of God wee send our selues we are not sent of him We are our owne Messengers to doe our owne Message not the Embassadours of the eternall God But when hee hath put his worde in our mouths wee must goe to those that he hath sent vs d Ier. 1 7 8. and whatsoeuer hee commaundeth vs that wee must speake So when God had stretched out his hand and touched the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy hee sayde Bee not affraide of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee sayth the Lord. Thus hee speaketh to Ezekiell e Exek 3 8 9. I haue made thy Face strong against their Faces and thy Fore-head harde against their Fore-heades I haue made thy Fore-head as the Adamant and harder then the Flint Feare them not therefore neither bee affrayde at their lookes for they are a Rebellious house Secondly it teacheth them not to loose their Authoritie and so to shame their Calling and their Mayster that hath put them in that Calling bringing them-selues and their Ministry vnder the subiection and slauerie of others The Apostle by all meanes seeketh to magnifye his Ministery and to beautifie his Calling Hence he saith f 1 Cor. 9 1. Am not I an Apostle am not I free This reprooueth those that serue the lustes and pleasure of others and dare doe nothing to displease such as are in high place Thus Aaron in the absence of Moses offended who was at the commaundement of the people g Exo. 32 1 4. when they saide vnto him Make vs Gods to go before vs he receiued their golden earings and fashioned it with the grauing toole and made of it a Molten Calfe The like we see in Vriah the Priest h 2 Kings 16 2 10. when Ahaz who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lorde but walked in the way of the Kings of Israell saw the Altar that was at Damascus he sent vnto him the paterne of the Altar and the fashion of it and all the Workemanship thereof and hee made an Altar in all points like to that which the King had sent from Damascus This departing from the Commaundement of God to please the humour or honour of mightie men must be farre from vs. We haue a plaine way set before vs wee ought to walke in it wee must not decline eyther to the right hand or to the left hand We must not make marchandise of the word of God but deale faithfully with God and his people The Prophet Micah complaineth of such Prophets in his time as flattered the people in their sinnes i Mich. 2 11. And Prophesied vnto them of Wine and of strong drink and in such Prophets the people delighted The Lord chargeth Ieremy k Ier. 1 17. to trusse vp his loynes to arise and to speake to the Children of Israell all that he commaunded him not to bee affraide of their faces least he destroy him before them Let vs beware of such smooth tongues that flatter with their lippes and bring vs in danger of destruction Salomon teacheth vs l Prou. 29 5. That a man which flattereth his Neighhour spreadeth a Net for his steppes declaring thereby that as a Birde which is taken in the Net is in daunger of death so they which beleeue flatterers fall into great perilles of Soule of Bodie of Goods of good name of life Thirdly it teacheth the Ministers to take heede they abuse not their Authority and turne it into tiranny but employ it vnto edification not to the destruction of the Church or any member thereof This the Apostle plainly teacheth concerning himselfe m 2 Cor. 10 8 Though I should boast somwhat more of our authority which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification and not for your destruction I should haue no shame And in another place n 2 Cor. 1 24 Wee haue not Dominion ouer your faith but we are helpers of your ioy for by Faith ye stand We must remember and consider that we are vnder Christ we are his Substitutes and Lieutenants He is the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheepe We must not beare our selues o 1 Pet. 5 3. as Lords ouer his heritage but as ensamples to the flocke Christ himselfe testifieth that he was among them as one that p Luke 22 27 Math. 20 28. serued For the sonne of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many Let vs haue the same mind in vs that was in christ Iesus let vs behaue our selues as Stewards not as Lords as Officers not as Princes as Ministers not as Vsurpers as Stewards not as Maisters of the house Vse 3. Lastly it serueth for instruction of the people that they despise not the Ministry of the word but alway readie to heare it with reuerence For wheresoeuer there is authority in the speaker there should bee feare and reuerence in the hearer They are Embassadors sent not from Man but from God they speake not in their owne names but in the name of God they publish not their owne Dreames or deuises but the Doctrine of God and therefore ought reuerently and obediently to be regarded Thus the Prophet teacheth vs to reason q Mal. 2 7. The people must heare the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lerd of Hoastes True it is they are men that bring it but they are Messengers sent of GOD they are subiect to the same passions that wee are but God hath put his word in their hearts and in their mouthes and therefore both they and it must bee receyued with all reuerence and entertayned with the inwarde obedience of the soule Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ sayth r Luke 10 16 Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth you heareth him that sent mee The Prophet teacheth that their feete are beautifull that bring gladde tydings of peace and bring glad tydinges of good things They are saide to be worthy of double honor and to teach the way of saluation If a man had lost a precious Iewell and Rich Pearle which was all the riches and substance of his house and beeing in this case should meete with a man that can tell him who robbed him of it where it is and how hee may come to haue it againe how would hee respect him and reward him A godly Minister is such a one vnto thee Å¿ Perk. of the Ministr who when Adam had lost himselfe and all his posteritie and that peerlesse Iewell of righteousnesse the whole wealth of our soules can truely tell vs who did steale it away from vs and how it is to bee recouered againe The Deuill is the Theefe Christ doth restore it Faith applyeth Christ the Word of God worketh Faith the Minister preacheth the word whereby we beleeue How well doost thou account of that Physitian and how highly doest thou esteeme of him who when thy health is lost and sicknesse falne vpon thee
hath beene his Maister This will be the behauiour of all such as haue felt the burthen of their sinnes and beene humbled vnder the heauy stroke of Gods hand and felt the vnsearchable depth of the sore festering and fretting within them They are the onely men that know what necessary vse there is of the Ministers to search their wounds to raise vp with comfort to binde vppe the broken-hearted and strengthen them that are weake and ready to fall As for those that neuer knew what the Nature of sinne is nor felt the intollerable burthen of it but thinke themselues sound and not sicke heart-whole and not diseased Liuing men by Nature and not dead in sinnes and trespasses they take themselues to bee in good case according to the saying of Christ our Sauiour h Math. 9 12. The whole neede not the Phisitian but they that are sicke Thus then we see how we may proue our selues whether we be in the Faith or not euen by the good estimation that we haue of such as are the bringers of it Secondly we may gather from hence that the greatest part of the world lyeth deepely and dangerously in condemnation because such hath been the vnthankefulnesse thereof toward the Ministers and Messengers of Saluation that bring glad tydings of peace vnto vs that it neuer respected them or gaue them any reuerence We see this by the examples of the Prophets of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe So long as men resolue to entertaine their sinnes so long they will neuer bee willing to entertaine the Preachers of the Gospell whose Office is to beat downe the Kingdome of sinne and Sathan and to set vp the Kingdome of Christ Iesus in the harts of Men. When Herod was determined to keepe his Brothers Wife i Math. 14 4 5 he could not abide to heare Iohn preach vnto him but committed him to prison It is an euident signe of a corrupt conscience and of a prophane hart to account vilely of those whom God hath highly aduanced The Ministers of the Gospell were neuer so much hated scorned and abhorred they are made a common reproach and by-word for euery base Fellow they are set forth as vppon a Stage or Scaffold to be derided of euery Man k 1. Cor. 4 13. They are made as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things vnto this time If this be the estate of the Ministers wee may giue a true iudgement in what estate the cause of Religion standeth among vs and what harbour it findeth with the men of this age Such as esteeme of the Ministers as the filth and off-scowring of the earth doe also account the knowledge of the word as the Dregges and drauery of all other thinges Such as respect not those that are the meanes of faith will also reiect faith it selfe The Ministers of the word and true Religion grow vp as two Plants together so long as the one is countenanced and vpholden so long the other will flourish and spread abroad and prosper But if the Ministers that are as the Lordes Gardiners or the dressers of his Vine be euilly intreated maliciously slandered despightfully handled and scornefullie reproached Religion it selfe beginneth to faint and to languish and cannot long goe free Let vs know therefore by this signe the sicknesse of this age and the dangerous declining of all good things There cannot be a more certaine token of the ruine of the Church then when we see the maine posts and cheefe pillers thereof set at naught It is an easie matter to giue iudgement what will be the issue of this disease it is no hard thing to feele the pulses of this Generation and to tell them that the very pangs of death are vpon them so long as the spirituall Phisitions of their Soules are base in their eyes that desire nothing more then to recouer them out of that desperate consumption into which they are fallen There is no man hath his vitall Spirits so farre spent and the naturall heat so much wasted but is willing to heare of a Physition that is able and willing to set him on foote againe and to restore his strength vnto him that hee had before But we are become so senselesse or shamelesse and so dead in our sinnes that we haue no desire of health nor seeke after any spirituall Surgeons or Phisitions to looke vnto vs in time of sicknes There is no disease without cure if men of knowledge be enquired after who haue the tongue of the learned to minister a word in due season Vse 2. Secondly as this Doctrine serueth to teach so it is profitable to reprooue diuers sorts of men but I will onely touch these three The first reproofe First it maketh against fuch as make a bad and base account of the Ministers of God and think they owe no dutie to their Pastours but reckon them as their Vassals and Seruants suppose that they are bound to please them and follow their humours and account their Teachers beholden vnto them for vouchsafing to heare them as crediting their Ministery by their presence It must not therefore seeme a strange thing vnto vs when we see the Ambassadours of God contemned when we heare them reuiled and all manner of euill done to their persons We know our calling to be of GOD acceptable in his sight and precious with all faithfull men Wee are the sweete l 2 Cor. 2 15. sauour of God as well in them that perrish as in them that are saued we know that m 1 Cor. 1 24. howsoeuer the preaching of the Word be a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians and both a stumbling blocke and foolishnesse to the filthy Libertines and carnall Gospellers yet to them that are effectuallie called it is the power of God and the wisedome of God We know what Christ hath pronounced of our Ministery so long as we deliuer the truth of God Luke 10 16. n Luke 10 16 He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me If a Man abuse an Ambassadour of a Prince and set him at naught it is reputed and reuenged as a disgrace and dishonour done to the Prince himselfe so if we shall abase and disgrace the Ministers of the Gospell which are the Messengers of God we shall neuer escape without punishment but bring vpon our selues swift damnation Is not he a godlesse and vngracious Childe that mocketh and despiseth his Father after the example of curssed Cham o Gen. 9 22. who tasted of Gods wrath for this contempt The Lord pronounceth a fearefull threatning against this fearefull sinne The eye p Prou. 30 17. that mocketh his Father and despiseth the instruction of his Mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young Eagles eate it In like manner he is an vngodly and vnregenerate hearer that controlleth and
his Ministry by which he was at the first conuerted and hitherto continued in the state of grace which remained as a Seale engrauen and imprinted in his heart Doctrine 4. Such as haue gained vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. From hence we learne that such as haue gained vs to God or preserued vs in the state of Saluation by the preaching of the Gospell ought to be most deare vnto vs we owing vnto them euen our selues and whatsoeuer we haue besides to doe them good The benefits bestowed vpon vs by the Ministry of the word can neuer be sufficiently esteemed nor worthily enough prized nor aboundantly enough be recompenced and rewarded Hence it is that when Elisha sell sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed Ioash the King of Israell came downe vnto him and wept vpon his face and said z 2 Kin. 13 14 O my Father my Father the Charrâ—t of Israell and the Horsemen of the same Where we may learne what to account of the Teachers of the Church by the testimony of a King that sitteth on his Throne if he do so account of theÌ„ such as are inferior to him must not make lesse reckoning of them Hereunto commeth the saying of the Prophet a Esay 52 7. Nah. 1 15. How beautifull vpon the Mountains are the feet of him that declareth publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion Thy God raigneth Where he sheweth by way of admiration that it is one of the greatest benefits to haue Pastors sent vnto vs that may direct our steps into the way of peace and guide our feet to eternal life This is the estimation that the Galathians had of Paul and the commendation which Paule giueth of the Galathians that they accounted nothing too dear or too good for him b Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despied not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus What was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue pulled out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me Where he sheweth that he was entertained among them as an Angell nay aboue an Angell euen as Christ himselfe To this purpose he writeth to the Corinthians c 1 Cor. 4 1. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God By all which testimonies it is manifest that such as conuerted vs to the faith and brought vs to be Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen ought to be dearely and entirely beloued of vs. Reason 1 Neither should this seeme strange vnto vs. First of all they are most of all to be loued and highly esteemed of vs that doe vs most good we are most deeply indebted vnto them that labour most for our benefit This it is which our Sauiour insinuateth in the parable of the lender that had two debters the one ought him more the other lesse and he forgaue them both declaring that he iudged vprightly d Luke 7 43. Who supposed that he would loue him most to whom he had forgiuen most The greatest benefit requireth of vs the greatest loue But the Ministers do vs or may do vs the greatest good if we lay not a barre in our owne way For the blessings that God bestoweth vpon men by the Ministry of his Pastors and Teachers are spirituall and eternall blessings but the blessings that the hearers do returne and recompence to their Ministers are Temporall and as the Apostle speaketh and calleth them Carnall saying e 1 Cor. 9 11. If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things it is a great thing if we reap your carnall thinges They fight our Spirituall battels for vs and what do we not owe to such Reason 2. Again they are vnto vs in stead of Christ they are his officers that he hath appointed in his Church who when he ascended into heauen gaue gifts vnto men and ordained those that should teach his people vnto the end of the World Hence it is that the Apostle saith f 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christes stead that ye be reconciled vnto God If we did beleeue that the Ministers were left vs in Christes stead and did supply his roome we would otherwise respect them and esteeme of them then we doe Reason 3. Thirdly they are the Ministers by whom we beleeue and consequently by whom we are saued They are our Fathers in Christ by whom we are begotten to eternall life To this end the Apostle saith g 1. Cor. 3 5. Who is Paul then And who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery Man Can we haue a greater blessing bestowed vpon vs then Faith without which it is vnpossible to please to God But Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD And the word is brought vnto vs by the Ministers of God Seeing then that they deserue the greatest loue that doe vs the greatest good Seeing the Ministers are vnto vs in the place of Christ Iesus and lastlie seeing they are the Instruments by whom we beleeue It followeth necessarilie that such as turne many vnto righteousnesse are highly to be regarded and to bee greatly magnified of vs aboue many others Vse 1. The Vses arising from hence are of diuers sorts First of all it directeth vs to other necessary truths to be learned of vs. It is noted by the Apostle to be one generall vse of the Scripture that it serueth and sufficeth to teach all truth needfull to saluation so the former point being receiued will help vs to finde out and conclude other truthes First we learne that wheresoeuer there is a true profession a sound feeling and true tast of Religion or ioy of saluation there will be a reuerent account and ioyfull entertainement of the teachers and publishers of the Gospell On the other side a light slender account of the Ministers argueth a light account of the word of Christ of the doctrine of saluation and of the truenesse of Religion Let euery one of vs examine our owne affections and try our owne hearts by this Touchstone It is vnpossible to make any diuorse betweene the true Ministers of God and the true Doctrine which is according to godlinesse He that honoreth one magnifieth the other and hee that contemneth the one despiseth the other Whosoeuer it is that being distempered and diseased esteemeth of his health or desireth it he will honour the Physitian that cureth and recouereth him He that being wounded is throughly healed will greatly regard him that gaue vnto him the salue to make a plaister He that hath beene ignorant and is taught the knowledge that he had not before will make much of him that
Answer I answer It is a generall rule in all Arts and true in Diuinity That which is vnderstood is not wanting So then the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity is not omitted though not expressed for he must of necessity be vnderstood who proceedeth from them both namely from the Father and the Sonne Christ saith in his m Iohn 17. Prayer This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet the holy Ghost in this place is not excluded from both the persons but included and comprehended together with them for these three are one n Iohn 5. as the Apostle teacheth Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words Now let vs proceede to the obseruations out of the same and then come to the Doctrines Obseruations out of this ver The obseruations out of this verse containing the salutation are not many which we will point out First of all we see the matter of his Prayer what it is he asketh not the fauour of Men but of God he craueth not earthly and worldly peace but spirituall and heauenly True it is the fauour and good will of Men the outward peace and tranquilitie one with another are worthy and excellent guiftes but the free and fatherly fauour of God together with peace with GOD the Father beeing reconciled vnto vs in his deare Sonne are much to be preferred in our desires Heereby wee haue that peace o Phil. 4 7. of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which teacheth vs to rest in God as in a most louing Father with all confidence and assurance Secondly as wee learne cheefelie to aske spirituall blessings so wee see what blessings among such as are spirituall are the principall and predominant to wit the fauour of God and peace of conscience He that is possessed of these two hath an hid Mine of Treasures with which all the Wealth and Riches of the World are not to bee compared vnto For these blessings are heauenly are spirituall are eternall whereas the substance of this World is Temporall is Transitorie is corruptible The Worlde it selfe must passe and vanish away and all these earthly things must decay and perish with it Thirdly the Apostle in some of his Epistles vseth three wordes p 1 Tim. 1 2. and 2 Tim 1 2. 2 Iohn 3. Grace Mercy and Peace heere hee contenteth himselfe with naming two Grace and Peace omitting and leauing out Mercy wherein there is no contrariety or diuersity for as much as Mercy is included vnder Peace For by Mercy is vnderstood our Iustification which consisteth partly in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and partly in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which do bring true peace with them Fourthly we see from whom hee asketh all these to wit first from God the Father to teach that he is the Authour of euery good giuing and perfect guift If then we stand in neede of them we must goe to him we must aske them of him we can receiue them of none but of him q Iam. 1 5 17 as the Apostle Iames teacheth Fiftly we see that to God the Father he ioyneth Iesus Christ for all blessings are bestowed vpon vs through Christ the Mediator of the New Testament God the Father is the Fountaine Christ is the Pipe or Cunduit by whom they are conueied vnto vs. He that hath not him hath not the Father Hee that is not in him remaineth in death Hence it is that the Euangelist saith r Iohn 3 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sixtly obserue the Title giuen vnto him he is called the Lord of his Church it is a Kingdome whereof he is the Prince it is a Citty whereof he is the Gouernor it is an house whereof he is the Maister it is a body whereof he is the head So then all obedience is due to him and all men how great soeuer must acknowledge his Lordship ouer them Lastly in that he craueth grace and peace from Christ our Lord as well as from God the Father it confirmeth our Faith in a Fundamentall point of Christian Religion touching the Deity of Christ n Phil. 2 6. Who is GOD equall with the Father against the Arrians and other Heretiques that deny his Eternity For seeing hee giueth grace and peace as well as the Father we conclude him to be true God Co-eternall and Co-equall with the Father Grace c. This word in the Scripture hath two significations the ignorance whereof hath bred great errour and be one the occasion of stumbling in the Church of Rome First it signifieth Gods good will and fauour Secondlie some guift of God freely bestowed which is grace of his grace and so the o Rom. 5 15. Apostle doth distinguish the grace of God from the gift that is by grace In this place we must vnderstand not any particular gift of God infused into vs as faith hope loue and such like but the free fauour and loue of God whereby he accepteth of some in Christ for his owne Children for wee see heere it is discerned and distinguished from peace which is a guift of Grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing This grace and good will of God is the Fountaine of all Gods blessings and the foundation of all mans happinesse All that we haue is of Grace it is the beginning of all good thinges in vs. Our p Rom. 11 5. 2 Tim. 1 9. Rom 3 24. Ezek. 36 27. Ephe. 2 10. Rom. 6 23. Election Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification Glorification is of grace onely we can ascribe nothing to our selues Now in this Diuine Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction mark that the Apostle beginneth with this grace Doct. 1. The free fauor of God is of vs chiefely to be desired From hence we learne that the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all other thinges The free grace and vndeserued loue of God is the first and highest and onely cause of all blessings is aboue al things to be desired and intreated at the hands of God Consider the example of Dauid Psal 4. Many say q Psal 4 6. who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me As if he should say let worldly men seek what they will and let them place their happinesse in riches pleasures and vanities but my desire is after thy loue and fauour aboue all Hence it is that he calleth and accounteth God his portion r Psal 16 5. 18 2. his lot his inheritance his rocke his refuge his shield and Castle of defence to shew that all his ioy was in Gods fauour all his comfort in Gods loue and that he preferred his grace before all thinges in the world besides This affection is also expressed in the
wealth a good name fauour friendship or other gifts of the Spirit wee must begin at the roote that is intreat first for the grace of God take hold of his free loue and aboue all thinges beg his fatherlie fauour to compasse vs as with a garment and to defend vs as with a shielde It is in vaine to aske any thing it is in vaine to hope for and to expect any blessing as a blessing before this be asked and obtained This order is to be obserued if wee would enioy and possesse Gods blessinges When the grace of God commeth and maketh vs accepted it commeth not alone but commeth accompanied and bringeth a traine of all other blessings with it Hee that will seeke a benefite from a Prince must first seeke to bee gratious with the Prince and get his fauor he must neuer look to be respected and regarded in his suit that is out of the Princes fauour so if wee would haue wealth welfare ease honour peace prosperity or any other guifts we must before all things labour to bee gratious with the great God of Heauen and seeke to be accepted in his beloued This serueth to reprooue the preposterous course of carnall Men h Horac epistol lib. 1. Epist 1. who set the Cart before the Horse and place the Boby before the Soule and aduance the Earth aboue the Heauen and so ouerthrow the whole order of Nature labouring first for wealth and afterward for vertue first for Riches afterward for Religion first to bee great in the World afterward to bee gratious with God These men seeke from day to day and from yeare to yeare for earthly profites and vanishing pleasures but neuer thinke on the root of all blessings the grace of God This corruption is reproued by Christ who prescribeth vnto vs a better way when he saith i Math. 6 33. Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you If the things of this world be the first in our thoughts the cheefest in our desires the greatest in our estimation and the best in our imagination we haue our reward wee must looke for no other reward at the hands of God Vse 4. Lastly when we haue found our hearts perswaded and our Soules possessed of this grace of God let vs delight in it let vs rest vpon it let it bee made our stay and comfort in all times and vpon all occasions Let vs remember to be more thankfull to God for it and more ioyfull in it k Esay 9 3. then those that reioyce in Haruest or such as finde great spoiles and rich booties If thou shouldst finde Mines of Siluer and Gold and Mountaines of Pearles and precious Stones they could not giue such comfort and contentment vnto thy Soule as this grace of God is able to doe which is a Iewell of Iewels Blessed is the man that findeth this Treasure and getteth it into his heart for the l Pro. 3 14 15 Marchandize thereof is better then the Marchandize of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then Gold it is more precious then Pearles and all thinges that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto it For these treasures of the earth which worldly men haue in so great price and estimation are bought at a deere rate of the owners but the Lord offereth and giueth his grace frankly and freely vnto vs which neede the same as we read in the prophesie m Esay 55 5 1 Iames 1 2. of Esay and in the Epistle of Iames. Secondly the Marchandize of these Pearles may be stolne from vs we cannot so safely and closely lay them vp but time will consume them rust will rot them and Theeues will steale them n Math. 6 19 as our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell But the grace of God shall neuer dye or decay but is euer flourishing and euerlasting Lastly the gain of Siluer Gold if we could possesse it in the greatest measure is but to maintaine the body and to prouide for this present life for a season but the gaining of grace and the fauour of God is an entituling of vs to the Kingdome of heauen and to eternall life which he that hath this grace of God in his heart shall possesse for euer Indeed few men do beleeue this because they make more reckoning of thinges earthly then heauenly but all men shall finde it to be true in the end This treasure the poore may haue as well as the rich In all tentations this will stand by vs and raise vs vp when we are cast downe and strengthen vs when we are weake This grace whereby wee are freely beloued will goe with vs abroad will stay with vs at home will lye downe with vs in bed will sit with vs at Table will direct vs in prosperity will sticke to vs in trouble will comfort vs in sicknesse will solace vs in death and will accompany vs to heauen To desire this is the best couetousnesse and that which onely hath alowance and approbation from God o 1 Cor. 14 1 and therefore the Apostle chargeth vs to couet spirituall thinges All these thinges teach vs to rest and rely vpon the grace of God as vppon the onely comfort of our Soules and the very life of our liues according to the practise of the Prophet Psal 4. after he had desired of God to lift vp his louing countenance vpon him he addeth p Psal 4 8. I will lay mee downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety And peace c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first blessing which the Apostle craueth for them to wit the grace of God which is the grace of graces Now followeth the second which is peace which is a notable fruit growing vpon the blessed tree of grace This signifieth the quiet concord and vnity which the faithfull are made partakers of beeing once ingrafted into Christ and brought into the bosome of the Church They find peace and are at an agreement which hath many branches and standeth of many parts euery one whereof is a most worthy blessing First q Rom. 5 1. wee are at peace with God when we are reconciled vnto God in Christ so that he hath no quarrell or controuersie against vs. Rom. 5. 1. Secondlie wee are at peace with the elect Angels r Psal 91 11. which pitch their Tents round about vs and are set to guard vs least we dash our foot against a Stone Thirdly we are at peace with our selues when our consciences enioy quietnesse and tranquility not accusing or condemning but excusing and cleering vs being washed in the blood of Christ Å¿ Phil. 4 7. This is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Fourthly wee are at peace with Gods Children t Esay 11 6. foretold by the Prophet that the wilde Beasts and tame should dwell together the cruell and the gentle should
instruction the Angels are our Watchmen the heauen is our happinesse Christ is our Sauiour God is our Father all thinges are fauourers and furtherers of our saluation It is a comfort of all comforts that we are at peace with God that he is our friend and that hee hath no controuersie against vs. If God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs or dare take vpon him the protection and defence of vs But beeing iustified by Faith we are at peace with God It is a great blessing to be at peace with men but it is a greater blessing to be at peace with God We are at peace with the blessed Angels r Hebr. 1 14. Who are all ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation They guard vs from dangers they carry vs as a Nurse doth her Childe in her Armes that we be not hurt by the Deuill or his Angels or his Instruments We are at peace with the Church that is with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ The Prophet Esay speaking of the Kingdome of Christ and of the fruits of the Gospell foretelleth That Å¿ Esay 11 6. the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kidde and the Calfe and the Lyon and a fat Beast together and a little Child shall lead them c. Meaning thereby that when a man is called into the State of grace howsoeuer by Nature he haue the greedinesse of a Wolfe the wildnesse of a Leopard the fiercenesse of a Lyon the cruelty of a Beare hee shall lay away his sauage and brutish Nature and become gentle and liue peaceably with all men We are at peace with our own selues which is the peace of a good conscience when it being washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and beginneth to excuse and comfort vs when neither Hell nor Death nor damnation nor any daunger doth dismay vs or bring vs to despaire but in the midst of all t Col. 3 15. we haue the peace of God ruling in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3. 15. If a man weare at peace with the Angels with men and with all the Creatures if he had no Enemy to encounter him but liued at peace with others yet if he were at warre and Mortall enmity with himselfe if he felt the terrors of conscience and his owne heart condemning him hee should quickly finde what a great blessing it is to haue a cleere conscience which is a continuall Feast This peace was in Dauid when he said in the midst of manifolde dangers u Psal 3 5 6. I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about This is of such excellency that it is called o Phil. 4 7. The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding it is in stead of a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ Wee are at peace with our enemies both because so soone as we beleeue in Christ wee seeke to haue peace with all men so farre as is possible p Rom. 12 18 and as much as lieth in vs and because God restraineth the mallice of the Enemies and inclineth their hearts to embrace peace Thus God brought Abraham and Isaac into fauour with Abimelec King of Gerar that he was ready and willing no onely to receiue peace when it was offered but to craue peace when it was not desired Thus God brought Daniell into fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and sundry others to finde the fruits of loue at the handes of their enemies because he hath the harts of all men in his owne hand to wind them and turne them at his owne pleasure Lastly we are at peace with all Creatures in Heauen and Earth aboue and beneath which are made to serue for our benefite and saluation The Prophet saith q Psal 91 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder foot And God promiseth To make a r Hos 2 18. Couenant for them with the Beastes and Fowles that they shall walk safely All these priuiledges teach vs hauing such a large peace with God and his Angels with the Church and our owne selues with our Enemies and all Creatures that it is the most comfortable thing in the world to be vnder the grace and Couenant of God and that nothing is more to bee desired then to feele the fauour of God towards vs for hauing this we possesse all things If wee want him and his fauour though we haue all the world it will not nor cannot content vs but all things are curssed to vs and we to them Vse 3. Lastly seeing all that are accepted of God are blessed with all good things this teacheth vs the wretched and fearefull condition of all such as by reason of sinne are out of fauour with God they shall finde no rest they shall haue no peace heauen and earth shall conspire against them and deny them succour and comfort in the day of Gods punnishment and visitation It is said of Ismaell that his hand should be against euery man and euery mans hand against him so is it with all the vngodly not reconciled to God they shall find no sound comfort in any Creature but shall haue all the World against them This is a great misery and torment lying heauy vpon the wicked and piercing their Soules as the flashings of Hell according to the saying of the Prophet s Esay 57 19 20 21. I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that are farre off and to them that are nere saith the Lord for I will heale them but the wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast vp Mire and Dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked God setteth himselfe against them and all Creatures shall confound them and fight against them vntil they are confounded and ouerthrowne And as the Apostle speaking of the blessed and happy estate of the godly declareth that all things are theirs so on the other side we may truely say of the vngodly that nothing is theirs they haue Title and interest in no creature to receiue any comfort in them or stay from them or protection by them God is become their Enemy the Angels are armed to destroy them their owne consciences conuince and condemne them the Heauen is shut against them death is the gate of Hell vnto them affliction is a meanes of murmuring in them the World is a Snare vnto them Christ is a Rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell is the fauour of death vnto them the mercy of God is made a Packe-horse for their sinnes all the ordinances of God are abused by them and all the workes of Gods handes shall bee Instruments of
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
man and man we must not vnderstand our Sauiour Christ when he speaketh of Debts and Debters but of priuate hurts and damages that are done vnto vs in our bodies in our goods or in our good Names These iniuries done to our bodies which oftentimes are misvsed to our goods which are diminished to our good Names which are impaired are to be remitted As for other debts due to vs we may require them so we doe it with shewing mercy to such as are in necessity toward whom we ought to haue patience in forbearing Obiection 2. The second is whether a man may lawfully sue him at the Law that hath offended him Or how doth suing and forgiuing stand together in a Christian Answere I answer the Law is free for all men and the end of it is to redresse all disorders And as a Souldier in a lawfull warre may kill his Enemy and yet loue him so may a man forgiue an iniury and yet vse the remedy of the Law and thereby seeke in a Christian manner to redresse the wronges that are done vnto him Now in suing at the Law we must obserue these sixe rules First it must not be for toyes and trifles but in matters of waite and importance which do neerely concerne vs and whereby we are some way damnified But trifles cannot damnifie vs. This reproueth those that are so farre carried vpon the spleene b 1 Cor. 6 7. as that they are ready to prosecute euery action and slight occasion that is offered vnto them if it be but the wagging of a Straw which bewrayeth an euill heart in them Secondly we must take heede of priuate reuenge and inward hatred which if we conceiue we doe not forgiue We must not suffer our suites to coole our loue to our Bretheren nor to weaken our Faith in performing our seruice worship vnto God For albeit the cause be neuer so iust and lawfull c Rom. 12 9 10. yet if we handle it vnlawfully vncharitably and vnchristianly we offend God and transgresse against our Brother Thirdly we must beware of giuing offence to the Church of God Some offences are taken but not giuen as when men are offended for doing our duty to God We must not omit that which God requireth because man will be offended Our care must be to be ready to giue satisfaction to the godly that our doing be not iustly scandalous obseruing the rule of the Apostle d 1 Cor. 10 32 1 Thes 5 22. Giue no offence neither to the Iew nor to the Gentile nor to the church of God and abstaine from all appearance of euill Fourthly the end of all Controuersies and Suites in Law must bee to liue in concord and to maintaine godly peace If we haue not this end we ayme at a wrong end The end of all lawfull Warre is not murther and tumults but peace and quietnesse So the end of all strife must be to liue without strife For if all iniuries were put vp and were not repressed many would grow worse and worse and ouerturne the Ciuill State and gouernment Fiftly another end we may at must be that the truth may come to light that is hidden that the party offending may be chastised e 1 Cor. 6 11. and by chasticement be brought to repentance for his wronges For such is the mallice of many that the passing by of one wrong would but open a wide gap or gate to bring other iniuries vpon our owne heades and the more we suffer the more hard measure they would offer Lastly the Law must bee vsed not vpon pleasure but vpon necessity and we must take it vp as the last refuge and remedy We must vse it as a Father vseth correction or as a Physition vseth desperate Medicines or as the Surgion vseth searing and cutting f 1 Cor. 6 6. when other will not serue the turne If a friendly agreement and priuate arbiterment may be had let it be preferred and the Magistrate not troubled with our contentions Thou oughtest not to produce into publike Courts of Iustice and iudgement that which may well bee decided and determined by graue sober godly and discreet men at home as the small causes which the Rulers might iudge were not to be brought before Moses Exod. 18 22. If it cannot be had so that though we seeke peace and ensue it yet it flyeth from vs it is lawfull for vs to go farther euen to sue our neghbour at the law and vse the benefit of the Magistrate Obiection 3. The third obiection is how can the Magistrate practise this Doctrine to forgiue offences and offenders seeing as the Apostle teacherh Rom. 13. He beareth not the Sword in vaine If his duty be to punish how can he pardon If he be to execute iudgement how can he forgiue them that trespasse Answere I answere a Magistrate is to be considered two waies according to two seuerall persons which he doth sustaine to wit either as he is a Man or as hee is a Magistrate as he hath a common condition or a speciall As he is a man or a Christian man which estate he hath common with his Brethren he is to beare and forbeare and behaue himselfe as others but as he is a Magistrate which estate he hath as properlie belonging vnto him he is the Deputy and Vice-gerent of God he sustaineth his person he executeth his iudgement and therefore he ought not to haue any respect of persons or winke at the committing of any wickednesse Obiection 4 The fourth Obiection is how we can be saide to forgiue our Bretheren their trespasses seeing no man can forgiue sinnes but onely God Hence it is that Dauid saith in the Psalme Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Psal 51. Likewise the Scribes and Pharisies when they heard Christ speake to the man sicke of the Palsie Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee began to reason among themselues Who is this that speaketh Blasphemies Who can forgiue sinnes but God onely Luke 5 20 21. Answere I answer in euery sinne there are two things to be marked and considered the euill of the action and the damage that ariseth to man by the euill action the one God forgiueth the other man forgiueth God pardoneth the euill Man pardonerh the damage or detriment that befalleth his person goods or name So then God forgiueth and Man forgiueth God forgiueth the sinne man forgiueth the hurt For we must obserue that in euery trespasse are two offences one to God the other to man To God when he forgiueth the breach of his law and imputeth it not to the offender which belongeth properlie to him and no man is able to doe To man when he remitteth the iniury or harme that hath risen to him in the things that appertaine to him It is not in mans power to forgiue the sinne whereby God is offended and he oftentimes pardoneth the wrong done to him when God forgiueth not
from whence he came Doctrine 5. The Gospel doth not abolish or diminish ciuil ordinances and distinct degrees among men Heereby we learne that the Gospell of Christ doth not dissolue or abolish but confirme establish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees and politick constitutions among men as between Princes and Subiects Parents and Children Husband and Wife Maister and Seruants Superiors and Inferiors This appeareth in many places of the worde where the seuerall and distinct duties of n Rom. 13 1. seuerall and distinct callings are mentioned and required by the Apostle Heereunto commeth that which he setteth downe Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Likewise o Ephes 5 22 25. 6 1 2 5 9. Col. 3 18 19 20 21 22. writing to the Ephesians he chargeth Wiues to submit themselues vnto their husbands as vnto the Lorde he willeth Husbands to loue their wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it he requireth of Children to obey their Parents in the Lorde for this is right he commaundeth Fathers not to prouoke their Children to vvrath least they be discouraged but to bring them vppe in instruction and information of the Lord he prescribeth vnto Seruants to be obedient vnto them that are their Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ and he setteth downe the duties of Maisters that they should deale iustly with their seruants putting away threatning knowing that euen their Maister also is in Heauen with whom there is no respect of persons In like manner when he writeth to Timothy he saith p 1 Tim. 6 1. Titus 2 9 10 and 3 1. Let as many Seruantes as are vnder the yoake count their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And Titus 2. Let Seruants bee subiest to their Maisters and please them in all things not answearing againe neither pickers but that they shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things for that grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared The like exhortations and establishing of ciuill ordinances we see in Peter q 1 Pet 2 13 14 and 3 1 2 7 Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the Superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers and for the praise of them that do well So likewise hee chargeth the Wiues to bee Subiect to their Husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word hee won by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare And the Husbands he teacheth That they should dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as they which are heyres together of the grace of life that their prayers be not interrupted Christ our Sauiour willeth vs to r Math. 22 21. Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the thinges that are Gods The Apostle hath heaped together manie such precepts vnto the same Å¿ 1 Cor. 7 3 5 10 11 12 13 20 21 22. purpose 1 Cor. 7. Let the Husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence and likewise the wife vnto the Husband defraude not one another except it bee with consent for a time vnto the married I commaund not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husbande put away his wife If any Brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if shee bee content to dwell with him let him not forsake her and the woman that hath an Husbande which beleeueth not if hee bee content to dwell with her let her not forsake him Let euerie man abide in the same Vocation vvherein hee was called Bretheren let euerie man wherein hee was called therein abide with GOD. All these rules and commaundements serue to teach vs this truth that howsoeuer the gospel doth make vs al as brethren and ioyne vs together in one body yet it doth not abrogat and abolish the difference betweene man and man and bring in an Anarchy and confusion but setleth a distinction betweene Prince and subiect betweene Maister and seruant betweene high and low Reason 1. This Doctrine of the gospel will better appeare if we marke the reasons For first God is not the author of confusion and disorder but of peace and order Look vpon al the creatures of God in heauen earth on high and beneath and we shal be constrained to cry out with the prophet t Psal 104 24 O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisedom hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches Al tumult and sedition al disorder and insurrection commeth from the deuill he is the author thereof For he first brought in sin and sin brought in disorder Hence it is that the apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14 33 40. Colos 2 5 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches of the Saints He commandeth that al things be done honestly and in order he commendeth the goodly order that is obserued among the faithfull and therefore he teacheth not any disorders nor alloweth them where they are Reason 2. Secondly Christ came not into the world to abolish the Lawe but to establish it x Mat. 5 17 18 as he testifieth Mat. 5. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shal not escape till all things be fulfilled Now we know that the moral Law commandeth the honor of Father and Mother that is of all superiors who beare a part of his image If then the end of his comming were to ratifie the Law then it followeth that the Law making a difference betweene superiors and inferiors remaineth and shall remaine in his full strength power and vertue Reason 3. Thirdly the Gospell commaundeth hearty obedience as vnto God and therefore doth not dissolue or disanull true obedience nay it is a praise and ornament to the Gospel when all sortes walke in the duties of their seuerall Callings and specially such as are the obedience of others Seruants are the lowest condition in the Church and yet the Apostle teacheth that by vprighnesse of their life and obedience to their Maister for Conscience sake y Titus 3 10. 1 Tim. 6 1. they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and on the other side by the euil life stubbornesse and disobedience of seruants that professe
the knowledge of the Gospell the name of God and his Doctrine is blasphemed and euill spoken of Likewise speaking of beleeuing Wiues that haue vnbeleeuing Husbands he putteth them in minde of subiection to the end that by their holy conuersion they may winne their husbandes to embrace true Religion To this purpose the Apostle Paul teacheth seruants to be obedient to them that are their Maisters according to the flesh and chargeth them z Col. 3 22 23 that whatsoeuer they do they do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Seeing therefore that God is the authour of order not of confusion seeing Christ came not to abolish but to establish the Lawe and lastly seeing the Gospell teacheth subiection and doth not release or acquite any of their duty it followeth that the gospel doth not bring in parity and equality among al the Mother of al mischiefe but discerneth and distinguisheth of the Callings of men it doth not giue liberty to peruert all order it maketh not Seruants to be Maisters and Maisters to be seruants but directeth euery one to keepe his place and to abide in his vocation Vse 1. Seeing this is the honor commendation of the gospel let vs see what Vses arise from the knoledge of this point First of al we conclude from hence necessarily that it hath alwaies bin a lying deuise and diuellish slander to Christian religion to be the author and fauorer of carnal liberty and to Christian professors to be enemies to states and commonwealths to magistrats lawes ciuil ordinances This hath alwaies bin the accusation of slāderous tongs to brand the Gospell as the breeder and bringer in of all vprores and conspiracies yet there is no Doctrine vnder the Heauen that lesse deserueth to bee defamed For the Gospell was a friend to Princes when Princes were enemies to the Gospell it teacheth to be subiect vnto them to pray to God for them to obey all their godly constitutions and therefore it is the Father of lies and enemy of al truth that hath sought to disgrace discredit the holy truth of God and such as in truth do embrace it Hee seeth and perceiueth that if the Gospel stand his kingdome must fal if the Gospel florish his kingdome must decay Hence it is that the church people of God haue in al ages and times of the world bin accused of rebellions treasons seditions insurrections many other greeuous impieties Heerof the scripture experience affoord plentiful examples In the book of Ezra the enemies accuse the guiltles Iewes z Ezra 4 15. 1 King 18 17. Ester 3 6. to be a rebellious people that they haue of old bin alwaies giuen to sedition Ahab burdeneth Elias that it was he his fathers house that trobled Israel Haman suggesteth vnto the king against the Iewes that their lawes were diuers from al people that they did not obserue the kings lawes and therfore it was not for the kings profit to suffer them The Apostles are accused to be authors of sedition troublers of cities raisers of tumults causers of rebellion breakers of lawes and teachers of ordinances not lawful to receiue they said of them b Acts 16 19 20. and 24 5. These men that are Iewes trouble our City they preach ordinances which are not lawful for vs to receiue neither to obserue seeing we are Romans Where we see they couer their couetousnesse with a shadowe pretence of standing against innouation but they discouer the hollownesse hypocrisie of their harts when they ioyn trobling of the state and preaching of the gospell together Whereby it appeareth that their troubling of the city was nothing els but because they preached the word which the deuill his instruments could not beare and abide Paule is accused by Tertullus to be a pestilent fellow and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes thoroughout the world and that he taught al men euery where against the law of Moses And no maruel for thus they dealt with the son of God when he taught the truth without mixture of error and without respect of person he was accounted accused not onely to be a Sorcerer a Samaritan a Drunkard a glutton a deceiuer a deuil c Luke 23 2. but an enemy to Caesar and a troubler of the publick peace Now al these things being considered let vs remember what the Lord Iesus sayth to vs d Iohn 15 20. The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you The heathē after Christs time cried out against the christians that they were the authors and causes of al publick plagues calamities that fel vpon kingdoms countries If Nilus flowed not ouer the fields if the heauen stayed if the earth quaked if famine encreased if the pestilence continued by and by the poor Christians as the sheep of Christ were cast vnto the lyons They charged them to make priuy conspiracies e Euseb lib. 5. cap. 11. Tertulli in Apologel Cyprian contra Demetrian to deuise secret counsels against the commonwealth to murther children to feed themselues with mans flesh and to practise all Iniquity they were so blinded that they could not perceiue that their Idolatries brought Gods iudgments Thus we see how the church hath lien open to all false surmises and suggestions of sedition But what can be immagined more vniust or vetrue If there be any peace in this world in any lande it is for the Gospels sake and it commeth through the bountifulnesse of God for his peoples sake that call vppon him Neuerthelesse as the Gentiles dealt with the Iewes and Christians from time to time so doe the wicked in these dayes with the godly they lay to their charge that they keep no lawes that they disobey Princes that they are seditious and tumultuous and enemies to the State If we see or heare the Saints of God thus handled and euilly intreated we must know that this is an olde deuise of the deuill practised against the Prophets against Christ against the Apostles and against all true Christians euen from the beginning And let this serue to comfort vs when wee finde such slaunderous imputations and accusations layde to our charge considering that thus they haue reuiled and railed vppon the Seruants of GOD that haue beene before vs in all times and that wee haue Christ Iesus the witnesse of our innocency who if not in this life yet in the life to come will reueale the thinges that are hidden in darknesse and bring to light the things that are couered In the mean season we must remember f Math. 5 11. that they are pronounced blessed that are reuiled and persecuted for righteousnesse sake and wee must labour to conuince them not so much by words as by deeds g Demosth de corona answearing the falshood of their slanders by the vprightnesse of our liues which shal be able to speak
the weakenesse to asswage the sorrow to beare the infirmitie and to releeue the misery of our Brother It is the manner of vngodly persons to make it their daily sport in their deuillish meetings to insult ouer him and to leape vpon his backe with all the reproach and infamy that they can deuise to lay vpon him But it skilleth not what such foule mouths do vtter they shall one day reap the reward of their mallice and the penitent person that holdeth his peace shall find in the end the fruit of his patience Vse 3. Thirdly it teacheth vs for our obedience to repent betimes and not to delay the time thereof but while the acceptable season is to bring forth the fruites of amendment of life For seeing wee are not to make the most or speake the worst of the fals of our penitent Bretheren it serueth as a good encouragement and a profitable inducement to leade vs and guide vs vnto true repentance that so our sinnes may be put away Sinne is as a most filthy Leprosie but when we repent we are cleansed of that Leprosie It is as vnsauory Dung that stencheth the earth and the euill sauour thereof ascendeth vp to Heauen but when we repent we smell pleasantly as a sweet perfume in the Nosthrils of God It is as filthy Mire that soyleth the Soule corrupteth the Body and spotteth the Garment but when wee repent the staine and blemishes of sinne are put out of his sight and blotted out of his remembrance For when God forgiueth iniquity transgression and sin r Mich. 7 19. Ier. 31 33 34. he throweth it into the Sea into the bottome of the Sea that it may neuer arise againe to our confusion and condemnation and hee remembreth it no more As farre as the East is from the West Å¿ Psal 103 12. and 32 1 2. so farre hath he remooued our sins from vs as the Prophet speaketh so that they are so far taken out of his sight that they and we shall neuer meet together He couereth them and will not impute them vnto vs t Col. 1 21 22 So that we which were in times past strangers and enemies are now reconciled beeing made holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight If then God doe couer them when we repent who are we that goe about to vncouer them If he doe not impute them why should we lay them to their charge who haue a discharge from God who hath cancelled the band and hand-writing that was against them If God haue washed and wiped away the filthinesse of them why should any man cast the mire of them in their faces againe The most expert and excellent Phisitian cannot cure a deep wound a festered sore but some scarre will remain and some print in the flesh is left behinde but God so healeth our infirmities that he taketh away the staine the guilt and the punishment that no token no marke no signe of his wrath and indignation euer appeareth to appall vs or dismay vs. This is the great loue and vnspeakeable mercy of God toward the broken heart and contrite Spirit He that hath beene an Adulterer and hath repented of his vncleannesse is no Adulterer He that hath beene a Drunkard and repenteth of the beastlinesse and abuse of the good Creatures of GOD is no longer a Drunkard He that hath beene an Enemy and hinderer of Gods word and now loueth it aboue Siluer and Gold is no more an enemy but a friend of the Gospell He that hath beene a Swearer and Blasphemer and repenteth of his blasphemies is not a blasphemer He that hath beene a prophaner of the Lordes Sabbaoths and now is carefull to sanctifie them and spend them in holie exercises is no longer a prophane person True it is these men haue beene such but when they see their sinnes hate them forsake them are greeued for them and are departed from them true repentance is as the Fullers Sope to wash them and to make them whiter then the Snow We must therefore make a great difference betweene that which they haue beene and that which they are Shall we say that he who is come to mans estate and hath put away childishnesse is still a Babe and Suckling as Infant and Child because once he was so Or shall we say that hee who is made a Free-man and had serued out his Prentishippe is a Bond-man still and vnder the iurisdiction of another because that once he was so In like manner shall wee change our Bretheren to be Children in knowledge to be the Seruants of sinne and Bond-slaues of Sathan because they were so in the time of their ignorance before God gaue vnto them repentance that they might come out of these snares wherein they were holden Captiues Nay I will say more whosoeuer reuileth and reprocheth him with his Adultery Idolatry Blasphemy Drunkennesse or Prophanesse that hath fallen into these offences but dwelleth not nor delighteth in them is a malicious enemie a false accuser a slanderer and lyer against his Brother The Apostle Peter u Math. 26 69. denied his Maister as we shewed before he forsware him and curssed himselfe if he knew the Man which he did through feare to saue his life But because he went immediatly out of the High-Priests Hall and wept bitterlie did any of the rest euer vpbraid him and reproach him with Apostacy with swearing with curssing with his infirmitie and presumption All they therefore are led by another Spirit then the Disciples were who despightfullie cast them in the teeth with their sinnes which are more odious and greeuous to them then to those that set them afoote and blaze them abroad to their disgrace This is a great comfort and bringeth wonderfull peace of conscience to all those that truely repent of all their sinnes past which they haue followed with greedinesse seeing that as God forgiueth them so he will not haue others to charge them with them For if the Lord and Maister of vs all remit them we are not to charge our Fellow-Seruants with them If the Prince forgiue vpon the sorrow and submission of his Vassall the Treason intended against his person shall the subiect dare to call him Traytor seeing the Princes pardon is the Subiects protection and discharge If the Father forgiue the Childe his disobedience x Luke 15 29. shall the rest of his Brethren speake euill of him and alwaies keepe it in fresh remembrance If these thinges were duelie regarded and rightlie considered of vs we would not lye one houre in our sinnes but make hast to be reconciled vnto God that so we may abolish the guiltinesse and greeuousnesse together with the infamy of them Hence it is that the Apostle saith y Rom. 6 19 20 21 22. As ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse for when yee were the Seruants of sinne yee
hath made our brethren not to shew more mercy to our Cattle for our commodity sake then to man made after the Image of God for his sake To conclude let vs from this Christian equality learne Christian mercy and know the estate of them that suffer any kind of misery For what is the cause that we tyranize ouer those that are our Inferiors but because we forget that we are their bretheren and that in this respect they are equall vnto vs Vse 3. Thirdly this Title of Brethren communicated to all the faithfull serueth as a comfort and consolation to all Inferiours and to teach them this dutie that they ought not to grudge or to bee greeued that they are placed in a lowe estate as though they were therefore lesse esteemed and regarded of God For seeing God hath thus farre prouided for them to call them their Bretheren and to make them equall with those of greater Callinges they are to bee contented with their places It is a great Honour to be so greatly in his fauour and to bee so highly regarded of him who reiecteth no man for his poore degree for his low estate for his meane condition This is it which the Apostle Paule setteth downe 1. Cor. 7 21 22. Art thou called being a Seruant Care not for it but if yet thou maist be free vse it rather for he that is called in the Lord being a Seruant is the Lords freeman Likewise also be that is called beeing free is Christs Seruant Where he sheweth that no mans poore calling should be his discouragement but this must be his comfort and bring peace vnto his soule that if hee be a true beleeuer although he be mans seruant yet he is Gods free man And whomsoeuer the sonne b Iohn 8 34 36. maketh free he is free indeede For wee must know that whosoeuer committeth sinne with greedinesse and draweth iniquitie as with Cart-ropes he is the seruant of sinne though he were the Maister of a family or the Ruler of a kingdome And on the other side whosoeuer is freed from the bondage of sinne and the slauery of the Deuill he is a right free-man although he be a Captiue a Prisoner or a Seruant If wee haue our part in Christ we haue our part in this comfort seeing the Seruant is saued as well as â—…e Maister if he beleeue Furthermoâ—… we must consider these two thinges both that whatsoeuer our calling be wherein we abide whether it bee high or low wee haue it from God we are alotted vnto it by his appointment and that hee seeth it and knoweth it to be the fittest place and best calling for vs vnder the Heauens For he respecteth in all his purposes his owne glory and our profite If he saw any condition of life to be better for vs or a meanes to further vs in our holy faith and saluation he would not keepe vs from it he would not deny it vnto vs he would not restraine vs of it It is a spice of the Deuils poyson which he inspired instilled into the minds of our first parents to conceiue hardly of Gods dealing toward vs as if of malice or enuy he had helde vs from the greater good and bestowed vpon vs the lesser He came to them in the Garden and told them c Gen. 3 5. That God doth know that when they should eate of the tree of knowledge of good euill in the middest of the Paradice of God their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods knowing good and euill So when we grow discontented and dislike our callings which God hath appointed vnto vs we begin to be inueigled by the subtilty of Satan and shal be alwaies aspiring higher then God hath iudged to be meet for vs. Let this serue vs suffice vnto vs that how lowe soeuer in our owne eyes and little in the eyes of others our condition is yet God hath made them equall with vs and vs Brethren with them to our great and endlesse comfort This is that vse which the Apostle maketh to encourage and strengthen seruants in their duties d Ephes 6 5 6 7 8. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ Not with seruice to the eie as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the hart with good will seruing the Lord not men And know ye that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same shall he receiue of the Lord whether hee be bond or free Whereby he declareth that the obedience of such as are bond is no lesse acceptable to god then the obedience of such as are free he looketh not so much to our persons as to our actions nor so much to our actions as to the manner of our doing of them Hee liketh and alloweth that which is done of the seruant as well as that which proceedeth from the Maister and he that is of low degree pleaseth God in the duties of his calling as well as the man that is of greatest reputation in the world and highly magnified for his Riches and Honors Vse 4. Lastly seeing God respecteth all alike and hath made all as one and as Brethren that are in Christ it serueth as a reproofe and threatning and terror to all drowsie and secure persons that thinke they shall escape the iudgments of God for their high places There is no difference with God there is no inequality with Christ to them that are in Christ high and low are all alike with him None are saued for their highnesse none are condemned for their lownesse Christ Iesus accepteth no man for his glory he reiecteth no man for his ignominy Let vs therefore not beare our selues bold and confident vpon our outward excellency but stand in feare of his iudgements and prepare our selues with all reuerence and diligence that we may bee found worthy to stand before the great God in that great day of account For wee must z 2 Cor. 5 10. all appear before him when he will iudge euery man according to his works When we shal come personally before his Throne of glory and seat of iudgment hee will haue no respect to the Noblenesse of our birth to the greatnesse of our learning to the beauty of our faces to the strength of our bodies to the largenesse of our liuings to the aboundance of our Riches or to any outward priuiledges and dignities of our persons Then shall all flesh be gathered together from the foure windes and stand before the Iudge of all the world God will respect vs as we are not as we appeare to be not as others haue accounted of vs but as he shall manifest vs to haue bin when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and hidden things shall bee reuealed Then must euery man answere for himselfe and plead guilty or not guiltie when no
need of them or their curtesie but forsooke him in his greatest necessitie g Iob 6 15. These he compareth to Winter brookes which flow and ouer-flow when there is an ouer plus of water but are dry and dammed vp in time of Summer when the earth gapeth and the Grasse withereth and the Flower fadeth for want thereof Such men forget themselues and the condition wherein God hath set them They know how to require and looke for duties from others but they are vnmindfull of their owne and so become vnmercifull to their Brethren They doe not remember that the time shall come when they will preferred one drop of Mercy before a thousand Kingdomes yea befor tenne thousand worlds If thou account our things common c. Hitherto we haue considered the strength of the reason and gathered the Doctrine that ariseth from hence Now we are to weigh the words alone by themselues The Apostle taketh his Argument from the communion and fellowship that is between him and Philemon so that he could not deny him his suit Doctrine 2. Among Christian friends all things are common From hence we raise this Doctrine that among Christian Friends all thinges are common Such as are true friends not in tongue but in truth not in hypocrisie but from the hart should haue great interest one in another to vse themselues their gifts their blessinges without grudging to the naturall comfort one of another When Ionathan entred into a couenant of loue and league of friendshippe with Dauid h 1 Sem. 18 4. By and by he put off his Robe that was vpon him and gaue it Dauid and his Garments euen to his Sword and to his Bow and to his Girdle Yea he discouered the secret counsels and consultations of his Father that hee might deliuer his friend from danger of death This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Romans i Rom. 12 4 5 As we haue many Members in one body and all Members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers Members The Euangelist Luke describing the state and condition of the Church after the Resurrection and ascension of Christ saith k Act 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all things common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede And afterward in the fift Chapter he addeth at large the same point l Act. 4 33 34 Great Grace was vpon them all neither was there any among them lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the price of the thinges that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feetâ— and it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Hence it is that we are taught in the Articles of Faith to beleeue the communion of Saints yea this is so plaine and manifest a truth m Plato de leg lib. 5. Cicer. offi lib. 1. de Amicit. Aul. Gell. noct Atti. lib. 1. cap. 9. Terent. in Adelph that the Heathen had this sentence as a common Prouerbe commonly in their mouthes that among friends all things should be common Whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs we should haue it not onely for our selues but for others If we haue riches it is our friends if we haue any guifts bestowed vppon vs they must be at the commandement of our friends Whatsoeuer we haue to profit them withall it must be theirs as well as ours All these Testimonies of the holie Scripture and common experience teach vs that wheresoeuer Christian friendship is there must bee also a Christian community that there bee no lack but the want of euery one must be supplied by a common hand of those that do abound Reason 1. Let vs see how this is confirmed vnto vs by reasons First it is the ordinance of God that one man should be an hand and helper vnto another in all necessities and hath vnited vs as Bretheren so that they should seeke to comfort one another This is it which Salomon propoundeth n Prou. 27 9. As Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doeth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by heartie counsell If then we be bound to helpe our brethren by our handes by our mouths by our feete by our hearts and by all that wee haue in our power it followeth that there ought to be a communion in the vse of all blessinges that we enioy Reason 2. Secondly the Lord Iesus which is the great peace-maker of the world and sole Mediator betweene God and man who hath ioyned Heauen and Earth together by his Crosse o Ephes 2 18 so that through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit he I say hath brought peace vnto vs hee hath made perpetuall friendship betweene his Father and vs and consequently setled sure friendship among our selues This is it which the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2. p Ephes 2 14 16 1â— Col. 1 20 21 He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall to make of twaine one new man in himselfe that hee might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his Crosse and stay hatred thereby It is the Office of Christs Priesthood to make peace not only beâ—ween God and man which notwithstanding is the cheefest worke but betweene man and man whereby we become one body in him Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull haue the same priuiledges and liue as it were in common together They haue the same Father they expect the same inheritance they heare the same word they receiue the same Sacraments q Gal. 4 26. 1 Pet. 2 2. 1 23. Rom. 8 9 15. they are born of one Mother they are begotten of one immortall seed they are fed by the same sincere Milke they liue as by one soule the spirit of Christ they are as neere as Father and Children and as members of one body we are al one in respect of the promises of saluation Albeit there bee a distinction amongest them in Countrey Nation Age Sex and such like and liue in diuers ages and places yet there is such a spirituall Kindred and neere society between them that these common priuiledges binde them mutually and manifestlie one so another Wherefore seeing it is the ordinance of God that we shold put our helping hand to doe all good to our brethren seeing Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs to God his Father and made peace amongest our selues and lastly seeing the faithfull haue a common interrest and priuiledge in the same holy thinges whereby they are fitted to the Kingdome of Heauen in all these respects we learne that among true Christian friends there should bee a Communion and fellowship of all the blessings of God bestowed vpon them Vse 1. Now order requireth that wee handle the Vses of this Doctrine And first of all we
we haue much infidelitie in vs and are cumbred with doubting in the promises of God it pleased him in great mercy to prouide a remedy for our infirmity so that we may truely say where Sin abounded Grace hath abounded much more Thus we see the Lord Iesus dealt with Thomas one of the twelue when he beleeued not the Resurrection nor those that were chosen Witnesses thereof but said h Iohn 20 25 27. Except I see in his handes the print of the Nailes and put my Finger into the print of the Nailes and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it Heere we may behold as in a Glasse the example of exceeding great infidelity and vnbeleefe hee neither beleeueth nor will beleeue he will liue by sight and not by Faith This was no small obstinacy and incredulity in one of the Apostles who deserued to perrish in his sinne But Christ Iesus raiseth him out of this sleepe and offereth mercy with much compassion as it were pulling him out of this danger Put thy Finger heere and see mine handes and put forth thine hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull This is it which the Euangelist Mathew setteth downe Chapt. 12. i Math. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not breake and smoaking Flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory Now such as Thomas was such we are all by Nature we cannot be perswaded to beleeue except wee see and feele We will not beleeue the bare word of God but are alwaies ready to wauer through vnbeleefe Hence it is that God in great mercy did from the beginning of the world adde to his word his Sacraments to assure his people that as he is the GOD of truth so he meaneth truely and performeth effectually whatsoeuer hee hath promised The Sacraments therefore are as signes and seales of his promises and dependances vppon the word that is gone out of his owne mouth The Apostle speaking of circumcision giuen to Abraham saith k Rom. 4 11. He receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the Father of al them that beleeue not being circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed vnto them also Whereby we may see what the Nature of the Sacraments is to wit l what a Sacrament is and to what end it was instituted that they are visible signes instituted of God to seale vp his promises in the hearts of the faithfull The Author or efficient cause is God who onely hath power and authority to appoint and ordaine them because he it is that can giue force and efficacy vnto them The matter is the visible signe the forme is the maner of institution according to the Rites taught and prescribed in the word The end is that the faithfull may bee confirmed and strengthned in the truth of GOD. The word was giuen to instruct the Church by hearing the Sacraments were giuen to instruct the Church both by it and by the rest of the senses Indeede if wee were Angels and not men and were Spirits without bodies and heauenly Creatures not earthly we should not stand in neede of visible and bodily Sacraments but because our faith is feeble and wrastleth with Sathan the World the Flesh and such Enemies it wanteth proppes and pillers to vphold it that it doe not fall For albeit our Faith be mingled with doubting assaulted strongly with the waues of infidelity yet it ceaseth not to bee a true Faith An vnperfect Faith is a sound Faith though it be weake so that it standeth vs vpon with the Apostles m Luke 17 5. To pray for the encrease thereof Faith goeth before the Sacraments the which without Faith are idle and empty signes without profit without comfort without vse True it is the Infidels as the Aegiptians Aethiopians and other prophane people who neither worshipped the true God nor embraced the true Religion had the outward vse of circumcision as n Herod in Euterpe Histories testifie as also the Turkes and Iewes haue at this day but their cutting off the flesh is not the Sacrament of God but a meere ciuill thing yea an euill thing Thus then we see that the Sacraments were ordained of God to help our infirmity The promise of God is certaine and his Couenant doth not wauer neither can these outward Seales make it stronger But it is we that stumble and stagger and haue neede to be supported And woe vnto vs if we vse not this help and remedy left vnto vs nor profit thereby in confidence and assurance of our saluation For God hath after a sort bound himselfe vnto vs as by an Obligation Indeede man notwithstanding his wordes his oaths his promises his bands his seales and his assurances is oftentimes changeable and vnconstant but it is not so with God whose word is yea and Amen Were it not that we are weake of Faith and slow to beleeue he needed not to sweare by himselfe and by his holinesse hee needed not to haue set Authenticke Seales to his Word sauing that he minded to leaue no place for doubting in vs. Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Chapt. 6. saith o He. 6 17 18. God willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an Oath that by two immutable thinges wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs c. The greater meanes God hath left vnto vs the greater faith he requireth of vs and the more conscionable vse of those meanes that we may not alwaies bee Children Woe then vnto vs if in the store of so great mercies and variety of so many meanes we remaine distrustfull and doe not labour to gather strength of faith and assuraunce of comfort Let vs therefore grow from Faith to Faith as it were from strength to strength and not stand at one stay let vs proceede from one degree and measure to another vntill Christ Iesus bee throughly formed in vs. Vse 4 Lastly seeing Couenants in writing be requisite by the Lawes of God and Man wee must know that it is our dutie to deale iustly and vprightly one with another and in our bargainings to keepe a good conscience toward God and Man For this is the end wherefore Instruments in writing were brought in that all cozenage might be cut off all occasion of strife might be preuented Whereby we may gather that in all ages of men and times of the World there haue beene many deceits and much vnrighteous dealing to the disturbance of publique peace and the dissoluing of concord among men otherwise it had beene in vaine to require or to receiue such security in our buying and selling in our borrowing and lending one with
the little light of Grace and spark of Faith that was in them did so shine and breake out into such a flame that they were not ashamed to professe themselues to be his Disciples when the rest forsooke him they begged his body of Pilate they wrapped it in linnen cloaths with Myrrhe and Alloes and sweet Odours and bestowed the honour of buriall vpon him Thus it falleth out oftentimes that they which are first are last and the last are first We know not what stormes and Tempestes hang ouer our owne heades and what perillous times may come vppon vs we know not what weaknesse wee shall shew in them howe great the Rebellion of the Flesh will be and what comfort wee shall want our selues The Prophet pronounceth him l Psal 41 1. Blessed that iudgeth Wisely of the poore and promiseth that the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble If wee haue any feeling of this happinesse or haue anie Faith in our hearts touching this promise let vs make it manifest by seeking the good of our weake Bretheren It is an hiddeous and horrible cruelty and out-rage by our want of mercy and of feeling their infirmities to hinder the saluation of any one for whom Christ died Hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 15 2 3. Let euerie man please his Neighbour in that which is good to edification for Christ also would not please himselfe but as it is Written The rebukes of them that rebuked thee fell on me It cost a great price to Redeeme a soule and to bring it from Death to Life from Hell to Heauen and therefore we must vse all meanes wherewith the Lorde shall enable vs to comfort such as are Comfortlesse by the Comfort where-with wee our selues are comforted of God There is no Man but desireth to finde Peace and Comfort in him-selfe What is this life of ours without it If a man should liue many thousand yeares vpon the face of the earth and haue experience of nothing but sorrow anguish misery and vexation of Spirit so that hee could feele no quietnesse no rest no consolation no tranquility in these daies of his Pilgrimage would he not desire to be out of such a life and preferre death before it Do we then wish for peace And would we finde comfort The greatest comfort in the World that can come vnto vs and refresh and cheere vppe our Soules is to winne and saue Soules Blessed are we if we haue beene Instruments to gaine but one Soule vnto God It is the greatest gaine it is the best Traffique it is the sweetest Marchandize It shall be said vnto vs in the last day Thou good and faithfull Seruant well done thou hast beene faithfull ouer little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Maisters ioy Let vs set this before our eyes and consider before hand the price of the reward when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Vse 3. Lastly seeing God hath such a care of them that are weake that he would not haue them cut off but cared for of all men this ought to serue as a notable encouragement vnto them to labor to grow in Grace and to encrease more and more that they may proceede from strength to strength and so come to a perfect man in Christ Iesus True it is there are degrees of Faith all haue not one measure of Grace and yet the least measure if it be but as a graine of Mustard-seede is of power to saue our Soules If there be wrought in vs by the sanctifying Spirit of God the beginnings and seeds of Faith to wit an humbling of our selues vnder the burthen of our sinnes an acknowledgement and feeling that we stand in neede of Christ an hungring and longing desire to be made partaker of Christ and all his merrits and a flying to the Throne of Grace from the sentence of the Law troubling the conscience trembling vnder the same if these preparations as it it were ploughings vp of the furrowes of our hearts be found in vs God will not cast vs away but make this weake measure of Grace to be effectuall to saluation This is a sweete comfort to all saint hearts that are euery foot like to sinke downe and as it were to giue vp the Ghost This ought to be a forcible meanes to work thankfulnesse in them when in the examination of their hearts they shall finde the least measure of Grace setled in them and know their mercifull Father willing to acknowledge it to accept it and to reward it Not that we should flatter our selues in our wantes or content our selues in our weakenesse to stand alwaies at one stay but heereby to be brought forward in well-doing and to runne the race with all cheerefulnesse that is set before vs. This a notable signe of a true and sincere hart when we feele our strength to come euery day vnto vs and an accesse to be added to our former course For if we desire to be better and better and deale as men that runne in a race who stand not still in the mid-way but presse with might and maine to the marke this is an infallible note of a sincere heart This is it which the Apostle testifieth Phil. 3 14 15. Bretheren I count not my selfe that I haue attained to it but one thing I doe I forget that which is behinde and endeuour my selfe vnto that which is before And follow hard toward the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus It is the goodnesse of God to accept the small measure of Faith that we bring vnto him This graunteth not liberty vnto vs to doe nothing to stirre neither hand nor foote or to content our selues that we go not backward For we must all know and vnderstand that the beginnings of grace are deceitfull and counterfeit vnlesse there be a growth and encrease The kingdome of Heauen is like to q Math. 13 31 33. a graine of Mustard seed which at the first is so small and little that it is scarse discerned but after that it is cast into the ground of a prepared and purified heart it rooteth deeply it groweth speedily it spreadeth exceedingly It is like vnto Leauen which a woman taketh and hideth in three peckes of Meale till all be Leauened The Maister deliuering his Talents vnto his seruants that he had called saith vnto them Occupy vntill I come he doth not bid them hide them in the earth Luke 19 13. Hereunto commeth the exhortation that Paule giueth vnto Timothy who had greatly profited in godlinesse and was brought vp in the vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures from a childe Chapter 1. r 2 Tim. 2 6. I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of God which is thee by the putting on of mine handes The word is a borrowed speach from the fire which must bee euermore kindled and kept with a new supply from going out
Ibid. Faith is mingled with doubting 110. Many thinke they haue it who want it 108 259. Being weake it is auaileable 285. Not to be had in respect of persons 188 Faithfull are peaceable 110. They are Saints 117. They yeeld more then is requested of them 431. Therein they follow Gods example 432 Faithfull accused of sedition 26â— Whether they can fall away 491 Families of Christians a particular Church 8. being reformed they haue in them persons vnreformed 237. How made obedient 234 Fathers must make their Children religious 43. They are many times murderers of them 44 Famine of the word 214 Famine some are glad of 409 Familiarity with the Saints who regard not 355 Fauour of God cause of all blessings 56. Seeke it aboue all thinges 57 465. Wretched to be without it â—9 Fearefull persons 92 Feeling of Churches troubles 275 Flattring men in sinne 321 Forgiuenesse of offences required 6 245 249. How man forgiueth 247 Fortune 299. Forefathers 42 Forward sometimes fall back 484 Forwardnesse in good thinges 433 Friends are as our owne Soule 26. they will admonish 27 Friendship counterfeit 28 Friends to Princes who are 269. of what sort we must chuse them 326. They haue all things common 350. They must require no more then God alloweth 415 416 Friendship among the Heathen what 352. How it differs from loue Ibid Freedome properly belongs to the godly 115 Fruits of loue to bee shewed cheefely to the Saints 67. And not to the vngodly 325 Fruitfulnesse in good workes 101 Freedome in a Christian wherein 115 G Gaine of soules 482 Gentiles Idolatry and Papists like 63 Gifts to be communicated to the Saints 114. they are of 2 sorts Ibid. the faithfull are Gods Stewards to despense his guifts 114 Giftes receiued must be imployed to the good of others 1 134. Not to their hinderance 138. They must not lye still Ibid. Gifts of God must be stirred vp 133 483 Guifts are bestowed to profit withal 273 Gladnesse See Ioy. Glory of God to be sought in all things 64 147 God loueth a cheerefull giuer 282 God is not the Author of sinne 300 He worketh in sin three waies Ibid. Hee moueth none to sinne 301. He disposeth euer to good the sinnes of Men. 303. He punisheth sin with sinne 486 God heares our prayers two waies 453 God recompenseth outward wants 310 He accepteth no mans person 531. he forgiues the penitent 414 Gods loue reconciles all his Creatures 5â— He loueth all his Creatures and how 86 323. He is not benefited by our well-doing 112 Godly charged wich rebellion 26â— they are friends to the Prince and the reasons 269 Godly must abound in graces 10â— They are most to be beloued 112. they are neuer barren 123. They often dye quickly the reasons of it 303 Godlinesse sweetens the bitternesse of the Crosse 116 Goers backeward 130 Good name hath many enemies 417 Good things must be carefully and earnestly followed 9. Reasons and vses 10 The goodnes of God to vs must be made knowne 142. The benefits thereof 142 143 Gospell cannot be bound 2. It is stronger then the Deuill 2 3. It abolisheth not ciuill ordinances 202. Obedience to them adornes the Gospell 263 Gospell brings peace 264 Gouernment of the tongue 476. Rules to obserue to attaine to it 477 Grace of two sortes 492 It signifieth sometimes the free fauour of God and sometimes his guifts in vs. 48. It is chiefly to be desired Ibid. It sanctifieth all other good things 51 The want of it is a cursse Ibid. It is the foundation of all our happinesse 52 53. Three steps leading vs to finde grace 52. It giueth contentment to the soule 54. Why called the grace of Christ â—92 the more it appears in any the more to be loued 322. 323. It is giuen freely 457 Graces of God are fruites of election 70. Bestowed vpon other they must reioyce vs See Spirituall graces We must grow in them 482. The seate of them is the Soule 498 Griefe to behold the vnregenerate 187 Grief to see any decay in grace 435 436 Grudge not at others good 153 H Hatred betweene Minister and people hinders profiting 193 Helpe of others to be sought 22 Heathen and Christian Religion howe they differ 156 Hearers must performe three duties 219. They must heare the word willingly 287 Difference of hearers 338. It is no common Grace 3â—0 Against hearing false tales 428 Where the Hart is there is our delight 288 Heart and word must goe together 457 Historicall Faith 78 Hindrances of Prayer 460 And of hearing 484 An honour to suffer for Christ 18 Honoring of Saints 145 Honour the Minister 296 Houses of the godly what 38 45. And of the vngodly 46 Housholders must teach their housholds 38. They must first reform themselues 4â— They must bring thir Families to the Church 47 All their houses the Christians sold not 367 368 Hope the best of others 426. It is a property of loue Ibid. Hospitality 440. It consisteth not in feasting 4. 2. It is cheefely required of Ministers 444 Hospitals none among the Heathen 157 Husband and Wife Yoke-fellowes 30 Husbands 328 Hunger after grace one step to it 53 Who are said to hunger 483 Hypocrites 486 I Idol-Shepheards 35 Idle persons haue their gifts diminished 13â— Idolatry of Gentiles and Papist alike 64. Iesting at sin 72 Iesuits enemies to Princes 266. They are Cormorants 340 Iesus what to be learned by it 495 Ignorance 78 90 Ignorant people ready to receiue any Religion â—… Ignorant Ministers 201 Imprisonment for the Gospell 12 13 Implicit Faith 77. Imprecations 175 Imputation of Christs righteousnes 363 364 Instruction profitable 40 Inuocation of Saints 66 Indulgence 1â—6 See Lenity Inferiors owe honor 179. 34 they must be content with their places 335 Iniuries See Reuenge Infirmities obiect not 315 Inferiors not bound to obey in euil 420 Beeing vnbeleeuers they yeelde but halfe obedience 344 Ioy to see the faithfall grow in grace 68 Israell oppressed 330 Interest in his owne good euery man hath 365 Iudge not before the time 430 Iudgement of the wicked touching the Crosse 14 Iustification by Faith condemned by the Papists 102. How Faith iustifieth 103. Paule and Iames reconciled 104 105. It is no doctrine of Liberty 105 K Keyes of the kingdome of heauen 166. How committed to the Minister Ibid. Kindred must be respected 338 340 Kings Nurses to the Church 273 Knowledge necessary 90. where it is not there is no faith 78. Being abused it bringeth iudgement 129 Knowledge of propriety in goods increseth the care of them 367 L Lame persons comforted 311 Law 246 Lawyers 389. Rules belonging vnto them 360 Least measure of grace 482 A Lesson for persecutors 17 Libertines 106 â—99 Lenity in winking at offenders 176 Liberality 160. How bestowed amisse 116 Liberall maintenance to be allowed the Minister 287 Life of the godly often short 308. How the promise is kept to them 109 Loue to be shewed specially to the saints 67. Generally to