Name of Sanctity to themselves and their party as if they only were the holy Ones yet will they deny the Power of it in their lives being full of Self-love Covetousness Pride c. creeping into houses and seducing silly women as our Anabaptists and Quakers do To these doth every piece and parcel of this Character of these last times most properly belong as will appear in the handling of them Quest. 2. The second question is this Have not men in all ages been Covetous Self-seekers Proud c. what wonder then is it if they be so in the last dayes Ans. 'T is true in all ages men ever have ben and will be Self-lovers Covetous Proud c. I but in the last dayes these Sins will super-abound they will then appear in a more eminent manner they will be acted more visibly and violently then in any Age before The Sinners of the last times will be the vilest Sinners because they will sin against the greatest Light and the greatest Love c. 1. Note That self-Self-love is one speciall Sin and Sign of the last times In all Ages men will be full of Selfe but never so much as in the last Age. This sinfull Self-love is set in the Front as the Leader of the File and the cause of all those 18. Enormities which follow 't is the Root from whence these Branches spring and the very Fountain from whence those bitter Streames do issue This is that pregnant prolificall Mother of those Monsters which follow First men shall be Lovers of themselves and then they will be Covetous Proud Blasphemers of God and disobedient to man Instead of Christian love which takes care for the good of others men will only consider and intend themselves they will seek their own Profit Pleasure Ease they will admire themselves and all their own Opinions they Deify themselves and Vilify others Thus all men comparatively seek their own Phil. 2.20 contrary to that Apostolical precept 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man seek his own but every man anothers Wealth Most men enquire after nothing else but Who will shew us any good i. e. Goods and Riches Psalm 4.6 referring all to themselves with the King of Babylon Dan. 4.30 blessing and approving of others in tâ—at way Psal. 49.18 This is made one speciall Mark of a wicked man Psal. 36.2 he flatters himself in his owne Eyes i. e. he hath a good Opinion of himself though he be never so nought the Pharisees were so stuft with Self-love that they thought themselves righteous Luke 5.32 when they were most unrighteous Thus Simon Magus was a great man in his own conceit when indeed he was a Sorcerer a very limb of the devill Acts 8.9 10. So Paul before his Conversion was alive Rom. 7.9 he thought himself in a good Condition being full of Presumption and Self-confidence So the Church of Laodicea had too good a conceit of her self in her own conceit she was spiriâ—ually rich in Knowledge Faith Obedience but Christ tells her she was indeed blind and naked wretched and miserable Rev. 3.17 and this is the Sin not of one or two but of every man by Nature he is apt to think himself something when indeed he 's nothing and so deceives himselfe Gal. 6.3 as a good man in a desertion may think he hath no Grace when indeed he hath it so a natural man in his presumption may think he 's full of Grace when he hath none at all Iames 1.22 So Prov 13.7 some make themselves rich when they have nothing of the two extreames it s far better and safer to under-value than to over-value our selves So did Agur Prov. 30.2 I am not a man Paul in his own apprehension was the chief of Sinners and least of Saints This is not so dangerous nor so common for where one thinks too ill of himself there 's ten thousand thinks too well of themselves like those Levites that really thought themselves true Priests till the Records were searched and they not being found there were discarded and put from the Priesthood Ezra 2.62 This is the Root of much sin and misery Iste mali fons est tam sum Miser ut miser ipse Cum sim me miserum non tamen Esse sciam Quest. But some may demand is all self-Self-love unlawfull are not we commanded to love our Neighbour as our selves and is not the Proverb Quisque sibi proximus Charity begins at home and every man is next Neighbour to himself Answ. We must distinguish of Self Love it is three-fold 1. Ordinate 2. Religious 3. Inordinate 1 There is an Ordinate honest and natural Self springing from an instinct in nature whereby a man loves himself and seeks the preservation of his life this is commanded Eph. 5.28 29. Men must love their own bodies for no man in his right wits ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Thus a man may love himself as Gods creature for God hath planted in all men the Love of themselves which in subordination to God and the common good is warrantable so that Love of a mans â—elf is one thing and Self-love is another in the one love guides the man to make him love whom he ought and as he ought in the other the man swayeth his love to make it serviceable to himself and to love as he pleaseth so that the Scripture doth not simply condemn self-Self-love which is planted so deeply in our natures by the God of Nature but sinfull and inordinate Self-love 2. There is a Pious and Religious Self-love considered in relation to God and the common good thus a man may love himself as an Instrument of Gods glory and as a servant for the good of others else our Saviour would never set our love to our selves before us as a Pattern of our love to our Neighbours Now upon these grounds and in relation to these ends we may not only love our selves but seek our selves too This love spreads and dilates it self for God and the good of others The more noble and excellent things the more communicative and diffusive they are of themselves the Sun is herein a more noble thing then a Torch and a Fountaine then a ditch Christ emptied himselfe of his Glory not for his owne but for our benefit Phil. 23.6 it will make us part with our own right for Peace Genesis 13.8 9. 1 Cor. 6.7 it will make us condescend to those of the lower sort Rom. 12.16 not seeking our own profit but the profit of many 1 Cor. 10.33 yea and though they be Free yet Love will make them Servants to all 1 Cor. 9.19 On the contrary self-Self-love contracts the soul and hath an eye still at Selfe in all its undertakings 'T is the very Hedg-hog of conversation that rolls and lapâ— it self within its own soft down and turnes out brisles to all the World besides much like the fat Monk who when the Abbies were going
they may live desired and dye lamented that so when you are dead it may be said We misse such a man he was zealous against Sabbath-Prophaners Drunkards Swearers Sectaries c. He was forward to works of Piety and Mercy and ready to every good work 'T was Davids commendation Acts 13.36 that he served God in his Generation he did not seek himself nor serve God for a day or two but he served him his whole Generation as Noah did Gen. 6.9 God hath abundance of dishonour done him by profane persons and Religion suffers much by them now we should labour to repair the dishonours done to his name by being blamelesse and harmlesse shining like lights before a perverse nation The worse the times we live in are the greater will our honour be if we be faithfull 'T was Lots commendation that he was good in Sodom and Job in an Heathenish Vz. The more Sinne abounds the more our Grace should abound and the more Sin appears in the World the more should we appear against it The Lord hath done more for us of this last age of the World then ever he did for our fore-fathers and therefore he expects more from us then he did from them where he bestowes much he looks for much again where we bestow double cost we look for a double crop Christ is now more clearly preached to us and we enjoy the helps and advantages of former times A Pigmy set upon a Gyants shoulders may see further then the Gyant himself It 's a shame for us if we do not our work better by Sun-light then others that have had but Twy-light God takes it very ill to be wounded in the house of his children and friends for when he hath done so much Isai 1.2 3. Zach. 13.6 Will ye also forsake me said Christ to his disciples will you whom I have redeemed and loved above all the people of the World you whom I have brought forth in dayes of greatest Light and Love when 't was free with me to have brought you forth in Mid-night of Popery and Superstition will you also rebell against me There is nothing renews the Gospel so soon as this contempt it makes the Lord repent of all the kindnesse he hath shewed us 2. Note We must not look for a Church in this World without its imperfections and corruptions if ever the Church on Earth shall be pure and glorious it shall be in the last dayes yet we see the spirit of God tells us here expresly that these last dayes shall be perilous times by reason of the swarms of wicked men which shall be in the very bosome of the Church who shall indeed pretend to much Piety yet shall be full of Impiety and Hypocrisy they shall have a form of godlinesse but they will deny its power v. 5. There will be to the end of the World a mixture in the Church of God there will be Tares and Wheat good and bad in the Church alwayes Mat. 13.25 One told the Emperour Frederick that he would go to a place where no Hypocrites were then said he you must go beyond the frozen Ocean where there are no Inhabitants and yet thou wilt find an Hyprocrite there if thou find thy self there He that looks for a perfect Church in this World or for such a Church wherein there shall be none but Reall Saints may look till his eyes rot in his head before he see that day Christ had but twelve and one of them was a Devill and the rest that were sincere yet had their failings The Apostle tells us that in the bosome of the Church there shall be seducers Acts 20.29 30. from amongst your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them All the Churches we read of in the Scripture have had their failings and blots as the Church of Ierusalem Corinth Galatia and the seven Churches of Asia yet Christ owned them and communicated with them still and sent his disciples to them and therefore be not offended when you see defects corruptions and disorders in the Church perfection indeed is to be wisht for but it is reserved for Heaven No Church ever was is or shall be perfectly free from sin on Earth Let us not then forsake the Lords Floore because there is some Chaffe in it nor run from Sion instead of Babylon as many in our dayes do that cry out against the Church of England as a false Church though all the Churches of God in the World own her for a true one and run from her as from Babylon and so run into Babylon from a supposed into a Reall Babylon Babylon signifieth Confusion now amongst those that separate what sad confusion is there Division upon division separation upon separation c. till they have broken themselves all to pieces and at last are faine to sit like Owles alone These are they that abhorre a mixt company yet flye from Reall Saints This they call new Light when it is nothing but an old Error of the Catharists and Donatists who out of a conceit of their own exceeding holinesse did separate themselves Perfectionem justitiae Angelicam sanctitatem hic ab hominibus requirunt Donatistae quam etiam se suosque illos impuros coetus habere jactant profitentur tam sunt arrogantes coeci à vero suae infirmitatis rebellionis sensu alieni Danaeus loco citato ubi plura Causelesse Separation saith a learned Divine from established Churches walking according to the Order of the Gospel though perhaps failing in some small things is yet no small sin Let such consider 1. That the Root of this separation is bad and therefore the fruit cannot be good It springs from Pride and Censoriousnesse as we see in the Pharisees who were great Separatists and have their name from thence 2. Such are Schismaticks and in a short time they will he Hereticks for Schisme is the way to Heresy they make a Rent in the Church whose Peace should be very dear to us for though Peace be not the Esse and being of a Church yet it tends very much to its bene esse and well-being for as a Kingdom so a Church divided cannot long endure 3. The Pretences made for Separation are now removed there 's no Bishop Surplesse Cross Common-prayer c. for them to stumble at and yet separation was unlawfull then but now it s farre more vile and therefore the Lord punisheth the Separatists of this age more severely by giving them up to viler opinions than formerly 4. 'T is a scandall and wrong to a Church 't is ill to forsake the society of one good man without a cause but to un-church a whole Church causelesly now great is that sin 5. They cannot escape the revenging hand of God Though men may suffer them yet God will not one of the saddest judgements that we read of in the Scripture befell schismaticall Corah
down and he had gotten his pension for life stroaked his belly and cryed Modò hîc sit bene if all went well there 't was well enough This is with the â—illy bird to mind nothing but the building of our own nests when the tree is cutting down and to take more care of our private Cabin then of the ship it self when it is a sinking 3. There is a carnall corrupt inordinate Self-love when a man admires himself his Wayes his Works his Opinions Contemning and Vilifying others When a man so loves himself that he loves neither God nor man truly and as he ought but prefers himself and his own private interest before Gods glory and his brothers good Now this vitious and inordinate self-Self-love is the great and Master-sin of these last and worst times 'T is an evill disposition that is naturall to us all and so moves us strongly delightfully constantly as naturall things use to do and this makes it so hard even where there 's Grace to subdue it and keep it within its bounds Hereditary diseases are hardly cured Self-love is hereditary to us we are apt to have high conceits of our selves from the very birth till Grace humble and abase us all our Crowes are Swans our Ignorance Knowledge our Folly Wisdome our Darkness Light and all our owne Wayes best though never so bad Even the Regenerate themselves are in part tainted with it and have fallen by it David to save himselfe acts a weak part and counterfets before Achish Peter to save his life denies his Saviour Let us therefore set our selves with full purpose of heart against this Epidemical Soul-destroying Land-ruining sin To this end take these few considerations 1. Consider this Inordinate Vitious Self-love is the Root of many great evils Covetousnesse Contention Unthankfulnesse c. are all Virtually Seminally Originally Fundamentally in this cursed Self-love This is morbus complicatissimus a disease that hath many other diseases included in it and so is more hard to cure Hence spring all those Errors and Heresies which are so rife in these last dayes men have too high a conceit of themselves and their own opinions they imagin they can see more then all the Churches of God in the World There 's more hope of a poor silly fool then of such Self-conceited persons Prov. 26.12 This made the Donatists think themselves spotless and the Pelagians to cry up Nature and cry down Grace As a man that is in love doth think the very blemishes in his love to be beautiful so those that with Narcissus are in love with themselves and doat on their own opinions think their Heresy to be Verity and their Vices Vertues This will bring Vexation at last it troubles us to be cheated by others in petty matters but for a man to cheat himself wilfully and that in a matter of the highest concernment is the trouble of troubles to an awakened conscience 2. 'T is a Sin that blinds men so that they cannot see the Truth Let a Minister never so clearely convince them yet they will not be convinced their deceitful hearts have a thousand evasions no Jugler in the World hath so many tricks to deceive as they have many are blinded and deluded by Satan he perswades men that they are in a good condition and highly in Gods favour Where he dwells he labours to keep all in Peace by himselfe by false friends and by false Prophets who are his agents Thus deluded Ahab by false Prophets who bid him go up and prosper when they might more truly have said Go up and perish but usually men deceive themselves wittingly and willfully 2 Pet. 3.5 No wise man will trust a known Cheater yet such fooles are men that they trust too much to their own deceitfull hearts which is the Grand Impostor of the World Ier. 17.9 10. the heart of man i. e. the whole Soule the Understanding Will Affections c. is Gnacob crooked crafty deceitfull and desperately wicked It tells men of gold but gives them counters it makes them dream they are Kings when they are beggars like a hungry man that dreams he eates but when he awakes he is hungry Isay 29.8 This makes men so indulgent to themselves their sins and errors must not be toucht these Absolon-like must be dealt gently withall and which is the height of misery it makes men insensible of their mâ—sery they think themselves at the gates of heaven when they are in the Subburbs of hell This Self-indulgence spreads a vaile over the eyes and blindes the judgement that it cannot see what is amiss in it self Isai 44.20 a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul nor say Is there not a lye in my right hand A Self-conceited heart is a self-deceiving-heart it cannot endure any Self-Examination Self-reflection Self-judging it cannot endure to put the question to it self concerning it self he cannot he dares not say Is there not a lye in my right hand What have I done Ier. 8.6 a gracious soul reflects upon himself and cryes Lord is it I Mat. 26.22 and 't is I that have sinned and brought this judgement saith David 2 Sam. 24.10 but let a wicked mans sins be never so visible yet he pleads innocency and Not-guilty still Ier. 2 34 35. The Priests and People in Malachies time were very corrupt yet when the Lord by the Prophet tells them of it see how impudently they cry three times together Wherein have we done amâ—sse Mal. 1.6 and 2.6 and 2.17 and 3.8.13 See to what a height of shamelesnesse Self-excusation of the heart of man may transport him even then and in those things when and wherein he is most guilty and though we think this prodigious in them yet it is but an instance of the over-weening partiality that is in us all by nature towards our selves This makes so many to pervert the Scriptures and to apply the promises to themselves instead of threatenings 3. This sinful Self overthrows Christian Society and Community if one member be sick the rest of the members will sympathize with it we are members one of another Rom. 12.4 and should be sensible of the afflictions of Ioseph Like Bees when one is sick the rest are sad But Self-love hardens the heart and makes it cruell to Father Mother Wife Children and Neighbours whereas true love seeketh not her own but the good of others 1 Cor. 13.5 it makes us love our neighbours as our selves now every man wisheth or at least ought to wish his own eternall good heartily and sincerely 'T is therefore an ungodly Proverb which is used by too many Every one for himself and God for us all But where every one is for himself only there the Devill is for all We must therefore change the Proverb every one for his own and for his Brothers eternall good and then God will be for us all Psal. 133. ult There God commands the blessing
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
to use both estates well is a far greater praise Iacob who was little and low in his own eyes Gen. 32.10 desires no more but food and raiment and tells his Brother that he had enough Gen. 33.9.11 Esau could say I have Rab multum but Iacob sayes I have Col omne all things for contentment is All in All None so content as the Humble man who seeth himself to be less then the least of Gods mercies This made the Church quietly to bear not onely the Anger but the Indignation of the Lord when she considered how she had sinned against him Micah 7.19 Lam. 3.22 Humble David counts it an honour to be but a door-keeper in Gods house and the prodigall desires to be an hired servant there 2. Consider thou hast more then many of thy betters How many of Gods deare servants have been in a lower condition then thou art in Consider Iobs afflictions Pauls trialls our Saviours Poverty who had not a house of his own to dwell in nor a bed of his own to lye on Matth. 8 20. and barley bread for his followers Iohn 6.9 3. Contentment is the onely Riches 'T is not Money but the Mind which makes men rich Hence Socrates calls contentment the the Soules Riches We all desire Riches behold the way How many by over-reaching and being over-eager after the world have lost all This sweetens our little and makes it more comfortable to us then the great heapes of Riches which the wicked have with vexation and discontent Prov. 13.25 and 15 16 17. and 16.8 A good man rests as well contented with his little as if God had made him a King or an Emperour and when they have nothing yet they have all because they have the God of all 2 Cor. 6.10 4. 'T is a singular comely well-pleasing Grace it adornes our profession and winnes much upon the Spirits of men As Covetousnesse of all Vices is the basest so contentment of all Virtues is the most excellent 'T is the greatest happiness that we can attain to in this world perfect happiness consists in communion with God immediately but imperfect happiness consists in contentment when we enjoy God in his Creatures and Ordinances and this is the highest degree of happiness which this world affords This is Heaven upon earth Heaven is nothing else but a sweet and quiet Spirituall rest and satisfaction in the great God So that this is not onely our Duty but our Glory 'T is the ornament of a Christian and makes him lovely even in Gods eye 1 Pet. 3.4 When your Wills are submissive to his Will and we can be content to be what God will have us to be and to suffer what ever he will have us to suffer this is our Glory 1 Pet. 2.20 5. It s a sign of a magnanimous raised spirit when we can do well and yet be content to hear ill when we can passe through bad report as well as good and through losses crosses trialls and make nothing of them yea can bless God in the losse of all Iob 1.21 this is Noble and Heroick indeed 'T was Socrates commendation that though his condition oft changed yet he never changed but was still the same And if Heathens that had but the dimme light of nature for their guide have loved and practised in their way and according to their light contentment then we that have received more Light and Love from God should do more then they Matth. 5.47 for he that cannot submit to God in Passive Obedience the sincerity of his Active Obedience is justly to be suspected Obj. This is a hard and a harsh Lesson who can learn it Answ. The way to heaven is a hard and a straight way to flesh and blood Mat. 7.14 All Gods pleasant commands yet seem harsh and hard to wicked and unwilling men If God command liberality then the covetous man is angry if Frugality the Prodigall if Humility the Proud if Chastity the Incontinent if Sobriety the Intemperate But get thy nature changed and get in Love with contentment and goodnesse and then the good wayes of God will never displease thee Micah 2.7 Obj. But I am sick and poor I am lost and low Answ. It may be thou hast had a moneth or two of sicknesse but hast thou not had yeares of pleasure and health now shall we receive so much good at the hands of the Lord and shall we not endure a little evill of affliction especially since 't is for our good Iob 2.10 2. Be content with thy Poverty in some respects it may be better to thee then the riches and plenty of the wicked Many esteem poverty the greatest evill and therefore to avoid it they run into sin Whereas Poverty if it be not in extremity is the Nurse of Arrs the Schoole of Patience a Teacher of diligence a Bridle to Vice a Spur to Vertue such are apter to receive the Gospel and so more capable of grace and true contentment Zeph. 3.5 Matth. 11.5 Iames 2.5 The middle condition between extream Poverty and the height of riches hath alwayes been accounted safest and best Prov. 30 8 9. 3. Consider though Poverty be a crosse and sometimes a curse for sin Deut. 28.43 44. Psal. 109.10 yet 't is no sin for Christ himself was poor that he might sanctify our Poverty in his own person and honour it with his own example 2 Cor. 8.9 For our sakes he became poore though not so extream poor as to beg his bread for that was forbidden â—y the Law Deut. 15.4 and restrained by all Well-governed Common-weales yet he was so poor as to borrow he had not so much money as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pay the Taxe with Matth. 17.24 which was about ten pence say some fifteen pence say others 4. You that are Poor are freed from many dangers which rich men are exposed to as Poysening Plundering Fining Envying c. How many Kings and great ones have been poysoned in their golden cups when thou fearest nothing in thy earthen dish Nulla aconita bibuntur Fictilibus Juven In times of war the souldier inquires not where dwells the poor man but where dwells the rich man the Usurer and the great man The finger is cut off for the golden ring when Zedokiah King of Iudah and the great ones were in distress yet the poor were spared Ier. 39.10 So 2 Kings 25.7.12 2. Thou art freed frow many dangerous Temptations and snares from many cares and fears which annoy the rich 1. They are apt to Pride 2 Chron. 26.16 2. To forget God Deut. 8.16 Prov. 30.9 3. To security and riot Luke 12 19. Besides great wealth brings great cares great feares and at last a great account they that have much of them shall be much required As thou hast less so thy cares feares and accounts will be less 5. The Lord can supply thy want of
Temporall blessings with Spirituall ones and though you be not so greatly blest in earthly places as others are yet he can bless you in Heavenly places Eph. 1.3 6. He can and will provide even Temporalls for thee and thine so far as shall be for thy good and will work Miracles rather then such as fear him shall want We have an excellent instance 2 Kings 4.1 2 c. the dead Prophet was a man that feared God and served him in his generation he durst not Temporize as did those false Prophets which sate at Iezabels Table but chose rather to dye in debt and leave his children in extream poverty then to use any indirect means to get out of debt Now see the goodness of God rather then such a mans wife and children shall want the Prophet Elish◠shall work a miracle for their supply and comfort Verse 7. Go sell the Oyle and pay thy debts and live thou and thy children on the rest So tender is God over his and so carefull to succour them in their extremities God can and when he sees it good for his he will raise the poor out of the dust and set them with the Rulers of his people we have a notable Example in our own Histories of the Lord Thomas Cromwel who was at first but a Black-Smiths sonne then a souldier at the sacking of Rome after that Cardinal Woolsies Favorite then Earle of Essex and Counsellor to King Henry the Eighth 7. Thy poverty cannot separate thee from Christ Rom. 8.35 nor barre thee from heaven Christ and his Apostles and Lazarus were poor yet are now in heaven and so are those poor Martyrs that wandred up and down destitute afflicted tormented Heb. 11.37 Now he that would attain this rare Jewel of contentment and so be freed from Covetousness must labour for Reall Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.6 For 1. This will convince us of the Vanity of the Creature 2. 'T will teach us to deny our selves our own wit and will and to resign our selves unto Gods disposing what ever God doth with him yet he is silent still let God raise him or ruine him make him or marre him his soul keeps silence unto God still Psal. 62.5 he doth not only forbear murmuring speeches but even his soul is silent 3. Piety purgeth out those ill humours of Pride Passion Envie Emulation c. and so calms and quiets the soul. 4. Godliness will teach us to set light by the Censures of others That which disquiets many is the censures and reproaches of the wicked but a gracious soul that is little and low in his own eyes will not be troubled to be little in the eyes of others He can never live quietly and contentedly that hath not learned to bear the slightings and contempts of the wicked with an holy disdain Paul esteems it a very small matter to be judged of man 1 Cor. 4.3 q. d. This is but mans day and mans censure and mans judgement but I expect another day when the judgements of men shall be reviewed and judged again 5. Godliness will make us love God and love will bear all things patiently and contentedly Love thinks no evill 1 Cor. 13.5 it hath not hard conceits of God it takes not his acts and dispensations in an ill sense but seeth all workiug together for good 1. If any would see more against Covetousness let him peruse Doctor Preston on Colos. 3.5 Mr. Fenner on Philip. 3.19 Papillon on the Passions chap. 18. Capel on Tentat P. 3. c. 3. p. 289 c. D. Stoughton on Luke 12.15 Downams warfar p. 430. to 916. Mr. Ier. Dyke's Serm. on Luke 12.15 Printed 1652. Mr. Clerks Mirror cap. 33. Edit 3. Mr. Burroughs on Psal. 17.14 The misery of those that have their portion in this life and on Phil. 3.19 2. If for Contentment See Mr. Henry Smith's Serm. on 1 Tim. 6.6 Mr. Burroughs Rare Jewell of contentment Mr. Hen. Mason D. Ier. Taylor 's Rules of Holy Living chap. 2. Sect. 6. D. Sibbs Cordialls on Phil. 4.11 12. Downams Warfar l. 2. c. 19 c. 3. Boasters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A second Branch that sprouts from that accursed Root of Self-love is Boasting This sin is fitly linked to the former for when men by covetous Practises have gained Riches then they begin to boast and glory in them Prov. 18.11 1 Tim. 6.17 because of the supposed good which they think riches will procure them as Friends Honours Fine Cloaths Fine Buildings The Lord foresaw this and therefore hath forbidden all glorying in Riches and commands us onely to glory in him who is our Life our Light our Sun our Shield and exceeding great Reward Ier. 9.23 The Greek word is diversly rendred yet all tend to one and the same thing and are coincident for he that is a Boaster is usually a Vain-glorious lofty insolent arrogant man it notes one that is inordinately lifted up with an high esteem and admiration of his owne supposed or reall excellencies and thereupon arrogates and assumes more to himself then is meet or one that boasts of the Learning Vertues Power Riches which he hath not and brags of Acts which he never did Such we call Thrasones milites gloriosos vain-glorious Thraso's The proud man boasts of what he hath and the Boaster braggs of what he hath not This Vice is opposed by Aquinas and othets to Verity and in proper speaking it consists in Words rather then in the Heart for as Pride in exact and proper speaking hath relation to the heart rather then the words so this sin of boasting hath relation to our words rather then our hearts so that this sin is the daughter of Pride and though by an Hysterosis it be placed here before it yet Rom. 1-30 Pride is set immediately before Boasting as the proper root of it for when Pride lyeth hid in the heart it shewes it self by arrogant boastings and high flowen words Quest. Doth the Scripture condemn all kinds of Boasting and is it unlawfull in any case to Boast Answ. We must distinguish of Boasting There is 1. A Religious Boasting 2. A Necessary Boasting 3. A Vain-glorious Boasting 4. A Diabolical Boasting 1. The Scripture mentions a Pious and Religious Boasting when the soul makes her boast of God Psal. 34.2 whilest others are boasting of their Riches and Babels which they have built a gracious soul triumphs in God as if it had found some great spoyles and rich Treasure Psal. 27.1 2 3. So Paul having a holy confidence in Christs merits Glories therein Rom. 8.37 38. So he Glories in his sufferings for Christ. Gal. 6.14 and all Believers glory in their tribulations for him Rom. 5.3 So Paul glories in the Prosperity of Gods people 2 Cor. 7.4.14 and 2.9.2 and 2.2.16 17. This is comendable Boasting and is commanded Ier. 9.24 Isay 41.16 and 45.25 1 Cor. 1.31 and 2.10.17 he that Glories must glory in the Lord he dares not sacrifice to
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
exceeding Haughty Vaine Light Loose Hypocriticall and Rebellious to Parents it may be whilest they be rich and can give them something they will shew some externall Reverence and Obedience out of Self-respects that they may get something from them but let those Parents become Poor Old Sick or a little burdensome to them then oh what Bitter Saucy Reproachfull words what harsh Vexatious and Uncivill carriage do they expresse towards them as if they were some base Peasants rather then their naturall Parents The Storks of Heaven shall rise in Judgement against the rebellious children of this age for such is their naturall affection to their dams that they feed them when they are old and 't is but reason that as our Parents have nursed and nourished us so we should do the like for them if need require this is called a requiting of their love and is very pleasing in the sight of God 1 Tim. 5.4 We must not only love them and reverence them externally and internally but we must shew our love by succouring and supporting them in all their necessities and so far as we are able we must answer their tender cost and care to us by doing good to them again So did Ioseph Gen. 47.12 and Christ commends the care of his Mother to Iohn 19.26 27. so Ruth 2.18 1 Sam. 22 3 4. consider the heavie curses which God denounceth against such as contemn their Parents God will suddenly cut them off they shall not live out half their dayes Deut. 27.16 Prov. 20.20 As God prolongs the life of the Obedient Ephes 6 3. So he hath threatned shamefull death to the disobedient Prov. 30.17 the Ravens shall pick out their eyes i. e. they shall be put to an untimely death and hanging on a tree they shall be meat for Ravens and the fowles of the aire So Deut. 21.18 19 21 22. Lev. 20.9 Mark 7.10 2. As thou hast been ungratefull to thy Parents so thy children shall be ungratefull to thee As men mete to others especially their Parents so God raiseth up some usually to mete to them again A scoffing Ham is punisht with a profane Canaan and both of them are punisht in the cursed Canaanites that descended from them and proved Imitatours of their Fathers wickednesse Gen. 9.25 This was one of those sins which caused the day of Ierusalems sorrow to draw near Ezek. 22.7 I wish it be not a fore-run-runner of some judgement to this Nation 2. Magistrates are the politicall fathers of our country Gen. 45.8 Iudg. 5.7 1 Sam. 24.11 Lam. 3.3 God commands us to honour them yet how do those filthy Dreamers as S. Iude 8. stiles them despise dominions and speakevill of dignities as if God had given them a command to dishonour and abuse them We have those that shew not so much as externall Revererence to them How unlike are these to the Saints of old Mephibosheth falls on his face before David 2 Sam. 9.6 and Nathan bowes himselfe before him 1 Kings 1.23 Object Many of our Magistrates are carnall wicked men Answ. Admit they are so yet they are Magistrates still and are deputed by God to that office having power and authorite from him and in this respect though they be never so vile and wicked yet we are to give them all due Reverence and respect both internall and externall Saul was a wicked man a persecuter of holy David and Ionathan yet David respects him as the Lords anointed still 1 Sam. 24.6 The sonnes of Heth were Heathens yet Abraham bowed himselfe unto them Gen. 23.7 Esau is expressely called a profane man Heb. 12.16 yet Iacob calls him my Lord Esau and bowed seven times before him Gen. 33.3 Festus was none of the best yet Paul gives him his Titles of honour Acts 26.25 Most noble Festus and if we must pray for Nero's and Tyrants and all in authority which is the great work 1 Tim. 2.2 then surely we may bow in a civil way unto them uncover our heads and give them respective language How then can those Monsters rather then men boast of their sanctity when they have not common civâ—â—ity or say they love God when they slight his Vice-gerents and Substitutes 3. Ministers of Christ are spirituall fathers they are Instruments of our Conversion and Regeneration 1 Cor. 4.14 15. Elisha calls Elijah his Father 2 Kings 2.12 and 6.21 and 13 14. Iudg. 18.19 1 Tim. 1.2 Titus 1.3 now when was there ever more contempt cast upon the Ministers of Christ solely because they are his messengers and that by a company of proud censorious Sectaries and Seducers unsetlted turbulent arrogant spirits raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame Iude 13. Calling us Witches Devills Serpents Antichrists c. They forget that Ministers are by Office Elders and the Apostle would have such to be used with more reverence and respect then ordinary men 1 Tim. 5.1 But such railing is the Livery we must expect from this ungratefull world Thus did they revile the Prophets Apostles yea and Christ himself he was called a mad-man a wine bibber a devill And if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub what may the servant expect Matth. 10.25 Thus they called Cyprian Coprian Athanasius Sathanasius Calvin Cain and Forell Devill no sooner is a man a faithfull Minister of Christ but he is half a Martyr But let such Raylers know that they carry about them the black marks of unregenerate men and such as never tasted the Power and comfort of our Ministery yea and except God give them Repentance of Reprobation 4. Masters of Families are called Fathers Thus Naamans servant calls him My Father 2 Kings 5.23 How do these also complain of the abuses of their servants The heeles are now where the head should be Every Iack looks now upon himself as a Fellow-creature with his Master and some think themselves Superiour especially if the Master be a carnall man and themselves have a little smattering in Religion then they think they may leave their callings and run from the shop into the Pulpit contrary to that 1 Cor. 7.20 let every man abide in his owne calling 'T is true as a Master is a wicked man and commands wicked things as to profane the Sabbath lye cozen c. he may not be obeyed 't is no dishonour to earthly Masters to see their Heavenly Master preferred before them Thus we may not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 To obey their wicked commands he speaks in respect of conscience and in regard of the inward man He forbids not bodily service to men for a wicked Master though he be never so vile yet commanding such things as a Master may command by vertue of his place is to be obeyed as appeares 1 Tim. 6.1 2. he speaks of servants that had Infidels to their Masters he would have them so to carry themselves towards such Masters as accounting them worthy of all honour
distress so oft plead the Covenant to move the Lord to pity them Exod. 32.13 have respect unto the Covenant Psal. 74.20 21. Now that we may Covenant Rightly We mst do it 1. Judiciously 2. Sincerely 3. Unanimously 4. Affectionately with Feare Love Joy 1. Judiciously in judgement and Understanding what we do Nehem. 10.28 Ier. 4.2 such weighty matters must not be undertaken rashly rudely or unadvisedly but with serious grave and mature deliberation 2. Sincerely with all plainness and simplicity of spirit without doubling or dissembling 2 Chron. 15 12. Ier. 4.2 Thou shalt swear in truth i. e. Sincerely without equivocation mentall reservations or any base and sinister Ends as to save your land from sequestration to get in favour with some great ones or to get an office c. for such kind of swearing the land mournes if we will swear it must be in Righteousness Ier. 4.2 i. e. Just and Righteous things The subject or matter of a Covenant must be just and righteous things such as are agreeable to the Word of God and tend to his glory as to serve feare obey him Gen. 28.20 Take heed of putting what sense you please on the Covenant we may not take it with such limitations and qualifications as are against the Letter scope and drift of it Such may deceive men but God they cannot deceive We should therefore have a Jealousy over our selves and say as Iacob did in another case Gen. 27.12 My Father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem as a deceiver to him and I shall bring a Curse upon me and not a blessing If our hearts be not right with God they will never be faithfull and stedfast in his Covenant Psal. 78.37 Let your hearts chuse the things that please God and then you will take hold on his Covenant Isay 56.4 First give a bill of divorce to your Lusts say to them as to a menstruous clout Get you hence Isay 30.22 Hos. 14.8 Till our old Union with sin be broken God will not match with us no sober man will marry with a woman so long as her husband lives but when her husband is dead she 's free Rom. 7.2 3. 3. Unanimously God loves to see his people from the highest to the lowest to joyn themselves to him like one man Deut. 29.10 11 12. Zeph. 3.9 Ier. 50.5 Ezek. 37.17 2 Chron. 15.12 13.15 Nothing stronger then such Unity Si erimus inseparabiles erimus insuperabâ—les 4. Affectionately 1. With Fear we must come to this duty with Reverence and godly feare considering that vast disproportion which is between God and our selves We have not to do with men but with the Almighty and that in his Excellency and Greatnesse So that as an holy fear must be an ingredient in all our services Heb. 12.29 19. So especially we must bring it when we come to swear by his Name Deut. 6.13 2. With Love Get your Judgements convinced of the Excellency of a Covenant-condition and what a high priviledge 't is to have God for our God this will make us in love with the Covenant and Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 7. There is nothing so ennobles us what ever the Esaus of the world say to the contrary as to be in Covenant with God 'T was a greater honour to Isaac to be in Covenant then to be the Seed-Royall and to have Princely issue Gen. 17.20 21. Esay may have Princely issue but my Covenant shall be in Isaac So Isay 43.4 This will make us remember our Covenants what we love we 'l never forget Psal. 119.16 if David love Gods Law he 'l never forget his word 'T is not the making but the minding and keeping of a Covenant which makes us happy and we cannot keep it unlesse we remember it One reason why the Iewd woman forsakes the guide of her youth is because she forgets the Covenant of her God Prov. 2.17 Hence God so oft commands that we forget not his Covenant Deut. 4.23 2 Chron. 16.15 and 29.18 The heart of man is exceeding prone to back-sliding now a Covenant is a bond that binds us to God happy those bonds which bind us to be holy It 's like a hedge to baâ— us from going astray It 's a good answer to a Tempter I have sworne and I will perform it How can I do such wickedness and break my Covenant with my God 3. With joy and chearfulness We must not come with dead hearts to such lively work As God loves a chearfull giver so a chearfull Covenanter is prized by him 2 Chron. 15.14 15. Iudah All Iudah Rejoyced in the Covenant which they had sincerely made with God to worship him onely in the purity of Religion See the good issue 1. The Lord was found of them 2. He gave them rest round about so that albeit they were encompassed with enemies yet none did hurt them and if it be matter of joy to come to the Ordinances Isay 30.29 2 Chron 29. ult and 30.13.21 32.26 Psal. 122.1 much more should we rejoyce in this extraordinary high service At marriages joy is seasonable this is the soules marriage day Hos. 2.19 20. I will betroth or marry thee unto me It 's thrice repeated for certainty 1. 'T is a spirituall Covenant or marriage and so far more excellent then carnall marriage 2. 'T is perpetuall not for a day but for ever when God loves once with a conjugall love he loves for ever 3. In righteousnesse and judgement he 'l cloath us with the wedding garment of Justification and Sanctification 4. Though we deserve no such favour yet of his own free-loving-kindness and mercy he will do it and is not this matter of exceeding joy 2. As for Covenants and compacts with men there were never greater complaints of falsenes and prodigiousness a man can scarce tell who to trust or where to find a faithfull man Righteousness is perisht from the earth and faithfulness from the sons of men A simple just plain-dealing man is a black swan if a man buy but a piece of land he scapes well if he be not made to buy it a second it may be a third time What lying cosening cheating in buying selling bargaining What falfe weights false wares false lights false measures in every place Men sell deceit to purchase Gods wrath 1 Cor. 6.9 and 1 Thessal 4.6 they take money not for wares but for cosenage such may boast of their profession and call themselves Saints but God accounts them worse then Scythians they are an abomination to him Deut. 25.13 14. Levit. 19.13 Some are first Table-men others second but both miscarry the one for his unrighteous Holinesse the other for his unholy righteousnesse Christ hath redeemed us that we might serve him not in Righteousnesse or Holinesse but in Righteousnesse and Holinesse Luke 1.75 such unrighteous men usually die beggers treasures gained by such wicked Practises profit not Prov. 10.2 3. Iob 20.15 Plain honesty is the
and darknesse no concord between Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6.14.15 There is a Canonicall truth in that Apocriphall Text. Wisdome 2.12.15 16.19 't is grievous to us to behold the righteous why so for his life is not like other mens and his wayes are of another fashion q. d. Our wayes are loose voluptuous Epicurean wayes but his are precise strict and pure wayes directly contrary to ours We are all for our selves our own ease and goods they are all for God his praise and honour so that we can never agree Hence 't is that those whom God hates the world usually loves and those whom God loves the world alwayes hates We have a notable instance in our dayes In the Queen of Sweden who is now turned Papist for what ends she her self best knows and is blest pardoned praised by Pope Priests Jesuites and is sumpteously entertained by others when she is blasted cursed abhorred of God as an horrid Apostate and gross Idolater now in a time of glorious light when the nakednesse of the whore is so palpably discovered to the world 3. The godly are the salt of the world by their savory reproof and counsell and by their holy Example they help to keep the world from rotting in sin yea the whole life of the godly is a kind of tacite reproof of the wicked wayes and customes of the world 1 Pet. 4.4 Heb. 11.7 Hence comes the hatred Iohn 15.18 19. 4. The men of the world are ensnared in many lusts and lye tumbling like swine in their own filth Iohn 5.19 So that they cannot arise to that height of Sanctity Self-deniall Patience humility c. which the Saints attain This makes them envie the Saints 5. The godly are chosen out of the world and therefore they shunne all needlesse society and intimate familiarity with the wicked Thus Saul when he became a Paul and was changed he changed his company Acts 9.19 and this makes the world hate them whilest they look upon them as Apostates from their society This made the Papists taxe Luther for an Apostate Luther confest it but he was an holy Apostate one who had not kept his promise made to the Devill and therefore no more to be blamed then a Heathen for turning Christian or a Magitian for renouncing his compact with the Devill and giving himselfe to God Now if despising and despiting of good men and goodness it self be a sinne and signe of the last times then ours surely are the last dayes Was there ever more despising of good Magistrates good Ministers good people when were the Reall servants of Christ more despited not for any evill that they have done but because they will not doe evill in denying Ordinances Order Government c. yet be not offended neither marvell 2 Iohn 3.13 as if some strange thing had happened to you you see here it 's long since foretold that it should be so in these last dayes We are apt to marvell when we see the godly hated persecuted tortured and abused who ought rather to be loved honoured and countenanced for their Grace but we might rather marvell if the world should love them for this is no new thing it ever hath been so 't is so 't will be so to the end of the world There ever will be Cains to persecute Gods Abells Pharaohs to opresse Gods Israel and tares to hinder Gods wheat God hath so decreed it for the manifestation of the glory of his Justice in the downfall of the wicked Prov. 16.4 he will get himself Glory out of their malice as the wise Physician extracts a medicine out of Poyson their very rage against his people shall turn to his praise Psal. 76.10 as we see in Pharaoh Haman Herod 'T is just with him to render tribulation to such as molest his people 2 Thes. 1.6 2. To try and exercise the Faith Hope Patience and Constancy of his people Isay 27.9 2 Thes. 1.4 Dan. 12 10. 3. To wean them from the world as the Mother layes wormwood on the breast to wean the child Now since we live in a time wherein the love of many waxeth cold both to Christ and to Reall Christians let us be Gods witnesses against a sinfull generation The more the world hates the good for their goodnesse the more let us love them 'T is a good evidence that we are Saints when we can love not onely a Brother or two but the whole Brother-hood 1 Pet. 2.17 1 Iohn 3.14 and all the Saints be they high or low Ephes. 1.15 when we can love a Saint in rags as well as a Saint in Silken robes a Iob on the dung-hill as well as a David on the throne It 's easie to love a good man for his Riches Learning Parts Gifts this is but a carnall love and springs from carnall Ends and Principles Iames 2.1 2 3 4. True love is a spirituall love springing from spirituall considerations it makes men love the Saints for their faith zeale c. and not for any by-respect As 't is the property of a Reprobate to hate a godly man for his godlinesse 1 Kings 22.3 Ezek. 13.22 Prov. 29.10 1 Iohn 3.10 So it argues Grace to love a good man simply for his goodness 1 Kings 18.3 4. and 2.4 9 10. he that loves one good man truly will love all Quatenus ipsum includit de omni In his judgement he highly prizeth them though they lye amongst the Pots and be sullyed with many afflictions tentations and reproaches yet he preferres society and communion with them on the hardest terms before all the honours and treasures of the world Heb. 11.25 he looks upon them as the Right Honourable of the world as the Pillars of the places where they dwell Gal. 2.9 the strength and ammunition of a nation the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel 2 Kings 2.12 as the Lords Portion Deut. 32.9 his pleasant Portion Ier. 12.10 as his Inheritance Psal. 28.9 and 33.12 Isay 19.25 though all the world be his yet he esteems it all but drosse and lumber in comparison of the godly who are his jewells even a people near and dear to him Mal. 3.17 though they may lye under some afflictions yet they are under dear affections as we see in Iob David Paul though the gold lye in the dirt yet 't is gold still and when we see 't is gold we pick it up and prize it David esteemed the godly the onely excellent of the world Psal. 16.3 and such as truly deserve respect Psal. 15.3 God himself prizeth them above Kings Psal. 105.14 15. he rebukes Kings yea and Kingdomes for their sakes Isay 43.14 For your sakes have I sent to Babylon and brought down all their Nobles How did God plague those knowne enemies of his people Moab Ammon Edom Tyre Egypt Philistia and Rome Pagan Arrian Antichristian God hath a precious esteem of his people their persons are precious Zach. 2.3 their prayers are precious Cant. 2.14
scriptures vilify Prayer and all Ordinances never give Thanks at their meales Rayle on Magistrates and Ministers dishonour their Parents out-run their wives neglect their families being full of Lying Rayling Idlenesâ— and all unrighteousnesse If these be Saints who are Scythyans These sin not through weakness but through wilfulness not through Passion or precipitation but deliberately electively resolutely they tell the Magistrate to his face that they will seal their high and horrid blasphemies with their blood 't is time such corrupt blood were let out of the body they devise mischiefe and set themselves in a way that is not good Psal. 36.4 as the liberall man deviseth liberall things and by them is establisht Isay 32.8 so the wicked man deviseth wicked things and by them is ruined V. 7. Though favour be shewed to the wicked yet are they so wedded to their sin that they will not learn Righteousness Isay 26.16 'T is the height of misery when men have sinned so long that they have brought themselves into a necessity of sinning These are not only in a dangerous but in a damnable condition what Solomon saith of the Harlots guests is true of them they are in the depths of hell Prov. 9. ult all such for present are far from salvation such as frequent the Ordinances and live soberly though they be not yet alive yet they sit in the winds way and there 's more hope of them as Christ said of the discreet Scribe thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven Mark 12.34 Now if a man may live civilly soberly religiously confess his sinnes Fast Pray frequent Ordinances give Almes and reform many things and yet come short of Heaven where then shall the wicked and ungodly appear who come short of those that come short of Heaven 2. Let us shake off this foul murthering sin and awaken our selves that we may awaken God if ever there were a time to cry aloud 't is now when the Lord seems to be asleep the work of Reformation seems to go backward children are come to the birth and there wants strength to bring forth By our Prayer let us play the Midwife and help the Man-child of Reformation into the world let us give the Lord no rest till he make Ierusalem the praise of the world Isay 62.1 See how the Church expostulates the case with God and by an holy violence doubles and trebles her suit the better to awaken God Isay 51.9 10. Awake O Arme of the Lord awake awake and put on strength God by his judgements hath made many gaps in the Nation let us humble our selves and lye in the gap and make up the breach when the Sea hath made a breach so long as the breach continues the water overflowes the land but the way to stop it is not to murmur or quarrell one with another but we must fall every one to his work and so make up the breach Remember our time is short our work is great and our wages unspeakable we serve a Master who will not let any man serve him for nought He 'l reward every man according to his works such as sow liberally shall reap liberally and the more active we have been for God the greater our reward shall be Let us not then give Satan occasion to insult and say Lord my slaves and servants are more active for me then thine are for thee mine can spend their Time their Estates and their Lives for me and in my service but thine grudge at every thing they do or suffer for thee Let us by our selfe-denying lives confute this slander let the zeale for Gods honour consume us and all that we have And if ever there were a time to rowse up our selves out of our formality 't is now when sin is grown so impudent and insolent 1. Let us sweep before our own dores and stirre up our selves against our own personall sinnes against that Atheisme Hypocrisy and Formality that sticks so close unto us Let 's know the Plague of our own hearts and arm against the sins of our complexion constitution vocations So did David Psal. 18.23 2. Let 's stirre up our selves against the sins of the age we live in The Apostasies Heresies Blasphemies that we daily hear of should be as a sword in our bones we should be deeply affected with them and shew our dislike of them Neh. 13.11.17 Ier. 13.17 Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 2.2 We must out of an holy singularity witnesse against the sinfull courses of the world Rom. 12.2 we must do more then others Matth. 5.47 the way of the righteous is on high above the reach of carnall men Prov. 15.24 and therefore when we Pray it should not be pro forma but with life and quickening Hence David prayes Psal. 80.18 quicken us O Lord that we may call upon thy Name We should stirre up our affections in this duty fire not stirred dyes but stirred gives heat 2 Tim. 1.7 there 's no stirring in formality and so no heat Hence Christ baptizeth all his not only with water but with fire Matth. 3.11 which makes them full of activity and zeale 2. Take heed of Formality in Hearing attend as for your lives with Life Faith Obedience come to these lively Oracles with lively affections Acts 7.38 be transformed into the Image of the word Rom. 6.17 act the Graces of the spirit in Hearing when you hear of Judgements tremble of the Promise believe of the Commandements obey 3. In observing the Lords-day we must not barely do the duties of it in a flat and formall way but we must make them our delight Isay 58.13 we should rejoyce that we have such a day wherein to glorifie God and to meditate on his word and works we should esteem it as an Honourable day it 's one thing to keep a Sabbath another to keep it as an high day a day of honour laying aside all worldly thoughts words and works as too base and meane for so high a day 4. In works of Mercy we should not barely shew mercy but Love mercy Micah 6.8 God loves a chearfull giver Wee should be glad of an opportunity to expresse our Love and Thankfullnesse to God We should think nothing too good for God who hath thought nothing too dear for us Bring costly services put him not off with light aud slight duties which cost you nothing David would not offer to the Lord of that which cost him nothing 2 Sam. 24.24 The fat and best must be given to him Levit. 3.9 Numb 13.12 Learn of worldly men see how active they be in Seed-time and Harvest for a little temporall gain consider how active and stirring the devill is to do mischiefe Iob 1. 1 Pet 5.8 and if Heathens have been so resolute to walk in the name of their Dung-hill-Gods Micah 45. we should much more resolve to walke in the name of our God for ever who is a better Master hath better work and better wages 2.
people using all means both by an holy inoffensive life and sound doctrine to win them to God this is our crown and rejoycing 2. Cor. 1.12 2. Take it for saving faith and so this Grace is very nessary for a Minister that he may constantly and couragiously go on with his work being hereby assured 1. Of Acceptation hereby assured 2. Protection hereby assured 3. Remuneration 1. Of acceptation both of his person and performances in Christ. Ephes. 1.6 2. Of protection in all his ways Christ holds his stars in his right hand which shews his special love and tender care over them Rev. 2.1 as we are exposed to greater tentation so we are under more special protection 3. Of Remuneration ánd reward Isay 49.4 5. though the Labans of the world change our wages ten times yet our reward is with the Lord. 5. Long-suffering Lenity and Long-suffering is a vertue which consists in moderating our anger and keeping us from revenge 't is needfull for all men but specially for Ministers who must not presently cast men off as reprobates and dogs but wait when God will give them repentance Hence the Apostle makes this one speciall Qualification of a Minister 2 Tim. 2.24 25. and 4.2 Rigour rather alienates wicked men from the truth and drives them further off instead of winning them but gentlenesse calmnesses and humility melts them and brings them into their right mind Now this Lenity and Long-suffering must be exercised towards all in generall 1. Thes. 5.14 but specially 1. Towards wicked men that are as yet unconverted there is a possibility of their conversion and therefore we must shew all meeknesse towards them remembring what we our selves sometimes were Titus 3. 2 3. 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 2. Towards those that are lapsed and fallen through infirmities Gal. 6.1 1. Thes. 5.14 3. Towards such as differ from us in opinion we must not presently cast off every one that saith not as we say but wait till God shall further enlighten them and discover the truth unto them Philippians 3.15 16. 4. Towards persecutors and open enemies of the truth We must bear and forbear even when many and great wrongs are done unto us Hence Christ prayed for those that crucified him and Steven for those that stoned him and Paul for such as persecuted him he was not enraged with anger against them nor did he raise tumults or seek revenge but he takes all quietly and resists opposers with a raise heroick yet calm spirit 1. This will make us like unto God who is slow to anger Exodus 34 6. and bears with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath Rom. 2.4 and 9.22 we cannot be so wronged and abused every day as God is and if he beare with such we may well beare Our natures are very apt to revenge to give blow for blow and reproach for reproach but happy is that man which hath the command of himselfe in whom this vertue dwells How oft is it commanded and commended to us 2 Cor. 6.6 Gal. 5.22 Ephes. 4.2 Colos. 3.12 2. Consider we live not amongst Angels but amongst Devils incarnate amidst a forward perverse rebellious nation so that without Patience yea Long-suffering which is patience heightned and extended there is no quiet nor comfortable subsisting in the world Patience may enable us to endure the common and ordinary crosses and calamities of this life but there is need of Long-suffering to endure those great and grievous injuries which we must expect from malicious men yea and sharp trialls oft-times from God himself 5. Charity or Love Though in our ordinary speech we confound the words yet Love is the more proper and comprehensive word as including both the Affection and Habit of love as also the actions and duties of Love But charity is too narrow and oft notes but the effects of love in works of charity and mercy 2 Cor. 2.7 8. Heb. 6.10 A man may have much charity and yet no love he may give all his goods to the poor and his body to be burnt and yet want Love 1 Cor. 13.3 Hence the Geneva Translation and others render the word Love both in the Text and in 1 Cor. 13. ult So then we have here in Paul those three Theologicall Graces saith Aquinas of Faith Hope and Love for in Long-suffering and patient waiting saith he Hope is included By Love may here be meant Pauls Love both to God and man but especially it may seem to relate to his love towards men He loved all both good and bad friends and foes the one with a love of delight and complacency the other with a love of pity and compassion And 't is well observed by a Reverend Divine that we must love bad men but not bad manners and that 't is an act more of faith to love such then good men c. Good men love not to confine their Love but as the Sunne diffuseth its beames to all so good men wish well to all Revel 22. ult Grace be with you all This Grace is very requisite especially for a Minister Love is an active thing it will make us willing to spend our selves and be spent for Christ it will even constrain us to use our gifts for Gods glory and the good of men 2 Cor. 5.14 for as reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive so Love hath a compulsive faculty it 's a kind of omnipotent Affection it answers doubts removes feares lessens difficulties conquers tentations makes the Coward valiant the covetous prodigall the slothfull active so that then we begin to live when we begin to love Nothing workes kindely upon the heart but what comes from love the wheeles never move well till they be oyled with it Hence the Apostle would have all things done in Love 1 Cor. 13.16 out of love to our people we should labour to preserve their love by being helpfull hospitable courteous patient mercifull c. preferring their soules before our dues that they may see we seek not theirs but them not that we should betray the Rights of our places but claime them with all tendernesse and evidences of Love and Peace 7. Patience Q. d. Thou hast fully known my Patience in bearing and forbearing in a quiet and submissive way undergoing all those adversities afflictions and persecutions which I met with from an ungrateful World Our life here is surrounded with trials Internal and External so that without Patience we shall sink under the burthen This keepeth us in the Possession of our selves Luke 21 19. and enables us to bear injuries with a quiet moderation of mind God will try us Satan will sift us and the world molest us so that unlesse we be armed with Patience with All Patience and Long-suffering we can expect no joy Colossians 1.11 A little Patience will not doe for we have no little enemies to oppose us it must be All Patience and all strength This also is a
at that great day Matthew 10.32.33 and as you have suffered more for him then others have done so you shall have a higher degree of Glory Matt. 19.28 29. See more Yongs benefit of affliction cap. 1. Sibs Cordials p. 160. Calvins Instit. l. 3. c. 8. S. 7.8 Bifields Mirrour Treat of Promises cap. 8. p. 336. and Gods Treasury c. 28. Objection But I see my persecutors flourish in health wealth prosperity whilest I am poor persecuted and low Answer Fret not your self because of prosperous wicked men for they shall soon come down Psalm 31.1 2.13.35 36. and 73.19 20. 't is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes. 1.6 and though they be many that rise against the Church yet the Lord hath said he 'l make Ierusalem a burthensome stone to All people be they never so many or mighty Zach. 12.3 they shall but wound and cut themselves that meddle with her they shall all have enough of it who ever they be as we see in Pharaoh Saul Senacherib Iesabel Haman Herod the Moabites and the Iewes who persecuted Christ and his Apostles are to this day a cursed dispersed people Be not therefore terrified by your adversaries Phillippians 1.28 though they be great yet there is a greater then they though they plot yet God hath a plot above their plots he sits in Heaven and laughs them to scorn Psalm 2. they are ludibria coeli though terrores mundi Psalm 37.12 the wicked plot Verse 13. God comes between the plot and the execution and mars all He snares the wicked in their own devices Psalm 9.16 Higgaon Selah This is a matter worthy of our chifest meditation God will punish all wicked men but persecutors of his people especially As the Martyrs shall have the highest joy so their persecutor shall have the deepest sorrow There is a neere Union between Christ and his Church he is the Head and and they are his Members he the Vine and they the branches he the husband and they his Spouse Col. 1.18 Eph. 1.22 4.15 16. 3.30 and therefore he must needs be sensible of the wrongs which are done to them Acts 9.4 5. Isay 63.9 Zach. 2.8 Christ and his people have common friends and common foes Francis the first after he had commanded the destruction of the Protestants was never his own man after Winceslaus King of the Bohemians within 18. dayes after he had marked out the names of some Christians to death was smitten himself Though wicked men may forget their wickedness yet God will not Amos 8.7 he can tell Amilek 400. years after what he did against Israel and punisheth him for it 1 Sam. 15.2 3. God will destroy the destroyers of his people If Pharaoh persue Israel God will pursue Pharaâ—h If Mount Seir slay Israel God will destroy Mount Seir Ezek. 45. per totum If Pashur smite Ieremy God will smite Pashur If Ieroboam stretch forth his hand against the Prophet that hand shall wither If Herod vex the Church Vermin shall vexe him And however persecutors may escape in this life yet they are sure to pay for it in the next Phillippians 1.28 2. Thessalonians 1.6 7.9 Rev. 19.20 and 20.10 let us comfort our selves with the remembrance of that great day Here many times they live longest who deserve not to live at all Here the Israelites make brick whilest the Egyptians dwell at ease David is in want whilest Nabal abounds Here Sion oft'times is Babylons captive and they that deserve nothing are Lords of all yet this is our comfort the day of the Lord will come and then we shall be above and our enemies shall be beneath Now they cite us to their bar and we cite them as Ierom of Prague did his adversaries to Gods Bar. I summon you all to answer me shortly before the great and just Judge of all the world They prepare evils for the Church and God prepares rods for them God is jealous over Ierusalem for the wrong that is done to her Zach. 1.4 and though he bear long yet he will not alwaies bear Tempus erit Turno There 's a time when they shall pay full dearly for medling with such holy things Ier. 2.3 God hath prepared arrowes for to shoot at persecutors Psalm 7.13 and rather then fail he will make their own arrowes to wound themselves and fall on their own pates Psal. 37.14.13 The fire that should have burnt the 3 young men Daniel 3. burnt those that threw them in and the Lions which should have devoured Daniel devoured his enemies Daniel 6. Lastly Prepare for trials look for storms as sure as now we live so sure a change will come how soon we know not We should therefore with Ioseph in those years of plenty prepare for years of scarcity and in the highest prosperity remember the dayes of adversity for they may be many so did Iob. 3.23 Rules That we may be Real Martyrs and suffer rightly 1. The man must be good The person must please before the suffering can please Uprightnesse breeds boldnesse and the Holiest men have ever proved the happiest Martyrs as we see in Paul Latimer Bradford c. 2. The End must be good 'T is that which denominates the Action a man may seem to die for the Truth yet not in Truth nor out of love to Christ and his Truth but for ambition and vain glory 1 Cor. 13.7 such suffer Iactatione magis quà m delectatione for selfe ends and not out of love to Christ and so loose all 3. The matter and cause for which we suffer must be good for 't is not the suffering but the cause which we suffer for which makes a Martyr We are never blest unlesse we suffer for Righteousnesse sake Matth. 5.11 When men suffer as murtherers malefactors blasphemers and disturbers of the Peace of the Nation as the Quakers do this is cause of shame but if a man suffer as a Christian its cause of rejoycing 1 Peter 3.14 and 4.15 16. When men hate and persecute us not for any evil that we have done but because we will not do evil but study to please God and serve him in sincerity when 't is for Christs sake that we are killed Rom. 8.36 then our sufferings are the sufferings of Christ and reflect upon him so that he takes them as done to himself Matt. 25.45 Acts 9.4 Heb. 11 26. 4. The manner of our sufferings must be right 1. It must be patiently without murmuring or repineing loose this and you loose the reward of all your sufferings 1 Peter 2.19 20. if when ye do well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God or as the Original renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will thank you for this This is stupenda condescentio a wonderful condescension that God should account himselfe gratified and as it were beholding to such sufferers To make you Patient
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
of gifts 'T is good to Profess but Practice is better yea of the two Practice without Profession is better then Profession without Practice for Divinity in this life consists rather in Practice then in speculation and contemplation In Religion we know no more then we Practice then we are said to know God when we keep his Commandements 1 Iohn 2.3 4. Lay aside words and fall to works Quid verbis opus est Spectemur agendo Let us imitate the sheep which boast not how much they have eaten but shew it actually by their fat fleece and young We all profess we love God let us shew it by doing something for his Honour As the woman that loved our Saviour bestowed a box of precious Oyntment on him Love is bountifull Many read the Scriptures onely to fit them for discourse as some are said to read Plato All such unpractical knowledge in Gods esteem is no knowledge 1 Samuel 1.12 Ieremiah 2.8 The Priests no doubt had a Notional knowledge but because it wanted Practice God accounted it no knowledge This want of Practice breeds Errours and Heresies Men turn Scepticks because they will not be Practicks God plagues the Hypocrites of our time for their Unfruitfulnesse Ungratefulnesse and Contempt of the Gospell by giving them up in his just judgement 1. Anabaptism Libertinism Socinianism and other Heretical ways Sin hath so blinded them that they cannot see the Truth Matthew 22.29 Practice is the best Preservative against defection this will make a man whose knowledge is less then others to remain stedfast in time of trial like a fixed Star whilest others of greater Parts like blazing Comets may shine for a while but at last vanish into smoke Revelations 3.8 'T is obedience to this Word that will build us up till it have brought us to an inheritance immortal Acts 20.32 He that would see more Encouragements for Practice let him peruse Mr. Samuel Wards Sermon Iohn 13.17 it is the last Sermon of his Sermons Master Vennings sermon on Matthew 7.21 Doctor Preston on Romans 1.18 p. 170. Downams Guide to Godliness cap. 1.2 The Preface to the last Edition of Doctor Andrewes Catechism Master Anthony Burgess spi. Refining 1 Peter 1.2 3. Master Sanger his morning Lecture p. 77 c. 1. Then let us Read it constantly Deuteronomy 6.6 7. Psalm 1.1 2. least any should exempt themselves the Lord names all sorts men women children strangers Deuteronomie 31.11 12. Ieremiah 36.6 7. not onely the learned but the unlearned also must Read yea search the Scriptures if they expect Eternal Life Iohn 5.39 peruse them frequently and search them diligently digging for these Heavenly Treasures as men doe for gold who break every clod that they may finde the golden Oare There is nothing written in vain but even those places which at first view seem to contain nothing memorable yet by prayer and study much gold of instruction and consolation may be gained from them neither is there any danger in a wise humble and Holy reading of the Scriptures for then the Lord would never have revealed them nor have denounced such terrible Threatnings against such as are ignorant of them Isay 27.11 1 Thessalonians 7.8 It is not knowledge but the want of it which makes men erre both in Doctrine and Manners Matthew 22.29 as we see by sad experience in the dark corners of the land Be not then a stranger to Gods Word but let it dwell in you Colossians 3.16 Let it bee your Domesticke Counsellour let it be as Familiar with you as he that dwelleth in the same House with you even as your Brother and Sister Proverbs 4.7 Let it dwell not onely sufficiently but aboundantly richly and plentifully in you both in respect of the Object be not onely acquainted with some Parts and Parcels of the Scripture but let the whole Word both Law and Gospel abide in you be industrious to know all Gods Will Hos. 6.3 Prov. 2.3.4 5. Secondly In respect of the Subject Let it rule in all the parts of the Soul in the Understanding Memory Will Affections set open the Doores of the Soul and bid light welcome Let there not be a formido Lucis a shunning of the Light for that argueth guilt Iohn 3.20 But be like Apollos who was mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18. 14. and like the Eunuch Acts 8.28 29. who would lose no time but as he was travelling and riding in his Chariot he was reading the Word 2. Which makes him the more to be admired he was but a Heathen 3. He had much business 4. He was a Prince and a great man 5. Though he understood not what he read yet he would be reading 6. He ingeniously confessing his ignorance God sends one to instruct him 'T is the Meek the Teachable and the Tractable whom God will teach his way Psal. 25.9 Isay 28.9 10. Iames 1.21 'T was the great praise of Alphonsus King of Arragon that notwithstanding all his Princely affairs he read over the Bible 14. times with the ordinary Gloss and George Prince of Transilvania read over the whole Bible 6. or 7. times How will their forwardness condemn our backwardness See Motives and directions for Reading the Scriptures Par. on Rom. in the end of his Comment p. 1. c. Byfields Marrow p. 550. Master White of Dorchester Direct for reading script Master Sam. Hierons Serm. on Hos. 8.12 Downams Guide to Godlyness cap. 28. to 32. Master Traps Treatise cap. 8. Master Burgess his Sermon on Marke 1.3 p. 14 c. Master Leigh's Body of Divinity l. 1. c. 2. p. 23. Master Philip Goodwin Family-Dut p. 348. 2. We must remember and Treasure up the things we read 'T is impossible we should ever practice the things which we forget with Mary we should treasure up Christs sayings in our hearts Luke 2.19.51 we should lay up something for the time to come Isay 42.23 and learn that in Sion which may support us in Babylon Ier. 10.11 this will be a means to keep us from sinning against God Psalm 119.11 Deut. 11.18 Iob 22.22 23. Our memories naturally are very false and there is a wilful forgetfulness of the best things Hence the Lord commanded the Jewes to make them fringes on the borders of their Garments that they might remember the Commandments of the Lord and do them Num. 15.38 39. we should use all good means to keep the word in Remembrance as by conference by loving it Psalm 119.16 want of affection makes memory wanting we use not to forget what we love By writing it such as can write Sermons may do well to write them Baruc writ from the mouth of Ieremy 36.32 and if Kings notwithstanding the multiplicity of their Kingly affairs yet must spare time to read Gods Word and must write out with their own hands a Copy of the Law the better to imprint it in their memories Deut. 17.18 how can inferiour persons who have
not that strong imployment be excused See helps to strengthen Memory Manton on Iames 1.25 p. 204. Barlow on 2 Timothy 2.8 Baine on Revelations 2.4 p. 13. Fenner on Revelations 3.1 Rogers of Dedham on Love p. 3 4 c. Doctor Reynolds on the Passions p. 13 c. 3. Medit on the word Do not only taste it but eat it digest it concoct it for then it will nourish you Ier. 15.16 This made David to excel Ps. 119.99.100 'T was one of Luthers Masters by which he profited so much Meditation Tentation and Prayer This will make us know things experimentally we shall taste of hidden Manna we shall be constant and setled in Gods wayes This layeth open to us all our losses by sin the losse of Gods favour losse of Peace of conscience and losse of Reward and so imbitters sin to us By this we converse with God 't is our Mount Nebo out of which we may behold the heavenly Canaan Though our bodies be on earth yet by Meditation our soules may be in heaven Resolve then to spend one houre in 24. every day in this duty Satan will lay many rubs in your way for of all duties he cannot endure that we should reflect upon our wayes yet like another Sampson you must break all the cords of these Philistines the benefit Peace and comfort you will find by it will abundantly pay for all especially on the Sabbath day we must be much in this duty Rev. 1.10 As the rich man thinks it not sufficient that he hath Gold but he loves to think on 't to see it to count it soe should we not content our selves with a notionall knowledge of God and his works but by meditation we should recount and ponder the wayes and works of God that we may experimentally tell what God hath done for our soules See more for Meditat. Barlow on 2 Tim. 2.7 D. Holsworth's Ser. on Psal. 119.48 p. 321. Downams Guide to Godlinesse l. 5. c. 14. Mr. Stoughton Davids Love to the word p. 295. to 434. Mr. Ambrose his Medita cap. 7. Sect. 1. Mr. Baxter's Saints Rest. Part. 4. p. 147.179 to 203. Let us then with all Thankfulnesse acknowledge this mercy of mercies this gift of gifts what grosse Ignorance Profanenesse Superstition and Idolatry did overspread the world 500. yeares agoe for want of this light which we enjoy Oh what excellent Helps Expositors Treatises Practical and Polemical on all Parts of Divinity do we enjoy what would not our forefathers have given to have seen this day and yet we foolish ungrateful people know not our own mercies nor do we prize the things that concerne our everlasting Peace As ever we desire to prosper let us with all readinesse of mind receive the word none ever yet loâ—t by entertaining it it payeth for its entertainment where ever it comes 'T will return Mercy for Duty and brings with it a sure Reward Every line of it runs Wine Milk and Honey to the due observers of it We should therefore esteem it above our dearest lives When the Sanctum Sanctorum was taken saith Iosephus in the last destruction of Ierusalem the Jewes desired rather to dye then to live What crying yea what dying was there when the Ark was taken 1 Sam. 4.18 20 21 22. if the Lord will take his word away we should desire that he would take us away for our lives will not be worth the enjoying if we cannot have the Tokens of Gods love and favour with them There is not a surer signe of a child of God then this sincere love to the sincere milk of Gods word 1 Pet. 2.2 Moses esteems it above all the learning of other Nations Deut. 4.6 David spends the whole 119. Psalm to shew his intimate affection to it He preferres it before Gold Solomon his son preferres it before Pearles Proverbs 3.15 Iob 23.12 preferres it before his food and Ieremy 15 16. makes it his joy In a word all the children of God have been great lovers of the word of God They look upon it as a Rich Mine of Heavenly Treasures and a store-house of all spiritual consolations The Bible is Promptuarium sacrum a common shop of medicines for the soule full of rich priviledges promises and large Legacies to the people of God 'T is a staffe and stay to the old an ornament and guide to the young Here you may read the Love which God bare to his children from all eternity and will continue to them when time shall be no more here are to be found the Leaves of the Tree of Life which God hath ordained for the healing of the Nations In a word here is a Hammar for Hereticks a Touchstone for doctrine a Rule for our lives a comforter counsellour to us in this house of our pilgrimage We should then read Gods word not only as our duty but as our priviledge singular happinesse Rejoycing that we have them to read the child delights to read his fathers Will and Testament that he may see what is bequeathed to him Denizons delight to read their Charters and to know their Priviledges The Malefactor acquitted delights to read his Pardon and the Prodigal that is received into favour delights to read the Affectionate Letters of his father to him If we be born of God we cannot but love the word of God And it is profitable c. Observe Such as meddle with Gods word must profit by it We abuse the word when we read or hear it onely for Speculation Novelty and Curiosity but not for Practice that we may know love and fear God and so be happy for ever God gave them for this end that we might profit by them Those Ministers then are to be blamed that play with Scripture and feed their people with the chaffe of aery Notions frivolous Questions Idle distinctions and foolish controversies seeking their own ends and praise and not the benefit of Gods people Let such remember that the Scripture was given to Profit us but not play withall 'T is said of Bernard that preaching one day Scholastically the learned thanked him but not the godly but when another day he preacht plainly the good people came blessing God for him and giving him many Thanks which some Schollars wondring at oh said he Heri Bernâ—rdum hodie Christum Yesterday I preacht Bernard but to day I preacht Christ. 'T is not Learning but Teaching not the wisdom of words but the evidence of the Spirit that is pleasing to the Saints For Doctrine for reproof c. Observe The word of God containes in it all things necessary to salvation what is there in the whole body of Religion but it may be referred to one of these Heads either Doctrine Reproof Correction or Instruction in Righteousnesse All things necessary to life eternal are here to be found Ezek. 20.11 Iohn 5.39 and 20.31 This will inform our Judgements reform our manners convince gainsayers and
direct us in paths of Piety Here 's a salve for every sore a medicine for every malady even a perfect Rule of found doctrine and good life See more in Mr. Leigh's Body of Divinity l. 1. c. 7. p. 80. c. VERSE 17. That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works THe Apostle here addes the end of the Scriptures usefulness viz. to make the man of God perfect i. e. that the Minister of Christ may be perfect and compleat every way fitted for the work of his calling for althoâ—gh this be true of every good man that the word of God is able to comcompleat and perfect him for every good work yet the context and scope of the Apostle shewes that he especially speaks of a Minister of Christ whom by way of honour he stiles The man of God This Title did properly and peculiarly belong to the Prophets of the Old Testament who were by way of honour and excellency called Men of God 1 Sam. 2.27 and 9.6 1 Kings 13.1.13 Deut. 33.1 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Kings 17.18 and 2.4 7. 1. Because of their Mission and Commission which they had from God to dispense his word and Sacraments to his people they are Gods Legates and Embassadours and therefore are they called Men of God 2. In respect of that singular Holinesse which is or at least ought to be in the Ministers of Christ and in respect of their neernesse and familiarity with God 'T is an Hebraisme very frequent in Scripture when they would expresse an excellent thing they joyned the name of God to it as the City of God Cedars of God Harps of God men of God i. e. excellent Cities Cedars Harps Men. The Apostle applies this Title to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.11 in the Text he applies it to all the ministers of the Gospel How basely soever this ungrateful world esteems of them yet they are men of God set apart by him for the noblest imployment They are not only men of God by right of Creation for so are the wicked nor by right of Redemption so are the Elect but by special delegation God imployes them on his Embassyes and Messages to the sons of men Hence Observe That the calling of the Ministery is an Honourable Calling They are men indeed but they are men of God They are Ministers and Servants but 't is for Christ. They are Embassadours for him 2 Cor. 5.20 'T is an Honour to be an Embassadour to an ordinary King but to be imployed as an Embassadour for the King of Kings how great is that honour Three things make a service Honourable 1. If we serve an Honourable Master 2. If our work be honourable 3. If our wages be Honourable All three things concurre here No Master no Work no Wages like ours The Physitian looks to your bodies the Lawer to your Estates and the Minister to your soules These are the Light of the world the Salt of the Earth the Stewards of Gods house Friends of the Bridegroom and the Saviours of the world Kings by way of Reverence and Honour have called them Fathers 2 Kings 13.14 This is an Honour which none are capable of but such as God is pleased to call Heb. 5.4 How great then is the sin of those Atheisticall Quakers who load the faithfull Ministers of Christ with vile and reproachfull language If the Spirit of God call them Men of God and give them Honourable Titles then they are certainly led by the spirit of the Devil who vilify them and miscall them The time is at hand when such shall answer for all their hard speeches against God and his Ministers Iude 15. But 't is no wonder that we sinful dust and ashes are abused when our Lord and Master himself suffers if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub what may the servants expect 'T is some comfort that we are abused by none but such as abuse God his Sabbaths Scriptures Orders and Ordinances But though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sin Love you the faithful messengers of Christ. Let their faces yea their feet be beautifull in your eyes Isay 52.7 have them in singular love for their works sake Children should love their Fathers the sheep their shepherd and the convert the Instrument of his conversion Though our persons may deserve but little yet our Callings are Honourable The Apostle would have you give them double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 not onely your countenance but honourable maintenance 1. That they may live like the Embassadours of Christ. 2. That by Hospitality and works of mercy they may adorn their profession 3. We must give our selves to Reading but without book we cannot read We need books Philosophicall Theological Textual Polemical Practical Historical 500. l. say some will buy but a competent study for a Minister of the Gospel 4. Our breeding is chargeable and our paines very great besides we have no worldly way of Trading whereby to subsist 5. If the Levitical Priest had honourable maintenance then we that are put to greater cost and pains may much more expect it from our flocks 2. If Ministers be men of God near and dear to him then he 'l defend them His starres he holds in his Right hand he hath a speciall care over them and respect unto them 2. Observe 'T is lawfull to give honourable Titles to men according to their places and callings The Scripture approves not of any rude uncivill language but expressely commands us to give honour to whom honour is due Rom. 13.7 Exod. 20.12 The Saints of God in Scripture did not use to Thee and Thou men but gave respectful and reverent language to their betters Sarah calls Abraham not Thou Abraham but she calls him Lord or Sir 1 Pet. 3.6 Luke calls Theophilus most excellent Theophilus Luke 1.3 Obadiah a Saint meets Elijah and falls on his face before him and calls him My Lord Elijah 1 Kings 18.7 here is both reverend gesture and language and that to a Prophet a Minister of God whom men hate now not for any evill that we have done but solely for our office because we are Ministers of Christ and witnesse against their wickednesse therefore they call us Conjurers Juglers Limbs of the Devill Covetous Proud Tithe-mongers Legall Preachers Baals Priests Witches Devils Lyars c. with such Billingsgate language they stuffe their lying Pamphlets The Lord rebuke them Solomon will teach them if they be not past Teaching better language Eccles. 12.11 he calls Ministers Masters of the Assemblies The Jaylour calls Paul and Silas Sirs or Masters Acts 16.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domini a Title of Honour and they reprove him not for it which they would have done had it been unlawfull Paul commands us to give them double honour Iohn gives a Title of Honour to a good woman and calls her an Elect Lady 2 Iohn 1.3.5 Object These were good and godly persons but we shew
Lamb for Meeknesse yet is he a Lion for Power and though he may suffer his people for a time to lie Inter oleros so the Septuagint read it as we Clergy men now do amongst the pots yet they shall overcome by the bloud of the Lamb Revelations 12.11 the sons of Zerviah may be too strong for us but not for him Ier. 50.33 34. be they Kings that oppose his Church Christ hath said He will wound even Kings in the day of his wrath Psal. 110.5 3. If Christ be God then extol and exalt him according to his excellent greatness 1. Exalt him in your judgements have high apprehensions of him in your judgements esteem him the fairest of ten thousand Christ must be admired now as well as hereafter of all that do believe 2 Thes. 1.10 esteem his wayes the best wayes his comforts the sweetest comforts his Rewards the highest rewards and his People the happiest People 2. Exalt him in your Affections seeing he is God love him as God with a transcendent Love we must not love him with a low common sensual Love as we love a Beast such love is hatred and contempt in his esteem but we must love him Appretiativè Intensivè Affectu Effectu with the highest intention of Affection as the dearly beloved of our souls Our love to Christ must in some measure resemble Christs love to us now his was transcendent love to us Rom. 5.7 8. and so must ours be to him They love not Christ who love any thing more then Christ they love him not at all who doe not love him more then all 2 It must be Real love Many will complement with Christ bow their knee or put off the hat to the Name of Jesus or keep a riotous Feast for him or rather for themselves Zach. 7.6 Christ is never less thought of then at Christide he hath more dishonour done him in those twelve daies then in all the twelve moneths of the year besides looke on mens Actions and you would think they were keeping a Feast to Bacchus or some Heathenish God to Iove rather then to Iehovah We see shadowes but where is the Reality of your Love what do you more then others where is your zeal your mourning for the dishonours done to Christ your readinesse to doe and suffer for him The woman that loved Christ bestowed a box of precious oyntment on him Matt. 26.7 Peter that loved Christ fed his sheep 3. It must be an Vnited collective love we must love him with all our souls and all our affections together As all the Rivers run into the Sea and meet in one Ocean so all a Christians affections should meet in Christ who is the center and resting place for the soul. United love is very strong the Sun-beams when contracted and meet in a Burning Glass are of great force and strength 4. It must be Spiritual as Christs Beauty and Excellencies are spirituall such must our love be it springs from spiritual Principles and hath spiritual ends 5. It must be Conjugal Love which is or ought to be the strongest Love Prov. 5.18.19 the Spouse of Christ must be sick and transported with love Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 6. It must be a Chaste Love a true Spouse loves none like her own Husband though she have many friends yet she hath but one Beloved one Husband so the Saints are chaste and have not their hearts divided between Christ and the World or between him and sin It is not Harlotry love that can love many at once hence the Saints are called Virgins Cant. 1.3 Rev. 14.4 for their spiritual chastity because they are not defiled with the corruptions of the world 7. It is a Rational Love there is all the reason in the world why we should love Christ best 1. If we consider him in himself he is God blessed for ever Romans 9.5 and whom will you love if you love not God 2. If we consider the Proximity of his Nature he is flesh of our flesh he is Goel propinquus noster our near kins-man Iob 19.25 3. If we consider him in Reference to his people they have the most engagements of all people in the world to love him all he did and suffered was for them they have received most from him and therefore he may in equity expect most from them 4. Consider him in his Relations they all call for our love All Rezelations meet in him Eminently 1. He is our Father Isay 8.18 and whom should children love like their Father 2. He is our Redeemer from how great misery to how great mercy hath he exalted us of Canaaites he hath made us Israelites of sinners he hath made us sons of foes he hath made us friends and of heirs of hell he hath made us heirs of heaven 3. He is our Brother Hebrewes 2.11 our Husband our Lord and Master Now a Brother will love a brother a Wife her Husband a Servant his Master but when all these Relations shall meet and concenter in one person how great must that love be 5. Consider the Excellencies that are in Christ and so he 〈◊〉 the most lovely and desireable Three things make one lovely Fulness Fairness and Constancy Now all these are in Christ in an eminent manner 1. Fulness and riches have an Attractive inviting Vertue in them all men desire fulness the Drunkard loves to fill himself with strong drink the Worldling loves full Barns the Voluptuous man his fill of Pleasures yet all this fulness is mere emptiness compared with Christ. In him onely is Real fullness and satisfaction to be found 2. He is absolutely the most fair and beautiful in respect of his transcendent purity he is fairer then the children of men Psalm 45.2 He is a Sun for Light Lustre Mal. 4. a Lilly for Beauty a Rose for sweetness a Lamb for meekness Bread for support Water for refreshing Milk for nourishing and Wine for comforting Isay 55.1.2 3. 3. He is a constant Friend the World is off and on and forsakes us in our greatest straits but Christ will never leave his People he will guide them with his Counsel till he bring them to Glory Lastly Consider our love 't is the best thing that we can give unto Christ 't is indeed the man it denominates a man that we are that we love most Affectus Virum indicat If a man love pleasures most then be is a voluptuous man if the World a worldling Christ I am sure hath best deserved our love and hath payed dearest for it if any can shew better Title to it let him take it It should deeply humble us to consider how there is none less beloved then Christ who yet hath best deserved our love Every one hath his beloved the Drunkard hath his beloved cups and queans the Worldling his beloved bags and barns onely Christ lies unregarded by the most of men Of all Evils the evil of sin should most affect us and
suffering frame of Spirit Long-suffering yea all Long-suffering and Patience that he may be able to bear with the weak not despair of the wicked nor rashly cast off any but patiently wait till the Lord shall give them repentance to salvation As the Apostle prayed for his Colossians 1.11 that they might be strengthened with Patience yea all patienee so we had need to pray for our selves that God would strengthen us with Long-suffering yea with All long-suffering that we may patiently endure the reproaches and indignities which attend our callings and are annexed to our Orders that so we may condescend and stoop to the slowness and dulness weakness and waywardness of our people This will make us like to God who beareth long and is slow to wrath Exodus 34 6. Romans 9.22 Objection The Apostle commandeth Titus to be sharp and severe Titus 1.13 Answer Distinguish the persons and the doubt is resolved The Cretians to whom Titus preached were rugged and refractory now a hard knot must have a hard wedge But the Ephesians to whom Timothy was sent were of a better temper and disposition as appeareth Acts 20.32 and therefore to be more meekly and mildly dealt withall 2. Others draw the difference from the persons to whom the Apostle writ the one was Timothy who they say was severe and austere and is therefore exhorted to lenity and patience The other Titus who they say was gentle of nature and mild and is therefore stirred up to sharpnesse and severity And with All Doctrine The Apostle very seasonably addeth this Caution and Qualification viz. That all our reproofs and exhortations should have a good foundation and be grounded on sound Doctrine being clearly agreeable to Gods Word and Will Let a man preach never so fervently and affectionately yet unlesse by Scripture Arguments he convince me of my sin and errour he doth but beat the Aire and all that he saith doth but vanish into smoak Doctrine must be laid as the ground of all and a reason of the reproof must be given Man is a rational creature and it is not words but solid Arguments that must convince him stir him comfort him Many young men make a great noise they flutter and make a great clutter in a Pulpit they have many high-flowen words and that is all The emptiest carts maketh the greatest rattle and the emptiest barrels the loudest sound but for want of substantial Arguments they leave their Auditors unsatisfied and unwrought upon would you not then have their advice contemned convince their Auditors of the Truth of what you say and then they will yea they must submit or doe worse Now these two Qualifications are very necessary for a Minister 1. He had need of a great deal of patience to undergo the oppositions and reproaches of an ungrateful world 2. He had need to be accomplished with all manner of Learning that he may be able to stop the mouths of all gain-sayers Observations 1. Note Gods Timothies onely who are called and set apart by Imposition of hands for the work of the Ministery must Preach the Word Preaching is not every mans work in common it belongs not to the flock but to the Pastors and Leaders of the flock The Apostle layes not the Injunction upon all but onely on Timothies who are fitted and ordained to the work Every Minister is an Herald an Ambassador an Officer and must not go without his Commission nor deliver any thing but what his Lord who sends him shall give him in charge Acts 20.27 Faith comes not by hearing every speaker but by attending on such Preachers as are sent Romans 10.15 If any run before they are sent they may speak as long as they please but they shall never benefit the people Ier. 23.32 But of this see more at large in my Pulpit-Guard 2. Observation Ministers must be Preachers As they must be Ministers i. Men called to the Work So when they are called not onely they may but they must Preach There is a necessity lieth upon them yea a necessity backt with a Woe 1 Corinthians 9.16 So that they must either Preach or perish this must be done or they are undone Verbi Minister es Hoc age was Master Perkins his Motto Reading is not sufficient we must Preach and Expound the Word When God had given the Law to his People he presently appoints Priests and Levites to expound it to them Nehem. 8.7 8. Mal. 2.7 This is that great Ministerial Duty which the Apostle doth so seriously here press upon us This was the first thing which our Saviour gave in charge to his Apostles when he sent them forth into the World Matthew 10.7 Goe Preach and this was his last charge to them when he was leaving the World Goe Preach and Baptize Matthew 28 19. This he commanded Peter once and again that as he loved him he would feed his sheep Iohn 21. So that if we either love Christ or the soules of our Brethren or our own soules we must feed the flockes and be prompt and ready to Preach on all Occasions 1 Timothy 3.2 and 2.2 24. He must not conceal his gifts to himself but on all occasions he must be ready to communicate them to others 'T is true a Ministers Conversation must be unspotted and blamelesse but let him live never so well yet unlesse he Preach and faithfully discharge the Dueties of his calling he shall never convert souls As for dumbe Dogs and blinde watch-men they are worthless useless things not fit to be swineherds Let such lazy droans read Ierem. 23. and Ezekiel 34. and if they have not lost all sense and savour it will awaken them 3. Observation Ministers must not preach the fancies and inventions of men nor the Canons and Decrees of Prelates but they must Preach the pure Word of God They are Heralds and must keepe to the instructions of him that sent them without adding or dectracting If any man speake in the Church he must speak the Oracles of God 1 Peter 4.11 and what Christ commands Matth. 28.20 'T is the whole Word of God which we must preach both Law and Gospell the One will keepe us from Presumption and the Other from Despaire the One will Humble us and the Other will Raise us The Law makes way for the Gospel it breaketh the stubborne heart of man and maketh him prize a Saviour and cry out with Paul Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou that I shall doe q. d. I doe now Resigne and Devote my self wholly to thee I am ready to doe and suffer what ever thou shalt command me Thus the Preaching of the Law prepareth the heart for Christ and must first be preached the Spirits Method is first by the Law to convince us of the exceeding sinfulnesse of sin and then by the Gospel to convince us of Christs Righteousnesse Iohn 16.9 10. But our great Worke is to Preach the Gospell and the Law
idle drowsie habit but an active lively operative thing hence all Gods servants have been men of fire Abraham how zealous in Praying for Sodom how ready to circumcise himselfe and all the men in his house how ready to part with all at Gods bare command Lot doth not onely abstaine from the sins of Sodom but his soul was tortured and tormented with their wickednesse 2 Peter 2.8 Moses one of the meekest men in the world yet when God was dishonoured in an holy heate he throweth down the two Tables of stone and breaketh them signifying thereby their breach of Covenant with God by their sins yet did not the Lord checke him for it He onely bid him goe make new ones where we may observe the goodnesse of God that if our zeal transport us too far yet the Lord pardons the errour of our fervency rather then the Indifferencies of Security and Luke-warmnesse Thus Barâ—e how earnestly doth he act in Gods work Nehemiah 3.20 Nehemiah forsooke all his Court preferment passed through many dangers and difficulties and contends even with Rulers for profaning the Sabbath he cursed them i. he caused them to be excommunicated and driven out of the Congregation or he sharply reproved them telling them they had made themselves guilty of the curses whereinto they had entered Nehemiah 10.29 and 13.25 Holy David was a man even compounded of zeal as appeareth Psalm 119.53 97.136.139.158.174 How did he prepare with all his might for the House of God and thinketh all the gold and riches he had given to be as nothing 1 Chronicles 29.2 3 4. he prepared an hundred thousand Talents of Gold and a thousand thousand Talents of Silver he gave of his owne proper goods thirteen Millions eight hundred seventy five thousand pound sterling But what makes David so magnificently liberal Why it was his zealous affection to the House of God It is want of affection not want of money that makes men give so basely to the promoting of Gods Worship yet so inlarged was Davids heart that he accounts all this but a poor gift 1 Chronicles 22.14 In my poverty so 't is in the margin of your Bibles have I prepared all this he accounts his 1300. cart load of gold and silver but a poor gift it was noâ— answerable to his desires nor according to that which the transcendent Majesty of God might require but it was according as he was able by reason of his continual troubles and afflictions what a Seraphim was Paul how did he burn with a zeal for Gods Glory how was his Spirit kindled in him when he saw the Idolatry at Athens Acts 17.16 How gladly doth he spend himself for the Church of God 2 Cor. 12.25 What pains did he take what hazards did he run that he might win souls Rom. 15.19 He surpassed Alexander the Great and all the Conquerours of the world for they conquered men by the Sword but Paul by the Word they gained Kingdoms to themselves but Paul for Christ they conquered bodyes he souls they men he devils But where shall we now find a zealous Elijah a man of fire against sin and errors where are our Luthers Lattimers Bradfords that fear not the faces of great ones Blessed be God he hath many in the Land that both in the Pulpit and by their Pens do witness against the enormities of the times yet in comparison of the swarms of idle heretical profane self-seeking Ministers they are thin sowen for 1. Some are ignorant and cannot 2. Others are scandalous and dare not reprove sin for fear of being upbraided themselves 3. Others are Time-servers and to keep their places they go along with the current of the times and say as the great ones would have them Are the times for liberty so are they Are the times for Anabaptists c. so are they Doctores aerei like wax ready to take any impression that the Rulers and great ones will put upon them 4. Others are zealous but 't is against zeal instead of being instant in Preaching they are earnest against zealous Preachers and preaching Instead of heavenly fire they are full of strange fire They are zealous but 't is for Superstition Will-worship Anabaptisme c. When they should use all means to keep in and increase this holy fire as the Priest was commanded Levit. 6.12 13. not to suffer the fire of the Altar to go forth but he must bring wood to it and nourish it that it alwayes might burn yet these by their negligence suffer it to decay 'T is said that the Image of Isis was carried by a dull Asse such a servant may fit such a saint but dead Ministers are no servants for the living God I rejoyce not in these victories of the devil but shall turn my complaint into a prayer that the Lord would purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold that they may offer in righteousness Malac. 3.3 And that all Zions Nazarites may be purer then snow and whiter then milk Lam. 47.13 That all those whom the Lord hath set apart for his own immeditate service may in some measure resemble their Lord and Master in the beauty of holiness that they may be like Apollos who was fervent in spirit mighty in the Scriptures and taught diligently the way of the Lord. Acts 18.25 26. that like Micah 3.8 we may be filled with the Spirit of God and so may be enabled to fulfil our duty That he would flame us with the fire of love that we may help to inflame others Did Ministers love their peoples souls more they would be more zealous for their good Love is an active thing it will make one do and suffer much for the party beloved A mother loves her child which makes all her pains with it light One being askt out of what book he got such fiery fervent Sermons answered I get them out of the Book of Love This will make us fervent in prayer for our people and faithfully to discharge our duty by admonishing the wicked comforting the afflicted resolving their doubts sympathizing with them in their sorrows and visiting them in their distresses as Esay did Hezekiah in his sickness 2 Kings 20 1. The false Prophets are branded for feeding themselves but not the flock the sick they did not heal nor bind up the broken Ezek. 34.24 Much of the sins and errors of the times lie at Ministers doors and cold Ministers make bold sinners Hence Christ blames the Angels and Pastors of the Churches for the sins of the Churches Rev. 2. and 3. Our Apostysy makes others to apostatize many begin like thunder but they end like smoak We may say of many Ministers as they say of Butter 't is gold in the morning silver at noon and lead at night or like one Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury whom Pope Vrban greets in the stile of a fervent Monk a warm Abbot a Luke-warm Bishop and a key cold
fare the better for them every day why is the heap of chaff kept from burning but because there 's some wheat mixt with it but if once the wheat were out the chaff should soon be set on fire When once the number of Gods Elect is accomplisht the world shall not stand a moment 'T is just with God to take them from us for our abusing them we cast dirt and God casts dust on them many great men are fallen of late in this our English Israel nigh an hundred godly Ministers are taken from us within the space of three years past many of them young and eminent for Piety so that we this day are weakned both in Church and State Ioseph is not and Simeon is not and Benjamin is not all these things are against us This is and should be a Lamentation to us Now since there is such aboundance of false fire and fein'd zeal in the world we had the more need to try our own Some are mislead by a blind zeal Rom. 20.2 Others by an indiscreet zeal Matth. 26.51 Luke 9.52 53 54. Iohn 8. ult Others by an hyrocritical zeal they pretend Religion but they intend their own inriching So Demetrius pretended the preservation of Religion when indeed he intended his own silver Trade Acts 19 24. 1. True zeal is known by the Rise and Original of it 1. If it be wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God we are not born zealous for God his Truth and People but by nature are full of enmity to all these Acts 9.1 Phil. 36. Paul in his natural state persecutes the Church out of a blind zeal many mistake the fire of their own flints and the fire of Hell for this celestial fire But the Author of all true zeal and Heavenly fire is the holy Spirit of God which is oft called fire Acts 2.3 4. Matth. 3.11 because like fire it inlightens and heats our cold and frozen hearts Luke 24.32 A man that hath fire in his bosom will quickly be sensible of it Prov. 6.27 28. 2. T is operative like fire daily burning up our lusts purging out our dross and working out our scumme 'T is the true purgatory fire which all beleevers pass through Isay 4.4 2. It springs from knowledge as David first beleeved and then spake so the zealous man first knows Gods Will and then is zealous in the prosecution of it Blind zeal is rather fury and madness rashness and rudeness then zeal 'T is celeris cursus extra viam It 's like mettle in a blind Horse which carries the Rider into many dangers Like a Ship without a Pilot which runs it self on many Rocks and Sands Like wild-fire in a Fools hand or the Devil in the Demoniack which cast him sometimes into the fire and anon into the water The Jews had a zeal after Legal Rites and Ceremonies but 't was a blind zeal that But spoiled all Rom. 10.2 as without knowledg the mind is not good so neither is the man nor his zeal Prov. 19.2 as blind obedience is no obedience so blind zeal is not zeal Such is the zeal of Papists and Sectaries 3. It springs from a Love to Christ this constrains us to do and suffer for Christ. 2 Cor. 5.14 As Christ loved us and spent himself for us so the sense of this love being shed abroad in our hearts will make us to spend our selves for him This fire of Gods love to us will make us contemn all other fire 4. When it springs from a Love and Compassion to our Brethren when all our admonishions and reproofs come from a spirit of love and tenderness and are mixt with meekness and mourning this is true zeal Thus Samuel 1.16 tells Saul plainely and sharply of his sin yet mourns for his person Lot reproves the Sodomites for their wickedness yet calls them Brethren Gen. 19.7 Christ was angry at the sin yet mourned for the sinners Mark 3.5 So doth Paul 2 Cor. 12.22 Hot and moist is the best temper both in nature and grace When men rave and rage and are full of bitterness then Satan casts out Satan and they do more hurt then good These hate the sinner and not the sin when the good man is merciful to the sinner but cruel and unmerciful to the sin 2. True zeal is known by its End viz. Gods glory It can be content to decrease so Gods honor may increase Iohn 3.30 As true zeal comes from God so 't is for God and his glory and not for self The hypocrite may seem very zealous but 't is for his own ends like the Shecaâ—ites that would be cirumcised that they might get cattle Gen. 34.33 Iehu did an act that for the matter was good but his selfish Vain-glorious ends marred all and made it murder Hosea 1.4 3. By the properties and effects of it which are five 1. It increaseth by opposition Like Fountain-water 't is hottest in the coldest weather As water cast on lime by an Antiperistasis burnes more fiercely The more the wicked oppose Gods Law the more David loves it Psal. 119.126 If Michol mock David for dancing before the Ark he 'l resolve to be yet more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 True zeal over-looks and over-leaps all lets and impediments difficulties are but whet-stones to fortitude Heroick spirits know not what discouragements mean Many waters of opposition cannot quench this ardent love but intend it rather Cant. 8.6 7. As we see in Iacob Gen. 32.24 25 26. and the Woman of Canaan Tell Caleb there are Anakims and he 'l say le ts go up couragiously against them Numb 13.30 Tell Paul of bonds why he fears not death Hypocrites make a great shew till they meet with oppositions and then like snailes they pull in their horns 2. It will make us abound in duty if there be the fire of zeal within there will be a flame of a holy Conversation without love especially zealous love is bountiful it thinks it can never do enough for God he 's glad he hath any thing of worth to lose for him and resolves with the Martyr if he had as many lives to lose as he hath haires on his head and as much blood to venture as there is water in the Sea it should all go for Christ. They are ready to act to their power yea and beyond their power 2 Cor. 8.3 Zeal is a very high and intensive heat of all the affections it makes us burn in our love to God in our desires after him our joy in him our fear to offend him our indignation against all that speak or do any thing against him or his Psal. 139.21 Ier. 13.9 10. 'T is not so much any one Affection as the intensive Degree of all when they are all improved to the utmost for the furtherance of Gods glory and the good of his People A zealous man is a man of mettle and spirit he 's all life and activity 'T
terminis for the out-works of Religion but for the Fundamentals and for the whole possession We must contend with Papists about our Justification with Arminians about our Election with Antimonians for the Law with Socinians for the Gospel and with the Antiscripturists for all 2. The Lord commends this in his servants he hath recorded the zeal of Moses Phinees Paul Apollos c. to their everlasting prayse they are the Apple of his Eye which is Oculus Oculi the glory of the Eye Zach. 2.8 They are his jewels he counts himself honoured and adorned by such and therefore he calls them his glory Isay 4.5 These glorifie God on earth and therefore we will glorifie them with himself Iohn 15.8 and 17.4.5 God hath more glory from his little zealous flock then from all the world besides Hence he so much glories in him Iob 2 3. Acts 13.22 3. He Rewards it where ever he finds it Phinees for his zealous execution of Justice was blest both he and his posterity Numb 15.11 12 13. Levi for his zeal in vindicating Gods Honour was exalted to the Priesthood Exod. 32.29 Deut. 33.8 9 10. Zabulum and Napthali that ventured their lives in Gods cause Iudge 5.18 God remembers the kindness and rewards it many years after in sending Christ to preach the Gospel first to them Matth. 4.13.14 yea so greatly is the Lord delighted with zeal that Iehu his Hypocritical zeal went not unrewarded 2 King 10.30 4. It graceth all our graces and is the Honour of our honours All Grace without this is nothing Dead Knowledge Faith Repentance are of no esteem with God dead Prayer is not Prayer As under the Law no sacrifice was acceptable without fire so no duty now is acceptable without the fire of zeal 5. Christ hath paid best for our zeal The fair price that he paid to Redeem us the same precious blood he gave to purchase us to himselfe a zealous and peculiar people Titus 2.14 If any have paid dearer for it or can shew better Title to it let him take it 6. Our zeal doth denominate us that we are that we are zealous for 'T is true we may love the creature but it must be with a subordinate inferior love but our zeal which is the cream of our affections must be given only to God 'T is a glory which he will not suffer to be given to another 7. Our zeal may provoke others the Corinthians zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9.12 When the Love-sick Church began to commend Christ Cant. 5. ult This is my friend and this is my Beloved in the very next Chapter 6.1 Others begin to inquire Where is thy Beloved that we may seeke him with thee 8. Such help to save a Land from ruine One zealous Moses kept off judgement from Israel Psalm 106.23 One zealous Phinees stayes the Plague One zealous innocent man may save an Iland Iob 22. ult 9. This makes a man to excel we are all by Nature of one blood 't is Holy zeal that makes the difference This makes the Righteous to excel his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 both in life and death one of these Pearles surpasseth ten thousand peebles as one living creature excels a thousand dead ones These are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 1. They are stones in respect of stability and solidness they stir not from their principles but are an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 2. Lively because of their Zeale and Activity they are prompt and ready for every good work 2 Timothy 2.21 Their spirits are raised to the highest excellencies and so are capable of the highe stactings They live the life of God Ephesians 4.18 or a godly life because it is from God as the Author it is according to God as the pattern and it tends to God as the end Others may do well but the zealous man excels them all Hence he 's called in Scripture not Adam a common man but Ish quasi Esh a man of fire heat and courage a man of spirit life activity a man of men an excellent man fitted to honour God and rule others 10. You will have no cause to repent of this zeal yea if the saints in Heaven were capable of sorrow they would grieve for nothing so much as that they had not done more for God in their generation How many have repented of their superstitious carnal zeal as Cardinal Woolsy sometimes did Had I served God as diligently as I have done the King he would not have given me over in my gray hairs but this is my just reward for serving men before God 11 There is an absolute necessity of it in respect of the many enemies that oppose us So soon as ever a man begins to look towards Heaven he must look for Giants and sons of Anak to oppose him We have the Devil above us with all his methods Eph. 6.11 depths Rev. 2.24 Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 The world about us with all its baits and snares and an evil heart within us ready to betray us into the hands of our enemies So that unless we be resolute violent men we shall never get Heaven Matth. 11.12 't is not the lazy somnolent Christian but the active and the violent that take Heaven by force 12. All thy gifts and parts without zeal to improve them become useless A Stag or Hart that hath great strength and horns yet doth little with them for want of courage As a bird without wings a body without a soul and salt without savor so is a man without zeal like Ieremiahs rotten girdle that was good for nothing Ier. 13.7 Zeal is to the soul that which spirits are to the body and wine to the Spirits it puts activity and quickning in us 'T is as wheels to the Chariot which make us run the wayes of Gods Commandments as courage to a souldier as mettle to the horse and as manure to the ground which makes it abound in fruitfulness Now that you may get and keep this Gace we must shun those Quenchâ—coals which extinguish this holy fire in us 1. The first is the retaining of any one bosome beloved sin be it Pride Idleness Formality Covetousness either thy zeal must destroy thy sin or thy sin will destroy thy zeal Zealous affections are the wings of the soul but sin like bird-lime intangles them that they cannot fly Heaven-ward They are the feet of the soul but sin like fetters hindereth us from runing They are the fire of the soul but sin like water quencheth this fire We must resolve therefore against all sin if ever we would have the Spirit of zeal to dwell in us 2. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world These thornes will choak our zeal and this outward heat extracts and consumes our inward Cast earth upon fire and you put it out Demas and Iudas the love of the world drew them off we must get our affections loosened from the world and use it as though we used it not Use
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
remains q. d. I have fought a good fight what now remains but an assured expectation of a crown of Righteousness There is laid up for me Here is the Assurance he hath of his Reward he speaks of it as if he were already possest of it 'T is safely and surely kept for me The word imparts two things 1. A designation of that which is laid up to some peculiar person 2. A reservation and safe keeping of it to the use of those that it is assigned to He alludes to Parents who lay up something as an Inheritance for their children God hath prepared eternal life for the elect before the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 Ephes. 1.4 So that there is no danger of the godlies loosing it since 't is laid up in so safe a hand Matth. 6.2 2 Pet. 2.3 4. A Crown of Righteousness Crowns are for Kings and Conquerours I have fought the good fight and Christ assisting me I have conquered all the enemies of my Salvation and though my combats have been hard yet the more glorious are my victories Now therefore I expect a Crown not of gold silver pearls lawrels or such like fading perishing corruptible things Esai 40.6 Iob. 14.2 But a crown of Righteousness .i. everlasting happiness which God hath promised as a reward to his servants for their service whose imperfect works he crowns as if they were perfect This elsewhere is called a crown of life James 1.12 Rom. 2.10 .i. an ever-lasting never fading crown 1 Pet. 1.4 and a crown of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 beeause it consists in the fruition of that eternal weight of glory of which Paul speaks Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 Now this eternal glory is called a crown for many Reasons 1. A crown is not given till the victory be gained 2 Tim. 2.5 'T is not to him that begins but to him that overcomes which the promise runs Rev. 2. and 3. None can have this crown but such as in their measure resemble Christ their head who went forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 'T is not the somnolent but the violent non lenti sed violenti that get this crown Matth. 11.12 2. It notes the perpetuity of the glory a crown is round and hath neither beginning nor ending so the glory of the Saints in heaven is an immortal immarcessible incorruptible never fading crown 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Cor. 9.24 3. It notes the perâ—ction of it as the crown compasseth the head on every side so there is nothing wanting in this crown of life here is an Aggregation of all good things for Soul and body Matth. 25.35 Rev. 31.4 c. as God is said to crown the year with his goodness Psal. 65.11 when he showres down plenty of Temporal blessings on us so the Saints in glory shall be crowned with goodness when all the faculties of the Soul and members of the body shall be perfect and filled with glory 4. It represents to us the dignity of the Saints and the glory of their reward They are all Kings and shall be crowned The day of Judgment is their Coronation-day 't is in That day which the souls and bodies of the Saint shall be crowned with everlasting bliss A crown is the choicest and chiefest of all humane rewards amongst all tâ—rrene gifts none more glorious then a crown This is the heigth of humane excellencies men use to desire no more then a Crown and for this men will do much Of Righteousness It is so called not because we of our selves have any right by way of merit 〈◊〉 it but the reward of Eternal life is called a Crown of Righteousness 1. Because it is purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ by his perfect Kighteousness and Obedience he hath merited this for us and so in Christ it is due to us by way of merit though in respect of us 't is of mâ—re Grace 2. In respect of his Promise his fidelity bindeth him to perform it God hath promised a Crown of Life to such as serve him sincerely Iames 1.12 1 Iohn 2.25 Revel 2.10 and 3.21 Now it is this promise of God and not any merit of ours which maketh God our debtor Though God make the promise in Grace yet being once made his Truth and Justice obligeth him to perform it God cannot but act condecently as the Schoolmen speak and agreeable to his goodness as he cannot deny himself so he cannot do any thing unworthy of himself So that Eternal life is a crown of Righteousness ex parte Dei God hath promised it to such as overcome and ex parte rei 't is just with God to give unto his suffering servants rest and peace 2 Thes. 1.6 7. So that this Crown is due in Justice Evangelical 3. It may be called a Crown of Righteousness because 't is given onely to Righteous men and so it sheweth who shall be crowned and what is the way to it but not for what merits or desert of ours 'tis given It implieth not any condignity or efficiency in good things we doe but an Ordinability of them to eternal Life So that God crownes his owne work in us in which we make not God a debtor to us but we are made debtors to him for his grace received by which we work Objection The Papists wring and wrest this Text exceedingly that they may build their Merit of workes upon it Here say they is 1. A Crown of Righteousness 2. Not barely given but rendered 3. And that by a Righteous Iudge Answer 1. The Apostle speaketh not here of any righteousness by way of Obligation commutation or commensuration but of a Righteousness as I have shewed of fidelity and condecency so that righteousness here hath no respect to our Merits but to Evangelical promises which admit of no merit but that of the Son of God and therefore 't is not said that Christ will give this Crown of Righteousness Merentibus to such as merit it but diligentibus to such as love him and his appearing Now our love as all our other graces is imperfect and so cannot merit this crown of perfect righteousness 2. We must distinguish of righteousness 1. There is a Legal Righteousness and this the Apostle disclaimeth Philippians 3.7.8 2. There is an Evangelical righteousness and this excludeth all Merit Romans 4.2 3 5. 2. We must distinguish of Reward there is a reward of Merit and this the Saints disclaim Isay 64.6 2. A reward of mercy Psalm 103.4 He crowneth us with mercy and not with Merit both Grace and Glory are his free gift Now 't is fallacious arguing to reason from a reward to a reward of merit for 't is a reward of mercy which God bestoweth on his people 3. The Saints in Heaven cast their Crowns at the feet of the Lamb they part not stakes with him but ascribe the glory of all to him Rev. 4 10 11.
and so thou art rich Rev. 2.9 In him we are Lords of all all is yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. though we have little in possession for present yet we have much in reversion Onely it behoves us to walk as Spiritual Kings leading Holy Heavenly Spiritual lives It is a debasement to a Christian who looks for a Crown of Glory to mind earth and to pursue these low things this is as if a King should leave his throne and go rake in a kennel or fight for bones We may well trust God for crusts who hath promised us a Crown he that hath given us his Son which is a greater gift then ten thousand worlds with him will much more give us all things Rom. 8.32 Observation 5. 5. Christians may have an eye to the recompence of reward In our race we may eye the crown which is set before us to quicken and encourage us in our course Though our work be hard yet our wages is great We shall have a sure Reward Prov. 11.18 a full Reward 2 John 8. an everlasting Reward 2 Cor. 4.17 1. That which God himself hath used as an Incentive and Motive to Obedience that we may use as a Motive and by consequence have an eye to it But God hath used Heaven and Happiness as a Motive to quicken us to obedience as appears 2 Tim. 2.12 Iames 1.12 and 5.7 Rev. 2.10 God will not be served by his creatures for nought all his precepts are backt with promises he never saies to the house of Iacob seek my face in vain Isay 45.19 2. The Servants of God have practised it Moses had an eye to the recompence of Reward yet was no mercenary man Heb. 11.26 and so had Christ who was greater then Moses Heb. 12.2 Paul had a most free and ingenuous Spirit yet he had an eye to the price of the high calling of God in Christ Philip. 3.13 14. Colos. 1.5 and David comforted himself in the midst of his conflicts with this that God would yet bring him to glory Psal. 73.24 Onely this Caution must be remembred that in all we do or suffer Gods glory must be the ultimate and primary end we look at 1 Cor. 10.31 Colos. 3.17 We must love Christ for himself and for his own excellencies and not for loaves or self-respects We are never sincere till we can serve Christ simply out of love to himself purely in obedience to his Commands onely because he requires it The Lord. Observation 6. 6. Christ is the Lord. He is God coeternal and coequal with his Father See this largely proved V. 1. Observation 7. 7. Christ is a righteous Iudge Yea righteousness it self He will give to every one according to his works His Judgment is the Judgment of God and so must needs be true and just Rom. 2.2 He is the Iudge of all the world and cannot act unrighteously Rom. 3.5 6. He may as soon cease to be as cease to be just with him is no respect of persons no power kindred gifts or greatness hath influence upon him Rom. 2.11 1 Pet. 2.17 He judgeth not according to the outward appearance and colours of things Isay 11.3 but according to the truth of every case cause Rom. 2.6 His judgment is true without errour or mistaking Rev. 19.11 Then poor afflicted oppressed ones shall be relieved Psal. 72.24 and the wicked shall not be able to stand in Judgment Psal. 1. ult God smites his hands in anger against unrighteous persons here Ezek. 22.6 7.12 13. And bars them out of his Kingdom hereafter 2 Cor. 6.9 Be Patient then my Brethren till the coming of the Lord and let the remembrance of this righteous Judge comfort thee against all unrighteous judgments which shall here pass against thee Eccles. 3.16 17. and 5.8 1 Cor. 4.3 Iames 5.7 2. Labour to resemble Christ in Righteousness As we must be perfect as he is perfect so we must be righteous as he is righteous by way of similitude though we cannot by way of equality yet in our degree and according to our measure we must resemble him having righteous Habits righteous Principles and righteous Practices God loves to meet those in wayes of mercy who are not onely Praisers but Practisers of righteousness Isay 64.5 The eye of Gods special Providence is on such Psal. 11.7 and 34.15 He will so openly and visibly reward them that even the wicked shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Psal. 58.11 When Families be habitations of righteousness then they are blessed habitations and prosper Ier. 22.15 and 31. 23. This exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 and brings peace to people Psal. 72.1 2. Isay 26.2 and 32.17 To such God will reveal his secrets Prov. 3.32 Their memorial shall be precious here Prov. 10.7 Psal. 112.6 2 Cor. 8.18 and they shall have Heaven hereafter Psal. 15.1 2. Ier. 33.15 16. The Crown of righteousness belongs to such righteous ones Matth. 11.43 and 25.46 Though the wicked may kill them yet they cannot hurt them for the righteous have hope even in death Prov. 14.32 Magistrates especially must do Justice impartially to all like Levi in this case they must know neither father nor mother Deut. 33.9 they must resemble Christ for whom they Judge who is no respecter of persons Iohn 2.4 No Star so beautiful as Justice It pleaseth God above all Sacrifices Prov. 21.3 It is a mean to stay plagues Numb 25.17 18. When Achab was stoned there was peace in Israel Iosh. 7. When Sauls sons were hanged the famine ceased 2 Sam. 21.24 It is not Cruelty but Mercy to cut off incorrigible evil doers from a land with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Shall give me Observation 8. 8. Eternal blessedness is the free gift of God Here is no fore-seen faith works merit desert but from our Election to our Salvation all free grace love and mercy Grace is the spring-head of all our mercies it is the Title page of the book of Life 1. Our Election is wholly free It is but a remnant through the Election of grace that are saved and if it be of grace then not of works else grace were no grace Rom. 11.5 6. and 9.11 18. 2. Our Vocation is of free Grace When we were dead in trespasses and sins he quickened us Ezek. 16. Ephes. 2.1 he called Abraham when he was an Idolater Iosh. 24.2 Manasses a blood-sucker Paul a persecutor it is not for any merit of ours but of his own meer goodness that he calls us 2 Thes. 1.11 2 Tim 1.9 God freely called and quickned the Ephesians 2.5 when they were dead in sins .i. Insensible Impotent and odious to God and good men by reason of their Idolatry Acts 19. And hatred of piety there is but one good man amongst them and it is said they banisht him out of their city Magick and witch-craft abounded amongst them witness those Magick books which they burnt at their conversion Acts 19.19
of the Church that I need say no more against it 5. Observation 5. We may love one friend more then another Timothy was Pauls beloved Son in the Faith 1 Timothy 1.2 He was one whom he had taught and seasoned he knew Pauls manner and course of life he was one that Paul durst trust with his secrets and so more fit to come to him and to serve him Christ himself when he was upon Earth and as he was man and lived amongst men as man he was more familiar with some then others and loved them more choicely Christ loved all good men but Lazarus Mary and Martha he loved more peculiarly Iohn 11.5 Christ loved all his Disciples Iohn 13.1 But he loved Iohn more especially and therefore he is called by way of Eminency and special propriety That Disciple whom Iesus loved Iohn 13.23 and 21.7.10 To him Christ revealeth his secrets he telleth him who shall betray him and after revealeth the Revelation to him As Iohn excelled in Purity meeknesse sweet disposition and love to Christ. So Christ loved him accordingly Parents doe so they have a more tender affection to one childe then another and friends doe so and we doe so True we may not contemne any no not the weakest where we see but aliquid Christi any glimpse of Christs Image we must love it but where we see most of Christ we may lawfully love most According to the divers measures of Grace so may the measures of our love be proportioned hence we reade of love and singular love 1 Thessalonians 5.13 and though Pauls care were for all the Churches yet was his love more aboundant to that at Corinth 2 Cor. 11.28 and 2.4 VERSE 10. For Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World and is departed to Thessalonica Crescens to Galatia Titus to Dalmatia HEre we have the reason why he would have Timothy come so speedily to him 1. Because some had forsaken him as Demas Others were dispersed and gone or sent by Paul to other places to preach the Gospel as Crescens to Galatia a Region of the lesser Asia where the Jewes were dispersed 1 Peter 1.1 to these Paul writeth an Epistle blameing them for their Apostacy Thither Crescens one of Pauls Disciples and Companions goeth not out of any love to this present world as Demas did but to preach the Gospel Titus went to Dalmatia Paul had two Disciples which he loved as sons viz. Timothy and this Titus the one he left at Ephesus and this at Crete Titus 1.4 5. Pauls dear affection to him appeareth by that famous Epistle written to him Dalmatia was a Region of Illyricum where Paul is said to spread the Gospel Romans 15.19 A great Question here ariseth Whether Demas did well or ill in forsakeing Paul and whether he were a good man or an Hypocrite Answer Interpreters here are much divided some and those of the better sort goe about to excuse Demas and say that his love to all the world was onely an ordinate moderate love and care of the world 2. Others say his Apostacy was not total but partial and that although he loved the World more then was meet and thereupon left Paul in his troubles and went to Thessalonica a famous City of Macedonia Either that he might get out of danger or that he might Marchandize there for there was great traffick yet say they he repented of his fall and returned to Paul as they would gather from Colossians 4.14 Philem. 24. Though he did for fear forsake him yet at last say they he returned 3. The Arminians to defend that uncomfortable Doctrine of the Saints Apostacy would fain make Demas a Real Saint and his Apostasie to be Total But they must seek out for better grounds for Demas in all probability was an Hypocrite who had no rooted Faith but went out from Gods people because he was never truely of them 1 Iohn 2.19 he was a Meteor that blazed for a time and presently vanished like Ionathan that marched well till he met with honey 2. I answer that the salutations mentioned in Colossians and Pilemon were written before this Epistle to Timothy which the Apostle writ in his second bonds at Rome as the context and whole scope of this Chapter which is of more weight with me then a thousand Authours sheweth especially Verse 6.7 8.16.17 So that it is gratis dictum said but not proved that those Epistles were written after this 3. It is said he forsooke Paul now he was in trouble and had most need of help he knew he could not side with Faul but he must run many hazards in life and estate and therefore he resolved to sleep in a whole skin and to save one he leaveth him chusing rather to follow his worldly occasions and to provide for his own ease profit pleasure then to suffer affliction with the people of God Hence he is said to embrace this present world every word hath its weight 1. He did not lightly glance at the world but he embraceth it with delight and contentment as his summum bonum and chiefest delight and therefore preferreth it before Christ He set his affections on it saith Grotius like the thorny ground where the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the Word so that it becometh unfruitful Matth. 13.22 2. The World id est the things of this world by a Metonymy of the Subject such as riches pleasures ease safetie and carnal delights 3. This present world which is Transitory is opposed to Heaven and the world to come which shall have no end Titus 2.12 We have seen before Verse 8. that the Saints loved the coming of Christ but Demas is all for present profit he loved this present world he desired to have good dayes here and to live a quiet life without persecution or trouble Now such love of the world is enmity against God Iames 4.4 and a signe of a carnall man 2 Iohn 2 15. Hence 't is that the Scripture maketh the love of the world and the love of God diametrally opposite the one to the other Is departed to Thessalonica Where he became an Idolatrous Priest say some others say that he turned Heretick denying the Deity of Christ. See whither Apostates fall when God forsaketh them and whither the inordinate love of the world leadeth men However away he goeth to Thessalonica where he might be far enough from danger where he might more securely enjoy the world Observations 1. T is lawful in some Cases to name men The Apostle to make others fear Apostasie names this back-slider So verse 14. He nameth Alexander who was a malicions inveterate enemy to the Truth yet this must be done with a great deal of Caution it must not be used but when the person is an open incorrigible impenitent and gross offender in this case Paul nameth Hymenaus and Alexander and excommunicateth them for their blasphemy 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
gather themselves together against the Church of God with an intent to ruine and rase it even to the foundation these are their thoughts I but they know not my thoughts saith God why what were Gods thoughts Why his thoughts were to make their rising against his people to be their ruine their own counsels to be their own confusion Micah 4.11 12 13. They shall be gathered together as sheaves in the floor arise and thresh O daughter of Zion q. d. Thy enemies thought to come to thresh thee but thou shalt thresh them The work of God in all ages hath been carried on by weak means The Apostles many of them Illiterate fisher-men Luther a Monk King Edward the sixth a Child Queen Elizabeth a Woman no matter how weak the Instrument be if God be the Agent The Brethren 4. Observation 4. All the faithful are Brethren in Christ. In Scripture we read of three sorts of Brethren 1. By Race 2. By Place 3. By Grace 1. By Race such as descend from the same father and mother so Iacob and Esau were brethren and sometimes kinsmen called Brethren as Lot and Abraham 2. By Place such as are of the same Nation thus the Jews called one another Brethren Deut. 23.20 3. By Grace and that Common or Special 1. Common in respect of Creation and so all men are Brethren Gen. 9.5 2. Special in respect of Adoption and so all Believers are Brethren Rom. 1.13 and 8.12 and 12.1 Phil. 1.14 and 4.21 1 Thes. 1.4 and 2.2 1. Iames 1.2 This must needs be so for they have the same God for their Father the same Church for their Mother the same House for their dwelling the same Inheritance for their portion They speak like one another and are cloathed like one another They fight against one common enemy they walk in one path and eye the same Objects Let us then love like Brethren let it not be Verbal but an Affective and Effective love both in heart and deed Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.17 We should part with some of our right for Peace and there should be no contention between us for we are Brethren Gen. 13.8 1 Cor. 6.5 6. We should Sympathize like Brethren a Brother is or should be a second-self We should bear each others sin and sufferings if children of the same Family see one of their fellowes beaten all the rest of the little ones fall a crying about him So should we weep with them that weep and remember those that are in bonds since we our selves are subject to the same afflictions Heb. 13.3 VERS 22. The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy Spirit Grace be with you Amen THE Apostle having finisht his Salutations cometh now to conclude his Epistle with a Comprecation and an Apostolical benediction 1. Of Timothy in particular He prayes that the Lord may be with his Spirit q. d. Be not sad at my departure for though I must leave thee yet the Lord shall be with thee and uphold thee with his Grace 2. He prayes for the rest of the Brethren with him and commends them to Gods grace Grace be with you .i. with you all as it is Heb. 13.25 This is Pauls conclusion written with his own hand in all his Epistles to prevent false Coppies 2 Thes. 3.17 3. He ratifies and seals up all with that concluding Particle Amen Of which see more V. 17. Observations 1. Our special desire should be that God would be with the Spirits of his people By Spirit here is meant that noble faculty of mans Soul called the Understanding or the Mind with the most inward cogitations thereof Luke 1.47 My Spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour .i. My Understanding in the apprehension of this great mercy stirs up all the rest of the powers of my Soul to glorifie God We should pray that God would direct our Spirits in thinking devising judging chusing refusing loving hating Generally that the Lord would lead us by his Spirit as his children inclining our hearts to that which is pleasing in his sight So praid David Psal. 143.10 and Paul Ephes. 3.16 17. This inward presence of Christ with the Spirits of his people is one great part of the reward of their love and obedience to him Iohn 14.21 23. This comforts them under the cross and assures them of their Salvation We should therefore alwayes pray that Christ by his Spirit would be present with our Spirits and that we may so live that he may delight to dwell in us for if he be not with us sin and Satan will soon prevail against us We should therefore labour to find and feel this special presence of Christ in our hearts that we may rejoice in it and lament its absence without it we can do nothing nor understand any thing in the mysteries of Religion for the wisdom of the flesh is not onely an enemy but enmity it self against God Rom. 8.7 The natural man for want of the Spirit of God perceives not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Grace be with you Thus he begins and thus he ends with Prayer for Grace .i. for the free favour and love of God and all other spiritual blessings which accompany it as Pardon of sin Sanctification and Glory 2. Observation 2. Gods favour and grace is principally to be sought even above and before all other things The Apostle doth not say Riches be with you Honours be with you or the favour of men be with you But Grace and Gods favour be with you So in all his Epistles he puts Grace first and Peace which denotes Temporal blessings last Rom. 1.7 Colos. 1.2 Rev. 1.4 Numb 6.25 Psal. 4.6 7. Matth. 6.33 In the Lords Prayer we first beg for spirituals and have six Petitions for that and then for temporals Amen .i. So it is or so let it be or so it shall be 3. Observation 3. What is prayed for must be believed and earnestly desired So much this word Amen implyes They sin then that pray without any understanding fervent desire or belief of what they pray for POST-SCRIPT The second Epistle unto Timothy ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the second time THese Post-scripts are no part of the Text neither was this added by the Apostle for it contradicts the Text. The Apostle calls Timothy an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 and the Post-script makes him a Bishop The Evangelists were not tied to personal residence in one place as Bishops and Pastors were but they were to go from place to place to confirm the Churches planted by the Apostles Beza observes that this first clause doubtless is spurious it is not extant in divers old coppies and which is much the Vulgar Latin omits it So do the Syriack and Aethiopick Versions So that this is but a very sorry foundation to build the Divine Right of Episcopacy upon FINIS
p. 117 Healths unhealthful p. 94 Hereticks compounded must die p. 169 Preservatives against their poyson p. 170.171 They are limited Page 180 181. See Gods judgements on them p. 168 High-minded who p. 118 House-creepers condemned p. 146 147 Humility 11. Motives to it p. 54. with means p. 57 I. IDleness breeds sin p. 98 Idleness how dangerous P. 385 393 Idols cannot help p. 206 Ignorance breeds Pride p. 53 Imprecations when lawful p. 439 Infirmities how they differ from enormities p. 131 132 Ingratitude eight Reasons against it Page 69 70 Interpret doubtfull things in the best sense p. 85 Ioy in tribulation p. 220 Iudge Christ is a righteous Judge Page 399. Judges must be just p. 313. Christ is Judge of all the world p. 311 Itch sevenfold p 353 K. KIngs believers are such Page 398 L. LAst dayes perilous p. 3 4 Law must be Preacht p. 329 Lectures on week dayes lawfull p. 326 Liberty sinneful not to be suffered p. 103 Life short p. 37 Light within darkness p. 278. Eight Reasons against resting in it page 278 Love to Christ properties of it p. 309. Reasons for it p. 309 310 Love strong p. 81. It s Excellencie Page 196 Love must extend to All the Saints Page 113 Long-suffering how needful p. 195 Luke-warmness condemned p. 334 342 M. MAd-men who p. 183 184 Magistrates useful p. 33. to be honoured p. 67. they must be zealous p. 340 Maintenance due to Ministers Page 296 Marriage when young people should marry p. 250 Memory helps for it p. 292 Masters though carnal to be respected Page 67 68 Meditation how needful p. 293 Meekness its Excellency p. 110. Seven motives to it p. 110 Men we must not build on them page 161 Mercies must be carefully marked p. 203 204. No merit p. 381 382 Ministers must Preach Gods Word onely p. 329. They must be frequent in Preaching p. 338. They must be hardy men p. 366 367. Pray for them p. 388 Ministers must see to their flock p. 468. They must be studious Page 433 The Ministry is a work p. 368 The Millenarian fancy condemned Page 12 Mourn for the sinnes of others Page 13 14 Musick when lawful p 90 Millenarian reign a fancy p. 455 N. WAnt of Naturall-Affection condemned p. 75 Now-light condemned p. 165 O. OBedience commanded p. 359 Old Testament Authentick p. 261. Cavils against it answered Page 263 Oppressors wo to them p. 31 Ordinances to continue to the end page 138 139 Order its excellency p. 171 172 Our spirits to be carefully looked to Page 471 P. PArents to be obeyed page 65 66. they must teach their children betimes Six Reasons for it Page 247 248 Parliaments their Excellency p. 32 Patience how needful p. 191 Perfection what p. 299 Persecutors have misenable ends page 218 Persecution spreads the Gospel p. 201 Whether we may flie from it p. 201 It s the lot of all the godly p. 210 211. Comforts against it p. 217. Rules how to bear it rightly Page 219 Pilgrimes we are in this World Page 392 Piety brings Praise Page 465 Pleasures carnal how dangerous Page 119 120. Seven disswasives from them p. 121 Pleasures spiritual most excellent Page 120 Poore shew mercy to them p. 129 Popery its vileness p. 14 15 Poverty in some respect better then riches p. 44 45 Practice of Piety excellent Page 289 290 Prayer must be sincere p. 456 Precipitation dangerous p. 117 Preparation required before Hearing Page 356 Preaching belongeth to men Ordained Page 328 Preaching is no adding Page 280 281 Presbyterial Government its excellency Page 173 174. it excells Episcopacie and Independencie in many Particulars Page 176 177 178 Pride dangerous p. 49. it s the root of Heresie Page 50. Remedies against it p. 51 52 Profane whom p. 74 Prosperity more dangerous then adversitie p. 234 Prophesies to be observed p. 51 Providence and success no Rules to goe by p. 287 Parents good a mercy p. 427 Peter not at Rome p. 425 Professors may become Apostates p. 417 and Persecutors p. 437 Publick spirits in good men p. 424 Q. QVakers exceeding profane p. 128 296. They deny the Scripture Page 269 Quakers their blasphemy p. 392. and folly 410 R. RAke-hels who Page 83 Reason must keep its due place Page 279 Reward we may have an eye to it p. 399. Full reward of the Godly-is at the last day p. 404 Relations must not be forsaken Page 141 Remember what we hear Page 357 358 Repetition when and how to be practised p. 462 c. Repentance must be speedy p. 223. Twentie Reasons for it Page 224 c. Reprobates how farre they may goe Page 128 Reproofes not to be sleighted Page 359 Riches Vanity p. 41. False Notions about them p. 38. They cannot help in trouble p. 206 Resolution how necessary p. 242 Revelations dangerous p. 165 S. SAints God loves them dearly p. 113 Sacramental Oath what p. 378 Schoolmen how vain p. 259. Salutations lawfull p 458 Scepticks in Religion odious to God p. 149 166 241 Scriptures are the Word of God p. 276. They are to be read of all p. 260 They are Holy p. 267. See 16. Royalties of them p. 280. They are a perfect Rule p. 286.297 Nine false Rules p. 287. They are the Iudge of Controversies p. 287. We must read them p. 291. Love them p. 288. Remember them p. 292. Be thankeful for them p. 294. Their Excellency p. 294. Self-denial how necessarie p. 20 self-Self-love dangerous P. 16.17 20. Separation condemned P. 11 12.141 142 Sincerity our Glory P. 194. Its Excellencies P. 134 135 Singularity that is Holy commended Page 239 Sins seldome go alone P. 21. Sinne how hainous P. 308 Slandering vile P. 82 83. comforts against it P. 86 87 Soldiers must be free from Covetousness P. 23. All Christians are souldiers Page 387 Soul Immortal P. 371 383. The Cavils of the Mortalists answered P. 372. Have a special care of your Souls P. 373 Spiritual-Pride dangerous P. 49 50 Spirit and Word go together p. 279. Seducers boast much of the Spirit Page 165. Try them p. 171 Stoicks condemned p. 76 Stratagem lawful p. 116 Swearing when lawful p. 305 Speaking more powerful then writing Page 403 Sin blots mens names p. 418 Society of good men helpful Page 409 Sordid Mechannicks oft oppose Gods Ministers p. 437 Strengthening grace needful Page 448 Sickness may befal good men Page 446 Our Spirits to be carefully looked to Page 471 T. TAxes and Dues to be paid cheer-cheerfully p. 31 Temporal felicity no mark of a true Church p. 215 Thankesgiving Motives to it p. 71. Rules for it p. 72 Theft in some cases it may be punished with death p. 227 Thorns Riches are Thorns p. 39 Thoughts to be specially watched page 28 29 Titles of Honour may be given to men Page 296 Tithes convenient in Gospel times Page 369 Tobocco much abused Page â—9 102. Toleration when unlawful page 168 169 233.340 Tongue our Glory p. 63 Thoughts how dangerous p.
of body and studiousness of mind to make use of both inferior to his follower I say thus much not by conjecture but by my certain knowledge and good acquaintance with them both for I was M. B. successour for Preaching the Friday Lecture in the City of Chester as Mr. H. my near neighbour is his Successour in writing this Commentarie now Printed Praemonitus praemunitus Est Prophetia quâ praevidet denotat Apostolus quanta mala imminerent ab mimicis fidei viz. Haereticis Pseudo-christianis Espencaeus V. Mr. Vines on the Sacrament cap. 2. §. 6. p. 29. Epiphanius in Haeres 26. Thinks the Apostle aymes at the Gnosticks in this place who were a most vile sect wholly given up to the lusts of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in extremis diebus Beza See Doctor Gouge on Heb. 1.2 and Weems Vol. 1. p. 1. Tanto pejora sunt tempora futura quanto fini hujus mundi extremo udicto fuerint proximiora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tempora molesta Beza Periculosa Vulg. Dura Tremel Difficilia Castalia saeva gravia infesta acerba aspera atrocia noxia Erasmus et alii Omnia sunt generaliter intelligenda nisi ubi aliquid specialiter urgent circumstantiae Mercer See more in my Schooles Guard Rule 24. Periculosa perniciosa Periculosa sunt tempora quia sub specie pietatis falsi doctores occultant omnia ad perdendas animas Molesta infesta Meton Effecti Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laedo infesto laxo labefacto everto Scapula Acerba aspera Saeva atrocia Difficilia dura quia homines illis temporibus futuri erunt difficiles molesti imo pessimi Chrysost. So Terence useth the word Adâ—óne ingenio es duro atque inexorabili ut neque misericordiá neque precibus molliri queas Terent. in Phorm Tempora tristia Cujus spiritus sive animus duré affligitur Piscat †Kesath ruach i. e. Mulier duri sive amari Spiritûs Tempora gravia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Instabunt at instare dicitur quod jam praesens est V. Plura apud Grotium in 2 Thes. 2.2 Metonim Subjecti Non dies nec tempora sed homines qui tunc futuri sunt carpit Chrysost. Hora novissima tempora pessima sunt vigilemus Quicquid expectatum est diu levius accedit Sen. Praevisa tela minùs laedunt Ordo seculi tanquam pulcherimum carmen constat ex quibusdam quasi antithetis antitheta verò sunt elocutionis ornamenta August de civit Dei lib. 11. cap. 18. Vbi ovile ibi lupus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certâ— scito Consule Danaeum in Augustin de Haeresibus †Omne tempus Clodios non omne Catones feret Seneca ep 98. In his ultimis pessimis temporibus Bern. Sicut in sentinam profundi maris colluviones omnium sordium sic in mores nostâ—orum quasi ex omni mundo vitia fluxerunt Salvian In this third age of the World Aetatem parentum pejorem esse seculo avorum subsequentem Aetatem progeniem daturam vitiosiorem Horat. Adhuc in processu sunt vitia invenit luxuria aliquid novi inquod insaniat Invenit impudicitia novam contumeliam sibi Invenit delitiarum dissolutio aliquid tenerius molliusque quo pereat Seneca l. 7. Nat. 2. cap 32. c. Morsus morientium bestiarum maximè solent esse mortiferi Arâ—stot Senectus mille morbis taediis aerumnis est obnoxia Mundus senescens patitur phantasias Gerson Quo ad fieri potest numerum maloâ—um pietate nostrâ minuamus Baldwin Quâ— periculosiora sunt tempora eò cautiores simus ne commune malorum diluvium nos unà cum impiis abripiat Baldwin When Caesar was wounded to death in the Senate-house Brutus coming for his blow Caesar looks him in the face saying What thou my Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Observation Non de iis qui planè foris sunt loquitur sed de iis qui saltem externa professione in ipsa Ecclesia sint futuâ—i Aestius A tempore Abel usque ad Christum semper fuerunt mali permixti bonis erunt ad finem seculi Sasbout in 1 Tim. 3.1 V. Danaeum in Augustinum de Haeresibus cap. 38. cap 69. * Doctor Owen's Rules for walking in fellowship p. 53. Pharisaei à Parash separare dividere V. Godwin's Jewish Antitiquitie cap. 10. God punisheth the Separatiâ—â—s of our times worse than formerly V. Edwards's Gangreen 2 Part. Corol. 3. p. 195. Suave est ex magno tollere acâ—â—vo Horat. See more on verse 5. Mille annos post Resurrectionem in terreno regno Christi secundum carnales vèntris libidinis voluptates futuros fabulantur Cerinthiani V August de Haeresibus cap 8. These wild grapes they would gather from Mat. 26.29 Delirium hoc est non Dâ—gma Theologicum Spectrum cerebri Anabaptistici Nullo modo ista pâ—ssunt nisi à carnalibus credi August de Civit. Dei l. 20. c. 7 This piece of rich coin as Mr. Sterry calls it hath been butied in the earth a long time but of late dayes hath been digged up again His verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu per congeriem 19 enormia recenset vitia Apostolus Weinrich In omni peccato voluntario est contemptus quidam implicitus Aquinas Omne peccatum est divinitatis injuria Salvian Ecclesiae nomine armamini contra Ecclesiam dimicatis * Consule D. Downam de Antichristo l. 4. c. 23. †V. Willets Tetr Con. Pill 2. Synop p. 1264. Edit ult Hodie cum tanta sit spurcities in Clero Papali quae vel suo foetore totum mundum inficit non desinunt tamen cum sua nequitia titulos juraque omnia sanctorum fastuosè sibi arrogare Calv. in locum Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse reverâ—or cum Leâ—o Meretrix Scurra Cynaedus ero Mantuan V. Willets Tetrastylon Papismi Pill 1. Synopsis pag. 12.33 The Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt nimii sui amatores qui â—imis sibi placent suisque commodis impensè student Espencaeus Sui amantes dicuntur sua quaerentes i. e. qui privatis student commodis posthabitâ salute utilitate aliorum Aestius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot. V. M. White on Gen. 3.12 Observat. 3. The love of a mans self is at best a good pattern but an ill boundary to love another as one self may be a good Level but to make it ones mark too and love another but for ones self 't is to make a mans self not only the Epitomy of the World â—ut the whole Volume Herb. Qui sibi malignus cui bonus erit Aug. Ordinata charitas incipit à se non deâ—init in se. Aquinas Homo post Deum debet seipcum primâ— maximè amare in rebus quae spectant ad aeternam salutem Alsted Bonum quó communius eò melius Sicut ex charitaâ—e omne bonum sic