Matthew 3.3 He proclaimed the coming of Christ into the World Thus Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Herald to publish the Gospel Be instant The Word signifieth to stand over it stand close to it or to stand much upon it To be instant in Preaching implies a standing to it with diligence and earnestnesse hence Tindal renders it Be fervent in Preaching We must rouse up our selves to the work we shall meet with many dangers difficulties discouragements we must expect many Temptations from within and from without us from profits pleasure ease so that if we be not Instant and Urgent in the work offering a kind of holy Violence to our selves we shall fail in the duty and though for the present we see no fruit of our labours yet must we not give over but be instant and unwearied in the work of the Lord and even compell men to come in to Christ Luke 14.33 In season out of season Q. D. Preach the Word on all occasions take all Opportunities be active in the duty he that will be a Bishop must be apt to teach 1 Timothy 3.3 1. We must Preach in season i. on the Lords Day that is the ordinary time set apart by God himself for this duety This season Christ and his Apostles usually observed Marke 6.1 Luke 4.16 Acts 2.46 and 13.14 and 20.7 2. There are times and seasons when the Word may be most acceptable and most profitable to the hearers as when Gods hand lies heavy upon a people and they are broken with some great affliction then is a time to speak a word in season then they will hear our words for they are sweet Psalm 141.6 2. Out of Season Not that the Word is ever out of season in it self for it is the Bread of Life all other meats have their times and seasons but Bread is the Staffe of Nature and is never out of season There is no season unseasonable for so seasonable for so necessary a duty in the Opinion of a Natural man and in the eye of carnal reason it seems sometimes to be out of season as when it is preached on the week day when Pastor and people have profits and pleasures and worldly imployments to draw them off Now a Sermon seems like snow in Harvest to such earthly souls it is out of season with them yet even these seasons which the world judgeth unseasonable must a Minister redeem for preaching Thus Christ himself did not onely preach on the Sabbath day but on the week dayes also Luke 8.1 and 19.47 We must not to favour our selves preach once a moneth or once a day but we must be diligent labourers in the Lords Vineyard if we expect our penny So that there is no contradiction in these commands both may and must be done by a faithful Minister who must Preach in season when God gives the opportunity and the people desire it Nehem. 8.1 Acts 13.42 and out of season when peoples hearts are so distracted with worldly cares that they have no desire after it Now if Ministers must preach the Word in season and out of season then People must hear the Word and be instant in season and out of season Preaching and Hearing are Relatives if there lye a Necessity on us to Preach by the same Rule there lieth a Necessity on you to hear you must redeem time from your worldly affairs to attend on this Ordinance not onely on the Lords day but even on the week day It will not repent you when you come into your Kingdome The comfort and peace which you will gain by a right attendance on this Ordinance will abundantly recompence all worldly losses you shall incur by it Let thy bodily affairs wait on thy Spiritual and the lesser give place to the greater we have a notable instance for this in the men of Bethshemesh who were busie at their Harvest till the Arke came and then for joy they lay by all and goe to offer Sacrifice 1 Sam. 6.13 14 15. Question But would you have us cast off our callings and doe nothing but follow Sermons Answer By no means for he that commands us to be swift to heare Iames 1.19 commands us also to be diligent in our callings yet whetting is no letting the oyling of the wheels doth not hinder the going of of the Clock An houre spent in hearing a Sermon is no hinderance to our particular calling We can spend two or three houres in Visiting our friends and think it no impediment to our Temporal imployments So that in Cities and Towns especially where people may meet conveniently in respect of cohabitation it will be their wisedome to improve these opportunities for their spiritual advantage as they did Acts 13.42 who desired the Apostles to preach in the space between that and the next Sabbath on the week day saith Diodat Reprove Rebuke Exhort Having spoken before of Preaching in General now he comes to the particular branches of it whereof the first is to reprove such as are erroneous in Judgement by Scripture demonstrations to confute and confound them and put them to silence Titus 1.9 2. Rebuke and chide such as are exorbitant in their manners and corrupt in their lives others may doe it ex Charitate Leviticus 19.17 Ministers ex Officio with all authority Titus 2.25 1 Timothy 5.20 Isay 58.1 Many call it Rayling when it is onely Rebuking by this means some may be reclaimed others restrained and the wicked left without excuse 3. Exhort such as run well to persevere Comfort the dejected quicken the slothful the words of the wise are as goads to rouse men out of their dulness Eccles. 12.11 people then must suffer the word of Exhortation to work on their Affections without quarrelling or fretting against it Hebrewes 13.22 q. d. Reprove all errours rebuke all sins and exhort to all Duties yet still with the spirit of Love and meeknesse that we may convert and not exasperate them so that the Apostle here repeateth and presseth again these Ministerial Dueties before mentioned 2 Tim. 3.16 With all Long-suffering Here is the manner how all these must be done viz. with a great deal of Patience and lenity least we become dispondent because we see not the present fruit and success of our rebukes and exhortations Our reproofes never work kindly unless people see that they come from a patient and a loving mind We must doe all in Love and in the spirit of meeknesse mourning for their folly and endeavouring their restauration We must doe nothing proudly superciliously or Tyrannically but do all with a Paternal affection without malice wrath bitternesse If a man have broke his bones or lost his sight we do not use to revile him or rage against him but we pitty him we pray for him we bemoan his condition A little Patience will not serve a Ministers turn who hath to doe with all sorts of persons he must get a
that he doth 2 Peter 2.9 to him belong the issues from death Psa. 68.20 when we be in extreme danger and in the jawes of death yet he hath many secret passages and back doores to conveigh us out at He hath a thousand wayes to deliver us by Means without means by weak means by contrary means Sometimes he changeth a Lion into a Lamb as Saul into Paul or else he stops the mouths of these Lions by restraining their cruelty Or by setting one Lion against another as the Philistines against Saul 1 Samuel 23.27 The Turks against the Papists he divided the Pharisees and Saduces amongst themselves whilest Paul escaped Acts 23.6 7. Or else he makes his children Lions to their enemies So that the dread of them falls upon them Hester 9.23 or else he breaks the teeth of these Lions So that they cannot do the mischief they intended Ps. 3.7 This may comfort Gods people in their deepest distress though these Lions may be too strong for us yet there is a stronger then they Isa. 31.43 There is no Protector like this great Protector of us all He is El-shaddai God Almighty and Alsufficient to supply our wants and help us in our straits though others may forsake us yet he hath promised that he will never do it Heb. 13.5 There are five Negatives to assure us of the truth of that promise q. d. I will not no I will not I will in no wise leave thee noâ— forsake thee And it is worth observing that in Scripture there is some Title or other of Gods that answers to all our necessities Ergo are our enemies fierce as Lions why God will come as a Lion against them Isay 31.4 Do they come upon thee as a mighty storm why he will be a covert to thee are they as a schorching heat he will be a shadow Isay 4.5 6. and 25.4 Art thou a poore shiftless sheep why he will be a sheepherd to defend thee Psalm 23.1 Art thou a Dove and in danger of Birds of prey Why God will be a Rocke to hide thee from them Cant. 2.14 Isay 33 16. The Church is Gods Vineyard and he will keep it night and day Isay 27.3 'T is his City he will be for walls and bulwarks to it Isay 26.2 His House-hold and he will provide for it His children and nature teacheth us to defend them and will the God of Nature think you leave his The Members of Christs mystical body and never any yet hated his own flesh The Apple of his Eye which is guarded with a five-fold covering Zach. 2.8 Psalm 17.8 Christ is King over his Church Ad domandum dominandum to subdue his enemies and make them his footstools Psalm 110.1 Let the wicked plow long furrows on our backs yet God will cut their Treaces that they shall plow in vain Psalm 129.3 4. The rod of the wicked may be on the back of the Righteous but it shall not rest there sufferings may be their condition but deliverance is their Portion Iehovah jirel the Lord seeth and is seen in the Mount both Actively and Passively for the help of his people Genesis 22.14 VERS 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil worke and will preserve me to his Heavenly Kingdome to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen q. d. THat God which hath been with me hitherto will not now forsake me but will keep me by his assisting grace so that I shall not for fear of suffering run into sin nor do any thing unworthy of my holy Profession He will preserve me from all sinful revolts till he have wrought me to his heavenly Kingdome 2. Others give this sense of the words The Lord will deliver me from the Violent practises of evil men and will not suffer them to hurt me But the Text saith not The Lord will deliver me from every evil worker but which is more comfortable and fully He will deliver me from every evil work So that the former sense is most genuine and agreeable to the Context God will keep me pure from all wickedness and so preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome As he hath delivered me from the jawes of Metaphorical Lions so I am assured that he will deliver me from Spiritual Lions i. from the Tyranny of sin and Satan till he hath brought me safe and sound unto his heavenly Kingdome To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Bâ—ing assured by Gods Spirit of his Divine manu-tenency till he came to glory he concludes with a sweet Doxology and Thankesgiving to the Lord Christ his Saviour and Preserver where we have 1. The person to whom praise is given it is to him id est to the Lord Jesus V. 17. 2. What the praise is that is given to him viz. the praise of his Glory To him be Glory i. let him onely have Honour Worship Praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth Praise increased and abundantly published So Luke 2.14 Glory be to God on High i. Let the praise of his Wisedome Power and goodnesse be abundantly spread abroad who of his Transcendent love hath redeemed the sonnes of men Hence the Geneva Translation renders it praise To him be praise for ever This Doxology was frequently used by the Apostle as you may see Romans 11.36 and 16.26 Philippians 4.20 1 Timothy 1.16 Heb. 13.21 1 Peter 5.11 Iude 25. 3. Here is the duration of this praise it must not be for a day or two but for ever and ever By which phrase the Scripture setteth forth Eternitie The doubling of the word hath an Emphasis and alwayes signifieth an everlastiug continuance without any date or end at all 4. Here is the fervour of Pauls affection in this duty of glorifying Christ testified by the word Amen id est So be it or so it shall be q. d. I heartily wish it may be so I find a threefold Amen in Scripture 1. Assevering 2. Assenting 3. Assuring Sometimes it is prefixt sometimes it is affixt when it is prefixed it is an Amen of Vehement Asseveration Iohn 6.26 But the Amen in the Text is both Assenting and Assuriug and is usually affixt and added at the end of Prayer as Matth. 6.13 Rom. 15.33 Gal. ult ult Observations 1. The Experience of Gods â—ormer deliverances must make us rest upon him for future He hath delivered me formerly saith the Apostle and therefore I am confident that he will still deliver me till he have brought me safe to his Kingdom This is Scripture Logick and God loves to have us argue thus Psal. 4.1 and 86.13 16. and 77.10 When David was delivered from the Lion and the Bear he thence concludes that God wâ—uld also deliver him from that Vncircumcised Philistine 1 Sam. 17.36 37. So Paul argued 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver He hath delivered us that we know he doth deliver that we
that albeit he do not Actually bâ—eak them all yet Habitually and Dispositively he doth Oh then stop Sin betimes resist the very beginnings of it kill these Cockatrices in the shell dash these brats of Satan against the stones fly the very appearance of evill else you will grow worse and worse and fall away more and more till you be ruined for Sin is like to Water give it a little passage and it will eat a way for it self till it become irresistible Prov. 17.14 as little Thieves let in at a Window unbolt the dores for greater so small Sins allowed in the Soul will soon bring greater with them Covetous This is the second Character of the men of the last times they shall not only be Self-lovers but Silver-lovers and Money-lovers such as account gain to be godliness 1 Tim. 6.5 In all their actings be they never so Pious they have an eye at gain One being asked what was the sinewes of War he answered Money being asked the same question a second time he answered Mony and being asked the third time he answered still Money So if you ask me what is the moving and primary cause that makes so many leap out of a prophane course of life into a great profession of Religion without any proportionable measure of humiliation The answer is ready Money Money Money 'T is to get an office or that they may be rising men just like the Shechemites they would be circumcised why so For their cattell and their substance will be ours Gen. 34.22.23 This sin of Covetousnesse is Self-loves First-born As all good comes from Love which diffuseth it self for the benefit of all so all evill and especially this of Covetousnesse comes from Self and Private spiritednesse which contracts the Spirit and sordidly makes it all for it self This Sin is become generall and so the more dangerous like a Leprosy it hath overspread the land as the Lord complained of Israel so he may of England Jer. 6.13 From the least of them to the greatest every one is given to Covetousnesse See what followes ver 19. 2. This sin is now commited against very great Light which aggravates it much The Ministers of Christ have testified against this sin by Preaching Printing Light and Life however we are bespattered by the Libertines of these degenerate times and yet men desperately break forth into it The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgement against the men of this generation for they had but one Ionah to preach unto them and they repented but we have had many Ionahs Ieremies Daniels Ezekiels and yet we abide impenitent 2. They had but one Sermon and that a short one yet they repented of their Covetousnesse and cruelty but we have had many large ones and yet we continue the same men still Let such know that if Preaching will not mend them Judgements will end them If the old World will not return at the Preaching of Noah the flood shall drown them if Pharaoh will not hearken to Moses voyce the sea shall swallow him if Elies sons will not hearken to the voyce of their Fathers 't is a Sign God hath a purpose to destroy him This Sin of Covetousnesse is a sin that the Scripture testifies against very much there is scarce any sin that is branded with fouler Titles and all to make us out of love with it 1. 'T is called Idolatry Ephes. 5.5 Colos. 3.5 which is one of the greatest sins and breaks the marriage knot God bears with other sins but this is a God-provoking and a Land-destroying Sin When people once chuse new Gods war and judgement will soon be in the gates Iudges 5.8 when Idolatry comes in God goes out Now the Covetous man is a grosse Idolater for he loves his money above God he trusts in it and saith to the wedge of Gold Thou art my hope Iob 31.24 He thinks himself more safe with his money in his bagges then all the Saints who have Gods promises for their Portion and the losse of his money grieves him more then the loss of Gods favour Hence Bernard compares Covetousness to a Lady riding in in a Chariot whose wheeles are four Vices 1. Contempt of God 2. Inhumanity towards men 3. Forgetfulness of death when they must part with all 4. Diffidence and distrust in Gods providence and promises 2. 'T is called the Root of all evill 1 Tim. 6.10 nor money but the inordinate love of money is the Root of Pride the Root of Theft Murder Bribery Perjury Usury Heresy Apostasy Oppression false weights false wares c. in a word 't is the Root not only of one or two but of all evill Then have at the Root saith Father Latimer and have at all down with that and down goes all Preachers should not stand ticking at the branches but they must strike at Covetousness which is the Root The Covetous man whose affâ—â—ctions are inordinately set on money will not stick at the breach of any one Commandement for gain Hence Solomon setting forth the vile practisâ— of lewd mâ—n Prov. 1.10 to 18. in the nineteenth verse he sets down the Root of all that Murder Theft Villany c. So are the wayes of every one that is greedy of gain Hence Habbakuk 2.9 calls it an evill Covetousness 'T is easie to lead it through all the Commandements for although the Covetous man do not actually break the mall yet he breaks them habitually and dispositively there is an inclination and a disposition in him when a temptation comes to break them all Hence David prayes Psal. 1 19.36 incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousnesse Implying that Covetousnesse drawes a way the heart not from one or two but from all Gods Commandements 1 The Covetous man is an Unbeliever he trusts in his riches and loves them more then God if they increase he sets his heart upon them Psal. 62.10 2. He 's a gross Idolater Ephes. 5.5 He must worship Caesars Image and makes a clod of earth his God Iob 31.24 His Bills are his Bible his Goods his God and his Pictures his Scriptures 3. For gain he 'l swear and forswear he 'l abuse the word and works of God 4. He thinks all time lost which is spent in the Service of God Hence usually they keep their Feasts go to Faires sell their Wares visit their Friends and send their servants on needless errands on the Lords day they can spare no time for the Sabbath before it comes to prepare themselves for it Hence it is that they come weary drowsy heavie to those sacred solemnities and cry out as those cruell covetouâ— Jewes Amos 8.5 When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell corne 5. For Money he 'l go to Law with his own Father abuse his Mother wrong Magistrate Minister any one for Money This makes men cruell and unnaturall to their Relations 6. How many Murders are committed and all for
heart so that such men seldom Repent So long as men have any thing to trust in they will not care for God when people are grown to be Lords they will not come near God nor be ruled by him Ier. 2.31 therefore the Lord outs his of their creature-confidences and makes them sensible of their lost and fatherlesse condition before he shewes them mercy Hos. 14.3 other sins which are carnal and sensual are more easily discovered and conquered but covetousnesse is a more close cloaked 1 Thes. 2.5 spirituall sin and so is more hardly discerned and more hardly cured And this amongst others is one Reason why for one covetous person which returnes there are twenty prodigals which brings me to that Question Whether a Covetous man be worse then a prodigal Answ. We must distinguish of prodigals 1. Some are compounded ones and have many other foul enormities mixt with them as Idleness Whoredom Drunkenness c. and these aggravated by long continuance in them now there 's more hope of a Temperate young Worldling then of such a compounded Prodigall 2. There is a single and simple prodigal one that only spends beyond his estate and wastes his means excessively now caeterisâ—paribus there 's more hope of such a one then of a covetous man and that for these Reasonâ— 1. The prodigal man doth good to many but the covetous man is not good to himself 2. He gives though he gives too much and so comes nearer to liberality whose act is giving is nearer to blessednes according to that of our Saviour Acts 20.35 't is a more blessed thing to give then to receive But the Covetous man will part with nothing willingly 3. The prodigall hurts himself yet benefits others but the Covetous misâ—r defrauds both himself and others 4. The prodigall is more tractable and sooner reclaimed by reason of his poverty misery and affliction his eare is opened to discipline and he more ready to hearken to good counsell Luke 15. But a covetous man the more he hath the worse he is and the older he growes the harder 't is to reclaime him other sins age may bereave a man off the acting them but covetousness increaseth by age How long may we preach to such before we can stir them we speak to stones and call to dead men Hence our Saviour tells us that a Camel may sooner go through the eye of a needle then a rich man because so apt to trust in his riches can enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mark 10.24 25. 9. It unfits a man for any employment whether it be Magistraticall Ministeriall Martiall or Domestical 1. He 's an unfit man to be a Magistrate such a one will transgresse for a morsell of bread any base reward will byas him and therefore Iethro describing a right Governour tells us Exod. 18.21 that he must be 1. A man of Courage a magnanimous man one that fears not the faces or frownes of any be they never so many or mighty else he 'l soon be daunted and discouraged The want of this made fearful and faint-hearted Rehoboam to be branded for a child viz. in heart and courage 2 Chron. 13.7 though he were then above 40. yeares old as appears 1 Kings 14.21 therefore God commands Ioshua 1.7 to be strong and of good courage and the like counsell David gives to Solomon 2 Kings 2.2 2. He must fear God or else he will fear the face of man Deut. 1.17 the great fear of God will devour all base inferiour feares Micajah fear'd not two great Kings sitting on their Thrones in Pompe because he saw a greater then they 1 Kings 22 10.14.19 no man can be truly valourous but he that is truly Religious as we see in Ioseph Nehemiah Daniel The feare of God is the Foundation of all Vertue without it non sunt verae virtutes sed Vmbrae they are meere shadowes 3. He must deal justly and truly sifting out the truth that the poor be not opprest 4. He must â—ate covetousnesse Publick persons must have publick spirits not seeking themselves but the common good else he 'l take bribes which blind the eyes of the wise so that they cannot discern betwen a good cause a bad it makes them partial perverts judgement making men passe sentence on his side from whom he received the bribe Hence the Lord so oft condemnes it Exod. 23.8 Deut. 16.19 27.25 1 Sam. 8.3 Isai 5.23 and 't is made a note of a wicked man Psal. 26.9 his right hand is full of bribes These stop the eares tye the Tongue and manacle the hands No Vice so foul as this in a Magistrate the bottle and the basket will make him to do any thing So that if a Iudge should aske me the way to Hell saith B. Latimer I would shew him this way First Let his heart be poysoned with Covetousnesse Secondly Let him then take bribes and at last pervert judgement there lacks a fourth thing to make up the Mess which so God help me saith he if I were Iudge should be Hangum tuum a Tyburne Typpet to take with him if it were my Lord chief Iustice of England or my Lord Chancellour himselfe to Tyburne with him As birds are caught with bird-lime so are men with gifts and therefore men deale with such as we do by dogs throw them a crust that they may not bark or bite This was one of those sins that helpt to ruine Jerusalem Ezek. 22.12 Micah 3.11 12. Isai 1.23 24. many build them brave houses with their bribe but God threatens to bring a fire on those houses Iob 15.34 though bribes may build them yet bribe-takers cannot protect them for God hath said it who is able to performe it that the Tabernacles of Bribery shall be consumed This hath made Gods servants carefull to keep themselves pure from this sinne 1 Samuel 12.3 Acts 20.33 and the Lord hath promised Life and Happinesse to such Psalm 15.5 Prov. 15.27 Isai 33.15 Quest. Are all gifts unlawfull and may a man never take a gift Answ. We must distinguish of Gifts There are six sorts of gifts 1. Gifts of Piety to promote Gods worship 2. Gifts of Charity to the Poor 3. Gifts of friendship to preserve amity 4. Gifts of duty and gratitude from inferiours to superiours to testify their Obedience and Thankfullnesse 5. Gifts of bounty and favour from superiours to inferiours to testify their love to them Now there is no danger in such gifts because they increase love and help to preserve humane society 6. There are Gifts of iniquity that tend to the destruction of our Brethren and the perverting of Iustice and this is that Bribery and those Gifts which Gods word condemns It doth not simply condemn the taking of a Reward but the taking of a Reward against the Innocent Psal. 15.5 So that 't is not sinfull by way of Gratitude either to send a gift or to receive a gift but
to send a gift to the end that Justice may be perverted the eye blinded and the Innocent condemned so to send a gift and so to receive a gift is both a sin in the one and the other He that would see more against Bribery let him peruse Mr. Iohn Downam's 4. Treatises against Swearing Drunkennesse Whoredome and Bribery Willet on Exod. 23.8 Doctor Downam on Psal. 15.5 2. It unfits men for the Ministery Covetousnesse is odious in any man more odious in a Magistrate but most odiouâ— in a Minister who by his life and doctrine ought to witnesse against it It troubles us to be abused by strangers but to have our menial servants and such as are near to us to preferre the trash and drosse of the earth before us that is the highest and horridst ingratitude insomuch that a dull Asse reproves Balaam for it 2 Pet. 2.15 16. With what face can a man reprove that in another of which himself is guilty therefore 't is made one speciall Qualification of a Gospell-Minister he must not be greedy of filthy lucre 1 Tim. 3.3 Titus 1.7.11 1 Pet. 5.2 The man of God must not only go or run but Fly from this Vice 1 Tim. 6.10 11. for a Minister to be a Mercenary man or a Market-man or by flattery and dawbing to curry favour and get riches this is that filthy lucre so oft cendemned in Scripture Such are called greedy insatiable dogges Isay 56.11 who for a slight reward prophane the Name of God Ezek. 13.19 Paul knew what a blemish this would be to his calling and therefore he was alwayes carefull to shunne the very appearance of it He oft parted with his right for Peace demanded not what was his due but laboured with his hands in the Churches infancy and low condition that he might not be burdensome to any 1 Cor. 9.6 7. 1 Thess. â— 5 6.9 We are souldiers and therefore we must not entangle our selves in these low things 2 Tim. 2.4 Caution yet let no man accuse us of Covetousnesse for demanding those dues which by the Law of God and the Lawes of the Land are due unto us The labourer is worthy of his hire saith Christ Matth. 10.10 this Paul proves by many Arguments 1 Cor. 9.7 8 9. 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Many would have us Preach for nothing when souldiers will fight for nothing and Trades-men work for nothing we will Preach for nothing In the mean time let them know that 't is one thing to preach for money and another thing to take money for preaching Though we receive pay for our paines and may justly demand it for our great labour yet we do not make that our end The conversion of soules and not money is the ultimate end of all our labours but I have spoken fully to this point in another Treatise which is now Printed 3. He cannot be a good souldier that minds money more then the cause of God such a one will betray his trust or plunder and use violence This S. Iohn foresaw and therefore commands souldiers to do violence to no man but to be content with their allowance Luke 3.14 It 's an ill Trade to go up and down killing men for eight pence a day such fight with an ill conscience and so will fly in a time of triall As the man must be good and the cause good so his end must be good else he marres all 4. He 's unfit to govern a family he 'l make slaves and drudges of his children and servants Better be some mens beasts then their servants for those rest on the Sabbath while these are drudging for their covetous Masters These men either cannot pray with their Families or else the cares of the World will not suffer them they savour nothing but Earth they are meer Earth Earth Earth Ier. 22.29 They are Earth by Creation Earth in their Conversation and return to Earth in their dissolution They have earthen bodies and earthen minds too and so are meer Earth and have their names written in the Earth which shall be their Hell as some conceive Ier. 17.13 He that would see more Disswasives from this sin let him peruse Mr. Boltons Directions for walking with God p. 289.288 c. where you shall find 12. excellent considerations against it and Mr. Palmers Memorials p. 10.3 c. Observ. We are free from this sin say most men though most men are guilty of it yet few will acknowledge it 'T is a secret subtle sin that hides it self under the Cloak of good husbandry frugality and thrift 1 Thess. 2.5 I shall therefore give you some signes and characters of a covetous man This sin may be discerned By our Thoughts Words and Works 1. Try your selves by your Thoughts this is the best way to know what you are for as a man thinketh so is he Prov. 23.7 By these the Lord tries us Psal. 139.23 2 Sam. 16.7 Iob 42.2 and therefore by them we should try our selves they are the peculiar acts of Gods eye and greatest in his esteem 't is not so much our words and works as the bent of our hearts and spirits which he ponders Prov. 16.2 and if he find them irregular it displeaseth him Gen. 6.6 Prov. 6.18 Isai 65.2 3 5. Zach. 8.17 Ier. 4.14 Rom. 2.2.21 not only the works but also the Thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Prov 15.26 and though Thoughts are free in respect of the Courts of men yet they are not free from the All-seeing eye of God Isai 66.18 I know their thoughts 2. They are not free from Gods word it takes hold of them Heb. 4.12 Exod. 20.17 3. They are not free from his revenging hand Ier. 6.19 Rom. 2.21 Revel 2.23 2. We should try our selves by the thoughts and devices of our hearts because they are the more immediate issues of our hearts and cannot so easily deceive us as words and works may A man cannot so well judge of the goodnesse of a spring by the water which runs 7. miles off as he may by going to the Fountain head so we cannot judge so well of our selves by our actions which are as streams as we can by our Thoughts for there are many Occurrences between the Act and the thought These are the Master-wheeles and first movers in the soul and from them issue either life or death Prov. 4.23 Isai 59 7. Mat. 15.19 if a man be Malicious Murderous Covetous c. first his thoughts are so and thence come evill acts These are the Root and those the Fruit these the Mother and those her Daughters In the time of the Law the Lord required the first-fruits and the first-born Exod. 22.39 he calls not now for the first-born of our flocks or bodies but of our soules these must be kept more especially for him 3. They are the Universal Acts of the heart which discovers it self most clearly by them 4. They are the swiftest acts of the heart
nothing swifter then thoughts we can think of a thousand things in a little space 5. They are the consciencious things of the heart Rom. 2.5 their thoughts accusing or excusing them 6. They are the freest acts of the heart we do not alwayes as we think or speak but thoughts are free we think as we please When Peter denied his Master if we look to his words you would judge him an Apostate but if a man could have seen into his heart there he should have found Rabboni My Lord at least 7. They are the continual issues of the soul and so we may the better judge of our selves by them There is no judging of a Niggard by one great Feast which he keeps but by his constant fare So observe what thy heart doth constantly and habitually run upon what do'st plod most upon as the liberal man deviseth liberal things and by them is establisht so the covetous man deviseth covetous things and by them is ruined Isay 32.7 8. their end is destruction who mind viz. inordinately habitually and excessively earthly things When men can forget God dayes without number and he is seldome in their thoughts but their minds run altogether on their Oxen Farmes Wives Money when their desires be greedy after those things and their joy excessive in the enjoyment of them and their sorrow excessive in parting with them these are palpable evidences of a heart that Trades and is exercised in Covetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 Concerning Thoughts see Doctor Goodwin Vanity of Thoughts Doctor Burges his Serm. on Ier. 4.14 Fenner on Philip. 3.19 Fol. p. 43. P. 1. and on Isay 55.7 Fol. p. 139. Mr. Angiers's Treatise Doctor Preston on Rom. 2.18 Serm. 3. p. 69. 70. Hooker Soules Preparation p. 64 Church his Treasure p. 353. Mr. William Burton Anal. of Belial Serm. 7. By thy Words Out of the abundance of the heart doth the mouth speak Matth. 12.34 What is in the Ware-house will appear in the shop what is in the heart the Tongue tells you As is the man such is his language as we know what Country-man a man is by his language a French-man speaks French c. So we may guesse at men by their language a good man hath good language he speaks the language of Canaan an evill man speaks the language of the World Isai 32.6 discourse with him of that and he is in his Element he can talk all day of it and not be weary but talk to him of spiritual things and he is tanquam piscis in arido out of his Element he hath nothing to say It 's a sure sign men are of the World when they speak onely of the World 1 Iohn 4.5 when the summe of their talk is Who will shew us any good Psal. 4.6 i. e. who will shew us how we may get goods and riches as they said to Peter thou art a Galilean thy speech bewrayeth thee so these are Worldlings their very speech betrayes them 3. By thy Works and walking towards Thy Selfe Thy Family Thy Neighbours 1. When a man lives besides his Estate and can scarce allow himselfe Meat Drink Apparel Rest or things convenient this argues a covetous spirit for he that is cruell to himself to whom will he be good Solomon esteemed it a great evill for a man to have riches and no heart to use them Eccles. 6.1 2. like an Asse which carrieth gold for others when it self feeds on thistles This man is alwayes poor and wants as well that which he hath as that which he hath not Like Tantalus who sate up to the chin in water yet died for thirst Poor men want many things but the covetous all things These are men sometimes of good Wills but bad Deeds they are so farre from being like Dorcas who made coats for the poor whilst she lived Acts 9.36 37. that they can scarce endure to make any for themselves 2. By his walking towards his Family He 's base to his wife and base to his children they are bred like so many ignorant wild colts They are like to be golden calves and that 's all He 's base to his servants he ove-worketh and over-watcheth them He never catechiseth or instructeth them he never prayeth with them or for them He 's cumbred about many things and can spare no time for the service of God either in his Closet or Family 3. Towards his Tenants and such as are under him how cruell is he he wracks them he squeezeth them he sucks them till he hath got all the bloud out of their bodies and money out of their purses They grind the faces of the poor as the Milner doth his corne so long as there 's any meal to be had out of them Isai 3.15 yea so exceeding cruell are they that they do not onely fleece but flay them Micah 3.2 3. They pluck off their skinne from off them and their flesh from off their bones and break their bones and chop them for the pot and seeth them again in the Caldron Observe the Method of these cruell Canibals barbarous butchers and cursed Cookes 1. They flay off the skin 2. They eat the flesh 3. Like dogs they fall to gnawing the bones They break the bones they 'l get somewhat out of the bare bones they suck them they beat them they heat them again to fetch out marrow and at last boyle them again to get out the utmost drop of fatnesse How do the Prophets thunder out Woes against unmercifull oppressors Isai 5 8. Amos 1.3 2.6 7. Habbak 2.11 12. Mal. 3.5 Yea the wiser sort of Heathens have abhorred such cruelty Philip King of Macedon being counselled to increase his Revenew wisely answered I like not that Gardiner which pulls up his herbs by the roots The like answer gave Tiberius Caesar to one that advised him to augment his Treasure The Wool said he is sufficient I will not have the Pelt too For if the Wool be shorne it will grow again but if the skinne be pulled off then farewell all 2. When men are hard-harted to the poor They have money for Pride and money for their Lusts but for the poor servants of Christ they have nothing like Churlish Nabal that hath abundance for himself but nothing for a pious David 1 Sam. 25.10 11 36. 3. It argues Covetousnesse when men are over-reaching and unrighteous in their dealing when they have false Weights and false Wares when they work upon the ignorance and necessities of people 4. When men murmur at just Taxes justly assest every penny of pay goes to their hearts and comes like drops of blood from them How many excuses do they invent they be poor in debt have great Families c. for Pleasure Pride Purchases they have Pounds but to preserve Peace and the Gospel of Peace they have not Pence 1. Let such know that there are Dues belonging to Caesar which must be freely and cheerfully paid Matth. 22.21 Luke 20.25 Give
shall attain to a higher Degree in this Devillish Art of Blasphemy That the word is thus to be restrained is cleare from the Context both before and after The Apostle useth a kind of Gradation 1. He tells us men shall be Self-lovers Silver-lovers Boasters Proud insulting over their Brethren and which is worse they spare not God himself but are Blasphemers of him 2. The Apostle in V. 3. mentions false accusers slanderers and despisers of good men which he would not in all rationall probability have done if the word Blasphemy had been here restrained onely to slanderers So that I take the word here to signify Blasphemy against God himself and this hath many Branches 1. Gods name is blasphemed Addendo by adding or attributing that to God which his soul abhorres As that he is the Authour of sin and approves of sinne Psal. 50.21 Mal. 2.17 or that he is cruel unjust improvident not regarding how the affaires of the world go This is the blasphemy of Epicures 2. Detrahendo by denying God that honour which is due to him as when we deny his Omnipotence and say God is not able to deliver this was the blasphemy of the King of Assyria 2 Chron. 32.17 or when men deny his Omniscience Omnipresence Eternity Immensity Immutability and so upon the point deny all Gods Attributes as the Socinians do who hold that the Attributes are not Essentiall but Accidents and Qualities in God So when men give the Honour due to the Creator to the Creature as the Israelites who called their Golden Calfe God this is called a great provocation and in the Originall Blasphemy Nehem. 9.18 3. When men abuse the glorious Names and Titles of God by prophane cursing swearing forswearing murmuring fretting and storming aâ— Gods dispensations this is to set our mouthes against Heaven Psalm 73.9 and with Sennacherib to rage against God 2 Kings 19.28 Levit. 24.11 25. Iob 3.1 Ier. 20.14 4. When men raile on Christ and revile him as the Jewes did who lookt upon him as a meer man and a sinner as one that was mad and had a Devill Mat. 27.39.63 Iohn 9.24 and 10.20 5. Gods Name is blasphemed when men speak contumeliously and dâ—sgracefully of the Word of God as if 't were false imperfect and no Rule for our lives Or of the Workes of God saying This might have been otherwise this might have been mended c. 6. When men revile the Magistrate vvho is Gods Vice-gerent this is called Blasphemy 1 Kings 21.10 Naboth hath blasphemed God yea and the King So 2 Peter 2.10 speaking evill of dignities Blaspheming them saith the Originall i. e. They make it their work it is their Trade to goe up and downe reviling those in authority So much the Participle of the Present Tense implyes this is forbidden Exod. 22.28 7. Such as slander and Disgrace the Ministers of Christ not so much for any personall defects but because of their office because they are Ministers of Christ now Christ takes the contumelies done to his Embassadours as done to himselfe Luke 10.16 They are Christs Organs and primary instruments to promote and propagate his Glory in the world they are his Heralds to proclaim his Name and Truth unto the world and he will not suffer any to abuse them unrevenged Thus when the Apostles were defamed it was called Blasphemy 1 Cor. 4.13 Rom. 3.8 8. When men calumniate and traduce the servants of God meerly for serving him when they scorne and scoffe at Saints for their sanctity this is called blasphemy 1 Pet. 4.4 they speak evill of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemeing you Such were those Iob 17.6 and 30.9 Psal. 69.12 and 71.9 Ezek. 5.15 Lam. 3.16 Nahum 3.6 Mat. 11.18 1 Cor. 4.9 9. When men traduce and reproach Gods Ordinances as low empty mean things so did those false Teachers 2 Pet. 2.2 by whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemabitur the Christian Religion is the right way to salvation yet those by their calumnies laboured to turn men from it So Acts 13.45 and 18.6 Iames 2.7 Revel 2.9 10. When such as professe Christianity live loosely and licentiously when they live not up to their principles nor answerable to their holy profession they cause Gods Name to be blasphemed 2 Sam. 12.14 Ezek. 36.22 23. Rom 2.24 and so do those that apostatize and fall from the truth to Idolatry they do in an high degree cause Gods to be blasphemed Levit. 18.21 Isay 63.7 Ezek. 20.27.28 they disparage the Lords Pastures and do interpretatively say There is no lovelinesse truth or goodnesse in the wayes and worship of God and therefore they forsake it what greater blasphemy Thus Hymoneus and Alexander making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience are said to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. ult and if those whom Paul peresecuted that did out of fear renounce the Faith are yet said to blaspheme Acts 16.11 oh how sad is their condition and how high their blasphemy who do electively deliberately and wilâ—ully forsake Christ and his truth without any such tentation and triall These come near to that irresistible blasphemy and upardonable sin against the Holy Ghost When men through Ignorance for want of Light shall persecute Christ and his people this blasphemy is pardonable as we see in Paul who was a persecuter a blasphemer but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1.13 So did many of the Jews Acts 3.17 But when men shall wittingly willingly maliciously and despitefully oppose Christ and his truth as the Scribes and Pharises did this is that blasphemy which shall never be forgiven Luke 12.10 Mark 3.29 Let us now apply this Character of the last times to our times and see if all these 10. kinds of blasphemy may not be found amongst us The Lord is my Record that I take no pleasure in the Devils victories now in raking in this loathsome dung-hill I desire to write with Teares what I have read with trembling I could heartily wish that the Land were clear of all those blasphemies with which it is charged But alas if we go about to plead not guilty in this kind we shall but double our guilt Our blasphemies and blasphemers our Copps and Coppins our Colliers and Nailers our Foxes and Farme-worths our Biddles and Bests I might say Beasts are taken notice of by Forreiners as well as by Natives There needs no secret search or digging for these abominations they are Publisht and Printed to the view of all so that they cannot be concealed or denied Had they kept their blasphemies in secret we had been silent but since they have been so impudent as to Print blasphemy it can justly offend none if we Print against them 'T is fit the Remedy should be as large as the Malady Since Generalls are no charge let us descend to particulars 1. Are there not some amongst us that have Printed that God is
the Authour of sin not only of the action but also of the Ataxy Anomy Obliquity and Sinfulnesse of the Action Are there not some that accuse him of cruelty and unjustice in his Decrees 2. Are there not others that deny God in his Attributes with the Socinians and others that give out they are infallible and equall to God having no sin in them Thus Nailer Fox and the rest of that Heretical accursed blasphemous Quaking Crew Are there not such Ranters amongst us that by hellish cursing and swearing tear in pieces that great and dreadfull name of the Lord our God Are there not such amongst us as have reviled Jesus Christ and with the Arrians and Socinians make him a man whilest they publish to the world that themselves are Deified and become Gods they make themselves perfect and Christ imperfect Have we not those that speak basely of the sacred Scriptures Cry down Magistracy Rayle on the Ministery Revile Reall Saints Lastly is not Gods Name blasphemed and that in England by the loose lives and licentious Tenets even of Professors and this is one sad aggravation of the blasphemies of our time that many Professors are turned Blasphemers Those that have been nurst up in the bosome of the Church for 20 30 40. years and had a form of godlinesse and as in Charity we hoped some of them had the power of it yet now are turned blasphemous Apostates and have discovered their rottennesse by persecuting the Truth which sometimes they protest Had they been open enemies Turks and Tartars that had thus blasphemed it might have been easier born but lo these are the wounds wherevvith Christ vvas vvounded in the house of his seeming friends Zach. 13.6 they that eat of his bread and drink of his cup have lift up the heel against him Had he been thus blasphemed and derided in Egypt it had been no vvonder Hos. 7. ult but to be thus abused and abased in England vvhere the Gospel hath been preacht above 100. years for us vvhom the Lord hath made his darling Nation whom he hath loved and tendred above all the Nations in the world for vvhom he hath broken the Povver and Policy of mighty enemies and hath given such successe by Sea and Land that all the Nations round about us stand amazed for us after all these free and undeserved favours to blaspheme the God of our mercies and vvith the Beast to crop the tree that shelters us and bite the hand that feeds us is an Act of the highest ingratitude and basest rebellion in the world Deut. 32.6 Good turnes aggravate unkindnesses and our guilt is increased by our obligations Solomons Idolatry vvas far worse then that of his wives because he had better breeding and God had appeared twice unto him 1 Kings 11.9 As our Saviour said sometimes to the Jews Iohn 10.32 Many good works have I shewed you for which of these do ye stone me So may the Lord say to England O England I have been to thee a Rock and a Refuge a Sun and a Shield I have wrought wonders for thee in Church and State by Sea and Land for which of these favours dost thou blaspheme my Name deny my Word and overthrow the very Foundations of Religion hath the Lord been a barren wildernesse to us or what iniquity have we or our Fathers found in him that we should rebell against him Ier. 2.5 as the Apostle said sometimes to the Galatians am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth So is God our enemy because he hath given us his truth and all the tokens of his love what could he do more for England then he hath done if therefore instead of the grapes oâ— Faith and Obedience we bring forth the wild grapes of Heresy and disobedience what can we expect but to have our Vine-yard laid waste 2. A second Aggravation of our horrid blasphemies is this That they have broke forth since we have made a Covenant to the contrary and that in the most solemn manner that ever any Covenant was taken in this Land with hands lifted up to the most high God That we would extirpate Heresy Schisme and profanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godlinesse But alas many of us act as if we had taken a Covenant to promote them 3. Instead of an extirpation of Schisme and Heresy there is too much connivence indulgence and toleration given them and that by some of them whose hands are at this day in Print set to the solemn League and Covenant Durst Hereticks and Blasphemers be so bold to Preach and Print as they do if they had not too indulgence from some in Authority Oh that they would no longer bear the sword in vain but as they are a Terrour to Drunkards Swearers Thieves and Vagabonds so the Lord make them a Terrour to those that are Drunk with Heresies and Blasphemies That Magistrate which hath power to punish such offenders and yet spares them becomes partaker with them Men post the punishment of such offenders one from another the Magistrate saith Let the Minister reprove it the Minister sayes Let the Hearers reform it and they say Let the offerder answer it Thus when the Sea breaks in all the Borderers contend whose right it is to mend the damme but whilest they strive much and do nothing the Sea hereby gets further in and drowns the Country The Application is easie 'T is long since observed that England hath golden Lawes but leaden executioners and that we yet want one Law viz. A Law to bind Magistrates to put all the rest of the Lawes in execution Vse Let us be deeply affected with the blasphemies and dishonours that are done unto our God in the land of our Nativity Let 's mourn for all the abominations and specially for the prodigious blasphemies which are found in the midst of us Let them deeply affect and afflict our hearts if we love God they will do so for Love is very tender of any wrong that is offered to the party beloved Thus Moses burnes with an holy zeal when he heard that one had blasphemed God he puts him in Ward and at last stones him to death Levit. 24.11 12. David hated such persons with a perfect hatred and counts them as his enemies Psal. 139 20 21 22. Hezekiah hearing of Rabsheka's blasphemies Rent his cloathes Isay 37.1 So did Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.14 when they heard the blasphemy of the Lystrians crying them up for Gods they rent their cloathes to expresse the rending of their hearts with grief and indignation at what they heard And wicked Iezabel's proclaiming a Fast upon the false accusation of Naboth for blasphemy 1 Kings 21.10 may teach us to be zealous against Reall blasphemy So the High Priest rending his clothes for conceited blasphemy Matth. 26.65 if every one of us should do so when we hear God and his Gospel blasphemed we should have more
on Baal Hos. 2.8 with the Israelites they turn their jewels into an Idoll and then dance before it and worship it Iesurun when fat and full kicks at the God which fed him Deut. 32.15 like Mules which being filled with their dammes milk matrem calcibus petunt fall to kicking the damme that fed them The Hebrewes have a Proverb In fontem ex quo semel bibisti ne projicito glebam much lesse in fontem ex quo semper God is our Creatour Preserver Father and Friend and therfore they do very foolishly who do thus ill requite him Deut. 32.6 Take heed therefore of this Spunge of the Devill as Austin calls Ingratitude wherewith he wipes all the favours of God out of our soules 5. Unthankfullness stops the Current of Gods mercies and provokes the Lord to strip us of all Solomon forsakes the God of his mercies by it he lost ten parts of his Kingdome and had adversaries ever after 1 Kings 11.9 Hezekiah when recovered rendred not according to mercy received therefore wrath came upon him from the Lord. 2 Chron. 32.25 It maks the Lord to repent of the blessings he hath given us 1 Sa. 15.11 It made David repent of his care in protecting the flocks servants of ungrateful Nabal from violence 1 Saw 25.15.16.21 22. In vain have I kept all that this fellow hath since he requites me evill for good I le destroy all that belongs to him So saith God in vain have I saved such a man from the Sword Plague Famine therefore I will now destroy him utterly for his rebellion God cannot endure these Sepulchra beneficiorum these unthankfull buriers of his benefits 6. 'T is a sad aggravation of mens sins This makes the sins of the Saints so exceeding sinfull because they are committed against the greatest Light and Love God Registers all the mercies which he bestowes on us and when we sin against them we shall be sure to hear of it 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9 10. 'T is a sinne that levens and sowres our other sins and makes them farre more loathsome It stops mens mouthes and makes them excuselesse so that they have nothing to say for themselves Ezra 9.9 10. when he had set forth what God had done for them and how they had rebelled against him he cries and now Lord what shall we say after all this q. d. We have nothing to say for our selves since we have again forsaken thy commandements notwithstanding all thy mercies and deliverances given to us this brought ruine on them V. 13 14. 7. Idolaters will rise in Judgement against such if they will praise their dung-hill-Gods shall not we praise the living God Iudg. 16.23 8. Unthankfull men are unfit for Heaven for there the Saints do nothing but sing Hallelujahs and praises to their God for ever Revel 5.12 13. Luke 2.13 This is one of the crying sins of England Ingratitude both to God and man never raigned nor raged more amongst us then at this day As the Lord loads us with mercies so we load him with our Apostasies No Nation under heaven so beloved as we and no Nation under Heaven that have worse requited his love 'T is a Miracle of mercy that he yet continues his mercies to us and that he hath not long agoe stript us naked as in the day when we were born Let it therefore repent us of our unkindnesse to our good and gracious God and for the time to come let us expresse our Thankfulnesse in Reall obedience We have nothing else to give unto God but Thanksgiving that is his Rent and due Psal. 29.2 and 50.14 every honest man will pay his Rent onely take heed that you pay it not to a wrong Land-Lord ascribe not the glory of what you are or have to your selves or to the Creature all must be given primarily to God 't is true we may thank and pay the messenger but not like the Doner Cant. 8.12 the Keepers of the Vine-yard have two hundred but Solomon himself hath a thousand Secondarily we may give Thanks to Gods Instruments whose hearts he moves to help us Thus David first blesseth God and then Abigail 1 Sam. 25.32 33. 'T is the Almes if I may so say which we give unto God in all other things God blesseth us but in Thanksgiving we bless God Psal. 50.22 Iames 3.9 God blesseth us Imperatively we bless him Optatively when we desire and endeavoâ—r to set forth his promises This is the way to increase and preserve our blessings both Temporall and Spirituall and if we merit in any duty 't is in Thanksgivings He that gives Thanks for an old mercy makes way for a new one This is more pleasing unto God then all legall Sacrifices Psal. 50.8 and 69.30 31. 'T is one of the most excellent parts of Gods worship whereby we do in a speciall manner glorify him Psal. 50. ult yea in some respects God hath more glory from the Saints on Earth then from the Saints in Heaven for they praise him without opposition in the middest of his friends but we praise him with much danger and difficulty in the middest of his enemies This is the end of our Creation Prov. 16.4 Isay 43.21 every member every sense every faculty of soul and part of our bodies calls for Thankfulnesse Quot membra tot ora Had we but wanted a Legge or an Arm or an Eye we should know the price of that mercy 'T is the end of our Predestination Ephes. 1.11 12. The end of our Redemption Isay 51.11 Luke 1.74 The end of our Adoption Ephes. 1.5 6. In a word 't is the end of all Gods Mercies that we should praise him for them Psal. 50.15 Quot beneficia tot ora When the Lord had delivered Israel out of Egypt he makes it an Argument to quicken them to obey all his commandements Exod. 20.2 when the Lord plants his Vine-yard in a very fruitfull hill then he expects the pleasant Grapes of Thankfull obedience Isay 5.1 2. Even the Devill could say Iob had good Reason to expresse his Thankfulnesse in serving God who had made the hedge of his protection round about him Iob 1.9 Rule 8. See to the manner of your Thanksgiving God loves Adverbs better then Adjectives he regards not so much quà m bonum sed quà m bene A good dish may be marred in the Cooking and a good Duty spoyled for want of a right performance He then that would give Thanks unto God rightly Must do it 1. Cordially 2. Zealously 3. Chearfully 4. Speedily 5. Beleevingly 6. Humbly 7. Holily 8. Considerately 1. We must praise God cordially not cursorily or customarily in a verball formall way but as God blesseth us Really so our praise must be Reall and sincere God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit Hence David calls on his Soul to praise God Psal. 103.1 and the Virgin Mary not only with her soul but with her Spirit i. e. with her understanding which
from God into a Pest-house 't is a Temptation and he runs upon his own ruine But for a Physitian a Midwife or a Tender of the sick to go when sent for they may go boldly for God hath promised to keep us whilest we keep his wayes Psal. 91.11 12. Thus Ioseph lives in Egypt Nehemiah in the Court of a Heathen King Lot in Sodom Iob in a land of Vz Daniel in the Court of Darius God had called them and he kept them there 3. We must distinguish of wicked men some are curable others are incurable some are obstinate desperate hardened sinners which hate reproof those shun others are simple tractable and hopefull these we must pitty If when we would cure men they will not be cured we must forsake them Ier. 51.9 when Christ saw the Pharisees to be proud captious and contentious he denounceth woes against them and leaves them But the poor Publicans that were sensible of their low and lost condition and came to Christ as the sick to the Physitian for health and cure those Christ delighted to converse with for his mission and Commission runs to such Mat. 15.24 So that 't is not simply and absolutely unlawfull for a good man sometimes to converse with wicked men how else should we convince them or convert them if we have not some converse with them A love then of pitty commiseration we must shew to all remembring that we also were sometime foolish disobedient as vile as the vilest Tir. 3.2 3. But a love of complacency familiarity delight we must express only to the godly Ps. 16.3 119.63 4. See that your ends be good viz. to convince the wicked of the evill of ther way to convert them bring them home to Christ many are familiar with the wicked in their wickednesse with the Drunkard in his drunkennesse with the Idolater in his Idolatry c. such harden and confirm wicked men in their wickednesse but they will never convert them Motives and Disswasives from familiarity with wicked men I come now to the Motives 1. Consider that familiarity with wicked men will make us like them we are very apt to resemble those that we converse with and as he that walks with wise men shall be wiser Prov. 13.20 So he that walks with wicked men shall be worse When the Israelites were mingled with the Heathen they learned their works Psal. 106.35 Ioseph living amongst Egyptians had learnt too much their language Gen. 42.15 16. the holy Prophet living amongst a polluted people complaines of his pollution by living amongst them Isay 6.5 we cannot touch such pitch but we shall be defiled by it a little of this leaven tolerated will quickly sowre the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.5 6. one scabby sheep oft infects the flock one rotten grape corrupts all such as are near it Wofull experience tells us how many that were hopefull and well given when young yet by frequenting lewd company have proved very lewd and profane There is a secret poyson and venom in ungodly company if Solomon be familiar with Idolatrous women they will quickly draw him to Idolatry Nehem. 13.26 Iehoram was wicked himself but watching with the daughter of Ahab made him worse 1 Kngs 8.18 Hence such mixing and and marrying with Idolaters is called an abomination Mal. 2.11 Ezra 9.14 Nehem. 13.6 many care not who they match withall so they have money no matter how light the Person be so the Portion be heavie They make matrimony a matter of money and so run themselves into many snares and noysome lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 Remember we are Denizeus of another society and therefore must have no needlesse society with wicked men 2. This familiarity with them may harden them in their sin God hath ordained our separation and withdrawing our selves from them as a means to humble them and turn them from sin 1 Thes. 5.22 Withdraw your selves from every Brother that walks disorderly that he may be ashamed Our familiarity with Sectaries and Libertines is a tacite and Interpretative approbation of their lewd principles and practices thereby we partake with them in their sins and so become accessary to their Plagues Numb 16.26.32 Go not to their meetings frequent not their houses read not their books have as little to do with them as possible may be Sectaries are called Dogs Philip. 3.2 now 't is a debasement for a man to be familiar with Dogs The best mettles when mixt with baser are embased thereby mix gold with brass or silver with copper and you debase the coyne for Saints familiarly to joyn with the limbs of Satan not onely endangers but debaseth them Man is a poor weak uuconstant creature and apt to go astray and therefore we should shun Temptations The Devill will challenge thee for his when thou goest to such meetings as he did the young woman which he found at a Play-house the Devill carried her away upon this account Quia in meo eam inveni I found her on my ground 3. There 's no comfort to be found in such society when trouble comes miserable comforters are they all When Iudas fell into trouble of conscience he ran to his wicked associates but see what miserable comforters they are to him in his extremity Matth. 27.4 4. 'T is a dishonour to our Lord and Master to be familiar with knowne Traytors and Rebells to him Every wicked man rebells against God there 's an enmity and an hatred in him to God his wayes his word his worship his people Rom. 8.7 Colos. 1.21 now how can he be a true subject who is familiar with open Rebels to his Soveraign or how can an obedient Spouse delight in her husbands enemies we cannot approve our selves faithfull to God unlesse we hate such as he hates 5. It 's impossible that ever we should be good so long as we delight in wicked company Hence David resolving to keep Gods Commandements first he bids the wicked depart Psal. 119.115 when a man is changed he changeth his company Paul when converted forsakes the Pharises and joynes himself to the Church of God Acts 9.19 what communion hath light with darknesse Psal. 1.1 2. and 26.4.6 if ever we would live the life of Grace here and glory hereafter we must forsake the wicked Prov. 9.6 6. By familiarity with such we do not onely endanger our Spiritualls but our Temporall estate also Lot living amongst wicked Sodomites suffered with them Gen. 14.12 when they were plundered and taken prisoners Lot also was plundered and taken prisoner with them Iehosaphat had well nigh lost his life by loving those that liated God 1 Kings 22.32 and 2 Chron. 18.31 and 19.2 a companion with riotous persons shall come to poverty with them Prov. 23.20 David by entertaining a league of amity with Hanun for the curtesies he had received from his Father Nâ—â—hash had his kindnesse suspected and his messengers disgraced 1 Sam. 10.4 Caution Yet if God have tyed us by
1. A concession many are the troubles of the Righteous Rabboth ragnoth multa magna mala the word will bear both they are for number many and for nature great 2. Here 's a consolation but the Lord delivers them out of all He is with them in six troubles and in the seventh he doth not leave them Iob 5.19.20 21. Psalm 71.20 and 92.14 15. and 118.13 14. and 149.4 and 116.6 7. Iohn 16.20 21. 2 Timothy 4.17 18. 'T is Gods usual Meâ—hod to bring his people through great miseries to the enjoyment of great mercies He first brings them through fire and water before he sets them in a wealthy place Psalm 66.12 Ioseph is first sold tried imprisoned and at last delivered and then his Prison is changed into a Palace his iron chains into golden ones and his Prison Rags into glorious Robes Iob past through many troubles yet in the conclusion the Lord delivered him out of all and made his latter end better then his beginning Iob 42.10 12. Lastly Observe The Lord is the sole deliverer of his People whatever the means or instruments of our deliverance be yet he is the Author and the efficient cause of them all 'T is he and he onely that delivers us out of all our troubles As he brings us into troubles so he onely can bring us out again He kills and he makes alive he wounds and he must make whole Hos. 6.1 Deut. 32.39 Ier. 30.7 besides him there is no Saviour hence 't is doubled by way of Emphasis Isay 43.11 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour i. none so great yea none but by and under him hence he is called the God of Salvations by way of Eminency in the Plural number to distinguish him from Idoll-Gods which cannot save Psal. 68.19 20. He that is our God is the God of Salvations viz. Temporal Spiritual and Eternal 1. All our Temporal salvations come from him he saves us from the Sword Famine Plague c. 1 Kings 8.33 c. and this he doth either Immediately or Mediately 1. Sometimes he saves his people immediately without meanes by his own immediate power he is agens liberrimum a most free agent and though he have bound us to the use of meanes yet himself is bound to none Hence when all meanes hath failed then his own arm hath brought salvation to his people Isay 63.5 Exod. 14.21 he himself will be to Ierusalem a wall of fire Zeph. 2.5 he 'l take away the mighty without hands Iob 34.20 This is Miraculous 2. Mediately 1. By Meanes all men and meanes are at his disposing The very winds and Seas obey him all are his servants ready to do his will Psal. 119.91 He 's Lord of Hosts all armies are his whether heavenly as Angels Sun Moon Stars or Earthly as frogges flies lice c. or men whether good or bad they are all raised and ruled by him He teacheth their hands to war he gives Courage Skill Power Policy and Successe 2. By weak means he oft delivers his people 't is all one with him to help with few or many 2 Chron. 14.11 by frogges and flies he confounds Pharaoh By Iael a woman he slays valiant Sisera 'T were Trumpets not of silver or gold but of Rams-hornes which blew down the walls of Iericho Heb. 11.30 what 's a worm against a mountain 't is impar congressus a very unfit match yet God can make Iacob a worm to thresh mountaines Isay 41.14 15. and his Church that is weak like a woman to compasse and besiege a man i. e. to besiege Babylon and take it Ier. 31.22 Luther an obscure Monk King Edward the sixt a child and Queeen Elizabeth a woman shall advance the work of Reformation in despight of all opposition when the Temple was to be rebuilt it was not by might or power of men but by Gods spirit on a few Zech. 4.6 'T is by the mouthes of babes and sucklings that he confounds his foes Psal. 8 2. God usually hangs the greatest weights on the weakest wyers that so his name may have all the praise By poor contemptible fishermen he confoâ—nds the wise men of the world and by things that are not he confounds the things that are 1 Cor. 1 27 28 29. i. e. those men and meanes which are so sleighted as if they had no being at all these shall confound the things which are viz. of great esteem in the world Of those 277 that were burnt in Queen Maries time 84. of them were Artificers 100. Husband-men servants and labourers 55. women and two boyes Gedeons thirty two thousand must be brought to 300. and those shall get the victory that the praise may be given to God and not to Israel Iudg. 7.2 One Abraham and his family with a little ayde overthrew four Kings Gen. 14. little David overcomes a great Goliah Shamgar with an Oxe goad slayes 600. Philistines and Sampson with the Jaw-bone of an Asse a thousand Iudg. 3.31 and 15 16. Though Gods people be a poor weak shiftlesse society yet better and safer it is to be one of Christs little ones then to be one of the Zanzummims Nimrods and men of renowne amongst the wicked of the world This kind of deliverance is Marvellous 3. By contrary Meanes He can make clay which in all probability would put out sight to open the eyes of the blind Iohn 9.9 He can make the plots of wicked men to become their plagues and their own doings to become their undoings He can snare them in the work of their own bands Psal. 9.16 He can make the wheeles go forward when we think they go backward and those wayes of providence which we think will ruine the Nations he can make them to raise them He can make wounds to heale us losses to enrich us and divisions to unite us This is glorious 2. Spiritual deliverances come from him He wounds the conscience and heales it 'T is his Prerogative Royall to bind up the broken spirit and heal such as be of a contrite heart 3. He 's the authour of eternall salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5.9 This will further appear that God is the sole deliverer of his people 1. Negatively and exclusively none else can help us if he be against us all creatures answer as the King of Israel answered the woman of Tekoa that cryed to him for help if the Lord do not help how shall I help thee 2 Kings 6.26 27. as he 's the God of all comfort and consolation both Affirmatively and Negatively 2 Cor. 1.3 So he 's the God of all our help and deliverance both Negatively and Affirmatively all our comfort and help is in him and there is none to be had without him Psal. 124. ult 'T is not 1. Idolls that can save us 'T is not 2. Riches that can save us 'T is not 3. Friends that can save us 'T is not 4. Strong-holds that can save us 'T is
with which they must be baptized Matth. 20.22 23. The Church carrieth the Crosse with her where ever she goes She was at first founded in blood she flourisheth and increaseth by bloud and she euds in bloud This plainly appeares both in sacred and Ecclesiasticall History 1. In the Old Testament we read what sorrowes the Church endured by Egyptians Assyrians Cananites Moabites Ammonites Ammorites Perizites Hittits Hivits Samaritans Persians Philistines Elijah is persecuted by Iesabel 1 Kings 19. Micaiah is imprisoned 1 Kings 22. Zacharias stoned 2 Chron. 24.20 21 22. Amos 7.12 banisht Ieremy thice imprisoned Daniel cast into the Lions den and many tortures did the Saints then endure as may be seen Heb. 11.35 c. 2. In the New Testament what persecutions were raised 1. By the Jewes who crucified Christ killed the Prophets and Apostles stoned Stephen and scattered the Church Acts 8.1 2. 2. By the Gentiles and Pagans in those ten bloody persecutions under the Romane Emperours for 300. yeares after Christ under Nero Domitian Trajan Adrian Maximian Maxentius Valerian Decius Dioclesian c. 3. By the Arrians who banisht burnt and butchered the servants of Christ. 4. By the Turk how many thousands of Christs Lambs hath that ravenous wolfe worried and what devastations hath that wild Boare made in Christs Vine-yard 5. By Antichrist the Church hath longer and sharper trialls by that man of sin then by all the rest as appeares by the Martyrologies that are extant The time would faile to tell of the cruell and barbarous Massacres in France Ireland England Scotland Germany Savoy c. Rome-Antichristian hath been more cruell to the Saints then ever Rome-Pagan was Thus if we professe the Gospel in Power we must look to be hated of All. Luke 21.17 Matth. 10.22 not absolutely for some will embrace the Gospel and love us but of very many for so the particle all is oft used in Scripture q. d. Where ever you carry the Gospel you must expect opposition from some of all sorts Acts 4.27 as Princes Psal. 2.2 Prelates Acts 4.1 from friends and foes from strangers and kindred Matth. 10.21.34 c. 1 Thes. 2.14 15. 1. Sometimes the children of God fall out amongst themselves Thus many times we see children of the same family to scratch and teare one another Thus the Devill cast a bone of contention between Lot and Abraham Between Paul and Barnabas there was a sharp contention so that they departed from each other though God turned it to the spreading of his Church Acts 15.39 41. So Paul and Peter fell out Gal. 2.11 The best are but in part regenerate they have the root of Passion Pride Selfe-conceit and all sorts of sin within them there wants but a Temptation and then if God leave them to themselves they may fall it 's hard to say how far Asa though otherwise a good man yet in a rage imprisons the Prophet for telling him of his faults and oppresseth some of the people also 2 Chronicles 16.20 2. There are many secret enemies and false Brethren that pretend to Religion and are seemingly holy of such the Apostle complaines Acts 26.28 29 30. 1 Cor. 11.26 Gal. 2.4 'T was a Cain which offered sacrifice that persecuted Abel A circumcised Ismael that scofft at Isaack Answ. Iudas which preacht Christ that betrayed him The Scribes and Pharisees who pretended most to Religion were Christs deadly enemies he was crucified by such as stiled themselves Abrahams seed Hence the Church complaines Cant. 1.6 my mothers children were angry with me i. e. the seeming children of my mother or my mothers children by external profession These under pretence of Religion are the greatest enemies to Religion and under the name of the Church fight against it As the greatest hatred is usually between men of the same profession figulus figulo invidet so the greatest enemies to the Church are those vipers that lye in her own bowels you must look to be cast out by these seeming Brethren Isai 66.5 and to be counted as monsters and that in Israel Isay 8.18 if it be so now wonder not the world will be alwayes like it self envious and harsh towards the good 3. As for open enemies we have seen before how Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck Psal. 83.7 c. Papists Atheists and Infidels conspire her ruine Hence the Church is compared to a Lilly amongst Thornes Cant. 2.2 Tyranny on the one hand and Heâ—esie on the other As ignorant Tyrants so proud Hereticks are vexing Thornes in the sides of Gods Church This lilly is sorely rent and torne by them The one hurts the body these later the soule and so are the worse of the two The one is a Lion for violence Ieremy 4.7 the other is a Fox for fraudulence Cant. 2.15 'T is a miracle of mercy to consider how the Lilly subsists in the midst of so many briars and thornes How the Lords wheat growes in the midst of so many Tares How his Doves live in the midst of so many birds of prey and his Lambs in the midst of so many roaring Lions Were not the Almighty her defence those bands of ungodlinesse would soon destroy her 2. All that Will live godly a man may have many cold Velleities wishings and wouldings and yet be never molested by Satan but when men are set upon it and are absolutely resolved with Ioshua 24 15. that they Will serve the Lord and cleave to him with full purpose of heart Dan. 1.8 Acts 11.23 when mens hearts are thus fixt on God and his worship Psal. 57.6 they must certainly look for persecution 3. All that will Live if men would conceal their godlinesse in their breasts and not shew it in their lives they might pass on more quietly but when men make open profession of their godlinesse to the disgrace of profanenesse and by their holy lives convince them of their wickednesse this breeds persecution 4. All that will live Godly A man may live civilly and soberly amongst his neighboâ—rs pay every man his dues and so passe for a right honest man in the world and be praised not persecuted But let a man begin to be truly godly hating every false way and walking in the power of religion such a one shall certainly meet with persecution 5. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus q. d. All that resolve in the vertue strength and power of Christ to walk according to the Gospel of Christ must look for persesecution A man may have a form of godliness a shew and shadow of Piety and may escape troubles but if a man be really godly and walk in the power of Religion he must look for hatred and opposition 6. Here we have the inevitable and common lot of all the faithful viz. They shall suffer persecution 't is not peradventure they may but undoubtedly they shall The Devil and his agents will persecute and pursue them These Tygers connot endure such pleasant
be If the Saints have so much joy whilest they are here below have but little communion with God what will be the joy when they shall lye in the bosome of God to all eternity being freed from sin and sorrow Oh then get interest and propriety in God get assurance that he is yours and then though all Creature-comforts faile yet you may rejoyce Hab. 3.17 18. though you want Starre-light yet you have Sun-light having God for your Portion you have the Fountain the Mine the Treasury you have an All-suffering an everlasting Portion you cannot want Psal. 23.1 Gen. 17.1 if David will have comfort he must have interest in God 2 Sam. 30.6 Then David comforted himself in the Lord His God That word My is a little word but full of sweetnesse the worldling rejoyces when he can say this is My house and My Land and My Revenue So when a Christian can clear up his interest in God and can truly say with Thomas My Lord and My God let such a one be sad if he can said Luther 2. Act your faith according to a Christians faith such is his joy He that 's full of faith shall be full of joy Hab. 3.17 Psal. 27.18 Rom. 5.1 2 3. Cling to Heb. 10.34 the promises when there 's the greatest darknesse upon Providence 3. Be much in Prayer 't is the Praying Christian that is the Rejoycing Christian. Iohn 16.24 Hannah after she had been at Prayer was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.15 18. Hence Luther calls Prayer the Leeches of his cares And when the Apostle would have us careful in nothing viz. with a diffidential vexing tormenting care presently he addes Prayer as the remedy Phil. 4.6 7. So observe that connexion 1 Thes. 5.16 Rejoyce evermore But how shall we attain it why pray without ceasing Constant praying is the way to constant Rejoycing VERSE 13. But evill men and Seducers shall waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived THe Adversative Particle But seems to make this Verse opposite to the former where the Apostle by a Prolepsis prevents an Objection Whereas some might say Sir you have told us that persecution and trouble is â—he lot of Gods servants but you have not told us what shall be the condition of wicked men Yes sayes the Apostle I shall now tell you Evill men and Seducers shall grow worse and worse q. d. As good men profit by the Crosse and grow better so wicked men have their progresse they go forward but 't is in wickednesse they become Graduates in the Devils Schoole proceeding from evill to worse and from errour to errour till they become perfect Schollars in the Devils Schoole They prosper for a time and have successe in their lewd practises deceiving others and being deceived themselves by the Devil Hence we may Observe that prosperous wickednesse is worse then afflicted godlinesse But of this in the close of the verse In this verse we have a lively description of the Impostors and Seducers of the last times The Apostle tells us 1. They will be evill men 2. They will be Juglers and Deceivers 3. They will be such as grow worse and worse 4. They will Actively deceive others and Passively they shall be deceived themselves 1. Seducers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mali evil men i. e. such as are given to all manner of vices molesting the godly for their godlinesse and raising up persecution against them These offend not through weakness but wilfulness not through infirmity but obstinacy they sit in the seat of scorners and have left off to understand or do good Psal. 36.3 these are unreasonable and wicked men 2 Thes. 3.2 and if we observe it we shall see that the seducers of our time are generally wicked men such as are led by some raigning lust as Pride Self-conceit Covetousnesse Hypocrisy Uncleannesse c. and for this God gives them up to the efficacy of error in his just judgement punishing one sin with another but of this before in the observations on verse 8. And Seducers Q. d. Evill men who are Seducers or amongst all evill men especially Seducers shall wax worse and worse so I find the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be used exegetically and by way of explanation So Gal. 1.4 Ephes. 4.20 C los. 2.2 1 Cor. 15.24 1 Thes. 2.11 To God and the Father i. e. to God the Father The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is diversly rendred our Translators render it Seducers the Geneva deceivers D. Hammond Sorcerers the Original will bear all these though most properly it signify a Jugler Inchanter one that by any crafty packing or conveiance beguiles men with false colours flatteries and illusions as the Magiâ—ians of Pharaoh deluded him with jugling tricks and empty shews in which were no reality but meer delusions and as Juglers deceive the outward senses and make us think we hear and see that which indeed we do not as Saul thought he saw reall Samuel when 't was a counterfeit so these Juglers can pass that for gold which is but brass and put such a gloss on their false wares that they shall pass with the blind world for real ones These Dyce-players can cog a Dye and make it answer what cast they please Ephes. 4.14 by sleight of hand they can cut your purses whilest they look in your faces They have an art of mixing and adulterating the word so as to make it answer their own ends and interests their own profit or pleasure they play the Hucksters with it for their own ends 2 Cor. 2.17 yea many of these spiritual Juglers are re Witches their practices shew they are in League with the Devil Simon Magus one of the first Heresiarchs was a Sorcerer the people esteemed him as an Oracle and the great power of God for he had bewitcht them with his sorceries Acts 8.9 10 11. Hence the Scripture calls such witches Gal. 3.1 and compares them to Balaam the Sorcerer Iude 11. and to the Magitians of Egypt 2 Tim. 3.8 To speak truth the Devil never drove such a Trade in England as he doth at this day nor did he ever appear so plainly in his colours How many Devils incarnate are there Devils clothed with flesh and blood that go up and down Seeking Shaking Speaking Ranting and Seducing silly souls The land is overspread with such as have acted the Devils part so long that at last they are become reall Devils in League and Covenant with him as many of our Quakers upon good grounds are judged to be I have read of some Stage-players which acted the Devils part so long till at last the Devil himself appeared 'T is so now there were many counterfeit Devils before Diaboli personati which now have attained a higher Degree in the Devils School and are become Diaboli personales Devils indeed Such kind of persons the Scripture calls Devils Revel 2.10 'T is apparent 1. That these kind of persons are led by the
they would stirre up the Magistrate since they have more especial influence on him and are more nearly related to him that he may no longer bear the sword in vain but as God hath made him the Drunkards terror the swearers terror and the profane mans terror so he may be the blaspheamers terror and the Quakers terrour making them Quake in a better kind c. That some of these are Witches accumulative compounded seducing blasphemous witches in the highest degree there is none that hath read their books or known their Practices but is or may be fully satisfied That such should be put to death is clear Exod. 22.18 Levit. 24.16 Dan. 3.29 Deut. 13.6 to 10. Some judicial precepts are Iuris communis of common equity such as are agreeable to the instinct and law of nature common to all men and these for substance bind all persons both Jews and Gentiles as being Moral and so agreeing with the Moral Law These judicial precepts which were Iuris particularis of particular equity such as pertained especially to the Jews common-wealth and were sitted for them and their time are now abolished E. g. that a man should marry with none but his own stock That the brother should raise up seed to his Brother and that a Thief should restore four-fold this was peculiar to their Common-wealth and not to ours For 1. They were a wealthy people had abundance and could better bear a losse then we can To steal an Oxe from him that hath a thousand is nothing in comparison of stealing an Oxe from him that hath but two or four 2. Violence is oft added to Theft and the publick peace of the Nation is oft broken thereby Now more regard is to be had of the publick peace then of a private mans life Melius est ut pereat unus quà m unitas The Question then will be whether it be lawfull to put a man to death for Theft Answ. We must distinguish of Theft 1. There is a single simple Theft and this admits of discreet pitty especially when 't is committed by reason of extream poverty and necessity 2. There is compounded Theft when Violence Assaults Frights in the night time especially by breaking of a mans dwelling house whereby the life of him and his are endangered and in such cases where the offence is multiplyed and increased there the Magistrate may increase the punishment and inflict death upon the party as appeares 2 Sam. 12.1 2 3 4 c. Exod. 22.2 Prov. 6.31 So then those judicial and civil Precepts which are agreeable to the Moral Law and do confirm and uphold it they bind for ever E. g. 'T is a judicial Law that adulterers and adulteresses should dye the death now this being agreeable to common equity and to the Law of Nature as appeares Gen. 38.24 where Iudah before this judicial Law was publish by Moses appoints Tamar his daughter-in-Law to be burnt for this sin and Nebuchadnezzar burnt Ahab and Zedekiah for it Ier. 29.21 22 23. So this judicial Law of putting Witches to death by the Magistrate is agreeable to common equity it helps to preserve all the Moral Prceepts which are broken by the Idolatry Murder and Malice of Wiches It preserves the Peace of the land and therefore is perpetual and must be executed in our dayes on such as practice witchcraft be they high or low white or black As witchcraft is the same for substance now as it was in the dayes of Moses viz. a Covenant with the Devil whereby men can do strange things above the Order of Nature so the punishment ought to be the same and Witches should now be more severely punisht because they sin against greater Light and Love against greater means and mercies Yea though they never hurt any person yet if it can be clearly proved that any person hath made a League with the Devil and is in confederacy with him this renouncing the Lord and contracting with his deadly enemy is a High Treason against God and deserves present and certain death It 's dangerous for Magistrates to suffer such to live whom God hath appointed unto death 1 Kings 20.42 True God is very tender of the life of man and therefore the Magistrate must be very cautious and make diligent inquiry to find out this great Mystery he must not judge by bare reports or doubtful signs but he must lay all the Testimonies Signs Circumstances and strong presumptions of witchcraft together and then judge of the Cause What a heap of words the Lord useth by way of Caution before a man be put to death Deut. 13.14 15. if a man were reported to be a seducer of others to Idolatry he must not presently be stoned though he were a son of Belial But they must enquire and make search and aske diligently and behold if it be truth and the thing be certain that such an abomination is wrought then they must surely die Levit. 20. ult this made Iosiah to destroy the witches of his time 2 King 23.14 yea Saul though a wicked man yet put witches to death 2 Sam. 28.3.9 though his heart was not sincere in what he did for he sought to them in his trouble and if the Magistrate will not cut off such yet God will Balaam the sorcerer fell by the sword Iosh. 13.22 Simon Magus fell and perisht miserably Yea Saul lost his life for seeking to such 1 Chron. 10.13 14. and so did Ahaziah 2 Kings 1.2 3 4. Levit. 20.6 2. Idolaters and enticers to Idolatry must die Exod. 22.20 Deut. 13.6.9 But witches are the grossest Idolaters they sacrifice to the Devil they pray to him trust in him and serve him who is Gods profest enemy 2. They entice others to forsake God Witches beget witches they usually seduce wives sons daughters friends c. and therefore they ought to die 3. Those that doe more especially bring Gods plagues on a Land and Nation ought more especially to be punisht But witches and wizards do more especially bring Gods Plagues on a Nation This brought the curse on the Canaanites and drove them out of their Land Deuteronomy 18.12 14 15. This was that crying sin which made the Lord to forsake his people Isay 2.6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people because they are South-sayers like the Philistims Manasses witch-craft and wickednesse brought plagues on the Jewes many years after So 2 Kings 17.17 18. I have insisted the more on this sin because witch-craft grows so rife in the Land Had it been practised in the midnight of Popery it had been no wonder to see such works of darkness in dayes of darkness Revelatiâ—ns 18.23 but now in the glorious Sunshine of the Gospel and day of special grace to practice such abominable works of darknesse makes mens sinnes out of measure sinneful We look for Peace but God may say to us as Iehu did to Ioram what hast thou to doe with Peace since the whoredomes of thy Mother Iesabel and
are but Truths twinnes Civil Truth is good but the least Evangelical Truth is of more worth then all the Civil Truths in the world that are meerly so 3. Naturally wee desire Liberty now Truth is the Parent of all true Liberty whether it bee Political or Personal so much Untruth so much Thraldome so much Truth so much Liberty Iohn 8.32 4. If you preserve the Truth it will preserve you in the hour of Temptation as Solomon sayes of wisdom Prov. 4.8 exalt her and she shall exalt you So keep the truth and it will keep you from falling as it did the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3.10 so thou shalt stand as an impregnable rock when others fly as the Chaffe before the wind The Truth of God in judgement is one of the Eyes of the soul he that wants it is blind and cannot see afar off Now as a clear eye is a very great help for the discerning of a danger before it comes so a clear distinct knowledg of the truth is a very great help to us to discern a Temptation before it be upon us and to discover the Methods and Depths of Satan that he may not surprize us unawares 5. 'T is a great honour to a person or Nation to be the Conservators and Preservers of the Truths of God 'T is not only our Duty but our Glory This honour formerly belonged to the Jewes to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 and 9.4 God hath now entrusted us with this choyce Treasure the Lord help us to keep it pure both in Judgement and Practice lest it be taken from us Let us all in our places preserve it from violence with all our might There are many spiritual Cheaters abroad the greater will our honour be in maintaining Gods Truth against them all 'T was Shammahs honour one of Davids Worthies that he kept his ground and got a great victory when others â—led 2 Sam. 23.12 Say not I am but one and a weak one too but remember what great things the Lord did by Athanasius and Luther when they had all the world against them One man holding forth truth shall be too strong for all the world for truth unites us to God and God to us it ingageth God in our quarrel and so makes us invincible for if God be with us who can be against us so as to hurt us and destroy us Rom. 8.31 Bradford writing to his friends tells them never shall the enemy be able to burn the truth or prison and keep it in bonds us they may prison bind and burn but our Cause Religion and Doctrine they shall never be able to burn The story of the man in the Councill of Nice is well known where a Christian of no great Learning converted a Learned man whom all the Bishops with their skill and eloquence could not perswade so long as the matter went by words he opposed words with words but when instead of words power came out of the mouth of the speaker words could not withstand truth nor man stand out against God Many wonder why Ministers are so earnest and zealous in defending the truth why 't is a depâ—situm which God hath entrusted us withall and 't is well observed that it 's a greater sin to imbezill or alter that then any thing we have borrowed because this is committed to our justice but a depositum to our faithfullnesse the deposition doth rest upon us as trusty men Let Gods truth then be dearer to us then our dearest lives our lives will not be worth the enjoying if God take his truth from us let us beseech him rather to take our lives away rather then take the light of the Gospel away And hast been assured of If you read the words so The Observation will be this That Ministers should be assured of those things which they teach to others They should not only have a Head knowledge or an aery empty notionall speculative knowledge but an experimentall practical knowledge They must believe before they speak Psalme 116.10 that so they may speak from the heart to the heart and may bring their meat in their breasts and not as birds do in their Beaks Knowing of whom thou hast learned them 1. Observe That gracious men are modest men The Apostle doth not boast of himself to Timothy nor proclaim his Learning gifts c. He onely tells him in brief Thou knowest of whom thou hast learnt them 2. Observe The excellency of the Teacher makes the Doctrine the more taking This we see even in Humane and Moral Learning the Platonick Doctrine grew famous because it was profest by Socrates and the Peripatetick by Aristotle The Schollars of Pythagoras did so confide in the Dictates of their Master that when any one askt them a Reason of what they held they would give no other answer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ipse dixit our Master said so yet these were Heathens but when we have an aged holy Paul for our Master who was an Apostle of Christ the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost and guided more immediately by the Spirit of God then we must with constancy adhere to what they teach us and attend to their doctrine as if Christ himself taught us Gal. 4.14 for his Ambassadours they are and he that heareth them heareth him Young Timothies especially should hearken to the instructions of aged Pauls who have born the heat of the day and by experience can teach us the ways of God Years should be heard speak Iob 32.7 Young Ministers should suspect their own judgements when they vary from an Holy aged Calvin Beza and all the Churches of God As young Lawyers and Physitians observe the Principles and Practices of the serious and grave Professours of their way especially when grounded on Maxims and Rules of Art So should young Divines It ill becomes a young raw Physitian to contradict a whole Colledge of Physitians or a Puny Lawyer a Bench of Judges or a young Divine a whole Assembly of Divines 'T is the looseness of the times that makes young men so bold When Government is settled they will either change their note or be made ashamed of it VERSE 15. And that from a Childe thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Iesus THese words contain a third Argument by which the Apostle presseth Timothy to perseverance viz. because he knew the Scriptures not onely from his Childe-hood but even from his Infancy and from a suckling i. so soon as ever he was able to learn the Scriptures he was presently taught them 1. Observe Parents ought to instruct their Children betimes in the Word of God It s good seasoning the Vessel betimes with goodness Lois Timothies Grandmother and Eunice his Mother taught him as soon as he was capable the way of the Lord 2 Timothy 2.5 Timothies Father was a Greek and Gentile but his
were the Messiah Christ proves it out of Isay 35. 53. and 61. when others Questioned the Resurrection Christ confutes them out of Exodus 4. I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob When a Question arose about Divorcements Christ hath recourse presently to the Old Testament and alledgeth those words Genesis 2. For this cause a man shall leave Father and Mother and they two not they twenty as the Polygamistical Anabaptists would have it shall be one flesh So when the Pharisees accused Christs Disciples for breach of the Sabbath Christ presently defends them with an Old Testament proof Matthew 12.3 compared with 1 Samuel 21.6 So when the Scribes and Pharisees taught for Doctrines the Precepts of men Christ confutes them out of Isay 29 13. When Christ would teach men to deal justly and to doe as they would be done by he proves it from the Law and the Prophets which comprehend the whole Old Testament Mat. 7.12 So did Paul Acts 26.22 and 28.23 he taught nothing but what was written in the Law and the Prophets So Ephesians 6.2 3. and Peter confirmed what he said out of the Old Testament 1 Peter 2.4 and 1.1 15. When Paul would fright men from murmuring he brings an Old Testament Example 1 Cor. 10.6.11 All these things are written for our Example So he proves Justification by Faith out of the Old Testament by Abrahams being justified by Faith Rom. 4. He proves the maintenance of Ministers to be due from the Law 1 Cor. 9.7 8. All this proves that the Old Testament is not abrogated 3. The Word of the Lord endures for ever not a Jod or tittle of it shall pass away till all be fulfilled Matthew 5.18 But the writings of Moses and the Prophets are the Word of God Hence they are called His Statutes his Testimonies his Law and his Commandements and in our doubts we must to the Law and Testimony as our Rule Isay 8.20 and Peter tells us 2 Peter 1.19 that we have a more sure word of Prophesie speaking of the Old Testament whereunto ye do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place and if they do well that take it for their Rule and Guide then they do ill that reject it to follow some Ignis fatuus some New-light of their own inventing 4. He that denieth the Old Testament when it crosseth his Lusts will when a Tempation comes deny the New Testament also for the Pen-men of the Old Testament were inspired with the same Holy Spirit of Truth as were the Penmen of the New There is but one Spirit 2 Corinthians 4.13 and it cannot speak Truth in Paul and falshood in Moses but the same Holy Spirit which spake by Peter Paul Iohn c. Spake also by Moses Isay David Ieremy Luke 1.70 Hebrewes 1.1 2 Peter 1.21 Question one and you will quickly question all Question Moses and you will question Matthew Question Matthew and you will question Paul till at last with the Quakers you have cast off all For what is the Old Testament but the New obscure And what is the New Testament but the Old made plain both have an eye to Christ they being saved in the Old Testament by believing that Christ would come and we in the New by believing that Christ is come So that deny one and you will quickly deny both 5 The Anabaptists themselves who cry out most against Old Testament proofs yet are as ready as any to borrow proofs from thence when they think it may make for their advantage Thus the Anabaptists in Germany that cried down the Old Testament yet went about to justifie their rising against their Superiours from the Example of the Israelites rising against Pharaoh and when we demand what grounds they have to preach without a call they can then cite Numbers 11.25 2 Chronicles 17.7 Ioel 2.28 I hope they will allow us the same Liberty which they take themselves and when we cite Old Testament proofs against Tolerations and for punishing blasphemers with death they will not be offended 6. How shall we be able to convince a Jew that Christ is the true Messias It must be out of the Old Testament for the New he wil not believe Now that Christ is already come according to the Promises and Prophesies of him is as cleare as the Sunne by Old Testament proofes 1. He came into the World at the time foretold Daniel 9.24 after seventy weaks i. fourty nine years the Messiah shall come therefore the Messiah is now for from that time till now is two thousand yeares and more as appears by History 2. The place of his Birth was foretod Micah 5.2 and accordingly Christ was born at Bethlem Matthew 2.6 3. 'T was prophesied that he should be meeke and lowly not a glorious earthly King that should come with fire and sword to subdue Kingdomes Isay 42.2 Zech. 9.9 accordingly he was so Matt. 11.28 4. 'T was prophesied that he should be crucified Psalm 21. Isay 53. and he was so Matthew 26.3 'T was prophesied that he should rise again Psalm 16. and he did so Matthew 28. and Gods judgements on the Jewes to this day who desired his blood might be on them and their children and it is so for at this day they are a cursed scattered contemptible people This Argument convinced a Jew fourscore yeares agoe in England Thus we see the necessity of the Old Testament in this respect See more Reasons in Master Rowles Confession of Faith p. 30.31 c. An Answer to the Anabaptisticall cavils against the Old Testament Objection If the Old Testament be not abrogated then we are still bound to Circumcision Sacrifice and other Legal Rites Answer It doth not follow for though these Jewish Ceremonies are now abolisht yet it may be useful to know them though we are not bound to the Practice of them 1. That we may see what the Jewish Paedagogy was and how God ruled his Church then 2. That we may be thankful to God who hath set us in a better condition and eased of all those tiresome journeyes and costly sacrifices Now what fallacious arguing is this because the Types and Sacrifices of the Old Testament are abolisht Ergo all the Old Testament is abolisht Every freshman can tell them à parte ad totum non valet Argumentum E. g. Some compounded Anabaptists are notorious Heretickes shall we therefore conclude that all are so All that they can gather is this That since the Ceremonial Law is ceast Ergo something in the Old Testament is ceast This no man denies but under this pretence to cast off all the Old Testament wherein are so many excellent instructions tending to Faith and good Life is most unjust and ungodly dealing and this may serve in Answer to that Socinian Argument from Heb. 8.13 and 7.18 where the Old Covenant is said to vanish Answer The Apostle speaks not there of the Doctrine of Moses and the
them for salvation the same word is used for sufficient 1 Tim. 4.8 3. Objection Though All the Scripture be thus profitable yet the whole is not saith Bellarmine Answer Who so blind as they that will not see what is this but to seek a knot in a bulrush and to make doubts where there are none at all This is to trifle and not to dispute for who knowes not that All Scripture and the whole Scripture are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equivalent and the same So All is taken in other places Collectively and not distributively as 1 Cor. 13.2 Colos. 2.9 Ephesians 2.21 and 3.15 and 4.16 These rubs being removed the sense of the place is this q. d. Great is the Dignity and Authority the Majesty and Utility of the Holy Scriptures That Gift of Gifts which have not Angels or Men but God himselfe for their more immediate Authoâ—r It is he that hath given them to informe the ignorant to recall the erronions to correct the vitious and to direct and comfort the Pious So that by reading and studying this Word of God the People of God and specially the Teacher of Gods People may be made every way fit and compleat for all the services of his calling Observe That the sacred Scriptures are the very word of God Holy men were but the Instruments 't is God that is the Authour of them they were but the spirits amanuenses to write what he should dictate to them Hence it is called the word of God Mark 7.13 2 Cor. 2.17 and 4.2 1 Thes. 4.15 the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 and is ascribed solely to the Spirit of God without mentioning any Authour Heb. 10.15 what was uttered by the mouthes of the Prophets God spake what they delivered was by direction and inspiration from above Hence the Holy Ghost is said to speak by the mouth of David Acts 1.16 and 4.25 and 28.25 and the word of the Lord is said to come to Hos. 1.1 and Ioel 1.1 Ier. 1.9 Ezek. 1.3 Heb. 1.1 2. and as the Old Testament so the New is the very word of God for the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from above and the Apostle tells us that he had received from the Lord what he delivered to them 1 Cor. 11.23 and Rom. 1.1 and 15.18 this made the Apostles stile themselves the servants of Christ. Philip. 1.1 Titus 1.1 Iames 1.1 1 Pet. 1.1 Iude 1 the foundation of the Church is said to be the Prophets i. e. the Old Testament and the Apostles i e. the New Testament Ephes. 2.20 So that the Authority of Scripture is greater then of an Angels voyce and of greater perspicuity and certainty to us for besides inspiration 't is both written and sealed This is fundamentum fundamentorum a fundamental point very necessary to be knowne for we can never profit by the scriptures till we believe and are perswaded that they are the very word of God he that believes not this believes nothing and the very ground of all that Atheisme and profanenesse both in Doctrine and Manners which abounds amongst us springs from hence Have at the Root then and have at all lay the Axe to it and the branches will soon wither To prove the Divine Authority of the Scriptures See 18. Reasons in Bishop Vshers Body of Divinity and 18. Reasons in Ward on Matthew 1.1 p. 1 2 c. Stock on the Attributes chapt 4. Mr. Iohn Downams Warfar l. 2. c. 21. p. 160. Fol. Capel on Tentat l. 4. c. 4. Sangar's Morning Lect. p. 4.20 Mr. Leighs Body of Divinity l. 1. c. 2. Walaeus loc com p. 124 125. Wo then to those Blasphemous Hereticks and Atheistical Scepticks the Anti-scripturists of our age that cry up their own perfection and cry down the Scriptures as imperfect that cry up themselves as Gods and cry down Christ as man that cry up their own dreams and cry down the word which condemns those dreams even as the Malefactor exclaimes against the Judge which he knowes will condemn him O hellish pride O hideous horrid blasphemy Wo is me that ever it should be told in Gath and published in the streets of Askelon that England which was sometimes the glory of Nations should now for such blasphemies as those become the scorn and reproach of all the Nations round about us Yet such there are perhorresco refereus that say the Scriptures are not of Divine but of Humane authority and invention that the Pen-men wrot what pleased themselves that they are no foundation of Christian religion c. Strange it is to me to find Mr. Iohn Goodwin a man of such knowledge and parts so well versed in Scripture a Preacher and expounder of it so long yet now in his old age to fall into that ragged Regiment of Anti-scripturists Yet thus it is when once men give way to sin and error they know not when nor where they shall rest Whither will not Pride and Selfe-conceit lead men As Christ was crucified between two Theeves so are the Scriptures vilified by two sorts by Papists on the one hand and Atheistical Sectaries on the other but all in vain for magna est veritas praevalebit The Truth still gets ground against them all Many Libertines cry out against us Ministers as Antichristian but whether come nearer Antichrist we or they the ensuing Parallel will declare for though their Heads took severall wayes yet like Sampsons Foxes they are tyed together with firebrands at their tayles Papists call the Scriptures 1. A Nose of wax or Rule of lead which may be bowed every way as men please 2. Inky Divinity 3. They are fallible 4. They are insufficient without unwritten Traditions 5. They prefer the Church before them 6. To defend their errours they wrest the Scriptures and make them Allegorize without a cause 7. Sometimes they take the bare Letter and will admit of no exposition 8. What blasphemous nonsensicall expositions the Friers made of the Scripture former ages can testify See Willets Tetrastilon Pillar 3. Synops. p. 1296. Atheisticall Anti-scripturists say 1. They are uncertain 2. A dead Letter 3. They are not infallible 4. They are insufficient without Revelations 5. They prefer the dark light within them before them 6. So do these yea some have turned all Scriptures into Allegories 7. So do these 8. What Non-sensical ones these make who lists may see in Mr. Brinsley's Virtigo p. 133 134. and Mr. Firmin against the Quakers Should these men have spoken but half so much against the Higher Powers as they have done against God and his word they would quickly have been apprehended for Traytors yea if a man steal above thirteen-pence half peny 't is death by the Law but if a man blaspheme the God of heaven revile the Scriptures and overthrow the very foundations of Religion there 's little or nothing done to such a one Do we thus requite the Lord O foolish and unwise Is this the thanks we
give him for all those successes and deliverances which he hath given us will not this provoke him to repent of all the mercies he hath shewed us and to consume us after he hath done us good These are worse then Papists denying the Trinity Sacraments Old Testament and New Testament affirming that there is no word but only the word Christ so did the Swenckâ—feildians in Germany herein betraying their grosse ignorance that cannot distinguish between the word Christ and the word of Christ Colos. 3.16 so called because it hath Christ for its Authour Christ for its Object and Christ for its end between Christ the coessential and coeternall word of the Father Iohn 1.1 2. Heb. 1.3 the substantial word of God 1 Iohn 5.7 Rev. 19.13 and the expresse Image of his Father and the written word of God which is contained in the Old and New Testament and is called the written word of God Luke 8.11 12. and 11.28 Acts 4.31 and 6.2 7. and the Bible or Book as being the book of books i. e. the most excellent book in the world 2. As the Papists when they are Non-plust fly to Traditions so do these fly from Scripture to Revelations As the Jews have their Talmuds and the Turks their Alcorans so the Anabaptists have their vain Visions and etraordinary Revelations whereas the Scripture is a surer Guide then a Voyce from heaven 2 Pet. 1.19 for that may be more easily counterfeited Satan can with ease transform himself into an Angell of light See this more fully cleared by the Authours in the Margin 2. We have those that cry up a Light within them and extoll it above the word of God like false Tradesmen that preferre false Lights before the clearest Sun-shine He that takes the light of nature for his Guide hath but a blind deceitful Guide which will lead him into a thousand bogs and ditches of filth and errour The natural man cannot endure the light of Gods word Iob 21.14 Isay 6.10 and 30.10 2 Tim. 4.3 he raiseth cavils against it and hates the light that discovers him He 's dead in sin and cannot once discern the supernatural things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 hence he 's called not onely dark but darknesse it self in the Abstract Ephes. 5.8 and therefore great is the sin of those that tell men they have need of no other teacher but onely the light within them 1. This overthrowes all Scripture in vain did God bid us search the Sciptures if this natural light within us were sufficient to lead us to salvation 2. This is the way to make men Heathens and to set up a natural light instead of a supernaturall 3. This would overthrow the Ministery and all their gifts which Christ gives them for the edification of his Church Ephes. 4.11 4. This would overthrow the Magistracy for to what end are his Laws and sword if every man had a light within him sufficient to direct him thus if Aaron go down Moses cannot long endure Ministery and Magistracie usually fall together Numb 16.10 13. 5. Religion hath mysteries and depths in it which no natural man can fathome 1 Cor. 2.9 14. 6. The Scripture speaks onely to Saints when he saith Christ is in you the hope of glory Colos. 1.27 but to the world he 's a stumbing-block and rock of offence 7. Christ calls them slow of heart who believe not all that the Prophets have spoken it seems they were to look to the Scriptures without them and not onely to a light within them 8. The Beraeans are commended for searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 and not for harkening to a light within them and we are commanded to try the Spirits by the Touchstone of Gods word and not by a light within us 3. Great is the sinne of the Socinians who make not the Scripture but Reason the Judge in matters of Religion and will believe no more in Religion then they can comprehend by Reason whereas we make not our Reason a Rule of faith added to the word but we use it as that light which God hath given us wherewith to search into the meaning of his word and by studious inquisition and observation to discover it and by good Reason out of the Text to convince others of its truth Reason raised and rectified is the candle of the Lord and good Prov. 20.27 so long as 't is subordinate to faith but when it goeth about to judge it then it quickly overthrowes all as we see in the Socinians who abound with such grosse Heresies that Divines Question whether we may call them Christians 4. Others boast of the Spirit in opposition to the Scripture these are certainly led by the spirit of the Devill Gods word and Spirit go together as you may see Prov. 1.23 Isay 59.21 Galatians 3.2 Gods Spirit teacheth us to try the spirit and doctrines of men by Scripture Isay 8.20 and if they speak not according to this word 't is not because they have New-light but no light in them Christ who was full of the Spirit of the Lord yet doth not go about to prove things by the Spirit within him but he sends men to the Scriptures as their Rule Iohn 5.39 and when he disputed with men and Devills he doth not appeal to the spirit or light within him but he cites Scripture without them against them for though Gods Spirit do enlighten the Saints on earth yet it is but in part this illumination is imperfect and mixt with much darknesse within them so that they have need also of a light without them which is the Scripture And if Timothy who was inlightned by the spirit in a more then ordinary measure he being an Evangelist yet must give himself to reading the Scriptures how much more have we need to read and study them who have not that measure of the spirit as he had And if the spirit were our Rule how many would be deluded with Satanical spirits but God hath given us a surer word of prophecy so that we must not trust onely to the Testimony of the spirit concerning it self but we must bring every spirit to the Trial and Touchstone of Gods word 1 Iohn 4.1 2 3. yea though they pretend to have the Spirit of God yet must it be tried by the word of God Object The Scriptures are for Novices and young beginners but after men are regenerate and grown up they must leave these external rudiments and be guided onely by the Spirit Answ. This is a most pernicious and dangerous opinion for take away the Scriptures and you take away the Rule both of good life and sound doctrine and so open a gap to all Heresie and profanenesse 2. Neither is the Scripture onely necessary for young beginners but also for the regenerate and most holy men as appeares by the Inscriptions of almost all the Epistles which are written even to the Saints themselves Rom. 1.7 8. 1 Cor. 1.2 and
10.15 Phil. 3.15 2 Pet. 1.1 1 Iohn 2.12 Iude 1. Now the more these wicked ones cry down Gods Law the more we should cry it up the more they loath it the more we should love it As fountain water is warmest in the coldest weather by an Antiperistasis so should we by an holy Antiperistasis grow more hot and zealous in the defence of Gods word by how much the Atheistical and profane oppose it So did David Psal. 119.126 127. 't is time for thee Lord to work for the wicked have made voyd thy Law q. d. 't is time for thee Lord to shew some remarkable judgement upon these wicked men who go about to destroy not one or two but all thy Lawes Though men may connive and tolerate such yet the Lord who is a jealous God will not bear long with the tolerators of such blasphemies nor with the persons tolerated See how this opposition increased Davids love to the word verse 127 128. therefore do I love thy commandements above gold q. d. The more the wicked contemn thy Law the more do I prize it even above all the Riches and Treasures of the world See more against Antiscripturists in Mr. Ioseph Symonds's sight and faith cap 15. Mr. Lyford's Plain mans senses exercised p. 17. c. Brinsley's Virtig p. 165. c. Mr. Bourne against the Quakers p. 3 4. c. Mr. Fowler against the Quakers p. 47.52 Mr. Clapham against the Quakers p. 1 2 c. 2. If the Scriptures be the very word of God then it must needs follow that they are pure perfect infallible of highest Authority Majesty Antiquity Excellency the best Judge of controversies and the onely Rule of our lives both in Doctrinals and Practicals This we shall see clearly proved to us in Psal. 19.7 to 12. where we have sixteen Excellencies and Royalties of the word of God The Law of the Lord is 1. Perfect 2. Powerfull 3. Sure 4. Makes us truly wise 5. 'T is Right 6. Comfortable 7. Pure 8. 'T is a Light 9. 'T is cleane 10. 'T is eternall 11. 'T is true 12. Righteous 13. Profitable 14. Pleasant 15. A preservative against sin 16. It brings great Reward 1. 'T is Perfect V. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect i. e. the whole word of God As God is perfect and hath a self-sufficiency in himself so is his word 'T is so perfect that nothing may be added to it or taken from it 'T is perfect formaliter in it self and perfect effectivè making us perfect and if the Five Books of Moses which was the first holy Scripture that was delivered to the Church was sufficient for the instruction of the people of that time so that they might not depart from it either to the right hand or the left Deut. 4.2 how much more compleat is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which doth more clearly set forth what Moses delivered both in Precepts and Promises in Practice and Examples Here is nothing superfluous nothing defective 't is a perfect Law of Liberty Iames 1.25 which admits of no addition or diminution Proverbs 30.6 Revelations 22.18 19. Caut. Not that Preaching is to be counted an adding as the Quakers vainly and ignorantly imagine and therefore cry out when they hear us expound the word oh take heed of adding to the word whereas adding of mens Traditions and inventions is one thing and Preaching and expouding the word in its proper sense and meaning for the edification of Gods people is another thing This the Levites practised Nehem. 8.7 8. they gave the sense of the Law So did Paul Acts 9.22 he confounded the Jewes how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 collatis testimoniis by comparing one Scripture with another So Christ expounded the Scripture Luke 24.27 and so did Philip. Acts 8.30 Explication is one thing and adding is another we coyne no new Scriptures but only expound the old what we deliver is for substance agreeable to Gods word and must therefore be believed and obeyed by us David had seen an end of all created perfection but Gods Law is exceeding large Psal. 119.96 he had seen Riches in Saul Beauty in Absolom Strength in Goliah Policy in Achitophel and he saw an end of them all they were but finite transitory things too low to give any true content to the mind of man but he found Gods word perfect and All-sufficient nothing pertaining to Holinesse or Happinesse comfort or coâ—tentment is wanting to Gods Law nor shall be to him that believes and obeyes it for the dimensions of it are large as God himself in truth and goodnesse infinite permanent and soul-satisfying Hence David expresseth his Transcendent Love to Gods transcendent Law by a Patheticall exclamation Psalm 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day 2. 'T is exceeding powerful there 's latens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hidden efficacy in it to convert the soul Psal. 19.7 and save the soul. Iames 1.21 Luke 16.29.31 Ioh 20.31 which no Philosophy nor humane eloquence can do Nature cannot cure us of our Hereditary connatural sins but the Scripture offers more grace Iames 4.6 i. e. it gives grace and strength to conquer and subdue the strongest lusts Hence it 's called a Hammer which can break the hardest hearts Ier. 23.29 a fire that consumes our strongest lusts Salt that keeps us from rotting in our sin 'T is as a Naile and an Arrow in the hearts of Gods enemies to subdue them Psal. 45.6 and fasten them Eccles. 12.11 The Majesty and Power of the Scripture is wonderfull almost in every line so that it breeds admiration in a considerate Reader By this the spirit changeth Lions into Lambs by it he raiseth us from death to life from bondage to liberty from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Insomuch as a wicked Minister by preaching it may convert soules Ier. 23.22 It must needs be powerfull because the spirit is in it which is mighty in operation and the promise is with it that if we hear and obey we shall live Isay 55.3 This can can change a Saul into a Paul it can make a Felix tremble and an Herod feare It never returnes in vain like the bow of Ionathan and the sword of Saul it never returnes empty from the battle 2 Sam. 1.23 This is that two-edged sword by which we offend our adversaries and defend our selves I may say of it as David said of Goliah's sword There is none like that 3. 'T is sure Psalm 19.7 the Testimony of the Lord is sure the word is called a Testimony because it testifies our duty de facto de jure de praemio it tells us what hath been done by others what we ought to do our selves and what our Reward shall be for so doing This word is more sure then the Pillars of the earth or the Poles of heaven they may fall and faile but not one Jod
or Tittle of Gods word shall perish Mat. 5.18 Hence it 's called a more sure i. e. a most sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 'T is a certain infallible word it hath been often tried yet never failed nor deceived those that trusted in it Psal. 12.6 we love faithfull friends and such as will stick to us in our misery oh then love the faithful and sure word of God which will never leave you nor forsake you but in the very pangs of death will minister strong consolation to you 'T is in the word that we find the everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David i. e. of Christ who in respect of the flesh descended from David Isay 55.3 there we find by whom our sins are pardoned our Natures healed our Soules are saved these are called sure mercies 1. In respect of performance they are as sure as if already done 2 Sam. 23.6 2. Sure in respect of continuance they shall never be taken away his mercy endures for ever Once adopted justified fanctisied and for ever so 2 Sam. 7.13 Iohn 13.1 Let us not then sit down content with those low perishing uncertain things but get interest in those sure desireable and soule-satisfying mercies Pray with Saint Auâ—lâ—â— Da mihi nummum nunquam periturum Lord give me those riches which will never perish 4. It maketh the simple wise and that to salvation Many that are sensible of their ignorance and simplicity are discouraged from reading the word when the promise runs to such as being sensible of their own silly bruitish condition and come with humble tractable teachable hearts that they shall be taught wisdom Prov. 1.4 and 19.4 Psal. 119.130 and become wiser then the ancient who by their long experience oft times get much wisdom 2. Wiser then their Teachers who usually excell their Schollers 3. Wiser then their enemies who yet by their continual diving and searching into the wayes of their opposites grow very subtle and cunning Psal. 119.98 99 100. 5. The word of the Lord is right and strait having no crookednesse nor perversenesse in it Wicked men go about and fetch a compasse in wayes of sin but the godly run the way of the plain and out-run them as Ahimaaz did Cushi 2 Sam. 18.23 6. It breeds joy in every soul that orders his life according to it V. 8. the godly find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat of kin to them in the word which makes them delight in it Though the wicked can find no joy there yet an upright-hearted David finds it sweeter then hony and more pretious then gold they are even the joy and rejoycing of their hearts Psalm 119.111 this breeds solid serious substantial spiritual joy in the deepest afflictions and tentation Psal. 119.92 I had perished in my affliction unlesse thy Law had been my delight It was not onely delightfull but even delight in the Abstract yea delights in the Plurall number he found delight upon delight i. e. great and sure delight in Gods word It upholds the heart from sinking under affliction 'T will make a Paul and Silas sing Psalmes in prison when Creature-comforts faile yet faith can feed upon the Promises Habbak 3.17 Hebrews 13.5 The word affords us presidents of greater trialls then ever yet we have undergone and so comforts us in our distresses Do thy children rise against thee so did Davids Do Princes speak against thee and thy famliar friends betray thee so did his Psal. 55. Hast lost all so did Iob. Art cast into some loathsome prison so was Ieremy c. besides the word comforts us by shewing how all things work together for good unto us Rom. 8.28 and that God afflicts us for good ends 7. 'T is pure not onely formaliter in se being free from all the dross and dregs of sin a corruption but effectivè because 't is a special meanes to purify and cleanse us Iohn 17.17 Purity is or at leastwise ought to be the Object of our love God is pure his word is pure his works are pure and therefore do the Saints love them so did David Psalm 119.140 thy word is very pure What followes therefore doth thy servant love it 8. It enlighteneth the eyes V. 8. 't is a light and a lamp to us Psalm 119.105 to have our bodily sight restored is a mercy but to have our dark understandings enlightened to see the deeps of our misery and the riches of Gods mercy this is the mercy of mercies Now the word is the meanes by which the spirit conveighs both sight and light to us by it he calls us out of our dark and doleful condition into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 The light of the Sun is a pleasant thing but oh how sweet and pleasant is this spiritual light which leads us to eternal happinesse naturally there is a Vaile over all our hearts and therefore before we read we should beseech the Lord to remove the Vaile else we shalll never see the divine and supernatural mysteries of Gods Law Psalm 119.18 9. The fear of the Lord is clean V. 9. The world is called the feare of God effectivè from the effect of it because it both teacheth and worketh in us the true fear of God 'T is clean 1. in se it hath no sin nor approbation of sin in it 2. Quoad nos 't is a meanes to make us clean helping to purge out that froth and filth of sin which makes us loathsome to God and his Saints 10. 'T is eternal and perpetual the Lawes of men are changed and abrogated but the Law of God is like God himself it endures for ever maugre the malice of all opposers The grasse may wither and the flower fade but the word of the Lord abides for ever Psal. 119.89 Isay 40.8 1 Pet. 1.24 25. We use to prize durable things lasting cloaths and long enduring Leases men desire oh set your hearts on Gods word which endures and will make you endure for ever if you obey it 1 Ioh. 2.17 11. 'T is not only true but Truth it self V. 9. Iohn 17.17 the judgements of the Lord are Truth He calls Gods word by the name of judgements either because in it God denounceth judgements against wicked men or else because we must judge of our actions according to this Rule There 's no fraud nor falshood in them therefore they are called by way of Eminency The Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. ult Colossians 1.1.5 As God is Truth so is his Word He is not like man that he should lye Not a Threatening in the Scripture but shall fall on the wicked and not a blessing promised but shall be fulfilled to the righteous 12. 'T is Righteous altogether as God is just and righteous so is his word Rom. 7.14 the Law is holy just and good three Epithets which can be applied to no Law but Gods only There 's no unrighteousness nor injustice in them Mens Lawes oft times are harsh hard
unrighteous so are not Gods they are perfectly just and righteous altogether 13. 'T is precious 1. In respect of profit 't is better then Gold â— In respect of pleasure 't is sweeter then hony By gold David notes all riches and the things of greatest worth in the world and by much fine Gold he meaneth all gold how pure or precious soever even the finest refined gold that hath been oftnest tried in the fire No riches like the word Hence David calls it his Heritage and Portion Psal. 119.11 as if he had nothing else in the world to trust to and therefore he prefers it before all worldly excellencies Psal. 119.72.127 the Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and silver It excells Gold in five respects 1. Gold is but an Earthly good but the riches which the Scripture brings is Spirituall 2. 'T is but a common good wicked men as Esay Ahab Nabal the Turk the Pope have it in abundance a man may be outwardly great and yet inwardly miserable 't was great Caesar that said I have been all things and yet am never the better But the Grace which the Scripture brings is a speciall blessing peculiar but to a few 3. Gold cannot comfort a man in the day of distresse whether it be personal or national 'T is rather a snare then an Helper then Proverbs 11.4 Ezek. 7.19 Zeph. 1. ult But the word of God hath breasts full of consolation for the people of God in all their distresses Psalm 119.92 4. Gold cannot breed contentment yea the more men have oft-times the more they covet But the word teacheth men godlinesse and this in the power of it breeds contentment which is better then gold 1 Tim. 6.6 5. Gold may be lost Thieves may rob us of it rust may consume it and especially when death comes we must part with it But true Grace which is wrought in us by the word and spirit of God can never be lost Where ever we go it will go with us 'T is fidus Achates a faithfull friend which will never leave us till it have brought us to glory Rev. 14.13 Oh that I could convince men of the truth of this viz. that the saving knowledge of God in his word is better then Gold Tell men where they may have gold and we see how they ride run dig delve and all for a little perishing gold which cannot satisfy them Isay 55.2 But this true Treasure which is hidden in the word of God very few labour for and the Reason is mens hearts are earthly carnal sensual and savour not the things of God Oh that such would hearken to the counsell of Solomon Prov. 8.10 11. receive instruction and not silver and knowledge rather then choice gold Prov. 3.14 15. and to a greater then Solomon Revel 3.18 Buy of me gold i. e. the Graces of the Spirit as Knowledge Faith Obedience c. Build not on the Hay Wood Stubble of mens fancies and inventions but build on the pure sure sound doctrine arising from Gods word this is called Gold 1 Cor. 3.12 and one day will be better to us then all the gold in the world 14. For delight and pleasantnesse Gods word is sweeter then Honey yea then the purest finest honey which flows from the comb Prov. 24.13 14. and 16.24 the lips of the spouse are said to drop as the honey comb i. e. her words are very pleasant sweet and grateful Cant. 5 3. and when the Scripture would express the sweetnesse of any thing it borroweth this allusion sweeter then honey Ezek. 3.3 Revel 10.9 10. Old men are all for profit and young men for pleasure here is gold for the one and honey for the other Gods word brings more true pleasure to the soules of those that obey it then the sweetest honey doth to the taste Quest. If the word be thus precious and sweet how comes it to passe that most men in the world see not the preciousnesse nor taste the sweetnesse of it Answ. The God of this world hath so blinded their eyes that they cannot see the Excellencies of the word The Sun is full of light and lustre but the blind man for want of sight cannot discern it The word is full of sweetnesse but mens hearts are so taken up with the enjoyment of present things that they cannot taste nor relish the things of God 'T is but lost labour to put a cordial in a dead mans mouth The fault then is not in the word which is as precious pure delightfull and sweet as ever but the fault is in our corrupt minds which are so blinded and hardned with sin that we cannot perceive nor receive the word Let 's beseech the Lord to spiritualize our hearts and then we shall be able experimentally to say How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then Honey to my mouth Psal. 119.103 As none know the sweetnesse of honey but such as have tasted it so none know the sweetnesse of Gods word but the people of God who experimentally know the worth of it To them and to them onely 't is more precious then gold and sweeter then honey To them the most excellent and delightfull things in the world are base and bitter drosse and dung loathsome and noysome in comparison of Gods word 15. 'T is a speciall preservative against sin V. 11. and Psal. 119.11 't is one speciall piece and part of our spiritual armour whereby we defend our selves against sin and Satan Ephes. 6.17 by this Christ Steven Paul and the Martyrs defended themselves and offended their enemies Matth. 4.47 This will Antidote and arm us with invincible arguments against sin and Satan Doth the Devill tempt thee to covetousnesse cruelty Usury the word will tell thee that no such person shall come into Gods Kingdome Psal. 15.5 Gal. 5.22 Art given to fornication adultery uncleannesse the word will tell thee that God will judge such Heb. 13.4 Art tempted to Apostasy remember Heb. 10.38 Mark 8. ult Rev. 21.8 Art tempted to pride remember God resists the proud Iames 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Art tempted to hypocrisy remember Hypocrites have the lowest place in hell Matth. 24.51 Art tempted to defraud and over-reach thy neighbour remember the Lord is an avenger of all these things 1 Thes. 4.6 though men may carry many things so subtilly as to escape the justice of men yet they shall never escape the hand of God Art tempted to break thy Covenant the Scriptures still tell thee what befell Zedekiah for this sin Ezek. 17 18. The very root of all that Atheisme and Profanenesse that is amongst us is this that either men do not know the Scriptures or else they do not believe them 16. It brings a great Reward not to those that onely hear it know it praise it but to those that practise it V. 11. yea the very obeying of Gods commandements is a reward it self
so Tobit 6.7 with the smoak of the Liver of a Fish he drives away the Devil but the Scripture saith Fide non Fumo by Faith and not by smoke we must resist him So Tobit 12.9.12.13 he makes the Angel not Christ to offer up the Prayers of the Saints to God Ecclesiasticus 22.22 and 2 Maccab 12.43.47 there is offering sacrifice for the dead See strong Reasons against them Doctor Reynolds Lect. de Lib. Apochry Bishop Vshers Body of Divinity page 14.15 Master Leighs Body of Divinity l. 1. c. 5. D. Whitaker de script Controv. 1 Q. 1. cap. 3. Rivels Isagoge ad Script c. 7. Sharpii Cursus Theolog. Contr. to page 6. 5. Is the Scripture the Word of God Oh love it then for the Authours sake we usually esteem of writings according to the Eminency and Dignity of the Authour now all Scripture is given by inspiration from God and is to be prized as the Epistle and Love-Letter of the Great God to the sonnes of men 'T is one of the chiefest gifts which ever God gave it is a greater mercy then the Sun or the Light of Heaven 'T is this we must be judged by at the last day Iohn 12.48 Not a Chapter we read nor a Text that is expounded to us but will be a witness for us or against us for our comfort or conviction at that great day Be ruled then by it since you must be judged by it and chuse rather to die then to sin against it Set your affections on it see that you love it 1. Cordially not Superficially Write it not onely in your Heads or Note-Books but get it written upon your hearts and engraven on your souls then you will delight to do Gods Will Psalm 40.8 doe not onely read it but eat it and by Meditation digest it that it may be to you the Rejoycing of your hearts Ier. 15.16 We should as readily and willingly receive Gods Word as an hungry man doth meat 2. Love it Superlatively do not love it as you do your beast or other creatures with a low carnal sensual Love but love the Scriptures next to God Appretiativè intensivè Affectu Effectu with the highest intention of Affection even above riches Pleasures yea and our appointed food Iob 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food He loved it more then any food absolutely and preferred it before his necessary food without which his life could not subsist he had rather loose his meals then his meditations on Gods Word He esteemed it more not onely then dainties or superfluities but then substantial food without which he could not live and subsist As a Reverend Divine of ours hath well observed 3. Love it â—ractically Love it so as to obey it this is the end of all our Reading and Hearing viz. that we may doe it Deuteronomy 4.6.14 and 51. and 6.3 and 11.32 It is not knowing nor praysing but practising that bringeth blessednesse Iohn 13.17 Psalm 15. ult Iam. 1.25 Revelations 22.14 Though Obedience be not the Meritorious cause of our salvation yet it is a good Evidence of it It is Via ad Regnum non causa Regnandi Luke 11.28 Romans 2.13 At the last day Christ will demand not what have we read or said but what have we done Matthew 7.22 and 25.35 Many are bare hearers but not doers of the Word and so play the Sophisters in deceiving themselves and others with showes insteed of substance Iames 1.22 To obey the Word of God in our Life is our Wisedome Deuteronomy 4.6 Hence Christ calleth him a wise man that heareth the Word and doth it Matthew 7.24 These are Verba vivenda non legenda not barely to be read but practised Hereby we honour God and so shall be honoured of him again Iohn 15.8 One Practical Christian bringeth more glory to God then a thousand Notional formall Professours This made Paul commend the Romans 6.17 not for bare professing but for obeying from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered to them and Christ preferreth such as Doe his Will before his natural Kindred Matthew 12.47 Hereby we shall experimentally know the Truth of Gods Word Iohn 17.17 When men believe the Word submit to it and are content to be ruled by it in all things they shall Experimentally know the truth of it Knowledge helps much to Practice and Practice helps much to Knowledge It is not talkeing of Wine but drinking of it that comforts and chears the heart The Theory of Musick is delightfull but the Practice is farre more Excellent and Pleasant A reall good Man is Decalogus Explicatus a living Decalogue his Life is a Comment on the Commandements The Word is written in his Heart and held forth in his Life Philippians 2.16 Holding forth the Word of Life He doth not onely lay up the Word in Hearing but he doth hold it forth in ordering all his Actions according to it And this is an Evidence that we are truely Godly Iohn 14.15 1 Iohn 3.24 And serveth to distinguish us from all the Hypocrites in the World who onely talke of Religion and cry Lord Lord Matthew 7.22 23. they come and hear But they will not doe it Ezekiel 33.31 32. that But is a blot and spoils all As it was said of Naaman the Syrian He was a Valiant man But he was a Leper that but was a blemish So we may say of many formal Professours they can talk excellently and have good Parts But they are covetous cruel proud malicious censorious c. Fie on these Buts they are the Coloquintida that spoils all These are the Botches and blemishes of Religion and cause it to be evil spoken of as the Indians said of the Spaniards when they saw their cruelty Surely that God cannot be good that hath such wicked servants So Ezek. 36.20 the profane Iewes caused Gods Name to be profaned and evil spoken of by reason of their lewdness when the Enemy cried These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth of his Land q. d. These are the holy people see what kind of Inhabitants God had in his Holy Land On the contrary when Gods people walke up to their Principles and Priviledges answering their Gospel Light with Gospel lives being burning and shining lights and leading convincing lives 1. Either they shall convince the wicked and stoppe their mouths that they shall have nothing justly against them 2. Or else convert them as Iustin Martyr confesseth that the Holy lives of the Christians taught him the Christian Religion by seeing their Constancy Patience Humility and cheerfulness in suffering it won him to the Gospel Oh then let us be doers of Gods Will this is more pleasing to him then all Duties without it Obedience is better then Sacrifice 1 Samuel 15. A heart without words is better then words without an heart a grain of Grace is better then many pounds
respect to wicked ones Answ. 1. I hope all the Ministers in England are not wicked men yet you shew respect to none but cry down all 2. The Saints in Scripture have given Titles of respect even to wicked men Esau was a prophane man yet Iacob gives him the Title of Lord not Thou Esau but my Lord Esau. Gen. 32.4.18 So Paul to Festus most Noble Festus Acts 26.25 Daniel a Saint yet speaking to Nebuchadnezzar an Idolater calls him King of Kings Dan. 2.37 The Quakers boast of their Sanctity and Perfection when they are Sots not Saints so far from Sanctity that they have not common civility which plainly shews what Spirit leads them and what that light within them is May be Perfect This Text notably sets forth the Perfection of the Scripture The Papists themselves confesse that 't is one of the most pregnant Texts for this purpose in all the Bible Would you be made wise to salvation the Scriptures will make you so Would you inform reform convince confute comfort the Scripture will not only initiate and enter you but make you compleat and absolute as some render the word and that rightly in this kind without the Addition of any Humane Traditions unwritten Verities Revelations or New lights within them The Scripture will keep us in a right temper so that we shall be still the same neither exalted by prosperity nor despondent in adversity but like the righteous we shall be an everlasting foundation when others are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and run through all religions you shall be like Mount Sion which shall never be removed though it may by some violent earth-quake be moved The word of God is a perfect Rule both for doctrine and manners There is such an All-sufficiency in it that there is nothing to be done by a faithful Minister for the saving of his flock but here he may be furnisht with it and by consequence the people also for whose sake the Minister is thus accomplisht may be fully directed and furnisht also So that here are two strong Arguments to prove this Royalty and peculiar Excellency of the Scriptures viz. Its All-sufficiency and Perfection without the Addition of any New lights or Humane inventions The first Argument runs thus That which teacheth all necessary truthâ— confuteth all errors corrects all ill manners and instructs us in all good duties that must needs be a sufficient Rule for salvation This is so clear that even Cajetan on the place though a strong Papist yet cryeth out Ecce quo tendat utilitas divinae Scripturae ad perfectionem hominis Dei i. e. cujusvis fidelis tum quoad partem intellectivam tum quoad partem operativam ut sit perfectus ad omne bonum Cajetan in loc Now what sufficiency can be wanting where there is perfection 2. That which is able to make the Minister perfect in all the duties of his calling that is sufficient to make all others perfect in all good works But the word is able to make the Ministers of the Word perfect Ergo. Hence 't is that the Lord so oft sends us hither as to a Perfect Rule Isay 8.20 Luke 16.29 Colos. 3.16 Deut. 17.18 19 20. he that takes upon him to teach Gods people must speak ouely the Oracles of God 1 Peter 4 10. To prove the Scriptures perfection See Hildersham on Psal. 51. Lect. 77. See 24. Arguments in Sharpius his Curses Theolog. controvers 9. de Script mihi p. 53. Willets Synopsis controvers 1. Q. 7. p. 52. Polan Syntag l. 1. c. 46. Hommius disput 3. p. 8. D. Prideaux fasciâ—ul Q. 7. p. 45. Mr. Leighs Body of Divinity l. 1. c. 6. Mr. Trapps Treat cap. 3. Sect. 4. Away then with all those old mouldy Vnwritten Traditions which the Papists adde to the pefect word of God and thereby would blasphemously fasten imperfection on the Scripture they go about to deceive men as the Gibeonites did Ioshua 9.4 5 6. with old bottles old garments and old clouted shoes These offend against the expresse letter of the Scripture which tells us that the Law of the Lord is Perfect and able to make us wise to salvation and if God sent a leprosy on Vzziah for bringing in the Altar of Damascus and opposing it to the true Altar then let not those presumptuous men think to escape the curse of God for adding to his perfect word and if the Jewes might adde nothing to the Canon of the Old Testament much lesse may we adde any thing to the Old and New Testament and therefore the Holy Ghost concludes the whole Bible with a dreadfull commination against all such as shall adde any thing to his word Revelations 22.18 19. As the Harlot that came before Solomon would have the child divided so those divide the Rule between Gods word and their own Traditions but God hates such halting and halving in his worship and tells us that they worship him in vain who teach for doctrines the Precepts of men Matthew 15.9 God cannot endure such mixture he 'l have none to plow with the Oxe of his word and the Asse of mens inventions De Deo nil sine Deo he 'l owne nothing in his worship but what is agreeable to his word All mens inventions stink like Carrion in his nostrils Ier. 16.18 and he will secretly punish such as offer such strange fire Leviticus 10.1.2 These Humane Additions corrupt worship and torture the conscience so that no true peace is to be found in them Against Tradition see Peter Moulin his Tract against Tradit Whitak de script controvers 1. Q. 6. c. 1. Perkins 2 Vol. p. 511. D. Hall's Old Religion cap. 16. Mr. Bernard's Rhemes against Rome Proposit 8. p. 60. Sir Humph. Lynd's Via devia Sect. 7. p. 144. D. Davenant de Iudice norma cultùs cap. 6. Rivets Isagoge ad script c. 26. Walaeus loc com p. 148. Chameir loc com l. 1. c. 15. Polan Syntag. l. 1. c. 35. 47. 2. This perfection of the Scripture should stirre up our love to it as imperfect things are slighted by us so compleat and perfect things are highly esteemed by all the sons of wisdome No book to be compared to this for perfection and therefore no book should be so loved read studied and prized by us Here 's nothing vain or superfluous but all things full of life and spirit what ever good the soul can desire 't is here to be had Here is Food for the hungery Water for the thirsty Wine for the wearied Bread for the weak Rayment for the naked Gold for the poor Eyesalve for the blind and Physick for the sick If thy heart be dead this will quicken thee if hard this will soften it if dull revive it In all our Temptations this is a Davids Harp that helpeth to still them Acts 15.31 we should therefore with joy draw water out of these Wells of Salvation
the Adulter act his lewdness if he thought the jealous husband stood at his back ready to slay him Atheism is the root of all the wickedness amongst us Psal 14.2 50.21 22. 94.5 6 8. Ezek. 9.9 This breeds Hypocrites Iob 13.16 There is a grain at least of Atheism in every sin 4 'T is a Cordial in affliction God is an Omniscient and omnipresent Friend he knows all our losses crosses tentations enemies Rev. 2.2 3 9 13. When the Priest and the Levite pass by us then he comes in to us He was with Ioseph in the prison Ieremy in the dungeon with Israel in Egypt 4. Observat. Christ is the Lord according to his Divine Nature he is Gods Coeternall Coessential Coequal with his Father This Title Lord answereth to the Hebrew word Iehovah which the Septuagint render Lord. In the New Testament this Title is given to Christ about a thousand times He is Lord over our Faith over our Consciences our Lives and Persons The Arrians and Socinians seeing Christs Humiliation and abasement denied his Deity affirming that he was not God Essentially but Nominally Since this Old blasphemous Heresie is revived in our dayes under the Notion of New-Light since it is such an Heresie as overthroweth the very foundation of our Faith the ground of our Worship and salvation by Christ and of all the good wee expect from him I shall therefore give some briefe Arguments against it and so passe on 1. That Christ is very God appeareth by the Titles which are given to him in Scripture 1. He is called Iehovah which is the most Glorious proper and peculiar Name of God Ieremiah 23.6 Malachi 3.1 2. He is stiled Gods equal Zachary 13.7 Philippians 2.6 of the same Essence with the Father he is not Consimilar like the Father but Consubstantial the same with him the one differs from the other Personally but not Essentially 1 Iohn 5.7 these three are One One in Essence one in Propriety one Iehovah Hence God himself calls him God Hebr. 1.8 1 Timothy 4.19 God manifest in the flesh and Immanuel God with us Matthew 1.23 Thomas calleth him My Lord and my God In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head Colossians 2.6 It is the Fathers Will that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father Iohn 5.23 1 Ioh. 5.20 Grotius the Socinian-Arminian-Papist labors to pervert those texts which hold forth the Deity of Christ as Philippians 2.6.1 1 Timothy 3.16 Hebrewes 1.2 and especially Acts 20.28 Romans 9.5 These two Texts are so clear for the Deity of Christ that the Learned Socinian hath no shift but this that some old Manuscripts which he hath seen read it otherwise But if a thousand Manuscripts should corrupt the Text as Grotius endeavours to maintain an Heresie let them be Anathema 2. It plainly appears that Christ is God by his Attributes 1. He is Eternall Micah 5.2 Proverbs 8.22 Iohn 17.5 Revelations 1.8 2. Immutable Hebrewes 13.8 3. Omniscent Iohn 2.24.25 and 22.17 4. Omnipresent Matthew 28.20 5. Omnipotent the Almighty able to do whatsoever pleaseth him Revelations 1.8 and 11.17 and 19.6 He is the mighty God Isay 6.9 All Power is given to him both in Heaven and in Earth He hath Power to forgive sins which is proper onely unto God Matth. 9.6 He hath Power to Judge to Justifie to Sanctifie condemn and save 3 By his Works if you will not believe him by his Word yet believe him for his Works sake Iohn 14.11 1. The work of Creation shewes plainly his Deity Iohn 1.3 1 Cor. 8.6 Colos. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 3. 2. By the works of Providence by him all things consist and subsist Iohn 5.17 Colos. 1.17 Heb. 1.3 3. By his Miraculous works winds and Seas obey him he cast out Devils and cured all diseases 4. Worship is due onely to God but Christ is worshipped Steven prayes to him We are baptized into his Name We believe in him Kings must serve him Psalm 2. ult and all the Angels worship him Hebrewes 1.6 7. 5. There is an absolute necessity that Christ should be God as well as Man for as an Infinite Justice was offended so an infinite Justice must be satisfied The intollerable weight of Gods wrath the burthen of sin the power of Satan which is to be opposed and the great good which we had lost and must be restored by Christ all conclude Christs Deity Besides he is Judge of all the World which necessarily presupposeth his Deity he must be Omnipotent Omniscient c. who is this Judge If any would see this Controversie more fully cleared he may peruse Perkins CC. l. 2. c. 1. Q. 2. Doctor Owen against Biddle from Chapter 8. to 15. Leighs Body of Divinity l. 2. c. 16. Porters Vindication of 1 Iohn 5.20 Ienkins on Iude 4. p. 162.163 fol. Polyander contra Socin cap. 43. 1. This may discover to us the hainous nature of sin in that nothing could pacifie the wrath of God nor wash out the stain of sin but the blood of God as the Holy Christ stiles it Acts 20.28 Consider but the price that was paid for the least sin it made Christ to groan and sweat non guttas sed grumos clodded blood Luke 22.44 great was the soare that needed such a salve and sad the malady that could be cured by no other medicine In nothing is the horrour of sin seen like as in the Humiliation death and suffering of Christ. This should make us hate sin as the Evil of evils better be in Hell without sin then in Heaven with it Sickness Poverty imprisonment c. These are but outward evils a man may lie under such afflictions and yet be under dear Affections as Iob David Paul It is onely sin that makes us odious to God and therefore sin should be odious to us Psalm 97.10 We should hate it not onely Odio aversationis but also odio inimicitiae Not onely by flying from it but by pnrsuing it with an hatred of enmity Sin fights against the Essence and Being of of God it would kill him and therefore we should kill it See therefore Master Ier. Burroughs Sin the evil of evils Master Robert Bolton Instruction for comfort to afflicted consciences Chapter 4. Page 110. Doctor Samuel Bolton Sermon on 2 Samuel 24.10 folio Dr. Goodwins Aggravation of sin p. 1. c. 2. 'T is matter of singular Consolation Dost thou want wisedom Righteousness Sanctification c. Christ is God therefore infinitely good able to supply all thy wants He 's a rich Magazin in him are Treasures of Wisedom Righteousness c. In him doth fulness all fulness dwell he hath not onely a fulness of sufficiency but a fulness of redundancy an overflowing fulness for me and thee and all believers to the end of the world Iohn 1. 16. Colos. 1.19 and 2.10 2. It may comfort us in respect of the Churches troubles Christ is God and King over his Church though he be a
it we may as the Traveller doth his Staffe but love it inordinately we may not unlesse we will renounce the Love of God 1 Iohn 2.15 Our love cannot stand in intense degrees to two such contrary Masters 3. Evil company is a great extinguisher of this Holy Fire scarce any thing more Hence zealous David commands evil company to depart Psalm 119.115 We must therefore be very choyce of our company for it hath great operation upon us either to good or evil As iron sharpens iron and one edged tool helps to sharpen another so God hath ordained the society of men to quicken men Conference and communication of experiences hath incredible profit in all Sciences Hence the Saints that lived in dead times did by conference excite and quicken each other in the wayes of God Mal. 3.16 17 4. Formality in Religion is a great enemy to zeal When men rest in a bare performance of duties without any power of godlyness this is the bane of Religion when ever we come to duties we should stir up the graces of Gods Spirit in us 2 Timothy 1.7 If fire be not blown and stirred up it will decay and goe out We must also dayly be adding fuel to it for where there is no fuel the fire goeth out Proverbs 26.20 Pray much men of much Prayer have been men of much zeal as we see in David Daniel Paul Bradford Frequent the Preaching of the Word Accede ad hunc ignem there is a hidden Vertue in this Ordinance to kindle this fire in our breasts which maketh the Devil so busie in drawing men to separation for he well knowes by long experience that if he can but get men out of Gods way they will soon decay in grace the body may assoon live without food as the soul can live without this bread of Life If any would see more let him peruse D. Corn. Burgess Treatise of Zeal Master Henry Hall's Sermon on Matthew 11.12 and Master Loves 4. Sermon on Matthew 11.12 Master Fenner on the Affections Sermon the ninth tenth eleventh Hildersham on Iohn 4.32 Lect. 56. Doctor Sibbs Beams of Light Sermon on Matthew 11.12 Master Ash his Sermon of Zeal 5. Observe Ministers must take all occasions to preach the Word They must preach on the Lords Day and on the week day in publick and private at home and abroad In prosperity and adversity In War and Peace In Prisons and Palaces We must not be Strawberry-Preachers as Bishop Latimer calleth them which come but once a year and are quickly gone again Not long since the Church was troubled with Canon-Preachers who preached according to the Canon once a moneth or once a day insteed of these we have State-Preachers who preach such stuffe for quality as may please the State and so much for quantity as will bring in their Angmentations no Catechizing of the flock no preaching on the week day unless Angels or Nobles call them No baptizing of Infants no fitting of the flocke for the Lords Supper but all lies at random and in confusion surely such Halving-Preachers should have half-pay Doth not he that commands us to Preach command us to Baptize also and to dispense the Lords Supper often Surely this is either not Scripture or els some of us do not doe our duty Let us therefore either do our duty or else cast off our Ministery and give place to such as will As the woman said to the King either do me justice and act as a King or else put off the Title so either let us do the whole work of our Ministery or put off the Name For nomen inane crimen immane Let us preach in season and out of season so did our Saviour he took all occasions to preach sometimes he preached in the Synagogues anon in a Mountain Matth. 5.1 sometimes in a ship Luke 5.3 and anon in a desert Luke 4.42 when the heart is willing it will find out opportunites of doing good So Paul preacheth in Synagogues in Houses by a Rivers side Act. 16.13 in prison Philem. 9. and on other occasions We are Gods Husbandmen and in the morning we must sowe our seed and in the Evening not be idle for some may prosper when we consider the great price that was paid for souls Acts 20.28 it must quicken us to redeeme all opportunities to gain them to Christ. Love is active but lazy persons have a thousand excuses either their bodies are unable the place unfit the company inconvenient c. Many Lions ly in the way of the sluggard but willing minds know no difficulties 6. Observe We are exceeding backward to the best things and have need of many admonitions and exhortations in season and out of season to quicken us in Gods work It 's much adoe to make us begin and when we have begun we are ready to look back on every discouragement Were there in us that Tractableness and teachableness which ought to be how easily might Ministers lead us in good paths 'T is prophesied of Gospel times that so meek and teachable men shall be that even a child with Scripture reason shall lead them Isay 11.6 A wicked man though you bring an hundred plain Scriptures yet he will not be convinced but a gracious soul if he have but a little hint from Scripture that what he holds or doth is displeasing to God he presently casts it off We should therefore lament the sad depravation of our Natures that have need of so much quickning to the best things Many wonder why we are so fervent and frequent in reproofs why our necessitie requires it and God in this Text injoynes it Many love us whilest we comfort them but when we come to cutting reproving and launcing their soares then they look upon us as enemies See more before on 2 Timothy 3.16 7. Observe Application must be joyned to Doctrine The Foundation and the building must go together for a foundation without a building argues the folly of him that laid it and a building without a Foundation will soon fall 'T is not sufficient that by sound Doctrine we inform the judgement but by Application we must work it on the Affections This is the very life of Preaching Doctrine is the whole loaf as 't were but Application is the dividing the word aright and distributing thereof to every one according to their several conditions For these very ends and uses God hath given us his word 2 Tim. 3.16 VERS 3 4. For the time will come that they will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers haveing itching eares 4. And they shall turne away their Eares from the Truth and shall be turned to Fables IN these words we have an Apostolical Prophesie of the petulancy and peril of the last times when men will grow weary of sound Doctrine and fall to the embracing of fabulous and vain opinions insteed of truth The words are to be considered Relatively as depending on
Embassador are esteemed as the words of him who sendeth him When our Preaching agrees with the Word 't is as the Word of God himself This believed would make us come with fear to Sermons as Iacob did Gen. 28.16 when he said Surely the Lord is in this place then Verse 17. He was afraid and said How dreadfull is this place God highly prizeth such hearts as tremble at his Word Isay 66.2 He overlooketh the Frame of Heaven and Earth to looke on such neither doth he looke on them with an eye onely of Intuition as he looketh upon the rest of the Creatures but with an eye of special complacency approbation and delight These humble ones he will teach his way Psalm 25.9 and meek hearers he will save Iames 1.21 9. Affectionally with singular love as the Word of the great God which should be sweeter to us then honey and more precious then Gold 2. With Ioy should we draw waters out of these Wells of salvation We should fly to Gods House even as the Doves unto their windowes Isay 60.8 We should come into his Courts with Joy and as the terrours of the Law should make us melt and mourn 2 Chronicles 34.27 Acts 2.27 So the Consolations of the Gospel should raise us to joy Luke 1.46 47. 3. We should earnestly desire the Word 1 Peter 2.2 Appetite and desire of food is a signe of Life Such hungery ones shall be filled with good things Luke 1.53 as Drunkards looke on the Wine to quicken their Appetite Proverbs 23.31 So should we on the excellencies of the Word to quicken our desires after it 10. Obedientially We must resolve to obey whatsoever the Lord by his Minister shall command us whether it be for Humiliation or Consolation Ieremiah 42.5 6. If the Lord will be pleased to draw us we must resolve to run after him Canticles 1.4 If he will Teach us we must resolve to keep his Precepts Psalm 119.33 34. Isay 2.3 This is the end of our hearing that we may doe Gods Will Deuterrnomy 4.5 and 5.1 and 11.32 This prompt Obedience is better then Sacrifice 1 Samuel 15.22 1. A wicked man may offer Sacrifice but no wicked man can obey 2. The sacrificer offereth the flesh of another in sacrifice but the Obedient man offereth himself But the wicked are Sermon-proofe the Hammer of the Word cannot worke upon their Adamantine hearts There is not a more evident signe of one devoted to destruction then this If Eli's sonnes will not hearken to the Voyce of their Father it is a signe the Lord hath a purpose to destroy them If Amaziah will not hearken to the Prophets Counsel he shall to ruine 2 Chronicles 25.16 When men have been often reproved and yet still harden their necks refusing to obey they shall perish they shall suddenly perish and that without remedy Proverbs 29.1 〈◊〉 is a dreadfull Text every word hath its weight 1. Man of reproofes It is an Hebraisme and is very Emphaticall in that Language which knoweth no Degrees of comparison it caries the force of the superlative Degree as Eccles. 7.1 2. Vanitie of Vanities i. Exceeding vain men of blood i. most cruel bloody-men So a man of reproofes i. A man that hath had many and various reproofes God hath reproved him by his Ministers by Friends by Foes by Checks of Conscience by Judgements on others by Judgements on himselfe and yet the man is so hardened that nothing will worke Well what of him why 1. Though such a man may escape for a time yet the Word will at last arrest him and lay hold on him Zach. 1.6 2. He shall be destroyed he shall not be annihilated that were well for him but he shall be destroyed it is not a destruction in respect of being but a destruction in respect of Joy and Comfort here and hereafter He doth not say he shall be lightly chastned or a little punished but he shall be destroyed 3. See the Certainty shall be i. It is decreed in Heaven that he shall certainly perish 4. See the suddennesse of it shall suddenly be destroyed They looke on Judgements at a distance and put the evil day farre away crying Peace Peace till judgements come suddenly on them as pangs upon a woman in travaile as we see in the old World Sodom and the Jewes and Pharaoh 4. 'T is irremediable no Prayers and Tears can help him no power can rescue him no Mercy pardon him no Mediatour intercede for him there is no remedy all the world cannot help that man which after many reproofes heardeneth his neck Oh then Come with Tractable Teachable Hearts to the Word and bidd reproofes wellcome for they are the way of Life Proverbs 6.23 VERS 5 6. But watch thou in all things endure Afflictions doe the worke of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministerie 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand IN these words the Apostle goeth on with the prosecution of his former Exhortation wherein he Epitomizeth all that he had said before and exorteth Timothy to foure Dueties 1. The first is to watchfulness But watch thou in all things Having in the two precedent Verses told him of the danger now he exhorteth him to his duety where we have First the dutie it self Watch. Secondly The extent of it not in some things onely but in all things We are beset round and must therefore keep watch and ward at every turn q. d. since false Teachers will abound and people will turn from the Truth to Fables it becommeth thee O Timothy and such as thou art to act the part of Faithful Shepheards and diligently to watch over the flock that it suffer not by your negligence The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we Translate watch signifieth also to be sober not onely in body but specially in minde Though most usually and properly it is taken in Scripture in the former sense The word implyeth that Ministers of all men must be sober and watch God hath joyned them together and we may not seperate them in our lives 1 Thessalonians 5.6 1 Peter 5.8 they are like stones in an Arch the one helpeth to uphold the other we cannot watch without sobriety and we cannot be sober without watchfulness 2. Constancy and courage against all opposition 'T is true faithfull Ministers of all men must undergoe much labour and sorrow many dangers and difficulties yet must they not be daunted or discouraged but like valiant souldiers of Christ we must endure hardship and undergoe all manner of evils and injuries cheerfully for Christ and fulfill our Ministery in despight of them all He that feareth the face and frownes of man can never discharge his Ministery faithfully to God 3. Fidelity he exhorteth him withall faithfulnesse and diligence to discharge the dueties of his Calling Do the worke of an Evangelist i. That work which becometh an Evangelist viz. To
unhorses him humbles him and makes him of a Persecutor to become a Preacher of the Gospel St. Austin after his conversion how doth he lament the robbing of an Orchard in his youth and aggravates it by five Circumstances Let us imitate these Saints and beseech the Lord to convince us of the Vileness of sin and then of the excellency of Christ Iohn 16.9 First that he would give us the Spirit of bondage to fear and tremble under the sight and sense of our sins and then the Spirit of Adoption whereby we may cry Abba Father A pardon is not prized till the Prisoner is cast and condemned Never will Christ be wonderful Christ nor Pardoning-grace be prized till sin be wonderful sin and experimentally felt out of measure sinful till sin be seen and sorrowed for as the greatest evil Christ can never be rejoiced in as the greatest good Crescens is gone to Galatia Titus to Dalmatia Observation 8. 8. Good men will be doing good where ever they are Paul was now a Prisoner yet he preached constantly in Prison and there converted Onesimus Philemon 9. Though he were bound yet the Word of the Lord should not be bound though he cannot go abroad himself yet he will send others Crescens he sends to Galatia Titus to Dalmatia and Tychicus to Ephesus Thus like a Spirtual Hannibal Aut viam inveniet aut faciet He will either find a way or make one to promote the Gospel Good men have publick spirits and though they be confined to Prisons yet are they not idle there Though the Apostle was now neer his end and ready to be Martyred yet doth he not neglect his duty but labours still what in him lay to spread the Gospel and had a care not of one or two but of all the Churches As in nature the neerer things come to the center the swifter is their motion so Paul the neerer his end the more active is he We Ministers especially should write after this Coppy and quicken our selves thereby in the work of the Lord. Observation 9. Though some may forsake us and the truth yet God hath others that are faithful What if Demas be gone yet Crescens Titus Timothy Mark and Luke abide constant no storms nor tempest can beat them off if Saul oppose David yet Ionathan will stick to him Though Israel play the Harlot yet Iudah is faithful with her God Hos. 4.15 and 11 12. Defections in the Church are not so Universal but some remain faithful Rev. 17.14 God hath a Ioseph in Pharaohs Court An Obadiah in the Court of wicked Ahab A Nehemiah in the Court of Heathenish Artaxerxes Some Saints there were in that bloody Tyrant Nero's house Philip. 4.22 And some in Babylon else God would not call them to Come out of her Revelat. 18.4 Where the Devil hath his throne and raigns in all manner of wickedness yet even there hath God some names Rev. 2.13 VERS 11. Onely Luke is with me HE onely of all my ordinary Associates continues with me Many unworthily deserted him others were dispersed abroad by him so that he wanted assistance to carry on the work of Christ. This Luke was the Evangelist who wrote the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles he was a Physitian Colos. 4.14 an excellent Graecian Pauls choice and sole Companion at this time no persecutions nor troubles could separate them He was Pauls Register as appears by his recording Pauls course of life in the Acts his counsellor and his comforter whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches 2 Cor. 7.18 He lead a single life was 84 years old when he died and was buried at Constantinople saith St. Ierom. Now if Luke onely were with Paul at Rome where then was Peter And why is there no mention made of him A Lapide and others fly to the Tradition for want of Scripture and tell us that Peter was Prisoner with Paul nine Months and boâ—h martyred in one day This is said but not proved and his evasion is as vain when he saith Luke onely is with me viz. at freedom to help me in my affairs We may not thus distinguish where the Scripture doth not distinguish It is sad to see what silly evasions learned men will invent to please a party It appears by this Text that Simon Peter was not yet at Rome and whether ever he was there is doubtful but that Simon Magus was and is still there is past questioning Besides Paul sending Salutations to many men and women at Rome yet never mentions Peter and receiving many from thence yet not a word of him 3. The Ignorance which Paul found at Rome when he came thither cannot stand with Peters being so long Bishop there Acts 28.22 4. To be an Apostle and a Bishop in their See are not coincident because to be an Apostle is to be unlimited as to people and place but a Bishop is limited to both Take Mark and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the Ministery Now he tells Timothy 1. Whom 2. What he must bring with him 1. He must bring Mark not Mark the Evangelist but Iohn Mark of whom we read Acts 12.12 and 15.37 and Colos. 4.10 He was Nephew to Barnabas Mark was his Sir-name and Iâ—hn was his Christen-name 2. Here is the Reason why he sends for him not for rest or recreation but to assist him in the Ministery that he might instruct the Churches and that he might be helpful to the Apostle in writing and other offices of love But the former sense seems most genuine for the Apostles care was more for the Churches then for himself OBSERVATIONS Observation 1. 1. A faithful friend will not forsake us in our deepest distress A faithful friend and such a one was Luke loves at all times Prov. 17.17 Though Paul be a Prisoner and ready to be martyred yet Luke keeps with him still though all forsake him yet he will stick to him Onely Luke is with me It was an high commendation of Aquila and Priscilla that to save Pauls life when he was in danger by tumults Acts 18.12 and 19.24 they ventured their own Rom. 16.3 4. As Christ laid down his life for us so must we be ready when occasion requires to lay down our lives for our Brethren 1 Iohn 3.16 Pot-friendship will vanish especially in adversity Iob 6.15 complains of his friends that they had deceived him like a brook they were not like a river which is fed by a sping and hath a perennity of flowing but like a brook which runs in moist times when there is least need of it but in a drought it fails Like Swallows which flie about us in Summer but in Winter they leave us and hide themselves in hollow trees or the like Such vermine abound which run to full barnes but out-run them when empty Most worship the rising few the setting Sun Bring Mark with thee 2. Observation 2.
betray the son too 4. Here is the Reason of this Caution why he should shun the society of Alexander viz. because of his desperate condition he being one that openly and maliciously opposed the Truth of God and greatly withstood Pauls words Alexander the Copper-smith c. There is a great Controversie amongst Interpreters who this Alexander should be and it is conceived by the most judicious that it was that Alexander mentioned Acts 19.33 Who was a Jew and dwelt at Ephesus who was on Pauls side at the first and sought to appease the tumult stirred up at Ephesus against him where he had like to have lost his life for appearing on his side yet now he maketh shipwrack of the Faith and opposeth the People of God revileing and traducing them which the Apostle calleth blasphemeing 1 Timothy 2.20 The Copper-smith A man of a mean Condition one that got his living by his hammer and hard labour in an inferiour Calling He was sometime Pauls Disciple and profest the Truth but now the scales are turned and of a Professour he is become a persecutor Hath done me much evil The word which we render hath done in the Original signifieth to shew It is an Hebraism they put shewing for doing Psal. 4.6 Who will shew us any good .i. who will effect our desires in that kind so Psal. 60.3 thou hast shewed thy people hard things .i. thou hast caused them to see and endure hard things probably he might by his agents and friends stir up Nero against him as a seditious person a broacher of strange doctrine and and enemy to the Jewish religion which was then tolerated at Rome What this evil was he shewes in the next Verse He resisted our words and opposed the truth which Paul delivered The Lord reward him according to his works which he hath done and still endeavours to do against me and the truth of God which I profess He now delivers him up to the Justice of God who is a righteous Judge and will reward every man according to his works The Vulgar to mollify this Imprecation have put the word in the future Tense and so would make it a Prediction and not an Imprecation The Lord shall reward him but the word is Optative in the Original and implyes a heavy Imprecation The Apostle by a prophetical Spirit saw manifest signes of reprobation in this man and thereupon denounceth this curse against him Quest. But how doth this Imprecation agree with that Apostolical sweetness and mildness which was in the Apostle Answ. The Apostle spake not these words out of any private spleen but oâ—t of Prophetical zeal he desires the Lord to execute his justice on this incurable Apostate So that it was an Imprecation darted by a particular motion of the Holy Ghost and so not to be imitated by us who have not that extraordinary measure of the Spirit as Paul had Of whom be thou ware also Observe him and take heed of him for he goeth up and down stirring up the Jews against the Gospel q. d. The reason why I mention him at this time is that thou maist shun him as an excommunicate person and one delivered up to Satan Since then he is an incurable Apostate avoid him as the Pest and Poysener of humane Society For he hath greatly withstood our words much more will he withstand thine q. d. He hath not onely resisted us but which is worse he hath Violently and Vehemently resisted the truth which I have preached to the world The one is but a personal persecution against charity the other is a doctrinal offence against piety and so far more hainous Observations 1. Great Professors may become grievous Persecutors This Alexander was a noted Professor and within the pale of the Church else the Apostle could not have excommunicated him and cast him out of the Church if he had never been in and if he had not profest the faith he could not have made ship-wrack of it 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Yea this man was neer to Martyrdom as Calvin conceives yet now he turns a desperate opposer of the truth The best things when corrupted become the worst The most generous wine makes the sharpest vinegar and the finest flesh when putrified becomes most fulsom These Apostates know the state of the Church better then others and so are able to do it more mischief besides God in judgment gives them up to a reprobate sense and the Devil comes with seven worse spirits and re-enters which makes the latter end of these men worse then their beginning Nicholas a great professor and one of the seven Deacons yet at last fell into foul errours pleading for community of wives and the lawfulness of adultery hence came the Sect of the Nicolaitans Rev. 2.6 Iudas went far yet at last sells his Master Be not then offended when you see Professors turn Blaspemers and Preachers Persecutors it should grieve us but not discourage us It was so in the Apostles time it is so now and it will be so to the end of the world There will be some such Tares mixt with Gods wheat and a Iudas amongst the very Apostles We must look to be hooted at as signes and wonders as mad-men and Monsters and that in Israel Isay 8.18 Quest. But doth not this prove the Apostasy of the Saints since Alexander is said to make ship-wrack of the faith Answ. Not at all There is no arguing from the shadow to the substance from the Meteor to the fixed Star because Hypocrites temporary beleevers and carnal professors fall away therefore real Saints and such as are effectually called may fall away is a manifest Non Sequitur 2. Observation 2. It is lawful sometimes and in some cases to name men Alexander a malicious incorrigible enemy is named that every one may shun him But of this before in Verse 10. 3. Observation 3. The enemies of Gods people many times are sordid men Alexander a Smith a man of no learning of mean education by professing not a Gold-Smith nor a Silver-Smith but a Copper-Smith and by disposition an open enemy to the truth This contemptible man opposeth the Preaching and Practice of chosen vessels an eminently learned Paul Thus it pleaseth God to exercise and humble his choicest servants by vile and worthless men Iob complains of such Iob 19.10 and 30.1 David complains that the abjects and dregs of the people made head against him Psal. 35.15 16. So Acts 17.5 And this was prophesied longe since by Isay 3.5 that such disordered times should come that every boy should behave himself proudly against the Ancient and the base against the Honourable and men of worth It is a trouble to ingenious natures to be molested by such disingenuous ones who want common humanity To fall by the hand of an Achilles or some eminent person for Learning and Valour is some honour But to be vext by such How 's and
nature 3. Others say it was because she was better knowen to Believers But there is no great matter in this placing of their names for in other places the husband is named before the wife as Acts 18.2 26. 1 Cor. 16.19 And the Houshold of Onesiphorus This Onesiphorus was a good man and answered to his good name He was very loving and constant to Paul even in his bonds at Rome 2 Tim. 1.16 17 18. As the Apostle before Chap. 1.16 praied for the house of Onesiphorus so here he salutes them By house here is meant by a Metonimy of the subject very frequent in Scripture the people in the house as wife children servants which may serve as an answer to that Cavill of the sottish illiterate Quakers who revile us for calling the place where the Church meets The Church when this Metonimy is so frequent in Scripture The house for the people in the house and the Church for the people that meet in the Church The Apostle useth the very word Church in this very sense 1 Cor. 14.28 35. It is a shame for a woman to speak in the Church 4. Observation 4. Good Governours bring a blessing on their Families Onesiphorus is not onely praied for himself and saluted singly but all his houshold also When Zacheus was converted he was not onely blest himself but Salvation came to his house also Luke 19.8 When Lydia and the Iaylor were converted themselves their Families were brought into Covenant with them Acts 16.14 15 33 34. Rahab the harlot by believing preserved her family alive Yea Lot was a blessing to all Sodom the Angel could not destroy it till he was gone out Gen. 19. The Reasons are these 1. The Covenant of Grace is made to the godly and their seed Gen. 17.7 So bountiful a Master do we serve that he will not only shew mercy to the godly themselves but also to thousands of Generations of them that love him and keep his Commandements Psalm 112.2 2. God loves such as resemble him in the beauty of Holynesse now love is of a diffusive Nature it extendeth it self not onely to the party beloved but to all about him If we love a man we will love his Children Servant Beast yea his dog for his Masters sake If this be in the drop what is in the Ocean If this be in the Creature whose love is imperfect finite mixt what is in the Creator who is love it selfe 1 Iohn 4.8 3. In respect of the near Union that is between Master and Servants Parents and children They all make as it were but one body so that if it goe well with the Head it must needs be the better for the Members As the Dew that falleth on the mountains runs down to the Valleyes and the precions Ointment that was poured upon the head of Aaron ran down to the skirts of his clothing Psalm 133. So the blessing which God powers on Governours extendeth it selfe to such as are under them 4. They will endeavour the conversion of such as belong to them It is promised as a blessing to such as live under the good mans shadow that they shall return Hosea 14.7 and grow up fruitfully as the corn in a well tilled field and flourish in the wayes of God like the most generous Vine to the great joy and contentment of themselves and others 5. As an evil man is a publike evil the Family the City the Nation the World yea even his beasts fare the worse for him The wicked Egyptians bring a curse on their cattle Exodus 9.3 when Achan had sinned his sons and Daughters his Oxen Asses sheep and all he had perished and fell with him Joshua 7.24 25. But it is good being a good mans Childe servant yea beast Exodus 9.4 But the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Aegypt there shall nothing die of all that is the children of Israel's God blesseth their very cattle for their sake and if the creatures could speak they would desire to be servants to those that are servants to God Let all Superiours then labour for grace that they may be a means to diffuse it to those about them for true grace is communicative Paul that was converted himselfe desireth that others were like himselfe Acts 26.29 When the woman of Samaria had found Christ she bringeth her neighbours to him Iohn 4.28 when Andrew had found Christ he bringeth Peter with him and Philip bringeth Nathaniel Iohn 1.41 45. They are like a sweet perfume or like Carbuncles and stones of fire which sweeten and enlighten all that are about them Ezekiel 28.16 The prosperity and welfare of the Church lieth much in the well-ordering of Families they are the Nurseries and Seminaries of the Church and therefore Governours of Families should walk before God in their own houses as well as in Gods house with upright hearts Psalm 101.2 2 Samuel 6.20 he returned to blesse his houshold i. to pray and praise God with them See Psalm 30. the Title and Acts 10.1.2 Iob 1.5 To this end therefore must be the morning and the evening sacrifice there Numbers 28.4 Our Prayers are our sacrifices This blesseth all as the Arke when it came to the house of Obed Edom brought a blessing with it so where duties be set up in their power they are a means to blesse our labour rest and children 2. The Word must be Read there Deut. 6.6 7. it must dwell in us not onely sufficiently but Abundantly Col. 3.16 3. Thou must Catechise and teach thy children the way of the Lord betimes Proverbs 22.6 and if David and Bathsheba a King and a Queen taught Solomon when young Proverbs 4.21.4 and 31.1 who shall think himself too good for this duety 4. There must be singing of Psalmes in our houses it is not onely our Duty but our Glory thus to glorifie God 5. Let none be idle in thy family but see that every one have some imployment wherein to serve God for of idleness comes no goodness as I have shewed before on v. 7. 6. Be well advised whom you receive into your Family If a man be to plant an Orchard he will get the chiefest grafts else as one scabbed sheepe infecteth the Flocke so one disordered person may disorder a whole Family 7. There must be a Grave yet amiable carriage towards inferiours remembring that we also have a master in Heaven Many Masters are so high and lordly so pettish and perverse that no servant can please them no service content them They use their servants like dogs rather then Christians such should remember the meekness of Iob 31.13 and how Superiours are called Fathers in Scripture because they should carry a fatherly affection towards their Inferiours Exod. 20.12 8. There must be Discipline As in the Arke there was the Rod of Manna so in every well ordered Family there must be the Manna of Instruction and the Rod of Correction There
must be no Toleration of sin it must be put far from our Tabernacles Iâ—b 22.23 least it bring a curse upon all Zach. 5.4 5. Proverbs 12.7 God will protect no Families but such as glorifie him Isay 4.5 9. There must be Repetition and godly conferring on the Word in our particular Families We Ministers must plant in publick but unlesse you that are Governours water in private we can expect but small increase Hence the Lord commands us to whet the Word as the mower doth his sithe by going over it again and again and often inculcating it to our children Deuteronomy 6.7 at our own houses by a parsonal and particular examination of them and harrowing in of that good seed which hath been publickly sowen that it be not lost I cannot therefore so well approve of that confused kinde of Repetition which is used in many places when immediately after the Evening Sermon the Governours of Families with others get all into one house to Repetition Though the duety suits well with my Principles and pactice yet with submission to better judgements and men of more experieâ—ce I conceive the dutie is not rightly circumstantiated for 1. If the Minister be put upon this duty as he is in most places to pray and repeat both his Sermons and that immediately after his publick pains though some may commend his zeal yet I question his discretion I hold it no point of wisedome for a man to tire out himselfe and his Auditours and make the Ordinances nauseous which rightly timed and performed would be very profitable and delightfull for God in his Wisedom hath so ordered the variety of holy Duties on the Sabbath that if we be wise to observe the due timing of them they be not tedious But this kind of Repetition must needs be tiresome both to Pastours and People 2. Pastor and People spending so much time as many doe in these publick Duties are deprived of that time which should be spent in a private digesting and meditating of what they have heard For I conceive still with submission to better judgements that the time immediately after the Evening Sermon is most proper for private meditation and applying what we have heard to our selves I should advise every Governour of a Family to goe home immedirtely from the publick Ordinances and to set his Family in order and set every one according to his ability some taske either in the Catechise or to learn a Psalm or a Chapter and such as can write to review and digest their notes Else whilest the master of the Family is at the Publick repetition the children and servants will be in disorder at home It is this private Meditation self-examination and application of the word to our selves which is the duty of duties and all the Repetitions in the world without this will doe us no good One Sermon eaten and digested and made our own will bring more solid joy then a thousand Repetitions Ier. 15.16 This private retiring and refreshing on our wayes comparing our hearts with the Rule is the principal duty and what ever be neglected this must not be neglected if we looke to be saved If ever we would get sound wisedome we must separate and sequester our selves from crouds Proverbs 18.7 Other things must be done in their proper time but this of all duties must not be left undone It is true this publick repeating maketh a greater noise and shew in the World but it runneth up into straw into formality censoriousnesse spiritual Pride as is experimentally seen in the most for want of this secret Soul-humbling Soul-affecting work This is indeed hard worke it is plowing self-denying worke which our formal Ephraims like not Hosea 10.11 It bringeth not that popular applause with it as the publicke meetings doe where their gifts may be more taken notice off The Devil can be content we should hear a thousand Sermons yea and repeate them too when we have done so he can but keep us from this private worke of making them our own by serious Meditation and Prayer Repeating our Sermons in our lives which is the best Repetition of Sermons the Devil hath his desire and I appeale to the Consciences of those who spend so much time in publicke and private Repetitions For I suppose these persons Repeate in their Families when they come home else I am sure they trangresse against the Rule Deuteronomy 6.6 7. Whether they doe not omit this private dutie which I speake of the wayes and walking of too many Professors sheweth it Question Would you have the duty of repeating wholly omitted Answer By no meanes for it is a duety which God commandeth Parents to practice in their particular Families But I would have it rightly Circumstantiated for Time and Place and so performed as may be most for Gods Glory and the benefit of us and ours Were I worthy to counsel Christians I should advise them 1. To retire in private as before having set their Families in Order till the Evening repast 2. After that to call all the Family together examining every one what they have learned that day and putting an edge upon it by applying it to them Objection But some people cannot pray nor Repeat themselves Answer That is their sinne and negligence especially if they be Governours of Families Yet I should advise such persons to doe in this case as they do by their meat if they cannot dresse it themselves they will desire their neighbours to help them So goe to thy Ministers house if he be nigh thee or else to thy Godly neighbour joyne with him till thou canst do it thy selfe For still I say it is most proper profitable and convenient to have this duty performed in every particular Family where there is any number especially Now this keepeth Duties in their order Here is time for private preparation then for publicke duties then for workes of necessity then for private Meditation and lastly for Family duties Thus you have my judgement I shall not confine any one to it I give you in onely what I finde Experimentallie most beneficial to my self and others and if any can experimentally finde out a more profitable way to promote Godlynesse in its power I can well permit every one to abound in his own sense and to take his own way My Record is on High that I have no designe against the persons parts or performances of any I rejoyce to see Gods work goe forward in any place my onely desire is that the power of Religion may prosper in the Land and the efficacy of it may appear in holy and mortified conversations 5. Observation 5. We must not despise any in whom we can see any thing of Christ. Be they poore Artificers and Tradesmen and such as are contemptible in the Worlds eye yet if they be precious in Christs eye they must be so in ours too yea be they weak women yet if they be good women we must honour them So
doth this great Apostle here he sendeth his salutations and best respects to Aquila a Tent-maker and his wife Priscilla and is not ashamed to own them as his coadjutors Romans 16.3 The Church of Christ in this world for the most part consisteth of mean and obscure persons as appeareth by those men and women whom the Apostle saluteth Rom. 16.1 to 16. not many wise not many noble not many mighty but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weake to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.26 27. Salute Aquila Salute Priscilla Salute Onesiphorus And why so because of their Piety and Zeal for Gods glory We had doubtlesse never heard of these persons but for that 6. Observation Hence Observe Piety bringeth praise It begetteth a good name and maketh a man famous to posterity Such honour God and therefore he honoureth them and setteth an Ecce of Admiration on them Iohn 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeed What hath made Iob Nehemiah David and all the good Kings of Israel so famous to all Generations but their Piety Wicked men by fine fare fine cloaths c. may beg a little praise but Piety commandeth Esteem even from those that cannot practice it themselves The intemperate man cannot but commend the Temperate though he cannot imitate him and the time-serving Polititian cannot but commend the sincere and constant man that sticks to his Principles though himselfe like a Wethercock cannot but turn with every wind VERS 20. Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sicke ERastus is a Greek name and signifieth Amiable and lovely He was Chamberlain of the City of Corinth Romans 16.23 he was one that attended on Paul when he sent with Timothie into Macedonia Acts 19.22 Whilest Paul was prisoner at Rome he did abide at Corinth as appeareth by the Text waiting on his publick Office it seemeth he was a great man the Treasurer of the City yet neither his riches nor his great place could keep him from loving the Apostle and the people of God 1. Observation Hence Observe There are some great men that are good men not many yet some 1 Corinthians 1.26 Lot and Abraham two great men and yet good men Genesis 13.2 5 6. and 24.35 So was Iob 1.3 and Zaccheus Luke 19.2 David died full of riches and honour 1 Chronicles 29.28 Nehemiah a Courtier and Cupbearer to a King yet one that feareth the God of Heaven Neh. 1. ult So in the New Testament we read of a noble Theophilus Luk 1.3 and of an Elect Lady that loved the Truth 2 Iohn 1.2 and of a Ioseph of Arimathea and Sergius that embraced the Gospel 1. The Lord hath so ordered it to stop the mouths of wicked men who are ready to say as the Pharisees Iohn 7.48 do any of the Rulers or great ones believe in him q. d. there are none that follow Christ but a few simple people and illiterate fishermen c. Yet God hath some Kings and Queens some Lords and Ladies some of the great ones and some of the fat of the earth that worship him Psalm 22.29 He hath a learned Nicodemus and Paul with an eloquent Apollos to defend his truth 2. The Lord calleth some such that they may draw on others who are apt to be led by great ones They are the Looking-glasses of the Countrey by which many dress themselves 3. For the greater conviction of wicked men when they shall have the light of such and such great men who have broke through great temptations and denied themselves many lawful liberties that they might be the fitter for Gods service when many that had not the Tythe of these Tentations and hinderances yet would not serve him 4. For the greater manifestation of Gods Almighty Power though it be a very hard thing for a rich man to be saved and with men it is impossible by reason of the many snares and impediments which lie in their way hence the Apostle telleth us that none of the Princes of this world have known Christ id est almost none very few 1 Corinthians 1.8 yet Christ can pare off this Camels bunch and so untwist this cable rope that it shall goe through the eye of a needle Trophimus have I left sick at Miletum This Trophimus was a Citizen of Ephesus a Disciple of Pauls and his companion in his travels Acts 20.4 and 21.29 Paul travelling through many places after his first imprisonment at Rome leaveth this Trophimus sick at Miletum a City in Asia not far from Ephesus famous for its wooll and cloathing Question But would not the Apostle work a miracle and so heal him as he had done other sick persons Answer It was not in the Apostles power to work Miracles when they pleased but onely when there was a necessity for the conviction or conversion of unbelievers then the Holy Ghost enabled and excited them to it Acts 3.12 2. Observation 2. Sickness may seize even on good men As they are subject to death so to sickness also which is the fore-runner of death Epiphraditus a good man whose recovery Paul so greatly rejoyced in yet was very sick and nigh unto death Phil. 2.27 and so was Paul himself 2 Cor. 1.8 Hezekiah and David two holy men yet sick of the Plague as it is conceived the Corinthians were chastned by the Lord with the same violent disease as 't is conceived that they might not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.30 But this needs no proof for we experimentally see that all things come alike to all and sickness is the portion of good men as well as bad only the wicked are punished in wrath their sickness and pains here are but praeludia futuri judicii fore-runners of greater pains besides they are hardned and made worse by them as Pharaoh and Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.22 God rains snares on wicked men if they be in health 't is a snare to them Psal. 69.22 Prov. 1.32 if sick 't is a snare to them their sin is drawn out discovered and ripened by it 'T is Luthers Observation that after long journeyes and long sicknesses few were better Cast a stinking weed into the fire and it smelleth worse but cast a sweet Herb into the fire and it smelleth the better God punisheth the wicked as a Iudge but he correcteth his children as a Father For their good to bring them nearer to himself and to fetch home his Prodigalls which wander after the creature and to bring their sinnes to remembrance In prosperity men cannot awhile to think of their sinnes but when sicknesse cometh they shall have time enough night and day they shall have no rest by reason of their sinne We reade of some Psalms whose Titles are A Psalm to bring to remembrance So we must say of many diseases A Feaver to bring our sinnes to remembrance a Consumption to bring our sinnes to remembrance As Pharaohs Butler said sometimes I remember my sinnes
redde sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddat Optat non affectu vindictae sed zelo justitiae impium Alexandrum puniâ—i à Deo à Lap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat observare devitare cavere Acts 21.25 2 Pet. 3.17 1 Iohn 5. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehementer obstitit Beza Calvin Comment on Acts 19.33 Corruptio optimi est pessima V. Mr. Ant. Burgess on Iâ—h 17.12 Ser. 70 71 72. But of this more fully in my Thesis de perseverantia Sanctorum Aeneae magni dextrâ cadis Virg. V. Bohemus Medit. 27. p. 71. Talium hominum improbitas semper fidem in mundo invenit ut interdum plus difficultatis negotii exhibeat maligna impudens inscitia quà m summum acumen cum doctrina conjunctum Calvin Ostendit dixit non fecit quòd impii adversus pios animum magis ostendere quà m explere possint Aquinas in locum Plures efficimur quoties metimur Tertul. V. M. Marshalls Ser. on Isay 8.9 preacht 1668. Prima semper irarum â—ela sunt maledicta quae non possâ—mus imbecilles optamâ—s irati Votis malis pro armis utimur Salvian This may stand well with Charity because it is no more then what we may desire for our selves viz. That God would rather correct us then suffer us to go on in sin Simpliciter liâ—et imprecari alteri malum non sub ratione malt sed justi Aquinas 22. Q â—5 Si apud Deum deposueris injuriâ—s ipse est ultor si damnum restitutor si dolorem medicus est si mortem resusâ—itatur Tertul. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In prima meae defensione It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an answer with a defence whereby he defends his innocency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul ad sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non iis imputetur scilicet in culpam .i. ignoseâ—tur remittatur Meiosis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non simplicem responsionem denoâ—at sed desensionem consistit ea vel in verbis vel in scriptis quibus respondetur adversariorum calumniis Laurent in Pet. See more Paraeus in Rom. 16. Dub. 2. Baldwin in 2 Tim. 4.16 Brothman CC. de Pontif. Rom. T. 2. Sect. 3. p. 814. c. V. Bohomus Meditat. 14. Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Ovid. See more before on V. 10. Obs. 1. V. Bohemus Medit. p. 40. Habent omnia quia habent habentem omnia Aug. Turpissimè fecit Ecclesia Romana quae Apostolum suum sic deseruit Mirum itaque non est si hoc Paulo doluâ—t plâ—rimum sique oravit ne illis imputetur Pet. Martyr Occidisti si non pavisti August See the danger of sins of Omission Gataker â—erm on Amos 6.6 pag. 51. 2 Part. folio and Scudder Daily Walking c. 16. Sect. 3. p. 551. See the Burden of sin â—udworth on Gal. 6.5 pag. 375. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adfuit imâ— astitit ut Act. 27.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 astitit mihi hac nocte Angelâ—s Dei Gerhard * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corroboro confirmo conforto Tò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeconium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat Evangelii praedicationem Beza De V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. V. 5. Erat non vulgaris Ministerii ejus confirmatio quòd cum totus mundus furiosè in eum insaniret humana omnia praesidia ipsum deficerent invictus tamen steterat Calvin in locum Qui dedit regnum Mario ipse Caesari qui Augusto ipse Neroni qui Constantino ipse Apostatae Juliano Aug. De Civitate Dei Lib. 5 Cap. 21. Deserit ne deseratur Solus non est cut Christus Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses Si vides ubi Fides Raah is not simply to see or looke as Nabal but it signifieth to see plainly and wonderfully even to ravishment and admiration * Multos impedit à firmitate praesumptio firmitatis nemo erit à Deo firmus nisi qui à seipso se sentit infirâ—um August See the Excellency of Spirituall strength Doctor Preston on Ephesians 3.16 and Doctor Hill Bonum quo communius eo melius Mr. Anthony Burgess on Iohn 7.17 Lect. 93. * Astuta ingenuum vulpes imitata Leonem Horat. Sermon 2. See eight excellent resemblances between a Lion and a Tyrant in Master Caryll on Iob 4.9 p 62.3 c. and Franzius De Animalib l. 1. c. 6. T is an excellent little Tract of the Nature of most Creatures Consule Tacitum l. 15. Vbi plura Neronis flagitia reperias Et Pezelii Mellif Hist. p. 2. De Nerone p. 335. c. V. Irenaeum adversus Haeres l. 5. c. 28. See Master Strong 31. Ser. p 657. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nequaquam te deseram 'T is as if God had repeated the same promise five times over I will not leave thee and again and again I tell thee over and over for thy comfort that I will not forsake thee Bohemus Medit 16. p. 46. Vbi plura See Doctor Boltons Ser. on Lament 3.26 Preacht 1646. Barlows Sermon on Psal. 40.17 at the end of his Comment on Timothy p. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servo à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. in secula seculorum Amen deducitur ab Hebraico vocabulo Aman quod in Hiphil significat credere in Niphal significat firmam fidelem esse Est itáque confirmantis certificantis particula Davenant in Colos. 4.18 V. D. Tayler on Psal. 32. p. 255 Mr Strong 31 Ser. p. 375 376 and Mr â—urroughs his Gospel Reconciliation pag. 378. c. See this point more fulâ—y cleared by M. Ant. Burgess on Iohn 17.11 Lect. 55. Mr. Caryll on Iob 29.2 pag. 430. c. Aquila non capit muscas Our glory to come is so glorious that the worst we can suffer here â—s but as a flea-biting in comparison of it Quid sentit crus in nervo quando animus in coelo Tertul. Against the Millenaâ— See my Homesius enervatus It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non terrestre sed supercoeleste regnum Non est via ad regnum sine primitiis regni nec sperare potest coeleste regnum cui neque super propriam regnare concupiscentiam adhuc datur Bernard See more Burroughs Moses Choice c. 44. to 53. Baxter Saints Rest. Nortons Orthodox Evangelist See more in Dr. Gouge on the Lords Prayer â—ect 215. pag. 295. c. See this word Amen Largely opened by Doctor Gouge on the Lords Prayer S S. 245. Page 330. and Acutely by Master Ienkins on Iude 25. Credebant hoe grande nefas morte piandum Si juvents vetulo non assurrexerat Juven Sat. 13. Officium salutandi est amicitia Symbolum Musculus Mos salutandi non solùm vetussimus est sed utilissimus ad conciliandam confirmandam charitatem Lavater Fuit personale aut speciale praeceptum non generale Later Christ blamed the Pharisees Affectation not their Affection he tax't their Ambition not their Gratulation Matthew 23.7 Adamson 2 Peter 1.2 See more fully Mr. Iacksons Annot. on Hâ—st 3.2 Simus ab illis tam seperati quam illi sunt ab Ecclesia profugi Cyprian V. Euseb. l. 4. c. 14. A particulari ad Vniversale non valet argumentum See more Aâ—tersol on Philemon 23 p. 472. and Clapham against the Quakers Sect. 12. p. 66. Id factum propter egregium studium Evangelii promovendi quod fuit in Prisca Chrysostom Onesiphorus .i. utilitatem afferens Vir malut commâ—ne malum fundi nostri calamitas Bonum est sui diffufivum Orationem â—ugem jugis postulat necessitat Drexel See the Excellency of Family duties Master Philip Godwin Domestick dueties Page 57 c. Cobber on Prayer lib. 1. Cap. 4. Page 88. Fenners Catech. page 76. See Mr. Philip Goodwin Domest Duties p. 272 c. Many prune their Plants break their Horses train their Hawkes yea teach their dogs yet never instruct their children * We should bring the Word publickely taught home to our children by repeating it to them and requiring it of them Philip Goodwins Family Relig. p. 401. En Pauli modestia qui se multo inferiores pro adjutoribus suis symmistis agnoscit Gualter in Rom. 16.3 * See Master Robert Bolton and Master Francis Taylor on that Text. Pauci non quod Evangelium ullius sortis homines à se abjiciat sed quod arctam viam facilius ingrediamur minus sarcinati Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matrona dives honorata Vide Eusebius lib. 3. cap. 2. Platina de Vitis Pontif. Pap. 2. p. 18. Niceph Lib. 3. cap. 2. Baron Annal. T. 1. p. 636. Exeat aula qui vulâ— esse pius See more in Toâ—shâ—ls Womens Glory See more in Mr Marshalls Serm. on Psal. 8.2 preacht 1646. Babington on Exod. 8.4 Mr. Fan. Taylor on 1 Cor. 1.26 See more in Mr. Fran. Taylor on 1 Cor. 1.26 pag. 22. and Espencaus in 2 Tim 4. Digres 26. Fratep quasi ferè alter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vobiscum See this Verse more fully explained in Mr. Dyke on Philemon 25. Vnico hoc vocabulo Continetur ingens ille aceâ—vas beneficiorum quae fidelibus permittuntur in Evangelio Davenant Socrates desired to see the Kings countenance rather then his coin Aquinas could say Non Tua sed Te Domine See more Perkins CC. l. 1. c. 5. Hicks Fast Serm. on Isay 28.5 6. p. 10. preacht 1644. June 26. Church his Treasury p. 173 c. and his Miscellanies p. 137. c. See the falshood of these Post-scripts in Cudworth on Gal. 6. in the end p. 429. Glassii Philolog l. 1. Tract 4. Sect. 4. mihi p. 245.
anoâ—nting of his Spirit to the end we may be able to discern light from darkness and truth from errour when we hear of many cheaters abroad we had need to looke to our purses The best may erre every man 's a lyar both actively and passively subject to be deceived and to deceive others Rom. 3.4 we should therefore with the Bereans try what is taught I shall sum up all in the words of a judicious Divine A judgement solidly principled an heart sincerely renewed a faith truly bottomed Truth and love of it cordially matched profession and practice well joyned a fear of our selves and dependance on God still maintained Gods Ordinances and the society of humble and growing Christians still frequented watchfulnesse and prayer still continued are the best directions to keep us in the truth and the best preservatives to keep us from errors Lastly forsake not the way of Gods Churches especially in these fundamentals wherein they are unanimous E. g. Suppose the Question be Whether Infants Baptisme be lawfull Answer All the Churches of God who should know the sense of Scripture better then any private man do practise it or Whether the Old Testament be authentick all the Churches of God believe it c. It 's a dangerous thing to follow the Opinion of any particular man be he never so holy against the current and practice of all the true Churches of Christ. 2. Forsake not the government and discipline of the Church which is Unanimously owned by all the Reformed Churches of Christ 'T is the want of this which is one great cause of so many errors amongst us If this were fully and generally establisht we should not have an Heresie or blasphemy peeping up in the land but there would be a timely preventing of it Government Rule and Order is the glory of Families Cities Churches and all Societies 'T is a lovely thing and if the Apostle rejoyced to see the Order and Ecclesiastical government of the Collossians 2.3 how would he mourn to see the disorder of our times when the Church of God lies as a Vine without an hedge a City without walls and a Garden without a fence God takes it ill when we prefer our own private interest before his publick service and dwell our selves in seeled houses when the House of the Lord lies waste Hag. 1. The greatest sin of this age is the violent opposition against the Kingly Government of Christ in his Church by his own Officers and Ordinances All the wicked hate it because it crosseth their lusts and the Devil hates it because it destroyes his Kingdome But let us according to our Covenant endeavour in our places the setting up the Government of Christ amongst us Since our Church hath been as a field without a fence how many wild beasts have broken in upon it It s ill having the reins on our own necks when there was no King in Israel every man did what pleased himself Since the reins of Government have been loosed men have fancied and found out a thousand by-paths It s good for every man to be bound the best are but in part regenerate and being left to themselves may fall into dangerous sins and errors God is the God of Order and he will have not only some things but all things done in order 1 Cor. 14.33.40 he commands Order commends Order delights in Order and would have all his people walk in an orderly way 'T is the Devil who is the Author of disorder and confusion he knowes if Order goe up his Kingdome must go down and therefore he doth his utmost to hinder Government But God will have Order both in Substantialls and Circumstantials in Reals and in Rituals This Order is not any superstitious humane invention but an Order grounded on the Word of God and agreeable to that Canon The Titles given to Gods Church imply some order there It 's called 1. a House 2. a Common-wealth 3. a Garden 4. a Vine-yard 1. The Church is Gods house and family 1 Pet. 4.17 Gal. 6.10 Now what 's a house without government but a little hell above ground yea worse then hell for in hell there 's some order there is Beelzebub the Prince of Devills Yea there 's some Unity in hell Satans Kingdom is not divided against it self if it were it could not stand Luke 11.17.18 now if we have Order in our own houses is it fit that Gods house should lye in confusion This brings judgement on a people Hag. 1.9 At the Reformation of the Lacedemonian state some perswaded Lycurgus to set up a Democrasy i. e. a popular government where all might have equall power He answered Begin first and set up such a government in your own houses 2. The Church is a spirituall Common-wealth Ephes 2.12 Strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel from the Church of God Now what 's a Common-wealth without Order aud Unity we see how carefull men are to keep their Common-wealth in Peace and Unity O that there were a like care to set up Order and Unity in the Church of God! 3. The Church is Gods Garden Cant. 4.12 and must therefore be hedged and defended with Discipline and Government else every wild beast and boare would suddenly spoyle the flowers in it 4. The Church is Gods Vine-yard Isay 5.1 c. least any should hurt it he himself doth keep it night and day Isay 5.5 and 27.3 as he doth fence it so should we in our places and stations do what in us lieth to preserve it from violence and wrong 3. Order and Government is the Beauty of a Church Zach. 11.7 this makes the Church admirable Psal. 48. per totum we should be oft surveying Ierusalem and observing the glorious power and providence of God in her Order and Protection What David saith of Unity one branch of Order is true of Order it self Psal. 133.1 2. behold how comely it is for Brethren to dwell together in Amity and Order Order is the glory of all societies a well-ordered Family Army City Society are comely sights Hence God hath set an Order in Heaven an Order in Hell an Order amongst Angells an Order amongst the Starres an Order amongst rationall Creatures an Order amongst the sensitive Creatures the very Bees have a King and Ruler over them Take away this and we shall be all in confusion if there were not an Order in the Sea it would overflow the land and drown all The ayer would poyson us the Creatures destroy us and every man would destroy another Object The Presbyterian Government is Tyrannicall and curbs men that they dare not vent their errours so freely as now they do Answ. This Government is Christs yoke and so is sweet and easie to a spiritualized soule As the yoke of his Doctrine so the yoke of his Discipline is delightfull and pleasant to them They say as that good man said of the word of God Veniat Veniat disciplina Christi
submittemur ei sexcenta si nobis essent colla They willingly obey Church Guides in the Lord and have them in singular love for their works sake Heb. 13.17 1 Thes. 5.12 2. 'T is the excellency of the Government that it restraines you from sin and errour happy are those bonds that bind us to be holy They are right sons of Belial that have lived so long without Government that now they cannot beare the yoke they long to be at their Garlick and Onions in Egypt again and had rather lye under Popery or Prelacy then Christs Presbytery 3. This Government rightly managed is a Meek Rationall Religious Mercifull Government 't is so far from being Tyrannicall that it is a singular remedy against spirituall Tyranny for if a man be wronged at home yet there are Appeales to a Classicall Provinciall Nationall Synod Object Synods may erre Answ. True yet not so soon as a few private illiterate persons for caeteris paribus if Piety Prayer Parts and study be equall then a Synod or Assembly of Divines is likelier to expound Scripture and decide controversies fuller and clearer then inferiour persons A whole Court of Justice is lesse lyable to errour then a particular Judge a whole Synod then a particular congregation Two are better then one and in the multitude of counsellers there is safety Prâ—v 11.14 and 15.22 Naturalists observe that creatures which affect solitude and independency are oft Birds of prey as Hawkes Kites Wolves and Beares but all creatures the more congregative the more harmlesse and usefull they are as Sheep Doves Bees 2. A possibility of erring is no sufficient ground for us to reject Synods for then because Ministers Masters and Tutours may erre Ergo we must believe nothing which they say Now if the Spies which brought up an evill report of the Terrestriall Canaan were severely punisht what shall be done to those that reproach the Government of Christ by which he conducts us to the Celestiall Canaan calling it Tyranny Cruelty Persecution and what not Quest. But how do you prove that the Presbyterian Government is Jure Divino Answ. 'T is sufficiently proved to any unprejudiced man 1. By the Assembly of Divines in their Answer to the Dissenting Brethren 2. By the London Ministers in their Ius Divinum and their elaborate Vindication 3. By Apollonius and Mr. Paget 4. By Mr. Rutherford and many learned Scottish Divines Yea Mr. Cotton himself acknowledgeth from Acts 15. where the Church of Antioch was subordinate to the Synod of Ierusalem that Synods are Gods Ordinances and that all things belonging to a compleat Synod were to be found in Acts 15. Now the proving of the Divine Reason of Synods in generall doth also prove the Divine Reason of Classicall Practicall Nationall Oeconomicall Synods in Particular for magis minus non variant speciem the Government is still the same though the extent vary and if they called for an Oeconomicall Synod Acts 15. why may not we have lower and lesser Synods since many cases call for them and if the Jews had their Appeales Deut. 17.8 to 12. sure the Gospel doth not put us in a worse condition then the Law since Christ was faithfull in all Gods house Heb. 3.2 Nor were these Jewish for Apppeales are de Lege Naturae jure communi and if they had a Natioanll why may we not have a Provinciall combination since there may be a stricter Union between a Province then between a Nation 2. 'T is the way of all the Reformed Churches who are the best expounders of the word and whose Example we should esteem 1 Cor. 11.16.22 All the Churches of God in Germany France Scotland are Presbyterian and there are severall Ordinances of Parliament unrepealed that do enjoyne the setting up of Congregationall Classicall and Nationall Presbyteries and all Officers are ordered to apprehend and punish such as shall speak against this Government Besides the Nationall Covenant binds us to the Government for matter and substance because 't is the Government of the Reformed Churches but for the manner of Practice we must exceed them if we can 3. 'T is a Rationall Government founded in the light of Nature and Right Reason which tells us that no man should be a sole Judge Accuser and Wittnesse in his own cause Suppose I be offended at the Heresies of a Church to whom shall I complaine to the same Church she is both Judge and party and will never do Justice against her self We cannot remedy thousands of evills without Appeales Besides there are many wâ—ighty causes which cannot be determined by single Cungregations as Excommunication Ordination of Ministers and judiciall determining of controversies Upon these grounds a Nationall Synod in France 1644. did judge the Sect of Independency to be prejudiciall to the Church of God as bringing in confusion and taking away all meanes of Remedy dangerous to the state bringing in as many Religions as Parishes This sets up Altar against Altar Church against Church and Minister against Minister Man is a weak creature yea the best standing alone are apt to go astray and therefore God in his wisdom hath provided the help and assistance of other Churches True a congregational Presbytery have power to decide lesser matters but it stands with reason that greater and weightier matters should be referred to greater Presbyteries So far as concerns their own private Interest every congregation is a compleat body yet not in all respects and to all intents and purposes exempt from superiour Jurisdiction but is subordinate and a member of a Provinciall Nationall Catholick Church else we should run into Anarchy and confusion E. g. If a Troop should say we are a compleat body within our selves therefore we 'l not be subordinate to a Councill of Warre or if a child or servant should say I am a compleat man of my self therefore I 'le not obey the commands of my superiours what confusion and disorder would this bring in amongst us 4. 'T is a charitable Government 't is not harsh and rigid it debarres not those from Ordinances which God hath not debarred It admits the children of Christians to Baptisme and the Parents which are free from Ignorance and scandalls to the Lords Supper without the taking of any Church-Covenant or making any open confession before the congregation Nor doth it put the Power of the Keyes into the Hands of the people as Independents do where all the Church hath power of voting That house is like to be well governed where all are Masters 5. 'T is a Religious Government it suppresseth Schisme Heresie and all false wayes and that in the bud they can no sooner arise but the same week they are Questioned Hence King Iames called Presbytery Haereticorum malleum and thanked God that he was King of one of the purest Kirks of Christendome Since then Presbytery is a way of Order against disorder a way of Peace against division a way of Truth against
Sancta sanctis these holy things call for holy Ones We must first take an holy Vomit and by a sincere confession of sin rid our stomacks and purge out of our souls those malignant peccant humors of malice guil hypocrisy filthiness and superfluity and naughtiness before we can receive the Word with meekness so as to grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Iames 1.22 Iacob purgeth his family before he goes to Bethel Gen. 35.1 2. The husband-man first rids his ground of those bushes briars and brambles which stand in his way and then falls to plowing before he goes to sowing and so must we first rid our hearts of all inordinate cares which like thornes choak the good seed of the Word and then receive it into honest and good hearts Matthew 13. Ier. 4.3 when the people were prepared for the hearing of the Law Exodus 19. Then and not till Then doth God speak unto them Exodus 20.1 Our Translation reads it And but former Translations render it Then and so saith the Arabick Version Deinde then or after that viz. they were prepared Many come but like Rachel they bring their Idolls with them Genesis 31.19 like the Samaritans they will serve the Lord and their Idolls too 2 Kings 17.33 Such God disownes Ver. 34. They serve not me saith God he will have all or none at all and therefore he threatens to set himself against such Ezekiel 14 7 8. there is no standing with comfort or confidence before God in our sins Ezra 9. â—lt The prime cause of so little profiting after so long hearing is our unpreparednesse for the duety This hardens the heart Accidentally maketh it more blind Isay 6.9 10. The Sun softens waxe but hardens clay and if the word be not the savour of Life then contrary to its own Nature meeting with the rebellious hearts of men it hardeneth them and becommeth the savour of death unto them 2 Corinthians 2.16 2. Hear Atteâ—tively give heed to what is delivered Acts 5.16 There is no getting or keeping knowledge without attention Proverbs 5.1 2. Let a Minister preach never so powerfully if the people sleep talk gaze or come when haâ—â— is done they cannot profit We should rouse up our selves to attend as for our lives remembring it is for Eternity The people that heard our Saviour attended or as the word signifieth they hanged upon him Luke 19. ult as the young birds doe upon the Bill of the Damme every one openeth his mouth to see which can catch it and that bird which is not sed waits till his turn cometh They hung upon him as Bees on Flowers to suck out the Virtue that is in them so Luke 4.20 3. Intentively with the highest intention of Affection We must hearken diligently and encline our ears to hear Isay 55.2 3. We must set our hearts on the things we hear for it is our life Deut 32.46 Ezek. 40.4 The word must not swim in our Heads but sink down into our eares and Hearts Luke 9.44 we must mark it diligently and entertain it readily The Kingdome of Heaven must suffer violence and we must take it by force Matthew 11.12 4. Râ—tentively We must retain the Word and lock it up in our hearts as a Jewel of the greatest price So did Mary Luke 2.51 and so must we Deuteronomy 11.18 Iob 22.22 Proverbs 2.1 Iohn 15.20 an holy remembrance of Gods Word is an excellent preservative against sin Psalm 119.11 and a singular support to us in our troubleâ— Psalm 73.17 Hereby we shall be the better enabled to practice what we hear we cannot practice what we forget The sciens must be grafted into the stock before it can grow the Word must be graffed in our heads and hearts before we can bring forth fruit to Christ Iames 1.21 The Devil useth all means to steal the word out of our hearts and to make us forget it Matthew 13.19 For he knoweth it is the way to blessednesse when men hear the Word and keep it Luke 11.27 28. We should therefore pray for the Spirit of Grace which may lead us into all Truth and bring all good things to our remembrance Iohn 14.26 and 16.13 and pray with David that God would keep his Truth in the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts 1 Chronicles 29.18 2. Love the Word we doe not easily forget the things which we love Ieremiah 2.32 If Rachel love her Fathers Idolls she will lay them up Genesis 31.34 Want of Affection breedeth want of memory If David delight in Gods Law hee will never forget his Word Psalm 119.6 3. Use the Meanes Reade Heare Meditate Conferre Apply the Word and write it as Baruc did Ieremies Sermons Ier. 36. 4. The Israelites must make them Fringes that they may not forget the Law Numbers 15.38.39 and above all be sure to receive the Word with all readinesse of minde Acts 17.11 It is a mercy that we heare the Word a greater mercy when we can approve of it but the greatest mercie is to receive it into our hearts in the Love of it 1 Thessalonians 2.13 When we can eate the Word Ieremiah 15.16 and receive its sharpest reproofes with submission and Thankefulnesse 1 Samuel 25.33 Psalm 141.5 5. Vnderstandingly We must not barely reade but we must search the Scriptures and labour to understand what we heare Matthew 15.10 Iohn 5.39 Praying for the Spirit of Illumination Ephesians 1. 17.18 6. Discreetly we must Try the Doctrine before we trust it Though it be Paul that Preach yet the Beraeans will trie his Doctrine by the Scriptures Acts 17.11 and Paul calleth on his hearers to Judge and consider what he said 1 Corinthians 10.15 and 2 Timothy 2.7 1 Thessalonians 5.21 and biddeth them Try the Spirits 1 Iohn 4.1 God hath given his People an Anointing to this end that they may be able to judge and discern of things that differ Colossians 1.9 10. We will not take gold but We will try it first and we will count Money after our own Fathers and shall we take Doctrines onely upon trust 7. Beleevingly we must by faith apply it to our selves whether it be for Humiliation or Consolation Iob 5.27 It must be engraffed in our hearts by Faith Iames 1.21 This is the way to make it effectual Romans 1.2.16 1 Cor. 1.21 Unbelief bars the heart against the Word and maketh it unprofitable to the hearers Heb. 4.2 8. Reverentially no service pleaseth God that is not mixt with Reverence and feare Psalm 2.1 Hebrewes 12.28 We must set our selves as in Gods presence and so heare as if God himselfe spake to us so did Cornelius though a Souldier and a great man Acts 10.33 So did the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 2.13 They received not the Word as the word of Paul but as the Word of God It is God that speaketh to us by the mouth of his Prophets Luke 1.70 and 10 16. Daniel 9.10 Micah 6.9 Iohn 1.23 2 Corinthians 5.20 We are Christs Embassadours and the words of an