of wicked men then was of euill Angels that kept not their first estate Their destruction abolished not their Nature but destroyed their ioy they are d Iude v. 6 7. kept in chains vnder darkenes vnto the Iudgement of the great Day and with them goe the wicked to euerlasting fire to torture them not to consume them Saith Peter of Sodomites whose destruction came from heauen They suffer now the vengeance of eternall fire What should I tell you of those Arguments which out of Reason Naturallists haue drawne shewing of the soule at least it must be immortall First Because they say it hath in it no principle of corruption or dissolution being incorporeall as some of them taught immateriall At the death of the body they wondered not for they knew it consisted of contrary Natures and therefore carried in it principles of its owne dissolution but for the soule they thought the originall thereof was Heauenly made not of any elementarie matter but if of any of the Quintessence of the Heauens Secondly Moreouer they obserued in the soule a kind of infinitenesse of desiring which nothing that this world affoords was euer able to satiate and that desire being Naturall they thought could not alwayes bee vaine but should at least after separation from the body find some infinite good thing in fruition whereof it should find rest and full contentment Thirdly Besides they obserued in the most desperate mainteiners of the soules mortality towards death vnspeakeable feares wherewith their consciences were surprised Whence should they grow from perswasion of vtter destruction and abolishment It could not be For as Tullie said The dead if they be not cannot be miserable No question therefore from impression of that principle fastened in the hearts of al men It is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes Iudgement ZENO was wont to say he had rather see one Indian willingly of his owne accord go into the fire to be burnt their custome see in Valerius Maximus Lib. 2. cap. 1. then heare all the Philosophers in the world dispute of the soules immortality His meaning was that the cheerefulnes they shewed in death was to him a more binding Argument that the soule was immortal then all Philosophical speculations thinking there could be in no man such alacritie in death without a strong impression of immortality So certainely the feares that Atheists are surprised withall in death is an Argument strong as any that there is a life of the soule after it is seuered from the body What should I speake of that perfection time that weares out all things corruptible brings to the reasonable soule and vnderstanding The body the elder it growes the more feeble the senses that are exercised by bodily Organs haue all their decay by age whereas the mind and vnderstanding is perfited by age e Iob. 12.12 With the ancient is Wisedome and in length of dayes vnderstanding I spare the testimonies of Ancient Heathens that euery Reader may find frequent in their writings That of DIDYMVS King of Brackmans to Alexander I cannot let passe Nos non sumus incolae huius mundi sed aduenae Nec ita in orbem terrarum venimus vt in eo libeat consistere sed transire properamus enim ad larem patrium Epist 102. SENECA Cum venerit Dies ille qui mixtum hoc Diuini humanique seceruat corpus hoc vbi inueni relinquam ipse me Dijs reddam Apud Galenum Porphyrie Non est mirum animam quae substantia incorporea est posse separari à corpore cum ignis qui est substantia corporea corruptibilis à lignis quibus est coniunctus possit separari reuertiin suam materiam sine sui corruptione The summe is this that neither death nor Iudgement brings to any man destruction of his Nature or abolishment of being Quest What then is the destruction here spoken of Answ Not of their Nature but of their ioy and seeming felicitie that in this life they inioyed The amplifications follow First it is sudden comming in a time when it is least thought of and lesse expected as trauell vpon a woman with child sometimes while they are eating drinking sleeping laughing and thinke of nothing lesse then of the paines of trauell thereof before Secondly as trauell painefull The anguish and paine of it who may conceiue The Scriptures the better to fasten the impression in our hearts haue bene pleased to make choice of such comparisons as best serue to expresse it to our apprehension Here it is set out by the paines of womens trauell the bitternesse whereof that sexe can witnesse in other Scriptures it is expressed by the paines of fire Nothing more painefull to the sense then fire of fires none more scalding or noysome then that of Brimstone such and more painefull are the torments that Day brings vpon the world of the vngodly Diuines haue referred all to these two heads First they call poenam damni Second poenam sensus The good things whereof they are depriued as the presence of God the ioyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued The torments they feele are such as all earthly things are too little to expresse the Brick-kills of Aegypt the Furnace of Babel or if there be any thing a man can conceiue more torturing are all but Flea-bites to the anguish and horrible torment they then suffer To this if we adde the last circumstance that it is ineuitable what can bee added to declare the horror The Creatures are all then seruiceable to the will appointment of the Iudge f Reuel 20.13 Graue and Sea giue vp their dead Angels as Gods Ministers present them to Christs Tribunall They are brought in indeed g Reuel 6.15 16. flying to the mountaines to fall on them and to the rockes to couer them from the presence of him that sits vpon the Throne But all in vaine The power of God his Iustice and truth all glorifie themselues in their destruction His mercy then in respect of the effects thereof towards them ceaseth that Day h Rom. 2.15 is a day of wrath and declaration of the iust Iudgement of God Lord Lord open vnto vs say the foolish Virgins What heare they but Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire Thus sudden painefull and vnauoydable is the destruction that great Day brings vpon the world of the vngodly And I beseech you brethren seriously and betimes thinke of it and lay it to heart Pray saith our Sauiour and by all meanes labour that yee may escape the feares and tortures of that great Day and with comfort stand before Christ at his comming Wonderfull prodigall wee are generally of our soules for the base profits and pleasures of this life exposing them to the bitter paines of eternall death Alas what is it to gaine the world and to lose thy soule What to fare deliciously euery
is it of Man that sleepeth Some Heretiques made question and at length resolued the separate soules cast into a dead sleepe to remaine without action till the generall Resurrection which if they would limit to the organicall actions of the Soule that without commerce with the bodie cannot be exercised the strife were ended But Experience hath taught vs the Soule hath her immateriall acts which without bodily organs shee is enabled to exercise First wee see it in the streightest tie of the Sences by Sleepe Thinking Meditating Discoursing Secondly yea the most perfect actions of the mind are what time it hath least commerce with the bodie In f 2. Cor. 12.3 4. Extasies Paul had his greatest Reuelations and Iohn in his g Reuel 11.10 rauishment saw his most heauenly Visions Thirdly perhaps also that h Reuel 5.12 place of Iohn implyes that separate Soules haue their imployment in lauding and praysing God and the Lambe Limit therefore this sleepe to the Bodie whence I thinke it is that our Graues are called i Isai 57.2 our Beds wherein our Bodies not our Soules rest from their labours Reasons of the resemblance are thus conceiued first for that it rests from all toyle and trauell and sense of euils secondly because it riseth againe by the power of God thirdly and is as easily reuiued by the voice of God as the liuing man is awaked out of his shallowest slumber So that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that teach the Bodie to be resolued by death into its first principles without hope of restoring to life What then trow we is the Resurrection promised They say Tertull. de Resurrect Carnis of the Soules But Tertullian well obserued They fall not being immortall therefore haue no need nor are capable of Resurrection And that the Bodies also shall rise againe that same societas operarum as hee termes it is abundant conuiction Partners they were with Soules in doing good or euill must therefore participate in the reward or punishment Secondly And how fitly hence flowes Pauls exhortation To keepe meane in mourning As men without hope He meanes of Resurrection to glorious life and a better condition after death The Periphrasis of Gentiles and all aliens from the Church of God accorded by the like Eph. 2.12 how fittingly applyed to their state iudge by these Reasons first they were without Christ the ground of hope secondly out of the Church the place of hope thirdly without the Couenant the reason of all our hope and beleeuing Vse So that the Opinion sauours of more pitie then iudgement that giues Gentiles out of the Church hope of saluation whether by light of Nature as some or by secret and extraordinarie Inspirations as others haue dreamed First I wonder then the Prophets Dauid and Moses so much magnifie Gods grace to Iewes before Christs comming in k Psal 147.19 20. giuing to them his Statutes and entring with them Couenant of Peace and Saluation Secondly And why is that Blessing so much amplified to vs Gentiles since Christ l Act. 14.27 that to vs also God hath opened the doore of Faith and made vs m Ephe. 2.13 neere by the bloud of his Sonne I say rather as the Apostle n Rom. 15.9 Let vs Gentiles of these times prayse God for his mercie whom he hath regenerated to a o 1. Pet. 1.3 liuely hope in Christ Iesus hauing left desperate so many Generations of our Fore-fathers VERS 14. For if wee beleeue that Christ died and rose againe c. THe last reason pressing moderation of sorrow is here couched taken from certainty of resurrection to life Of it hee layes two grounds First the resurrection of Christ Secondly the Power of God withall limits out the persons to whom this blessing belongs The Article of resurrection I meane not here to insist on but so farre onely as it receiues strength from the resurrection of Christ Christ is risen Therefore vs also shall God bring againe from the graue Quest How followes the Argument It might be his priuiledge as being the Sonne of God and hauing in himselfe Diuine Vertue to quicken his body Answ First Probable at least it is made by the resurrection of Christ p Heb. 2.17 Man like to vs in all things sinne onely excepted Gods power in raysing Christ from the dead hath made manifest a possiblity of returning from death to life Secondly if withall wee consider our vnion with Christ by the Spirit whose heauenly influence and Diuine Vertue in raysing our soules to spirituall life all liuing members in his body haue experience of a necessitie wee shall see of our being raysed from death to fellowship of his glory Thirdly his resurrection is vndoubtfull pledge to vs of our q Rom. 4.25 Iustification and full discharge from guilt and punishment of sinne that alone keepes vs vnder the Dominion of death and debarres from entring the glorious presence of God So strangely followes the Argument from the resurrection of Christ to the rising againe of Christians euen as many as are by the Spirit members of his body So that if any desire to know himselfe a sharer in the resurrection of the Iust this let him first learne to know whether hee bee one with Christ that vnion death dissolues not yea shall force the graue to render vp the bodies of Saints that where the Head is r Ioh. 17.24 there may the members be also Signes of this Vnion First Experience Å¿ Phil. 3.10 Rom. 6.5 of the vertue and power of Christs resurrection enliuing our soules to all gracious and holy conuersation Secondly the Sympathie and fellow-feeling we haue of t Rom. 12.15 the weale and wo of our fellow-members in the body of Christ u 2. Cor. 11.29 Who is afflicted and such burne not They haue no fellowship with Christ whom IOSEPHS afflictions touch not neerely and to whose greatest merriments the remembrance thereof puts not a pause The persons to whom belongs fellowship in this blessed resurrection are described Such as sleepe in Iesus that is That continue in that blessed vnion and fellowship with Christ vntil death and in death To such is the blessing pronounced To that condition x Reuel 14.13 Reuel 2.10.26 are the promises limited In such y Heb. 10.38 as withdraw themselues Gods soule hath no pleasure their former righteousnesse is forgotten z Gal. 3.4 their passiâ—ns and patience all become vaine vnto them Vse Our care let be a Reuel 3.11 to hold fast what we haue receiued the beginning of our subsistence in Christ Helpes auaileable First Feare of our owne infirmity in which respect we may say as SALOMON b Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alway Such feare first how carefull makes it to flie all occasions that may withdraw our hearts from God! Secondly how conscionable to vse all holy meanes of preseruation in that blessed condition Secondly
inuenit crimen etiam viri fortis accipit nomen tanto nequior quantò sub poculo inuictior So amongst vs he that drinkes most is counted the stoutest man Vomunt vt bibant bibunt vt vomant how great cause haue we to feare lest the Land for these and like abominations spue out her inhabitants What should I speake of what Habakuk in his time complained of f Hab 2.15 Forcing others to Drunkennesse Good God with what expence Many of the mind that to the Poore they spare not the least Mite yea thinke all lost that Wiues and Children partake and yet spare not to spend Pounds to make their Neighbours drunken Quid multa I know not any sinne but is rife amongst vs yet must I needs say none growne so rife or to such height as this of Drunkennesse And may I not say as Ieremie g Ier. 5.9 Should not the Lord be auenged on such a Nation as this What words may I vse to disswade it vnto men giuen to that sinne The Lord hath threatened vengeance of all sorts to deterre from it and we haue seene many exemplified on many First Beggerie saith Salomon is the hire of such as companie with Drunkards Secondly Famine God hath sent on whole Kingdomes to h Ioel 1.5 pluck the Cup from the Drunkards nose Thirdly By Hosea hee tells vs It takes away the heart Fourthly By Salomon the fearfull sinnes that accompanie it first Luxurie Veneri libero conuenit sayth Tertullian De Spectac these two Deuils of Drunkennesse and Lust are conspired and euen sworne together Nunquam ego ebrium castum putabo In Tit. Cap. 1. said Hierome secondly Stupiditie They haue smitten me shall he say i pro. 23.35 but I haue not felt it Fiftly In the bodie we see often loathsome ougly diseases monstrous mis-shapennesse till a man become a burthen to himselfe Hos homines an vtres vertiùs aestimauerim Amb. de Helia Ieiun cap. 17. said Ambrose in another sense Sixtly In the soule such insatiable appetite that wee may say of it as Tully once spake of Couetousnesse when other sinnes die with age Sola ebrietas iuuenescit Seuenthly And see if Drunkards be not reckoned amongst the damned Crue k 1. Cor. 6.10 that haue no portion or inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God I might be infinite to set downe the bitter Inuectiues of Diuines and Heathen against it Ambrose said of them They bring on themselues the Curse of CAIN their motion is with trembling tanquam in paraly sin resoluti sayth Austin Pedibus ambulare non possunt Secondly They were wont to vse it pro equilleo saith Ambrose and it hath often fallen out in the euent what Torment could not wring out from men Drunkennesse hath Thirdly The Romanes held it good policie sayth the same Author to permit to the barbarous Nations of the Empire free vse of Wine vt ipsi soluantur in potus eneruati ebrietate vincantur It is much to be feared God in wrath hath giuen our people to this beastly sinne to vnsinew the people of the Kingdome and to expose them to easier victorie of the Aduersarie Thus much of this sinne to shew the odious nature of it too little I feare me to reforme the euill custome VERS 7.8 For they that sleepe sleepe in the Night and they that are drunken are drunken in the Night But let vs who are of the Day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of Faith and Loue and for an Helmet the hope of Saluation THe seuenth Verse containes Reason to presse the dueties of Watchfulnesse and Sobrietie in forme this They that sleepe and are drunken are so in the Night We are not of the Night but of the Day Ergo may not be drunken but sober The Allegorie for so I conceiue it vnfolded is this As those that giue themselues to sleepe and drunkennesse make choise of the Night to secret their sinnes from the notice of men and are few so impudent as to doe deeds of darknesse at Noone-day so seeing we liue in times of so cleare knowledge reuelation and are deliuered from the darknesse and Night of Ignorance it shall behooue vs to walke soberly and honestly vnlesse wee will be too too impudent in securitie and prophanenesse Obser The point we will here take notice of is the modestie of the times wherein the Apostle liued chusing darknesse and secrecie to couer their enormities The things they do are such as a Saint would l Eph. 5.12 blush to name themselues that do them are not so shamelesse but they chuse secrecie to commit them Euery one that euill doth m Ioh. 3.21 hates the light he meanes principally of Grace and Knowledge withall that of Sense which is the ground of the Metaphor Truth is God n Rom. 2.15 in Nature hath imprinted some principles of common honestie to restraine the headstrong inclination of corrupt nature vnto euill till they be vtterly extinct some remanents there are as of conscience so of modestie in doing euill Vse The more desperate is the state of our times and people and no doubt those modest miscreants amongst Gentiles shal rise in iudgement and condemne this shamelesse generation of enormious sinners amongst Christians that o Isai 3.9 declare their sinnes as Sodome and hide them not blush not to doe deeds of darknese in the sight of the Sunne Saith the Lord of Israel when he would expresse a hopelesse estate of that people Were they p Ier. 8.12 ashamed when they committed abomination They were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame therefore they shall fall among them that fall in the time of their visitation Thinke it spoken of these times The third dutie followes Arming our selues as for a Conflict Of Spirituall Warfare I meane not to treat at large who so would see the condition of it hath at hand the learned Labours of expert Captaines in the Lords Hoast The parts of the Armour here commended to vs M. Downham are Faith Hope and Loue the three Theologicall vertues set out by resemblance Faith and Loue in the similitude of a Brest-plate Hope of an Helmet The vnfolding of the Metaphor is thus As Souldiers are wont especially to fence their Brest for the Hearts sake the seat of life and the Head the fountaine and originall of the senses as vpon whose safetie depends the safetie of the whole Bodie principally so our care should be against the euill day to arme our selues with graces best seruing to safegard the soule amongst which eminent are Faith Hope and Loue Touching them two things shal be handled first their nature briefly secondly their vse in the spirituall combat For Faith thus in grosse conceiue the nature of it It is an assent to the truth of the Word of God for the Truths sake of him that spake and inspired it Some principall respect thinke it to haue to the Doctrine of
Idols in Religion In respect of other Diuine Honour giuen to Creatures there are Idols secular as Wealth trusted vnto hauing supremacie of our loue confidence by this meanes becomes an Idoll which made Paul say Couetousnesse is t Col. 3.5 Idolatry No man was euer seene praying to his Pence yet haue wee seene many putting u 1. Tim. 6.17 confidence in their wealth more then in God The rich mans goods are x Prou. 10.15 his strong Citie therefore his Idoll Of the second The true God falsly conceiued or worshipped by that meanes becomes an Idoll Augustine enquiring the sense of Iosuah his charge to the people Put away the strange gods that are amōgst you thus discourseth Can we thinke they had at this time amongst them simulachra Gentium In no case for they are said to haue y Iosh 23.8 cleaned vnto God And if they had had amongst them such grosse Idols after so many threatnings of the Law so many Iudgements executed vpon their fathers is it likely the Lord would so haue prospered them in their Warres against Canaanites when hee so forsooke them for one ACHANS theft in the accursed thing what then is his meaning August in Iohn quaest 29. Propheta sanctus saith AVSTINE in cordibus eorum cernebat cogitationes de Deo alienas à Deo ipsas admonebat auferri Quisquis enim talem cogitat Deum qualis non est Deus alienum Deum vtique falsum in cogitatione portar Strange conceits of God too too abhorrent from the nature of God they carryed in their minds these were the strange gods the Prophet commands to be put away For whosoeuer conceits God otherwise then he is carryes in his thought an Idoll a strange and false god Thus say wee truely the Heathens worshipping an absolute God out of the Trinitie worship not God but an Idoll of their owne braine We haue seene what Idols are The commendation of this people is that they turned from them and thereby euidenced the truth of their Faith Our duetie is from their commended practice as Iohn prescribes it to z 1. Ioh. 5.21 keepe our selues from Idols a point confessed yet thinke not it is for nothing the charge is so often renued and enforced on Gods people No doubt the Lord saw our propension is strong to Idolatrie that hee so strictly and often vrgeth the charge They must a Deut. 12.2 3. ouerthrow their Altars burne their Groues hew downe their Images abolish their very names out of their places b Deut. 7.2 3. Make no league of amitie with Idolaters nor reserue the instruments or c Isai 30.22 ornaments of Idols but cast them away with extremest detestation Their stile in Scripture is abomination stercorei Dij a terme so base and stinking to teach vs so to lothe them as those excrements that cast out most lothsome and noysome stench into our nostrils Hence also hath GODS Spirit so carefully recorded Histories of Gods vengeance vpon Idolaters that wee might tremble d 1. Cor. 10.6 7 to fall by like disobedience lest wee incurre like heauie wrath and vengeance of God What remaynes for vs but to be exhorted more and more to flie from Idols and all communion with them If thou haue left their worship thinke it not sufficient abandon their names their instruments their ornaments thinke thy faith and loue towards God encreaseth as thy hatred of Idols his riuals encreaseth in thee What e 2. Cor. 6.14 16 communion hath light with darknesse Christ with Belial the Temple of God with Idols What need may some say this exhortation wee haue long since renounced Idols and ioyned our selues to the true God Vtinam But to say little of our people which as the Iewes in IEREMIE measure Religion by their f Ier. 44.17 18 belly and because in times of Idolatrie things as they thinke for this life went better with them hang Rome-ward still in their affections who sees not how fauourably men beginne to thinke of the Church of Rome Images with Doctrine may well enough bee retayned that is stumbling blocks laid before the eyes of the blinde so we crie Take heed And Politicians many are of opinion there may be a reconcilement of the two Religions so may there I dare say of light and darknesse of Christ and Belial of God and the Deuill as well as of Christ and Antichrist Christian Religion with Antichristian superstition But let vs remember what wee heard in the explanation there are secular Idols as well as Idols in vse of Religion as much to be fled from as Heathenish or Popish Images There are some saith Paul that make their g Philip. 3.19 belly their god What are Drunkards but grosse Idolaters sacrificing their Patrimonies their Health their soule to Bacchus There be that serue Mammon make wealth their god offering bodies and soules to the Deuill to get wealth Religion Faith Obedience all must be sorted so as may suite with our intentions for riches GOD shall bee forsaken Body wasted Conscience wounded Soule damned and all to get treasure Beloued thus thinke Hee is as much an Idolater that prefers his wealth before obedience his pleasures before Gods seruice as he that h Isai 44.17 falls downe to a stocke and saith Deliuer me for thou art my god Followes the terminus ad quam to God It is not enough to forsake Idols and their worship except wee cleaue to the true God and zealously addict our selues to his seruice Therefore said IOSVAH Put away your strange gods i Iosh 24.14 and seeke the Lord feare the Lord and serue him in sinceritie and truth As in other particulars of Repentance it sufficeth not to flie from euill except k Isai 1.16 17. we cleaue to the good so thinke in this Amongst the Heathen were some that scoffed at Idols but were starke Atheists as that Dionysius dealt with Esculapius golden beard plucking it off with this scomme No reason the sonne should be bearded and the father beardlesse and stripping Apollo of his golden coate hee clothes him in wooll It was lighter for Summer warmer for the cold of Winter what oddes I wonder betwixt this Atheisme and that Idolatrie A like sinne is notorious in many of our people professing they are no Papists being farre worse flat Atheists in life practising no Religion at all Great men they thinke themselues that they inueigh against Poperie though meane while they liue in grosse ignorance of God and contempt of his pure worship How much better were it to continue Papists then to lose all sense of a Deitie to liue without all dread of God and feare of his holy Name Though it bee true there is no hope of the saluation of an obstinate Idolater yet this I thinke as true that as Christ speakes of Sodome and Gomorrhe their state in iudgement is more tolerable then the state of vnthankfull Cities so the damnation of Idolaters is much more
and full deliuerance from sinne and miserie Well therefore may wee make this hopefull expectation of Christs comming to Iudgement a worke and fruit of Faith See we the second branch wayting the Lords leysure and that with heartie contentment This is apparently a fruit of Faith whether we consider First the generall description of it as it is in practice of Saints Secondly or the great opposites of contentment which onely Faith masters He that beleeues i Isai 28.16 makes not haste that is is contented to wait the Lords leysure for deliuerance proportionally for all blessings that he hath promised but weigh especially the many impediments of contentment wee shall confesse it is a worke of extraordinarie faith comparing the miseries Gods children here feele with the freedome Christs comming brings with it First what a vexation is it to Gods children to dwell in the world as k 2. Pet. 2.8 LOT in Sodome where what they see and heare is welnigh nothing but vanitie and vexation of Spirit l Psal 120.5 6. Wo is me said DAVID that I am constrayned to dwell with MESHECH and my Soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace When withall a man considers what accompanies Christs second comming separation m Mat. 25.32 of Goates from the Sheepe gathering all that n Matt. 13.41 offends out of his Kingdome must it not be acknowledged great faith that works contentment Secondly adde vnto this consideration of other afflictions the portion of Gods children in this life though when we compare them with the glorie that shall be reuealed we cannot but say with AVGVSTINE Hic vre hic seca vt in aeternum parcas yet when we meditate the promise of o Apoc. 14.13 resting from our labours and p 21.4 hauing all teares wiped from our eyes doe we not sometime wish in our weaknesse that Will of GOD for protracting our troubles altered and what but Faith can calme our discontentment Thirdly but that miserie of miseries the remaynes of sinne the rebellion of nature against grace whom doth it not in a holy manner discontent who blames Paul if hee q Rom. 7.24 crie out for deliuerance or any for hastening of our full deliuerance who had not rather if the Will of GOD were so presently exchange necessitie of sinning for necessitie of obeying infirmitie for power imperfection for perfection of righteousnesse yet Faith teacheth to rest contented with this Will of God and what but Faith can doe it and this perswasion that euen this delay workes some way to our good Thirdly the last thing in this wayting is Continuance in Gods seruice notwithstanding afflictions be our portion and the promised recompence so long delayed I should haue faynted in my affliction but that r Psal 27.13 I verily beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liuing And looke to the present condition of GODS Saints it shall be found oft such that they must beleeue one contrarie in another that there is a reward for the righteous when they feele nought else but miserie that God forsakes not when hee forsakes What can make vs in that state hold out our holy courses but Faith and perswasion of GODS Truth and loue and power to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that wee can aske or thinke yea contrarie to all that wee can see or feele And this made Paul say Wee Å¿ 2. Cor. 5.7 walke by faith not by sight Vse Let vs by this as by former euidence examine truth of our faith It is a precious vertue where it is in soundnesse but in opinion of it how many are deceiued In the last particular let vs lay our search Let mee say to you as Paul to AGRIPPA King AGRIPPA beleeuest thou the Prophets Beloued Christians beleeue you in the Lord Iesus I would I could answere my selfe for you as Paul doth for Agrippa I know you beleeue But this once I know as SALOMON Euery man will boast of his owne righteousnesse of his faith t Prou. 20.6 but where may wee find a faithfull man a true Beleeuer I will tell you how you shall know them Seest thou a man holding his course steddy in Christian practice though hee meet with afflictions neuer so many for the hope sake layd vp for vs in Heauen say of him in thy Charitie That man hath faith feelest thou in thy selfe that stedfast and vowed resolution though the Lord should prolong thy life to the Comming of his Sonne to Iudgement and in all that time presse thee with afflictions yet for that hope sake so farre from enioying thou resoluest to cleaue to thy God blesse God for the gift of faith to thee I dare say it is u Philip. 1. vlt. giuen to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Search euery man his heart how in this particular it is affected Infirmities in practice wee shall find many resolution in the mayne if wee finde Lord what comfort haue wee I leaue it to euery mans serious examination wishing to you all this peoples measure of Faith in hopefull expectation patient wayting for Christs Comming firmest resolution to breake thorow the temptation of long delay notwithstanding afflictions that accompanie Gods seruice Obser The place is whence Christ expected to come where he yet resides is next intimated from Heauen Obser Belike then this Iesus is now resident in Heauen and so shall be in respect of his humanitie till x Act 3.21 the time of consummation The Heauens must contayne him till the time that all things bee restored y Col. 3.1 Aboue Christ now sits at the right hand of his Father from z Phil. 3.20 Heauen wee looke for the Sauiour And is it not strange men in so many things orthodoxe should dreame of Christs bodily presence perpetuall vpon Earth And that his humane Nature as his Deitie fils Heauen and Earth what then is become of that himselfe spake in the dayes of his flesh The poore yee shall haue alwayes with you a Mat. 26.11 Me not alwayes And It is expedient for you that I b Iohn 16.7 goe away How is it that the Scriptures send vs to seeke him in Heauen and thence to expect him Forsooth visibly hee is in Heauen inuisibly euery where Belike then his Ascension into Heauen is nothing but his vanishing out of our sight hee neuer left the Earth but only vanished like some Phantasme out of his Disciples sight Let vs bee content with the simplicitie of Scriptures and seeing they teach vs to looke for him from Heauen thence let vs exact him His description followes First by his adioyned raysing from the dead inserted as an establishment of that hope notwithstanding his death Secondly but specially by his effect as comfortable as any is or can be to vs naturally the Children of wrath Wherein consider wee First his action deliuerance or rescue Secondly the propertie he hath in it Iesus who deliuereth Thirdly the persons
though wee reach not that height of Faith and Obedience that wee desire and striue for Vs our Iesus hath deliuered From what misery from the wrath to come A phrase of speech not frequent in the Scriptures what it comprizeth let vs heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously Our Sauiour seemes to explaine it when he termes it the g Mat. 23.33 damnation of Hell vnder it comes vsually poena damni poena sensus the losse of the good things prepared for the righteous the painefull euils whereinto the damned are plagued h Mat. 25.41 Perpetuall separation from the glorious presence of God and his Saints irrecouerable losse of those ioyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued a little of them felt in this life the taste of them in peace of Conscience and ioy of the Holy Ghost how seemes it a little Heauen vpon Earth how tortures it Gods Child for an houre to lacke how much more dolefull is the perpetuall and hopelesse losse of them that they all incurre who share not in this Deliuerance as our Sauiour said i Luk. 13.28 What wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth followes then in the damned to see ABRAHAM ISAAC and IACOB and all the Prophets clad in the glory of Gods Kingdome and themselues shut out of doores To leaue what they lose consider what they feele torments and anguish intolerable see how Gods Spirit hath pleased to expresse them Though no earthly thing be sufficient to expresse the anguish of it yet resemblances are chosen of things most bitter to sense thereby to acquaint vs something with the grieuousnesse of it To mans sense nothing more sharpe then fire of fires none more scalding then that of Brimstone It is fire fire of Brimstone k Apoc. 21.8 a Lake that burnes with fire and Brimstone for euer before the Throne of God It were something yet though the paine bee extreme if there were hope either of end or mitigation But these torments admit neyther they l Iude 7. suffer the vengeance of eternall fire they goe cursed into euerlasting fire the Worme dyes not and the fire goes not out The Tormentors are Spirits therefore immortall the tormented as immortall in body and Soule the fewell neuer fayles a m Isai 30.33 Riuer of Brimstone there is continually streaming for euer to keepe it burning the breath of the Lord is as Bellowes to blow it Yet if some intermission or mitigation might be obtayned it were something but heare the Glutton in Hell I am horribly tormented in this flame but so much water as n Luk. 16.24 in tip of the finger LAZARVS might beare to coole his tongue is begged and not obtayned Mercilesse Abraham may some Wretch say nay mercilesse Glutton to the pore Lazar and more mercilesse to his owne soule It is iust with God there should bee o Iam. 2.13 Iudgement mercilesse to such as would shew no mercy to their brethren nor to their owne soules The extent of the torment makes it yet more grieuous No part free eyther in soule or body open their eyes what see they but Deuils to torture them or other damned tormented with them perhaps Wiues and Children through their negligence or cursed example brought into the same place of torments Open their eares what heare they but bitter weeping and wayling howling and yelling after the manner of Dragons for the great wrath of GOD iustly fallen vpon them would they flye they are in Prison in Chaines in Darknesse Would they dye they cannot they are immortall Would they supplicate to the Iudges hee is iustly inexorable he called and they refused therefore he p Pro. 1.26 now laughes at their destruction Would they thinke of any thing to cōfort them they haue no leasure for torments their sinfull pleasures remembred torture their Conscience the good things inioyed adde much to their anguish What should I say more If a man can thinke of any thing that may be tormenting if of any circumstance that can aggrauate torment thus let him thinke it is little all too little to expresse the torments and anguish that comes vnder this terme of the wrath to come From this wrath to come our sweet Sauiour our blessed Iesus hath deliuered vs. To grow towards some profitable vse-making of this point let vs something more particularly inquire who they are that come vnder this Vs the rather for that this Grace for the very enioying of it is thought so vniuersall that the prophanest Miscreant dares prattle of his portion in it Vs say Libertines whosoeuer are members of the Church vs all that are in the Church visible That were well for Capernaites And yet saith our Sauiour Easier shall it bee for Sodome and Gomorrhe at the Iudgement then q Mat. 11.24 for Capernaites though members of the Church visible And it is not to bee doubted but that as the grace offred and contemned hath beene greater to men in the Church so haue they heauier damnation then many out of the Church Briefly vs that beleeue vs hee hath deliuered from the wrath to come vs that obey him hee is Authour of saluation to all r Heb. 5.9 that obey him vs that he hath purged to be ſ Tit. 2.14 a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes vs hee hath deliuered from the wrath to come For all faithlesse disobedient impenitent Sinners on them t Iohn 3 36. the wrath of God abides for euer And bee u Ephes 5.5 6. not deceiued you Remorslesse Whoremongers Couetous Idolaters for these things sake comes the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience q. d. Ye may perhaps flatter your selues with hope of impunitie in respect of your outward prerogatiues yee are baptized so was Iudas yet x Ioh. 17.12 a child of perdition yee are hearers of the Word coozen not your soules with that Sophistrie There were that heard Christ y Luk. 13.26.27 teach in their streets and yet were shut out of Gods Kingdome Thou hast preached to others so mayst thou and z Matt. 7.22 yet thy selfe be a Cast away In a word what euer thy priuileges are if a child of disobedience impenitently such on thee comes this heauie wrath of God Will you see how many sorts of sinners the Scripture excludes from sharing in this deliuerance a 1. Cor. 6.10 No Whoremonger hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God No impenitent Whoremonger And what is hee better that with a high hand cōmits Whoredome blusheth not at it glorieth in it as in a point of manhood yee haue a Catalogue of the damned Crue mentioned by Saint Iohn you would wonder some of them should deserue that stile In the forefront are the b Reuel 21.8 fearefull such as for feare of men shrinke from holy Profession and practice I would to GOD our moderate Professours would thinke of it May I not
adde cursed Swearers yea lesse then these c Reuel 22.15 Lyers What thinke you then of lying Swearers theirs sure is the blacknesse of Darknesse the deepest Dungeon in the lowest Hell The Persecutor and Troubler of the Saints of whom said our Sauiour Serpents generation of Vipers d Matt. 23.33 how can they escape the damnation of Hell These with many other their consorts haue their part in the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone which is the second death which is the wrath to come Secondly Gods children haue herein matter enough to comfort them in all afflictions of this life which they are called to suffer If they haue receiued to beleeue in the Sonne of God and haue hearts to obey him GOD may visit thee with sicknesse in thy body losse in thy goods blemish in thy name crosses in thy children horror in thy conscience all these to humble thee But yet thou art deliuered from the wrath to come yea these very crosses tend to this end e Iob 33.16 18. to deliuer thy soule from the Pit we are chastened of the Lord f 1. Cor. 11.32 that we may not be damned with the world Thirdly the dueties it instructs vs vnto are many the mayne is thankefulnesse to the Authour of this deliuerance No great recompence for such a deliuerance yet all the Lord requires all that we are able to render him yet a duetie of that nature that if wee can heartily performe it wee need no better euidence that we are sharers in it That our dull hearts may the better be excited hereto reuiew the Arguments the Text affoords Where consider the greatnesse of the miserie from which we are freed the wrath to come the damnation of Hell torments easelesse endlesse and remedilesse the name of hell we iustly tremble at what thinke we should we doe in the sense of the torments The Lord the better to shew vs his rich Mercie in our deliuerance is pleased sometimes to cast a flash of this fire into our conscience the Worme wee sometimes feele gnawing and griping there that little flea-biting that short payne how intolerable is it O thinke then how rich the mercy of thy sweet Sauiour was in freeing thee from the extremitie and eternitie of that torment Is one houres griping of this Worme so intolerable what is a thousand yeeres what is eternitie from this eternall wrath Iesus hath deliuered thee and canst thou not affoord him thankes for so great a blessing Let the next consideration be of the persons Vs this terme is doubly considered First Absolutely Secondly respectiuely to others Vs that were by g Ephes 2.3 nature children of wrath that walked after the fashion of the world doing the will of the flesh Vs that by our sinnes crucified the Lord of Life Vs hath this Iesus deliuered Compare our selues with others How many millions of men and women hath the Lord Christ suffered to perish in the state of nature how many for birth more noble for policie more wise for riches excelling more In behauiour before calling perhaps more tolerable yet vs the least of all Saints the chiefe of all sinners hath the Lord deliuered mooues not this to thankfulnesse See then the meanes of thy deliuerance himselfe was made a curse for vs subiected to the wrath of God to the paynes of Hell all this to worke our deliuerance me thinks wee should now euery one say to our soules as DAVID h Psal 103.1 My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within me blesse his holy Name borne I was a child of wrath liued as a vessell of wrath being abominable disobedient to euery good worke as reprobate yet in the fulnesse of time came this Sonne of God to be borne vnder the Law to beare the curse of the Law to deliuer my soule from the wrath to come my soule from hell when he suffered thousands of others to perish euerlastingly vnder guilt of their sinnes Secondly it teacheth vs saith ZACHARIE to dedicate our selues i Luk. 1.74 75 to serue this Iesus cheerefully in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Monstrous is the abuse of this mercy of our Sauiour strange the turning this Grace of our God into wantonnesse what Argument so strong to perswade to liue to his glorie as this that when k 2. Cor. 5.14 15. we were all dead he dyed for vs what one thing more frequent occasion of profanenesse and dishonouring the Name of our God Tush what talke you precisely of holinesse Christ dyed for vs to saue vs from hell therefore belike they resolue to crucifie him afresh To whom I say as Moses to Israel l Deut. 32.6 Doe yee thus requite the Lord oh foolish people and vnwise oh hellish people and profane What because the Lord in riches of his mercie dyed for thy sinnes and freed thee from the wrath to come wilt thou therefore dishonour him in thy life and cause his Name to be blasphemed as Peter to Simon Magus I say also to thee Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this blessed and comfortable deliuerance The end of the first Chapter THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS VERS 1. For your selues Brethren know our entrance in vnto you that it was not vaine THis Chapter propounds new Arguments of perseuerance in number two First from the graciousnesse of the instrument by which they were brought to the Faith ad Vers 13. Secondly from the experience themselues had had of the power and efficacie of the Doctrine of Faith inde ad finem The Context stands thus he had said Chap. 1.9 that the Churches of God euerywhere tooke notice of and declared the issue and fruit of Pauls first Ministerie amongst this people q. d. and not without cause for you know that our entrance to you was not vaine The chiefe Conclusion is PAVLS entrance was not vaine And it is amplified by certayne helping causes auayling to make his Ministerie effectuall First in Paul first his boldnesse Secondly his sinceritie Thirdly his meeknesse and amiable demeanour towards them Secondly in the People their reuerent and respectfull behauiour in hearing Vers 13. Sense our entrance that is first Preaching was not vaine say some in the matter not vaine but substantiall and sound Rather in the fruit not vaine GOD so blessing his paynes that thereby they were conuerted and brought to the Faith Chap. 19. Obser And what Paul speaks of himselfe is generally true of all others dealing sincerely in the worke of the Ministerie Their preaching seldome or neuer wants fruit seldome this fruit conuersion of Gods people a Ioh. 15.16 I haue sent you and ordayned you that you should goe and bring forth fruit b Ier. 23.22 If they had stood in my counsell they should haue turned the people from their euill way Though Esay his Ministerie wrought nothing in the multitude but blindnesse and obstinacie c Isai 6.13 yet was
knowes so are the issues of vngracious examples dangerous and to vs vncertaine IEROBOAM made Israel to fine A long many Generations his Successours continue his sinne it is still the cloze of their story u 2. King 13.11 15 28. c. They departed not from the sinnes of IEROBOAM that made Israel to sinne It is fore-told of these last times Iniquitie shall abound How should they choose when they receiue as a sinke all the infections of foregoing Generations yet woe to vs if we helpe forward the infection Consider First All sins of all men occasioned by our example we shall smart for as well as for those in our owne persons committed Our personall sinnes are burthen enough to presse vs to Hell how much heauier load carry they with them to iudgement vnto whom the sinnes of Children euen to a thousand Generations are imputed if they continue so long in the Posterity Secondly Mee thinkes wee should thinke it enough that wee haue beene meanes to conuay to our Children Adams sinne and his curse Let vs beware how wee strengthen their vicious inclinations by our owne lewd example to make them two-fold more the children of the Deuill Thirdly Thinke in your selues how bitterly in the anguish of their soules at the last Day Children of your owne bowels baned by your example shall curse you and say Cursed be the wombe that bare me and the vngracious father that begat me especially for baning my youth with his prophane example teaching me by his practice to blaspheme Gods Name to hate his Children c. I beseech you let vs lay these things to heart and beware how wee become On-setters to prophanenesse In good courses the happyest man is the beginner All the good that is by his occasion done shall bee to him rewarded In euill the heauiest wo is to the Ring-leader All the sinnes that by his on-setting and occasion haue beene committed shall be to him imputed to his heauier condemnation God they please not and are contrary to all men How is it vnderstood de euentu or de conatu of the issue or of the indeuour some thinke of the issue supposing it subioyned by way of preuention to signifie that howsoeuer they thought themselues the only Church and people of God yet they of all others were least in his sauour If of the indeuour thus conceiue q. d. they care not to please God and are men of most barbarous and hatefull disposition right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposing themselues to all not Israelites but Ishmaelites men of sauage and wilde nature their x Gen. 16.12 hands against euery man euery mans hand against them As if the Apostle would expresse a most Inhumane Barbarous and Gyant-like behauiour in this people such as our Sauiour expresseth of the vnrighteous Iudge y Luke 18.2 that neyther feared God nor reuerenced man Obser Such Monsters men grow that are taynted with Persecution insensible losing all sense of Deitie and common humanitie Those Gyants not only in stature but in manners were the seed of Cain in whose way they walked see to what height of Barbarisme they grow z Gen. 10.9 NIMROD a mighty Hunter before the Lord and the rest of his fashion build a Towre to Heauen if not to pull God out of his Throne a 11.4 yet to fence themselues against his Maiestie PHARAO becomming an Oppressor of Gods people fals to like Impiety and Inhumanity b Exod. 5.2 14 18. Who is the Lord that he should obey him and Israel must bee beaten for not doing impossibilities And what a Monster grew Iulian after his reuolt in Death blaspheming Christ vnder the name of Galilaean Flye Cruelty and Persecution of GODS Saints it drawes with it in Gods heauy wrath a tayle of foulest Barbarisme and Immanity Forbidding vs to speake that is to preach to the Gentiles so proouing themselues Hostes humani generis contrariant Enemies to all men So are they all to bee reputed that hinder preaching of the Gospell as capitall enemies of Mankind Needes any proofe They depriue vs of the greatest good are enemies in the things that neereliest concerne vs. The c Rom. 1.16 c Gospell is Gods power to Saluation And fides ex auditu d 10.14 17. how shall they beleeue without preaching and how bee saued without beleeuing Of other Persecutors said our Sauiour they can e Luke 12.4 but kill the body these are meanes to cast body and soule into Hel by keeping from them the means of Saluation I enter not the question whether Preaching bee the meane sine quo non we come to Saluation I take it for granted by the Apostles sentence they forbid to preach that they may be saued what saith hee else but that by forbidding to preach they hinder their Saluation Let no man say they are willing they should haue the Word read to the people and that is meane sufficient to Saluation I am perswaded whoso is enemy to preaching vnto the people would as willingly with-hold the reading also Vse If our Age and Nation haue and suffer any of this kind of Enemies and Opposites to the eternall good of men of whom we may say as Christ of Pharises They f Luke 11.52 haue taken away the key of Knowledge neither entring themselues nor suffering those that would let them see here with whom Saint Paul doth yoke them Euen with the obstinate shedders of our Sauiours bloud who neither please God nor loue any man What vengeance God hath in store for such I would rather themselues should seriously consider then giue vs occasion to mention But if the Lord would admit no recompence for the bloud of the bodie but g Num. 35.31 the bloud of the slayer how much sorer vengeance hath hee in store for those that taint themselues with the bloud of soules That cryeth lowder then the bloud of ABEL To fill vp their sinnes alwayes Declares he their issue or their intention The intention say some in respect of Gods counsell the issue only in regard of themselues This was not that they aymed at but that followed as the issue and consequent of their courses they filled vp their sinnes Obser So true it is that when a man once wilfully runnes into a course of sinning he knowes no stay till hee come to extremitie of prophanenesse There is in such courses a praecipitâ—um When a man is on the top of a Hill it is at his choyse whether he will thence throw himselfe downe or not but once let him head-long himselfe there is no stay till hee come to the bottome so in case of transgression it is easier to keepe our selues from entring desperate courses then once giuing our selues the reines to make stop before we come to extremities Gentiles fell first to Adultery h Rom. 1.14 26 28. from Adultery to Sodomy from Sodomy to a Reprobate minde drawing with it a Legion of other enormities He that is filthy
aduanced in Gods fauour the heauier vengeance lights on them in case of their vnthankfulnesse and disobedience Capernaum lift vp to heauen t Matt. 11.23 is brought downe to the lowest Hell iustly for their rebellion and abuse of Gods high fauour this makes the state of an Apostata more fearefull then of a simple Alien because his taste was more of Gods grace and fauour How great are the prerogatiues of GODS fauours vouchsafed to this Kingdome libertie of the Gospell peace in the profession and practice of Pietie such as Aduersaries haue long enuyed vs other Churches of God neuer yet so fully enioyed Let vs not be high-minded but feare Euery disobedience is in vs more haynous Gods vengeance will bee more extreme if perhaps wee proue vnthankfull and rebellious Vse Let euery man obserue his specialties in Gods fauours vse their meditation to excite to more obedience Is thy knowledge more see thy obedience be more also else shall u Luk. 12.47 thy stripes be more Is thy wealth greater see thy x 1. Tim. 6.18 works of mercy be more abundant Haue we more power and plentie of preaching see that wee more abound in knowledge practice euery grace of God more tolerable else shall be the state of Sodom and Gomorrhe at the day of Iudgement then ours VERS 17.18 But wee Brethren being taken from you for a short time in presence not in heart endeuoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire Wherefore we would haue come vnto you euen I PAVL once and againe but Satan hindred vs. THe coherence seemes this the Apostle had occasionally mentioned their afflictions and professed his loue because he saw they might haply question his loue as pretended only sith he so soone left them was so long wanting to their comfort hee makes Apologie professing First his departure was enforced his absence grieuous no other then when a Father is bereft of his children Secondly in body not in Spirit Thirdly striuen against Fourthly but hindred by Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word intimates a separation such as Death makes twixt Father and Child that looke what griefe a Father sustaynes when hee is bereft of his children or poore fatherlesse Orphanes depriued of Parents such and no lesse grieuous was that occasioned by his separation and absence Obser So grieuous to a Pastor sincerely affected to Gods people is euen enforced absence from the Flocke the kindest Father takes not more tenderly the want of his dearest children Reading the storie of Pauls departure from y Act. 20.18 ad 36. Ephesus me thinks I see the behauiour of a dying Father in his last farewell to his children so pithy and passionate are the Exhortations and Counsels euery word enough to make the hardest heart to melt Vers 37. in the hearing and such relenting wrought they in the people No maruell First the dangers wherein they are Secondly and z Act. 20.28 29 30. price of their soules considered Vse First they are of mercenarie disposition that are not thus affected Secondly and they haue cause to feare the vengeance threatned to men mercilesse to fatherlesse that enforce such separation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle is by some conceiued to intimate the separation and absence to be but for a short time supposing him so to speake according to his hope and opinion by others to signifie the suddennesse of his enforced separation whereto agrees the storie Act. 17. ad vers 11. Obser That sense standing occasions vs to note how Satan specially insidiatur initijs nascentis Ecclesiae and is most turbulent in the first planting of Churches At Ephesus when a 1. Cor. 16.9 the doore is opening Aduersaries are multiplied Hence in Primitiue Church grew those bloudie persecutions that plentie of Heresies wherewith the world was pestered At first rising of Luther what vprores was the whole Christian world filled withall and still as the Gospell spred it selfe newly from Kingdome to Kingdome so grew tumults more frequent and outragious Particulars of Gods children may obserue temptations most frequent and vehement in their first retyring from the world and turning to their God then conscience becomes a Lyon persecutions arise all the power and policie of Hell combine to detayne or worke a rescue The reason is euident It is the Deuils obseruation from much experience it is easier to hinder a Church from planting to hinder the rising then to destroy it once settled vpon the foundation Paul for this is fearefull to admit b 1. Tim. 3.6 Nouices to the place of Pastors knowing that as their fals are most dangerous because they are Ministers so most easie because Nouilions Vse 1 To me it is strange how to men conuersant in Scriptures and Church Storie it should seeme strange to see preuayling Ministeries accompanyed with popular tumults There is no building without noyse of hammers nor child-bearing without grones and outcryes Our Sauiour then whom the Sunne neuer saw man more peaceable harmelesse and inoffensiue scaped not the clamours and oppositions of gracelesse men in his Ministerie Paul whose courses tended all to peace so as no mans more parting with many rights for peace sake tempering himselfe in things indifferent to euery mans infirmitie yet meets with tumultuous contradictions Vse 2 Secondly I say as SYRACH My sonne c Ecclus 2.1 2. when thou entrest Gods seruice stand fast in righteousnesse and feare and prepare thy soule for temptation The beginnings are most violently assaulted Arme therefore against Satans incursions First especially against that of Pride the vsuall ouerthrow of Nouices which made Bernard aduise in our beginnings specially to labour for Humilitie though graces be then small yet as small is experience of infirmitie in temptation Secondly Remissenesse and temper though vsually beginnings are most feruent yet as no violent thing is of long continuance so sodainly is that feruour and heate of deuotion slaked Bernard And then as BERNARD Contrahitur animus subtrahitur gratia protrahitur longitudo vitae deferuescit nouitius feruor ingrauescit tepor fastidio sus blanditur voluptas fallit securitas reuocat consuetudo Thirdly diuerting the streame of affection from substance to circumstance from the mayne foundations of Faith to the nice impertinences of humane ceremonies by which wile of Satan how many haue beene transported into faction carryed to an vnbrotherly separation from the Church of God! In person not in heart In Christian amitie our persons may be sundred affections can neuer be diuided Brotherly fellowship may increase loue separation quencheth it not What maruell First presence is not necessarie to procure it nor therefore to perserue it It comes to passe said Austine by this meanes that wee loue those whom wee neuer saw that whereas all other loue growes specially from societie and familiaritie Loue Christian is procured by bare consideration and report of Graces wee heare of others neuer so farre distant from vs. Besides in this friendship
Desperate of his strict Iustice Wisdome would teach to fit our meditation to our present state See it in a duty that may seeme most easie suppose hearing the Word of God It is not as is thought a worke of euery Ideot and idle Foole to be a hearer to heare as wee ought requires skill more then ordinary to tye our minds to attention that they may bee free from wandering to apply our affections to the quality of what is taught that when we heare matter of feare our hearts may f Isai 66.2 tremble at the Word of God when matter of griefe they g Neh. 8.9 may mourne when matter of comfort reioyce c. Such skill requires euery Christian Dutie to the Regular performance of it that wee may well conclude of Christianity It is the Science of Sciences euen an Art of liuing well Vse They erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of Godlinesse that thinke it a skill most obuious to bee a Christian a worke of one houre or two in the last sicknesse to furnish themselues for Heauen Though in manuall Sciences he is not thought his Crafts-master that hath not serued a seuen yeeres Apprentiship yet to the exactest skill of Christianity seuen houres yea moments are thought sufficient Surely if any where here that hath place that the great Phisician once spake Ars longa vita breuis Compendiums they haue framed to themselues here as in other Sciences To loue God aboue all our Neighbour as our selues This is h Mat. 7.12 the Law and the Prophets To feare God and keep his Cōmandements i Eccl. 12.13 this is the whole of man But foolish men that consider not the infinite particulars which these comprize And that it is the least halfe of a Christian k Iohn 13.17 to know though exactly the heads of Dutie To loue God comprizeth his worship outward inward l 1. Iohn 5.3 keeping of all and euery his Cōmandements To loue our Neighbour exercise of m 1. Cor. 13.4 5 Patience Kindnesse Mercy euery good grace and office wherein we may do good to Brethren Willingly would I perswade our people if it might be of the skill no lesse then artificiall requisite to Christianity not to deterre them by the difficulty but to reforme their negligence and to excite their industry And if they would but seriously consider that part of this Art that stands in speculation they would easily acknowledge it to be no idle mans occupation to bee a Christian To know necessaries of Gods Nature and Will can wee thinke it obuious when as Dauid hauing long trauelled in the Word of God with an extraordinarie Spirit yet prayes illumination that hee n Psal 119.18 might see the wondrous things of the Law Who euer sounded the depth of any one Commandement to know all particulars of duetie therein comprized Who so quick-sighted as to vnderstand thorowly particular circumstances of knowne dueties Dare any arrogate prudence so exact as to obserue them regularly in all his practice Thou knowest thou must pray but knowest thou how thou must pray To pray is not to vtter a Petition which a Parrat may doe but thou must pray with o 1. Cor. 14.15 vnderstanding with p 2. Chron. 6.29 feeling of wants with q Iam. 1.6 faith to be heard with feruencie of affections the practice of all these how full of difficultie to guide affections of wrath feare ioy griefe c. Heathens obserued to require much prudence may not Christians more to their Christian moderation That I be not infinite It will be sufficient if I may but conuince our people that Christianitie is an Art that the practices thereof require skill more then ordinarie that once euinced I hope those out-cryes against ouer-much teaching will cease for suppose you know all we are able to teach you for substance of faith and practice yet to learne skilfull practice of them the wisest amongst vs may not blush to goe to schoole To possesse his Vessell in holinesse and honour The particular wherein Paul requires this skill is the preseruing of Chastitie in his phrase the possessing of our Vessell in holinesse What is the Vessell saith AVGVSTINE * August cont Iulian. Pelagian lib. 4. cap. 10. lib. 5. cap. 7. the Wife the Woman or wife is the r 1. Pet. 3.7 weaker vessell Al the body the vessell or instrument of the soule Al the instruments of generation 1. Sam. 21.5 The vessells of the yong men are cleane that is their bodies or instruments of generation That first interpretation S. Austine fell into by this occasion Dealing against Pelagians in the question of Originall sinne and the manner how it is conueyed to posteritie he was thus vrged by Iulian The soule is created pure the body propagated by a lawfull act of generation in the marriage bed for that bed ſ Heb. 15.4 is vndefiled by what chinks creeps in this infection of Nature Saint Austine answeres that howsoeuer the vse of the marriage bed be for the substance of the act vndefiled yet may impuritie insinuate it selfe through intemperance and ouer-much feruor of delight Truth is there is as well Coniugall as Virginall chastitie which stands not only in keeping our faith inuiolate to the wife of our Couenant but also in the temperate and moderate vse of the marriage bed And I am halfe of his mind in this whatsoeuer in that act is not either for procreation or preuention of Fornication comes of euill Rather by the vessell vnderstand the body Not that the heart hath libertie to lust so the body be kept from the act of vncleannesse t 1. Cor. 7.9 burning lusts are commanded to be remedied but so speaks he fittingly to reforme opinions corrupt and monstrous that to the u 1. Cor. 6.13 body was permitted a kind of libertie so the heart were kept pure from that vncleannesse Possesse that is keepe and rule the body in holinesse vnderstand it chastitie and freedome from pollution by vncleane lust Honour of the body stands in two things First x Col. 2.23 Health and chearfulnesse Secondly dedication of it to the holy Ghost as y 1. Cor. 6.19 a Temple for him to dwell in and an z Rom. 6.13 instrument to be vsed to the glorie of God The summe is this that not the heart only but the body also must be preserued in chastitie a 1. Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and soules they are both the Lords his Creatures his purchase both bought with the price of his bloud It seemes the Corinthians were carried away with that errour to thinke pollution of the body almost indifferent The bodies they thought should not rise againe therefore it was not much materiall to what vncleannesse they were abused yet saith the Apostle First the body is for the Lord dedicated in creation to the glorie of the Maker and by Redemption to Christ Secondly the Lord for the body
to redeeme it Thirdly our bodies are members of Christ Fourthly Temples of the holy Ghost Fiftly parts of Christs purchase How can we thinke it free to abuse them to his dishonour Our dutie is to purge from all filthinesse as well of flesh as spirit of body as of soule Vse Not thinking it enough after the profane prouerbe to keepe our hearts to God but knowing that in our bodies God requires to be glorified The people of Corinth as in the point of fleshly Fornication so in that of Idolatrie seemed to hold a kinde of indifferencie for the outward man They might be present at Idoll-feasts and sacrifices so they reserued their hearts and consciences vnto God Our people in like cases are alike indifferent Talke they may merrily that is filthily so they thinke no harme though euen of Idle words our Sauiour said we are countable Bernard Epist 1 Quod si de ot ioso quantò districtiùs de verbo mendaci mordaci iniurioso de elato vel lasciuo de adulatorio aut detractorio iudicabuntur It remaynes to point at the rules of Aâ—te in this kinde auayleable First diligent guard of senses especially b Iob 31.1 Ambros de Ioseph Patriarch cap. 5. the eyes the first darts of lust are of the eyes The second of words c Pro. 2â— 33 Gen 19.6 7. Thine eye shall looke vpon strange women and thy heart shall vtter lewd things Secondly flie societie of adulterous wantons d Pro. 5.8 Come not neere the doore of her house e Gen. 39.10 IOSEPH hearkens not to his Mistris to be in her companie Thirdly sober vse of meats and drinks f Ezech. 16.49 fulnesse of bread occasioned that height of vncleannesse in Sodomites Fourthly faithfull and industrious imployment of our honest vocations Dauids g 1. Sam. 11.2 idlenesse seemes the first occasion of his lust And in Sodome was abundance of vncleannesse by meanes of h Ezech. 16.49 abundance of idlenesse Fiftly Prayer to God whose gift it is his i 1. Cor. 7.7 speciall gift especially in single life Sixtly diligent heed-taking to occasions that in experience we haue obserued to be the bellowes of Concupiscence Seuenthly if none of these serue to preserue virginall Chastitie a comfortable remedie God hath prouided To k 1. Cor. 7.2 auoid Fornication let euery man haue his owne wife He is a Monster in lust whom that remedie reformes not VERS 5. Not in the lust of Concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God NOt in the lust of Concupiscence Rather thus Not in the pâ—ssiâ—no lust Lust is lust be it neuer so moderate when once it growes to violence and notable disturbance of Reason then it becomes Passion In the breach of this Precept degrees are distinguished First the foming out of lasciuious thoughts and wanton desires delighting the sensuall appetite Secondly the ardencie and burning heat of such desires which Paul elsewhere calls l Rom. 1.27 burnings and here passions Thirdly eager seeking occasions to vent our passionate lusts Fourthly the breaking of them out into execution The Apostle seemes not to tolerate so much as ardencie of lust and almost to intimate they cannot vnremedied stand with good conscience Obser We may here obserue a difference of corrupt affections in Gods children and in men vnregenerate some stirring they haue in the most sanctified ordinarily they are not passionate saue in the vnregenerate Vnlawfull and rash anger may arise in Gods children passionate wrath furie and rage is not ordinarie with them Motions of enuie haue beene found in Gods children as in Iosuah for Moses in m Num. 12.1 Aaron and Miriam against him but passionate spitefulnesse such as in Cain in Haman n Hest 5.13 that grew sicke of enuie is not common in Saints Lasciuious and wanton lusts haue their stirrings perhaps in the most holy but passionate lusts such as we reade of o 2. Sam. 13.2 Ammon are not ordinarie with them When we were in the flesh p Rom. 7.5 the passions of Concupiscence wrought in our members Now we are in Christ q Gal. 5.14 We haue mortified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof Quest How may we know them to be passions Answ First by their violence when they grow so headstrong that they admit no moderation nor permit so much as to consult and deliberate about their suppressing Secondly when their violence is increased by opposition It was lust outragiously passionate in Sodomites that was r Gen. 19.9 more inraged by Lot his meekest admonitions Thirdly Passions are restlesse and fill with discontentment till they breake out into executions as in Achab Haman Ammon Cain c. We haue men professing the feare of God in some affections so intemperate and full of passion that they giue iust cause to be iealous of their mortification In their wrath they must needs giue vent and by bitter speeches disgorge the venome of their spite Such affections are passions I like them not in Christians They Å¿ Gal. 5.24 that are Christs haue mortified the flesh at least in the passions thereof The Stoicks said Passions are not incident into a wise man Nor are such passions ordinarie in a true Christian As the Gentiles c. Gentiles in common phrase of Scripture signifie all people not of the seed of Abraham Of Gentiles there are two sorts First Gentiles by nature Secondly Gentiles in state Gentiles by nature we are all that come not from the loynes of Abraham Gentiles in state are such as continue in the state of Gentilisme not yet admitted into the Couenant of Abraham nor called into the Church of this latter sort Paul would be vnderstood It is the reason of the Apostle to disswade lasciuiousnesse therein liued Gentiles that knew not God the more detestable should the sinne be amongst Christians Obser Vngodly examples are permitted to increase detestation of euill not to incourage to imitation Impious courses of impious men should make impietie more abominable Imitation we are sure makes vs culpable before God not only of like sinnes personally committed but in a degree of all sinnes of like nature by others committed The t Matth. 23.35 bloud of all Saints from ABEL to ZACHARIE comes vpon that generation of Iewes with what iustice may some say I thinke because their crueltie argued approbation of like sinne in their bloudie Progenitors To walke in the wayes of wicked men what is it but to approue them the fact proclaimes we thinke like actions of others good and warrantable Vse It were to be wished our people had learnt to make this vse vngodly examples to detest lewd practices because in vre amongst wicked men But alas how are they miscarryed to thinke the better of euill because practised by the most and greatest though they cannot but acknowledge the men are euill Thinke these best vses of lewd examples First grieue at the dishonour of God and the vngracious courses of men made
the same shall he receiue of the Lord. Thirdly We call God Father and so he is and cannot but acknowledge his Fatherly loue to vs in Christ How should we not be perswaded that what he sees b Mat. 7.11 best for vs that he will giue vs If Peace were better for thee then Trouble Riches then Want Honor then Infamie makest thou question but the Lord would giue it thee Thou knowest not then the bowels of his Fatherly loue to thee in Christ farre exceeding the loue of the tenderest father towards the sonne of his loines Lastly let that now propounded neuer be forgotten an Argument me thinkes forcible to curbe in all men carnall emulation In those things wherein wee seeme to be disaduantaged in respect of our brethren wee are sure to haue in one kind or another our prerogatiue and priuiledge to counteruaile it VERS 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shout with the voice of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first THe Explication followes first by causes principall and subseruient secondly the order of proceeding then holden Vers 16.17 In the words are three things considerable first that Christ shall come secondly the manner of his comming thirdly the effects and consequents thereof That there shall be such a glorious comming of Christ to Iudgement Scriptures plentifully proue c Act. 1.11 This same IESVS shall so come as you haue seene him goe into Heauen d Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Sonne of man comming in the Clouds with Power and great Glory e Iude 14. ENOCH the seuenth from ADAM prophecied hereof Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints The Lord was pleased to grant some intimation hereof to the very Heathen by their Sybillae Augustine and Eusebius record the Verses of Sybilla Erythraea to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence they had it whether by extraordinarie reuelation or by some notice from Scriptures of old Testament it is not materiall to enquire The Lord it seemes would haue extant amongst the Heathen some Predictions thereof as also of other things the better to make way for entertainment of the Gospell amongst Gentiles in the fulnesse of time when they should see the Principles thereof haue consent from their owne Writers whose Authoritie was sacred amongst them Reasons of it are many amongst many take these few first to declare the iustice and equitie of Gods secret iudgement for which cause it s called f Rom. 2.5 the day of declaring the iust iudgement of God There is at euery mans death a iudgement of absolution or condemnation passed vpon their soules according to their faith or infidelitie repentance or impenitencie but to vs as yet secret The Lord therefore hath appointed a day of generall Assise wherein euery mans works shall come to examination and publique view and all the world be forced to acknowledge the equitie of the Lords secret proceedings To this tend other actions of the Lord euidencing the same truth as g Iude 15. conuiction of all the vngodly of their vnlawfull deeds which they haue vngodlily committed Though I doubt not but its true of most men they liue and dye as those heretiques Paul speakes of h Tit. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their cōscience being witnesse iudge against them yet hath it pleased the Lord so to appoint that there shal be a farther and more publique conuiction of them that if any hypocrite shall be so impudent as to obtrude vnto the Lord the formall seruice he hath done his mouth may be stopped and his face couered with confusion when his owne heart shall tell him men and Angels witnessing he hath bin a Formallist onely in Christianitie A second reason is the execution of full vengeance vpon the bodies and soules of them that haue either ignorantly or maliciously i 2. Thes 1.8 disobeyed the Gospel And this reason is furthered by two others First though they now in their soules suffer what their sinnes haue deserued yet by their bodies the instrumēts of their soules in sinning in the same state of sencelesnesse with the bodies of Gods Saints It s meet therefore that there should be such a comming of Christ that as bodies and soules haue been fellowes in euill doing so they may both partake in the punishmēt of their abominations Secōdly moreouer it s to be considered that howsoeuer the personall acts of sinne in the vngodly are as they are acts transient and seene to die with the committers yet haue many of them a propagation along euen to a thousand generations It is said of Ieroboam He made Israel to sinne It is true not onely of the time wherein he liued but the infection of that policie and example reached to many succeeding ages The same is true of other sins and sinners the poyson and stench of their abominations continue long after the death of their first Authors Saint Iude tells vs of some in his time that walked in the way of CAIN and BALAAM Themselues were long since dead but the poyson of their example remained euen to Iudes time and will doe to the end of the world And it is not to be doubted but that all the sinnes of other men occasioned by their example shal be punished in thē as well as those that in their owne persons they committed To the end therefore that they may haue a full measure of wrath according to the full measure of their sins there must be a second comming of Christ to the vniuersall Iudgement and these are some ends in respect of the wicked I might be infinite in setting down other ends that respect Gods children As first the clearing of their innocencie to the faces of them that haue loaden them with vniust slanders and accusations Secondly the recompensing of their labours that haue not receiued in this life any visible reward And what should I tell you of the vses it hath in respect of God himselfe and his Christ How often quarrell we at the dispensations of his prouidence that hee casts prosperitie vpon the wicked and exerciseth his children with continuall afflictions There must a day come when men shall k Mal. 3.18 discerne betwixt him that serues God him that serues him not and the equity of Gods present disposition shal appeare to all men when the wicked shal be forced to confesse they found the Lord liberall to them in the things of this earth and Gods children haue all their afflictions rewarded with a full measure of glory Let vs now come to the manner of his comming and then we subioyne the vses The manner is described to be with great terror Maiestie and glory With the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trumpe of God My purpose is not vpon this occasion to enter the controuersie about the orders and degrees of dignity amongst Angels That there
God There is none so simple but if he well vnderstood the Word of God giues ſ Psal 19.7 him wisedome to know at least things necessarie to saluation See also 2. Cor. 3. Vse What thē may be thought of our people after so plain and plentifull teaching such as the Prophet describes t Isai 28.13 Line vpon line precept vpon precept Yet not so vnderstanding the plainest principles and rudiments of faith yea to this day vnacquainted with the termes of Scripture wherein the maine foundations of our faith are deliuered Should I acquaint you withall whether it would breed more compassion of their miserie or indignation at their wilfull sottishnesse is hard to say If the question were propounded to many of our people that Paul once put foorth to the Ephesians u Act. 19.2 Haue ye receiued the holy Ghost since ye beleeued I feare me like would bee the answere They know not whether there be an holy Ghost or no. In a point I am sure of as necessary knowledge and cleare reuelation as grosse and palpable ignorance hath bene discouered We all feele the smart of Adams sinne in our bodies and soules the earth and all we put our hands vnto put vs in mind of our fall in him How many yet know not the fountaine of that miserie nor haue taken notice of any thing read or preached so farre as to know by name that man in whom we all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God And for the person of Christ by whom we haue redemption from that misery alacke the while there are thousands amongst vs to whom besides the Name of Iesus nothing is knowne of his Natures Person Offices Actions Benefits thence accruing to vs or of the means to apply them and make them our owne As it is said of the Athenians they had an Altar to the true God but the inscription was to the x Act. 17.23 vnknowne God so some formall worship our people performe to God and his Christ who or what an one he is to whom this worship is performed they know not I beseech you all in the Bowels of Christ and as you tender the saluation of your soules take notice of it and labour for knowledge of God in Christ Me thinkes there need no other Arguments then this Text affoords The state of ignorance is a state of darkenesse as dangerous as discomfortable Gods children are deliuered from it Thou canst by no meanes bee assured of thine adoption or saluation whilst thou liuest in grosse ignorance of the Scriptures Shall I say more Because I know the people thinke highly of their blindest deuotion be your deuotion neuer so feruent your prayers neuer so freuent your almes-deedes neuer so abundant there is none of these please God while you liue in grosse ignorance and loue it The Iewes had the y Rom. 10.2 zeale of God but not according to knowledge Reiected from Gods acceptance is all such blind zeale such ignorant deuotion Their priuiledge followes That Day shall not take them as a Thiefe Shall it not then come to Gods children as a thiefe in a time vnknowne Answeres are diuersly conceiued First In this respect as a thiefe because in a time vnknowne In this respect not as a thiefe because it is alwayes expected Secondly There is difference betwixt comming as a thiefe and taking as a thiefe It comes on Gods children as a thiefe in a time vncertaine It takes them not as a thiefe working their spoile and destruction But as our Sauiour saith of the Prince of this World He comes z Ioh. 14.30 but hath no part in me so comes the destruction of that Day but hath no part in Gods childrē Behold then the excellent priuiledge of the sonnes and daughters of God They are free from that destruction the last day brings on the world of the vngodly Hence in the Gospell it is called The a Luk. 21.28 Day of their redemption by PETER b Act. 3.19 The time of refreshing And though then the Lord shall render tribulation to them that trouble his yet to them that c 2. Thes 2.7 are troubled he giues rest with the Saints What maruell All causes of condemnation are remooued from their persons The guilt and punishment of their sinnes deriued from them to Christ and by him d Col. 2.14 cancelled on the Crosse The power of sinne mortified by the holy Ghost dwelling in them yea at that day so abolished that there remaines not any the least relique of inclination to disobedience not the least want or defect of righteousnesse Vse And it serues vnspeakeably for the consolation of Gods children There is nothing I confesse so dreadfull to a mans serious meditation as that Day of the Lords comming taken as it is set out in the Word of God and considering our selues as we are by Nature the e Ephe. 2.3 children of wrath sonnes and daughters of disobedience Who trembles not reading what PETER speakes of f 2. Pet. 3.10 the dissolution what Paul and our Sauiour concerning g Rom. 14.12 strictnesse of accounts then to be made of our workes words of euery not only euill but euen h Mat. 12.36 idle word But brethren when we consider what the Lord euery where assures vs for our comfort he comes to refresh vs not to torment vs to redeeme not to imprison vs to saue not to destroy vs to destroy sinne in vs not vs for sinne how much cause haue wee to lift vp our heads with ioy and as Paul saith to i 2. Tim. 4.8 loue his appearing and with the k Reuel 22.17 20. Spirit and Bride to say Come Amen Euen so come Lord Iesus come quickely VERS 5.6 Yee are all the children of Light and children of the Day c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est The Apostle continues still to set forth the gracious estate of Gods children he had said before they were not in Darkenesse as if that had beene too little they are children of Light and of the Day The amplifications are two First by the extent in the subiect Ye are all children of Light Secondly by comparison of vnequals not of light onely but of the Day and in the Antithesis yee are not of the Night no nor so much as of Darkenesse Light in property of speech is that visible creature qualitie or whatsoeuer you will call it that makes things visible vnto vs. The Scripture translates it to signifie especially foure things First l Ioh. 3.19 Knowledge Secondly Meanes of knowledge Thirdly m Ephe. 5.8 Sanctitie Fourthly n Isai 59.9 Felicitie Reason of the Metaphor ariseth from likenes semblable properties of Light to the things which it is translated to signifie The propertie office of Light is to discouer vnto vs the differences of things visible not vnfitly therefore is knowledge and the meanes thereof resembled by it It is a thing maruellous pure admitting no mixture
g 1. Cor. 12.25 mutuall care each for other so should it be in the Body of Christ Secondly Thou losest not by any good in this kind done to another The comfort and benefit of all these offices is reflected vpon thine owne soule Thirdly If none of these mooue let the example of wicked men sway with thee They compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte h Prou. 4.16 Their sleepe departs except they cause some to fall Quodammodo Naturale est vnumquemque velle siue in vitijs siue in virtutibus associare consortem Let not them bee more industrious to gaine to Hell then thou art to winne to Heauen Fourthly Let the excellencie of the worke mooue thee Thou shalt perhaps i Mat. 18.15 gaine a brother k Iam. 5.20 saue a soule for such Pearles who would not striue Fiftly Non est talis illa Paradisi haereditas vt possidentium numero minuatur Obser The next point obseruable is the necessitie of priuate admonitions exhortations c. collected from the particle of illation Necessitie is of two sorts First Praecepti Secondly Medij Necessarie in the first kinde wee call all things that lye on our Conscience by Cods Precept Necessary as meanes are whatsoeuer God hath ordayned as helpes and furtherance to obtayne the ends whereto they are ordayned This vnderstand here The necessitie our many infirmities and imperfections abundantly teach vs in experience First Our inconstancy especially in good courses if there bee not continuall meanes of confirmation There is nothing more variable then mans Nature from good to worse No maruell for goodnesse is all from without hath neyther roote nor nourishment from our Nature MOSES is but a while from the people they l Exod. 32.1 fall backe to Idolatrie PAVL no sooner gone from Galatia but they are turned to another Gospell m Gal. 1.6 I maruell saith hee it is so soone His maruell grew from this hee reputed them gracious relapsing otherwise is not strange in men that are Naturall Secondly A kind of remissenesse and torpor Ancients call it Acedia the best are oft ouer-taken withall except there be continuall excitements It is not a fault peculiar to the Angell of Ephesus to haue n Reuel 2.4 his feruour abated euery of vs admit such declinations a spirit of slumber wee are oft ouer-taken withall that makes vs dull in hearing praying practice all holy duties Wherefore suffer yee the word of exhortation and admonition each from other DAVID o Psal 141.5 prayes for a friendly Reproouer as for a great benefit and IOB despiseth not the aduice of his p Iob 31.13 seruant contending with him Our times are generally in a Lethargie of securitie no man is more troublesome then hee that would keepe vs waking though that saith Austine be the way to cure vs. We thinke our selues able to aduise and exhort our selues we loue not many Masters Are wee acquainted with our owne hearts when we thus speake Alas how cold and euen frozen are our affections often How dissolute our practice How dull our memory How drowzie our Conscience c. wherefore suffer the word of exhortation And to this end further cōsider that what we suffer not our Brethren to quicken in vs by admonition wee occasion the LORD to q Hos 5.15 reuiue by sharper corrections How many afflictions from Gods hand heauie and grieuous doe I perswade my selfe wee might preuent if wee were carefull to minister and admit wholsome admonitions each from other The LORD will not suffer Grace to rust in his Children If admonitions of Brethren be grieuous hee will eyther make thine owne r 2. Sam. 24.10 heart to smite thee and that stroke is grieuous or stirre vp some aduersary ſ 2. Sam. 16.7 8 to reproch and shame thee or else himselfe remember thee with some heauy visitation The mollification of the Precept remaines for that of the persons fals fitter into another Text. As yee doe He seemes to preuent the obiection they might in likelihood make as if this aduice were a kinde of reprochfull exprobration of their neglecting these duties Not so saith the Apostle that yee doe this it is my perswasion and acknowledgement Neuerthelesse let me aduise you to doe euen what yee doe Obser So then to duties most carefully performed there may bee exhortations neyther may wee thinke much to bee admonished to doe euen what wee doe Our Sauiour often cals for audience from his most attentiue Auditory while they are hearing he cryes out t Mat. 13.9 Heare Reasons First We hold it a rule current that howsoeuer gracious gifts cannot be vtterly lost yet gracious practice may bee interrupted euen when it is most necessary it should be continued Ye u Gal. 5.7 did run well saith Paul to the Galatians their course it should seeme was interrupted Secondly In best things nothing is comfortable without perseuerance x Gal. 3.4 Haue yee suffered so manie things in vaine and that is knowne of EZECHIEL If y Ezech. 3.20 a righteous man turne from his righteousnesse all is forgotten And howsoeuer it bee true perseuerance of Gods Children is certaine yet this is as true exhortations to perseuerance are meanes of perseuering Thirdly The Lord requires of his children continuall growth and encrease in holy practice Standing at a stay in good courses is as dangerous as declining yea a step to backe-sliding Therefore said the Apostle Though yee loue one another yet I beseech you z 1. Thess 4.9 that yee increase more and more Vse Let it not therefore seeme strange vnto vs that our Ministers sometimes insisting in the Apostles steps presse vpon vs the duties which by Gods Grace wee alreadie conscionably performe if no other benefit come thereby at least our Apostasie shall be preuented Through ignorance I know it is it comes to passe that our admonitions instructions exhortations are many times censured as accusations of our people and forsooth wee seeme to imply the duties are wholly neglected that wee presse with such instance And if they be points already knowne we thinke the insisting thereon insinuates our ignorance But specially if they bee sinnes we reprooue and they not apparant in the Congregation that is presently interpreted as a matter of slander and no lesse then defamation layd vpon the Parish Shew the danger of Drunkennesse Whoring c. He makes vs they say a companie of such Miscreants There are none such amongst vs. Now vtinam Would God wee might once see our Congregations so farre reformed that the publike practice of such sinnes might be blushed at But suppose it true wee are free from such sinnes In that case thinke not your persons but your Nature accused And that I am sure none can excuse from inclinations to foulest sinnes That speech of Hazael argued little acquaintance with the corruption of Nature a 2. King 8.13 Is thy seruant a Dogge that I should doe this thing Sure
Posteritie therefore is he enioyned labour to instruct vs to painfulnesse and industrious imployment in our vocations Accordingly after the fall thus trayned they vp their Children x Gen. 4 2. CAIN was a tiller of the ground ABEL a keeper of sheepe like was the course of Patriarches as wee may reade along the Story Yea the cursed seed of Cain though they degenerated into vanitie yet had they their seuerall imployments In the Israelitish Common-wealth after their settling in the Land of Promise such prouision was made that euery Tribe and Family had their husbandry to bee imployed in The Tribe of LEVI whose exemption was most from manuall Arts yet had their seuerall places of Ministerie In this first ranke of inordinate walkers we haue alas how many to bee ranged It is vaine perhaps to speake of Monkes and such like y Titus 1.12 idle-bellies as PAVL cals Cretians Yet this I may say for them they had the fayrest pretence of all of their disorderly order giuing themselues to deuotion and heauenly contemplation A life I confesse aboue all others to bee chosen were a man borne to himselfe alone But this ground wee must remember Euery man on Earth is a member of some common bodie And is thereby bound to imployment in some office good to communitie Whereby it comes to passe that euen this kind of life spent wholly in deuotion and contemplation is vnpleasing to God Because howsoeuer herein they doe good to themselues yet bring they no benefit to the common bodie I confesse the life hath great commendation amongst Ancients some of them call it heauenly and Angelicall And sure it is such shall bee the life of Gods Children after Resurrection spent wholly in praysing and magnifying the Name of God But till that time see how Angels themselues want not their imployment euen they z Heb. 1.14 are sent forth to minister for good of them that shall be heires of saluation To these may bee added how many of our Gallants and their attendants whose whole life is spent alas how Epicurelike and vnprofitably in eating drinking sporting snorting as if they were borne as the wild Asse-Colt in the Wildernesse to snuffe vp the wind or as Leuiathan in the Sea to take pastime therein Me thinkes seeing their liues I cannot but thinke of that in Ezechiel describing the sinnes of Sodome so fitting it is to men of this disposition The a Ezech. 16.49 sinnes of Sodome were Pride fulnesse of Bread abundance of Idlenesse vnmercifulnesse to the Poore No maruell if they grew such Monsters in Lust hauing all things so at full to feed their Luxurie A third sort are our vagrant and sturdie Beggers whose base and brutish life what termes are sufficient to expresse I know not how our people thinke it almes to feed them in their idlenesse conceiting these the poore whom the Lord hath commended to our compassion His order in Israel was there might b Deut. 15.4 be no Begger among his people And Pauls Cōstitution Men wanting not strength but c 2. Thess 3.10 will to labour must not eat The best mercie to such is that which one cals Misericordia puniens Thou canst not better releeue them then by correction The second kind of persons disorderly are such as neglect imployment of the vocations wherein the LORD hath placed them Of these especially speakes the Apostle His rule is Whoso hath an Office d Rom. 12.7 must wait on his Office And his Ordinance in Thessalonica that if any refused labour e 2. Thess 3.10 hee should not eat Yea hee makes them flat Theeues that so liue Such eat not their owne bread Now here beloued where should I beginne to complaine of vnfaithfulnesse It spreades it selfe so generally ouer all orders and degrees of men This is that eats out the large patrimonies of many gotten with no small care and industrie of their Progenitors while Children thinke themselues borne to pleasures and whatsoeuer is occasion or nourishment of all vitiousnesse in life The third sort is of them that intrude vpon other mens callings not sparing the Function of the Ministery which yet the Lord will haue no man touch but hee that is f Heb. 5.4 called of God as was AARON His Iudgement on Corah and his company for such intrusion is recorded their Censors kept by Gods speciall appointment as g Num. 16.40 a memorial and warning to all posterity The Stories of Vzzah and Vziah are knowne the one stricken h 2. Sam. 6.7 with sudden death the other i Chron. 26.19 21. with leprosie till the day of his death In the fourth ranke are to bee ranged all those that wilfully violate wholesome Ordinances for better ordering of common life whether in Church or Common-wealth Ad omnia sua strenui ad communia pigri Bern. de grad Humilitatis said Bernard of such men delighted in singularitie Turpis est omnis pars quae vniuerso suo non congruit saith Austine And of the persons thus farre The dutie in respect of them is to admonish that is to put them in minde of their dutie It is the k Mat. 18.15 first step or degree in censures which must goe before sharper corrections Touching it three particulars shall be briefly scanned Quest First Whose dutie it is Answ The dutie of euery Christian vt supra They were the people of whom Paul said they were l Rom. 15.14 able to whom he m Col. 3.16 prescribes to admonish one another Doe ye aske Reasons Besides the Commandement of God First Mutual n Iude 20. compassion should teach it vs. Secondly Care of community in respect First Of the o 1. Cor. 5.6 infectiousnesse of the euill example Secondly p Ioh. 7 1◠12. For danger of wrath It iustly reprooues such as put ouer this dutie of loue from themselues to Ministers and thinke it so peculiar to them that in no degree it belongs to them Erewhile wee shewed it pertinent to the people with this difference The Minister doth it as of Authoritie the people out of sociall Charitie The publike performance is the Ministers in priuate commerce the peoples also And it is strange the Lord should commend to vs care of each others body q Exod. 23.4 5 goods good name and leaue vs carelesse of any soules saue our owne The second question is to what persons wee owe it Diogenes and the Cynikes Seneca Epist 29. saith Seneca were wont promiscuously to admonish all they met with What if they fell on deafe men They answered Words were gratuitous and cost them nothing Besides though they missed their end in many yet admonishing all they might doe good to some With like zeale shall I say or passion many are transported prodigally casting away sacred and precious admonitions vpon Dogs and Swine Our Sauiour inioynes vs in this point caution and prudence To make choice of such as wee must admonish by the Word
dung into the face of the Church though the truth is they had their condemnation where they had their first originall And though it bee no strange thing that there should Å¿ Acts 20.30 1. Iohn 2.19 rise in the Church of God peruerse men speaking and doing peruerse things yet this withall is true in experience their fals and faultings are the Churches imputations Wherefore if neyther compassion of the Sinners soule nor feare of Gods wrath nor perill of infection mooue vs yet let the beautie of the Church be precious in our eyes and sway vs to vigilancy against other mens sinnes Taking the other reason of the caueat this is the note First Sinnes to which our propensions are strongest must bee specially watched against I know not any sinne but wee are prone vnto it in Nature yet truth is that as in the state and composition of the bodie though all Elements enter yet still there is some one predominant so in the state of the soule some particulars of sinne there are to which we are stronglyest inclined Hence yee may obserue in sundry passages of Scripture an Emphasis set vpon cautions to auoyd some sinnes t Luke 12.15 Looke vpon Couetousnesse and beware of it Why not as well vpon Pride and Luxurie It may be because those sinnes are more easily discerned more generally detested it may bee also because our Nature is maruellous hauing and much inclined to Couetousnesse u Iam. 5.12 Aboue all things sweare not at all Why aboue all things Is there no sinne comparable to that of Swearing what thinke wee of Idolatry and Superstition no doubt these are in their kinde as haynous if not more But it seemes First This being a sinne of that slippery member the Tongue and Secondly growne now through generall vse familiar Custome that is another Nature had made it habituall The propension thereto was greater therefore is that emphaticall caution giuen Need I adde Reasons that one is me thinkes sufficient x 2 Cor. 2.11 Wee are not ignorant of Satans wiles That old Serpent hath learnd from long experience not to present in temptation sinnes from which hee knowes vs abhorrent but where hee seeth our propensions greatest thither bends hee his temptations What sinnes eyther Naturall constitution or euill custome most inclines vnto there most frequently is euery man tempted Vse As it instructs vs to watch against such inclinations so mee thinkes it disables that vsuall excuse for sinnes that goeth most current amongst the wisest Euery man thinkes himselfe most excusable in the sinne whereto his Nature most bends him And wee doe ill they say to reprooue wrath in a man by Nature Cholerike forsooth his complexion and naturall constitution thither leades him Now how euer I confesse this is something that to the Reproouer should diminish the sinne yet of all others to the Sinner it should lest excuse it except where conscience witnesseth streightest watchfulnesse against it It serues not the turne to say we are thereto naturally inclined For First Corruptions that now are naturall since nature was corrupted are if not against yet beside nature as it was created Secondly The Charge is to be so much the more vigilant against these inclinations by how much more forcible wee know they are in vs when once they are prouoked Herein therefore thou hast more cause of caution and humiliation neuer a whit of more excuse except perhaps wee may thinke sinfull actions are so much the lesse sinfull by how much the more frequently and delightfully they are committed Obser The next thing here obseruable is How prone our Nature is to retailing of wrongs so that except we be exceedingly cautionate against it the best are easily ouer-taken in it That which Pharises taught Jewes is most plausible to Nature Loue friends y Mat. 15.43 hate enemies SAVL a carnall man wonders at DAVID z 1. Sam. 24.19 Who shall finde his enemy at aduantage and let him goe free A thing hee thought is quite against the Principles of Nature and common policie That Lex Talionis yea a Talio without Law carryes with it most plausible equity Insomuch that amongst all the Lords iust proceedings none seemes to haue more pleasing equitie then that wherein he repines euill men in their owne kind As in a Iudges 1.7 case of Adonibezek And our Sauiour Luke 16. where he leades his Disciples to a farther straine acknowledgeth it a matter aboue the course of Nature and such as wherein we approch neerest to the Nature of Gods loue To doe good for good is Naturall good for euill Diuine and supernaturall Vse Bee admonished to watch against it the more by how much stronger thine inclination is thereto And heare not those suggestions of flesh and bloud that it is matter of good Metall to be quicke of touch as forward in returning as others are in offering wrong Thinke him wise that said b Prou. 16.34 Hee that conquereth himselfe is better then he that winneth a Citie Obser The extent followeth None to any The note is this It is not permitted to any to auenge himselfe on any for his personall wrongs Priuate reuenge is interdicted to all in respect of all Neyther may any be his own caruer in retayling of wrong Know we by the way there is a wide difference betwixt that reuenge a Magistrate takes of Malefactors and that which priuate men persecute vpon the iniurious The Magistrate doth it by Authoritie and with warrant from God c Rom. 13.4 whose Minister he is auenger of wrath on them that doe euill For them the Iewes Law runnes thus There shall be eye for eye tooth for tooth the damage done or intended to the innocent must bee turned vpon the iniurious Of priuate persons the case is other of them the precept holds generally d Rom. 12.19 Auenge not your selues Resist not euill rather suffer a double then thinke of returning a single iniury Reasons If any man aske them are these First Vengeance is Gods they intrude vpon Gods Prerogatiue Royall that without warrant from him presume to auenge themselues Secondly His promise is to repay it but hac lege saith Augustine that wee wayte his leasure and preoccupate not his executions To tell how conscionable Gods Saints haue beene this way were long Of Dauid the Story is knowne in the rayling of Shimei And howsoeuer wee read of his vow of vengeance in heat of bloud yet how e 1. Sam. 25.32 blesseth hee the Lord that kept him from shedding bloud f 1. Pet. 2.23 Our Sauiour saith PETER f 1. Pet. 2.23 Being reuiled he reuiled not againe but committed the vengeance to him that iudgeth iustly Anabaptists and men of that fury wrest this and like Scriptures to ouerthrow of Magistracie permitting to none in the dayes of the New Testament to vndertake authority of defending the innocent my purpose is not to be long in confutation Euen now they are g Rom. 13.4 Ministers
after some smattering knowledge and seedes of Grace receiued despise meanes sanctified of their growth and establishment and will needes bee their owne keepers Paul speakes not but thunders against such g Heb. 10.25 as forsake the Assemblies of Saints Secondly How should this restrayne contemptuous Vse 2 insultings ouer others weakenesse behinde vs as they seeme in the measure of Grace First For alas h 1. Cor. 4.7 Who is it that discernes vs or what haue wee that wee haue not receiued And if receiued why boast wee In Gods discriminating vs from others in the measure of gifts cause wee haue of thankefulnesse none of pride when beginnings increase continuance of Sanctitie are meerly of God Secondly Our merits of Grace no more then theirs of vs it is true as of any Wee were in times i Titus 3.3 past disobedient serued lusts and diuers pleasures Thirdly In Nature as vncapable of all holy instincts as any Fourthly Our infirmities in first enterance as great as others Fiftly And our hinderlings haply may ouertake and out-strip vs in holy practice There remaynes the extent of Sanctification which is prayed to the whole of man and whatsoeuer faculty or part God hath allotted to the entyrenesse of his Nature Thus sorted by the Apostle The Spirit Soule and Body The Spirit vnderstand the intellectuall part of the Soule Paul cals it elsewhere The spirit of our minde the Soule the appetite and sensuall faculties common to vs with brutes the Body the outward man the instrument and organ of the Soule To these all and the whole of them Paul prayes increase and preseruation in Sanctity The points intended to our notice are two First There is no part or faculty of mans Body or Soule not that which may seeme most pure and excellent but needs to be sanctified Therefore is Pauls exhortation To be renewed in the k Ephes 4.23 Spirit of our minde in the most pure and spirituall part of the Soule And if it also haue beene depraued by the Fall of Adam how needes it not restoring by the Grace of Christ Defects in the vnderstanding are noted foure principall l Ephes 4.17 18 First Ignorance grossest ignorance in things that concerne Gods Kingdome Secondly Vanitie and no lesse then dotage about things that cannot profit m 1. Cor. 12.14 Thirdly Impotencie to know the things of the Spirit of God Fourthly n Rom. 8.7 Enmitie against the Law of God professed quarrelling against the Gospell and prophane befooling of Gods Wisedome in choice of meanes for mans Saluation And if the minde haue so farre degenerated how may the will be thought to keepe her first integritie so that Grace shall not need to alter but onely to excite or assist it That Cordurum in the Prophet which he cals not plumbeum or ferreum o Ezech. 36.26 but lapideum it is nothing else to Austine but mans will obstinate in euill obdurate against all goodnesse There were that taught the corruption deriued from Adam to stay only in the inferiour parts of the soule the appetite and sensualitie Mentior if I thinke not Papists most of that minde so Philosophically conceit they the Combate betwixt flesh and Spirit to import little more then that conflict Heathens obserued betwixt Reason and Appetite Generally it goes current that the higher faculties are infeebled only Grace alters not their qualitie but assists their infirmitie Contra. First Why then prayes Paul Sanctification to the spirit of man Secondly How perswades hee indeuour of Renouation in the spirit of our minde Thirdly Notes Enmitie in Natures Wisedome against Gods Law Fourthly And placeth something p Gal. 5.20 fleshly in the vnderstanding The purest part must be sanctified is therefore depraued in the quality and constitution of it The second point offered to our obseruation is that where truth of Sanctification is vouchsafed the whole of man partakes it no part or power of Body or Soule but feeles vertue of Gods Spirit purging corruption fastening impressions of holy Qualities Old things are passed away q 2. Cor. 5.17 Behold all things in the new Creature are become new And sure it is The Grace of Christ is euery whit as large as the sinne of Adam what it hath wounded Christs Grace hath salued that his power may appeare as great to saue as Adams was to destroy It may be this power of Gods sanctifying Spirit appeares not alike euidently in euery part yet hath euery particle his seasoning with Sanctitie Whereby true Sanctitie is discerned First from that Mocke-grace-Ciuilitie harbouring in the minde grossest Ignorance and Vanitie tolerating r Mat. 5.21 27. lasciuious wrathfull prophane affections Carefull of nothing saue of plausible outward carriage and demeanour in the eies of men Secondly From halting Hypocrisie rigorously handling sinnes it cares not for Å¿ Mark 6.11 20. tendering their dearling and with wantonnest indulgence cockering it Thirdly From pretended purity of heart while the tongue runs ryot in filthinesse rayling blasphemy the eyes are full of adultery the hands of rapine and violence c. May wee thinke the fountaine cleane that streames out such filthinesse or any these party-Deuils to bee perfect Saints By Pauls rule he is no Saint that is not wholly sanctified he hath sanctity in no part that is not sanctified in euery part VERS 24. Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it THe second part of the Conclusion deliuering sweet consolation assuring them of obtayning the blessings prayed for the parts are two First an assertion God will doe it Secondly confirmation of the auouchment by a double reason First from the propertie of God hee is faithfull which implies his promise Secondly from the action of GOD begunne and continued in Pauls apprehension a pledge of Gods purpose to perfect and preserue them because he calls them Prayeth Paul for that which hee is assured the Lord will doe Belike then Gods promises and purposes that are of surest accomplishment must be furthered to accomplishment by prayer and such like meanes as God hath sanctified t Luk. 24.26 What more certayne then Christs returne to his glorie his humiliation being finished yet with what instance u Ioh. 17.5 prayes he of his Father his owne and his Churches glorie The x Reuel 22.17 20. Spirit and the Bride say Come though Amen hath testified that he will come quickly No man can thinke it strange that viewes First the qualitie and constitution of Gods decree touching grace and glorie so ordered that it is not absolute for the end but includes the meanes God hath chosen vs to saluation shall we say as those desperate howsoeuer we liue In no sort but y 2. Thes 2.13 through sanctification of the Spirit and Faith of the Truth Thence is that reasoning of the Apostle from Gods purpose touching the end to our necessarie vse and application of the meanes The Gentiles God decrees to saue No matter would a miscreant
men in extraordinary grace and fauour with GOD such as their Monkes c. men sequestred from all secular imployments and as was pretended mortified and euen dead to the World By which colour of long Prayers as Christ spake of Pharises a Mat. 23.14 they deuoured Widdowes houses Now suppose them men so eminently gifted aboue the ordinary ranke of Gods people must therefore their Prayers finde more acceptance with God or might not Prayers of the people be all out as helpfull to them The greatest of Gods Saints may reape comfort by Prayers of the meanest perhaps as much as they by men of most eminent gifts and calling Let vs bee admonished what-euer our gifts be not to despise the meanest amongst Gods Saints There is none so meane in the Church of GOD but may in spirituall things bee helpfull vnto vs eyther by their example or holy monitions or experienced consolations at least by their Prayers to God for vs. Too ordinary is our base esteeme and contemptuous carriage towards the meaner ranke of Brethren occasioned often by Pride and ouer-weening conceit of our eminent gifts sometimes by disparitie of their outward estate though otherwise in spirituall indowments they bee no-whit our inferiours Saint Iames obserued such partialitie as a fault in his time and by reasons mee thinkes weightie labours to reforme it sending vs to consider First How these poore of the World God b Iam. 2.5 hath chosen and in his loue preferred them before many perhaps Kings and Monarches in his election to life Secondly Many of them he hath made rich in faith recompensed with abundance of spirituall blessings as it were to make amends for their outward pouertie Thirdly Euen these he hath made co-heires with the greatest of the Kingdome which he hath promised Fourthly If no other reason yet this may sway vs to louing respect of them that by their Prayers they may bee helpfull vnto vs. Pray for vs. Inferences of Papists hence are these First that if without impeachment of Christs mediation wee may craue Prayers of the liuing why not also of Saints departed Secondly If the Prayers of Saints liuing compassed with infirmities bee so accepted with God much more they of Saints glorified By all meanes this must affoord them one argument for inuocation of Saints departed Answ But how followes it that if wee may craue the Prayers of the liuing then also of the dead For the first wee haue Gods Precept and Promise to assure vs Saints practice to warrant that acceptable vnto God can they shew vs the like for inuocation of Saints deceased Secondly Wee haue meanes to signifie and make knowne to them our desires not so to Saints departed They tell vs indeed of a Glasse of the Trinitie wherein by I know not what reflexion they see belike whatsoeuer God himselfe knowes But First no mention find wee in Scripture of such a speculum Trinitatis Secondly Angels that c Mat. 18.10 continually behold the face of our Father in Heauen yet d Mat. 24.36 are ignorant of the Day of Iudgement And the wisedome of God in the worke of Redemption and gathering the Church of the Gentiles Angels know not by beholding Gods essence but by e Ephes 3.10 obseruing his dispensations in the Church If perhaps they say It is not speculum naturale but voluntarium and so exhibits no more then God sees expedient for them to know yet must they bee able to proue that these are amongst those expediencies which the Lord hath reuealed himselfe willing to make known to his Saints and Angels Besides what infinite oddes betwixt requesting the Sociall helpe of our Brethrens Prayers and the prostrating of bodies and soules to Saints departed out of a supposed power they haue to know our hearts and a conceit of more mercie in them then in our GOD the f 2. Cor. 1.3 Father of tender Mercies or in his Christ our mercifull Mediatour and High Priest that by g Heb. 4.15 experience of sorrowes learnt commiseration I say as that Ancient Tutâ—ùs loquor ad meum Iesum quà m ad quemuis Sanctorum Spirituum Pray for vs. The peoples dutie is withall here intimated To pray for their Ministers So is h Ephes 6.19 PAVLS frequent exhortation so was Saints i Act. 12.5 practice Gods Spirit wee haue directing what are the specialties to bee prayed for vnto them thus yee may range them First Some respect our Office Secondly Some our Persons As touching our Office Three things especially are pointed at to bee remembred in the peoples Prayers First Our abilities Secondly Right vse of abilities Thirdly Fruit and successe of labours First To the first I thinke must bee referred that of MOSES k Deut. 33.8 Let thine Vrim and thy Thummim bee with thy Holy one said Moses praying for the Tribe of Leui They are vsually rendered light and perfection that referred to our knowledge this to our life as is the common coniecture q. d. Forasmuch as thou hast separated Leuites to minister before thee in behalfe of the people and hast made them their Guides in the way to life Lord giue them Knowledge and Conscience that they may bee Guides to the Blinde Lights to them that sit in Darknesse Instructors of the Ignorant Types and Patternes to the Flocke ouer which thou hast made them Ouer-seers How necessary Prayers for this blessing vpon Ministers is appeares easily if wee consider eyther the mischiefes flowing into Gods Church by the Ignorance Errour or Prophanenesse of the Minister or that Ordinance of God in choosing them to be his Instruments and as it were hands whereby to reach vnto you all sauing Grace and Knowledge First to fill you with complaints of Prophets bewayling the misery of the people occasioned by the ignorance seducement or lewd liues of Pastors were endlesse Take view of Congregations where the misery complayned of by the Prophet may bee obserued Like Priest like people How lamentable is the Ignorance Superstition Prophanenesse of the people such that there is scarce to bee found amongst them knowledge of God so much as Heathens gathered by light of Nature and the little that is so depraued with Superstition or corrupted by Prophanenesse and Disobedience that in them is to bee found of Christians scarce any thing besides the Name nor almost of men beside the shape so sottish are they in their vnderstanding so neuer a whit lesse then brutish in their liues No maruell in want of able Pastors to feed them with knowledge and vnderstanding Secondly Them hath God made l Mat. 5.14 The Lights of the World by whom to scatter the bright beames of his Truth and to conuey all sauing Grace into the hearts of his people That though perhaps speculatiue Knowledge and Moralitie may bee obtayned by priuate contemplation yet sauing Knowledge and Faith and Conuersion is not ordinarily bestowed on any but by the Ministerie Pray therefore with Moses that God will put his Vrim and
First the Brethren Secondly all the Brethren Thirdly the rite or Ceremony with a kisse whose qualification is expressed it must be Holy Greete or salute Not much vnlike is that custome amongst vs to send commendations to those wee wish well vnto thereby signifying our louing remembrance and heartiest well-wishing to those that are deare vnto vs. From Pauls fact desiring by such courtesie to haue his loue manifested to the people of God we learne that In Christian loue it sufficeth not that the heart be kindly affected except we giue due testimonie of our well-wishing to the Saints of God What Iames speakes of faith thinke spoken of loue Shew me thy Faith thy loue by thy Workes SALOMON requires to shew our selues friendly Christians of old time were carefull in this kind whence in Church Primitiue grew their f Iude 12. loue-feasts as well to testifie as to procure loue and hence the ceremonie heere mentioned to salute with a kisse continued till dayes of Iustine Martyr Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. in customarie vse before their approching to the Lords Table thereby to testifie their heartiest and vnfeigned well-wishing and reconcilement each to other Tertullian de oratione Tertullian blames the omission of that rite growne vpon the Church in times of their solemne fastings and Prayers then they withdrew that Osculum pacis when in Tertullians iudgement it was most conuenient and necessary Truth is the Nature of this affection is as of fire it can by no meanes be conceiled but breakes out and will find vent There is a kind of loue which Salomon calls g Prou. 27.5 secret open rebuke he preferres before it When men pretending I know not what feruency of affection to the Saints of God liue yet as strangers each to other And as men ashamed of that Cognisance of Christians content themselues to wish wel pray good to the Church of God society friendly familiarity so euery where commended as auaileable to cherish Grace they purposely decline Consider First how neerely it concernes vs to preserue reputation of Christians to giue testimony of our loue and hearty well-wishing to the Saints Hereby saith our Sauiour h Ioh. 13.35 all men shall know that yee are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Meanes hee onely of inward affection How can that manifest vs to the eyes of the world Except there be added visible testimonies of our beneuolent affection Secondly We cannot be ignorant how much discouragement it brings to Nouices in Grace to see themselues slighted by such as professe the faith The i Act. 6.1 Grecians seeing their widowes neglected grew to murmuring Thirdly If none of these mooue yet let the practice of worst men in their carnall affections sway vs. How willing are they the world should notice their brotherhood and consent in euill It is the shame of Christians to secret their loue to the children of God The persons are the Brethren the Saints of God to these he desires the testimonies of his intimous loue limited to these all extended The points are two First Though loue in some offices must bee extended to all yet are there offices to bee limited to the Saints In loue are foure things First Beneuolence Secondly Beneficence Thirdly Complacentia Fourthly Familiaritie From our beneuolence and well-wishing may none be excluded seeme they for the present neuer so vile k 1. Tim. ◠1 Prayers must be made for all euen for enemies of the Church And for Beneficence the charge runnes generally Doe good to all l Gal. 6.10 A Specialtie in these must be reserued to Saints yet may none be simply excluded from them As touching that Complacentia contentment and pleasance taken in men and that which flowes from it Familiaritie they are so peculiar to Saints that they cannot without suspition of vnsoundnes be extended to Aliens Dauids protestation m Psal 16.3 All my delight is in the Saints on earth and in such as excell in vertue And I am n Psal 119.63 a companion of all that feare thee and keepe thy Statutes And I haue not haunted o Psal 26.4 with vaine persons nor sate in the assemblie of mockers The charge is With such eate not p 2. Cor. 6.17 separate your selues c. And that neerest loue and testimonies thereof should thus bee limited to Saints euinceth First our neerest coniunction with them in the body of Christ by the bond of the Spirit There are neighbours in Nature by Cohabitation in Affection in Grace Besides that most of these proximities may haue place in the Saints of God how neerely hath the Lord combined vs in the body of Christ vnder one head and quickned vs by the same Spirit Secondly though enemies may not be excluded from our loue yet who makes question but friends must be preferred in the measure of louing To SAVL an enemie DAVID shewed kindnesse But his soule q 1. Sam. 18.13 claue to the soule of IONATHAN Men in nature are enemies only Saints are friends to Saints Thirdly their merits of vs are far greater then any can be of Aliens By their Prayers and spiritual gifts and holy example they may be furtherances to vs in the way to life Iustifiable therefore against all cauils of gracelesse and malicious men is this prudence in Charity Generally wee see men that most hate societie with the Saints of God are first that finde fault with their strangenesse in matter of familiar conuersation Reason they thinke they haue sufficient to hate their holy faith and profession that they see them so partiall in their affections How could I wish they were such as with whom Gods children might with comfort conuerse But first if that be a precept of Gods Spirit Not r 1. Cor. 5.11 to eate with that brother that is a fornicatour or otherwise scandalous Secondly if Pauls charge be ſ 2. Thes 3.6 to withdraw from euery Brother that walkes inordinately Thirdly If Dauid and Ieremie held it part of their righteousnesse t Iere. 15.17 Not to sit in the assemblie of mockers with what warrant may Gods children make such their familiars Fourthly and alas what may a man expect to heare or see in such societie other then Lot in Sodome Onely what may u 2. Pet. 2.8 vexe a Righteous soule Fiftly it is not for nothing Salomon aduiseth to be so charie of our company Lewd examples are infectious Lewd mens indeuour x Pro. 4.16 to draw Gods people to their owne excesse of riot Lastly Gods precept Saints practice call vs alwayes to y Gal. 6.10 limit the specialtie of our loue the testimonies of our intire affectiō to the houshold of faith Reproueable rather is that promiscuous charitie as it is pretended to be in too frequent vse amongst men professing the feare of God whose friendliest kindnesses run without difference to all as well Aliens as Brethren that know no oddes betwixt the Church of
the state present of his children their saluation is certaine whether they liue or die this they are or may be assured of liuing holily in this World they shall liue happily with Christ in the World to come Vpon like Grounds Gods Decree and Christs Death is Pauls glorious Triumph in the name and person of all Gods children Therefore i Rom. 8.38 39 neither life nor death no State or Creature shall separate from the loue of God or depriue of Saluation And that of the same Apostle k Rom. 14.8 Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lords And see how solid the foundations of this Assurance is built first on Gods Decree secondly on Christs Death Can any hinder the Lords Appointments or frustrate the vertue of the Death of Christ Vse Let it teach vs all the practice of that high point of Dutie l 1. Pet. 4.19 Resigning our selues to the Lords absolute disposing in our outward estate whether it shall be by life or death As m 1. Sam. 3.18 ELI as n 2. Sam. 15 26. DAVID It is the Lord let him doe whatsoeuer seemes good in his eyes Am I assured that neither shall hinder my saluation Then though the Lord prolong my life to see neuer so many euils though hee call to suffer death neuer so vntimely or full of torture me thinkes I cannot but say as they The Lords will be fulfilled Sometimes it falls out that life to Gods children seemes a burthen So did it to o 1. King 19.4 Elias seeing the miserable deprauation of all things in the Kingdome of Israel and the implacable furie of that Monster Iezabel So to p Iob. 6.9 10. Iob suspecting his strength in such extremitie of Afflictions Sometimes Death especially violent affrights euen to amazement It is indeed the most terrible of all painefull euils Consider we in either temptation what Paul here teacheth What euer our lot shall be whether Life or Death our Saluation is certaine founded on Gods vnchangeable Decree purchased by the precious Bloud-shedding and Death of Christ If Life be perplexed in miserie yet hee whom thou hast trusted is able to keepe what thou hast committed vnto him If Death seize thee whether naturall or violent it cannot separate whether wee sleepe or wake die or liue wee shall liue together with him that died for vs. VERS 11. Wherefore comfort your selues together and edifie one another euen as also wee doe THe words containe another Precept subordinately seruing to the practice of the duties of Sobrietie Watchfulnesse c. formerly inioyned In them obseruable are first the Duties secondly the Persons to whom they are inioyned thirdly the necessitie and ground of the Duties fourthly the mollification of the Precept The Duties are to comfort and edifie The word translated Comfort signifies indifferently to comfort to exhort to entreat That of Edifying is metaphoricall and signifies first to build vp thence it is translated to signifie any furthering or promoting of another or our selues in grace or gracious practice by Instruction Admonition Exhortation c. Obser The Dutie then is of all Gods people to further each other by all holy meanes in gracious courses To the People it is said q Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another dayly to the People commanded To r Heb. 10.24 prouoke each other to Loue and good Works to the People belongs that of Iude Å¿ Iude 20. Edifie one another in your holy Faith And long before t Leuit. 19.17 To rebuke their Neighbour and not suffer him to sinne Practice of Saints is ancient Before-time it was wont to be said in Israel u 1. Sam. 9.9 Come let vs goe vp to the Seer c. It is true that in the manner of performing something there is in all these peculiar to Ministers Thus conceiue this mutuall edification to differ from that wee call Ministeriall First the one is with Authoritie the other out of sociall Charitie Secondly to doe these things in the Congregation is so peculiar to the Ministerie that he is guiltie of x Heb. 5.4 vsurping the honour of AARON that intrudes vpon it yet in the Familie and priuate Conuersation the Duties belong to all Vse Two sorts of people are here reproued first of them that what in them lies destroy rather then build rather quench then further grace in others The Rulers in Christs time had made an Ordinance y Ioh. 9.22 That whosoeuer ioyned to Christ should be cast out of the Synagogue I make no question but Gods Decree was as peremptorie for the Ordainers to cast them out of his Kingdome Christ I am sure cries heauie Woe to such as z Luk. 11.52 neither entred themselues nor suffered those that would And but that I know all haue not Faith and that the World cannot receiue the Spirit of God a man might make question whether these were the dayes of the New Testament I meane for the behauiour of the multitude It was prophecied of those dayes a Zach. 8.21 Mic. 4.2 They should one prouoke another to pietie The Prophecie is fulfilled in those whose hearts God hath seasoned with Grace whoso hinders it giues euidence he hath no part nor portion in this businesse How full is euery Congregation of feoffing Ishmaels that labour by reproches and like persecutions to discourage those they see comming onward to Christ It is true of these times that the Prophet complained of in Israel Whoso walketh vprightly makes himselfe not a reproch onely but a prey And which is prodigious me thinkes in Parents to whom what should be so precious as the soules of their children rather then they shall share in the Inheritance of the Saints their temporall Inheritance shall be aliened from them Woe and a heauie Woe to such b Mat. 18.6 How much better were it that a Mill-stone were hanged about their necke and they cast into the Sea A second sort is of men sinning by carelesse neglect of these Duties thinking it well and enough for them that they hinder no mans progression in grace And surely such are the times generally that he seemes to deserue the repute of a good man that doth no euill though he doe no good Quest Forsooth c Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his owne burthen and whereto serue our Ministers Answ God hath layd this charge vpon euery mans Conscience to admonish and exhort the Precept is not only to turne but to d Ezech. 18.30 cause others to turne and the sinnes of others which thou art bound to hinder by not hindering become thine The duties in publike concerne the Ministers But is it for nought that yee are called a Kingdome e Reuel 1.6 of Priests and haue all receiued f 1. Joh. 2.20 an Oyntment from the Father Bee all exhorted to more conscience of these duties First Our neere coniunction in the Body of Christ requires it There is in the naturall body amongst the members