or wickednesse I doe not say but they seeme to take a pleasure in troubling and vexing the spirits of their brethren in sadding their hearts for with a kinde of beleefe and delight they love to tell them onely of those evill and false things which are abroad conjectured and spoken of them which themselves perhaps did helpe to invent or at least by their hungry receipt or greedy hearing them did give incouragement to the venters of them and commonly too this their newes is edged with a sharpe reproofe to manifest their owne beleefe of it seldome doe they second it with a word of Consolation for the parties better bearing of it nor will these Newes-mongers ever care to be the bringers of any such reports as may adde to the spirit either life or chearefulness Truely I have often thought that if such persons as these are had beene by when our Saviour asked his Disciples what men said of him they would not have answered as those did Some say thou arâ— Elias some John Baptist and some one of the Prophets but rather they would have said Some say you are a Samaritan some say you have a Devill and some say you are a friend and companion of Publicans and sinners as supposing that the hearing of these kinde of reports would have beene more galling to his harmelesse spirit But to conclude in a word Christ did not delight in trampling upon those that were already downe he joyed not in the fall of any of his enemies no he wept at the foresight of their ruine that sought his he would take advantage from mens miseries and misfortunes to shew the graciousnesse of his spirit in doing them good when his servant had cut off his enemies eare he healed againe the eare of his enemy he was to his last of a most meeke and peaceable spirit never was he turbulent in the Common-wealth never outragious cruell or bloody he never in all his life wished for bloody dayes he never said Better Jerusalems streetes runne downe with blood then that these Pharisaicall High Priests should still stand or then one old tradition should still continue No no Christ wished the reformation of things as truely as any of us can do in such a case and he could as little away with the manners of those men as any of we and he did as much distaste humane sinfull Ceremonies in Gods service but he valued mens lives at a higher rate then to desire the abolition of such things with so much humane blood as that the streetes should swimme therewith Christ knew the price of mens lives and it cost him more to redeeme them then to have them destroyed so lightly he knew that it was never Gods minde that his Sion should be built with the blood of Brethren as Rome was Christ would rather hope and pray that all offensive things might be removed in a peaceable manner for he came not to destroy but to save mens lives and the same minde as I have heard have all they that have the spirit of Christ the true spirit of the Gospell of what manner spirit therefore those are of that are contrary-minded and conditioned I leave to you to judge from that which hath beene spoken and come to the other use which is of Exhortation I will direct my Exhortation in the first place to my Brethren of the Ministery in particular and then with them unto all Christians in generall First My Reverend Brethren you in speciall whom God hath restrained and guided by his Spirit from falling into those scandalous faults and offensive wayes which too too many of our Order are reported to have slipped into you who have beene lately under burdens and pressures of troubles and molestations whom God hath now delivered you to whom he hath given favour in the eyes of men if Providence shall ever bring these weake lines unto your Christian view I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ and by the vertue of the true Spirit of the Gospel which I hope is both in you and me that you all indeavour both by your teaching and practice to discover at large that which hath here but in briefe beene discoursed upon even the nature of this holy sweete and gracious Spirit of the Gospell and to perswade you hereunto be pleased to consider of these few particulars First the times require this at your hands how distracted and broken they are your eyes are able to see better then I am to expresse and there is no other meane to make up the breaches of our Sion and to prevent the lamentable ruines that are threatned unto our Israel but onely this Spirit of the Gospell and this yeelding pardoning loving humble selfe-denying and obedient Spirit is able to set all right againe both betwixt God and us and amongst our selves were this spirit but well planted in every heart that we Preach unto and in every bosome we converse withall there would be both a generall and a particular fitnesse both for divine Mercy and for a mutuall closing Secondly Your relation to God calls for these indeavours the Lord hath put you in place to advance this Spirit nay he hath intrusted you to dispence the same you are intituled Ministers of the Gospell and your Ministration is called the Ministration of the Spirit and you are alwayes beside your Text and out of your Office when you are not labouring to plant the same nay you should be not friends but enemies to God and to the soules of men if you should not oppose and discover the seeds-men of schisme and the waterers of sedition if you are favourers of factions you are makers of fractions and God in the end will neither blesse you nor reward you Thirdly Your bounden duty and sworne Allegeance to your Prince and Soveraigne under the wing of whose gracious government you have already both done and received much good to the advancement of your present comfort and future Crowne doth challenge you to move with all your strength to the implanting the Spirit of the Gospell in the hearts of all his subjects that their piety and loyalty their obedience and love to God to him and to each other may speake him to all the world to be the happyest King of the truest and best Christians yea and his Majesty too thus seeing his Saviours Spirit and his owne in all his people shall hereby with comfort amongst us prolong his dayes and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand I am confident and dare boldly say it it is in your powers to compose and settle all our distractions and divisions if you would all worke one way and let that one way be this way it being Gods way he would helpe you and blesse you in it he hath already given some of you the hearts of men for an ingagement hereof and he would doubtlesse incline them to goe with you Fourthly Pity may begge this favour at your hands if
those servants Matth. 13. 28. think they cannot deale badly enough with ill men pluck up the tares presently doe any thing to them that are none of Gods couzen defraud rob steale from the Egyptians these are but usurpers but what said the Master to these servants no let them alone till the harvest friend you must hold your hands your time of commanding and adjudging is not yet come and in the meane time you must be commanded ruled and adjudged your selfe couzened defrauded and cheated and have your goods taken away and you must be patient and returne good to those that offer these things to you O this is brave doâ—trine for some whose practice is to offer wrong they hope it will tie honest men hands and tongues and spirits that they may wrong them as they please as the Usurer hoped that the Ministers preaching against usury would make his neighbours give over the trade and so his money should never lie dead by him for want of customers I wish Gods people would make but as good benefit of it for their soules as worldly men wil for their purses I have knowne a Minister by preaching peace and patience preach many of his people theeves and cheaters they would wrong him to his face and then tell him he must be patient and peaceable else he would contradict his owne doctrine 4. He that is truly patient must not onely returne good for evill and for beare to revenge when he hath power but he must be content to have the contrary reported of him namely that he returnes evill for good and is patient perforce because he cannot helpe himselfe I tell you this is a hard lesson yet you must learne it before you can enter Heaven gate whose motto is this Do good and heare ill none but such enter there it alwayes was and ever will be the worlds custome to father their owne vile conditions upon Gods people Tacitus tels us that when Nero had set Rome on fire he laid it upon the Christians 5. You must also be content that men should beleeve your enemies so reporting for men will so doe whether you be content or no if the Viper leaps on Pauls hand though he be the honestest man in the company yet all will conclude him to be the worst so if a viperous slanderer railer or whisperer laies hold of any honest Christian all hereby will conclude him to be according to what they see or hear the Psalmist saies every man is a lie and like loves like they will therefore naturally beleeve lies before truths and this vile people know will brag of as one told his Minister to his face that he could be beleeved before him by his betters you know the Proverb The more knave the better lucke well this you must be content wi thll if you be truly patient 6. And lastly you must be content that not onely the worser and common sort and strangers should beleeve of you the contrary to truth but that the better sort also even Christians and friends should beleeve such lies as the wicked raise and whisper against you and that they should suspect you to be guilty of all that is reported and thinke amisse and also speake amisse of yo that they should breake your head with their precious balms that their tongues which should heale your griefe should wound you and make your griefe bigger that they should also lay to your charge things you are not guilty of and interpret every thing at the worst and charge iniquity upon you thus Jobs friends good men honest men did by him and this you must be content to suffer it is more irksome to be ill thought of or ill reported by those that are good then by those that run into all excesse of riot it is matter of comfort rather that these like us not but I say if you be Gods he will try your patience even by the others by the best and you must bee content with it and wait with patience till the day come when hee shall make your righteousnesse appeare as the light and your just dealing as cleare as the noone day and in the meane time you must be content to live neglected and suspected you must be last and the least in mens esteeme but then the last will be first and the first last And thus Brethren I have taught you patience and I have tried your patience if I have done amisse I le doe so no more for thus much shall serve for this text this time and this place Gratia Gloria Deo Christo Jesu adjutori meo Amen FINIS THE FOVRTH SERMON PREACHED IN ESSEX Anno 1641. Wherein is discovered the right spirit of the GOSPEL By EDVVARD SYMONS Minister of Rayne in Essex MATTH 21. 5. Tell the Daughters of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke 1 PET. 3. 4. A meeke and a quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price LONDON Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Greene Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1642. THE RIGHT NATVRE AND Temper of the Spirit of the GOSPELL LUKE 9. 55 56. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them THese words doe note unto us Christs entertainement of a certaine motion that was made unto him by two of his Disciples in the former verse it was we see entertained with dislike for he turned and rebuked them for it and then he tels them the reason why he did dislike it because it proceeded from ignorance namely of themselves and also of him of themselves or of their owne spirits you know not what spirit ye are of And of him of the end of his comming for the Sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues according to the supposall of your motion but to save them Before we fasten directly upon the Text we must for our better proceeding a little consider of the motion and of the occasion of it The motion we have in the foregoing words Lord wilt thou thaâ— we command fire to come from Heaven and consume them as Eliâ—s did And the occasion which stirred their spirits to make such a cruell motion was the sight of the churlishnesse of the Samaritans for as appeares in ver 52 53. Christ was travailing towards Jerusalem and being benighted he sent his servants before him to take up a lodging in a village of the Samaritanes but they would let him have no lodging there because he was going to Jerusalem this was their churlishnesse And the roote of it as we may conceive was a certaine nationall hatred betweene the Jewes and the Samaritans which did arise from difference in opinion for as you may reade Joh. 4. 20. The Samaritans faid God must be worshipped after their fashion on their mountaine but the Jewes said and
his blood cryed Justice Christ dyed in these later dayes and his blood cryed mercy Now by all this you may conclude what kinde of spirit the spirit of the Gospell is which he expected here his Disciples should rather have discovered in themselves and which all that live under the Gospell are bound to manifest in all their wayes it is a spirit of peace and love a spirit of meekenesse and sweetnesse of patience and forbearance it is such a spirit as Christ himselfe had which was in no sort furious or revengefull mischievous or harmefull yea such a spirit as now a dayes discovers it selfe in God our Father It is a spirit that will not suffer it selfe to be outgone by any in wayes of love or goodnesse it is a noble and a free spirit no way niggardly or unthankfull no way churlish or unkind it delights in well-doing it speakes onely glad â—ydings it cannot abide to sad or grieve the hearts of any it joyes not in wounding mens wounds or in raking in their forrowes it rather weepeth to behold them it is a healing spirit it bindes up the broken-hearted and truely compaâ—â—ionates all mens miseries and afflictions it never brake the bruised reed nor quenched the smoaking flaxe it never did discourage any in the wayes of goodnesse by word or action of unkindnesse It is an affable and a courteous spirit no way scornefull or supercilious Stand further off I am holyer than thou is not its language it was the spirit of the Phaâ—â—sees that tooke offence at Christs eating and drinking with Publicans and sinners It is a faithfull spirit that will not allow of any man in a sinfull way for any relation sake or similitude of opinion and yet a wise and sweete carriaged spirit that indevours to draw all opposites to God and to it selfe by faire meanes it affects to deale with the chaines of Love iâ— cannot abide to use the caâ—â—-ropes of feare it likes not of Satans way to hold men in a slavish awe to skare them by threatnings it is not a driving spirit but a leading spirit Let thy loving Spirit lead me in the way everlasting sayes the holy man it knoweth how to beseech and perswade it cannot tell how to terrifie or compell It is a spirit of a good language it is no railing or slandering spirit no lying nor defaming spirit it hateth to invent blame and to cast iniquâ—ty upon men that are not of the same opinion that so others might dislike them it loves not to make the worst of things but the best rather it is a charitable spirit and Charity thinkes no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity inlargeth not evill reports but suppresseth them rather it is kind-hearted and kind-spoken it beleeves hopes and speakes the best of others and is suspicious onely of it selfe It is a meeke and a milde spirit rather quietly passive then vexatiously active in dealing with opponents it is an humble and a selfe-denying spirit rather suffering ten thousand wrongs then willingly offering one it is a mercifull and a pardoning spirit no wayes inclining to blood or cruelty or to take revenge it is a prous and plaine dealing spirit it workes not by policy craft or guile in a word it is a dutifull and an obedient spirit it was never yet weary of the yoke of loyalty it quakes with abhorment to see durt cast upon Gods image it loathes the conditions both of Shimei Sheba and Achitophell King James relates in the Preface to his Remonstrace against the Cardinall of Perron that France was once reduced to such miserable termes that it was counted and become a crime for a Frenchman to stand for his King or perhaps to speake for him it was a signe that the Spirit of the Gospell swayed not there then but the spirit of Popery for it is Antichrists spirit and not Christs that ruleth in the children of disobedience the true Spirit of Christ and of the Gospell hath never yet beene wont to tread in the deadly paths of rebellion it never yet knew how to forsake infâ—nge or break in the least degree the sacred bond of Allegeance this is that sweet and blessed spirit of the Gospel And indeed Christ by the Gospel doth offer this very spirit to all that live under the Gospel if they be aware of it yea and he doth really dispense it to those that be his true servants Even this peaceable meeke and mercifull spirit this loving sweet and affable spirit this noble harmelesse and helpefull spirit this humble selfe-denying and pitifull spirit this faithfull patient and well-spoken spirit this loyall obedient and dutifull spirit this spirit which was and is his owne Spirit for he had it above measure and every one of his members have it according to their measure it was the same oyle that was powred upon Aarons head which ran downe to the skirts of his cloathing And the truth is if Christ should not bestow this spirit upon his People they would not be capable of that salvation which he came to procure for them This very spirit and none else doth fit them for that happinesse for you must remember that we had lost both salvation and a fitnesse to re-enjoy it Christ by his life and death hath recovered our salvation by his Gospell and the spirit thereof he workes this fitnesse and by no other meanes can it be effected the Law which was before Christ came was never able to doe it the spirit of that was a provoking spirit it presented wrath to the soule and so made the sinne therein more outragious more exceeding sinfull as the Apostle speakes Rom. 7. 13. not by ingenerating rage therein but by awaking the fury thereof the Law is as oyle to the flame in respect of sinne it makes it more violent and therefore in this sense it is said to be the strength ofsinne and the life of it without which sinne is dead sayes the Apostle viz. as dead in a naturall man it lyes like a dead thing and is neither felt in the Conscience nor so sensibly furious till it be stirred by the Law But now the Gospell hath an effect cleane contrary for its spirit is contrary that presents not wrath buâ— mercy and pardon to the sinfull soule it offers Christ unto it sweet Christ loving Christ patient Christ dying Christ soule-saving and soule-quickning Christ and by a certaine energeticall influence that it hath it doth calme the rage of sinne and extinguish the heate ofit it is as blood to the fire and quenches the flame it takes away the strength of sinne and quite kills it by degrees it so tames the soule of the sinner that he is cleane of another temper he hath a new frame put upon him and a new spirit put into him see the confirmation of this in Esay 11. from the sixt verse to the tenth the Prophet having spoken of the spirit of Christ and of the Gospell in the beginning of the Chapter comes there to shew
will comfort you that will assure you from the pity towards others of Gods pity towards youâ— that you are forgiven as you practice forgivenesse and if you are of a gentle Gospel-like disposition all that are good will think themselves happy in your neighbourhood and acquaintance 6. And lastly Whereas there is much talke now adayes and men pray that Christ alone might rule in his Church consider and know that by acting onely with his spirit and by manifesting the conditions thereof in your words and wayes you advance him faster into his Throne then all the Bookes that are written for or against Church governement are able to doe whereas on the otherside by pride and contention and faction and cruelty and divisions and the like Christ is kept out of the chaire of his Kingdome surely the spirituall Government of Christ is chiefely exercised over the spirit or inward man and therefore it is a matter of more concernment to indevour the Introduction of that into your hearts that so there may be a fitted matter then to busie your heads with fancyes about externall Administrations God would quickely advance Christ into the Throne of his Church if he were first well enthroned in all our hearts if his spirit were but all in all there himselfe would quickely be all in all elsewhere and every where but while men will hand over-head doe all themselves revenge themselves pull downe their enemies themselves and thinke nothing either will be done or can be well done unlesse themselves have a finger in the businesse and suffer Christ to doe nothing alone or in his owne way leave nothing to his power wisdome and providence to be effected in his time for my part I cannot see any such unjust keepers of Christ out of the Throne of his Kingdome as are these themselves But you beloved of the Lord be you wise and waite upon Christ in his way submit your selves wholly to the governement of his sweet spirit let it command all your members let it order all your carriages let your thoughts words and actions savour of it and so you shall approve yourselves the faithfullest and truest friends to Christ in furthering his progresse into the Throne of his Kingdome And so much for this time Consider of these things and the Lord give you understanding Gratia Gloria Deo Christo Jesu adjutori meo Amen FINIS Iob 32. 21 22. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Job 29. 13. Iohn 3. 22. Doctr. 1. Propos. 1. Owne ease 1. Ezek. 34. 3. â—say 56. 10 11 12. 2. Iohn 10. 27. 3. Ier 6. 14. Luke 11. 21. Iames 4. 7. Act. 19. 13. 16. Gal. 1. 10. 2. Owne praise 1. Philosophy 2 Cor. 10. Sir Arthur Capell â— Act. 5. 36. 3. Matth. 24. 28. 1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. 17. 3. Owne profit 1. 1 Tim. 3. 2. Matth. 6. 2. Luke 9 23. 2. Matth. 23. 4. Hâ—s 10. 1. 3. Hâ—â— 2. 6. Ier. 48. 10. Cor. 12. 14. Mal. 3. 8. Matth. 8. 20. Mal. 3. 8 9. Matth. 16. 26. Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 5. Haniball 2. Propos. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Tim. 4. v. 2. ad 5. 3. Propos. 1. Ezek. 34. 2. Cal. 1. 10. 2. Iohn 5. 44. 3. Matth. 6. 24. â— Tim. 2. 4. 1 King 22. 2â— Numb 16. 3. 1. Es. 30. 7. Ezek. 34. 2. Ezek. 13. Ezek. 34. Amos 6. 1. Luke 12. 19. Prov. 1. 32. Ier. 48. 11. Iob 2. 6. 1. Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 2. Psal. 1. 1. Psal. 123. 4. Prov. 3. 34. Prov. 1. 2â— Psal. 106. 15. 2 Thes. 3. 10. Matth. 25. 21. v. 30. Matth. 29. 6. Luke 16. 25. Psal. 25. 13. Ecclus. 51. 37. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Prov. 27. 21. 2. Iohn 10. 10. Vers. 8. Vers. 12. 13. Luke 16. 2. Iohn 17. 12. Matth. 7. 23. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Iohn 21. 17. 3. Es 9. 15. Ezek. 13. 10. Es. 9. 5. Es. 33. 14. Matth. 7. 22. Phil. 3. 18. Gal. 6. 12. 1 Iohn 5. 19. Matth. 11. 12. Matth. 7. 6. Ier. 15. 10. Ezek. 2. 6. Psal. 57. 4. Matth. 10. 16. Gal. 6. 17. Act. 28. Col. 1. 24. 2 Tim. 1. 16. Matth. 14. 11. Iohn 8. 59. Matth. 21. 45. Luke 20. 19. Iohn 13. 15. Ier. 1. 18. 19. Prov. 28. 23. Tit. 2. 15. Mal. 2. 9. Matth. 11. 7. Luke 1. 17. 1 King 18. â—1 Matth. 14. 4. Cor. 16. 13. Matth. 22. 16. Rev. 21. 8. Ezek 13. 18. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 4. Heb. 4. 12. Mar. 4. 33. Mar. 12. 37. Matth. 25. 21. 2 Cor. 10. 18. 5. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Act. 3. 12. Act. 19. 2â— Col. 4. v. 7. 12. Matth. 25. v. 2â— 23. Phil. 2. v. 20. c. Veâ—s 25. ad 30. 6. Act. 8. 18. Act. 28. 3 4 5 c. 7. 8. 9. Iohn 18. 36. â— Tiâ— 4. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 10. Iohn 15. 19. Matth. 5. 13. Deut. 10. 9. Matth. 6. 33. 1 King 27. 4. Psal. 37. 16. Rev. 11. 18. Matth. 5. 12. Dan. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 2. 17. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Iude 11. â— Pet. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 3. Tiâ—â—â— 11. 1 Tim. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 20. Iude 16. 30. 〈◊〉 2. 29. Reason Use 1. Use 2. 2. Prov. 6. 6. Reason Use. 3. Reason 1. 2. 3. Use. 2. 4. Phil. 1. 29. Doctr. 1. Use. Miâ— 2. 7. Han is Serm. Ep to the Reader before Samuels funerall Doctr. 2. Objection Answer Objection Answer Observ. Observ. Observ. Matth. 11. 29. Rom. 2. 14. Eccles. 8. 11. Observ. Jam. 3. 2. Observ. Part 1. â—â—serv Observ. Iob. 13. v. 7. 9. Observ. Mat. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Thes. 5. 15. Use. Part 2. Observ. 1 Prov. 19. 2. Mat. 22. 29. Act. 3. 15. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Thes. 4. 15. Use. 1 Tim. 1. 7. Observ. 2. Heb. 12. 9. Observ. 3. Mat. 6. v. 2. 5. 16. Use. Observ. 4. Matth. 20. 21. Matth. 26. 52. Iohn 3. 17. Luke 19. v. 10. 11. Use. Observ. 5. Luk. 2. 32. â— 79. Deut. 33. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 7. â— Luk. 2. â—4 Gen. 3. 24. 19. 24. Num. 16. 〈◊〉 Psal. 94. 1. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Acts. 9. Ephes. 5. 8. Rom. 12. 18. 1. Thes. 5. 15. Num. 35. 19. Psal. 94. 1. Ieâ— 11. 2. 2 Kings 2. 24. 2 King 1. Acts. 7. 60. Rom. 11. 2. 2 Sam. 13. 3â— Ezâ—k 16. 5. 1. Kings 2. v. 5. 6. 7. c. Luk. 23. 34. â—eb 12. 25. Use 1. Prov. 17. 9. Marke 10. 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. 50. Prov. 30. 33. Mat. 5. 11. 12. Iohn 14. 1. 16. 33. Mat. 16. 13 14 Use 2. 1 Cor. 6. 15. A'rov 16. 7. Iohn 16.