for by the first he is re-beloved but by the second in a greater maner the manifestation of affection breedes affection as it is apprehended whether we respect truth or measure This argueth that the loue of many as Lot said of Zoar Vse 1. is but a little one so weake a spring can haue no deepe fountaine so small branches no great vertue in the roote and so feeble a flame no abundance of fewell for causes produce effects proportionable to their internall power doe they not Try then as the truth so the measure of thine owne and Vse 2. thy friends affection by the outward effects he that loues much will declare it by many prayers sundry actions this did Mary to Christ Christ to the people Beniamin must haue better attyre a double portion if Ioseph respect him aboue his brethren Shall Ionathan dye He shall not die if the hearts of Sauls subiects cleaue vnto him If Iesus loue Lazarus he will weepe groane in spirit and cry with a powerfull voyce Lazarus come forth for vndoubtedly such as the heat is within will be the burning without much loue much manifestation of it in words in action Or it may be Paul addeth mercie to grace and peace because that Timotheus was a Minister for the like he doth to Titus and omits it in all other his salutations to the Churches and people in generall to teach vs that Ministers of all men stand in need of mercie Doct. 10. And that not onely in respect of themselues but in regard of their place and calling To whom was this command chiefely exhibited Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull but to the men of God Or why did Elisha pray Let thy spirit be doubled vpon me but to confirme the truth of this Doctrine 2 King 2. 9. Luk. 6. 36. For they are in Gods roome resemble his Maiestie and Reas 1. therefore haue the more need of mercie in abundance Againe they are daily exercised about men in the greatest Reas 2. depth of misery and therefore store of mercie is necessary for such where much is to be vsed much is required This doctrines vse is scarce dreamed of or if it be but little Vse 1. practised Who that is a Preacher from the forenamed grounds seeketh to be rich in mercie Alas wee consider not how we resemble God What miserie the most are in and hence it followeth that Ministers many times are the most mercilessemen This must teach Preachers a lesson worth the learning Vse 2. namely to exceed all men in grace and mercy as Saul did the common people by the head and shoulders for doe they not resemble God Are they not the Wells where miserable sinners are to fill their emptie soules with the water of mercy Doth not each Ambassadour striue to resemble his Lord who sends him If the Preachers pit be dry how can we expect any in the common ditch Are not the Priests lips to preserue knowledge And shall their hearts be emptie of the spirit These haue rather need of a double portion I haue heard of a fire kindled in a towne that tooke hold of every house and passed by the Preachers I would not haue it so in regard of the spirit for how ever the former was accounted a mercie sure I am this latter is an heavie iudgement for all men should runne as the poore to the great mens houses to kindle their turffe at the Preachers Altar Where others striue for double honor double maintenance labour thou for double holines double mercie thus to doe is to doe wisely and but thy dutie neither From God the Father In this phrase two things concerning Doct. 11. God may be observed first that He is a Father God may be stiled a Father either essentially or personally Do ye so reward him O ye foolish people and vnwise is he not your Father This may be vnderstood essentially Deut. 32. 6. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. knoweth that I lie not here it is to be accepted personally Againe he is either a Father in generall or in speciall in generall as he is the Creator and conserver of all creatures hence he is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. Of Angels Iob. 1. 16. Of men haue we not all one Father Mala. 2. 10. And in speciall he is a Father and that of Christ or of the faithfull 1. Of Christ as he is the Word and begot from all eternitie the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set vp from everlasting or ever the earth was Pro. 8. 22. 23. 2. Of Christ by personall vnion Thou art my sonne I to day begot thee Psal 2. 7. Acts 13. 33. And of the faithfull he is likewise a Father in speciall 1. By regeneration Of hâ—s owne good-will be gate he vs by the Word of truth I am 1. 18. Or 2. By adoption Now are we the sonnes of God and haue received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Father Father Rom. 8. 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. And haue the faithfull God for their Father in a peculiar Vse 1. manner Then in the first place we may take knowledge of their dignitie David could say Thinke ye that it is a small 1 Sam. 18. 22. thing to be sonne in-Law to a King Was that such a priviledge Then what is this O that the faithfull knew their owne worth Let the faithlesse fume chafe and swell till they burst yet one of these is worth a thousand of them the world is not worthy of such for is not the righteous better than his neighbour How readest thou Pro. 12. 26. Let the faithfull learne hence to know the God of their Vse 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9 Fathers and to serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde will not a sonne honour his Father Must we respect the person of man And shall not wee regard the glory of God who is our Father How if we neglect him Can we be excused Doth not he expect it Deserue it And is it not our dutie to doe it Giue we him then his deserved titles make we mention of his many mercies secke we his glorie learne we his will and doe it for not every one that cryeth Lord Lord but he that doth the will of the Mat. 7. 2â— Father which is in heaven shall be blessed As he is our Father in speciall so let vs honour him in a singular maner the rule of creation requires it much more of re-creation and adoption Againe Art thou a faithfull person Then looke vp to Vse 3. God thy Father expect a worthy portion at his handes Can they that are evill giue to their children good things Luk. 11. 13. and shall not your heavenly Father giue to you the things whereof ye haue need Be not then in doubt but beleeue cry not What shall I eat drinke
they doe For if they did they would water it prune it and by all meanes striue to preserue it increase it Let vs then be otherwise minded esteeming it the best Vse 2. guest that can come to our houses and the onely plant in our gardens for without it we cannot please God or saue our owne soules This is that tree of life whose leauâ—â— healâ— all our wounds rellish our actions and that doth food our-soâ—les to life eternall The world cryes what 's a man without money but I say what 's a man without faith For no faith no soule quickened hart purified sinne pardoned bond Cancelled quittance receiued or any person iustified saued Faith is a wonder-worker in the world it stoppeth the mouthes of Lyons blunteth the edge of the sword quencheth the violence of fire of weake makes strong and proueth valiant in battell Is not the ground cursed where its wanting blessed that beares it What shall I more say it conquers the world raiseth the dead and conuerts Diuels into the image of God for what 's a man without faith but an infernall spirit a slaue of Sathan and like Elimas the sorcerer the enemie of all goodnesse wherefore get faith and all thinges are possible for thee nothing shall be wanting to thee By the hand of faith thou maist roll the stone from the caue of Mach-pelah plucke out the Kinges set thy foot in their neckes and slay them euery mothers son Doe but pray in faith and thou shalt haue the vpper springes the neather springes and all that thy soule lusteth after a shame then is it not that so few seeke it respect it Now seeing it is of such worth we will first paint it out by a plaine description Secondly declare some particulars that attend it Thirdly we will shew what impediments hinder men from iâ— And last of all giue some directions how to procure it accompanied with motiues to perswade to the act of beleeuing the which being finished wee will winde vp all in a briefe exhortation Vnfeigned faith is that faith by which a man effectuallie called Faith defined beleeueth in God through Christ for saluation In this description six things are to be considered 1. It s described by its kind 2. By its subiect wherein it is resident 3. By its act or effect 4. By its proper obiect 5. By what meanes it commeth vnto it and finally by the end for which it is 1. I say that vnfeigned faith is that faith For wee are to The description explicated distinguish it from a miraculous which was in Iudas or others Mat. 17. 20. Againe from the temporarie mentioned 1. Cor. 13. 2. And from an Historicall which may bee found in wicked men and Deuils Some make the Genus of faith to be a confidence others a perswasion a third a Act 26. 27. Iam. 2. 19. beleefe a fourth a grace and the like all which in some sence are true but I conceiue that faith is the proper Genus of this faith as art in generall is the Genus of all arts if it haue any at all If I call it a confidence a perswasion an affiance I define it by the effects if a grace or gift that 's too remote For so is loue and peace and hope and what not wherefore we haue rather made choice to define it as aboue said that faith for faith is the generall Genus and the word that doth make the difference declare the species And here we must learne two things 1. That this faith comprehends in it an historicall faith For without the credence of the historie of the Bible it cannot stand though the other may without it 2. That this faith hath no specificall difference though it may admit of diuerse degrees as Great little 2. By which a man effectually called Man is the subiect to which this faith adhereth not Deuils and man effectually called not reprobates neither is it to be found in the elect themselues before effectuall vocation For that doth in nature and order if not in time precede iustification and so consequently faith of necessitie So that vnfeined faith dwels in none but in them that are called iustified And for this cause it may be called the common faith or the faith of the elect because it s onely found in them that are elected and common to none other Iude 2. Tit. 1. 4. 3. Beleeueth The forme is the most subtle of all things therefore we often if not alwaies put the effect for it For it sitteth close vpon it as the lace doth vpon the edge of a Garment and it beleeueth according to its degree either more strongly as in a great faith or weakely as in a lesser faith Rom. 8. 38. 14. 1. Math. 6. 30. 4. In God God he is the adequate and last obiect of faith the Scripture is not For then we might pray vnto it And Christ is not neither considered as he is our mediatour Heb. 4. 15. 16. For God the father is the creditor Christ but the 1 Ioh. 14. 1. suretie Therefore faith goeth a step further Againe Christ is he in whom the promises are made by the father Yea and Amen so that faith resteth not when it comes 2 Cor. 1. 20. vnto him Furthermore the second Adam must bring vs to that estate which we were in before the fall and that is to faith in God the Father It s true that Christ is the obiect of our faith especially for the matter of iustification but we rest not there God without Christ is our enemie for wee are his debtors and not able to giue him full payment therefore we goe first to Christ our suretie and take him by the hand of faith in the way and then passe boldly to God the Father who is our creditour this must Ioh. 14. 6. be marked For many in this thing are greatly deceiued For though faith lay hold on many obiects yet God the Father is the very center or rather seat vpon which faith at the last fixeth it selfe and wholly resteth and vntill then the Soule is not setled Psal 116. 7. 5. Through Christ Here is laid downe the order of Ioh. 14. 26. Mat. 3. vlt. faith ascending The spirit leads vs to Christ Christ hee as a second guide conducts vs to the Father and then cryeth the soule now returne vnto thy rest for it is by faith ascended to the highest steppe of its climbing in this spirituall passage 6. For salvation Euery thing is for one end or other and though there be subordinate ends of faith yet the principall is that we may be saued Before Adams fall it was said doe and liue but since beleeue and be saued Mat. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 9. By this that hath beene said wee see that euery faith is not vnfeigned faith Againe that all men haue not vnfeigned faith Thirdly that faith must rest in God the father and none other Fourthly That wee must goe vnto him
cryed Lord establish me Psal 51. 12. 119. 116. 4. When men are carried about with euery winde of doctrine For what one man maketh firme another in teaching Ephes 4. 14. the contrary dissolveth weakeneth He that runs to euery Physician to know the state of his body shall proue a weake and infirme Patient 5. Vnmortified lusts if they be let loose and cherished 2 Tim. 3. 7. in the heart the soule like him that standeth on a slippery place will be reeling sliding 6. Finally when men will cast their eyes on their owne infirmities and not looke to him that accepteth the minde and honest intent of the heart for the deed they shall still Rom. 7. vlt. be wauering doubting And now to come to another Collection which is that The best way to saue and secure the soule is to commit it into Doct. 10. the hands of God For that which was the best to Paul and others will be the safest way for vs also Psal 32. 7. 71. 1. Iudg. 12. 3. Dan. 5. 17. Esth 4. 16. For we are weake and our enemies be many powerfull Reas 1. subtill and malicious Sathan could fetch a prey out of Paradise one from amongst the Apostles God hath all the properties of a good keeper 1. he is wise Reas 2. Iob. 9. 4. Psal 121. 3. 4. 2. powerfull 3. watchfull 4. faithfull He hath giuen lawes to be faithfull and then shall not hee This discouereth the indiscretion of many For some put their confidence in Chariots and Horses others in the arme of flesh Millions as the Papists in the Creatures but passe by the Creator But can those stay the swelling flouds from drowning the earth from deuouring the plague and pestilence from destroying and Sathan with all his huge hoast from tempting and condemning These men stand Iob. 26. 7. on the Ice leane on a broken staffe and as the Lord is said to doe the earth hang the security and safetie of their soules vpon nothing But ye that would be wise and preserued from all dangers Vse 2. cast your care vpon Godâ— make him your secret place and haue your eye alwaies towards him For it s he and there is not another that can keepe you safe and secure at all times in all dangers And in regard whatsoeuer we weene its no easie matter practise these two Rules following to further thee Helps to commit the to god 1. Learne to commit lesse matters of this life to him and to trust him with smaller things for he that cannot doe the lesser it 's impossible for him to doe the greater Hee that will not trust God with his earthly substance can neuer credit him with his soule and salvation This Rule is worthy the consideration and practise 2. Striue to keepe thy soule holy and vnspotted from all sinne We will blush to commit into the custody of our friend any thing that is polluted and vncleane and can we haue the hearts to commend into the hands of God who is Holines it selfe a corrupted impure and a soule defiled with sinne What if we could doe it will he receiue it thinke we No verily And there be certaine times when we are to commit our Speciall times when to commit the soule to God Psal 4. vlt. soules especially into the hands of God And that ordinary or extraordinary The ordinary is the Morning and Euening David in the euening would commend his soule into the Lords hand for he knew that his sleepe might be his death and his bed his graue but in so doing he should sleepe soundly and securely It were an excellent thing if we could giue God our last thoughts before we close vp our eyes then would we when we awake finde our mindes fixed on him And what if death should come Yet our soules would be with him and preserved in safetie And in the Morning we must ordinarily doe this Prou. 27. 1. for who knoweth what a day may bring foorth The wise King compares a day to a woman with child who often laboureth at an vnlooked for houre And haue wee not seene our Mother the day bring to light strange and vnexpected birthes The extraordinary times of committing our selues to God are in troubles or at death This did that good Prophet in time of persecution Into thy hand I commâ—nd my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Psal 31. 5. Iudg. 12. 3. And when Stephen was stoned to death hee Act 7. 59. cryed Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and Christ when his houre was come Father into thy hands I commend my Soule Luk. 23. 46. Let vs then trust the Lord with smaller matters keepe our soules vnspotted Morning and Euening commend them constantly vnto him so in afflication persecution and death we shall haue ability and boldnes to doe the same Vse makes perfect a good habit is hardly got So not easily lost For he that hath vsed to commit his soule to God in the times of peace shall with ease doe it in time of danger Yea let such a man but dreame of death or drowning in his broken sleepe his mind will reflect it selfe on the Lord and he run vnto him for perservation Grounded Christians know the truth of this by experience And in Conclusion know that the oftener we commit our soules vnto God and draw the neerer him in this duty why let death come how and when and where it can or shall come we shall feare it the lesser or any euill but embrace it entertaine it shutting vp the eyes of our bodies with the which our minds now see God as through a paire of spectacles and more clearely and comfortably behold him with the naked eye of our spirits Now whereas Paul maketh mention of the Lords ability we note thence that God is a God of Power Doct. 11. He is called the strong and mighty God all-sufficient that can doe whatsoeuer hâ—e will Gen. 17. 1. Exod. 34. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 18 Apoc. 1. 8. Math. 19. 26. The Reasons follow For he is the first Ens or being and altogether perfect and Reas 1. independant he hath his beginning of himselfe and doth not participate of any borrowed power or exhibited ability Therefore no impotency or imperfection can be found in him hee being of himselfe and the sole cause of all created power Againe he is one most simple and pure act immutable Reas 2. eternall and euery way blessed Therefore hee cannot be hindered or resisted Neither is he subiect to any passion for he is not compounded of any simples Passion proceeds from matter and presupposeth an imperfection Before we come to apply this poynt we will speake somewhat of his power for our better vnderstanding and information The power of God is that whereby he is able to doe all things The Power of God defined possible I say possible for there be that contradict his essence and the nature
Epistle principally for thy benefit who art my beloved sonne and that not without reason haue I writ vnto thee or doe thus stile thee for thou art a man that hast beene trained vp in the holy Scripture of a childe well reported of by many of the faithfull one of great hopes in the Church being a Minister of the Word and none more than thy selfe like-minaed vnto me And why then should I for beare to direct an Epistle vnto thee or entitle thee my sonne For haue not I also confirmed thee by instruction Loved thee with entire affection Am not I thine ancient in yeares And we like father and child aime at one end make the same scope of all our proceedings And I doe further vnfeignedly wish thee whatsoever may make for thy good in this or glory in the world to come from the first fountaine of all grace and spring of all true peace God the Father and Christ Iesus our Lord. To Timothie Whereas Paul in this place writes to Doctrines deduced Timotheus a yong man well reported of and of great hopes we obserue that Such persons as are likely to proue good and excellent instruments Doct. 1. in the Church are principally to be instructed and incouraged Wee will water that plant most hedge about it and prune it which is likeliest to bring forth much and good Exod. 2. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9 fruit the beast of best hopes shal be put in the best pasture the other turned to runne in the common field and barrenest ground And why not for such will if God giue good successe Reas 1. to a mans indevours proue instruments most profitable and are not those principally to be respected instructed Besides Sathan will labour to make them of his kingdome Reas 2. aboue all others he will picke the finest wits to doe wickedly hence it is for the most part that our Iesuits be such deepe-headed sound-witted persons not many comparable to them This reproues the carelessenesse of many in our dayes Vse 1. who altogether neglect this dutie haue we not some that rather set the best wits to the meanest basest or no calling at all certainely the Papist shall rise vp in iudgement against these for they are more carefull to practise this for Antichrist and his then we for Christ and his kingdome Let vs all chiefly parents put this point in practise and imitate Paul and David herein consider who is likeliest to Vse 2. doe good the best service one day and labour that they may be sanctified season them with instruction learne them the holy Scriptures of children that is to doe well and wisely Let it be further noted where Paul cals him sonne who was not his sonne by naturall propagation but rather in that he had begot him to or confirmed him in the doctrine of the Gospell that As there is a naturall so there is a spirituall generation and kinred in the world Doct. 2. Some be of the flesh others borne of the spirit Mat. 12. vlt. Rom. 9. 3. Io 3. 6. For be there not spirituall and carnall fathers in the world Reas 1. Ezek. 16. 20. 1. Cor. 4. 15. But Christ forbids to call any man on the earth Father Obiect Resol Christ condemnes over-ruling fathers such as were some masters Iames. 3. 1. Againe we cannot haue two contrarie fathers that command contrarie things 3. Christ would haue them principally to esteeme God to be their Father in conclusion he would haue such called Fathers as beget sonnes to God not like the Pharises and Papists who beget children in Babylon and spirituall whoredome and offer them to Molech their sonnes are the feede of Sathan murtherers and lyers from the beginning Also doe wee not reade of spirituall seede Iohn 3. 9 of Reas 2. a spirituall conception Gal 4. 19. why then there must needs be a spirituall kinred in the world This reproues the grosse ignorance of many in our Vse 1. dayes who never take knowledge of this truth yet they are well enough acquainted with their kinred in the flesh But it meeteth especially with those blacke-mouthed persons who can scoffe and fleere and say there goes a brother or sister in the Lord Is not this to make a mocke of the truth of God to kick against the prick and to incurre the iust iudgement of God doth not the holy Ghost call them holy Brethren sonnes of the most High O times O manners Hâ—b 3. 1. Heere we are taught to discerne betwixt men that differ Vse 2. to seeke out our spirituall kindred and to make much of such every profane person will be acquainted with their lewd consorts and damnable crew But especially let vs examine and proue our selues whether wee bee borne againe otherwise it had beene good we had never beene borne at all and by these notes try thy selfe First Hast thou conceived aright in the wombe of thy vnderstanding what iudgement hast thou to see into the mysteries of salvation Secondly doest thou beare Christ in thy heart by vnfained affection canst thou say I loue the Lord aboue all things in earth or heaven Thirdly art thou troubled to bring him forth and travellest of him in thy will is this spiritual delivery thy chiefest care Fourthly and doest thou manifest to the world that thou hast brought forth this babe in thy life and conversation by doing of iustice loving of mercie humbling thy selfe and walking Mich. 6. 8. with thy God why then thou needest not to feare but that thou art of the free-womans seede and princely line of the most High But if those things be not to be found in thee and to proceede from thee thou art the childe of wrath and thy present condition is fearefull for if Christ be not conceived in the vnderstanding framed and borne in the heart travailed of in the will and brought forth in the forme of a well-mended life thou art but Sathans slaue and not the Lords adopted sonne My beloved sonne Observe also out of these words that Preachers are to affect those especially whom they haue begot Doct. 3. or confirmed in the faith They are to pittie all pray for all none excepted but such as are their spirituall children are to haue the chiefest seate in their affection hence doth Paul write so largely to the Corinthians so long a letter to the Galathians and Peter a first and second Epistle to the converted Iewes For such be the seale of their ministery 2. Such will the Reas 1. most re-affect them 3. Such haue the very image of God 2. imprinted on them and lastly doth not every cause naturally 3. cleaue vnto its proper and peculiar effect in a word 4. such are their ioy their crowne or should be Let this checke them who say they haue spirituall issue Vse 1. and cannot endure them care not for them are ashamed of them whom should they affect countenance or reioyce in
required in the seruice of God two things the one is Knowledge the other Strength for these are absolutely necessary for the doing of any action the one to direct vs the other to enable vs in this dutie The obiect of this knowledge is double 1. God 2. His will These must be rightly vnderstood For 1. If we know not God we cannot loue him 2. or trust in him 3. Feare him 4. humble our selues before him all which are needfull for that man that would make God his Master We must loue him or else we cannot serue him for loue sets a man on working as in the example of Iacob yea loue saith the Apostle constreines 2 Cor. 5. 14. vs but if we know not God wee cannot loue him the affections worke according as the eye of Reason presents her Obiects And How can we beleeue in him of whom we haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. Faith cannot be without knowledge therefore knowledge is often put for the same Who will serue a Master himselfe Ioh 17. 3. or bind his sonne apprentice to such a person whose abilitie or fidelitie he is ignorant of Againe if we feare not God we will not serue him and if we know him not we will not feare him Haue not some mis-tooke a Piece for a Pipe and so haue beene murthered in stead of mirth So men not knowing the Lord haue played so much with his mercie that they haue beene destroyed by his justice And Humilitie also must be had or man cannot serue God for God giveth grace to the humble but without vnderstanding Iam. 4. 6. Note of him no throwing of our selues downe before him for man is of an haughtie spirit loth to stoope and besides vntill he know God he knoweth nothing aboue himselfe therefore will never be humbled And a generall knowledge will not serue but we must know him truely and certainely Some may obiect that God onely knoweth himselfe Obiect dwelling in that light which none can attaine vnto 1. Tim. 6. 16. What for that Can we know nothing of him Yes we Ans How GOD may be known of vs. may with Moses see his back-partes his sufficiencie and efficiencie His sufficiencie is that whereby he is able to doe all thinges and it consisteth in his essence and subsistence His essence is that absolute first being and independent of any other thing whatsoever And from this it doth follow that He is not compounded of any matter and forme but is one most pure and meere act Now because as he is act wee cannot vnderstand him especially with one act for our vnderstanding is finite he invisible and infinite therefore he taketh to himselfe and maketh himselfe knowne vnto vs by many attributes which attributes be nothing else but that one and meere act diversly apprehended as What he is Who he is He is a spirit invisible immortall infinite omnipotent omniscient and the like And we must be able to vnderstand the subsistences which are nothing else but that one most pure essence with his relatiue properties The subsistences are the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost The relatiue propertie of the Father is to beget therefore he is the first in order The Sonnes relatiue propertie is to be begotten and not to beget and he is the second person in order because he is from the Father alone The holy Ghost is the person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and therefore the third person in order so that we must vnderstand that God is one essence in three persons thus much for his sufficiencie And for his efficiencie what is that But that whereby he worketh all thinges and all in all things either in respect of creation or providence Act. 17. 28. Rom. 11. vlt. This may suffice to haue spoken for the knowledge of God The second thing that we ought to know is What the Lord requireth of vs for how can wee doe it if wee doe not know it Or suppose wee should doe what he willes yet what comfort can we haue in this service or action If a servant shall plow sow and harrow a plot of ground without his Masters will and direction what content could he haue in working What hope of reward after he had finished his labour Would not feare rather possesse him seeing the ground might haue beene as profitable for pasture When we know our Masters will we may with boldnes chearfulnesse goe about it And this his will is conteined in the Law and the Gospell What the Law requireth and is there to be found out with searching The Law requires two things 1. That we haue no corruption inherent in our person 2. That we transgresse not or divert from it in our conversation this is the iustice and command the Law layeth on vs and exacts at our hands The Gospell also bindeth What the Gospell requireth vs to our taske 1. That we haue Faith 2. That we beleeue in God through Christ for iustification 3. That we clense our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 4. And lastly that we liue without spot and blamelesse keeping our hearts vpright with God our outward actions honest before and with man for the Gospell wils no lesse inward or outward holinesse than the Law doth For the Gospell and Christ Mat. 5. 17. came to establish the Law that is to assure vs it is still of force and to giue vs abilitie another way to keepe it Againe as we haue heard that we must haue knowledge of God and his will before we can serue him so in the next place we must haue abilitie or we cannot doe his will A sicke or weake man may know his Masters pleasure but cannot doe it for strength with health must enable him So we know many things but what of that if we want power to performe them And we must get power 1. To beleeue Wherin Power is exercised 2. To obey Againe We are to know that faith is exercised about a double Obiect God and his Word And in his Word the promise and the threate We are to giue credit that all the threats of God are true and shall be accomplished in vs in particular if wee breake the condition as well as beleeue all the promises appropriate them to our selues who are made in Christ Iesus And in both these the best man failes for want of abilitie to beleeue them Our faith may be said to be a kind of obedience not in getting but principally in living by it And as Iudgement is vsed in Invention being a distinct part of the Art of Logick yet Invention doth precede Iudgement in nature so obedience is vsed in faith and faith in obedience though faith may seeme to goe before it for He that comes to God must beleeue that he is and then a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Heb. 11. 16. So that by power to beleeue I meane that God is that his
demand is granted Alas alas all our cryes to God hauing no eie to Christ are but as so many drops of water spilt vpon the ground Wherefore let all good Christians blesse God for their knowledge and mourne for such mens ignorance let vs conuert Noahs petition and say Gen. 9. 27. God perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Iaphet 4. Finally this being thus let vs first learne to know Christ secondly to put our confidence in him thirdly and neuer dare to approch before the throne of God without him no comming to Ioseph without Beniamin to God without Note Iesus Wouldest thou haue euill remoued from thee thinke on his passion which speaketh better things than the bloud Heb. 12. 24. of Abel Wouldest thou haue all good conferred vpon thee remember his actiue obedience for thereby hee hath purchased all blessings But take heed of the Romanists errour who maintaine that Christ is mediator according to his humane nature for the humanitie without the deitie profits nothing they vnderstanding not how the distinct persons in the God-head haue their proper operations and that Adam sinned immediatly against the first person though mediatly against the other haue fallen into this slough and haue defiled themselues by whose harme learne we to beware Being inabled by the spirit As no man can come vnto the IV. 1 Cor. 12. 3. father but by the sonne so can no man say that Christ is the Lord but by the holy Ghost how often are wee commanded to pray in the spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. Eph. 6. 18. Iude 20. vnderstand by Spirit either the holy himselfe or his graces within vs for these two are put indifferently one for the other as grieue not the holy Spirit the holie Ghost fell on them and quench not the spirit he hath giuen vs his spirit neither may they be separated in any action of a Christian For as the spirit doth worke grace in vs so doth he cooperate stirring it vp and mouing it as an instrument in the hand For so good a cause will not be absent from its owne building And this ability consisteth First in direction leading vs into all truth Iohn 14. 26. And secondly in power for hee helpeth vs against all our infirmities Rom. 8. 26. First For the wisdome of the flesh is enimitie against God and is not subiect Rom. 8. 7. to the law of God neither can be Spirituall actions must proceede from spirituall principles else they are base contemptible Secondly Againe euery good act must be gin in God and end in him as the father through Christ to be desired in regard of number or perfection of degrees Now carnall things are such as are for necessitie or for delight the one makes for our being the other for our well-being and all things are to bee desired petitioned for Things euill be either sinne or the fruits of it to wit affliction And sinne is either originall or actuall we must pray that the first may be abolished cleane wasted Actuall sinne is that either we haue committed or may commit For the former we must pray it may be pardoned for the latter that it may be preuented As for afflictions they are either temporall or eternall We are to pray the Lord that they may be put from vs totally finally Thus haue you a briefe of the particulers or materials about which we are to be exercised in prayer all which for matter and method are laid downe in that exact paterne recorded in the Gospell Mat. 6. And all these must we beg for First because the Lord hath giuen vs a promise his word is gone out that whatsoeuer wee shall aske he will heare vs. Secondly againe without the fruition of good and the remotion or preuention of euill we cannot liue the life of grace ne not of nature here much lesse escape death and possesse life eternall hereafter 1. Here is an error confuted of them who hold that we may aske spirituall but not corporall or carnall things at the hand of God because Christ saith Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and these things shall be giuen you Mat. 6. 33. this was not the Lords scope in that place but to disswade his Disciples from a distracted care about foode and rayment For they vsed to cry What shall I eat and wherewith shall wee be clothed as also giue them a sure rule and sound direction to auoyd the one and procure the other For if we could exercise our selues about heauenly earthly things would be banisht out of our mindes and should wee speede in the former we might haue better hope to preuaile in the latter And doth he not in the same Sermon teach vs to craue our daily bread and haue not all the people of God vsed this in practise Gen. 28. 20. Pro. 30. 8. 2. And this serues to reproue a whole world of people some pray for corporall but not for spirituall things Others desire common but begge no speciall gifts from God or if they doe they neither regard number nor measure A third sort entreat that sinne past may be pardoned but not corruption for the present wasted nor the effects of it for future time prevented And there be millions of men and women who onely craue that affliction may be remoued in this life but make not one petition that the causes of it may be abolisht or death eternall put farre from them in the world to come May we not say of all these They aske not or Iames. 4. 2. 3â— if they doe they aske amisse 3. Let vs be of a contrary practise and sue to God for all things What Shall he promise and not performe Shall we seeke good and not desire evill to be remoued from vs Begge common graces speciall gifts all that 's good at the hand of God Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Craue Psal 81. 10. pardon for sinne past prevention for time to come Pray that originall sinne the seed of all wickednesse may be daily wasted punishments remoued all kinde of afflictions sanctified God is rich in mercie he giues liberally to them that aske him Princes giue gifts according to the dignitie of their persons not the desert of the receiver so doth the Lord therefore aske what thou wilt and he shall conferre it on thee in due time And as there be many sorts of prayers vse thou all Publike private set conceived mentall vocall Ephes 6. 18. simple compound in verse in prose and as the Apostle inioynes the Ephesians Pray all manner of prayer Imitate the Gamsters of our times who if they gaine not by one game fall to another this doe and thou shalt prosper Having finished the description of Prayer we come in the second place to giue particular directions for the better performance of it Where note that some goe before some with and some after Prayer 1. Before thou prayest meditate 1. Of God 2. Of thine What is to
of more grace than a common Christian This is the reason his gifts were increased 3. That the more worthie calling God sets vs in the greater portion of his spirit will he powre vpon vs. He did so by Timotheus 4. That preachers may aboue others depend vpon God for a blessing For are they not consecrated with great care and solemnity enriched with extraordinarie gifts and graces Think on this O ye men of God and in contempt of the world let the honour of your calling and hope of good successe in the faithfull execution comfort your soules and breed an vndaunted resolution in you VERS 7. For God hath not giuen vs the Spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind THis verse may either be applied to the verse The Logicall resolution going before or that which followeth in the which is contained a Reason why Timothy should stirre vp the gift of God in him or not be ashamed of the Gospel And thus the Argument stands Whosoeuer is freed from the spirit of feare and is endued with the spirit of power loue and a sound minde must stirre vp the gifts of God in him be resolute in his calling and not ashamed of the testimony of Christ the Lord But thou my sonne art free from the Spirit c. Therefore thou must stirre vp the gift of God c. In the verse we may obserue two things First what the children of God haue not viz. The Spirit of feare Secondly What they haue viz. a threefold gift 1. Power 2. Loue. 3. A sound mind The Author of all which is said to be God For God That is God the Father the first person in the The Theologicall exposition deity though we exclude not the other For as all the three persons consented to and cooperated at mans Creation so doe they at his Recreation Gen. 1. 26. Hath not giuen In a Gift is 1. A giuer 2. A thing giuen 3. The freedome of the thing giuen 4. An act by which it is giuen And lastly some person that is made partaker of the gift giuen Vs. To me Paul thee Timotheus and it may extend to other grounded and strong Christians vnder the Gospell The Spirit This word Spirit is sometimes tooke in a bad Spirit taken in a bad sense Math 8. Luk. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 1 King 16. sometime a good sense In a bad 1. For Sathan 2. For a Ghost that wandereth 3. For false doctrine Or. 4. For some evill motion stirred vp by the Devill or some other cause c. In a good sense 1. For God in generall 2. For the subsistences Spirit in a good sense Ioh. 4. Esa 48. 1 Ioh 4. Gal. 5. 17. Eph. 3. Rom 8. Acts 23. 1 Thes 5. in particular 3. For the word of God 4. For the worke of grace 5. For the very act or motion that proceedeth and floweth from the worke of the Spirit And it is applyed to the whole soule and the faculties of it with the naturall animall and vitall parts the which we omit But in this place it is to be vnderstood I take it both of the ill motions that proceed from Sathan and his cursed worke within vs Or the good motions of the Holy Ghost and his blessed worke that is wrought within vs. For Sathan like the Spider is seldome separated from his wicked webbe neither may we put a sunder the Spirit and the worke or gifts of the spirit For so good a cause will not bee absent from his effect Feare We reade of a feare commended and commanded Psal 2. Prou. 1. Isa 33. Iam. 2. 19. the which some stile a filiall or childlike feare and it was in Adam by Creation and is restored to man at his Regeneration And we read of a feare in Divells and wicked men condemned and to be abandoned the which Divines call a servile or slauish feare Paul in Rom. 8. 15. Makes it an effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of bondage or servitude and opposeth it to the Spirit of adoption or filiation the which feare is here meant and it befell man for sinne and came not by creation For before Adam had transgressed there was no evill obiect in the world and this feare is a punishment of sinne therefore it may be called the gift of God but giuen in reuenge as we giue blowes to the peccant person Others by feare in this place vnderstand that feare which is at a mans first conversion Or comparatiuely For they say they vnder the Gospell had lesse feare then those that were vnder the Law and because the Scripture calleth that often nothing which is not in that measure But I rather hold the first interpretation making carnall men the proper subiect of it But of power By power is not to bee vnderstood any distinct grace but rather a strength of all other graces For every grace hath some enmity that must be overcome by this power And as in the naturall body there is a power or strength in every member so in the Spirituall body an ability of each part to the welbeing of it And of loue Naturall affection is not here ment but that which is Spirituall and seeing our Apostle sets it downe indefinitly and without its obiect we may expound it of Loue to God and man And of a sound minde Some turne the word Sobriety As if the Apostle had meant it or meates and drinkes But I vnderstand it of a spirituall sobriety the which hath in it two things 1. Soundnes of iudgement 2. Moderation of affection It stands thee in hand my Sonne to stirre vp the grace The Metaphrase of God that is in thee to looke diligently to the worke of thy Ministery and not to be idle or ashamed of the testimony of our Lord the Gospell of Christ Inasmuch that the Spirit of bondage which the vnregenerate are possest withall is tooke from thee and the Spirit of power and loue and of a sound minde to aide thee to moue thee and to direct thee the which are by God conferred and onely giuen to vs his peculiar and adopted children be imparted vpon thee And now if we consider the words as they be a Reason The Deduction of Doctrines and haue relation to the precedent and consequent verses then this is the first poynt that we obserue that The duties of our callings are not to be neglected Doct. 1. Io. 11. 9. c. 1 Cor. 16. 13. We must goe through good report and evil report And not feare any contrary opposition but quit vs like men and be resolute For to doe otherwise is to bring the evill vpon vs that Reas 1. wee are afraid of The Iewes would not confesse Christ because of the Romanes who if they did feared would spoile their Temple Yet was it spared No it was razed downe Math. 16. 25. to the ground notwithstanding And more then this they that be fearefull
thing of great worth and of the Reas 2. faithfull principally desired and therefore casting the eye of their mindes vpon that they will endure any sorrow Why did not Paul and others faint Why they accounted that the 2 Cor. 4 vlt. afflictions of this life were not worthy of the weight of glory that way layd vp for them in the heauens Here we see what enemies those be to themselues Who Vse 1. are alwaies casting their eye on their present miseries but neuer looke vp to the heauens If the husband man would neuer haue thought on the day of reaping hee would haue small comfort in plowing sowing c. And this is to direct vs what to doe in the sad times of affliction Vse 2. namely to thinke on our salvation David had vtterly fainted but that hee expected to see the goodnes of God Psal 27. in the land of the living and so shall wee in troublesome times haue we no eye towards the land of Canaan the new Ierusalem He that wades through a strong and swiftriuer must looke to the shoare not downe vnder his feete For then his head would grow giddy his eyes dazell and he be in perill of drowning so when the strong streames of affliction compasse vs on cuery side if we would not faint and fall cast we our eyes on the banke and coast of heauen And this thing is worth our daily observation for we shall haue some rubs lesser or greater continually This poynt then is physicke for each time euery malady Thus we proceed to handle the words without any relatition to the verses foregoing Who. The note is that God is the Author of mans Saluation whither temporall orâ—ternall Doct. 4. totall or partiall All the Prophers beare witnesse to this David cryeth Salvation Psal 3 vlt and 27. 1. Isaâ— 12. 2. is from the Lord The Lord is my Salvation Isaiah God is my Saluation and the Saviour of all men 1. Tim. 4. 10. For he found out that new and everliuing way when man Reas 1. Gen. 3. 15. had lost himselfe into which Satâ—an could not pry and the Angels desired to peepe into And as he found out the way so he prepared the meanes Reas 2. â—oh 3. 16. for he sent his sonne made of a woman that they that beleeued in him might be saued Thirdly he was contented to take a satisfaction of the Reas 3. surety whereas he might haue required it at the debtors hands and then no flesh had beene saued for none could haue made an infinit satisfaction What shall I more say he hath sent his word law and Reas 4. Gospell he hath fitted and thrust foorth Ministers to diuide it aright and to discouer the hidden mysteries in the same finally hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit and by the finger of the Holy-ghost in some measure made vs for the present capable of his kingdome it s he and none but hee that saveth Israel For the father he saveth vs by grace Christ by Note purchase the Holy-ghost by application This serveth to confute the Papists who ascribe too much Vse 1. vnto man for the worke of his salvation but wee passe by that And is God the principall agent in mans salvation Then Vse 2. not vnto vs not vnto vs but vnto his name giue wee the praise For what power had we to giue our selues a being to preserue our selues since we were borne to worke out our saluation why were not we reiected with many borne in a land of darkenesse or strangled sucking of our Mothers brests who tooke the veile of ignorance from our eyes caused the light of the glorious Gospell to shine into our soules and made vs who sometime were fooles wise vnto salvation why then with a gratefull heart say with the Prophet It is the Lords mercy I was not long agoe consumed and hee is my God and my Salvation And would we all be saued why then seeke vnto God Vse 3. rely vpon him yet vse thou all other helpes that hee hath prescribed Doe the best thou canst but still depend vpon him not on the meanes the which without his finger as Moses rod will worke nothing And is God the author of mans saluation why then let Vse 4. the righteous be of good comfort for they shall be saued What can hinder who can prevent his resolution Let Sathan and all the Spirits of the infernall pit gather their wit power and forces together cast riuers of water out of their mouthes breath fire at their nosthrills spet venome as fast as words yet God shall plucke off their Chariot wheeles smite them in the hinder parts they shall in heapes lye dead and stinking on the shore when the waters shall giue way that all the Israel of God may safely passe and possesse heauen And though sometimes we may seeme to be in great dangers as Paul and the people were in the ship yet Act. 27. as they did to land at the length so shall we come safe to the land of the liuing For not one whom the father hath chosen and his sonne redeemed but in the time appointed they shall be saued Not one of these souldiers shall become captiues none of these children shall bee disinherited Feare not them little flocke seeing nothing can depriue you of saluation Hath Out of this word it may be gathered that The Salvation of the faithfull is certaine and not doubtfull Doct. 1. Paul speakes of it as of a thing perfected finished And it is vsuall in the Scripture to call things that are not as Num. 23. 10. though they were Balâ—â—â— made no question of thiâ— God saith he will put his feare into them and they shall never mâ—â—ke Ier. 32. 29. 40. that depart from him He hath promised to marry himselfe to them in faithfulnes that is in a couenant that shall not bee Hos 2. 19. 20. broken and to such there is no condemnation And for the Rom. 8. 1. certainty of this poynt wee may produce many worthy reasons And first from God the father thus we argue 1. Hath hee Reas 1. not chosen them 2 Tim. 2. 19. and shall he at any time reiect his people Why then doth he not make a new election why for his counsell shall stand 2. He loueth them and whom he once loueth doth he not loue them with an everlasting loue Ier. 31. 3. 3. He cannot repent of what he hath promised or faile of his word Rom. 11. 29. and 4. Is not his iustice satisfied hath not Christ paid the full debt and shall God require it againe of the debtor Rom. 5. 8. And if God hath chosen them loved them his iustice bee satisfied for them and he hath promised to saue them shall then any of them perish on Gods part I trow this is plaine to euery mans capacity that they shall not nor cannot A second maine Reason or rather many may
be drawne Reas 2. from Christ the Lord. 1. Hath hee not bought them and will he now not demaund his due Yes thine they were saith he to his father but they are mine Io. 17. 6. 2. Hath he not prayed for them Io. 17. 24. and doth not the father heare him alwayes Io. 11. 42. 3. He also maketh daily intercession for them 1 Io. 2. 2. And shall hee not prevaile and 4. Christ hath glory by them For if one member were lost the body would be imperfect Ioh. 17. 10. Also from the Spirit we gather reasons 1. If he should not Reas 3. perfect the worke of gracein them the word that came from him would be against him Phil. 1. 6. Againe in the 2. place his power and mercy would not equally appeare to the elect in Regeneration as the power and mercy of the father and the sonne in the Creation and Redemption if any of them were not perfectly sanctified 3. Then Christ should proue a lyer for he hath promised to send his spirit that shall lead them into euery truth and againe the Spirit should not obey the sonne which were the deepest blasphemy to conceiue Io. 16. 13. 4. They are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and shall hee suffer that to be destroyed or the vncleane spirit to thrust him out of his possession 1 Cor. 6. 19. So that on the Fathers part the Sonnes part and the Holy Ghosts part they cannot perish And we may draw reasons from the faithfull themselues Reas 4. For 1. They cannot be deceiued Math. 24. 24. 2. They neuer sinne with a full consent the new man the part regenerate cannot sinne Rom. 9. vlt. 1 Io. 3. 9. And then shall he perish for the old mans transgressions This were to verifie Note the old Prouerbe The fathers haue eatâ—â— sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge 3. They will alwayes vse the meanes that will bring them to heauen Col. 3. 2. and shall not hee that walketh in the way come to the end of his iourney Ier. 6. 16. 4. They are vnited to Christ by faith loue and the Spirit and who can burst these bands asunder And we may also collect arguments from the similitudes Reas 5. in Scripture for this purpose 1. Christ is compared to a vine the faithfull to his branches 2. To a spring they to living waters that flow therefrom 3. To an head they to his real members 4. To a foundation and they to the rest of the building And who shall stop the course of this riuer Iohn 4. 14. Rent this tree vp by the rootes Io. 15. Bruise this head Io. 1. 18. Or remoue this foundation for it s said that the Gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Math. 16. 18. This is not like Abrahams well that was stopped Ionah's guord that withered the Serpents head that was bruised or the Temple of Ierusalem that was ouerturned Finally if they should not be saued what great absurdities Reas 6. would follow for 1. Grace should be ouercome of corruption the yonger serue the elder 2. The body mysticall of Christ be maimed yea in part condemned 3. We should ascribe lesse to grace and the Spirit then to Sathan and corruption both for power and priviledge and 4. Christ should be subiect to dy in vaine in 〈◊〉 or wholly for by that rule and meanes that one may fall away two may yea all the faithfull and then Christ should 〈◊〉 to loose his purpose and to he gratis for no end And by this Doctrin in hand are our Aduersaries confuted Vse 1. who maintaine that the faithfull may fall and finally parish They instance in Salomon But he fell not totally and for euer Reasons why Salomon was saued For 1. He writ a booke of his repentance 2. He had a special promise that the Lord would neuer forsake him 3. Peter stiles all holy men who penned the Scriptures of which number he was one 4. He is in the naturall I say not legall Genealogie of Christ and no doubt but Christ would giue him that honour as to saue him 5. Hee might not commit idolatry but permit his Concubines so his sin was the lesser for as he was said to build the Temple by others so might he be reputed an idolater in bearing with others 6. He was a speciall type of Christ and all this being thus who dares conclude that hee was condemned We may boldly avouch the contrary But the Papists haue reason to hold that Salomon perished Why the Papists hold he perished 1. In so doing he being a King then Kings will the sooner submit themselues vnto the Pope and seeke for a pardon 2. If as a Prophet he perished and a penman of the Scripture 1. Oh! this maketh notably for their purpose for then this 2. will follow that the Pope may be free from the spirit of error yet dle a damned person as many by their owne confession haue done 3. If as a good and private man then 3. certainty of Salvation cannot be obtained as they seeke to defend and 4. Hold this position they must or else pardons 4. and Purgatory wil be of no praise or prize but vtterly perish But you will demand why should so excellent a man fall Quest so fearefully 1. The Lord might permit him to humble him as Paul Sol. must haue a pricke to buffet him least he should bee exalted with the abundance of Reuelations and was not Salomon hauing so rare parts incident to the same and if that was a remedy for Paul why not this vnto Salomon 2. Againe if this King had liued without spott he being so wonderfully qualified and hauing so great a kingdome that none was euer like him the people peraduenture would haue taken him for the true Messiah For how many still looked for Christ at that day and after Christ was come dreamed of an earthly kingdome Many more arguments they produce but we haue answered them elsewhere therefore here omit them And this doctrine is of great comfort to all the faithfull Vse 2. for come what can they shall neuer perish Nothing shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus We should more reioyce in this then wicked men in their wine and oile and large possessions Iobs heart was glad in the remembrance and assurance that his Redeemer liued that he should see him with his eyes David reioyced that his flesh should see no corruption and the Apostle that hee should be saued Shall a King be glad that none can take away his crowne a nobleman the Ensigne of his honour the Iudge his scarlet robe the Bishop his Rochet the Captaine his Auncient the Pyrate his flag and the poore man his farme shall the certaine possession of these things breed so much mirth and shall the assurance of a kingdome not expell sorrow and mourning Art thou poore in a farre Country despised
of the world or with the Iew in Babilon haue thy parents reiected thee thy friends cast thee off and all thy familiars waite for thy halting Yet grace shall neuer leaue thee or the Lord forsake thee but preserue thee to eternall glory Let Rachel die in trauell Abel be slaine of his brother Iames be beheaded Christ crucified and Eli breake his necke yet they shall be saued And if thou be faithfull God shall deliuer thee from every evill worke and preserue thee to his heauenly kingdome Then be of good comfort for if earthly priviledges breed such ioy what should these heauenly doe Why where bee our hearts and what doe we thinke vpon And this should teach vs thankfulnes to God who hath Vse 3. now made our spirituall estate more certaine in Christ our surety then it was at the first in Adam our father The Pope gets large summes for long pardons the Landlord great fines for a lease for many yeares But we haue a pardon and lease that are of force for euer and euer ours be signed sealed and deliuered by the finger of the Spirit through the bloud of Christ Iesus and with the full and free consent and presence of God the father Then say with the Apostle vpon the same ground To whom be praise for euer and euer Amen And is our salvation certaine How then should wee be Vse 4. pricked forward to goe on in the constant and cheerefull vse of all meanes that may effect it for doth not expectation and assurance of the end set all a worke who would plow if he had no hope of a haruest crosse the dangerous seas if he were out of all heart for his returne in safety or take Physicke should hee not thereby expect recouery of some present sicknes or the remouall of some future disease feared And had we no hope then we might be out of heart But seeing not one of our haires shall perish as Paul said Acts 27. concerning corporall safetie let vs eate and drinke with gladnes be of good courage and vse all helpes prescribed for as the wicked haue no minde to vse the meanes because they haue no hope to inherite heauen so wee by the contrary ground should be stirred and enliued to cast off sinne grow in grace suffer affliction and if need be to resist vnto blood in as much that we be assured and know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And with what willingnes will man and beast bauke and hunt being in hope to finde and catch the prey shall we then hauing such a prize in our hands haue no hearts surely it should not nor it must not be so Saved Hence let it be noted that The Salvation of man is a rare and great blessing Doct. 6. No doubt but Paul doth mention it as a speciall fauour from the Lord. And seeing in these words he seemeth to vse a Reason to moue Timotheus to be resolute in al good duties if he had knowne a better or more forcible argument hee would haue produced it for his purpose See Gen. 49. 18. Which place the two Caldee Paraphrasts expound not of Gedeon or Sampsons deliuery that were temporall and transitory but the salvation by Christ which is eternall and permanent 1 Pet. 4. 18. Io. 4. 5. Phil. 2. 12. Isai 45. 17. and this will further appeare by many reasons Let vs consider it in the causes 1. We were not redeemed Reas 1. with gold and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. Doth not the word the good word of God and the Spirit effect and apply it and was not the best message that euer Angels brought Saluation to mankind And are not all times meanes and things subordinate to Reas 2. the same this is the end of all ends Gods glory being excepted and yet his glory is procured by the same The more generall a thing is the better it is for begetting conceiuing bearing baptizing calling and iustifying yea Sanctification preceede it And is it not then the best thing And is it not directly opposed to damnation the worst Reas 3. thing that can be named the wicked shall be in hell amongst the damned Divells and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire on the contrary the Godly shall inherite heauen enioy the communion of the blessed Angells for ever and ever Finally consider what it is to be saued 1. Shall not the Reas 4. image of God in such be perfectly renewed Psal 17. vlt 2. Their ioy shall it not be full Psal 16. vlt Their habitation of pure gold and the fruition of all eternall and now lay all these together and will not the point be a trueth that mans chiefest blessednes consisteth in his saluation Come we to the vse Where we reprehend many that esteeme it a matter of no Vse 1. moment or estimation Is it a thing of weight to preserue a yong plant from withering a beast from drowning the body from dying and nothing of importance to saue the whole man from damning The ignorant man as hee vnderstands not the worth of it so hee neuer seeketh after it The Couetous cryeth its good to bee here gaine is great godlines The Epicure hee goeth in purple and fine linnen euery day fareth delicately drinketh wine in bowles spendeth his time in pleasure and altogether forgetteth his latter end The voluptuous man maketh merry saying The next day shall be as this we will haue our fill of loue and neuer once mindeth his salvation As for the drunkard biting vsurer and the swearer they long agone haue made a league with hell and a couenant with death boasting Tush God will doe neither good nor euil Zeph. 1. 12. and is there wisedome in the most high This poynt may iustifie the courses of such as take paines Vse 2. to worke out their saluation and to make their calling and election sure Goe yee on and the good Lord shall be with you Let it neuer be said of any of you ye began well but who did let you It s a fearefull thing to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh This might move Parents to make their children the Vse 3. subiects of salvation for would you not haue them to bee heires of great things Say then with Abraham Oh that Ismael might live with Noah God perswade Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Sheâ— All call with David Come hearken vnto me ye little children and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. For those be the best parents that can vse the meanes to bring their sonnes and daughters to be coheires with Christ of the kingdome of God and to participate of endlesse salvation Whereas our Lord said Weepe for your selues and for your children So say I Get salvation for your selues and for your children And from this ground wee are all to be intreated and instructed Vse 4. to
we doubt of it or of Christs sufficiency A second we may draw from his person for hee is God Reas 2. and man Therefore our onely and absolute Sauiour He must be man that saved vs. 1. That the iustice of God might be satisfied in that nature whereby he was offended for in Heb. 2. 17. no wise he tooke vpon him the nature of Angells 2. That we might be his brethren and 3. He haue a fellow feeling of our infirmities the better to succour vs and comfort vs Heb. 4. 15. when we are tempted And he must be God two natures in one person 1. That his merits might be sufficient to satisfie the infinite wrath of the father for the worthines of the merit comes from the dignity of the person 2. That hee might ouercome him that had the power of death that is the Deuill Christ was stronger then he And 3. That he Rom. 14. 4. vlt. might be able to raise himselfe from death so that he might be able to raise himself from death so that he is our only Saviour for none was euer like him before him or euer shall be after him this is our Kinsman And he may be called our Sauiour from his properties Reason 3. for he is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. and made higher then the heauens He is infinite in knowledge power and presence neither can hee euer sleepe or slumber Finally he may be called a Saviour 1. In respect of his Reason 4. doctrine 2. Example 3. His mediation And 4. by his merit Heb. 7. 25. and that is principally So that he is a Saviour every manner of way For all the promises are yea and Amen in Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 1. 20. And here we might shew the misery of the Iewes Turkes and Heathens who put no confidence in him neither haue Vse 1. heard of him As also the Papists that put their confidence and place their hope in Mary and their owne merits This should teach vs to be acquainted with him and to Vse 2. repose al our confidence and trust in him for our saluation And that so much the rather seeing eternall life consisteth Ioh 17. 3. in the knowledge of him and the obedience of his doctrine For this is a sure way Who hath abolished death The note is this that Death by Christ is destroyed Doct. 6. Oh death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor 15. 55. c. Reasons For he onely it is who hath borne our infirmities and the burthen of our sinnes paid our debt dissolued the workes of the Deuill quickened vs by his spirit tooke away the law of ordinances broke downe the partition wall cancelled our bond and satisfied the iustice of the father for the first and second death The which if any should deny these reasons may serue to confirme it 1. For the law requireth both after the fall therefore Christ must satisfie for both or he had not discharged the full debt and payment 2. They that are not partakers of his sufferings shall dye the first and second death who calls this into question 3. What had we suffered if he had not died the separation of soule and body and of both from the fauour of God for euer and euer had we not And 4. Haue we not a double life from Christ then a two-fold death was abolished by the rule of contraries But it may be obiected that his sufferings were finite Obiect 1. Sol. 1. True in respect of time but there is another infinitie in regard of degree or quantitie the which Christ endured 2. The course of originall sinne is stopped in all his members 2. that they do not sinne for euer therefore it was not necessary that Christ should suffer for eternitie But some may further obiect how is this manifested in Obiect 2. scripture and when did he suffer for it Were not the bodies of those beasts whose bloud was Sol. I. brought into the holy place by the high Priest for sinne to be burnt without the campe and did not Christ suffer Heb. 13. 11. 12 without the gate What can be vnderstood by this but the second death For is it not a priuation of all ioy and the infliction of the torments of hell for a season 2. And was not Christ in his agonie in great perplexitie when he cried My soule is heauie to heath My God let this cup passe from me And why hast thou forsaken me In what sence Christ may be said to suffer the second death Yet this is warily to be vnderstood For we may not in any wise so much as thinke that God the father did euer wholly withdraw his loue from Christ Iesus or separate his affection from him the second death so accepted is to vndergoe the full iustice and implacable anger of God for all eternitie the which may not here in that sence be admitted For the father did neuer with draw his loue from his sonne indeed Though for the present hee looked on him as hee was our suretie and a sinner by imputation with the strict eye of a seuere iudge and creditor who would not remit one farthing of his due debt but exact a ful perfect satisfactiō At which time Christ felt the most bitter pangs in his passion and that torment the which was equiualent to the second death This should worke in vs both loue and thankfulnes to Vse 1. Christ who hath wrought so great a worke for vs. How should we praise him for so great a fauour If a Physician remoue a disease or preuent death in vs will we not pay him and commend him And is it not thanks-worthy to haue corruption remoued death destroyed and that temporall and eternall David would glorifie God in that hee had deliuered his soule from the nethermost part of hell And 1 Sam 25. 32. 33. did he not blesse God and blesse Abigail and blesse her counsell in that she was a meanes to preserue Nabal and his familie from death and shall we not doe so much who are our selues preserued from death eternall I wish that wee did but well consider this thing then we would be more affected with Christ more thankfull to him for the remouall of so great an euill Againe this may comfort euery christian heart in its greatest Vse 2. troubles Doth corruption fight within thee and striue to put out the sparke of grace Be of good comfort for it shall neuer preuaile When that serpent death shooteth out his venemous sting why consider its tooke from him And that which thou seemest to see is but like the Enchanters serpent counterfeit Let the deuill tempt thee why haue recourse to Christ who hath destroyed his plot redeemed thee out of his hands and tooke his power from him And
excell the principall in some one thing as the foote by fleeing may saue the body when the head cannot moue without it So the least of Gods ordinances in one thing or other may be more profitable then the highest For â—xample For the plantation of a Church the conuersion of the sinner the begetting of faith the information of the iudgement and the directing of man in the pathes of righteousnes Preaching doubtlesse hath the preheminence But in easing of the troubled heart by confession in recounting the great and many things the Lord hath done for vs in praysing him for his benefits and obtaining of comfort and helpe in the time of need and to a sinner converted prayer I thinke is the more profitable Obiect Sol. It will be said We cannot pray without preaching True not well neither can wee preach well without praying Againe faith comes by preaching and without faith no Obiect prayer We grant it yet prayer doth preserue it increase it Preaching Sol. is the procreant but Prayer the conservant cause of faith the one is as the Mother the other as the Nurse We in preaching heare God speake to vs in praying we Obiect 3. speake to him True it is that the Lord in the word truly preached speaketh Sol. to man yet not immediately And so in praying doth God speake also For the Spirit of God doth direct and assist all the faithfull to pray And in this following respect Prayer seemes to haue the prayse For in Preaching God by man speaketh vnto man But in Praying Man by the Holy Ghost doth speake vnto God the Father And on the other part Obiections are brought as this Obiect That which is for another thing is of lesse value then that thing for which it is But preaching is for prayer therefore not to be preferd aboue it This rule seemes to me not alwaies to hold true Example Sol. The father and the Mother are for the sonne therefore the sonne is better then they God was in Christ and redeemed the world by him therefore the world is more worth then the sonne of God This were a doubtfull if not a blasphemous consequence Yet obserue this that one thing may be for diuers ends as the Redemption of man by Christ was not solely for the good of man but for his owne and the glory of his father and Christ as he was God was both the end and the meanes so that sometimes things be not as they seeme to be I will to and fro dispute the question no longer for my first generall answere shall stand for all And none needs to doubt of the truth of it Onely thus let vs conclude that as Christ said Giue that to Caesar which is Caesars and to God that which is is Gods So giue we to preaching that which is its due and to prayer its priviledge also And in the second place this should teach vs thankfulnes Vse 2. to God for the word preached Alas what were all other fauours worth if we had not the Gospell to conuert vs and to sanctifie vs to God all things to vs We esteeme not of this fauour as we ought and as it deserveth Haue wee a guide to direct vs being out of the way a Phisitian to remoue some dangerous disease or but a remedy to turne our cloth into a better colour We esteeme highly of such things But haue too little respect vnto the word taught the onely meanes to heale our spirituall maladies and to conuert vs vnto the Lord. And if this be not thanksworthy then all we haue is of no worth Praise wee the Lord therefore that our visions faile not Againe would we and our children be converted and Vse 3. healed then let vs depend on the word taught Moses Rod in Moses hand did worke miracles and so the word in the mouth of the men of God will destroy the cursed worke of Sathan in vs and make vs in mind and life like vnto Christ Iesus We must wash in this poole attend at this porch and suffer this water to fall vpon vs so shall the Leprosie of our sinne be washt away and we be transformed into the image of the Lord wherin we were at the first created But how few mind or practise these things Yet it s a truth that there is no way to bring vs ordinarily vnto heauen but the diligent hearing of the word preached Last of all Let vs all strive to continue the word taught Vse 4. amongst vs for if it faile the people perish Nay we should to the vttermost of our power with the Thessalonians cause the Gospell to run and abound in all places this is a worke of worth and great necessity You often and it s good speake in the praise of that in his Art matchlesse Peere Sir Francis Drake for deriving the water into your Corporation and you are at daily expence to repaire the breaches of its passage And shall we then neuer be at any charge to cause the water of life to slow through the Townes and places about vs by the Conduits of faithfull preachers Nay would to God some did not stop this wells mouth or rather hinder the passage But woe to them whosoeuer they be Of the Gentiles We might gather diuers things from these few words being diuersly considered but the cheife I take is this that When the Lord will call and saue a people hee rayseth vp the Doct. 6. fittest instruments for that purpose Who fitter then Paul to be a Preacher to the Gentiles or to deliuer Israel then Moses being skilfull in all their learning Peter was a man resolute and fiery therefore the more meete to deale with the stiffnecked Iewes And the Lord sent Papists to Pp ' for their conuersion for they knew their iuglings and were able to beate them with their owne weapons Because the Lord is wise in all his wayes and skilfull in Reas 1. all his enterprises A man of vnderstanding will doe his best to haue his matters effected and shall not the fountaine of all wisedome worke wisely Againe the Lord doth this in respect of the people for Reas 2. they naturally are subiect to quarrell to make objections and to deny the meanes of their conuersion Now a man well qualified will remoue their doubts conuince them in iudgment discouer their folly and so the sooner draw them to repentance For though God can worke and sometimes doth with weake or no meanes at all yet this is his Method in his ordinary course of proceeding By this poynt we may partly tell what to iudge of many Vse 1. places and people in the world Doth the Lord send them fit Pastors then hope the best but if not feare the worst This must teach vs to reuerence the Lord in his workes Vse 2. and not to passe by without casting our eye on his wise prouidence For its worthy of our obseruation and imitation I feare
of God in his greatest danger when he had almost slipâ— and beene turned out of the way to triumph that the Lord would guide him by his counsell and afterward receiue him to glory and in a good heart it will worke the like effect Psal 73. 25. And in the last place this might stirre vs vp to vse all Vse 4. good meanes that we might once entertaine and euer retaine so worthy a guest How will we inuite and entreat to haue our good friend but a day nay one meale to be with vs then shall we not vse all the skill we can to possesse the Spirit of God who will abide with vs and comfort vs at all Quest times in all conditions Thou wilt say Sir by what way may I come to this thing Why thou must get a new heart Ans for he will neuer lodge in the old for that 's naught And this heart must haue these properties 1. It must be broken and that by the Law and the Gospel Properties of a new heart Luk. 18. 13. The Law breakes the heart 2. Wayes 1. In reuealing vnto man the number and greatnes of his sinnes so great an enditement will pierce deepely 2. By declaring what fearefull Act. 2. 37 16. 27. c. iudgements we be subiect vnto For these two will humble a man to the dust He that seeth his former perfection what it was and present misery what it is cannot but be a man of sorrow and the law revealeth both But a Iudas may goe thus farre therefore the Gospell must haue its stroke in this busines and that thus when the Law like an hammer hath dashed in pieces our hard hearts then the promises must come to make them melt and relent within vs and that by a double act the one is in the consideration how our sinnes caused the onely sonne of God to become accursed for a good Nature hauing but a generall illumination cannot but be wounded at this consideration But yet we must passe another step ahd that is when the remembrance of Gods mercy in giuing vs his sonne to dye for vs and in assuring our hearts that all our sinnes are freely pardoned the many heavy iudgements that we were lyable to are for euer remoued and our saluation sealed to our soules I say when the remembrance hereof hath its strong operation and makes our hearts to melt in our bodies The Law like the mallet breaketh the flinty heart but the precious promises of the Gospell like a kind shower the earth bringeth it to a good temper For as the field that becomes fruitfull must haue the first and second raine after that it s plowed and rent asunder by the harrow so must a new heart haue this twofold worke by the Law and gracious promises contained in the Gospell We must not onely mourne that our sinnes be many and the iudgments we be lyable to heauie but also euen our bowells must yearne within vs that Christ was crucified for vs being an innocent person and the Lords fauour worke mightily with vs who hath declared vnto vs in particular such a depth of mercy 2. The new heart must be a pure and purging heart For Math 5. 8. blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this pure heart is procured by two meanes 1. By getting of faith for faith will purge like barme in beere and purifie the heart it will cause that no corruption shall lodge or abide neere it 2. A pure heart is obtained by this consideration that no vncleane heart shall inherit the kingdome of God For euery thing naturally seekes it owne preseruation and this once vnderstood it will haue its operation This new heart must be like a liuing spring 3. A new heart must be a smiting heart and that for the least sinne that 's done in secret knowne only to God and our selues aswell as for great offences committed in publike 2 Sam 24. 10. and in the view of many Dauid had a new heart and his had both these qualities and it must smite 1. For sinnes of commission 2. Of omission 4. A new heart must be an vpright heart and that is in regard of time or person for time alwaies endeavouring to be righteous for person 1. Before God And 2. With all Acts 24. 16. men And herein I doe endeauour my selfe alwayes to haue a good conscience before God and before men So that we see that new hearts must be 1. Broken hearts 2. Purging hearts 3. Smiting hearts 4. Vpright hearts and in such an heart dwelleth the Spirit of God Wherefore strive thou for such a one and be thou assured that the Spirit of God will come into thy heart and dwell with thee for euer and euer But if thine heart be not thus qualified be not deceiued the Holy Ghost shall neuer take one nightes abode in the mansion of thy soule and on the contrary thy heart will be but a Denne for that foule and vncleane spirit the Deuill who if he possesse thy heart will draw thee on into that fiery Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for all eternity I might here note another Doctrine which is that The Spirit of God is an holy Spirit Doct. 6. He is in many places so stiled in Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 13. Eph. 4. 30. c. And he may be so called for these Reasons First in that he proceedeth from the father and the Son Reas 1. the fountaine of all holines Againe he is coequall coessentiall coeternall with the 2. Father and the Son Therefore God holy yea holines it selfe And he worketh the beginning progresse and perfection 3. of all holines in the Creature And as he is opposed to Sathan that vncleane spirit he is sayd to be holy Finally he alwayes disswadeth from vncleannes and perswadeth 4. to holines as we may see in the holy Scriptures which by the holy men of God were penned as they were carried by the holy Ghost Take we heed therefore how we resist or quench the Vse 1. motions of this Spirit For this is a fearefull sinne and to be avoyded We read of some that haue grieued and despighted the holy Ghost but the end of such was neare vnto cursing and burning And this may be done in our selues and others What a lamentable thing is it when gracious words proceede from mens mouthes to heare one say O Sir I perceiue you are a Puritane and one full of the Spirit Doest thou this of ignorance Why then thou art blame-worthy to speake euill of what thou knowest not if of knowledge the greater is thy offence and seemeth to be a step vnto that sinne vnto death Therefore in the name of God despite not the Spirit of grace in thy selfe or thy brother And seeing this Spirit is holy Let those that enioy him Vse 2. be carefull to keepe him and them that want him to striue for him for he is
worth the hauing Holines is a thing much to be respected and cannot be had without the spirit And doe thou obserue these directions 1. When thou feelest and findest any secret motion stirred How the spirit may be procured vp in thy heart to holines entertaine it prayse God for it and giue willing obedience therevnto For there is almost no man but at one time or other he shall heare a still voice within him saying This is the way walke in it This must Isa 30. 21 be cherished greatly regarded For if we put this from vs peraduenture when we would with all our hearts feele such whisperings they will be wanting and not easily come by 2. Attend vpon the men of God in the Ministery of his word For it s sayd While Peter spake and the people heard the holy Ghost fell vpon them They that deny the meanes cannot expect this mercy Act. 10. 44. 3. Pray to God the Father that he would send downe his Spirit into thy heart Can they that are evill saith our Sauiour giue to their Children good things how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Luk. 11. 13. 4. And in Conclusion Speake not evill of thy brother say not he hath a Devill This was the Pharisees fault and Mark 3. 30. in so doing it seemes they sinned vnto death For they told him that he cast out Devills by the Prince of Devills when they thought otherwise so that malice against the truth being accompained with a sound vnderstanding of the truth appeareth to be that irremissible sinne Now the last thing to be collected is this that The Graces of the Spirit are preserved by the Spirit Doct. 7. Paul hauing commanded Timotheus an hard taske giues here a notable direction how he may be able to doe the same and that is through the assistance of the holy Ghost This is also seene Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 13. For Sathan is strong man but weake 2. He is subtill we Reas 1. 2. be simple so that the Spirit of all wisedome and power is he that can enable vs to preserue this worthy thing within vs. And who more fit to doe this then hee that hath wrought this good worke by his owne finger in vs Here we might controule the doctrine of our Aduersaries Vse 1. who ascribe so much power to man after grace receiued or especially that they attribute so much to man in his pure naturalls Hath Timothie neede of the speciall worke and aide of the Spirit to keepe the gifts of grace in him Let them then that will stand vpon their owne strength we dare not Vse 2. And in the next place here we learne instruction to be humble in our owne eyes to deny our owne power and to runne at all times and in all distresses to this refuge of the Spirit for assistance He that doth this doth wisely and but his duty neither the which he is commanded And he that doth not this layeth himselfe open to the fiery shot of Sathan and dangerous methods he vseth buildeth on the sand and the house of his hope the foundation of his faith is certaine to fall But let not vs so learne or teach the Doctrine of Christ Yea rather pray we with the Prophet Lord stablish me with thy free Spirit Plal. 51. 13. VERS 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes IN this Verse is contained a complaint Where foure things are to be observed The Logicall resolution I. The persons against whom it is made and they be laid downe 1. Generally and implicitely in the word all c. 2. Particulary and explicitely one is named Phygellus another Hermogenes II. These people are explicated by their place of habitation or birth which was In Asia III. Their fault was that they turned backe IV. From whom that is expressed in the word Mee And the proofe of the trueth of all this is annexed For this thou knowest This thou knowest That is thou Timotheus doest The Theologicall exposition very well know by experience that what I say is truth Thet all they which are in Asia Or which were in Asia for the time is not expressed in the Greeke neither is it much materiall whether he complained of them that followed him to Rome or that remained still in Asia or that dwelt in Rome being borne in Asia But this is most true that they were Asians I will say nothing where this place was or how farre distant from Rome or the scituation and largenes of it but leaue it those that haue skill in Geography and Topography Be turned from me That is haue not visited me refreshed me Me. Paul the Ambassadour of Christ but haue forsaken me and denied their former profession Some read are become aduersaries to me and rise vp against me I thinke that they omitted all these duties of loue and resolution in Religion the which were in Onesiphorus so that I would expound their fault by the future commendation which immediately followeth Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Or of which sort country number and its likely these two were of the chiefe of them probably Ministers I doe not thinke it vnprofitable in vaine or all together The Metaphrase without warrant to put thee my sonne in remembrance of the many Backsliders who were in Asia forsaking of me and revolting from their former profession of the Gospell of which number Phygellus and Hermogenes were men not of the meanest rancke and note amongst them although it be very well knowne vnto thee by experience already For this thou knowest Hence it may be collected that It is warrantable and profitable to put the people in minde of others Doct. 1. backesliding and falling away For if it were not then Paul would not haue done it we may be assured This may also be seene in Act. 20. 29. c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 13. c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. For by this meanes they may learne to beware of such Reas 1. And is it not good to be acquainted with our enemies for he that is forewarned is forearmed It will cause the people to make the more of them that Reas 2. Ioh. 6. 67. be faithfull Will ye also goe away and is not this an helpe to discerne betwixt the good and evill It will make the best to looke better to their footing least Reas 3. they themselues also fall away For good Christians are iealous of their owne estate and will draw spirituall instruction out of euery thing When one falls before vs we shall looke the more circumspectly to our footing Finally they will be the lesse discouraged or disheartened Reas 4. when they heare that some haue fallen For were there not some such examples it would goe worse with the best for hereby they see it 's no new thing to
Townesmen doe still liue by stealth I scarce know one of many who will not filch and steale And shall we not then iudge him a foole that will be drunke for company and follow the most though they be the worst Noah might haue followed the old world Onesiphor us all Asia the Queene of the South haue staid at home Lot ate and drunke with the Sodomites and the Prophet Mithaiah Prophesied lies with 400. false Prophets vpon as good ground But should they haue then escaped drowning burning and damnation Would these examples haue exempted them from fire and destruction yet they were great many and mightie for multitude In the next place therefore let vs neuer be led by the most Vse 2. but the best for if we follow the many millions who drink vp sinne as the fishes doe water we shall participate of their paine and torment Let vs all then with good Iosuah resolue that we with our families will serue the Lord for heapes of lewd examples exempt none that tread their darke steps from cursing and burning Wherefore with fewest follow the truth in loue and neuer runne after the rude and rash multitude to commit evill Another point we may single out from the comparing of them that fell away with him that stood stedfast in the faith which is that In the time of persecution few haue beene found faithfull Doct. 2. Psal 12. 1. 1 King 19. 10 David cryeth Helpe Lord there is not a godly man left Elias I am left alone The faithfull are fallen from the earth diminished are the righteous Luk. 2. 35. For affliction is harsh to flesh and bloud it will not easily Reas 1. be sustain'd vndergone Oh! how hard a thing is it to forsake all and follow Christ Because many were neuer throughly rooted and grounded Reas 2. in the trueth they haue not deeply tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore they pitty themselues Stand not amazed then if vpon the same ground thou Vse 1. seest whole troopes cast off the yoke throw their ensignes in the field and run away For the strong water of affliction will carry vnsound mindes like chaffe on heapes before it Let this sword be drawne pierce the hearts of one or two the Hypocriticall thoughts of thousands will be vnsheathed discouered Luk. 2. 25. Then boast not too much of others or thy owne resolution Vse 2. in the times of peace for thou maist well with Peter in an hot skirmish shrinke and shriuell seeke out a secret place and deny thy Master Many cry I would haue dyed rather then haue done as such or so But wast thou euer in like triall hast thou proued thy prowesse by experience in equall perill why then ti 's somewhat to the purpose If not doe thou feare for wisemen will it 's but vaine boasting cowardly like bragging And I haue seene this that bawâ—ng curres bite least soonest run away so hot spirits in calme times haue proved the greatest cowards when Garments haue tumbled in bloud I had rather be that sonne who promised nought and yet did his Fathers will then he that said enough but did nothing And so we come more directly to the words as they are independant and absolute in themselues And first of all we collect this instruction that A good gouernour may procure a blessing to the whole family Doct. 3. For Pauls prayer was grounded on the Lords promise Gen. 19 30 27. 39. 5. therefore he might prevaile Lot did so to Sodom Ioseph to Pharaoh's house Iacob to Laban Lydia and the Iaylor being Act. 16. baptized and beleeuers no doubt but their families fared the better for their sakes Rahab the harlot saued many aliue so Iosh 22. Paul in the ship For godly gouernours are in the Couenant of grace and Reas 1. the Lord hath promised to be their God and the God of their seed also and shall his promise take none effect Away Gen. 17. 7. with that A second reason may be drawne from the neare vnion Reas 2. that is amongst them for Masters and seruants Parents and children make as it were but one body so that if it goe well with the head welfare the members Whelpes fare the better for the childrens sake in gathering vp the crumms that fall from their fingers This serues in the first place to cut off the many cauills Vse 1. which such men vse to make They vse to reply like the virgins when they are moued to distribute to the necessitie of the Saints I would but I feare that I haue not enough for my selfe and children you know that I haue a great charge and no small thing will maintaine so many fill all these mouthes And He is worse then an Infidell that provides not for his family Thus couetous men quote Scripture to serue their wicked purpose but neuer else Yet alas they neuer consider the prayers of the Saints how God of oftentimes punisheth their posterity with pouertie for their pinching nay taketh from them his word and Spirit the greatest iudgement on earth as he did by the family of Ieroboam And though children be punisht for their owne sinne yet that they are punisht such a time and in such a manner or measure often commeth to passe through the wickednes of parents As we see that when the Canaanites sinne was full they brought a speedier and greater curse vpon their posterity This may be a great comfort for good gouernours for Vse 2. certainly they shall not loose their reward hast thou visited the widowes and fatherlesse washed the Saints feete distributed to their necessities then shall the Lord shew mercy to thee and thy seede after thee build vpon 't for God is true of his promise yea such as comfort his shall be comforted of him But on the contrary such parents as pinch and spare withhold their hands from doing of good when iust occasion is offered they shall lay vp wealth for him that shall wast it nay peraduenture they shall neuer know who shall be their heire and is not this vanitie and a great griefe And this may be a strong Motiue to moue parents to be Vse 3. good and godly for their childrens sake wouldest thou haue thy throne established thy feede flourish and thy posteritie blessed then be mercifull to the poore become an honest man feare God and worke righteousnes A wicked father and prophane mother as much as in them is doe pull downe pouertie shame contempt and all the fearefull curses of the Almighty vpon their owne soules and bodies with their children also Oh! that they would beleeue this Let naturall affection moue thee if the feare of God will not worke vpon thee to doe good and to be pittifull And know thou this that wicked Parents are likest to the Deuill murtherers from the beginning no sooner haue they giuen the weake infant a being but by their sinnes as so many sharpe
The yong man must Remember his Creator in the daies of youth least the houres come wherein hee shall haue no pleasure in them Iezabel had a time so had Ierusalem Agrippa and many others but when they foreslowed the oportunitie they found not in future time any mercy When God calleth and we will not come we shall cry but we shall not be heard Wofull experience hath taught this truth to many thousands for there is an appointed time for all things vnder the sunne 2. Seeke for what thou wouldst haue at the Lords hands let him be the principall Asa was sicke in his feete Ezekiah at the heart the one seeking to the Phisician first died the other going to God had his life many yeares prolonged Goe not with Saul to a witch at Endor with Iudas to the Pharisees with Ephraim and Iudah to Ashur and Hos 5. 13. king Iareb with the Papist to the Pope or Angell But goe to the Lord for these are miserable comforters and the best of them if the God of all the world the first mouer of all things and chiefe Phisician be absent cannot heale thee or cure thee of thy wound But seek vnto God and he will heare thee helpe thee 3. Goe to him but not like the proud Pharisee with I thanke God I am not so nor so neither with the boasting Papist in the robes of thing owne righteousnes but come vnto him in the name of Christ Iesus the sonne of his loue send him or set him before thee For whatsoeuer thou shalt seeke in his name that is in his worthines it shall be giuen thee For without Christ he is a consuming fire 4. Let the word and that neuer-erring spirit be thy guide If these two lead thee to the Father in the new and euerliuing way of Christ the Sauiour of all that are saued thou shalt find according to thy hearts desire Practise this Rule 5. Haue respect to the manner of thy seeking let it be vpon the feete of faith and affection with the wings of pure zeale and feruency and then thou shalt find assuredly 6. And finally let the end of thy seeking be for the glory of thy God the good and comfort of thy brethren and reformation of all thy wayes the curing and curbing of thy strong corruptions the encrease of all grace and for food friends favour and rayment so farre and no farther as the Lord seeth them to be needfull for thee Obserue these directions and then stay the Lords leysure and be sure of it that as Onesiphorus found Paul so shalt thou the thing thou hast sought after be it what it can in earth or heauen Now whereas Onesiphorus sought Paul at Rome and was permitted to refresh him we may note that Rome heathen was not sobad then as Rome Christian is now Doct. 5. Act. 28. 30. For Paul might be suffered to liue to haue his keeper Reas 1. to leade him in a chaine to dwell in a house all that would were permitted to come vnto him and without let he might preach the kingdome of God the Gospell of Christ But now if a Paul were there he would not be thought worthy to liue no not for an houre Againe wicked men grow worse and worse Reas 2. Vse Let this for euer be as a sure brand for that Beast who is drunkk with the bloud of the Saints that it is he and no other who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and the very Antichrist whom the Lord will consume with the sword of his mouth They boast of piety and pitty when as Cain was no more cruell to Abel then they be to the faithfull Well Let them thinke that they doe God good seruice in putting vs to death yet they are deceiued it that In this we are not that for so doing they shall tast of the very dregs of Gods hottest vengeance spue and fall and dye the second death For Pope and Papists are men according to the Divells owne heart VERS 18. The Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day and in how many things he hath ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well WE are now come through the good prouidence The Logicall resolution of God to the last verse of this Chapter In the which two things are comprehended 1. A prayer 2. An Appellation In the Prayer we may obserue 4. things 1. To whom Paul prayed the Lord. 2. For whom he prayed him That is Onesiphorus 3. For what he prayed mercy 4. At what time he would haue his friend to receiue the thing he prayed for at that day In the Appellation we haue these particulars 1. That Onesiphorus relieued Paul 2. The place where it was at Ephesus 3. Wherewith that is many things And 4. The probation of this in the last words These or this thou knowest very well He drawes an argument from Timotheus knowledge to confirme his Testimony The Lord. In Hebrew Adonai is Lord being a word of The Theologicall exposition the plurall number yet often vsed in the forme singular it is deriued of Aeden a base or pillar which sustaineth a thing and our English word Lord hath much like signification being contracted of the old Saxon word Laford which commeth of Laef to support sustaine or cherish so that Lord is a Sustainer refresher supporter cherisher For if God withdraw his power all things come to nothing In the Greeke it properly signifieth one that hath authoritie or on whose authoritie something dependeth or consisteth and so indeed doe all things depend on God and hee is cheife gouernour and owner of all things created Mercy The word in the Hebrew put for mercy doth import a sacred affection of piety fauour benignitie and bountifull good pleasure or will of God towards a man without respect of desert or merit It is also applied to man and then it is meant a pious louing and benigne affection whereby he is moued and inclined to doe good to shew pittie compassion c. or that grace of God the which he hath receiued from the father through Christ which is inherent in him or conferred externally vpon him and then its glory Isai 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. And it is frequent for the Greeks to vse that word which our Apostle doth here for it the which Christ himselfe alloweth did practise See Hos 6. 6. Math. 9. 13. And the Hebrewes of Chesed which is Mercy call a godly man chasid that is gracious mercifull Psal 4. 4. some read a gracious Saint With the Lord. The like phrase we read Gen. 19. 24. The Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord. Paul vseth the like manner of speaking for as iudgement came from the Lord vpon Sodom so he prayes for mercy to befall Onesiphorus from the Lord Yet I haue thought that Lord in the first place is to be vnderstood of the Father and in the second is meant the Sonne