by a double Argument First from the calling of the Apostlcs themselves you know not what spirit ye are of as if he had said desire of revenge is not sutable to men of your spirits or of your calling you are Ministers of the Gospell and you are my Disciples and you must doe onely that which sutes with my spirit which becomes the Gospell Secondly from the end of his owne comming who was their Master which was to save mens lives and not to destnoy them as if he had said What doe you tell me of burning Townes or of Elias example in calling downe fire from heaven to doe hurt is there no difference betweene me and Elias betweene the end of my comming and his if he came to destroy men and to pray against Israel yet I came to save men and to pray for Israel therefore a very unfit motion this is which you propound unto me and very impertinently doe you propound the example of him But I know you doe it ignorantly Nescitis you know not what spirit ye are of or of what spirit you ought to be ignorance is the cause of your Errour and your motion is naught because it springs from ignorance ignorance of your selves and of me too of your owne spirits and of the end of my comming Hence we gather these observations 1. Motions that proceed from ignorance are evill motions 2. Good men may be ignorant ant of their owne spirits 3. Ignorance of a mans owne spirit or of the distemper therein is a cause of that evill that comes from him 4. All motions that are unsutable to the end of Christs comming are sinfull motions And to these we shall adde one lesson more that fals naturally from the former Argument of the two as it hath beene opened or rather from our Saviours scope in the whole Text and that shall be this 5. Those that live under the Gospell must mind and speak and doe onely that which suites with the spirit of the Gospell These are the observations or lessons that we shall further dâ—scourse of briefely from the Text and of them in their order 1. Motions that proceed from ignorance are evill motions No good can come of ignorance without knowledge the minde is not good sayes Solomon and from amind not good no good can spring In Matth. 20. 23. there was a request or prayer made to Christ by the Mother of these two Apostles James and John but it proceeded oâ—t of ignorance and therefore our Saviour condeâ—nes it as no good request You aske sayes he you know not what And so that worship that proceeds from ignorance is no good worship You worship you know not what sayes our Saviour to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. 22. and so he disallowes their worship as a sinfull worship And so Rom. 10. 2. the Apostle speakes of a zeale without knowledge and disallowes of it as not good ignorance is no mother of devotion or of goodnoffe as the Papists teach but rather of all errour of bloodshed persecution blasphemy oppression and of all filthy lusts of all ill motions as I could make good by divers particular Scriptures O that this truth were beleeved and remembred in these dayes for then perhaps people would not follow ignorant and unlearned teachers so fast as they doe of whom the Apostle speakes that they neither understand what they say nor whereof they affirme none more bold then the blind and none more ready to follow the blinde then those that are like them but if the blinde lead the blinde both will fall into the ditch sayes our Saviour Matth. 15. 14. But be it knowne from hence that the zeale of ignorance is not good nor the prayer of ignorance nor the preaching of ignorance nor the worship or devotion of ignorance nor any motion that proceeds from ignorance alisnaught that comes from this roote ignorance is darknesse and darknesse hath relation to Hell these Apostles here I warrant you after they knew this they were but little taken with this their owne motion nor did they delight to start any more of the like kinde I wish that all men were like the Apostles herein to take notice of their owne ignorance and to curbe and keepe in the fruites thereof But we proceed what ignorance was it that our Saviour blames here in these his Disciples why it was first the ignorance of their owne spirits You know not what spirit you are of and hence arises our second observation Good men may be ignorant of their owne spirits That is of that frame and disposition of heart that temper â—f spirit which themselves are of or ought to be of at such or such times and seasons or upon such occasions The Apostles here were good men yet they did not understand themselves you see nor what the nature of that spirit was which God at those times did give unto his servants God is the Father of Spirits and the giver of all good Spirits and you must know that God gives to his servants spirits sutable to the times and seasons the same spirit may be good at one time and not at another Elias spirit was good in his time but the times being changed his spirit or the temper of his spirit may not be so good now Jesus Christ the Son of God being come by his comming he made a change of the times and so by consequence of the spirits too as we shall shew anon And indeed the Disciples inconsideration of the alteration of the times was the occasion that they were ignorant in this fort of their owne spirits And so still ignorance of the times and seasons and places where men live is often the cause that good men are ignorant of their owne Spirits or of what spirit they ought to shew a spirit that may be good at one time or in one place may not be so at or in another for example Luthers spirit was good in Luthers time God did fit him with a spirit according to the time and place wherein he lived and to the worke he had to doe but whether Luthers spirit be so good now and in these Realmes or whether all they that boast themselves to be of Luthers spirit are so indeed and have it from God as he had many wise men both doe and well may make a question But if we should grant that Luthers spirit were as good in these times as it was in his owne yet whether Carolostadius his spirit that was never good in Luthers time be good now or no is and may be a further question This Carolostadius was an ignorant Doctor in Luthers time that loved popularity and to be counted some body as well as Luther in the great worke of Reformation He was indeed a pretty tolerable man according to the condition of those times onely he had two defects and they were want of wit and want of sufficient learning and therefore he fell to Preach and
stirre up the people of their owne heads and accords to pull downe Images and pictures in Churches and glasse windowes in a most disorderly way and not to stay till they might be removed with quietnesse by Authority whereupon Luther writ against him and called him ignorant dunce for his labour And by that very tricke of the devill in stirring up Carolostadius to doe so Images stand to this day in the Lutheran Churches for Luther writing and preaching against Carolostadius his folly and disorder some have interpreted him thereby to write in the defence of Images and his followers doe still maintaine them as approved by him which surely is but a mistake for had Luther lived longer no doubt but he would have used meanes to have had them abolished too as wel as other Popery but in an orderly way by the hand of the Magistrate and not by popular fury and folly but now I saâ— whether the spirit that was never good be good in these dayes I thinke there is good cause to question it Nay my friends if any man should act with Carolostadius his spirit and boast that he were of Luthers spirit you would say here were ignorance indeed and injury too thus grossely to abuse Luther in attributing unto him such a spirit which as all men of reading know he did both write and speake against and sure if Luther himselfe were now alive he would say that the loome or the shop board would better become such teachers then the Pulpit Luthers spirit I am sure was a peaceable spirit in the Common wealth his indeavours were that reformation might be wrought orderly by them that were appointed thereunto and not by the mad hare-brained drunken multitude Well therefore we may conclude that it is a matter of great consequence to know the times and seasons wherein we live and to know what temper of spirit doth best sute the same it was the Apostles errour in the Text they were ignorant of the time and season at least inconsiderate of the same and hence it came to passe that they were ignorant of their owne spirits and the effect of this their ignorance was that evill or sinfulnesse in the motion that proceeded from them and that is our third observation Ignorance of a mans owne spirit or distemper therein is a cause of that evill that comes from him The Disciples ignorance of their owne spirits or their distemper in regard of their present passion at the sight of the Samaritans churlishnesse was the cause that they did not see the sinfulnesse of this their motion when the eye is yellow it thinkes all things to be of the same colour so when the minde is evill it appâ—ehends evill to be good Indeed the wisest man that is may easily be deceived in an action or motion if he knowes not the spirit or tempeâ— from whence it proceeds There be divers sorts of spirits in the world or divers tempers of spirit if you will and we are bidden to try them whether they be of God or no and why even to the end that we may know whether that which comes from them be good or no for one and the same act proceeding from divers spirits or divers tempers of spirit may be good or bad this act of Elias from him was good because he had a spirit inflamed only with divine zeale of Gods glory at that time much darkned in Israel but if the Disciples had done the same it had not beene good in them for their spirits were some what too carnall and did looke too much toward private revenge so prayer is a good act from a sincere spirit but from a proud and Pharisaicall spirit it is not so for our Saviour in the Gospell condemnes such prayers for the spirits sake they proceeded from so Almes is a good act from a tender-hearted selfe-denying spirit but from a selfe-seeking spirit it is not so fasting from an humble-broken spirit is a good duty but not so from an high selfe-conceited spirit as appeares also from our Saviours rebuke of those duties from such spirits zeale from a knowing spirit is good and commendable but not from an ignorant spirit as the Text shewes and the like may we say of all actions and motions they are good or bad according to the temper of the spirit from which they proceed O that this were well weighed and considered of in these times for then I doubt not but many of our now a day motions much of our fond zeale and many of our furious expressions against those we know not and against the things we are not acquainted with and many of the mad carriages of private men in ordering as they call it or rather in disordering of things in Church and Common-wealth would be found not to be very good or commendable as not comming from such spirits as becomes the followers of Christ to be guided by and to worke withall Well let us all be admonished to set a watch before our hearts and to examine all those actions and motions that proceed from us whence they come and whither they goe from what spirit they proceed and to what end and purpose they tend even as a carefull watchman that is set to watch at a doore will examine all passengers whence and whither and what about they come and goe for by this we shall come to have some knowledge of our spirits and when we once know our spirits to be right and good we shall have a great deale more comfort in our actions and motions then else we can have And truly we have great reason to indeavour after the knowledge of our owne spirits for we shall never know our selves nor God nor Christ as we ought to doe to aime at Gods glory in all we doe till we know our owne spirits And so much the rather too should we study this point because we see two great Apostles here ready to precipitate themselves into a bloudy act from their ignorance of this point and if such as they did then very easily may we if they were ignorant of their owne spirits then may we be ignorant of ours notwithstanding that great good conceit we have of our selves but how we shall know our spirits to be right indeed I shall intimate to you anon when I come to the Use of the next point which is this All motions that are unsutable to the end of Christs comming are sinfull motions You may observe that our Saviour doth dislike the Disciples motion here because it did not sute with the end of his owne comming it did not looke that way it was a destructive motion and his comming was to a saving end and had saving effects therefore I may conclude what ever motion sutes not herewith is not good but blameable And I may warrant my conclusion by those faulty motions which have beene exemplified in already as that which was about a place of temporall preferment a matter
that suted not with the end of his comming and therefore our Saviour rejects it as naught so when Peter beganne to move and stirre with his sword our Saviour bade him put it up into its place for he came not to move that way not to fight against but to fight for his enemies not to kill them but to save them And so now adayes we see the world is full of motions and almost of commotions many active stirring spirits this age hath brought forth if their motions and stirrings doe tend to the destruction and hurt of others and not to the good of men if they looke not the way Christ looked if they sute not with his end they are naught and sinfull But in very deed as in our Saviours time men were much mistaken in the end of Christs comming they thought hee came to destroy his enemies and to restore againe the kingdome to Israel and to advance his servants to temporall honours and therefore as you heard hee had motions made to him tending to that purpose so in these our dayes men are much mistaken in the same at least they doe not remember it as they ought to doe whereas it is a matter of the greatest consequence to bee knowne and thought upon as appeares by those many inculcations thereof in Scripture I shall therefore for the better remembrance thereof and comfort therein a little inlarge my selfe in the discovery of it from the Word of God The end of Christs comming saies the text was not to destroy mens lives but to save them and saies the spirit in another place God sent his Sonne not to condemne the world but that the world by him might be saved and againe The Sonne of man came to seeke and save that which was lost and the Apostle It is a saying most faithfull and true and worthy of all acceptance thâ—t Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. that was the end of his comming that he aimed at And indeed there was nothing of Christ or that Christ did but did teach the same His name Jesus that signifies a Saviour his relative names of Shepheard Husband and the like doe speake him a Helper and a Defender the similitudes used to expresse him by are of harmlesse and helpfull creatures He is called a Lamb not a Wolfe that devoures a Hen not a bird of prey a Vine not a Bramble out of which came fire to consume the trees of the Forrest Judg. 9. 15. The manner of his comming did also teach the end of it he came not in thunder and lightning as the Law did causing feare and trembling but as raine on a fleece of wooll or on the mowen grasse Psal. 72. 6. that is gently and with out noyse and Matth. 12. 19. it is said He neither strived nor cryed nor was his voyce heard in the streets at his Baptisme the holy Ghost sate on him like a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like Mediator and of Dove-like conditions In the execution of all his offices he onely aimed to further the comfort and salvation of men By his propheticall office hee taught us in the way and doth so still by his word and spirit he dictated a forme of prayer for us he put words into our mouths and his spirit into our hearts and still himselfe intercedes for us and with us by his Priestly office he died for us to heale our soules with a plaister of his bloud and to save us from that death which our selves had procured and by his Kingly office he defends and fights for his people as a meeke King he admits mourners to his presence he hath both beames of Majesty and bowels of mercy he is the Prince of peace yea all his actions from first to last doth prove that he came only to doe good How sweet and helpfull and affable he was in all his carriages How willing to acquaint himselfe with these churlish Samaritans to the end that he might have occasion to doe them good He vouchafed to discourse with a meane woman of that Countrey to the admiration of his Disciples John 4. 7. and sent his servants to buy meat of them as it is shewne in that Chapter and here he would have taken up his lodging amongst them and after this discourtesie was offered to him he cured a Samaritan of his leprosie Luke 17. 16. and was so courteous to that Nation that the Jewes call'd him Samaritan for his labour And how lovingly did he cure Malchus ear that came to apprehend him and how fervently did he pray for them that put him to death he came with blessings in his mouth at his first publike appearance and manifestation Matt. 5. 1 2 c. and he departed the world with prayers in his mouth Mat. 27. Father forgive them In a word Christ never did hurt or mischief to any man he never revenged himselfe on any though he had more power then any and was more wronged and abused then any but he was alwayes and to all meek gentle courteous helpfull a man might even drown himselfe in Divine pleasures by thinking and speaking of Christs conditions and of the comfortable end of his comming But I come to the Use which shall bee to advise all men to acquaint themselves well with the end of Christs comming it is worthy of all acceptance saies the Apostle i. e. of all mens knowledge to be acquainted with this that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners to doe good to unworthy and undeserving persons it is a matter of the greatest consequence that is to know it for thereby we shall come to know Christs spirit we shall come to know our owne spirits and we shall come to know other mens spirits 1. We shall know Christs spirit which else we shall not doe as appeares in the Disciples here for had they knowne and remembred the end of Christs comming they would also have considered that he had had a spirit onely driving thereunto and so would never have made such an unsutable motion as here they did they might easily have concluded that Christ would never so farre have allowed of Elias spirit as to doe or to countenance to be done that which did contradict the end of his owne comming they would never have begg'd of the Prince of meeknesse a licence to be cruell for had he given way to this he should have seemed to come rather to destroy then to save Now this our knowledge of Christs spirit of the nature and temper of it may be usefull to us for consolation and for instruction 1. For consolation we being all men and women of a sinfull dye when we be apprehensive of our danger by sinne and how unkindly we have carried our selves towards good Christ how we have many a time denied him a lodging in our hearts as the Samaritans here did in their Village when by his motions he hath sent unto us I
him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen LONDON Printed by R. Cotes for Andrew Crookeâ— 1642. loving faithfull and selfe-denying man one Timotheus a young man with whom himselfe was well acquainted and whose conditions he so well knew that he durst give his word for him and pawne his credit that he would be most sincere in the worke of Christ and most loving unto them nay the truth was hee did not know where to find his fellow he was the best in the whole packe for saies he I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state for all seeke their owne and not the things that are Jesus Christs Now Brethren as we goe along we may note by the way these few things First that there was an Order of Superiours and Inferiours in the Church in the Apostles dayes Paul had power over Timothy for to send him vers 19. and Timothy was ready to obey Paul as a Sonne the Father vers 22. Secondly we may observe that it did as may seem chiefely belong to the Bishop or Supervisor to appoint Pastors for particular Churches and Congregations Paul sends and appoints Timothy to bee a Preacher to the Philippians Thirdly we may observe what kind of men were preferred by them to such places why such as themselves by experience knew to be learned loving faithfull and selfe-denying yea and such of whose condition the people themselves were not altogether ignorant for such a one was Timothy in all these respects as shall appeare First he was a learned man and that not in the Rabbins or Schoolemen onely but in the Scriptures hee was a good Textuary as may be seene 2 Tim. 3. 15. instructed in the Scriptures from a child Secondly he was a loving man one that would naturally care for their state even as though they were allied to him by nature vers 20. Thirdly he was one that was no self-seeker but faithfull for Christ as appeares by the text with that which goes before I have no man like-minded for all these seek their owne and not the things that are Jesus Christs as who say Timothy is a man per se one that seekes not himselfe in any thing but onely the glory of God in every thing Fourthly he was one of whose honesty and sincerity the Philippians themselves had proofe as well as the Apostle or else it might be questioned whether he would have placed him over them ye know saies he ye know the proofe of him that like as a sonne with the father he seâ—ved with me in the Gospel vers 22. It seemes hee had dwelt with the Apostle not like a trencher Chaplaine to say Grace and so forth till a Living fell but saies he he served with me in the Gospel that is hee and I went preaching the word of God up and downe together as if some good Bishop and his Chaplaine should goe up and downe to every Church in the Diocesse as both their duty and custome of old was and preach the word of God together the one in the forenoone and the other in the afternoone Now the Philippians by these means had some proofe and knowledge of Timothy they had heard him preach and had seene his faithfulnesse his zeale and his schollership and therefore the Apostle knew they could not disallow of him especially too being commended to them upon his approbation I leave the application of these things to your selves and fall upon the text for saies the Apostle all seeke their owne and not the things that are Jesus Christs The words are an AEtiologia or rendring of a reason why he sent Timothy unto them and it is a collation from the comparing of him with others wherein he prefers him before them none were altogether of so perfect a stampe nor of so pure a metall so wholly sincere in the worke of Christ as Timothy was they were a little more tainted with selfe-infection somewhat more selfe-seeking then he Whence we may observe who amongst many is to be preferred ad Curam Animarum by them that have power thereunto even such as they thinke in conscience upon good experience will aime most directly at Gods glory and at the salvation of men favour friendship base Simony flattery affection and the like must beare no sway but naked sincerity alone mâ—st poyse the Ballance All seeke their owne there be divers degrees of sincerity amongst Gods servants no doubt but Saint Paul had many more under him that were sincere too for the glory of Christ but Timothy he was sincere in the highest degree he went beyond them all and therefore shall be preferred before them all Or it may be this universall proposition is but Hyperbolicall and taken for the most part as that place Joh. 3. 22. speaking of Christ it is said No man received his testimony that is no body to speake on Why the Discipies did and some few others did that were his followers yea but they were no body to speake on in respect of them that received it not So here no body but Timothy seekes that which is Jesus Christs yes Epaphroditus did of whom mention is made vers 25. and some others doubtlesse yea but alas they are no body to speake on in respect of the rest that are more Christs in shew then they are in substance and if you please let us take the words in that sense which is indeed the most favourable interpretation And I pray you observe in them the Apostles secret complaint how in that first and golden age of the Church as we may so call it wherein Christian vertues did more then ever since flourish in the Clergy for they were all then either of Christs owne or of his Apostles owne ordination who sure were carefull what they did in matters of this nature they did not ignorantly as in these later dayes or rashly lay their hands upon every body but onely on such as by the spirit of discerning they foresaw were likely to prove the best Now I say if in those golden dayes we heare and see by the Apostles complaint in Clero tam raros fuisse vere cordatos sinceros homines that in respect of the others they were as no body to speak on then doubtlesse in these leaden these clayey and corrupt dayes of ours wherein there are more men and lesse vertue the condition is still the same if not in a degree worse at least we may rebus sic stantibus as they doe conclude from the words now that which might have beene concluded then namely this It is the condition of the greater part of the Clergy to seeke themselves more then Christ. This is the Proposition but if you please wee will make three of it thus 1. Most Ecclesiasticks seeke their owne 2. Few seeke Christ. 3. None can seeke both their owne and Christ togegether for Christ and themselves in this respect are alwayes in competition and Saint Paul here makes
preached his head off he preached so long against the sins of the great ones til his head was sent in for a second course And our Saviour himself preached so long and so plainely against their sinnes till they stoned him out of the Pulpit John 8. yea hee spake so home into the bosomes of the Scribes and Pharisees that were as you are the teachers of others that the text saies in another place they perceived that he meaned them And he that is truly Christs must follow him Yee have me for an example saies he yea and God promiseth us Jer. 1. Hee will make us as iron pillars and wals of brasse that though men oppose they shall not prevaile against us Nay there is no better way to get respect and esteeme to our persons then faithfulnesse and unpartialnesse in this kinde He that rebuketh a man shall find more favour in the end then he that flattereth saies wise Solomon and the Apostle chargeth Titus to looke to it that no man despise him prescribes him this course amongst the rest to rebuke with all authority Nay the Lord saies to the soothing Priests Mal. 2. 9. I have made you despised and vile before all the people because you have not kept my wayes but have beene partiall in the Law and looke about you what Preachers are most affected and followed what doe people goe out of their Parishes for to see Reeds shaken with the wind to heare those that are timerous and fearfull No but such as like John the Baptist come in the spirit of Elias as resolute as he was when he came to Ahab in the second person It is thou and thy Fathers house that troubleth Israel so John to Herod It is not lawful for thee to have thy brothers wife Therefore Brethren as the Apostle adviseth let us be carefull to quit our selves like men like Captaines and not like cowards among the people over whom God hath set us for as concerning others that are beyond our reach Kings Magistrates Bishops Governours or the like to meddle with them or their sinnes unlesse we are called to speake before them for ought I know it is beyond our Commission But I say towards them that are under our charge let us prove our selves to be of the truth as Christ did by not regarding their persons in our preaching Master say they we know that thou art of the truth and teachest the way of God truly how did they know it why thou carest not for man say they neither considerest the person of men namely in thy teaching Let us beare in mind the fearfull are in as bad a case as the unbeleevers yea as Murderers Whoremongers Sorcerers and Idolaters for all shall have a part together in the Lake Revel 21. 8. In a word remember but that woe to them that sowe pillowes under mens elbowes Ezek. 13. 18. that woe of God is more unsupportable then the malice of all men And now in the fourth place you that seeke your selves in praise by a learned and unintelligible kind of preaching that by your Cookishnesse in your Sermons as by forced sawces doe take away the wholsome relish from the good word of God when you follow these courses you doe in a speciall manner lay open your selves not onely to be vaine-glorious but also very foolish if you thinke your gawish flourishes can adde any more excellency to the Majesty of Gods word then a painted face can adde commendation to an honest woman No Brethren the Word of God when it is most naked in it selfe is then most mighty in operation most keene and cutting and our Art doth but take away its edge and this the Apostle was well aware of when he came to the Corinthians not with the inticing speech of mans eloquence but with the plaine evidence of the spirit and of power the Word of God you know is said to be as a two-edged sword now if you would have your sword cut you must unscabberd it not put it into a sheath but make it naked and bare for then it will be most sharpe and piercing Brethren I confesse it is a hard thing for a man to deny himselfe in this our Religion for the most part lies more in the head then it doth in the heart and that is the reason that our preaching for the most part is more heady then hearty yea but if we would have it goe to the heart we must have it come from the heart if we sincerely covet to make our people good Christians we must not mind to shew our selves great Schollers for then God will not blesse our labours It was said of our Saviour that he preached not as himselfe was able to speake but as they were able to heare and therefore is it said in another place the common people heard him gladly So must we Brethren if we will be like Christ and seeke the good of our people descend to their capacities be plaine that we may be profitable and alwayes pray that we may have the evidence of the spirit that we may be powerfull for this will bring a man peace at the last this course shall be rewarded with a well done good and faithfull servant In a word remember what is said 2 Cor. 10. the last vers not he that commends himselfe is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth Well in the fifth place you that seeke your selves in popularity in affecting to be followed you Rurall Gods you Pans of the Countrey that Pope-like do covet to over-top all your Brethren what have you above others that you have not received why then doe you glory as if you received it not as if you by your own power and authority had made these oâ— these men whole had converted such or such Why should Great is Diana of the Ephesians sound so sweetly in your eares What will vox populi doe you good when you are raked up in the dust it may lift you up for the present and yet clap you under hatches in the end if you take commonly with the fish you are also taken nor doe you more rob your fellow Ministers of love then you doe your selves of liberty your humour of all others is a most dangerous humour and so much the more dangerous because so pleasing to nature it puffeth up it causeth you to despise your fellow-labourers and to be to them-ward too too full of domineering yea and it occasioneth neglect to them from others and much ill will from them unto your selves nay it oft-times takes away the authority from the Word of God for with the people that relisheth well from no mans mouth but such as yours to whom they are devoted what you say is their Scripture ipse dixit he holds it that 's enough and he must needs erre from the truth in their deeme that contradicts it Ah Brethren that
those servants Matth. 13. 28. think they cannot deale badly enough with ill men pluck up the tares presently doe any thing to them that are none of Gods couzen defraud rob steale from the Egyptians these are but usurpers but what said the Master to these servants no let them alone till the harvest friend you must hold your hands your time of commanding and adjudging is not yet come and in the meane time you must be commanded ruled and adjudged your selfe couzened defrauded and cheated and have your goods taken away and you must be patient and returne good to those that offer these things to you O this is brave doâ—trine for some whose practice is to offer wrong they hope it will tie honest men hands and tongues and spirits that they may wrong them as they please as the Usurer hoped that the Ministers preaching against usury would make his neighbours give over the trade and so his money should never lie dead by him for want of customers I wish Gods people would make but as good benefit of it for their soules as worldly men wil for their purses I have knowne a Minister by preaching peace and patience preach many of his people theeves and cheaters they would wrong him to his face and then tell him he must be patient and peaceable else he would contradict his owne doctrine 4. He that is truly patient must not onely returne good for evill and for beare to revenge when he hath power but he must be content to have the contrary reported of him namely that he returnes evill for good and is patient perforce because he cannot helpe himselfe I tell you this is a hard lesson yet you must learne it before you can enter Heaven gate whose motto is this Do good and heare ill none but such enter there it alwayes was and ever will be the worlds custome to father their owne vile conditions upon Gods people Tacitus tels us that when Nero had set Rome on fire he laid it upon the Christians 5. You must also be content that men should beleeve your enemies so reporting for men will so doe whether you be content or no if the Viper leaps on Pauls hand though he be the honestest man in the company yet all will conclude him to be the worst so if a viperous slanderer railer or whisperer laies hold of any honest Christian all hereby will conclude him to be according to what they see or hear the Psalmist saies every man is a lie and like loves like they will therefore naturally beleeve lies before truths and this vile people know will brag of as one told his Minister to his face that he could be beleeved before him by his betters you know the Proverb The more knave the better lucke well this you must be content wi thll if you be truly patient 6. And lastly you must be content that not onely the worser and common sort and strangers should beleeve of you the contrary to truth but that the better sort also even Christians and friends should beleeve such lies as the wicked raise and whisper against you and that they should suspect you to be guilty of all that is reported and thinke amisse and also speake amisse of yo that they should breake your head with their precious balms that their tongues which should heale your griefe should wound you and make your griefe bigger that they should also lay to your charge things you are not guilty of and interpret every thing at the worst and charge iniquity upon you thus Jobs friends good men honest men did by him and this you must be content to suffer it is more irksome to be ill thought of or ill reported by those that are good then by those that run into all excesse of riot it is matter of comfort rather that these like us not but I say if you be Gods he will try your patience even by the others by the best and you must bee content with it and wait with patience till the day come when hee shall make your righteousnesse appeare as the light and your just dealing as cleare as the noone day and in the meane time you must be content to live neglected and suspected you must be last and the least in mens esteeme but then the last will be first and the first last And thus Brethren I have taught you patience and I have tried your patience if I have done amisse I le doe so no more for thus much shall serve for this text this time and this place Gratia Gloria Deo Christo Jesu adjutori meo Amen FINIS THE FOVRTH SERMON PREACHED IN ESSEX Anno 1641. Wherein is discovered the right spirit of the GOSPEL By EDVVARD SYMONS Minister of Rayne in Essex MATTH 21. 5. Tell the Daughters of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke 1 PET. 3. 4. A meeke and a quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price LONDON Printed by R. C. for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Greene Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1642. THE RIGHT NATVRE AND Temper of the Spirit of the GOSPELL LUKE 9. 55 56. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them THese words doe note unto us Christs entertainement of a certaine motion that was made unto him by two of his Disciples in the former verse it was we see entertained with dislike for he turned and rebuked them for it and then he tels them the reason why he did dislike it because it proceeded from ignorance namely of themselves and also of him of themselves or of their owne spirits you know not what spirit ye are of And of him of the end of his comming for the Sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues according to the supposall of your motion but to save them Before we fasten directly upon the Text we must for our better proceeding a little consider of the motion and of the occasion of it The motion we have in the foregoing words Lord wilt thou thaâ— we command fire to come from Heaven and consume them as Eliâ—s did And the occasion which stirred their spirits to make such a cruell motion was the sight of the churlishnesse of the Samaritans for as appeares in ver 52 53. Christ was travailing towards Jerusalem and being benighted he sent his servants before him to take up a lodging in a village of the Samaritanes but they would let him have no lodging there because he was going to Jerusalem this was their churlishnesse And the roote of it as we may conceive was a certaine nationall hatred betweene the Jewes and the Samaritans which did arise from difference in opinion for as you may reade Joh. 4. 20. The Samaritans faid God must be worshipped after their fashion on their mountaine but the Jewes said and
say when with griefe and sorrow we thinke of these miscarriages we cannot but be comforted to remember withall that Christs spirit is cleane contrary to the spirits of angry and revengefull men as hath appeared by the end of his comming and this passage with his Disciples It was a great comfort to the Syrian King and his Nobles when they were in the King of Israels danger to remember that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings so may it be to us being in Christs danger to consider that he is a Prince of a mercifull spirit onely let us be carefull not to abuse his goodnesse in after times and doubt not but we shall taste of the sweetnesse of his spirit not withstanding what is past 2. For instruction and information that we doe not henceforth molest and grieve the spirit of Christ with such unsutable motions as the Disciples here did and as we sometimes use to doe you know it is the condition of many a man if he be but crossed in his way and vext by an enemy especially unjustly presently he is ready to desire that ruine and destruction might fall upon him and perhaps by prayer or imprecations is bold to request Christs aide in the businesse nay such is the weaknesse of some that if any man or creature dogge or horse or hawke offends them they will curse the same and call upon the name of God and Christ to send some judgement from Heaven upon it to joyne with them in doing a mischiefe well I say we should never doe thus never should we make any revengefull motions to Christ to grieve his sweet spirit did we well know Christs spirit and the end of his comming therefore I say note well the nature and temper of Christs spirit 2. By being well acquainted with the end of Christs comming and with the nature of his spirit we shall come to know our owne spirits and whether the motions that come from them be good or no the Disciples here were ignorant of the evill of that motion that came from themselves because they considered not the end of Christs comming It is a matter of great concernment for a man to know himselfe Nosce teâ—psum is a necessary lesson and a mans spirit is the best part of himselfe as is the spirit such is the man and we know the spirit to bee right and straight if it concords with the rule Christs spirit must be the rule to ours and to what end Christs spirit tended to the same must ours the aimes and indeavours of our spirits must bee to save and to helpe men no man doth sufficiently know Christs spirit and the end of his comming but he that hath a spirit tending the same way for this knowledge is influentiall into the soule or subject and makes it sutable to the object or thing known so that when such a one is moved or tempted unto any thing he bethinkes himselfe Is it sutable to the end of Christs comming doth it tend to the welfare of others would Jesus Christs spirit allow of it would he if he were here and in my case doe it and even as he thinkes Christ would doe in such a case so doth he doe and no otherwise but more of this in the next point 3. We shall know the spirits of others by being acquainted with the end of Christs comming and the nature of his spirit which naturally we desire to doe more then to know our owne nor indeed is it unlawfull to desire and indeavour to discerne them we are bidden to try the spirits whether they be of God oâ— no 1 John 4. 1. and no safer or quicker way to this then by knowing the end of Christs comming and then by considering whether mens spirits tend the same way if they doe we may conclude of them to be good and of God if otherwise not Christs spirit is diffused into all his true members and they all reckon themselves to be sent into the world for the same end as Christ was as Christ came not to hurt or mischiese any but to doe good to all so they and they have received vertue and power to that very end and purpose from Christ as the Apostle ingenuously confesseth 2 Cor. 13. 10. The Lord saies he hath given us power to edification and not to destruction and therfore in another place I became all things to all men that I might winne some in a word the spirit of the Gospel is in all the children of the Gospel and they account it their duty to doe nothing but what is sutable to the spirit of the Gospel which also is a matter that concernes all that live under the Gospel and that is our last point 5. It is the duty of them that live in the times of the Gospel to minde speake and doe onely that which sutes with the spirit of the Gospel This also is manifest from the text by our Saviours dislike and confutation of his Disciples motion because it did not savour of a Gospel-like spirit what doe you tell me saies he of Elias his spirit now the Sonne of man is come Now to informe you somewhat of the nature of the times of the Gospel and of the spirit thereof I must tell you that there is a great difference betweene the former times and these not in respect of time it selfe for that is alwayes the same but in respect of a new spirit which Christ by his comming brought with him we have a phrase of speech the Genius of the times or the spirit of the times some times are turbulent and then we say a turbulent spirit is in the times some times are more placable and then we say a more peaceable spirit ruleth in some times the vulgar sort of men generally are more bold and impudent with their betters and superiours then is decent and comely and then some will say the Genius of the times is a sawcy fellow sometime the world travels with perversnesse sometime with envie and hatred sometime with one domineering sinne and sometime with another and men in their language will attribute it to the spirit of the times But indeed such as the spirits and conditions of men are such are the times for men denominate times to be good or bad plenty of good men make good times and abundance of wicked men doe make the times abundantly wicked But concerning the difference between the former times and these The times before Christ were times of ignorance and darknesse men were bad and did not know it but when Christ came he brought with him a spirit of light and knowledge to discover sinne and to convince the world thereof and so the times were changed to be times of light and knowledge and Christ himselfe in this respect was called A light to lighten the Gentiles and those that sate in darknesse Againe before Christ came the times were times of terrour of the Law which was called fiery the ministration
his blood cryed Justice Christ dyed in these later dayes and his blood cryed mercy Now by all this you may conclude what kinde of spirit the spirit of the Gospell is which he expected here his Disciples should rather have discovered in themselves and which all that live under the Gospell are bound to manifest in all their wayes it is a spirit of peace and love a spirit of meekenesse and sweetnesse of patience and forbearance it is such a spirit as Christ himselfe had which was in no sort furious or revengefull mischievous or harmefull yea such a spirit as now a dayes discovers it selfe in God our Father It is a spirit that will not suffer it selfe to be outgone by any in wayes of love or goodnesse it is a noble and a free spirit no way niggardly or unthankfull no way churlish or unkind it delights in well-doing it speakes onely glad â—ydings it cannot abide to sad or grieve the hearts of any it joyes not in wounding mens wounds or in raking in their forrowes it rather weepeth to behold them it is a healing spirit it bindes up the broken-hearted and truely compaâ—â—ionates all mens miseries and afflictions it never brake the bruised reed nor quenched the smoaking flaxe it never did discourage any in the wayes of goodnesse by word or action of unkindnesse It is an affable and a courteous spirit no way scornefull or supercilious Stand further off I am holyer than thou is not its language it was the spirit of the Phaâ—â—sees that tooke offence at Christs eating and drinking with Publicans and sinners It is a faithfull spirit that will not allow of any man in a sinfull way for any relation sake or similitude of opinion and yet a wise and sweete carriaged spirit that indevours to draw all opposites to God and to it selfe by faire meanes it affects to deale with the chaines of Love iâ— cannot abide to use the caâ—â—-ropes of feare it likes not of Satans way to hold men in a slavish awe to skare them by threatnings it is not a driving spirit but a leading spirit Let thy loving Spirit lead me in the way everlasting sayes the holy man it knoweth how to beseech and perswade it cannot tell how to terrifie or compell It is a spirit of a good language it is no railing or slandering spirit no lying nor defaming spirit it hateth to invent blame and to cast iniquâ—ty upon men that are not of the same opinion that so others might dislike them it loves not to make the worst of things but the best rather it is a charitable spirit and Charity thinkes no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity inlargeth not evill reports but suppresseth them rather it is kind-hearted and kind-spoken it beleeves hopes and speakes the best of others and is suspicious onely of it selfe It is a meeke and a milde spirit rather quietly passive then vexatiously active in dealing with opponents it is an humble and a selfe-denying spirit rather suffering ten thousand wrongs then willingly offering one it is a mercifull and a pardoning spirit no wayes inclining to blood or cruelty or to take revenge it is a prous and plaine dealing spirit it workes not by policy craft or guile in a word it is a dutifull and an obedient spirit it was never yet weary of the yoke of loyalty it quakes with abhorment to see durt cast upon Gods image it loathes the conditions both of Shimei Sheba and Achitophell King James relates in the Preface to his Remonstrace against the Cardinall of Perron that France was once reduced to such miserable termes that it was counted and become a crime for a Frenchman to stand for his King or perhaps to speake for him it was a signe that the Spirit of the Gospell swayed not there then but the spirit of Popery for it is Antichrists spirit and not Christs that ruleth in the children of disobedience the true Spirit of Christ and of the Gospell hath never yet beene wont to tread in the deadly paths of rebellion it never yet knew how to forsake infâ—nge or break in the least degree the sacred bond of Allegeance this is that sweet and blessed spirit of the Gospel And indeed Christ by the Gospel doth offer this very spirit to all that live under the Gospel if they be aware of it yea and he doth really dispense it to those that be his true servants Even this peaceable meeke and mercifull spirit this loving sweet and affable spirit this noble harmelesse and helpefull spirit this humble selfe-denying and pitifull spirit this faithfull patient and well-spoken spirit this loyall obedient and dutifull spirit this spirit which was and is his owne Spirit for he had it above measure and every one of his members have it according to their measure it was the same oyle that was powred upon Aarons head which ran downe to the skirts of his cloathing And the truth is if Christ should not bestow this spirit upon his People they would not be capable of that salvation which he came to procure for them This very spirit and none else doth fit them for that happinesse for you must remember that we had lost both salvation and a fitnesse to re-enjoy it Christ by his life and death hath recovered our salvation by his Gospell and the spirit thereof he workes this fitnesse and by no other meanes can it be effected the Law which was before Christ came was never able to doe it the spirit of that was a provoking spirit it presented wrath to the soule and so made the sinne therein more outragious more exceeding sinfull as the Apostle speakes Rom. 7. 13. not by ingenerating rage therein but by awaking the fury thereof the Law is as oyle to the flame in respect of sinne it makes it more violent and therefore in this sense it is said to be the strength ofsinne and the life of it without which sinne is dead sayes the Apostle viz. as dead in a naturall man it lyes like a dead thing and is neither felt in the Conscience nor so sensibly furious till it be stirred by the Law But now the Gospell hath an effect cleane contrary for its spirit is contrary that presents not wrath buâ— mercy and pardon to the sinfull soule it offers Christ unto it sweet Christ loving Christ patient Christ dying Christ soule-saving and soule-quickning Christ and by a certaine energeticall influence that it hath it doth calme the rage of sinne and extinguish the heate ofit it is as blood to the fire and quenches the flame it takes away the strength of sinne and quite kills it by degrees it so tames the soule of the sinner that he is cleane of another temper he hath a new frame put upon him and a new spirit put into him see the confirmation of this in Esay 11. from the sixt verse to the tenth the Prophet having spoken of the spirit of Christ and of the Gospell in the beginning of the Chapter comes there to shew