vnto vs Whoso turneth his eare from hearing the Law r Pro. 28.9 euen his prayer shall be abominable Secondly let not that censure passed by our Sauiour vpon Contemners be forgotten equalling this sinne with the crying sinnes of Sodome and protesting that the damnation of Å¿ Matth. 10.15 Sodomites shall be more tolerable then that of desperate contemners Thirdly remember that sweet reason of Saint Iames exhorting to receiue the Word with meeknesse It is t Iam. 1.21 able he saith to saue your soules I adde more out of Paul it is u Rom. 10.14 necessarie to the sauing of your soules so necessarie that without it none are ordinarily saued VERS 21. Prooue all things hold fast that which is good THe former Precept inioyned diligence in hearing here are prescribed First discretion in iudging Secondly constancie in retayning what vpon triall shal be found currant Prooue all things The question here is whom this Prescript concernes Bellarm. de Laicis lib. 3. cap. 21. there be that limit it to Bishops and Pastors of the Church and such only as they shall for that purpose associate to themselues Wee may not thinke this Prescript extended to Laicks as if the Apostle would permit to euery Cobler triall and examination of his Pastors doctrine Truth is God hath not made the people Vmpires of our doctrine nor giuen them supreme arbitrement of our gifts or teaching their x Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing and what euer knowledge they haue they haue by the Ministerie It is their sawcie arrogancie that assume power determinatiue and take libertie in conuenticles of themselues to passe sentence definitiue of Truth or falsehood in their Pastors doctrine A course more Christian were in matters of doubt to craue cleerer euidence of the Minister at least to aduise with other more iudicious of that calling that still y 1. Cor. 14.32 the spirits of Prophets might be subiect to Prophets Howbeit they incroach too farre vpon the peoples libertie that denie them all power of examination which circumstances of this Text and other passages of Scripture cleerly affoord them For first to whom belong those other Prescripts of praying and praising God of attending to prophecie belong not these to the people how then may wee imagine this Prescript onely cut off from the rest and limited to Pastors of the Church Secondly speaks Iohn to Pastors only when he commands to z 1. Ioh 4.1 trie the Spirits whether they be of God Thirdly the Nobles of Beraea are a Act. 17.11 commended for this prudence Fourthly Paul prayeth for this grace amongst others to the people that they may be b Phil. â— 9 10. able to discerne the things that differ Vainely is the abilitie desired if there be no libertie permitted to vse it Thinke it therefore spoken to you also the people of God and thence learne Vnto diligence in hearing to adde prudence in discerning so Iohn also aduised not to beleeue euery spirit c 1. Ioh. 4.1 but to trie the spirits if they be of God wherefore to Iewes the Lord prescribed d Deut. 13.2 3.18.2 22. rules to iudge Prophets by and caused his Word to be written to be the Canon and measure of all that vnder pretence of truth is deliuered to the Church of God Necessitie of the duetie Scriptures presse by Reasons First shewing vs the common lot of the Church to be e 2. Pet. 2.1 1. Ioh. 4.1 pestered with false teachers By Ieremie the Lord complaynes him of false prophets f Jer. 23.16 that published the visions of their owne braine by Micah of some g Mic. 2.11 walking in the spirit but lying falsly PAVL of false apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ Saint Iohn of Antichrists many pettie Antichrists euen then gone out into the world In after-times flowed into the Church a streame of Heretiques All Ages groned vnder the burthen of them till at length rose vp that grand Antichrist framing vs a faith made vp of nothing but fragments and scraps of ancient Heresies And haue not our owne eyes seene sprung vp peruerse men teaching peruerse things I would I might not say peruerting the faith of some through want of prudence here prescribed and skill to trie the Spirits Saint Paul giues reason of that prouident whether appointment or permission of God that the approued amongst vs may be knowne Saint Austin obserued another benefit hence ensuing August de Genesi cont Manich would God it had place amongst vs Vt cum insultant nobis interrogant nos ea quae nescimus vel sic excutiamus pigritiam diuinas Scripturas nosse cupiamus how-euer this prudence it should force vpon vs to consider our steps and not as the Foole in SALOMON to giue credence to euery thing published vnder the name of Truth Secondly Euen the most holy and most vpright in heart are but in part enlightned that though it may be supposed they would not wittingly misse-leade vs yet through remaynes of ignorance the mother of errour they may taint our iudgements and h 2. Cor. 11.3 corrupt our minds from the simplicitie of the Gospell Prophets and Apostles onely excepted there scarce euer was Teacher in the Church so venerable for learning or sanctitie but had his errours as naeues obserued in him Saint Augustine reckoned the most iudicious amongst the Ancients hath his errours obserued both in iudgement and practice his mistake it was that Christ pressing necessitie of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud intended the Sacramentall eating thence grew his errour of Infants admittance to the Sacrament of the Supper and how deuoutly prayed he for his Mother Monica deceased Cyprian a blessed Martyr yet held a nullitie of Heretiques baptisme maintayned stifly rebaptization Saint Hieromes learning who reades him but admires yet how contemptuously speakes hee of the Marriage bed how dotes he on the merit of Virginitie To say in a word Saint Augustine freely confesseth his errours and frailtie his second thoughts wiser vttered his retractations his conscience of weaknesse permitteth to his Reader libertie of iudgement It will euer be true i Rom. 3.4 Euery man is a Lyer Euer the priuiledge of Apostles and Prophets to be guided by an infallible and vnerring Spirit Let no mans learning or sanctitie so farre forestall vs as without tryall to admit whatsoeuer he speaks therefore because he speaks it Thirdly It is a rule in the Apostle Our Faith may not rest on men but on the Lords authoritie the prime obiect of Faith is Veritas prima and whoso hath no other ground to rest on in beleeuing saue the authoritie of men hath no faith but meerely humane We haue heard the duetie and necessitie of it the limits and cautions in performance are these First that principles must rather be maintayned then examined or disputed there are truthes cleere and euident by their owne light of which it were madnesse to
15.19 he must still take away the precious from the vile yea see how stiffe he requires him to be in that case Let them turne to thee turne not thou to them The Apostle tels vs of a dangerous disease in the eares of men It is the q 2. Tim. 4.3 itching of the eare it hath this propertie it cannot endure wholesome Doctrine but vaine triuiall fabulous things it delights to be tickled withall God forbid any faithfull Pastor should tickle it Salt is better for it then Oyle though it bee more byting it is much more soueraigne Obiect Auditors they say will not profit by our Ministerie Answ First A Ministers dutie is this to doe what God prescribes without distrustfull care of the issue Secondly Haue wee not seene the power of the Word so farre changing the temper of the heart that it hath made of enemies friends how many have come to heare as the Pharises our Sauiour to intangle him in his Doctrine who yet haue gone away relenting and whose saluation is more hopelesse then that of scoffers Yet haue we seene them sodainly brought r Act. 2.13 37. vpon their knees Truth is Gods Word needs not helpe of humane policie Thirdly Heare what Gods Spirit vpon like occasion answeres to his Seruant Iohn It seemes hee was troubled with some such doubt little hope there appeared of good to come by publishing the Booke yet is his charge Å¿ Apoc. 22.10.11 not to seale the Booke though hee that is filthy will be filthy still yet will the righteous encrease in righteousnesse Lastly by this you heare to be a fault in the Minister you of the people may take notice of like faults in your selues some few palpable in this kind amongst the people shall be noted Two sorts of men we find faultie in this kind the first are in truth starke Atheists vngodly men their disposition such as the Poets fable of their Proteus changing himselfe into all shapes so these fashion themselues to all manners all companies that by all meanes they may get aduantage by all men Amongst Saints they can Saint it and amongst Deuils play the Deuils incarnate Come they amongst men religious their speech gestures all things shall pretend Religion Are they sorted with profane persons to them also they suite their manners And it is a world to see how they please themselues in this man-pleasing carriage and thinke themselues greatest Politicians the onely wise amongst men what thinke wee are these but starke Atheists without God in this world t Iam. 3.9 10 11 monstrous fountaynes they are saith Iames that out of one hole send forth bitter water and sweet monstrous mouthes out of which comes blessing and cursing with the same mouth blesse they God and curse man made after the similitude of God nay God himselfe in whose Image they were created and they are monsters amongst men that are thus variably suited to all mens manners A second sort are our peaceable ciuill honest men as they would be termed whose chiefe studie is to haue the good will and good word of all men their glorie in contentions euen for Gods cause so to carry themselues that they displease neither side The worst men said the Heathen are Neuters in contentions worst saith Gods Spirit u Reuel 3.15 are the luke-warme neither hot nor cold And saith our Sauiour in case of confession he that is not x Matt. 12.30 with me is against me he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad The next thing here deseruing our notice is the Anti-thesis betwixt the two God and man pleasing men and pleasing God as if he thought them to be incompatible and were of opinion that a man desiring to please men could not please God and certainly it is a truth being expounded as afore Let a man please carnall men he cannot but displease God Let a man seeke to please God hee cannot but displease men that as our Sauiour said yee cannot serue God and Mammon so may wee say yee cannot please God and men That this seeme no paradoxe consider the great contrarietie betwixt corrupted nature and Gods pure Maiestie light and darknesse good and euill or if there be any things that haue greater repugnancie are not more contrariant then Gods nature and carnall man see if you will the things proceeding from God to man carrying stamp of his puritie and iudge whether there be not natural enmitie in mans nature against them First the y Rom. 7.12 Law of God is holy iust and good pure as the Law-giuer the wisedome of the flesh z Rom. 8.7 is enmitie vnto it Secondly the Spirit and Grace of God what greater contrarietie then twixt it and the flesh when they meet in one person greater discord ariseth then that Christ speaks of betwixt a man and his sonne euen betwixt a Gal. 5.17 a man and himselfe there is nothing that a fleshly man desireth or doth but God dislikes nothing that God prescribes but flesh detesteth Let God forbid sinne flesh becomes so b Rom. 7.13 much the more sinfull let him enioyne a good duetie euen for the Commandement carnalitie more abhorres it It sheweth and teacheth vs to bewaile the fearefull deprauation of our nature by the fall of Adam Can nothing please vs that pleaseth God Oh brethren thus was it not from the beginning there once was such likenesse twixt God and vs that what he liked we approued what he hated we detested now behold nature so farre depraued that it is growne directly repugnant to the Nature and Will of God insomuch that hee cannot please God that will please men and a man that will giue contentment to his owne carnalitie displeaseth presently the Maiestie of God And let it teach vs as to bewaile this fearefull deprauation so to mortifie our earthly members and to beware how wee cherish and giue contentment to sensualitie lest we yet further encrease the enmitie betwixt God and vs. Secondly see we how foolishly men please themselues in this that they so demeane themselues as to please all euen carnall men A great thing to thanke God on q.d. they thanke God for this that they displease God and lacke their euidence of his fauour In such mens pleasing carriage one of there two I dare say is incurred First either running with them to the same excesse of ryot c 1. Pet. 4.4 else they speake euill Secondly or forbearing all wholesome admonitions and d Ephes 5.11 rebukes prescribed separate thy selfe from their corrupt conuersation giue thy selfe to doe what is pleasing in the sight of God hadst thou the wisedome of Men and Angels thou canst not but be displeasing to carnall men Lastly cease hence to wonder at that causelesse wrath rising in carnall men against Gods children the reason is euident when Iehoshaphat asketh of Achab whether there were no other Prophet by whom to enquire of the mouth of the Lord Yes saith Achab one there is
if we pray as we ought They ill prouide for their comfort in temptation that vnder pretence of vnworthinesse to obtayne or coldnesse in Prayer neglect this Ordinance of God that to all other the spirituall armour u Ephes 6.18 Bernard giues strength Grauis equidem nobis est inimici tentatio sed longè grauior illi oratio nostra Thirdly To these let be added the complete armour mentioned by the Apostle Fourthly Obseruance of Satans wiles and our owne infirmities where his greatest likelihood is to preuayle Secondly The censure is not harsh to say of any entising to euil that they are instruments or x Iob. 8.44 Children of the Deuill whose works ethey do whose nature they resemble One said once Quot peccata tot Daemonia so many euils so many Deuils we may truly say so many Tempters so many incarnate Deuils A people rise in euery place Pharises were not more painfull y Mat. 23.15 to make Proselites then they partners in their excesse of ryot z Prou. 4.15 Their sleepe departs except they cause some to fall Our Sauiour stucke not to call a Mat. 16.23 PETER Satan in that case Quest How may Satanicall temptations bee discerned from those of our owne concupiscence Answ I thinke with Bernard Bern. in Cantic Serm. 32. it is scarce possible to put exact difference neither is it much materiall to know This hold for a rule Whatsoeuer thought exalteth it selfe b 2. Cor. 10.5 against the obedience of Christ is a temptation whether from Satan or from thine owne heart is somewhat curious to inquire our care should be not to consent thereto Obser The Tempter The Deuill then is a Tempter but sure wee are he is no inforcer Hee may suggest perswade prouoke to euill enforce hee can no man to yeeld to his temptations There is a threefold libertie of the will First from sinne Secondly from miserie Thirdly from necessitie The two first we lost in ADAM from necessitie and coaction the will is still so free that if it could be constrayned it were no will Therefore the Lord in conuersion forceth not the will but sweetly inclines it The Deuill in temptation compels not but perswades it Truly said the Heathen Nemo nolens malus and nemo peccat inuitus Not a Beare or Lyon but a Serpent supplanted our first Parents a creature not stronger but more subtle then others Serpens Bern de duplici Baptismo ô EVA decepit te decepit profectò non impulit aut coegit The euill spirit returning ingreditur non irruit eum alijs septem nequioribus non fortioribus Quest How then say we of Gods Childrens infirmities they are inuoluntary sinnes Answ First simply and in euery respect inuoluntary they are not their actions are of mixt Nature in part voluntary partly inuoluntary because the consent is not full Secondly In Gods Children is flesh and Spirit the will is partly fleshly partly spirituall as farre as it is spirituall it consents not but quâ carnalis it yeelds willingly to motions of euill This once we are sure force there can none bee offered to the will The Deuill may tempt hee cannot enforce Therefore Eue desiring in best manner to excuse her selfe complaynes of deceit not of constraint The Serpent c Gen. 3.13 beguiled me and I did eate Vse So that vainely men attempt excuse of their wilfull sinnes by deriuing their blame from themselues to the Deuill Obiect The Deuill forsooth ought them a spite therefore drew them to Theft Murther c. Answ First it is hard to say whether in thy particulars the Deuill had any finger Out of the d Mat. 15.19 heart come euill thoughts Murthers Blasphemie c. as waters issue from their Fountayne Secondly say the worst thou canst of the Deuill all is but this he tempted cast the thought into thy heart perswaded and prouoked to euill he forced not to consent that power if he had hee would in the vtmost extent vse against Gods children Thine owne will blame as much or more then the Deuill his temptations till thou consent are thy crosses not thy sinnes thy will onely makes them thy sinnes Away therefore with such Fig-leaues and remember it as one propertie of confession to which pardon of sinne is promised to accuse rather then excuse the sinner vnto God who euer finds a child of God in prayer for pardon accusing the Deuill and not rather himselfe I e Psal 51.4 haue sinned and done wickedly in thy sight saith Dauid yet it is likely that as to the numbring of the people so to Adulterie and Murther Satan was the prouoker And our labour should be in vaine Quest How vaine whether in respect of God his purpose or of the Apostles preaching or of the people Answ Not in respect of God his purpose hee alwayes attaynes in sending his Word to any people to his Name comes glorie what euer are the issues of our Ministerie f Isai 55.10 11 As the Snow and Raine returne not emptie but accomplish that whereto hee sends them so is his Word At least the refractarie shall know there hath beene g Ezech. 2.5 a Prophet amongst them Nor in respect of the Apostle We are vnto God a h 2. Cor. 2.15 sweet sauour in them that are saued and in them that perish hee that laboured in vaine and spent his strength i Isai 49.4 yet knew his labour was with the Lord and his worke with his God It remaynes then that he intends it vaine in respect of the people in case they had giuen way to Satan and reuolted from the Faith Obser Apostasie and defection from Faith and Obedience makes the Ministerie all things vaine vnto vs. Therefore Paul feared he had k Gal. 4.11 laboured in vaine amongst Galatians perceiuing their begun defection from the Gospell they had receiued and haue l Gal. 3.4 yee suffered so many things in vaine hee intimates their passions and patience all would bee vaine to them in case of their reuolt Compare Ezech. 3.20 2. Ioh. 8. For the Crowne of life is promised not to beginners but to those that continue Vse Let me exhort therefore in Saint Iohns words Looke to your selues that you lose not the things yee haue wrought There are amongst vs many whose beginnings are comfortable It shall be farre from me to doubt of their perseuerance yet let mee say as PAVL m Heb. 13.22 Suffer the words of exhortation Caueats are not amisse to them whose zeale is most feruent especially in these times wherein wee see iniquitie abounding and n Matt. 24.12 the loue of many waxen cold Brethren how many haue we seene of excellent beginnings and proceedings yet growne wearie of well-doing And allured with ease or profits of this life or affrighted with reproches c. horresco referens turned backe from the holy Commandement giuen vnto them Let their falls be our feares or cautions at least to
sort willingly putting from them that fruit of the Spirit ioy in the fauour and free grace of God That though the Lord hath done wonderfull things for their soules deliuered them from power of darkenesse mortified their corruptions sanctified them by his Spirit yet macerate their soules with sorrowes and pine away in perplexed feares of the wrath of God from which they are deliuered What is it that should thus perplexe a Childe of God truely fearing his Name and desiring in all things to liue honestly Is it their past sinnes they are no sooner repented but they are forgiuen and so esteemed as if they had neuer bin committed Is it their present imperfections They are couered with the perfection of Christs obedience Is it the rebellion of their hearts That issues not from them but from k Rom. 7.20 sinne dwelling in them Is it doubt of perseuerance That is founded on how many pillars that shall neuer bee shaken Gods l Iohn 10.29 power and promise Christs merit and intercession Gods Spirits vertue and continuall subministration Is it afflictions They m Rom. 8.28 worke to our good Is it Death n Heb. 2.14 Christ hath ouercome it Is it Iudgement It is o Rom. 8.33 God that iustifieth Is it Damnation There is none to them that are in Christ To conclude thou canst thinke of nothing that can be true cause of sorrow to thee being in Christ not walking after the flesh but after the Spirit p Psal 43.5 Why art thou then cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Trust in the Lord he is the helpe of thy countenance and thy God q Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say Reioyce He is not thorowly thankefull for Gods fauours whom they affect not vnto reioycing And let that bee a second point of notice from this Text that Gods fauours ought to affect vs euen to reioycing So is the Precept r Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say Reioyce he doubles the mandate to shew the necessitie of the dutie The end of Leuiticall Festiuities was this It is in truth the top of Thankefulnesse arguing not onely our sense of Gods fauour but our right prizing and valuation of his blessings Who feeles himselfe affected with Ioy for a benefit of no esteeme with him And who but a man conceiuing some singular sweetnesse in the fauours of God can bee affected with them vnto reioycing Therefore the Lord sometimes permits vs to sense of the want of them that in the restoring we might find fuller comfort Ber. in Cantic Serm. 68. Sweetly said BERNARD Placet cunctis securitas sed ei magis qui timuit lucunda omnibus lux sed euadenti de potestate tenebrarum iucundior Transsisse de morte ad vitam vitae gratiam duplicat It is his opinion that though Angels in Heauen haue their Ioy in that God was pleased to preserue them in the state of Blessednesse yet more full is the Ioy of Gods Children the sonnes of men that once fell from their happinesse and are againe restored by the death of Christ Lamentable is the coldnesse of our affections in enioying the fauours of God that howsoeuer wee can sometimes say God a thanke yet euen his prime fauours such as accompany Saluation few are so farre affected withall as to reioyce in them It were well wee did not sometimes murmure against him for the small measures of Grace bestowed on vs. It seemes little to vs to Å¿ Marke 9.24 see our infidelitie and striue against it though that argue the presence of Faith except wee obtayne full victorie against all doubtings Little we thinke it that wee haue a t Nehem. 1.11 desire to feare Gods Name though euen for that Nehemiah layes clayme to the promise of God except wee be quite rid of all securitie and euen seruilitie in our feare Little that wee haue receiued a desire in all things to liue honestly though that in Pauls acknowledgement be the u Heb. 13.18 marke of a good Conscience except also our abilities to doe good bee answerable to our will Oh Brethren consider These little gifts are great fauours if we consider our no merits at the Giuers hands yea our deseruings of the contrary Be admonished to acknowledge them according to their worth and to make euen the lest testimonies of Gods fauour occasions to thee of reioycing x Mat. 25.23 Hee shall neuer bee ruler ouer much that is not faithfull in his little Neuer let him looke for perfection that rightly prizeth not the beginnings of Grace in his heart But much more damnable is that discontentment at sundry prime blessings tending to life and godlinesse to be seene in our multitude It was in Pauls esteeme a chiefe Blessing granted vnto Iewes that to y Rom. 3.2 them were committed the Oracles of God A speciall fauour God promiseth it to his Church To z Ier. 3.15 giue them Pastours after his owne heart to feed them with knowledge and vnderstanding Saith the Euangelist of it vouchsafed to ZABVLON and NEPHTHALI It is a Mat. 4.16 as light to them that haue long sitten in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death O wretched Miscreants they that cry out vpon this blessing and fauour of God as of some great vengeance and as Gadarens preferre their swinish affections and brutish pleasures before the sacred Word of God that should bee to vs as to IEREMIE b Jer. 15.16 The very ioy and reioycing of our hearts Wonderfull is Gods patience in mens prouocation I should else wonder that hee had not long since sent vpon vs c Amos 8.11 that famine in the Prophet not of bread and water but of hearing the Word of God Quest Lastly would any know how he may prouide to haue this holy Ioy alwayes conuersant with him Answ Three Graces of God there are especially auayleable this way First Faith Secondly Hope Thirdly Constant Obedience Faith giues vs title to the promises to Christ his Merits Righteousnesse Kingdome If that faile vs in the exercise yet hope sustaines the Soule while it beholds the blessings in the promise certaine though not yet exhibited Obedience constant and vninterrupted qualifies vs after a sort to receiue the Promises and as an euidence furthers vs in expectation of the Blessings Neyther Faith nor Hope are founded on our Obedience but the exercise of both is furthered by Obedience in such sort that longer then thou holdst on conscionably thy course of holy Obedience thou canst neyther bee assured of Gods Fauour nor on any sound euidence except his Blessings promised Bernard de Verb Apost non est Regnum Dei c. ser 2. Sic fatui filij ADAM praecipiti saltu iustitiam transilientes pacem rem finalem in principium conuertere peruertere vultis Nemo enim est qui gaudere non velit Non stabit non erit istud quia
whose sole worke it is What is Paul what Apollos what the best gifted Minister but k 1. Cor. 3.5 A Minister by whom we haue beleeued and that as the Lord gaue to euery man The fault of Corinthians is noted in this kinde neglecting prayse of the Grace of God they fell to admire the gifts of their Teachers I would it were theirs onely and that our people had not persons of men in too much admiration so that the same Word of GOD vttered in like power and sinceritie of affection through preiudice seemes not the same in diuers mens mouthes But whiles wee stay thus on view and admiration of our Teachers gifts we detayne from God the glory of his rich Grace I say then as Peter to the men of Israel Why l Acts 3.12 locke yee so earnestly on vs as though by our owne power and holinesse wee haue made you whole the weapons of our warfare are mightie but m 2. Cor. 10.5 through God And this blessing it is only that makes the Gospell in our mouthes Gods power to our Saluation Secondly It instructs vs to the right course of profitable teaching and hearing To ioyne to our hearing and exhortation Prayer for Gods blessing First The complaint of Ministers is as was that of ESAY They n Esay 49.4 haue laboured in vaine and spent their strength See now successe or fruit of their labours in longest instance of preaching It may bee the reason stickes in the people God sometimes sends vs not so much to conuert as to harden In that case wee haue no cause of discouragement First God is glorified as well in the Iust hardening of Reprobates as in the Saluation of his Chosen Secondly And we are in both a o 2. Cor. 2.15 sweet sauour to God But take heed the fault sticke not in our selues that though perhaps wee haue beene instant in preaching yet our dissolutenesse hath beene too palpable in praying GODS blessing vpon our indeuours Secondly Amongst people also the course is vsuall to deriue the blame of their Non-proficiency from themselues to their Teacher Eyther hee is too profound or too plaine too cold or too hote too dissolute or too exact one way or other the fault must be the Ministers that the people are not bettered When as all this while the blame rests in themselues that they haue beene negligent in preparation forgetting to pray Gods blessing vpon their attention God will euer bee knowne to bee giuer of all Grace And hath therefore ordayned the vse of Prayer in his Church not as a meanes to informe him of our wants but as an acknowledgement and testification of that Principle of Saint IAMES p Iames 1.17 That euery good giuing and euery perfect gift comes downe from aboue descending from the Father of Lights To excite to this dutie let that be considered Gods Word hath euer his Worke. If it mollifie not it hardens if it conuert not it will one day confound The matter of Pauls Petition is First their Sanctification Secondly Their preseruation Both amplyfied by their extent both in the subiect and in time I pray God sanctifie you throughout The worke of Sanctification the Lord had graciously begunne in this people so much euinceth Pauls plentifull commendation giuen them for most parts of Sanctitie so that apparantly he beggeth of God what hee had exhorted vnto Their progresse and preseruation in the state of Grace Whence is the note Not beginnings only but increase and continuance in Sanctitie is the Worke of God He that beginnes the good worke the q Philip. 1.6 same perfects God is the Authour of all Grace it is he that calleth r 1. Pet. 5.10 makes perfect stablisheth strengthneth settleth vs. Whether meerely or mixtly is the question Pelagians anciently saw no necessitie of GODS gracious worke in vs. Sufficient they esteemed it for GOD to command and shew what is to be done that vouchsafed it rested in the power of mans Nature to doe what God prescribes To meere Nature they thought possible duties supernaturall as to vs in this state seeme Faith and Repentance Contra. Å¿ Iohn 6.44 No man can come to mee saith our Sauiour except my Father which sent mee draw him Christ chargeth on Nature not vnwillingnesse onely but impotencie to beleeue in him Paul not want only of knowledge but t 1. Cor. 2.14 disabilitie to know things of the Spirit of God In a word Is Nature strong enough Why then pray Saints ayde of Gods Grace Pray they necessarily assistance of Grace Nature then is insufficient There be that part stakes betwixt Grace and Nature Nature is weake and must bee assisted wounded but not to death As Christ of the Damosell so these of Nature u Mat. 9.24 Shee is not dead but sleepeth Excite Nature it workes with Grace to the first Conuersion perhaps without it to the increase of Sanctitie yet First saw the Lord in mans heart naturall no propension x Gen. 6.5 saue onely to euill Secondly Paul nothing but y Gal. 5.17 reluctation against Grace in men sanctified Thirdly Leaue holiest men to themselues as the Lord did z Chron. 32.31 Hezekiah c. What shew they but prophanenesse and vanitie Fourthly And said not Paul of himselfe now sanctified that a Rom. 7.18 in his flesh that is in that which remayned Naturall in him dwelt no good thing how then abilitie to cooperate with Grace It is true wee are Operis quodammodo socij per consensum audacti agimus but as instruments only in vertue of the principall Agent It is mans will that prosecutes his minde that vnderstands the things of the Spirit of God but the principle moouing both is supernaturall the abilitie to mooue to any thing pleasing God meerely from his Grace Pauls inference is b Philip. 2.12 13. With feare and trembling to Vse 1 worke out our Saluation sith will and worke beginnings increase continuance in Sanctitie are wholly and alone of God Presumptuous aboue measure is mans confidence in abilities receiued First aduenturing vpon the most dangerous occasions if not of Apostasie yet of declinings in holy practice the most leprous company is not feared for infection The c Deut. 7.3 4. neerest societie with Idolaters against which God especially giues vs caueat lest they withdraw vs from God how many dare venter vpon First Said Salomon in vaine Walke not in the way with Sinners Their attempt is to d Pro. 4.14 16. cause vs to fall Secondly Wee haue seene foule faultings of great Saints by that occasion That of e Nehem. 13.26 SALOMON whom may it not make tremble Thirdly And though wee haue promise to be preserued from euill yet is that protection f Psal 91.11 in vijs only not in praecipitijs Fourthly And if Nature of it selfe bee prone to euill how dare wee by occasion helpe forward that propension Secondly No lesse is their pride and tempting of God that