for your selues and for your children So say I Get salvation for your selues and for your children And from this ground wee are all to be intreated and instructed Vse 4. to
seeke Saluation What was Pharaoh the better in being a King Athaliah a Queene or Iudas an Apostle and cast out of heauen Where be now the Fooles great barnes Nebuchadnezzars Babel or the rich gluttons purple fine linnen and dainty fare What is now become of dancing Dalilah painted Iezabel or drunken Nabal whose eares would not tingle and hearts tremble to treade in their steps and to thinke at what a doleful haven they be landed wherefore cry and cry againe with the Iailor Syrs what shall I doe to be saued Master how may I inherite eternall life Oh thinke and thinke often that salvation is the greatest good that can befall a man for without that wee shall perish for euer and then woe to vs that euer we were borne Vs. That which hence I gather is that One good Christian reioyceth in the salvation of another Doct. 7. Paul envieth not that Timothy was partaker of the same blessing Againe we note that Certainty of Salvation may be had if it bee rightly sought Doct. 8. for Yet some thinke that Paul vnderstood this by extraordinary Reuelation Yet the poynt is a truth though it were not drawne from this Text. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Io. 3 1. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Ioh. 3. 19. For in the vse of the meanes we may get faith and that wil Reas 1. assure our hearts of salvation Againe God giueth his spirit to such as seeke aright and Reas 2. Eph. 1. 13. it will beare witnesse with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God and if sonnes we shall be saued This confutes the contrary doctrine of the Papists who Vse 1. leaue a man like a Meteor hanging in the ayre alwayes doubtfull But they obiect that faith is not felt by sense 1. What if it were not yet repentance is sensible and hee Obiect 1. Sol. that repenteth truly shall be saued 2. He that beleeueth is sure that hee beleeueth for as the eye doth see and knoweth it seeth so doth faith beleeue is assured it beleeueth by that faculty it hath in it selfe But the best doubt Obiect 2. Sol. True but 1. Doubting comes from the flesh and diuers causes produce contrary effects 2. Varying the minds obiect varyeth the act for the present and 3. Faith and doubting Causes of doubting may stand together when as they be neither of them in the highest but in a remiâ—se degree And as limping is a signe of life halting of motion so is doubting of beleeuing for as without life there can be no limping so without faith no doubting though I grant there may be despairing We may try by this doctrine what good vse wee haue Vse 2. made of Gods ordinances Haue we got assurance that our names are writ in the booke of Life are wee sealed by the spirit of promise are we certaine we shall be saued Why then we are good profitients in Christs schoole else not Doe we still hang all vpon seeming saying thinking and conceiting why then we are much amisse and must labour for assurance We would haue our Lease sure hold our Lands sure and make all sure and shall we take no paines to make our salvation sure Well we through the goodnes of God haue time and meanes to doe it and if we omit the opportunity the day of had I wist will ouertake vs. What is of greater estimation then the certainty of salvation and what lesse regarded more neglected Some thinke it s a doctrine impossible others cannot stand about it and many desperately in a blindfold manner cast themselues on the secret and vnsearchable mercy of God Art thou any of this number then in the feare of God amend this thing I can tell thee it will prove worth thy labour at the length though it seeme labour in vaine for the present season And hath called vs. From the copulation of these two together it is to be obserued that Effectuall vocation accompanieth Saluation Doct. 9. None shall be saued but such as be effectually called Adam was called no doubt when the Lord came in the coole of the euening and said Adam where art thou Gen. 3. 9. See Math. 9. 13. Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 9. Gal. 5. 8. Col. 3. 15. 1 Thes 2. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Heb. 5. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 15. Iude 1. Because we by Nature are in darknesse and spirituall bondage Reas 1. we lye like Adam hidden in the bush vntill the Lord call vs out and set vs at liberty The bondage in Egypt of Israel vnder Pharaoh prefigured this and as they were called corporally so must we spiritually before wee can come to the heauenly Canaan Againe the Lord hath set downe a most sure path that Reas 2. leadeth to heauen he therefore that will come to his iourneies end eternall salvation must travell the Kings high Exod. 14. way Rom 8. 30. Israel did so to Canaan Besides if we be not called we cannot be iustified and Reason 3. consequently saued For effectuall vocation in order at the least doth precede iustification And if wee haue not this linke of the chaine we lose the other also Rom. 8 30. And last of all No vocation no true title to the promises Reason 4. for they belong to as many and no more as the Lord shall call Act. 2. 39. And he that hath not right to them but is still vnder the Law cannot be saued for we come to heauen by no other way but by the promise And here we taske the carelesnes of many that neuer haue Vse 1. care by prouing the truth of their calling to make their salvation certaine Some cry they are not assured of heauen what marvell seeing they be not called for the one is or the other can be neuer Who will expect wages when the Master of the house hath not called him to worke This teacheth vs how to get assurance of salvation viz. in Vse 2. making our calling sure Get the one and thou shalt haue the other And because thou maist the better try the truth of thy calling we will stand a litle to shew the order and manner of it We must know that preparation goeth before this effectuall The order of Gods proceeding with whom he calleth vocation And it hath 2. parts 1. A cutting off 2. A fitting This cutting off is done by the knife of the law which like an axe loppeth vs off from the wild oliue tree Adam For though we be not called by the law yet we are fitted by it In this cutting off we may obserue 1. The time when What time the Lord calleth and 2. The manner how The time is ordinarily when wee are the best able to doe the Lord service in his vineyard which is in a middle age seldome are children and rarely be old men called for the one is not of age to worke the other almost past age to worke Yet we read of some children as
Ieremiah Iosiah Timothy and others that of children were called that Parents might be encouraged to vse the meanes of conversion and not be without all hope of a blessing And so we doe of some old men as of Abraham called at 70 yeares of age and it seemeth probable by Nichodemus his answere to Christ that he himselfe was an old man Iohn 3. This no doubt is written that we might not Aged persons rarely called despaire of any for God can call whomsoeuer and whensoeuer he will Yet men and women of great age are not often called 1. For they are most vnfit for the Lords worke what man will take an aged person to make a watch or to become a Musition for are not his fingers set which should bee nimble for such a calling how vnhandsomely will they goe about so curious an instrument or action And shall the Lord then not make choise of the fittest persons to performe his actions 2. Old men haue gotten a stronger habit of sinne then others what saith Christ of such Can a Blackamore change his skin and a Leopard his spotts then may ye doe well that are accustomed to doe evill 3. Sathan hath more possession of such people and is the harder to be cast out 4. We read in the Gospell that God calles at the third houre sixt houre ninth and eleuenth houre why not at the twelfe making an equall distribution I cannot tell I doe but guesle but it may be because at the twelfth houre either none or few are called I would not be mistaken here as though this were vnpossible with God but that men might be moued not to procrastinate and deferre their conuersion I haue added this And when trees haue beene often watered pruned and dunged yet beare not doth not the Lord of the vineyard bid them to be cut downe Luk. 13. for why make they the ground barren wicked men hinder the good of others This for the time of calling The manner how followeth and that is either violently How the Lord calleth or more gently God is wise in all his proceedings and therefore calleth as he seeth needfull Some he peirceth to the very hart woundeth the spirit causeth them to quake and tremble exceedingly at the voice of his power others he calleth with a still and quiet voice as is most conuenient The discreet Mother hauing a child stubborne vntoward shaketh the rod when as one that is more meeke and tractatable is allured by a cherry or apple and euen so dealeth the Lord by his chosen children for he calleth them according to their dispositions and seuerall qualities yet alwaies so as they come and obey his voice 2. And this may serue to haue beene spoken of their cutting off both for time and manner Next their fitting followeth the which consisteth of 2. branches the one Compunction the other desperation When the Cyon is cut off from the tree then in order it followeth that it be fitted to be set into the stocke into which it is to be grasted And so when by the knife of the law we are either violently or more leisurely lopped from the old oliue it ensueth that wee be fitted to be set into the new Christ the Lord. Now this compunction of heart hath two degrees the one rendeth asunder the very ioynts and sinewes pierceth and entreth into the very bones and the marrow But the other doth not wound so deepe but as it were skarreth the skin and â—ateth into the flesh For as some be let bloud in the finger others in the arme or head so God being a most skilfull Chirurgion doth pricke and let vs bloud as he discerneth the nature of our disease The child came to himselfe by neezing seuentimes 2 King 4. 35. And after this compunction followeth an holy desperation which consisteth in the denying of a mans owne merits and relying on the Lord for mercy for his sinnes being great and many his good workes not any at all he is therby brought to despaire in regard of himselfe and also to call the mercy of God into question Yet not doubting whether the Lord can but whether he will or not grant him a pardon for his sinne Now doth the sinner hang the head smite his hand vpon his thigh cry earnestly to God for mercy and seeke to the Minister the Phisition of the spirit for grace and comfort And this compunction and holy desperation is greater in some then other for these Reasons 1. Some man may haue had many outward calls by the Sixe reasons why all men are not called a like word and inward motions by the Spirit the which hee hauing resisted and not obeyed then hee is brought to feare that he hath sinned the sinne vnto death And if he hath any knowledge in the Scriptures peradventure will bring that to fight against himselfe especially that place in Heb. 6. or 10. 2. Other some haue had good education and haue bin trained vp in the Scriptures of children so that they haue beene restrained from many grosser sinnes then others haue committed Whence it followeth that there is degrees of compunction Trees that haue beene long vnpruned haue the more cuts when they come to be lopped and dressed 3. Peraduenture the Lord hath a purpose to send some one of his children for to dwell like Lot in Sodom or Ioseph in Egypt and there he foreseeing that they shall haue weake provocations to good strong temptations to evill letteth them drinke the more deepely of the dregs of sinne that they in future time the rather may be moued to avoyd it For a wounded spirit and troubled conscience for sinne will proue for time to come an excellent Tutor Hee that hath burnt his feete with treading on the hot stone will looke the better to his steps in all his iourney afterward 4. All men haue not constitutions of body alike some be strong others weake so that that measure which will but cure the one humble him sufficiently would kill the other and bruise him to powder And if some were so cast downe as others be they being poore men and to liue by great toyle and dayly labour would neuer be able to execute the duties of their calling and to get their bread by the workes of their hands A man in the breaking of his beast will haue an eye to that and shall not the Lord much more in the reclaiming of his children 5. God appointeth some to be sonnes of thunder to speake with power and authoritie to Preach amongst a people whose faces be as brasse and neckes like sinewes of yron therefore he bringeth them home as we say with a witnes at their conuersion For as he that hath receiued much wrong by a bad neighbour will speake worse of him then he can who hath had lesser iniuries at his hand so will such as haue felt the enmity of sinne the most preach more fervently against it then he who hath not felt the sting
secret which by experience he hath search't into 6. He is able to comfort others by the same meanes and with the same comforts he was comforted of the Lord. And from this knowledge of experience a poore vnlettered man may be a more skilfull Pâ—â—â—ition to a wounded spirit then a more learned Clearke can These things and many more doth the 〈◊〉 called know by his owne experience And this is that preaching and wisedome which the world coâ—â—â—s foolishnes and not many as Paul sayth great men 1 Cor. 1. 23. 26. wise men and noblemen are called vnto But yet for all this that hath beene said least some man might deceiue himselfe and not make his calling and election sure I will further set downe some inseparable effects that accompany effectuall vocation 1. He is in a wonderfull admiration to see what an alteration Fruites or effects of effectuall calling the Lord hath wrought in him Peter neuer admired more at his strange deliuery by the Angel out of that strong prison then that man doth in being brought into the kingdome of freedome out of spirituall bondage and darknesse 2. He hath mixt affections terror and feare in looking backe on the obiect of his former condition and ioy vnspeakeable glorious in consideration of his present good condition Now he can both sigh and reioyce at one and the same instant like the men at the building of the second Temple Ezr. 3. 13. 3. Now he will eate his meate with a glad heart follow the duties of his calling with readines sing Psalmes of praise for his late and great deliuery sleepe and rest in peace for the Lord accepteth him And we are the most forward to all good duties when we are most assured of the Lords fauour and our owne salvation And this the reason why Sathan Note so strongly tempteth the faithfull to doubt and despaire 4. If he haue in former time liued in none or an vnlawfull calling now will he alter his course and take a better for note this when God calls any to mercy as hee did Adam he sets them againe in a lawfull calling He neuer called the Deuill therefore let him goe compasse the world and so doth the Rabble of Fryers disordered people as Bearewards players and idle persons liue out of a calling and goe a compassing its likely in that God hath not yet effectually called them for if he had they would haue gone to work And there is no surer signe of one effectually called by God then to liue in and worke and performe the duties of a lawfull calling and no more fearefull note of a man not called to mercy then to haue none or to abide in an vnlawfull calling 5. He now with Lydia will attend to Pauls voice depend vpon the word and in nothing reioyceth more then to heare the Lord speake to him in his ordinances Nay he will not omitt any meanes to further him in the course of Godlines 6. Finally he will often call vpon God by praier praise him for his great deliuerance shew what the Lord hath done for his soule and as much as in him lyeth seeke to call home others that God might be glorified and they with him saued I haue the longer insisted vpon this point because it is the very first entrance to all true blessednesse and the onely ground of our sound comfort and great reioycing With an holy calling Whence we gather that The calling wherwith Gods children are called is an holy calling Doct. 10. The Author of the Hebrewes stiles it a celestiall calling and elsewhere it s said to be an honourable or high calling See Heb. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 14. 2 Thes 1. 11. For the causes of it are holy God Christ the Spirit and Reas 1. the word are all said to be holy And the Ministers for the most part are holy who be instruments in this action I say for the most part for a man not called I iudge may Whether Preachers not called can call others call others For 1. I dare not tye the Spirit to the dignitie of any mans person 2. Such may be fitted for the Ministery and sent of God shall they not attaine to their end 3. Paul reioyced that Christ though by the false Apostles of enuy was preached why did he this if they could not call others at the loast build vp others 4. And lastly hee that holdes the contraly cannot be assured oâ— the truth of his owne conversion for we are not infallibly certified what Ministers be truly called For 1. Some mens sinnes goe before hand others follow after 2. God only knoweth the hearts of all the sonnes of men 3. No man knoweth the thoughts of man but the Spirit that is in him And he that is not certaine of this cannot be assured of the other for so long as I doubt of the Ministers conversion holding this I must needs call my owne in question because God vseth man in the conuersion of man I am not ignorant of some who hold the contrary and of their obiections and Scripture against this position But yet I hold that an vnconverted Minister may convert though few and seldome as we see by experince in former times and in our daies also And in regard of the end too the subiects from which we are called and to which we be called it s an holy calling For 1. We are called from darknes to light 2. From vncleannes Reas 2. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Thes 4. 7. Heb. 3. 1. Psal 15. 1. to holines 3. From wicked men and Dinels to the communion of Saints and Angels 4. We are called from earth that is polluted vnto heauen the holy Mountaine of the Lord. This serveth first to answere an obiection of wicked men Vse 1. who demand why men will not run with them to the same excesse of ryot Why the Reason is In that they be called with an holy calling Wicked and lewd persons tumble in their sinne like the sow in the mire but what mervaile seing they be not the called of the Lord When men haue had an holy calling then will they haue an holy conversation And by this Doctrine we may try the truth of our calling Vse 2. Have we cast off the wayes of darkenesse singled our selues from the profaine multitude and left sinne and vncleannes behind 's Doe we purge our selues as Christ is pure striue to be cleansed from the filthines of the flesh and spirit and to be presented without spot and blamelesâ—e in the day of our Lord why then we are called with an holy calling for as effectuall vocation is a true signe of salvation so is holines of our effectuall vocation This Doctrine may be of great comfort to such as doubt Vse 3. of the truth of their calling Some because they are not able precisely to say I was called such a time by such a man and in such a manner feare they were neuer called at all
perswaded Iapheth to dwell in Shems tent God was both the God of Iewes and Gentiles at this season Secondly The Apostles had diuers tongues to preach to them Paul was their Apostle many of them converted the Wise men were Math. 2. 9. the first fruits And the Gospell was writ in their Dialect So that the barren wombe brought forth more children then the married wife Reas 3. Ioh. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 8. The Kingdome of God came then to mens doores they might serve the Lord in all places which was no small benefit Reas 4. And finally greater grace was giuen after Christs comming then before him Therefore the Temple Prophecied 2 Cor. 3. of in Ezekiel was bigger then in the dayes of Moses It s true that some particular persons were rare and excellent vnder Isai 6. 8. c. the law but if we looke at whole Churches they then exceeded them vnder the Gospell This serueth to confute those that of late are sprung vp Vse 1. who hold the contrary doctrine and surely they are deceiued I would know of them Why Abraham desired to see our dayes why the second Temple was more glorious then the first wanting many things that the other had why Iohn the Baptist was the greatest of all the Prophets yet the least vnder the Gospell greater then he Why Paul called Gods ordinances for so they were in former time beggarly rudiments why Genealogies were to be reputed as fables why the Patriarches without vs are not said to be perfect why Simeon desired for a time he might not see death And then cryed when Christ was exhibited in the flesh Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. If it were as they would haue it They will say that Christ was truly and as plainly seene Obiect vnder the Law in the sacrifices as now vnder the Gospel 1. I answere No for the word was made flesh he walked Sol. 1. amongst his brethren they saw him handled him heard him beheld his wounders and miracles saw him condemned crucified raised and carried into heauen and what more lyable to sense then all these things 2. We haue the same sacrifices in the letter and may make 2. vse of them and in stead thereof we haue the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper which represent Christ as clearely except we should hold that our eye sight is more darke and dimme then their was For what more lyably to sense then breaking of bread powring out of wine the which represent the crucifying of Christs body and shedding of his bloud But if any lust to be contentious wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God And in the next place I am constreyned to reproue two Vse 2. sorts of persons the prophane and professors For the first kind notwithstanding all the great meanes which they enioy yet to see to they are very beasts Spots they be in our Markets blots in our feasts like the Dog and Sow vomiting and lapping vp the filthines of euery sinne wallowing in the mire of all vncleannes and neither fearing God or reuerencing man they speake euill of all in authority and contemne and condemne too the things and persons highly in fauour with God It s fearefull to liue in ignorance but how farre greater damnation are these worthy of seeing light is come into the world and they loue darknesse more then light Shall it not be easier for Sodom and Capernaum in the day of iudgement then for these Haue we not some that deny the Lord that bought them tread vnder foote the bloud of the new couenant and crucifie againe the Lord of Life Witnesse our swearing drunkennes and drinkings our whoredomes fornications and all manner of wickednesses Doe not some count it their grace to appeare gracelesse glory in their faithlesnes accent their words with vaine phrase make the beginning Conclusion of their sentences to be nothing else but an oath It were tolerable for men if at any time to stumble in the night but to drinke stagger and fall in the day is damnable And how shall such persons escape condemnation if they neglect so great salvation Wherefore seeing you haue the light become children of the day hence forward abandon the workes of darknesse reprouing them rather And I may not omit those of the better sort who take not as they ought notice of Gods providence over vs in these latter daies We cry out of many things amisse but see and say nothing of what is amended How many haue desired to see the dayes that we haue yet it was not affoarded them Are we awake or sleeping why then doe we not behold how the Sunne these 60. yeares hath continually shined in our Horizon What if the Papists haue sought to eclipse it haue they prevaild How many haue warmed their cold spirits at this flame whose parents neuer put finger to a sparkle of this fire Hath not this Sunne expelld many mists and clouds of darknes Doth hee not run his circular motion still and haue not many a poore soule passed through the darke night of this wildernes to the fruitfull and cleare shining day in the land of Canaan Wherefore prayse God for that you haue and pray often and earnestly that the Sunne of the Gospell may neuer set or the Candle of the word be put out so long as the Sunne and Moone endure Be not like Rahel crying for your wills as she did for children or else ye dy And be not offended to heare me speake a word more Repine not murmur not and fret not at that Manna you haue for many haue fed well of as course and little food looked fat faire and well liking and rested contented with lesse then an Homer full For Gods power is alwaies the more seene in weake meanes then stronger Yet I wish we might be sensible of what we find amisse and recommend it to God by prayer putting to also our helping hand yet wisely oportunely and euery one in his owne rancke and order And seeing that the dayes wherein we liue are better then Vse 3. the dayes of old wee must striue and be better also The more choyse dyet we feede on the fatter and fairer should we be the clearer light the cleaner must we keepe our selues from pollution contamination When trees are remoued to a more fertile soyle doe we not expect that they should spread further and be more fruitfull then before when cattell are put into a better pasture will we not looke for greater growth more labour at their hands Shall not we then grow strong worke mightily in the Lords vineyard and resolutely run the wayes of his commands Is not our light brighter our spirituall food better and our iourney shorter then why is there not some equall proportion Brethen these things must be thought vpon made vse of or else our account one day will be the greater the heauier for vnto whom much is giuen
who thinke the ground of all sufferings come from mens indiscretion It s better to suffer for well doing then for evill donig yet it will follow hence that good men great men may suffer for weldoing Surely if Christ had liued in our dayes some would haue taxed him for indiscretion questioning with him why hee would denounce so many woes to the Scribes and Pharisees men of great place and learning calling them painted Sepulchres whited Tombes Hypocrites c Iohn would haue beene reputed a rash fellow for telling Herod of his incest and Micaiah that the King and his fathers house troubled Israel Wisedome we would say should haue past by these things But the foolishnes of God is wiser then the wisedome of man Yet we say still that Circumspection is good and that some through indiscretion pierce their soules through with needlesse sorrowes This must teach men of great place and rare parts patience Vse 2. for even the best Princes haue had their portion of persecution Let our Soueraigne put his pen against the Pope call Rome that great Whore discouer her skirts and lay her naked hee must expect neither pardon nor Purgatory from his Holines but Excommunication and if it were in his greatnes hands condemnation What should we more say the Dragon and his Angels fought and Michael and his Angels fought and this quarrell shall not be ended vntill the number of the elect be accomplished and then peace shall come These things Paul sayth not this thing but these things whence obserue that Good men suffer many things 〈◊〉 10. vlt. Psal 22. 12. c. Doct. 3. In the world shall ye haue many persecutions many are the troubles of the righteous one depth calleth another and thou breakest me with one sorrow after another And how commeth this to passe First from the diuers ill disposiâ—â—ns of wicked men For Reas 1. some like Rabshakeh delight in rayâ—â—ing's others like Doâ—g in informing a third sort like Pilate would please the people a fourth with Iudas haue their minds on Coveting and at a word some are such as neuer can be appeased mercilesse Now we must know that as euery Creature of diuers constitutions desire the contrary things that might content them so various mindes in evill persons produce seuerall euill effects And as euery kind of weed hath a stinking smell though distinct one from another so all vngodly men haue variety of persecutions against the Saints of God All weeds stinke but not alike so all wicked persons persecute but not in the same kind and degree Besides the children of God bring forth variety of good Reas 2. fruite doe many good actions now wicked men hate all good though not in a like degree so that for variety of actions they prepare various corrections A skilfull Physician prepareth pills potions and prescribeth receipts according to the kinds and nature of the diseases and the men of Beliall Atheist and Papist are wise in their generation therefore they haue a seuerall salue for sundry soares They had whips in 88. fire brimstone and gunpowder within a few yeares after Anno Domini 1605. Let the Pope then and his poll-shorne Brethren boast Vse 1. and brag of their long peace and plenty make such sure signes of the trueth of their Church and the Lords fauour yet they build on a wrong foundation and their hopes 1 Pet 4. 17. shall one day make them ashamed Babylon must sit as a Queene be no widow see no mourning yet in a day as Rev. 18. 8. it were in a trice shall famine sorrow and death befall her for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her Againe art thou afflicted and sufferest but a few things Vse 2. then murmur not neither repine at all for sure the Lord is good vnto thee in chayning vp Sathan and in putting an hooke into the nose of his instruments that they torment thee no further Truly God is good to this our English Israel for though we suffer yet the Lord moderateth his corrections he restraâ—â—eth the rage of our Aduersaries and hath confounded them that sought all our confusion Many complaine perhaps not without some cause of our daies but I wish a worse age may not follow And tell me What sufferest thou Doest thou liue in Mesheck amongst them that hate peace so did David Is thy righteous soule vexed in seeing and hearing of vncleannesse so was Lots Haue thy friends proued vnfaithfull so did the Apostles My good friend thou hast escaped the whip the stone the fire the Racke the Crosse that many of thy forefathers haue suffered tasted Thou wast neuer constreyned through famine to feed on the fruite of thy owne wombe to say this I must eate and then dye And hast thou wanted food for thy soule then blame not God for thou maist haue it either at home or with thy Neighbour and that in such a manner too as many a poore good soule neuer enioyed But I am not ashamed In these words is layd downe Pauls carriage of himselfe in sufferings and he addeth this as an Argument from his example to encourage Timothy in his course and not for any sinister end of vaine boasting But we omit that for the present and gather this other instruction that A Resolute Christian is not nor should not be ashamed of the Doct. 4. Gospel Rom. 1. 16. Heb. 12. 1. 2. For there be many great and excellent mysteries contained Reas 1. in it Why then should any man be ashamed to preach or professe it Sinne should breed shame not the meanes that can and no other remoue it We haue a warrantable calling to it and shall wee then Reas 2. cast it off and be gone No we are to abide in that calling whereunto we are called Nehemiah will not flee if the Lord haue sent him Againe we haue all good by it and all things that wee Reas 3. enioy without it are but curses This salt must sweeten all our naughtie waters and remoue all heauy plagues both temporall and eternall And why should we be ashamed of it For God preached Reason 4. it Christ the Holi-ghost and the Angels haue preached it It s a priviledge to suffer for it God is not ashamed of vs and shall we be ashamed of his cause Why then let vs goe on in wisedome and Christian resolution Vse 1. Helps to endure shame and neuer be ashamed of our profession And take those breife helpes 1. Consider what vow and promise thou madest at thy Baptisme and be ashamed to breake Couenant with thy God 2 Call to minde that the professors of Antichrist are bold and resolute for their false Gospell and are marked in their hand and forehead if they much more we 3. What greater honour to man then to be chosen to be the Lords Champion in so great an action Finally let a forced necessity vrge thee to resolution for they that will not
suffer now shall be denyed of Christ hereafter at his appearing Such as are found halting must be turned out of the way And as the words stand in way of argument we may gather that The sufferings of others should moue vs to suffer also Doct. 5. What a cloud of witnesses haue we Christ example is propounded to this purpose and many more in the booke of God that we with patience might endure the crosse and despise the shame Heb. 12. 1. 2. For its a good thing to follow a multitude in the way of Reas 1. righteousnes as it is evill to tread in the lewd steppes of vngodly persons Againe if their example moue nothing then they shall Reas 2. rise vp in iudgement against vs For are not they recorded to this purpose Let vs in time of trouble then cast our eyes on those that Vse 1. haue gone before vs for like a liuely picture they will giue vigour to our faint spirits when we are ready to faile Examples are of great force in all things and shall so many worthy patternes prevaile nothing No I ade so dull but will follow a free and forward leader And here we are instructed to giue good examples to others Vse 2. Let vs learne some incouragement by our practise to future posterities that they may be pricked forward to tread in our footesteps For vndoubtedly the best way of teaching others as we see is not by precept onely but by example also For I know whom I haue beleeued We haue heard of two causes why Paul suffered the one in that he preached the Gospell the other that he preached it vnto the Gentiles and now followeth a double reason why he was not ashamed of so doing but resolutely did goe on in the fulfilling of his Ministery Whence this poynt will truly arise that As the wicked haue pretended causes to afflict the faithfull so Doct. 6. haue they good grounds not to be ashamed of their sufferings Heb. 11. 24. 35. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Acts 5. 29. Aske Moses why he would not be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season but chuse rather to suffer affliction his reason is at hand he hath respect to the recompence of reward Why would not Heb. 11. the Saints in their greatest tortures by vnlawfull meanes be comforted they looked for a better resurrection Wherefore did not the faithfull faint in their suffering they did account that the momentany afflictions of this life were not wâ—rthy 2 Cor. 4. 17. of that eternall weight of glory that should be revealed What reason had Christ that he would not come downe from the Crosse and saue himselfe that saued others Hee must doe the will of him that sent him finish his worke and performe his promise And he knew that his death and resurrection would be a greater miracle then to haue deliuered himselfe another way For the Children of God goe by a sure rule they ground Reas 1. their proceedings and sufferings vpon Gods precepts and promises when as the prophane haue false rules fained causes And if it were not thus they could haue no comfort in Reas 2. their suffering for blessed are those that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Therefore they ground the cause of their affliction vpon Reason Vse 1. Wonder not then ye men of this world why the Saints in all ages haue resisted unto bloud and not counted their liues deare vnto themselues but haue carried them in their hands For they know that though man frowne the Lord will fauour though Antichrist bind with a curse Christ will lose with a blessing though Sathan tempt and terrifie the Spirit will strengthen and comfort if the flesh be weakened the spirit shall be renewed if death goe before that life shall follow after and if the world loose them heaven shall find them For so it s said that if their earthly house of 2 Cor. 5. 1. this Tabernacle be destroyed they haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens of the possession whereof they be assured after their dissolutions A wonderment riseth from the ignorance of the cause or the rarenes of the event and these be the proper grounds why many men admire and are astonied at others sufferings for the Gospell But surely the seruants of God haue had great reason for their courses whatsoeuer blinded men doe deeme of them For I know c. The next Instruction wee obserue from these words is this that It is an experimentall knowledge of God that will cause a Doct. 7. man to bee resolute in good courses and to suffer afflictions See this in David and in the wife of Manoah for notable are these two places for this purpose 1 Sam. 17. 34. 35. c. Iudg. 13. 23. Rom. 1. 16. 17. Because it is a great meanes to strengthen our weake faith Reas 1. Now as our faith encreaseth so is our resolution and patience bettered Christ would call his Disciples Men of little faith when they were troubled and dejected in small matters so that weakenes of faith must be remoued to beget resolution and that is done by the experience we haue had of the Lords proceedings Againe the former performance of Gods promise doth Reas 2. not take away the efficacie force of it for future time but rather confirmes it For when God loues once hee loues euer so to whom he performes his promise once hee will performe it for euer The often setting and rising of the Sun doth assure vs the more both of the one and of the other for we haue had long experience of the stability of it in its course and motion In the first place here we may see why men are faint impatient Vse 1. vnder the Crosse and vnsetled irresolute to any good word or worke they haue no experience of God and his proceedings For experience will cause tribulation to bring foorth patience as many little acts doe make a great habit Rom. 5 3. And in the next place this poynt serueth for our direction Vse 2. and teacheth vs what to doe that wee may patiently beare the Crosse and manfully fight the battels of the Lord namely to get experience of Gods manner of proceedings And for our direction the better to gaine this obserue Rules to procute experimental knowledge these Rules following I. Obserue Gods dealing with vs. 1. In temporall 2. In spirituall things 1. Hath he not fed thee clothed thee lodged thee since he gaue thee a being and is his hand shortened and not stretched out still When the Disciples of Christ were troubled in minde about these matters What sayth he haue ye not remembrance how I fed you with a little bread and a few fishes When I sent you forth without money in your purse meate in your scrippes and all other prouision wanted you any thing they
answered No Lord. When a poore man hath beene alwayes in his want relieued by his rich friend will it not make him the more boldly to rely on him for helpe in time to come 2. Consider how he hath giuen thee knowledge when thou wast ignorant infused faith into thine heart being before an infidell and preserued his graces in thee from perishing For the calling to minde the dayes of old is a notable helpe for this thing Is it possible that he who hath begun to doe well will now waxe weary in so doing What man planteth a tree and will not labour to preserue the same from withering And shall the Lord suffer his pleasant plants after he hath so often pruned watered and dunged them to dye and perish for want of dressing II. Call to minde the many dangers from the which he hath deliuered thee Why mightest not thou haue beene buried in thy Mothers wombe beene drowned in the waters or deuoured on the land the theefe might haue slaine thee some crumbe choaked thee or a thousand diseases beene thy death And shall not the fresh remembrance of these things worke powerfully in thee When our Apostle had beene deliuered out of the mouth of the Lyon he gathered strength thence that the Lord would deliuer him from euery evill worke and preserue him vnto his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 17. 18. III. Take a view how in times past he hath dealt with his children run to and fro through the stories and acts of holy Writ and as he hath done to his servants of olde so will he doe to thee assuredly I wish that this were well thought on for its a notable remedie Psal 37. 25. IV. Conferre with grounded Christians Demand of them how the Lord hath dealt with them in some particulars for they can teach thee by experience their comforts will comfort thee also A timerous patient will be encouraged to swallow the bitterest pill when another standeth by that hath beene cured of the like disease that he now is annoyed with telleth him the experiment V. Take a view of the vanitie of all other things Our Ioh. 6. fathers ate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead For in so doing thou shalt get experience of Gods constancy the Creature is changeable sometimes killing another whiles curing But the Lord is one and the same for euer VI. Finally and aboue all Consider how the Lord dealeth with thee in the vse of all his ordinances Marke what power the Word hath in working in thy soule how it weakeneth corruption strengtheneth the new man Obserue how the Lord hath heard thy prayer in time past and now how he enableth thee to call vpon him being in the like condition Dauid from this ground cryeth out The Psal 6. 9. Lord hath heard my petition for grace the Lord will receiuâ— my prayer and therefore as one refreshed biddeth the workers of iniquitie be gone Canst thou pray at this present as in times past when he heard the voyce of thy weeping then doubt not but he will deale fauourably with thee For when the Lord intendeth to conferre a fauour vpon his children he will alwayes giue them hearts for to vse the meanes whereby he doth ordinarily convey the same vnto them and wherevnto he hath annexed his promise If Hannah prevaile for a sonne or Abraham either they shall first be enabled a long season to powre out their soules by prayer vnto the Lord. And so it is in all other things whatsoeuer I wish that every one had but the experience of this engrauen in their mindes for it would be profitable for them every manner of way And true it is that this experimentall knowledge of God is the very food and spirit and life of a Christian from which all faith patience and resolution in the times of trouble spring and flow as from their proper fountaine and roote Then striue for it in the vse of the forenamed meanes and when thou hast obtained it wonderfull and vnspeakeable are the effects that it will produce and thou shalt taste of Againe in these words wee see Paul placeth knowledge before beliefe whence we may collect this doctrine that The knowledge of God precedeth faith in him Doct. 8. How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And for this cause Knowledge in Scripture is many times put for faith Rom. 10. 14. Ioh. 17. 3. Io. 4. 10. Reas 1. Because the act of faith in beleeuing followeth the act of the vnderstanding rightly guided Knowledge is like the needle which maketh the way faith the threed that tyeth and vniteth things together And as whatsoeuer by ordinary working is in the inward senses was first in the outward so whatsoever comes to the will the proper seate of faith must first be in the vnderstanding And if this were not so then might an ignorant man be Reas 2. saued and haue faith the which the whole current of Scripture runs against As My people are cut off for want of knowledge and God shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know him not Hos 4. 6. 2 Thes 1. 8. and many more to that purpose This confuteth Bellarmine and his adherents who say Vse 1. A man may better beleeue things whereof he is ignorant then those which he knoweth If he had spoken it of the things recorded in their leaden Legend I should easily haue consented with him for I thinke that when men haue heard them they more doubt of them then when they were ignorant of them To name some of thâ—ir ridiculous fables we read of one that was sicke his stomacke would vomit vp whatsoeuer he receiued so that he being willing to receiue the Sacrament yet doubting he should not retaine it if he receiued it by ordinary course it was put the consecrated Hoste I meane to his side the which opened and after the receipt thereof closed as before And there is mention made of a woman whose Bees were sicke of the Murraine who tooke also an Hoste put it into the hiue and marke this they within a few dayes were not onely cured of the danger of the disease but there was a miraculous encrease of them in number and they had built a Chappell and steeple and bells and an Altar and layd the Hoste thereon and the Bees sung their Canonicall houres about it iust as the Monkes vse to doe in their Cloysters I could relate the like of the Lady of Loretto for ther 's bookes of her too in Folio It s reported that shee sometime vnderstand the house too being discontented displaced her selfe and passing by a wood all the trees in reuerence bended and stooped with their heads to the very earth vnto her wonder it was they had not rent themselues vp by the rootes and proffered her their standings Also the Booke sayth that one being prisoner in Turkey and there having his bowells ript out by the ayde of a prayer that he made
to the ancient Lawyers who neither entred into the kingdom of God themselues nor suffered them that would We would â—all him a blinde guide who would haue a man to draw out the portraiture or picture of a man yet will not let him take a view of his person or image that represents him and such masters be the Papists And in the next place we are all taught to haue a patterne Vse 2. if we would preach soundly or liue sincerely Notable are our Catechismes for this purpose but still the patterne of all patternes the precepts of God must be respected after which all true formes are framed But more is the pittie we liue without rule cast the patterne behind our backes and doe the most of our deeds at randon For what patterne haue we to worship Idoles to serue God after our owne inventions to take the Lords name in vaine tossing it like the tennise to profane the Lords day disobey authority to kill and murder to commit fornication and all vncleannesse to cozen filch and steale to equivocate lye and beare false witnesse Surely they who thus runne without rule at their iourneies end shall neuer with comfort see the face of God Wherfore lay a side these leaden rules cast off these crooked commaundes and walke after the onely canon so shalt Ier. 6. 16. Gal. 6. 16. thou find eternall rest to thy soule Where our Apostle saith patterne and not patternes we gather that All men are to be guided by one and the same patterne Doct. 3. One rule must guide all We read of one Decalogue Exod 20. Of one way Ier. 6. 16. of one forme Rom. 6. 17. of one rule 2 Cor. 10. 13. and of one Canon Gal. 6. 16. But mention is made of a new commaundement Io. Obiect 1. 13. 34. 1. It may be called new in regard man had forgot it 2. In Sol. respect it was renewed by Christ otherwise it was the same from the beginning For Christ came not to abolish the law but to perfect it And we vse to call a sute new when it s but renewed And hath not diuinitie the same scope as at the first But they had none or one contrarie to ours before the Obiect 2. law was giuen by Moses Neither For 1. They had a rule and the same that was afterward giuen by Moses For they did deliuer it to their children and so by tradition it was continued Gen. 10. 19. 2. The diuerse deliuery of the same thing doth not alter the nature of it For whether I sing or speake a thing it s the same though the action differ Whether I write in parchment or paper engraue in wood or stone this is but a distribution from the subiects when that I haue writ or engrauen is the same So the law deliuered by the immediate motions of the spirit by Moses preaching of it or written in stone or mans heart is the selfe same and no other Indeed we haue it more perfect in Gods booke than that engrauen in our inward parts For mans conscience though compared to a booke yet it s an imperfect writing like some bookes that here and there want a leafe a line in a leafe a word in a line or a letter in a word so that its an imperfect rule For if we had 2. patterns they are either equall or vnequall Reas 1. if equall then one would serue for it s but the same if not equall then the best is to be followed For in all things we are in Gods seruice to couet the best things 1 Cor. 12. vlt. We are to aime at one end therefore to be guided by one Reas 2. Phil. 3. 16. patterne This Reason the Apostle giueth For vs proceed by one Rule that we may minde one thing Let diuers rules produce diuers effects As if 2. Carpenters worke by a seucrall frame or 2. painters draw after contrary patternes will not the effects differ If diuers patternes then vnequall obedience and so God Reason 3. should be a respecter of persons And all men were made by one Rule therefore to be gouerned Reason 4. by one rule for otherwise they should swerue from the end of their creation But some will say Are Kings subiects Masters seruants Obiect Parents children to be guided by one patterne I answere that they are and they are not As a King subiect Sol. 1. Master seruant c are Christians they are all guided Sol. by one rule For by the same way that the poore be iustified 1. before God the Princes be and no other The water will drowne and the fire burne Kings aswell as beggars So will God both alike if they come not cloathed with the wedding garment All Kings subiects Masters seruants Parents children 2. as they be Kings subiects Masters c are to be guided by the same patterne So are Ministers as they be Ministers Paul an Apostle and Peter c had but one Rule as they were Apostles But if we consider them in their particular orders and 3. subordinations then the King is guided by one and the subiect by another For there be diuers callings and one subordinated by God vnto another therefore seuerall patternes prescribed for them Hence is that precept Let euery 1 Cor. 7. 20. Rom. 12. 4. c. man abide in that calling wherein he was called and the Lord placed him For as all the members in the body haue not one office so all the members of Christ haue not one calling This doctrine meetes with many Heretikes errors and Vse 1. heresies in our daies 1. With the Friers why are not all guided by one patterne they are all Friers therefore as Friers but one patterne For tell me haue not all Logicians to dispute by if they truly doe dispute one patterne euery Grammarian and Rhetorician the same patterne to speake by and so of all other Artists whateuer Why then haue not this Rabble the like But I will send these to lack vplands tale in Chaucer for further confutation And 2. it meeteth with the errors and heresies of others viz. such as thinke it lawfull to allow a Toleration of Religion that Papistry and Protestancy may easily be reconciled that men of any Religion may be saued that great men are not bound so strictly to serue God as the poore and many other of the like nature But let those looke into Gods booke and the truth of this doctrine and they may easily see their wandrings Here it would also thirdly refuce the Anabaptists who thinke all men may be Preachers all things should be common all persons are equall But we haue no such patterne in the word of God except Cautions be exhibited the which by them are denyed And this Doctrine is of generall vse to all Wouldest thou Vse 2. be reputed a Christian then walke after the patterne of a Christian mind no other Rule Art thou a Magistrate
come to an end or the end of all things is at hand that is shall be 1 Pet. 4. 7. setled in that Condition wherein they shall without change continue for euer For as when time began things began so if time should end the things would For time and place doe inseparably attend all created things 2. Yet I must confesse that time in particular viz. this or Sol. 2. that houre or moment seemes to be a circumstance to the action for it may aswell be done the next houre as this present But on the contrary seeing all things are done in time that God hath appointed a particular time for all things to be performed in it may seeme not to be numbred amongst other circumstances or so direct a breach of the third precept For otherwise the breach of the Sabbath were a breach of the forenamed precept and I must acknowledge in a second relation it is so inded So that time and circumstance being distinguished and some relations rightly considered it is a breach of the third precept els not But before we passe this point I might come to giue solution to diuers Questions or obiections Some man may demand when he breaketh the first precept Quest 1 in the first Table Briefly I reply 1. When he setteth any thing in the roome Answ of God were it an Angell himselfe 2. When he giueth obedience to any as to God 1. By beleeuing in it and resting on it more then God and for this cause the couetous man is called an Idolater And 2. When he doth not make God the beginning and end of all his actions If the action run not so farre the thing whereon it rests for the present is that persons God When the second of the first Table Quest 2 Ans 1. When I invent any new way whereby to serve God 2. When I doe an action being not guided by Gods rule prescribed When the third of the first Table Quest 3. Ans 1. When I doe an action to God guided by his owne rule yet neglect the circumstances required Exam. I giue to the poore but not cheerefully rely on God but doubtingly 2. And here note that all actions that God commandeth whateuer may be a breach of this precept through the neglect of iust and lawfull circumstances When the last of the first Table Quest 4. Answ 1. When we doe an action of our particular calling except a necessity require it and then we may But as a dutie of charity not of commodity if done to another person 2. When we omit those duties the Lord requireth or spend not the whole time allotted in holy excercises When the Sabbath beginnes Quest 5. Answ Lev. 23. 32. Whence this Question ariseth viz. When the Sabbath doth begin Some haue begun it in the Euening as the Iewes and the Athenians others in the morning as the Chaldeans others at midnight as the Romanes and the Egyptians began their day at noone But since the Resurrection of Christ the most hold that it begins at that houre he rose which was about breake of day as we speake others be confident that it begins in the euening and yeeld these Reasons 1. When the Iewes Sabbath say they ended ours must begin for â—ls one of the seuen were not a Sabbath which they defend must be For take the last of the seuen and the first of the seuen then one of the seuen is still though changed a Sabbath Therefore Christ would die the sixth day that he might rest all the Iewes Sabbath which seemes to be typicall Now if the Iewes Sabbath ended at euen then ours must begin or else one of the seuen were not a Sabbath but part of the eight and ninth c. and the Remnant added to one or considered it selfe alone would ouerthrow the first order appointed of dayes 2. They say that when the Sun sets all creatures goe to rest and so should man for the Lord hath put out his candle to vs. 3. Heauen is compared to a supper not a dinner because after dinner they goe to worke but after supper to rest this seemes to haue some force in it 4. They argue that its the most agreeable to Reason For first if the Sabbath begin in the euening then we know wheÌ„ to begin it distinctly when to end Secondly We may the better be fitted for it for some who hold it begins in the morning toyle late that night and so are then more vnable to sanctifie the day Thirdly Wicked men are most prone to deferre the time rather then to redeeme it and what such affect we are to suspect Fourthly If we begin the Sabbath in the euening then we leaue the obiect of our particular calling behind vs and haue one simple subiect of the immediate worship of our generall calling in the eye of our vnderstanding the which is the most agreeable to reason breeds least distraction and is most comfortable so if at the Sun-set we end our Sabbath we may talke dispose of the duties of our particular calling for the morning following rise betimes without danger of the breach of the Lords day the which will not be so conuenient if it begin at any other instant in respect of the forenamed particulars But I leaue this and referre it to others onely let vs be carefull that 〈◊〉 haue regard to the duties of the Sabbath and the full time Yet there can be no danger at all to begin the sanctification of it betimes for delayes in all good duties breed danger Why was the Sabbath changed Quest 6. Answ 1. As the Father did rest after the Creation so the Sonne would imitate the Father and sanctifie a rest after the great worke of Redemption 2. If the deliverance of the Israelites out of Aegypt was typicall and must be the beginning of moneths c. Why not Exod. 12. 2. this great delivery then But we omit this Table and cease to resolue any more doubts either in this or the second but as in ordinary course though my Text seeme to allow me full scope because so many learned on this part of 〈◊〉 haue done worthily so we proceed to some other 〈◊〉 Of sound words From these words in one word â—â— may note two instructions the first is that A Christians patterne is to consist of words Doct. 4. Ioh 5. 39. How is it written how readest thou To the word Vnderstand that words are two-fold 1. Spoken 2. Written Isa â— 10. 8. 20. For God at the first put his truth into this vessell and Reas 1. Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 19. we may not alter it and if we adde or detract either to it or from it It s written what fearfull iudgements are threatned for so doing Againe It s the onely way to avoyd idolatry for if wee Reas 2. were taught by pictures it were a breach of the second precept in the first Table Here the Papists are confuted
on it selfe for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father 4. Finally Loue with godly sorrow will make the man of God pine away Amnon did thus for the loue of Thamar and we must know that true Loue hath the like yea stronger operations In a word Loue will produce admirable effects of patience bountifulnesse long-suffering and passing by of great and many wrongs and iniuries So that no Loue no observation of the patterne And here we see that men without Faith and Loue can Vse 1. doe nothing that is good before God Paul desired to be kept out of the hands of men without faith for he accounted them vnreasonable and evill 2 Thes 3. 2. Would we then practise the Apostles doctrine then let Vse 2. vs striue for faith and loue these two support the estate of a Christian as the two pillars did the house of the Philistims if these be removed the foundation of our obedience and salvation faile and fall Faith and Loue include all the duties of the Conenants of grace and all the Commandements are reduced to Loue for at the beginning wee were created Note in Loue the breach of the Law set all enmity so the observation of it produceth amitie hence Loue is stiled The bond of perfection Many boast of their great faith but wee may say of their Loue as Lot did of Zoar that it is a very little one for who of Loue to God escheweth euill and doth good or of affection to man passeth by a fault and is liberall He that would soare to heauen wanting either of these may assoone see a bird mount on high and take her stand who wanteth one wing Faith like the hand taketh hold on Christ and Loue like the feete must carry vs to him And amongst many other duties What a fearfull thing is it to come to the Lords Supper without faith or affection to God and man We will not come at the earnest invitement of an enemy to his Table for feare of danger or dislike Yet when we are haters of God and our neighbours too liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another wee stay not our steppes But doe not such persons eare their owne iudgement For they want that wherewith they should feed truly on Christ or giue them an appetite to this food if they haue not affection and faith for as the mouth and stomacke be to the body so be Faith and Loue to the soule Thou wilt say How may I know when an action is Quest done in faith and loue If it be done in faith 1. Thou must be in the faith that Answ What action is done in faith is in Christ and Christ in thee 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2. It must be guided by the rule of faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. 3. It must be done with faith not doubtingly Rom. 14. 23. 4. And last of all it must be done to the obiect of our faith viz. in obedience to God in Christ and for his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. If an action be done in Loue. 1. It s done so freely that What in loue there is not the least expectation of any future recompence Gen. 23. 15. 2. So secretly that if possible none might Math. 6. 2. ever come to the knowledge thereof 3. So cheerefully as there is equall or rather greater ioy in the doing then Ruth 1. 13. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Philem. 10. receiuing of the like fauour 4. So affectionately that the more good we doe to any the more wee finde our hearts enflamed with the loue of that person These foure things accompany an action done in the truth of affection For a good heart is constreined by loue it will vpbraid no man it knoweth that its better to giue then to receiue and it neuer waxeth weary or repenteth for well-doing And there cannot be a surer signe of an heart sprinkled with loue then to reioyce that it is willing and able to doe good to God or man If we take the words in the other senses then these be the points to be collected First that The essentiall parts of a Christians patterne consist of faith Doct. 8. and loue Againe that All our actions are to be done in faith and loue Doct. 9. Quest 1. Why Faith before Loue 1. Because faith is the roote loue the branch 2. Salvation Answ is tyed to the Gospell the principall obâ—ect of faith Why both faith and loue Quest 2. Ans 1. For faith or loue alone is not sufficient 2. Because the one hath regard to the fulfilling of the Gospel by the obedience of faith but the other looketh to the Law which is perfected by Loue. Which is in Christ Iesus From the fourefold interpretation we may note so many Doctrines 1. That Faith and loue are giuen to man of God through Christ Iesus 2. That Faith and loue in Christ should stirre vs vp to keepe the patterne 3. That The obiect of faith and loue is Christ Iesus 4. That Faith and loue are comprehended in Christ Iesus And whereas our Apostle hath now brought in this phrase fiue severall times in this short Chapter we may note diuers things worthy our instruction 1. That We are hardly brought to beleeue that all grace and mercy comes through Christ Iesus Diuine truths are not easily beleeued 2. That The best things may often for good ends be mentioned 3. That When we speake of any grace or fauour receiued wee should consider through whom it is conveyed to vs. viz. Christ Iesus 4. That The often repetition of the same thing is profitable 5. That What the people most naturally are prone to doubt of that is principally and often to be Preached 6. That An holy heart is not weary in writing or speaking the same things often VERS 14. That worthy thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. IN these words Paul persisteth in the exhorting The Logicall resolution of Timothy and hauing perswaded him to keepe the patterne in the former Verse it seemeth he now would haue him to be carefull to keepe that whereby the patterne of sound words may be kept by him 1. We may here also obserue to what he is exhorted and that is to keepe 2. What he must keepe and that 's called a worthy thing committed c. 3. Whereby he is to keepe it or the meanes whereby he came by it is laid downe which is the Holy Ghost The which Holy Ghost is said 1. to dwell 2. the place is mentioned where viz. in vs. That worthy thing or that good thing By thing no doubt The Theologicall exposition is meant faith and loue and the graces of the spirit so that this Verse serueth to confirme that exposition we gaue in the former And thing is put for things as tree for trees Gen. 3. 2. worke for workes Psal 95. 9. Heb. 3. 9. Ship for Ships 1. King 10. 22. compared
pricks or keene kniues they they pierce and strike it through the heart if God shew not greater mercy with deadly wounds temporall eternall Why then weepe for your selues and doe good for your selues and for your children Yet for all our preaching and pressing of parents to piety some houses are like little hells and diuers gouernours worse then Achitophel who though he hanged himselfe had a care first to set his house in order Furthermore this doctrine should instruct vs to pray for good gouernours godly parents For woe to that society Vse 4. where the Ruler of it is ignorant profane or a child in vnderstanding Such good men are little regarded respected men esteeme of them at too small a valuation Corke is light yet it keepeth the net from sinking to the bottome of the sea so good gouernours are too little esteemed of Notwithstanding were they remoued fire and brimstone should fall downe from heauen and heapes be tumbled into the nethermost hell When good Iosiah was taken away the people as men sensible of their owne misery mourned so that it became a proverb like Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo for his death did presage future and fearefull evilles to follow When Lot was gone to Zoar what befell the inhabitants and if Paul had not beene in the ship who had come safe to shore Wherefore make much of such pray often and earnestly for such mourne and spare not for the departure of such and let all the men of God in their preaching ayme especially at the conuersion of such For one good King godly gouernour holy father is worth ten thousand of the inferiour people for all the world will be tapt to imitate the Rulers and great men being good will doe the more good by their speech example and authoritie Why did King Dauid a little before his death giue his sonne Salomon a charge to serue the Lord God of Israel in such a particular and speciall manner Why for hee was to succeed him in the kingdome to build the Temple therefore he was so vrgent to presse him to piety Let vs in the like case do the same In a word if they that gouerne houses Colledges or Kingdomes be godly pray for them praise God for them but if not mourne and entreat the Lord to amend them And the higher place thy sonne is to haue in the Church or commonwealth striue thou the more to teach him the knowledge and seruice of God And may a good governour bring a blessing to he Vse 5. whole house then depart not out of such a family from vnder such a mans protection for if thou doest thou maist draw iudgements vpon thine owne pate Some cannot endure such Masters as well curbe them of vnlawfull pleasures presse them to the performance of holy duties but will like the prodigall vp and be gone These out-runne the shower of Gods grace and thinke they doe well when alas as much as they can they drowne themselues in perdition and endlesse destruction They had rather eate and drinke and deuoure beefe and garlike in Aegypt then the water of life and Manna from heauen vnder the conduct of Moses Are thou one of this minde then alter thy manners for feare a worse thing follow Finally this must teach those that liue in bad houses to Vse 6. be vp and gone Is the gouernour a Papist or Athiest a swearer or filthy person carry not with him except a forced necessity compell thee For as the Lepers said in another case if thou abide in such aâ— place some mischi of evill light vpon thee 2 King 7. 9. Thou wilt say vnto me how shall I know a godly Quest family Well enough and that by these markes Answ 1. Is there in it more good bookes and Bibles then payres of cards and tables 2. Is there more praying then playing searching of Scriptures then shufling of cards turning ouer of the holy papers then tossing of tables singing of Psalmes then obscene songs and sonnets desire and endeauour to grow in grace more then to gather goods 3. Is there constant prayer morning and euening sanctifying of the creatures before they be receiued casting out of the bad receiuing in the good And last of all Is the Sabbath strictly obserued of all strangers that rest there as of the daily inhabitants then conclude that the feare of God is in that place and if thou maist lodge and cate thy bread there That house that hath neither Bible or good booke reading praying or singing of Psalmes instruction catechising nor care to keepe holy the Lords day is that place where Sathans throne is and the Deuill dwelleth And not to belye them such filthy and infectious habitations be the families of Papists yea all that I haue beene acquainted with of which sort the Norherne parts are but too fully replenished Rome hath two much roome there amongst them Abraham did teach his family Ieremiah imprecates the Lord to poure downe his fury vpon the families that cal not on his name David did the like See Ier. 10. vlt. But passing this poynt we come to handle another which is that True affection is of a spreading nature Act. 26. 29. Rom. 2. 3. Paul loued Oresiphorus well and from the head we see it enlarged it selfe to the whole house all the members Hence it is that in the Scriptures it 's compared to water for loue is said to be shed in the heart or to oile that being Rom. 5. 5. Psal 133. 1. c. powred on the head runneth downe all the garments Certainely he that in truth loueth the parents cannot but affect the children For at the first it was so created As the vnderstanding Reas 1. was to see all truth in all things so was the affection framed to effect all things the which reason approued Those two were to be proportionable like the patterne and the thing made by it Now at our Regeneration Loue in some degree is restored to that perfection it had at the Creation therefore spreadeth Because that Loue is nimble subtile actiue therefore likened Reas 2. to fire that would conuert all contrary elements and subiects into its selfe It s hotter then the coales of Iuniper it compasseth the creatures as a garment it will dilate it selfe farre and neere For of all simple elements fire is the most actiue and spreadeth as we may see by a candle the furthest and so will true and feruent affection Againe Loue shouldreth out enuy the which a pinching Reason 3. and cold frost freezeth and holdeth things together from spreading Enuy would draw all good from others to it selfe but loue doth breake those bonds and sets the heart at liberty And is not Loue true loue one of the most sacred attributes Reason 4. in God yea God is called Loue. And did not the Lord before sin brake the condition extend his affection to all creatures Why then a sparke of that true fire in the
good is alwaies to be preferred before a particular Yet thou must see that such by some trusty keeper may be respected well attended at the least May a Minister liue in a corrupted aire Quest 2. Answ Yes For 1. It s as good for him as for the people 2. And God would haue such saued He sought me c. We will collect hence that The faithfull where we trauell from home are to be sought for We haue in the Scripture both precept and example to this purpose and to confirme the point See Act. 21. 4. 8. Math. 10. 11. For they be of our kinred we are children of one father Reas 1. and will not euery one be desirous to see and be acquainted with his nearest friends We shall receiue comfort from them and they from Reas 2. vs for they will tell vs what great workes of mercy the Lord hath done in that place how the word runs what faithfull Men Magistrates Ministers c. the Lord of his good prouidence hath sent amongst them And thus when the Saints haue met they haue as we reade refreshed one another and builded vp one another in their holy faith This checketh those that neuer doe it nor can endure others Vse 1. to doe it Such a one was Diotrephes 3 Ioh. 3. 9. 10. Then when we goe into a farre country let vs enquire Vse 2. who are worthy that is honest men For its profitable many waies in buying selling borrowing lending in comforting and being comforted You shall haue the drunkards gamsters whoremasters and the like enquire out one another and shall not we such as be faithfull truly religious This point is of good vse but seldome practised and the best in the neglect of it may be a great enemy to himselfe euen in temporall affaires How shall I know such Quest Ans 1. If the best report well of them 2. If the worst say ill of them 3. By their speech and carriage for wisedome and grace will appeare in the words and face as the wiseman saith Yet beleeue not euery report faire shew good word For some mens sinnes follow afterward as others goe before 1 Tim. 5. 24. Very diligently The point is that Whom we affect truly we will seeke for diligently speedily Doct. 3. For so the word may be rendred This will hold in all things whateuer David loued the Lord and he would seeke him early at midnight and all seasons Elisha loued his Master therefore sought him The parents of Christ loued Luk. 2. 48. him and did they not seeke him with heauy hearts the Bride loued her Husband and so sought him and we Cant. 3. 1 2. may say the like of what can be named Because the affections are implacable vnlesse the obiect Reas 1. be enioyed which they most affect It is the nature of loue to delight in the present fruition of that it most affecteth And as euery graue thing is in motion vntill it come to the Center so are the affections stirring vntill they claspe about the subiect they affect Againe true affection desireth to manifest its selfe to the Reas 2. thing it loueth and to make it the better yea to bee if possible made one with it But how can this bee if they two bee separated therefore the affections will wooe and importune the will to worke for the bringing of them together What then shall we say of those who neuer sought the Vse 1. Lord saith grace or the kingdome of heauen in all their liues doe they loue the one or other Is their cafe blessed or cursed for the present It pittieth mee to thinke of the misery that many be in yet beleeue it not or know it not Where doe the most men seeke him their soules best loue when doe they seeke him how doe they seeke him Did Onesiphorus thus seeke Paul because he loued him and doe wee loue Christ and neuer enquire after him in his Word or in heauen Surely it cannot be Would we then vnderstand the soundnes of our affection Vse 2. vnto God his truth graces and children then let vs try it by the diligent search wee make after these things Doest thou seeke after God search the Scriptures and vse all other meanes for the hauing of them then thy loue is seruent not sained But if thou doe not labour the enioying of them of a truth the loue of them was neuer entertained in thy heart or saluation entred into thy soule Dauâ—d could say Oh how I long for God and When shall I appeare in his presence I meditate in the law day and night Paul Iâ—couet to bee with Christ and the Saints haue vsed to cry Come let vs goe into the house of the Lord. Cold is that loue weake is that affection which neuer worketh or endeuoureth to obtaine and possesse the thing it loueth And sound me Here is laid downe the successe that Onesiphorus had in his diligent search whence collect wee that They that seeke shall finde all conuenient circumstances being Doct. 4. also obserued For some shall seeke to enter and shall not be able because they either seeke amisse and that in regard of the meanes or end or in that they take not the acceptable time For these cautions must be considered and then the point is firme sound Mat. 7. 7. Psal 50. 15. Because the Lord cannot lie deny himselfe or breake Reas 1. promise his word is gone out and it shall stand therfore those that seeke shall finde And if it were not so then who would vse the meanes Reason 2. depend on the Lords promise or could be saued This Doctrines Vse serueth first to cleere the Lord against Vse 1. all false imputations that the Atheisticall people haue or may obiect against his promise For vndoubtedly hee that seeketh shall not lose his labour in the end Say not then with the idle seruant who digged his talent in the earth that the Lord is an hard Master for he is true of his word faithfull to all that with honest hearts doe or euer shall seeke him or his This may be in the next place a ground of great comfort Vse 2. to all the faithfull and vpright hearted for in whatsoeuer they goe about they shall prosper Wee may apply it to all things as well as to this particular and that by the warrant of the Prophets and Apostles themselues Doest thou seeke after the Lord doest thou desire his fauour callest thou for grace or mercy cryest thou after wisdome and vnderstanding followest thou after faith loue and the the like gifts pursuest thou and pressest thou the God of Abraham for wife children food rayment for earth and heauen why feare not but hope still in the Lord and thy heart shall be satisfied with these things But here let these rules be obserued 1. Take the present time Seeke the Lord while he may be Rules to be obserued in seeking found
The yong man must Remember his Creator in the daies of youth least the houres come wherein hee shall haue no pleasure in them Iezabel had a time so had Ierusalem Agrippa and many others but when they foreslowed the oportunitie they found not in future time any mercy When God calleth and we will not come we shall cry but we shall not be heard Wofull experience hath taught this truth to many thousands for there is an appointed time for all things vnder the sunne 2. Seeke for what thou wouldst haue at the Lords hands let him be the principall Asa was sicke in his feete Ezekiah at the heart the one seeking to the Phisician first died the other going to God had his life many yeares prolonged Goe not with Saul to a witch at Endor with Iudas to the Pharisees with Ephraim and Iudah to Ashur and Hos 5. 13. king Iareb with the Papist to the Pope or Angell But goe to the Lord for these are miserable comforters and the best of them if the God of all the world the first mouer of all things and chiefe Phisician be absent cannot heale thee or cure thee of thy wound But seek vnto God and he will heare thee helpe thee 3. Goe to him but not like the proud Pharisee with I thanke God I am not so nor so neither with the boasting Papist in the robes of thing owne righteousnes but come vnto him in the name of Christ Iesus the sonne of his loue send him or set him before thee For whatsoeuer thou shalt seeke in his name that is in his worthines it shall be giuen thee For without Christ he is a consuming fire 4. Let the word and that neuer-erring spirit be thy guide If these two lead thee to the Father in the new and euerliuing way of Christ the Sauiour of all that are saued thou shalt find according to thy hearts desire Practise this Rule 5. Haue respect to the manner of thy seeking let it be vpon the feete of faith and affection with the wings of pure zeale and feruency and then thou shalt find assuredly 6. And finally let the end of thy seeking be for the glory of thy God the good and comfort of thy brethren and reformation of all thy wayes the curing and curbing of thy strong corruptions the encrease of all grace and for food friends favour and rayment so farre and no farther as the Lord seeth them to be needfull for thee Obserue these directions and then stay the Lords leysure and be sure of it that as Onesiphorus found Paul so shalt thou the thing thou hast sought after be it what it can in earth or heauen Now whereas Onesiphorus sought Paul at Rome and was permitted to refresh him we may note that Rome heathen was not sobad then as Rome Christian is now Doct. 5. Act. 28. 30. For Paul might be suffered to liue to haue his keeper Reas 1. to leade him in a chaine to dwell in a house all that would were permitted to come vnto him and without let he might preach the kingdome of God the Gospell of Christ But now if a Paul were there he would not be thought worthy to liue no not for an houre Againe wicked men grow worse and worse Reas 2. Vse Let this for euer be as a sure brand for that Beast who is drunkk with the bloud of the Saints that it is he and no other who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and the very Antichrist whom the Lord will consume with the sword of his mouth They boast of piety and pitty when as Cain was no more cruell to Abel then they be to the faithfull Well Let them thinke that they doe God good seruice in putting vs to death yet they are deceiued it that In this we are not that for so doing they shall tast of the very dregs of Gods hottest vengeance spue and fall and dye the second death For Pope and Papists are men according to the Divells owne heart VERS 18. The Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day and in how many things he hath ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well WE are now come through the good prouidence The Logicall resolution of God to the last verse of this Chapter In the which two things are comprehended 1. A prayer 2. An Appellation In the Prayer we may obserue 4. things 1. To whom Paul prayed the Lord. 2. For whom he prayed him That is Onesiphorus 3. For what he prayed mercy 4. At what time he would haue his friend to receiue the thing he prayed for at that day In the Appellation we haue these particulars 1. That Onesiphorus relieued Paul 2. The place where it was at Ephesus 3. Wherewith that is many things And 4. The probation of this in the last words These or this thou knowest very well He drawes an argument from Timotheus knowledge to confirme his Testimony The Lord. In Hebrew Adonai is Lord being a word of The Theologicall exposition the plurall number yet often vsed in the forme singular it is deriued of Aeden a base or pillar which sustaineth a thing and our English word Lord hath much like signification being contracted of the old Saxon word Laford which commeth of Laef to support sustaine or cherish so that Lord is a Sustainer refresher supporter cherisher For if God withdraw his power all things come to nothing In the Greeke it properly signifieth one that hath authoritie or on whose authoritie something dependeth or consisteth and so indeed doe all things depend on God and hee is cheife gouernour and owner of all things created Mercy The word in the Hebrew put for mercy doth import a sacred affection of piety fauour benignitie and bountifull good pleasure or will of God towards a man without respect of desert or merit It is also applied to man and then it is meant a pious louing and benigne affection whereby he is moued and inclined to doe good to shew pittie compassion c. or that grace of God the which he hath receiued from the father through Christ which is inherent in him or conferred externally vpon him and then its glory Isai 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. And it is frequent for the Greeks to vse that word which our Apostle doth here for it the which Christ himselfe alloweth did practise See Hos 6. 6. Math. 9. 13. And the Hebrewes of Chesed which is Mercy call a godly man chasid that is gracious mercifull Psal 4. 4. some read a gracious Saint With the Lord. The like phrase we read Gen. 19. 24. The Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord. Paul vseth the like manner of speaking for as iudgement came from the Lord vpon Sodom so he prayes for mercy to befall Onesiphorus from the Lord Yet I haue thought that Lord in the first place is to be vnderstood of the Father and in the second is meant the Sonne