vnion when Dauid and God consult together Iehoiadab and Ioash and when Iosiah standeth with Huldas the Prophetesse and for a man to oppose the ordinances of Christ with this humane ordinance is to set the bodie and soule together by the eares Not therefore the faithfull Ministers of Christ but such as stand with the beast and his ordinances and with the Antichrist of Rome are enemies vnto magistracie and weakeners of the power of Princes while they teach that all Ecclesiasticall persons are to be exempted from the ciuill power while they binde their hands in freeing their subiects from all obedience euen in ciuill commands and while they highly dishonour them in giuing the Pope a power ouer them to set them vp and depose them at his pleasure and that in thei◠owne dominions where they are onely vnder God And here first may be noted that after the Apostle had taken great paines in the planting of this Church of Creta yet were many things wanting and defectiue still for Titus is left behind him to redresse things defectiue which must not be conceiued as that the Apostles either thorough ignorance forgetfulnes or carelesnesse omitted any thing but because they were cast into straights of time and could not euery where finish euery thing at least effectually and executionally but onely by way of direction Which is a ground of sundrie considerations First it noteth what was the speciall worke of an Euangelist namely that beeing the companions of the Apostles they were to bring on the work of the Lord to perfectiō both by establishing that foundation they had laid building on further by their direction where they left off The office was middle betweene the Apostle and the Pastor the calling was immediate from the Apostles as the Apostles was immediate frō Christ. Where by the name Euangelists are not meant those who in a straighter sense are so called as whose helpe the Lord vsed to write the historie of Christ and beginnings of Christian religion two of which were Apostles and other two their companions as Marke and Luke but those whom we call vice-apostles or pastors fore-runners who were in preaching the Gospel planting the ministerie and administration of holy things to be as hands and feete wholly at the Apostles appointment to call and recall whether and when they would such as Timothie Titus Marke Tychichus seruing now in one Church now in an other as the Apostles pleased to vse them whose office because their calling was from the Apostles and their worke seruing the founding and rearing of the first Christian Churches and that by the direction of the Apostles must needs also cease with the Apostles Secondly notwithstanding many defects and wants in this Church and those great ones and that in constitution for we see their cities were destitute of elders and Church gouernours yet was it neither neglected by Paul nor separated from by Titus as a cage of vncleane birds teaching vs not presently to condemne a number and societie of men much lesse of Churches for want of some lawes or gouernment for no Church is not wanting in some if they ioyne together in the profession of truth of doctrine and worship for so many of the Churches planted by the Apostles themselues might haue beene refused for wanting some officers for a time although they were after supplied How much better were it that the spirit of meekenes should lead into a patient expectation when God will further beautifie his Sion to make her become the praise of the world then that the spirit of pride should hurrie vs into a rash and peremptorie sentence against euen whole Churches Did not Paul when the Church of Galatia had reuolted from the Doctrine of free iustification by Christ yet call and account it a Church still Let them shew any of our errors of this nature Obiect But those Churches and this in Creta was in constituting but yours after a long time by publike lawes and common consent haue refused the lawes of Christ and that after you haue beene conuinced not to be the Church of Christ. Ans. But where is this sufficient conuiction If it be said in their bookes the truth is although they haue pointed vs to some wants yet none of them haue sufficiently concluded vs no Church at all and suppose our case were altogether as ill as they would make it who are they that they should giue vs a bill of diuorcement If a priuate man erre and offend must he not first be admonished and then censured and iudged but by whom by priuate men no but by the Church and shall not a whole Church or many Churches challenge the same forme of proceeding and therefore seeing this is not done by our neighbour reformed Churches which no doubt are the true Churches of God wee remaine and shall truely retaine the name of the Church and people of God and leaue them to the reforming of their error both in the matter of their plea as also in the manner of their proceeding Thirdly we learne hence that no Church is hastily brought to any perfection The Apostles themselues the master builders with much wisdome and labour and often in long time made not such proceedings but that had they not prouided labourers to follow them with a diligent hand all had beene lost Much a doe had they to lay the foundation and prepare matter for the building and yet this they did by conuerting men to the faith and baptizing them but after this to ioyne them into a publike profession of the faith and constitute visible faces of Churches among them required more helpe and labour and for most part was left to the Euangelists So as the building of Gods house is not vnlike to the finishing of other great buildings with what labour are stones digged out of the earth with what difficultie depart they from their naturall roughnes what sweate and strength is spent ere the Mason can smothe them as it is also with the timber and yet after all this they lie a long time here and there scattered a sunder and make no house till by the skill of some cunning builder they be aptly laid and fastened together in their frame So euery mans heart in the naturall roughnes of it is as hard as a stone his will and affections like the crabbed and knottie okes invincibly resisting all the paines of Gods masons and carpenters till the finger of God in the Ministerie come make plaine and smoothe way working in their conuersion And yet many conuerts although they belong to the Catholike Church make not a particular visible Church till they ioyne in some publike seruice and worship of God according to the lawes and orders appointed by himselfe 2. Besides this inward ineptitude and resistance neuer had any building except Babels towers which had Gods owne hand from heauen against them such outward opposites against it as this hath here is Satan and all
of a word in season require a learned tongue how much more doth the whole office require an Ezra a man prompt in the law of the Lord a workeman indeed and such a one as need not be ashamed And can we thinke that the Lord sendeth any other doth he vse to send a message by the hand of a foole surely if he send any he maketh them first able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit In the old Testament if he raised vp any extraordinarie persons vnto this worke what spirit what power what deepe vnderstanding what resolution manifested they as that they seemed rather pettie Gods then men both in the exact knowing although by reuelation and making knowne things meerely to come as also in the powerfull resisting of sinne euen in Kings themselues and the greatest vpon earth Such were Moses Elias Isay Ieremie c. If ordinarie Ministers they also are first fitted yea though they were but inferiour Levites and Priests both to be the peoples mouth vnto God to put incense before the Lord as also to be Gods mouth to the people to teach Iacob Gods iudgement and Israel his law But if high Preists they must be such as whose lips must preserue knowledge and such as who can resolue the people when they seeke vnto his mouth in the difficult cases of the law of God for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2.7 In the new Testament accordingly if the Church haue need for a time of extraordinarie Ministers such as are Apostles Euangelists euangelicall Prophets such are raised and to such is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome that is a more excellent reuelation and more speciall and immediate instinct and assistance of the spirit together with more eminent authoritie in explaning the mysteries of Christ. If ordinarie Pastors bee raised by God by the same spirit is giuen to them the word of knowledge that is by diligence in the Scripture they obtaine such knowledge as that they are able to make Christ knowne vnto others although they be farre inferiour to the former Where this word of knowledge is wanting that commission is not sealed from God The Eunuch could reade well enough euen as many among our people can and yet he could not vnderstand without a guide and how could he haue been a guide vnto him except a blind guide that could doe no more then himselfe could namly reade perhaps without vnderstanding also God sent him no such guide but a Philip a mightie man in the Scriptures and full of the power of God Vse Let euerie man whom this doctrine concerneth examine hereby the truth of his calling whether he hath receiued the word of wisdome or no which finding he shall boldly say with Ieremie of a truth the Lord hath sent me and runneth not before he be sent 2. It is a great motiue to thankefulnesse wheresoeuer such able Ministers are planted where God giueth learned tongues that can exhort according to wholesome doctrine learned Ezraes skilfull in the lawe of the Lord eloquent Apolloes mightie to convince by the Scriptures the gainsayers Whereas pitifull is their want who in this regard are as men cast out of Gods sight wanting the blessed meanes of an able ministerie for in such places godlinesse must needes be vnperswaded vice vnresisted truth vntaught falshood vnconvinced there people cannot but lie open to become a pray to the deuill a spoile to his wicked instruments a shop for all wicked practises In such places seducers and wicked Iesuites the verie heads to imagine and hands to execute all mischiefe lurke as in the vaults of safe conduct practising daily to withdrawe men from alleagiance to our heauenly and earthly Gods and Kings such soiles lie vnder the heauie wrath of God as to whome no sinne commeth amisse If there be no knowledge of God in the land needs must there be varietie yea an inundation of most fearefull sinnes and consequently of heauie iudgements into which both Prophets and people who haue sinned together shall fall together for where vision faileth people are nakedly laid open to all the curse of God and when Israel had beene a long season without the true God without the Priest to teach and without the lawe no meruaile if there were no peace to him that went out and in implying both these points that without true teaching without the true God and without God without peace and blessing Oh that men therefore could prize the blessing where it is and so bewaile it where it is wanting as that by all good meanes they labour the procurement and presence of it Doctr. 3. All this abilitie in the Minister must be had out of the Scriptures seeing the Apostle affirmeth that by holding fast the faithfull word he shal be able to both these maine works of the ministerie In like manner our Apostle teacheth Timothie not onely in generall how the Scriptures are able to fit the man of God to euery good work of his ministerie but reckoneth vp also all the particulars of his dutie that no man might doubt but that it fitteth him vnto all And indeede the Scriptures are a rich treasurie which affoardeth abundantly things both newe and old he that would read the writings speeches and doings of the auncient fathers let him reade the Scriptures diligently they be a storehouse wherein a man may furnish himselfe vnto all 1. doctrine all of it beeing written for our instruction 2. vnto all consolation for through the comfort of the Scriptures we haue hope and Dauid affirmeth that if he had not found comfort in the lawe he had perished in his trouble 3. vnto all resolution of doubts by which alone Christ himselfe resolued the case of diuorce Math. 19. and the Sadduces in the case of the resurrection Mat. 22. 4. vnto all strength in temptation by which sword of the spirit alone Christ vanquished all Satans assaults Mat. 4. 5. And for the other branch of conuincing the aduersarie The Scriptures are fitly compared by the auncient vnto Dauids scrip whence he fetched out the stone wherewith Goliah fell vnto the ground they be the onely hammer of heresies Whatsoeuer controuersies Christ and his Apostles met withall they brought the deciding of them vnto the Scriptures although they might haue otherwise confuted falshoods and by their miracles haue confounded their aduersaries When the Priests and Scribes disdained Christ because the people sung Hosanna vnto him he presently prooueth his diuinitie out of the Scriptures So Peter prooued out of the Scriptures Act. 2. and 3. and Paul euerie where that Christ was the Messiah and Sauiour of the world out of Moses and the Prophets Apollos was a man eloquent and mightie in the Scriptures but not by his eloquence did he mightily and with vehemencie confute the Iewes but shewed by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ. Vse
hadst in thy purest innocencie A happie merchant he is that sells all to buy this treasure Vse 3. Call others to partake of it be speaking of it tell men what God hath done for thy soule thou canst not but wish all men conuerted if thy selfe beest A righteous man here cannot eate his morsells alone Christian loue is like fire which warmeth whosoeuer stand about it one brand will kindle another and iron saith Salomon sharpneth iron so one conuerted man will strengthen the brethren Andrew wil call Simon and Philip will call Nathaniel and the beleeuer wisheth all Gods people to be like himselfe except his sinnes Vse 4. Pittie those who are destitue of this grace and are without the meanes of it in the preaching and publishing of it for such a people haue not yet obtained mercie If Christ were liuing againe vpon earth his bowels would earne in compassion to see so many people as sheepe scattered without a shepheard If we should see a goodly feild of corne stand faire and white to the haruest but know that there were neuer a reaper in all the countrie to gather it into the barne but for want of reapers it should all rot and spoile on the ground it would greatly pittie our hearts and yet no other is the condition of such people as want able and faithfull Ministers pray therfore the Lord of the haruest to thrust out laborers into his haruest Vse 5. Detest the vnmercifulnesse of men who beeing called neglect to teach the people for these doe nothing else but damme vp all the streames of grace from them and so it appeareth in the people committed to such vnconscionabla men who for most part are so gracelesse and so wicked as though the old Sodomites were reuived againe Bringing saluation This doctrine is a sauing doctrine and word of saluation to those that were wandring in the pathes of death Act. 11.14 the Angel wishing Cornelius to send for Peter affirmeth that he shall speake to him words whereby he and all his house should be saued Whence it is called the word of life Act. 5.20 Goe preach to the people all the words of this life and the word of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 because God hath ordained it to this purpose that whosoeuer is brought to the faith by it shall eternally liue thereby And here is another difference between the doctrine of the law and Gospel the which two the Apostle comparing together he calleth the law a killing letter and the ministrie of it a ministrie of condemnation and the ministration of death but the Gospel he calleth a quickning spirit and the ministrie of the spirit and the ministration of righteousnesse Obiect Psal. 19.7 The law of God conuerteth the soule Answ. But there the law in a more generall acceptation of the word comprehendeth the whole doctrine of the couenant of life and saluation as it is also Psal. 1.1 Blessed is the man that meditateth in the law that is the word of God day and night But in this straiter sence the law is no instrumentall cause of faith repentance or any grace it only woundeth a man and prepareth him to conuersion but conuerteth none it gendereth to bondage and bindeth him that looketh for iustification by it in the conuiction of sinne and deserued damnation and there leaueth him in death only this doctrine of grace is the conuerting and quickning word reuealing that God through his Christ is become either pleased or placable with vs till which time we cannot but either lie in a slauish feare and the smarting twitches of our consciences or else desperately giue ouer all but when by the Gospel we perceiue the readinesse of our heauenly Father to receiue them that returne then we resolue to seek vnto his grace to become his and to loue him who loued vs first So as the beleeuer can readie answer the Apostles interrogatorie Tell mee receiued yee the spirit by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith by workes is meant the doctrine of iustification by the workes of the law and by the hearing of faith is meant the doctrine of the Gospel hearing beeing put for the thing heard and faith for the doctrine beleeued they can now answer that it is the Gospel that gendreth vnto life which is the instrument of the spirit both for the beginning and confirming of regeneration and salvation and that the lawe is no cause though an occasion of Gods grace shewing onely the necessitie of some other righteousnesse then that in a mans selfe but not putting a man so prepared into the possession of it which the Gospel onely can doe Vse 1. If only the doctrine of grace bring saluation then doth no doctrine of workes bring it or vnto it neither in whole or in part But the whole chaine of our saluation sheweth that we are saued by grace onely 1. Our election Rom. 11.5 At this time there is a remnant according to the election of grace But it may be of grace and foreseene workes too but the Apostle setteth himselfe to preuent this obiection in the next words If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace or else were workes no more workes 2. Our calling 2. Tim. 1.9 We are called with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace 3. Our faith Philip. 1.29 It is giuen you to beleeue and faith is the gift of God 4. Our iustification Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace 5. Our sanctification Eph. 2.10 We are his workemanship created vnto good workes which he ordained that we should walke in them 6. Our perseuerance in grace is by grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall neuer depart from me 7. Eternall life is the free gift of God Rom. 6.23 Againe if our saluation were either depending vpon our hand or held in our owne hands more easily might we loose it then when we were in our innocencie gold were no sooner taken out of little childrens hands who minde to play with it rather then to lay it vp then our comfort out of our owne but our securitie is that our cheife treasure is not laid vp in such a weake cottage but our life is hid in heauen in the free grace and vnchangeable loue of God that now 1. false Prophets cannot possibly seduce the elect Matth. 24.24 2. though many apostates fall backe yet Gods foundation abides sure 2. Tim. 2.19 where Gods election is compared to a great building laid vpon a firme foundation which may be shaken but neuer ouerthrowne 3. though our sinnes like so many billows would growe ouer our heads and drowne vs yet this grace is sufficient for vs and vpholds vs that we sleepe not in death 4. though tribulations may threaten to separate vs yet this grace by them driues
vs against the scandal which is common in the world wherein most men beleeue not most men repent not nay scorne them that doe at which we may not stumble seeing that some yea the most are refused there must be in euery corner such as are blinded vnto destruction It is the Fathers good pleasure to reueale the things of the kingdome to â— few babes but to hide them from the most of the wise and prudent of the world A few are giuen vnto the Sonne and brought in due season vnto the faith many more are deliuered vp vnto Satan to haue the eies of their minds further blinded that so they might iustly perish in their infidelitie 3. Hence we must blesse God who hath chosen vs that he might put a difference betweene vs and others whereas he found no such difference in vs who were the children of wrath as well as others he chose vs not when we were but that we might be holy and vnblameable Ephes. 1.4 that from the first to last in our saluation all the glorie might be his yea that our ioy might be more full and our glorying in God more firme and cheerefull he hath made it knowne vnto vs that beeing elected we are sure of our happinesse for nothing shall be able to plucke vs out of his hands The second conclusion is that the elect haue a faith by themselues being here called the faith of Gods elect where by faith is not meant the doctrine of faith as Iude 3. Contend for the faith once giuen and 1. Tim. 1.19 but rather the gift of faith whereby we vnderstand and imbrace that doctrine neither is euery gift of faith here meant For there is 1. an historicall faith standing in an assent and acknowledgement of the truth of things written and taught 2. There is also an hypocriticall faith which passeth the former in two degrees First in that with knowledge and assent is ioyned such a profession of the truth as shall carrie a great shew and forme of godlinesse Secondly a kinde of gladnesse and glorying in that knowledge for it is ascribed to some who in temptation shall fall away to receiue the word with ioy To both which may be ioyned sometimes a gift of prophecie sometimes of working miracles as some in the last day shall say Lord haue we not prophecied and cast out deuills in thy name and yet they shall be vnknowne of Christ. Neither of these is the faith of the elect here mentioned but a third kind called sauing faith the inheritance of which is the proprietie of the elect for the iust man only liueth by this faith which in excellencie passeth both the former in three worthy properties 1. In that here with the act of vnderstanding and assent vnto the truth there goeth such a disposition and affection of the heart as apprehendeth and applieth vnto it the promise of grace vnto saluation causing a man to reioyce in God framing him vnto the feare of God and to the wayting through hope for the accomplishment of the promise of life 2. In that whereas both the former are dead and not raysing vnto a new life in Christ what shewes soeuer be made for the time the sunne of persecution riseth and all such moysture is dried vp This is a liuely and quickning grace reaching into the heart Christ and his merits who is the life of the soule and the moouer of it to all godly actions not suffering the beleeuer to be either idle or vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. 3. Whereas both the former are but temporarie this is perpetuall and lasting the other rising vpon temporarie causes and reasons can last only for a time as when men for the pleasure of knowledge or the name of it by industrie attaine a great measure of vnderstanding in diuine things or when for note and glorie or commoditie true or apparent men professe the Gospell let but these grounds faile a little or persecution approch they lay the key vnder the doore giue vp house and bid farewell to all profession Thus many of Christs Disciples who thought they had truly beleeued in him and that many moneths â—hen they heard him speake of the eating of his flesh and drinking his blood went backe and walked with him no more But the matter is here farre otherwise seeing this faith of the elect hath the promise made good to it that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Vse This conclusion teacheth vs 1. That true faith is an infallible marke of election assuring the beleeuer as certenly of his saluation as if he were alreadie gathered vp to his fathers or as if he had a speciall reuelation For besides that here it is a grace impropriate to the elect the Sonne of God teacheth it Ioh. 6.37 All that the Father giueth mee shall come vnto mee that is all those whom the Father chuseth to saluation he giueth to the Sonne to saue for election is founded in Christ and those who are thus giuen vnto the Sonne by the Father come vnto the Sonne that is beleeue in him for so the 35. verse confoundeth them He that commeth vnto mee shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in mee shal neuer thirst So as those that beleeue are giuen to the Sonne to saluation The same teacheth the Euangelist Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to life beleeued and 2. Thess. 2.13 the Apostle maketh sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth two infallible notes of election All that can be here of moment obiected is that a man cannot know certainly that he hath faith But that is false for Paul 2. Cor. 13.5 willing the Corinthians to examine and prooue themselues whether they were in the faith or no and whether Christ be in them or no taketh it for granted that a man may know that he hath faith and that Christ is in him for else were his exhortation idle Quest. But how may a man knowe that he hath this faith that so the beleeuer may rise vp to the assurance of his election Ans. There be diuerse notes and companions of it more easily discerned then it selfe is as first It purifieth the heart Act. 15.19 and will not suffer it to be taken vp with vncleane thoughts or vnlawfull lusts it ordereth the affections and cuâ—beth them as with bit and bridle and bendeth them with reuerence to loue desire reioyce in God and his image yea in nothing more or so much yea and by thus ordering the heart it doth also guide the words with wisedome for the good man out of the good treasure of his heart cannot but send out good speaches Secondly from the works of loue a man may conclude he hath faith Gal. 5.6 faith worketh by loue first to God then to man for Gods sake for it hath respect both to him that begate and him that is begotten Thirdly it is plentifull in prayers and
stedfastnesse And this promise is described 1. from the stabilitie of it in that the author of it is God who cannot lie 2. from the antiquitie of it gathered from the circumstance of time before the world began both which considerations most effectually commend this promise of God and also confirme this our hope which leaneth vpon it Quest. What kind of promise is this heâ—â— mentioned Ans. The word signifieth such a promise as is meerely free and most absolute as the learned haue obserued and is opposed vnto all legall promises which are not free but conditionall and made good to the keeper for the keeping of the law for the man that doth the law shall liue by the lawe but euangelicall promises whereof this is the principall are no such compacts or bargaines but free without all antecedent inducement and all condition of doing any thing on our parts As for the condition of faith which some may here alleadge the answer is we receiue nothing for our faith nor the worthines or worke of it but by it as a hand or meanes we receiue the free promise of eternall life Quest. But how could God promise before the world began that is from euerlasting seeing there was none then to promise vnto Answ. By an vsuall figure of speach the thing decreed is put for the decree it selfe and the true sense is this God promised that is decreed to promise before the world began and in due time hath made that promise manifest in the word preached as in the next words The like phrases we finde 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath called vs with an holy calling before the world was Eph. 1.4 we were choosen before the foundation of the world that is God decreed then to choose vs. Neither will this speach seeme strange to him that considereth 1. that with God all times are present none former or latter to him 2. that hereby the Scriptures would note the certaintie and assurance of such a maine promise of such vse and expectation Out of which words we note three lessons 1. That life eternall is ours by free promise 2. That God cannot lie and therefore the promise is infallible 3. The admirable care and loue of God to man tendring his eternall good before he or the world was Doctr. 1. That eternall life is by promise appeareth by that vsuall metonimie in the Scriptures whereby it carrieth the name of the promise it selfe although indeede it be the thing promised Heb. 6.12 be followers of them who through faith and patience attaine the promise that is life promised This truth was liuely typified both in the sonnes of Abraham as also liuely shadowed in that earthly Canaan The sonnes of Abraham were Isaac and Ismael two sonnes but one heire and he the sonne of promise by which title alone he held his prerogatiue whereas Ismael was the first borne Hence was it vsuall with the Apostles to oppose the sonnes according to the flesh to the sonnes of promise And as it was then so now is there a seede of promise euen all faithfull men and women who are raised out of faithfull promises faithfully apprehended called elsewhere not sonnes onely but heires of promise that is not onely such as to whom the promises belong but such as claime their inheritance onely by adoption and promise and not otherwise In like manner the earthly Canaan was called the land of promise not onely because it was long before promised to Abraham and his posteritie many of whom for many generations onely so enioyed it but also because those that were brought to the possession of that good land had it not for their owne worthinesse they were charged to beware of such thoughts for God gaue them this power by stablishing his couenant with them figuring vnto vs no other thing but that this blessed rest prepared for the people of God the truth of that shadow is held in no other tenure but by vertue of the promise neither here nor hereafter adde hereunto that whatsoeuer grace the Lord powreth into the hearts of the elect they all beeing not onely steppes and degrees but pawnes also and pledges of eternall life looke out vnto the promise faith apprehendeth it hope expecteth it loue thankfully entertaineth it yea and all the rest are quickned and strengthened by it Nay in this regard the holy spirit of God from whom these streames of grace doe flowe is called the spirit of promise not onely in that he was promised to beleeuers as Ioel. 2. I will powre out my spirit but also because he sealeth vp vnto their hearts the certentie of this maine promise touching their saluation Obiect But life eternall is called a debt Ans. It is so of his promise not of our desert Herodias craued Iohn Baptists head as her due but not because by dauncing she had deserued it but because of the Kings promise And that these promises are free may appeare in the first and maine giuen to Adam when he was farre from deseruing it in whom was nothing to mooue to the Lord but to the cleane contrarie Vse 1. Whosoeuer pretend any other title to the inheritance besides the promise of God are of the bondwoman and Ismaelites descending of Agar The Apostle sheweth how we receiue the promise of the spirit that is freedome from the law sinne death hell and damnation namely through faith here is no merit but faith taking â—old Which condemneth that arrogant doctrine of the Church of Rome who will haue life eternall repaied to the merit of workes for their condignitie which is all one with the renouncing of the promise of mercie and to flie for releefe vnto the iustice of God Whereas the whole new Testament draweth vs from that legal righteousnesse and suffereth vs not to behold our best workes but God the promiser and Christ the mediator and our birth which brings our inheritance and our selues in the gifts of righteousnesse and remission of sinnes onely receiuers and in the matter of our iustification before God meere patients and no agents at all Vse 2. The strength of our hope standeth not vpon merits but vpon this same promise which confuteth another Popish error that to hope without merit is presumption but Abraham had another prop for his hope it was not merit that made him hope aboue hope but because he knew who had spoken he doubted not the promise through vnbeleefe Obiect 1. Ioh. 3.19 If we loue indeed and in truth we know that we are of the truth And therefore hope of saluation is to be fetched from the workes of loue Ans. The scope of the Apostle is to teach that true faith cannot stand without a good conscience not that the perswasion of it either onely thence ariseth or thereupon only dependeth or cannot be without works but that then we haue more full perswasion of our coniunction with God and soundnes in faith when together with the inward
testimonie of the spirit the same spirit effectually produceth such fruits as outwardly freeth our profession from falsehood and fayning which is the thing there condemned by the Apostle More plainely we may consider a twofold assurance on which our hope may be confirmed The former is the assurance of faith flowing from our iustification the latter is the assurance of sanctification The former is when the spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are adopted which may be in weake Chrstians young conuerts scarcely yet experienced in their owne change yea such as can obiect such things against their faith as themselues cannot easily answer yet euen in this is there an assurance of faith which can onely leane vpon the promise and the truth of it and this I take to be more especially meant in this text of our Apostle The latter ariseth from the experience of our owne sanctification the vse also of which is not to make vs so but to trie our soundnes in the former yea to seale it to our selues and cleare it vnto others this is that the Apostle Iohn speaketh of in the place alleadged Yet notwithstanding that we may meete with an error on the other hand in the practise of Protestants we affirme with our Apostle that true hope relying vpon the promise goeth with faith knowledge godlines and groweth vp in these and therefore those the tenure of whose conclusions runneth thus Because grace hath abounded we may doe as we list because Christ hath blood inough God hath mercie inough we haue promises inough we may be the boulder in our sinnes these I say turne Gods grace into wantonnes to their owne destruction thus indeed to leane or bolster a mans selfe on the promises is an high presumption The reasonings of the spirit in the Scriptures are of another kinde Doth grace abound oh this must teach me to denie vngodlines worldly lusts hath God mercie mercie is with him that he may be feared hath Christ blood it is to purge me from all my sinnes both the guilt and the dominion haue I promises such precious promises are giuen me that beeing partaker of the godly nature I should flie the corruptions that are in the world through lust and seeing then I haue such promises it is meete I should clense my selfe from all filthines of flesh and spirit and grow vp to full holines in the feare of God Vse 3. We must often haue recourse to the promises and acquaint our selues with the Scriptures wherein we may peruse our priuiledges and thus euer be laying surer hold of eternall life by the applying bringing the promises home to our owne hearts otherwise faith shall be easily shaken hope quickly foyled and the rest of our graces in a continuall wane and decaie Cast anchor out of the ship if it sound no bottome the ship shall be at no stedfastnes in the storme but be in danger of shipwracke by euery surge and billow in like manner the anchor of hope if it pitch it selfe vpon promises it keepeth the soule in stabilitie and constancie in weldoing but impossible it is that in stormie temptations or afflictions the hope of the heart should strengthen and vphold that man that is not acquainted with the promises Doct. 2. The next instruction out of the former words is that God cannot lie which sheweth the promise to be stable and infallible That God cannot lie appeareth both by testimonie of Scripture and reason Balaam himselfe vttering his parable could say God is not as a man that he should lie the Apostle Heb. 6.18 saith that it is impossible that God should lie And the reason is because to lie is against the nature of God so as he shall as soone cease to be God as once to doe it truth is of his nature yea he is truth it selfe truth in all his promises which are yea and amen truth in all his threates for shall he say it and not doe it wicked Nebuchadnezar hauing good experience of both in beeing cast among the beasts and after raised vp againe aboue men could confesse that his words be all truth yea in this nature of his he is vnchangeable he cannot denie himselfe there beeing in him no shadow of change Now to ascribe a lie vnto God were to impute not onely change but contrarietie to that most simple nature of his for what is a lie but to vtter something contrarie to the knowne truth and that with an euill intention which wickednesse seeing it implyeth a contrarietie betweene his will and his word seeing he hath condēned it in his law as not induring it in his creature seeing this of all other is such an odious iniquitie as that the phrase of the holy Ghost includeth vnder this title all manner of vnrighteousnes opposeth it vnto all holines Zeph. 3.13 how can it be ascribed vnto the high maiestie of God vnles we will blasphemously say that he hath enacted laws against something which standeth with his nature and will or at least that he hath chāged his wil to loue that which once he hated Quest. But why may not God change his will which euen a creature may doe without sinne or if he cannot how can he doe all things and remaine omnipotent Ans. 1. To change the will were an argument of weaknes and impotencie for euen so is it in man whether he freely doe it or forcedly If freely it is because some second deliberation seemeth sounder then some former which argueth want of foresight and wisedome if forcedly a man change his minde it argueth want of power which suffereth the former deliberation to be letted by some crosse accident neither of which can befall that most simple and immutable will of God who neither of his owne accord nor yet by constraint can be forced or hindred because he seeth all things in their causes and consequents together in one act as soone and easily produceth the thing he willeth as he pronounceth the word as appeareth in the creation 2. The omnipotence of God is to be referred to the things which he willeth and can will for his power cannot thwarte his will nor his arme disapoint his mouth nor either of them goe against his nature That God then cannot lie denie himselfe change his purpose proceedeth not of weaknes or infirmitie but of wisedom power and maiestie to whom only that is impossible which is contrarie to his nature Obiect But God hath spoken many things in the Scriptures some of which implie change in him and some seeme altogether vntrue the former appeares in such places as where he is said to repēt him that he made man that he made Saul King that he changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe to his people Ans. All such speaches as these are to be vnderstood not properly but figuratiuely improperly and according to mans apprehension for in proper speach Samuel in the
the God of heauen For either Satan by his suggestion or his instruments or which is more to be feared we shall heare the whisperings and mutterings of our owne flesh saying Where is the God in whom ye trusted let not thy God deceiue thee any longer and with Iehoram Is not this euill from the Lord and shall I waite on him any longer to all which let vs be bold to answer with the Apostle I know whom I haue beleeued euen him whose bare word is aboue all bonds who neuer promised more then he was able to performe and neuer performed lesse then he promised faithfull is he that hath promised and no vnfaithfulnes of man can make him vnfaithfull The like truth and steadfastnesse carie all his denunciations and threats for neither when his messengers threaten wrath against the impenitent shall that be found a lying word but the sentence of the Iudge which cannot faile of execution True it is that the Lyon hath often roared but the beasts of the feild haue not trembled The Lord hath vttered his terrible voice against the vnrighteousnesse of men but his threatnings haue met with mockers who say euery vision is deferred and where is the promise of his comming with swarmes of Atheists who say there is no God but denie heauen hell and immortalitie of the soule in the meane time making leagues and couenants with hell and death with beastly Epicures who liue vnmooueably from their carnall delights and sensuall pleasures with heauie and dead hearted professours with whome they haue beene but as a blast all which sorts of men promise to themselues life although the Lord hath said of them they shall die and is not this to charge God expressely with a lie and as much as to say that he is not God But these shall know that the words the Lord hath spoken shall be done Ezek. 12.28 And as the Lord letteth his children see for the present that it is not in vaine to worship him so he letteth his enemies often feele euen before their death that all his words fall not to the ground when he meeteth them at euery corner with sundrie plagues and iudgements in their soules bodies estate name or freinds all which are the accomplishment of his word which shall not passe away when heauen and earth shall be dissolued Vse 2. Seeing God cannot lie let euery one of vs labour to expresse this vertue of God first and especially the minister in his place seeing he speaketh from God nay God speaketh by him he must therefore deliuer true sayings worthie of all men to be receiued that he may be able to say in his owne heart that which Paul spake of himselfe I speake the truth in Christ I lie not and iustifie that of his doctrine which Paul did of his writings the things which now I write vnto you behold I witnes before God that I lie not Now then is a minister a liar when he either speaketh false things as euery where the false Prophets are charged an example whereof we may see in Hananiah the sonne of Azur and Abab the sonne of Roliah and Zedekiah the sonne of Maaseiah who are said to prophesie lies in the name of the Lord in that when the Lords Prophets were commanded to carrie yokes about their neckes these would breake them and so caused the people to trust in a lie or else true things falsely misapplying that truth which they could not but vtter for this was euer the note of a false Prophet to make their hearts sad who should haue beene cheared and to speak peace to them against whom the Lord had proclaimed open warre so falsifying the word of the great God which iniurie no earthly King would suffer vnreuenged If a king should signe and send out his letters of death and execution against some archtraytor and the officer betrusted with them should serue them vpon some faithfull counseller who is neare and deare to his Prince so as the innocent and well-deseruing shal be put to death and the traytor suffered to liue in honour should not the life of this man so betrusted goe for the life of the other In like sort doth be who in Gods place whetteth his tongue against the righteous of the land and disgraceth the most forward in the wayes of God let him discourse against them in Scripture phrase and speak things in themselues neuer so true yet is he a lowde liar in the false applying of them and wresting them against them vpon whom the eyes of the Lord are for good and with liars shall be kept without the gates of the â—oly citie and that most iustly in that he hath not lied of men but of God himselfe whom so farre as his malice could extend he hath endeauoured to drawe into his sinne in making him a liar also like vnto himselfe 2. Euery priuate man must take vp that exhortation to cast off lying and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour and that because it is a peece and sparkle of Gods image and a part of the newe man which is to be put on Which reason the Apostle vrgeth sundrie times in the epistles And indeede no man can more liuely resemble the image of his heauenly father then by the practise of truth in which one word is included that whole image of God which standeth in righteousnesse and holines as Ioh. 8.44 the angels stood not in the truth As on the contrarie no man can more liuely resemble the deuil then by lying for he is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lies True it is there be many defences made for sundrie sorts of lies which we shall haue better occasion to scan in the processe of this Epistle but let all such as would haue themselues marked with the stampe of Gods children knowe that they onely can haue assurance of the pardon of sinnes in whose spirit is no guile and those onely shall rest in the holy mountaine that speake the truth from their hearts and they alone shall stand with the lambe on mount Sion and sing the newe song before the throne who haue no guile found in their monthes Doctr. 3. The last generall obseruation out of the former words teacheth what an infinite and free loue the Lord embraceth his elect withall in that be decreeth from euerlasting whatsoeuer he doth for them in the due season of it Hence it is that not onely in this place but thorough the Scriptures we may read that all the stayres whereby we climbe to heauen were laid by God before the world began If we looke at Gods predestination and election the names are written in the book of life from euerlasting Iacob was loued not onely before he had done good but before he was to doe it If to the ende which is the kingdome that is prepared from the foundations of the world If to the meanes which is Christ he is the
not in the change of the minde but know it that no time is thine but the present and it is little better then Poperie to professe free will in this matter it is too much thou hast beene deceiued in the time past deceiue not thy selfe also in time to come Well said one God hath left man time past to repent of and time present to repent in but the time to come he hath reserued in his owne hands Doct. 3. The manifestation of saluation is to be sought for in the preaching of the word Which point is plaine in that the preaching of the word is an ordinance of God 1. to make Christ knowne in whose name alone saluation is to be had 2. to beget and confirme faith in the heart by which alone as by an hand we apprehend and applie him with his merits to our saluation The former the Apostle affirmeth Ephes. 3.8 the vnsearcheable riches of Christ was by preaching made knowen to the Gentiles and Coloss. 1.27 God would make knowne what is the riches which riches is Christ in you whome we preach For the 2. that faith is wrought by the word preached see Rom. 10.14 and 1. Cor. 1.21 By the foolishnesse of preaching it pleaseth God to saue such as beleeue in that herein he both offereth Christ vnto vs and giueth vs faith by which we receiue him 2. This truth appeareth in that wheresoeuer the Lord had a people to call to saluation there he sent his Prophets and Apostles whom he appointed so long there to stay till his worke was finished and then sent them elsewhere when Paul was resisted and blasphemed by the Iewes at Corinth he pronounced them guilâ—ie of their owne blood and purposed to turne to the Gentiles but the Lord suffered him not but caused him to staie there a yeare and six moneths longer because he had many people in the cittie so Paul and Timothie hauing gone through Phrygia and Galatia were forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach in Asia and by a vision were assured that the Lord called them to preach in Macedonia Which direction of them by the spirit to some places and restrayning them from other argued that they carried with them the meanes of conuerting such as whom the Lord at that time purposed to call In this ordinance is it called the word of faith 1. Tim. 4.6 deliuered by exhortation and doctrine vers 13. in this embassadge is it called the the word of reconciliation and thus preached is called the Gospel of the kingdome of God Mark 1.14 Iohn came preaching the Gospel of the kingdome of God powerfully raysing vp men thereunto and the Gospel of our saluation Ephes. 1.13 Vse 1. The preaching of the word is the greatest blessing that the Lord bestoweth vpon any people and such a one as God in his anger depriues that people of against whom he intendeth a plague the former appeareth in that great care of Christ himselfe who before and after his ascension prouiding for the good of his bodie the Church as the speciall gift and loue-token he could leaue behind him appointed Apostles Euangelists and after them Pastors and teachers to continue to his comming againe The effects also shew the power and price of the blessing which are reconciliation with God sanctification of the spirit mortification of the flesh the life of God all which are brought by the reuealing of Iesus Christ. The latter is euident in Amos 5.13 that when the Lord is about to bring euill times he maketh the prudent to keepe silence Both which shew vnto vs that the Lord hath opened vnto vs in this Church and land his chiefest treasure in that he hath put the barres into the rings of the Arke whereby his glorie is carried throughout our countrie and in that he hath lifted vp his cloud in the sight of all our people to direct vs in all our iourneies he hath not dealt so freely with euery nation neither haue they knowen his lawes Psal. 44. last Vse 2. Those people are bound to much thankfulnes and dutie among whom the Lord hath planted a preaching Ministerie by which men may be directed in the path of saluation It is a blessing we are to wish and pray for to all Gods people and bewaile their want that haue it not The former we are enioyned by the expresse precept of Christ considering the greatnesse of the haruest The latter by his example who mourned to see people as sheepe scattered without a shepheard Obiect But people may doe well inough if they haue the word read publikely and they can read it at home Ans. My purpose is not by establishing preaching to derogate from reading the manifold fruite which accreweth by reading the Scriptures hath otherwise taught mee together with the custome of the Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe of which I haue elsewhere expressed the principall But the things which God hath ioyned together let no man separate In the old Testament the Levites must read the booke of the law giue the sence and cause the people to vnderstand the reading In the New after the reading of the law there was expounding Christ himselfe after the lecture of the law had a booke giuen him found the prophecie closed the booke sate downe expounded it so did the Apostles Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.15 Thus hath the Lord afforded his Church a further benefit and more full blessing a more ordinarie and principall meanes to beget faith and repentance and to lead men along vnto saluation by a more ful manifestation of the promise of life which is here said to be by preaching that is by explaning and applying things read to the heart and affection This is the labour in word and doctrine commended vnto vs that are the Lords builders and laborers who in raysing the spirituall walls must imitate Nehemiahs builders euery one of whom in repayring the walls of Ierusalem must hold the trowell in one hand and the weapon in the other in like manner should euery Minister exhort with whose some doctrine there is the vse of the trowell and improoue the gainsayer which is the vse of the sword to want which ordinance is to want that which the wisedome of the Lord thought most necessarie for the welfare of his Church who would not haue his people sticke in the outside but pearce into the depth of his wisdom reuealed neither content themselues with a bulk of corne but to get it troden out nor with bread in the lumpe but deuided Whether therefore their estate may be good in such a want or no we are not so much to sit as iudges vpon them as become petitioners for them that their want may be supplied seeing the word hath taught vs that where vision faileth people perish And for priuate reading would God men were better acquainted with it then they are yet although the Iewes had the law priuately at home the
2. More specially by grace of those who are adopted and renewed by grace and thus God is properly our father in heauen and no man is to be called father in earth Secondly when God is personally called father then it is to be taken for the first person and this title is giuen principally to the first person in Trinitie 1. because he is the Father of the second person the word by nature and by eternall generation 2. because he is Father to Christ in respect of his manhood not as to other men by nature or grace of adoption but by personall vnion the humane nature subsisting in the person of the word 3. because from both these followeth that by Adoption he becommeth the father of all the elect beeing members and making vp the bodie of Christ. And this is the respect wherein God is tearmed Father in this place both because it hath relation to the second person here nominated as also because in prayer we must repaire to God the Father in Christ our head and Mediator And our Lord Iesus Christ Christ is Lord in himselfe as God and Lord ouer all blessed for euer both in that he giueth essence and susteining to all things as also possesseth all things and ruleth euen the most powerfull and glorious of all creatures and is called Lord of the Angels much more ouer the Deuils themselues Againe he is our Lord 1. as Mediatour we beeing his inheritance giuen him of his Father 2. as a Redeemer purchasing vs beeing captiues and thralls to Satan 3. as a head of his Church quickning and gouerning the whole bodie of it whether militant or triumphant 4. in regard of his power and dominion for to him all power is committed in heauen and in earth who hath put all things vnder his feete in him we hold all things as in capite and to him we owe all homage and subiection in all obedience both actiue and passiue Quest. But how can Christ be a Lord seeing he is euery where called a seruant Ans. Christ considered in the office of Mediatourship is after a speciall manner a seruant of his Father and so his Father calleth him for my seruant Dauids sake and Behold my seruant because he faithfully serued him in the worke of redemption in that he was made man came into the world fulfilled the law prayed vnto his Father and was made obedient euen to the death yet all the while of his seruice he remained a Lord in himselfe and by his seruice became the Lord of his Church redeemed ones in a speciall manner Our Sauiour There is no other name giuen but this Obiect The Father and the holy Ghost saue also Answ. Although all outward workes of the Trinitie which make for our comfort and saluation are vndeuided as beeing one and coworking yet in performing them we must obserue an order among them the Father is the fountaine from whom the Sonne for whom as a meritorious cause the holy Ghost by whom we communicate of all blessings so all three saue but the Father by sending the Sonne the Sonne by paying the ransome the holy Ghost by applying it so all create redeeme sanctifie yet obseruing this order and manner of working when the workes are more personally attributed vnto them creation is ascribed to the Father not excluding the sonne and holy Ghost redemption to the Sonne and sanctification to the holy Ghost Which order is rather here to be obserued because our Apostle expresseth it in his prayer for these graces when he craueth them both from the Father and the Sonne not excluding the holy Ghost whereby we are taught how to direct our suits also namely that the Father by the Spirit through his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ would enrich vs with grace and the fruits of it Obiect But there are other sauiours as Ioshua and other Iudges and Kings yea Prophets and Ministers are called sauiours Ans. 1. These all were men and as men saued But of Christ it is said Behold our God he shall saue vs. 2. Some of them as Iudges were typicall sauiours sauing 1. the bodies 2. of one people the Iewes 3. from temporall death and oppression but Christ saueth the bodies and soules of all beleeuing Iewes and Gentiles from hell and condemnation 3. Others as Prophets and Ministers are onely ministeriall and instrumentall sauiours not properly onely for sundrie causes the worke of the efficient is ascribed to the instrument whom the Lord vseth in publishing this saluation but Christ alone saueth by meriting and paying the price and bringing home to the heart this redemption Obiect But we haue yet sinne in vs and therefore are not saued from it Answ. We are saued euen for the present from the wrath and poyson of it in part for euer from the damnation of it so as the strength of it is gone This is the meaning of this salutation which beeing a prayer sheweth vs both of what kinde our salutations ought to be in which we would testifie our loue to whom we write namely to wish them the best blessings as also in what manner not sending formall salutations without feeling abstracting curtesie from conscience but they must proceede from a religious and reuerent affection of the heart for euery prayer ought to come from the heart and as hauing God himselfe a witnes of the truth of the spirit in such wishes as Rom. 1.9 and Phil. 1.8.9 Now the principall lessons in this prayer are two 1. That the free and euerlasting grace of God in Christ is the foundation of all blessings spirituall and temporall 2. Peace is the fruite of the grace and mercie of God Doctr. 1. The grace of God is the whole sufficiencie of his people the first middle and last cause of euery good thing conuaied vnto them or issuing from them not once did the Lord enforce this point vpon his owne people teaching them by things temporall their spirituall estate and condition Deut. 7.7 The Lord set his loue vpon you and chose you not because you were moe in number for you were the fewest but because he loued you cap. 9.4.6 Say not in thine heart because of my righteousnes the Lord hath giuen me this good land for thou art a stiffnecked people and were they not yet further off from meriting and procuring to themselues spirituall blessings and that heauenly Canaan and euerlasting rest prepared for the people of God and if we consider our condition before this grace be reueiled and shine vpon vs are not we in our blood when the Lord first couereth vs with his skirts and no eie but his pitieth vs he calleth vs with Adam out of our thickets when we runne from him and are hiding our selues then finding vs when we would not be found Vse 1. To confute the Popish doctrine which depresseth this grace of God and endureth not that the castle of a mans saluation should be altogether founded without
of his owne gifts why hath God giuen me learning wealth aduancement surely for some good ende in the Church or common wealth and how dangerous a thing is it to peruert Gods ende in giuing his gifts And further from hence let him that would take a compendious way to entertaine the Ministerie alwaies behold with one eie the end of it for otherwise it will often seeme harsh and intolerable flesh willingly abideth not the handling of the Minister oh no meddle not with mine eies my deere and tender sinnes the bodie abideth not the pulling out of eies or cutting off of hands and feete so as let the Minister come to saw or feare a desperate member there is such reluctation and opposition as maketh a whole parish too little for the Minister and people The cause of all this is they consider not this end of the Ministerie If they could thus reason for this end is this man set here to be the watchman ouer the house of Israel to sound a trumpet against the sinnes of Iudah to redresse our disorder to plant Gods graces amongst vs to beate downe sinne superstition ignorance profanesse then should we not here such gracelesse speaches as Corah and his companie vtter against Moses the man of God Who made him a controller he is very busie to meddle with such and such things which concerne him not come let vs smite him with the tongue and much a doe is there to keepe Zidkiahs fist from Michaes face Whereas if they could thinke them the Ministers of God for their wealth as the Apostle speaketh of the Magistrate or if they could conceiue them to haue the watch of their soules committed vnto them either of these arguments by the iudgement of the spirit of God would be strong inough to enforce reuerence vnto their persons and obedience vnto their doctrine Now to the dutie and office of Titus the Apostle reduceth all his labour to two heads 1. the reforming of things that remaine 2. the appointing of elders in euery citie In the order of which precepts the Apostle sheweth that the way to plant Gods ordinances is first to redresse and remooue such disorders as make most opposition for Dagon and the Arke will not stand together but one will fall downe on his face As it is in the naturall bodie so is it in the Ecclesiasticall if there be a predominancie of some peccant humour that must necessarily be first purged out before any meanes can be to purpose vsed to breed good blood and humours Neuer did any of the kings of Iudah any great matter for the establishing of true religion till they had rooted out Idolatrie and broken downe the altars and groues of their Idols Asa tooke a right course to bring the holy vessels and things dedicated to the Lords house into the temple when he broke his fathers idols tooke away the Sodomites put downe his mother Maacha from her regencie for her idols and burnt them by the brooke Kidron See the like in Hezekiah 2. Chron. 31. who gathered all Israel to breake downe altars cut down groues cast downe the high places and then made the diuisions of the Priests and Leuites according to their ministerie in the Temple Of Iosiah see c. 34.1 ad 8. Yea Iesus Christ the wisdome of his father could not nor did establish any thing vntill in his first sermon he had reformed the grosse expositions and Pharisaicall glosses whereby they had corrupted the law teaching the same truth with our Apostle that the redressing of disorders is but a way and meanes of planting the Lords ordinances Vse We pray that Gods kingdome may come euerie where and that the Lords ordinances onely may take place in his Church now that this may be effected we must also pray that he would ouerthrowe the man of sinne and disperse the mists of darkenes in all countryes which trouble the shining brightnesse of the Gospel that the whole bondwoman may be cast out which standeth against the right of the right heire that the head and tayle of Antichrist may be cut off and that no stumpe of Dagon may remaine to keepe out the institutions of Iesus Christ. For the former of these two It will first be asked what power Titus had to controle disorders in this Iland and if he had any whether it did not derogate from the power of the ciuill Magistrates Ans. Titus had a ministeriall power which no more derogated from the soueraigne power of the Magistrate then if the Gospel were now established in it againe would it weaken the power of the Venetians in whose hands now it is nor no more then the power of the Gospel doth weaken the states and scepters of Christian Princes which indeede are stablished by Christs scepter The reason is because the power of the word and sword of the magistrate and Minister are of a diuerse nature for although both of them haue their power from God and one generall scope which is the good of men yet in them is it farre different 1. In their obiect The one hath power ouer all men and all the things of men The other hath power ouer all men but onely in the things of God The one bindeth the outward man his bodie goods life conuersation the other the inward man his soule conscience and spirit of which God onely is the Lord the one ordereth causes Ecclesiastiacall according to the wâ—â—d the other onely may execute them 2. In their manner of commanding The ciuill power may command obedience to it selfe in it owne name as hauing vnder God the power in himselfe but the ecclesiasticall or ministeriall power is not in the person of the Minister but in Christ neither can he command obedience to himselfe but vnto Christ nor come in his owne name but in Christs as being not his Leiftenant as the Magistrate nor his vicar for as he is Mediator he hath not any but his Minister only 2. the ciuill power may absolutely compell the outward man but the ministeriall can onely perswade and exhort 3. In their meanes of enforcing The ciuill hath the vse of the sword to arrest imprison make warre execute the sentence of death vpon malefactors the ministeriall can only either by admonition cure or excommunication cast out the obstinate offenders and esteeme them as Publicans and heathens The weapons of this warfare are spirituall as doctrine exhortation admonition reproofe good life c. This latter then while Titus exercised he encroached not vpon the ciuill Magistrates power nor weakened but strengthened it Christ himselfe although the rightful King of the Iewes would not so much as devide an inheritance but subiected himselfe to all tributes and hard sentences and yet all his life and death was nothing else but the establishing of his owne scepter one of these powers is the ornament and muniment of the other and therefore let none commit Moses and Aaron together but esteeme it as a sweet
Neither of these two were simply lawfull nor by the law approoued to be done but after it was done the Lord prouideth a law to auoid the greatest confusion by tolerating and not dissoluing it neither is the law vnrighteous herein seeing it neither approoueth it nor simply permitteth the fact but supposing such a disorder may be done sheweth what is best in such a confusion so the Lord tolerated the bill of diuorce but neuer as agreeable to his will but as obseruing a wise rule of lawgiuers that in publike corruptions speciall euills are then to be tolerated when they cannot be cured without a more grieuous publike euill If it be here said that the wisedome and power of God might haue amended or cut off such disorders if he had so conceiued of them I answer it is a vaine allegation of men not considering that the Lord then susteined the person of a lawgiuer to a people whom he chose aboue all the nations of the earth and not of a Iudge Obiect Deut. 25.5 The law was that a brother dying without issue the next brother who perhaps was married must marrie his brothers wife Ans. We shall not neede to answer with some of the learned that the widow was not to become the wife of the brother suruiuing but that he was to goe in to her and doe the dutie of a husband in raising seede to his brother but that it was a speciall commandement for those times for certaine persons and causes For it was not so generall as some may take it seeing 1. it must be meant of brethren dwelling together that is such as had not planted themselues in some other familie 2. and not if any brother should die but if the eldest or first borne whose name and family must be preserued and reared both in type and signification of the prerogatiue of Christ the first borne of many brethren as also for the preservation of inheritances to families and by families the politie and ordinances of God amongst his people Now these speciall considerations cut off all pleas for polygamie and the rather seeing Christ hath since put an end to all ceremonies and shadows and called vs vnto his first institution Vse 1. In that this practise was euer condemned in the word and yet come to such an height euen in Gods deare seruants that scarse they reteined any sence of the sinne learne to breake off euery sinne in the beginning a crooked custome quickly groweth to a rule the instance sheweth that not only beleeuers of old but euen Ministers who should haue hindred the sinne in others were themselues intangled in it There are two great mischeifs in the admission of sinne the first is the treasuring vp of Gods wrath against the soule of the sinner who while he hatcheth sinne the Lord hatcheth iudgement the second is the sencelesnes of sinne through the repetition or custome of it for the heart is by little and little stolen away and the sinner becommeth like Ephraim as a doue without heart that is without vnderstanding of the sence and danger of sinne through too neere acquaintance with it he that liueth in a mill we say hardly discerneth of sounds and he that hath beene in a noysome place is stuffed euen so many a one we see who a while will straine curtesie with some sinne as drunkennes swearing riot wantonnes gaming but after the second or third greeting grow so familiar as they seeme in their eies to be vertues at the least necessarie vices Thus by Gods iudgement the heart is hardned and sinne riseth to his regiment men are of too good nature too soft and gentle in the case of this acquaintance and too loth to offer it the least discourtesie which is a maine cause why the Prince of the aire the patron of it worketh so mightily in the sonnes of disobedience Let vs therefore apply our hearts to learne the Apostles exhortation Let no roote of bitternes spring vp to trouble you Let vs beware of rooted sinnes shut the doore of the heart that Satan may finde no entrance whose manner is where he finds the least welcome to bring in seauen spirits worse then himselfe and if he can sow a seed if it be no bigger then a graine of mustard seed he hopeth the next haruest for a great tree of it sinne seemeth verie reasonable in the beginning and the tempter saith is it not a small one But if the Lords Samsons suffer themselues to be bound with small cords at the first which they may thinke to breake from at their pleasure the enemie will ere they be aware bring on them the two new ropes which will hold them fast inough till they be made a pray for the spoyler Vse 2. Neuer let examples of men preiudice the truth of God If we see a good man fall we are readie to thinke that vice no longer a sinne espcially if we see not the sinne required vpon the commission We see Abraham himselfe led into a sinne and ouercome 1. by common custome 2. by the motion of Sarah enticing him through infidelitie to take Hagar so in other Patriarkes we see how readie the children were to take the colour die of their parents And therfore from hence let the blinded Papist say their fathers worshipped in the mount with the Samaritans or before such and such altars and images and so will they also Let the profane swine of the world say Noah was drunke Sarah lyed Iacob had many wiues and why may not we and so thinke they haue a sufficient couer As for all the Israel of God they walke by another rule then that of the world the guise of which is to lie in wickednesse and giueth none but crooked directions nor by the naked examples of the best men who haue their wandrings but that of the word which is as the cloud and pillar to guide them in all their iourneys Quest. But how shall we profitably behold the examples of the Saints Ans. By obseruing two rules 1. If we make their falls and infirmities a glasse to behold the same in our selues either for the present or else suspect them in our selues for time to come 2. If with iudgement we waigh examples by the word I say not number them but waigh them in the ballance of the sanctuarie and trie them by the touchstone of the Temple It is verie liable to exception to say others that are learneder wiser greater grauer doe so and so and teach thus and thus but what if the author be blinded as euerie man may become a lyar or what if he will not speake the truth because he will not be a meddler or beare the times displeasure this is such an argument as whereby Christ himselfe should haue beene denyed for did any of the rulers beleeue in him Salomon saith that he that beleeueth hastily is light in his heart and the reason why examples ouercarrie
sometimes of his doctrine lay open vnto him their greife as to their Phisician vnder Christ and seeke for particular direction in speciall cases from him in all which and many moe mutuall duties they may not by this inordinate humor be deterred and hindered but rather with all meeknes and lenitie be allured louingly enterteined and contentedly dismissed from him Vse This doctrine may be profitably applyed both to Mnisters and people The Minister must learne to be 1. docible 2. affable the former fitteth him to learne of others the latter to teach others for none can be apt to teach others who is not apt to learne of others and in the Minister especially a tractable and teachable disposition is a singular inviting of others by his example more easily to admit his teaching whether by reprehension admonition or howsoeuer Elihu ioyneth learning and teaching together Let a man of vnderstanding tell me let a man of vnderstanding hearken vnto me and euery one will thinke it fit that young Ioshua should minister vnto Moses young Samuel to Eli Elisha to Eliah Baruch to Ieremie Titus to Paul yea the disciples to Christ thinke it vnreasonable that the blind should offer to lead the blind But this is the fault of many Ministers that conceiuing they are now fitted to teach others they disdaine to be taught by others and thinke it too base for them to heare such as they conceiue meaner and weaker in gifts then themselues whom I wish they would remember what a dangerous thing it is to haue the faith of God in respect of persons and to receiue the word as mans word and not as Gods whose indeede it is 2. That the Apostle Peter thought it meete that euen such as had knowledge and were stablished in the present truth should be put in remembrance of such things as they knewe and stirred vp to the practise of them 3. That all haue not the same gifts nor the same gifts in the same measure that no man might say of any mans gifts I haue no neede of them Ioseph can expound a dreame when he heareth it but Daniel can declare a dreame which the King hath forgotten and expound it also which is a double knowledge yea that Iethro in some things may see more then Moses and Naamans seruant more then himselfe As for the other vertue opposed to frowardnes namely affabilitie which teacheth to entertaine the talke of others with signification of our good will vnto them in our speaches and gestures it is a great grace and a profitable ornament in a Minister that can graciously and wisely weld it 2. So hearers seeing frowardnesse is such an impediment to instruction must learne to cast it from them which in many otherwise well affected is a disposition hard to please in some making them seldome contented with the paines matter or manner of their ministerie but hauing a bed in their braine of their owne size whatsoeuer is longer they cut off whatsoeuer is shorter they stretch and racke it for their owne oâ—inions may not yeeld not knowing to giue place to better Others are secure and therein growne froward against the word beeing mourned vnto they weepe not beeing piped vnto they daunce not if their Minister be a companion they reiect him as he is if he be not he is too austeere and too precise yea numbers are so superstitiously froward and so setled in their superstitions and olde customes that let the Minister speake out of the mouth of the Lord they say plainely they will not heare him as the Iewes did against Ieremie oh that the tractablenes of our people were so come abroad as it might be both their owne praise and their ministers ioy whereof we should soone see fruits wel beseeming the people of God for while it attributeth vnto God his truth and men teaching it that authoritie which is due vnto them it freeth the minde from ignorance deliuereth from the bands of delusion and errors and openeth a large entrie into the treasures of wisedome Not angrie Quest. Is it not lawfull for a Minister to be angry at all Answ. We must knowe that all anger is not condemned in Scripture For 1. anger is a naturall affection which may be vsed as wel as others both calmely and in heate also of holy men in an holy manner as Moses the meekest man in the earth as appeared both by the Lords testimonie as also by bearing such reuiling speaches of his brother and sister Numb 11. yet is he said to be verie angrie yea his fierce anger caused many to be slaine Exod. 32. 2. The Prophets and Apostles were verie angrie oftentimes and therefore commended as Phineas and Paul calleth the Galatians foolish Galatians nay Christ himselfe is said to be angrie Mar. 6. and called Peter Satan Matth. 16. 3. It is an affection commanded Eph. 4.26 and Eccles. 7.5 anger is better then laughter so as it is sinne not to be angrie against sinne 4. When the Scriptures condemne anger they vse such restraint as that the sinne of it rather then it selfe as sinne should be condemned as Matth. 5.22 whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall be culpable of iudgement yea and when we are commanded to be angrie and sinne not it is plaine that not anger but the sinnefulnes of it is condemned Quest. In what respect then is it here prohibited Ans. So farre as it is not rightly grounded or not rightly bounded and moderated for in the right ordering of this affection diuerse offend diuersly Some there are who are not so soone mooued to anger but being so their anger is bitter and long abiding the passion working in them as fire doth in yron which is long in heating and longer in cooling Some are implacably angrie whose patience beeing once mooued and broken they are hardly euer reconciled the passion in these is as fire hid in some mouldring matter but neuer bewraying it selfe without the ruine and wast of the thing it hath caught neither of these two rightly bounde their anger but it resteth in the bosome of fooles There are a third sort of men who are easily ouercome of the passion not mooued hereunto vpon iust cause as when Gods glorie is impaired or the cause waightie but suddenly for euerie trifle and vpon euery dislike whose passion worketh as fire in stubble soone in and soone out these are here noted in the word vsed by the Apostle men of short spirits so hastie and â—eastie as they seldome looke to the right grounding and footing of this affection The thing then here condemned is not so much anger as hastines to anger which is a disorder not onely reprooued in the Minister for euerie where it is a vice but Salomon speaketh generally to all Bee not of an hastie spirit to be angrie Doct. Hastines or pronesse to anger is a great enemie vnto the ministerie and such a blot as may
other Priests might not marrie diuorced or defiled women but he may not marrie a widowe but a maid onely Neither might he mourne at all no not for his father or mother which was lawfull for the other Priests thereby to pollute himselfe and the holy place All which with a number moe such solemne rites betokened a singular sanctimonie in such as were to be giuen vp and dedicated to the Lords seruice Whence I conclude that if in those that ministred but in a material Temple that serued but in shadows types and obscuritie that in comparison were so farre off from the ministerie of the spirit of grace of libertie of life and so after a sort from God himselfe was required such legall holynesse at the least how much more is the truth of those representations requisite in vs who serue in the spirituall house of God who carie the substance and the bodie and are so much nearer drawne vnto God by how much he beeing a spirit delighteth in spirituall seruice before elementarie In Exod. 19.22 there is a speciall iniunction that the Priests who were to come to heare the law deliuered should be sanctified least the Lord destroy them much more then those that are the mouth of God in the newe testament to deliuer the law and Gospel should be carefull of their sanctification least the Lord sanctifie himselfe in their confusion For else those should not be such sure consequents of the Apostle where he dehorteth Christians from vnholinesse and prophanenes because of their present condition in that they were not vnder the lawe but vnder grace and that they were not come to mount Sinai but mount Sion And if such arguments were strong enough to binde common Christians to followe holinesse without which no man can see God surely farre stronger are they to enforce the dutie vpon the minister whose whole doctrine meditation speaches and actions priuate as well as publike should sauour of the spirit of God and of his blessed regiment in their hearts Vse 1. Profane Ministers are hence admonished oâ— their danger and vnfitnes how dare they take Gods name in their mouthes when they hate to be reformed How dare they rashly attempt to touch holy things with vnwashen hands when Dauid a most holy Prophet of God would not compasse the Altar nor participate in holy things before he had washed his hands in innocencie are such fit successors of the Prophets and Apostles who were called holy men of God not only in that they were penmen of the Scriptures and immediatly assisted and inspired by the holy spirit of God and freed from error in their doctrine which priuiledge we cannot succedâ—â—hem in but also in regard of their holy and innocent liues wherein also they shined as lights in the world expressing and shewing in life the life of that true and pure religion they taught vnto others 2. Let such as count this holines which is nothing but puritie of heart and life in Minister or people too much puritie and precisenes see their error and repent of it if they shall not see God who are without it much lesse shall such as scoffe at it We serue a God of pure eyes who hath pronounced blessing vpon the pure of heart and threatned that dogges and vncleane persons shall stand without the gate of that holy citie Notwithstanding therefore many a fooles bolt if that be puritanisme which many so esteeme it becoÌ„meth all the people of God much more his Ministers in that way which they so tearme to serue the God of their fathers 3. Note that marriage is no impure or vncleane condition of life nor a breach of chastitie and holynes for â—e that in the words before is permitted to be the husband of one wife is here called also to holynes and chastitie Temperate The Papists to maintaine the former error of single life translate this word continentem but the words of Scripture which for most part are more generall and figuratiuely comprehend many particulars either in commanding or prohibiting may not be restrained to strengthen Popish error For although all the vertues of the seauenth commandement may be here included yet the word is more generall then so seeing he is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hath any thing in his power that is Lord ouer a thing to command it and enioy it and here one who is Lord ouer himselfe his lusts affections appetite who enioyeth these and is not theirs who keepeth the command of these and they haue not him at command requiring that the Minister should be a man that can curbe and bridle himselfe in his will to ouermaster it in his affections of desire reuenge mirth sorrow c. to moderate them that they exceed not the meane and due measure in his appetite of meate drinke sleepe recreation that it be not inordinate yea in all his parts his hands his eyes his tongue c. so order himselfe as that no vnseemely kinde of gesture fashion word or dealing proceede from him which may disgrace his calling but to carie himselfe in such a temper as becommeth the former vertue of holines For euen the word hath affinitie with that which we call a right temperament or constitution whether of humors in the bodie or affections in the soule which is when none is predominant but one of them is equally mixed and qualified by another as strong wine is tempered and allaied with water and implyeth that the Minister by reason wisedome and religion especially either allay or breake off the headines and violence of those troublesome lusts and affections which may otherwise molest him and exceedingly preiudice him in the workes of his calling This vertue then standing in the moderation of our desires in the vse of all the gifts and liberties we enioy as also in laying a law vpon our selues that no inordinate lust beare sway in vs it cannot but be most nenecessarie in a Minister who may not either in his priuate course vnfit himselfe to the performance of his calling by the immoderate affection or vse of any externall libertie as of meate drinke recreation riches much lesse in his publike execution may he administer holy things as the word sacraments prayer according to distempered passion or affection as of anger sorrow lightnes or any such And further as it is a great preseruatiue in him of an equable and constant Christian course so is also a great nourisher of his inward quiet and outward peace and so procureth his freedome vnto ministeriall duties which aboue all other require that a man should be wholly his owne and the Churches for it bringeth downe high thoughts and proportioneth the minde vnto such an estate as becoÌ„meth the simplicity of the gospel it cutteth off al affectation of state pompe sumptuousnes superfluities aboue that which becommeth a Minister of Christ which things make rich men indeed but poore Ministers for the most part Now the meanes to attaine this vertue
hearts God giues them ouer to beleeue and broach doctrines besides the word all their learning hindreth not nay rather armeth them to sticke fast to falshood and errors and to defend doctrines of much loosenesse and libertie Especially the iudgement of God is come vpon the Romish Church to the vttermost who because they lay this for a ground of their doctrine that this word is not of it selfe faithfull and certaine vnlesse the Church and Councels and the Pope authorize it to mens consciences and that any other word thrust vpon the Church by the former authoritie is euery whit as faithfull as this hence is their whole religion a mysterie of iniquitie and delusion hence comes in intercession of Saints worship of images prayer to and for the dead pilgrimages here purgatorie hereafter reuelations masses bread-worshippe propitiatorie sacrifices mixture of Moses and Christ which is a doctrine cutting them off from Christ who haue before cut off the authoritie and credit of the Scriptures which are the word of Christ which fearefull iudgement let it mooue euerie Timothie and Titus carefully to keepe the worthie thing which is committed vnto them 2. Euerie Minister is taught hence to hold him vnto this faithfull word for so he shall deliuer not things doubtfull and vncertaine but such as men may leane vnto rest and as we say write vpon And this is insinuated by our Apostle that that is a faithfull ministerie which holdeth it selfe vnto a faithfull word such as is the sure anchor of mens soules against which hell gates cannot preuaile Such was the ministerie of the true Prophets Ieremie saith of a truth the Lord hath sent me and bidden me speake these things of the Apostles who deliuered such things as they receiued of the Lord and commanded vs that if an angel from heauen or a deuill from hell should bring not a contrarie but a diuerse doctrine from that to hold him accursed yea of the Sonne of God himselfe who said my word is not mine but my fathers What horrible blasphemie then is daily practised in the Popish Churches whose teachers calling these faithfull words a nose of waxe send men to dumbe idols the teachers of vanities and lies yea to Apocryphall writers to fathers councels Bishops and Popes as though the Scriptures had lost all their faithfulnesse or as though the canons decrees summes and sentences of men were more stable then that eternall truth that shall out-last heauen and earth Was this a faithfull word in Pauls time and is it not so still doth the sonne of the eternall father pronounce of his fathers word that it is not onely true but truth it selfe and that not one iot of it can passe or faile and is it any other then the voice of Antichrist which shall say that it is no certaine word at least to me vnlesse the Church say so Shall the spirit of God call it a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles and a word of truth and shall we heare a wicked and lying spirit come out of hell and say that this stabilitie and truth dependeth vpon man whereas let God be true and euerie man a lyar and that if those men whom they tearme the Church change their minds or any sense in the Scripture so doth the holy Ghost also Let these owles flie the light of the Scriptures as such as loue to liue in darkenes carnall religion must haue carnall props like lips like lettice we say and such a Church such lawes As for vs let vs as it standeth vs in hand hold vs vnto this faithful word and not in stead of it deliuer the vnfaithfull words of men whether Philosophers or fathers or schoole-men And is it not good reason that we should be tied to this word when euen the Prophets and Apostles were Isai must take a role and write and binde the testimonie and seale the lawe among the disciples the commandement to Ieremie was preach the words that I shall tell thee In the newe Testament they must heare Moses and the Prophets Paul was separated to preach that Gospeâ— which was promised before by the Prophets and accordingly he witnessed that he spake nothing besides the things foretold by the Prophets Againe what ministeriall worke is it which this word doth not most naturally and happily effect for this is a sure instrument to beget faith Ioh. 17.20 and to confirme it Act. 15.32 to conuert soules Psal. 19.7 and to saue soules Iam. 1.22 Now vnto hearers this doctrine affoardeth also speciall vse of instruction 1. If it be so faithfull a word euerie man must attend vnto it 2. Pet. 1.19 we haue a surer word to which yee doe well that yee attend 2. To lay vp this word surely as beeing the sure euidence of thy saluation and of thy heauenly inheritance among the Saints Men locke vp their euidences or convaiances of land in sure and safe places delight often to read in them suffer no man to cousen them of them whatsoeuer casualtie come these are by all meanes possible safegarded and shall any man carelesly neglect such an euidence as this is without which he hath no assurance of saluation nor the tenure out of his idle conceit of one foote in heauen a lame man if he hold not fast his staffe falleth and whosoeuer looseth his part in the word looseth his part in heauen 3. Here is a ground of thankfulnesse in that the Lord hath not onely vouchsafed vs life and glorie and immortalitie when we were dead and when nothing could be added to our miserie but hath also giuen vs such a constant guid and direction therunto we might either haue groped after him in palbable darknes or haue had such direction as might haue affoarded vs lesse assurance and comfort but now beleeuers knowe assuredly that they were loued of the father before the foundation of the world and out of that loue chosen vnto life that the Sonne was sent to ransome them from sinne and present them iust before his Father that his spirit is sent out to regenerate them and to further and finish their sanctification that by his prouidence they are supplied in all their good that by his power they are protected from all their euills He might haue brought vs to heauen and neuer haue let vs know any of these comforts in earth yet would he not so slenderly leaue his Church but as our Sauiour noteth he hath spoken and written this word that our ioy might be more full which is one generall vse of the whole word of God Now what can we doe lesse then in way of thankfulnes 1. yeeld vp our selues to be directed by this faithfull word 2. Beleeue it in whatsoeuer it commandeth threatneth or promiseth in that it is such a faithfull word and hereby we set also our seale vnto it 3. Constantly cleaue vnto it in life and in death and not to be so foolish as
minde is put for all the faculties of it especially the vnderstanding reason and iudgement all which are deluded and deceiued by these vain teachers Quest. How did these false teachers deceiue mens minds Ans. Foure waies 1. by suppressing the truth for by their vaine iangling and speaking liker Poets Philosophers historians then Prophets Apostles or any successors of theirs they made a cleanly conuaiance of the light from the people and withholding the truth and light they led them from Christ from the right knowledge of the Scriptures from sound godlinesse and religion in iudgement and practise and so they remained as darke in their vnderstanding as erronious in their iudgements as froward in their affections and as wicked in their liues as euer before Secondly by flatterie for they would not deale directly against the sinnes of the age as godly Ministers doe but deceitfully that they might not displease herein imitating Satan himselfe who was wont of olde to answer in riddles as he answered Craesus that if he would transport himselfe ouer the riuer Halys he should ouerthrowe a most mightie kingdome namely his owne But Micha will not deceiue nor flatter with Ahab although it stand vpon his life Thirdly by letting men see their estate in false glasses so as they neuer see the truth of it for people taught by fables and nouelties think and are borne in hand that they are in heauens high way their soules are brought on sleepe and comming from such froathie discourses they sit downe and please themselues in that they haue done their task required especially if they can bring home a iest or some wittie sentence when perhaps they scarce heard a word of Christ of their iustification of their mortification or of their glorie 4. By placing religion in bodily exercises not in matters of spirit and truth Colos. 2.20 thus did the Pharisies in their times the Papists in these and whosoeuer more vrge the decrees of men more then the commaundements of God Quest. But whose mindes are deceiued Answ. First their owne and then others for they are blind leaders of the blind deceiuing and beeing deceiued and although here our Apostle expresseth not here who they be that are deceiued yet elsewhere he doth as Rom. 16.18 they deceiue the hearts of the simple and 2. Tim. 3.6 they lead captiue simple women and 2. Pet. 2.14 they beguile vnstable soules whence we see that ignorant inconstant and vnsetled soules which hand ouer head receiue any doctrine without examination or triall whose simplicitie disableth them to iudge betweene truth and falshood and whose leuitie makes them like shaken reeds these are the carkases on which such vultures do seaze Hence 1. note three notable properties of errour 1. it neuer loueth solitarinesse but is a spreading leauen shrowding it selfe in multitudes and compassing sea and land to procure patrons and Proselytes Example we haue in the Iesuites the arch deceiuers of minds and impostors of the world 2. It taketh the highest holds of men euen the mind vnderstanding and iudgement that the eie once beeing put out and the light turned into darknes it might cary men headlong remorslesly to all cursed practises which necessarily resemble as they proceed from the former 3. It ouerturneth all Gods order ordinances for whereas the scope of the teachers calling is to enlighten mens minds perswade their consciences rectifie their hearts so as they might growe vp in the sauing knowledge of God in Christ and the liuely sense of their owne saluation in a word whereas they are to set and containe men in the right way error in their minds causeth them to drawe men out of the right path as this word properly signifieth 2. Note what is the best fence against false teachers and an hedge against seducers namely 1. knowledge 2. loue of the truth The former armeth simple soules by letting them see the difference betweene the right hand and left without the which the minde cannot be good But the latter is the surest pace of truth and that is the loue of it for no matter it is that men know professe and can talke of the truth if their soules cleaue not vnto it for euen vpon those that receiue the truth shall God send strong delusions to beleeue lyes if they receiue it not in the loue of it Quest. But what is this doctrine to vs we all professe the truth and loue it from our hearts and therefore we hope we are fenced from deceiuers or beeing deceiued Answ. But let vs consider 1. That these are the last times which the Apostles prophecied of euen perilous times wherein many deceiuers should creepe into the Church and many should giue heed to the spirits of error 2. That these deceiuers of mindes were such as liued in the bosome of the Church among such as professed Christ and his religion 3. That they lurked secretly and that the Christians of that time could hardly of themselues descrie them and therefore the Apostle is glad to helpe them and wisheth them carefully to preuent them and therefore there may be priuie impostors among vs. 4. That we hauing set doores open for them we shal not want deceiuers for whatsoeuer many men say most men loue not the truth sincerely delt withall nay they desire to be deceiued while they hate with a deadly hatred such Michaes as would let them see their estate and helpe them out And is it not Gods manner of iust proceeding when men desire preachers that will preach of wine and strong drinke to send them such teachers as they desire that he that is ignorant and filthie may be ignorant and filthie still Those then that care not for the truth shall haue teachers which shall be Gods executioners to lead them into error that as by the great Antichrist the Lord reuenged and plagued the contempt of the light in the world so also in particular Churches and places by false teachers and pettie Antichrists If men will not abide wholesome doctrine but haue itching eares they shall haue an heape of teachers after their owne lusts to turne their eares frâ—m the truth and delude them with fables Let Ahab once hate Micha the Lord presently consulteth who shall deceiue him and if this question once proceede out of Gods mouth the deuill is present and so forward in the execution of Gods vengeance as he shall preuaile against 400. false Prophets at a clappe before he shall not fall by them This truth is as a finger in the bile and beeing rubbed will perhaps make Zidkiah take his fist from Michaes face and say when went the spirit from me to thee yet ceaseth it not to be the truth of God concerning our selues who so long as we giue heede to the spirit of error cannot want deceiuers Let men therefore professing themselues members of the Church looke vnto themselues and labour to knowe the truth to affect it to stand vnto it if they would be fenced
neither apprehend conceiue nor iudge of the truth propounded or the practicall facultie included in the conscience seeing this dependeth vpon the former it must also be polluted the which two faculties if they be depraued and vitiated that is if the vnderstanding be blinded and the conscience led by such a blind guid how can it be but the whole man should sinke downe in the puddle of all impious impuritie That is the scope the sense and meaning followeth To the pure all things are pure In this former branch of the verse three generall points are to be considered 1. Who are meant by pure persons 2. How all things are pure or impure 3. How all things are pure to the pure To answer the first question we must finde out what puritie both for kinde and degree is here meant All puritie is either in the fountaine or thence deriued The former is the most simple perfect and immeasurable puritie in the creator the latter is some darke image and shadowe of the former in the creature according to the measure of it so long abiding with it as it cleaueth vnto him or he vnto it The former is not meant but the latter which is of reasonable creatures either angels or men differing indeede in degree according to their capacitie but not herein that before the fall of either it was a puritie mutable in them both But to drawe to our Apostles subiect this puritie is not now considered in the Angels but in man Neither is it that puritie which we had in our innocencie for though then we were purer then the Nazarites of Ierusalem who were purer then the snowe and whiter then the milke yet by our captiuitie vnder sinne our visage is become blacker then a coale But a puritie of an other qualitie such a one as is renewed vpon vs by the Lords beholding vs cleauing vnto vs not that shining spotles purity which we had while we were able to behold him cleaue vnto him This puritie then is not set in vs by nature but made ours by grace and beeing the puritie of our Mediator is imputed vnto so many as shal stand righteous in the sight of God the Father The persons therfore here called pure are such as by faith are set into Christ by whose blood they are iustified and by whose spirit through the meanes of the word that immortall seede of regeneration they are sanctified and reserued vnto life euerlasting And hence to both these is the purifying and cleansing of sinners ascribed in the Scriptures 1. Faith not onely as a hand laieth hold on all Christs righteousnesse to make the sinner stand iust before God but inwardly by little and little purifieth the heart causeth that puritie to breake out to the eies of others as well as our selues And 2. for the word in Ioh. 15.13 Now are ye cleane through the word I haue spoken vnto you Quest. But how can such persons be called pure seeing the Lord findeth no puritie in the Angels themselues and how much lesse in those who dwel in houses of clay and besides Paul euen a regenerate man exclaimeth that he knewe no good by himselfe Answ. That place of Iob denieth not puritie to the Angels simply but onely comparing theirs with Gods it is as a little streame yea a droppe to the ocean which is nothing in comparison And for that of the Apostle it was with him as it is with other beleeuers who are able to discouer more drosse then gold in themselues and therefore neither he much lesse ordinarie and common Christians can be called pure of the greater part but onely of the better Hence is it that though beleeuers haue receiued the spirit but in weake measure yet are called spirituall and beeing farre from perfection are yet called perfect not by that legall perfection which is entire in all the degrees but that Euangelicall which bringeth all the parts forward towards those degrees Nay more Christ himselfe calleth his loue all faire and saith there is no spot in her yea as pure as the Sunne as faire as the Moone and to his Apostles that they were all cleane euerie whit saue Iudas 1. because by faith euerie member of the Church laieth hold vpon Christs most absolute puritie 2. the spirit of regeneration hath washed euery part although in part onely nor so cleane as it shall be yet so as that perfect puritie is sealed assured to the soule by it 3. the Lord doth account euerie such beleeuer pure euen for the present imputeth neuer a spot vnto them but reputeth in his Christ all faire 4. hath promised them that for time to come they shall become so absolutely cleane as though they had neuer beene defiled Doctr. The estate of a Christian is a most honourable estate because his person is pure in the sight of God euen whilest he liueth here vpon earth And this cannot otherwise be seeing such a one beeing predestinated vnto life is also iustified and sanctified by the former of which a sinner is perfectly freed from the guilt and curse of sinne and by the latter imperfectly and in part from the reliques and seruice of sinne the former in that the blood of Iesus Christ sprinkled vpon his conscience cleanseth him from all sinne the latter in that the spirit of sanctification washeth his heart with pure waters vntill it be cleane Now whereas some may thinke they haue inough confessed to endite sincere Christians of blasphemie or heresie at the least as hauing opinion of their owne puritie with a Pharisaicall despising of others saying with the Iewe stand aloofe for I am more holy then thou or with the Pharisie Lord I thanke thee I am not as this man c. let them know that we teach and true beleeuers hold that their puritie is neither their owne nor so in their owne account but onely in regard 1. of Gods washing of their robes in the blood of the Lambe and 2. of his gracious acceptance of them so washed as pure and cleane Farre is the true beleeuer from the damnable conceit of the Catharists whome in our language we tearme Puritans who following Novatus his heresie were also called Novatians who thought that the life of a iust man is to be made vp without sinne spot or wrinckle or else the Church could not be made vp of them Farre also from that accursed doctrine of the Papists who are indeede Puritane heretiks and the right successors of Iovinian Ebion Pelagius in that they affirme that in the regenerate after Baptisme there is nothing which hath the reason of sinne or which God can hate that they are able to fulfill all the commandements yea and doe more then so that they haue deuout men and women that can merit life eternall for themselues and others that men may must expect their saluation from an inherent righteousnes Why should we not then abhorre these
be as carefull to maintaine them for otherwise we loose most pretious things purchased with the pretious blood of the Sonne of God the commandement is to stand fast in the libertie in which Christ hath set vs free we must suffer no cauiller to infringe our charter nor bind vs where Christ hath loosed vs. If the Lord haue pronounced all things that is indifferent pure free to the pure beleeuer let a Popish spirit come boast of his vowe of voluntarie pouertie of single life of abstinence from flesh c. we haue learned otherwise from this Scripture that not onely all estates bondage or libertie riches or pouertie marriage or single life are alike vnto God but also that all creatures are sanctified to the sanctified receiuer and consequently that all their vowes besides that they are out of the power of him that voweth doe nothing else but reuoke and abolish Christian libertie And lastly we are to testifie our thankefulnes for such liberties purchased especially by abhorring the wickednesse of Poperie which bringeth vpon men a more detestable bondage then that of Egypt 1. by binding them to seeke for righteousnes and iustification before God by the workes of the lawe 2. by imposâ—â—â— a masse of traditionarie precepts and commandements of men 〈◊〉 by 1. they steale away this dearely purchased libertie 2. hold the Church vnder rudiments now after that faith is come 3. robbe Christ of his honour by lessening his benefits and darkening his grace 4. set themselues in the roome of Christ in making lawes to bind the conscience vpon paine of damnation although God is the Lord of it Thus much of the former branch of this 15. verse But vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled This opposition sheweth the truth of the exposition of the former words for as by the pure were meant the regenerate and beleeuers so by the impure person the Apostle affirmeth that he meaneth the vnregenerate and vnbeleeuer who wanting faith whereby he might partake with Christ and all his benefits whose righteousnesse and innocencie is the onely lauer of the Church by which also he might haue his heart within him purified in part and his outward conuersation cleansed from dead workes wherein he walketh he is no better then a leper in Gods eyes ouerspread with naturall corruption and outwardly spotted and speckled like the leopard and in regard of the whole man like a blackeamoore who cannot change his hewe for such an impuritie is here asctibed to the vnbeleeuer as not onely outwardly runneth vpon him but such a one as hath taken and corrupted both the inferiour and the most supreame and excellent faculties of his soule euen his minde and his conscience By the minde is meant the whole vnderstanding part of the soule which beeing the eie of the soule carrieth with it reason iudgement and election The pollution of which is to be taken vp with darkenes and blindnes 1. Cor. 2.14 to be filled with vanitie Eph. 4.17 with fleshlinesse Colos. 2.18 in so much as all the naturall wisedome of man is fleshlie and deuillish By conscience is meant that facultie of the soule which by applying particular things iudged of and done doth determine them either with or against them which depending vpon the former must necessarily be ledde into the errors of it no otherwise then one blind man is ledde by an other into a ditch The pollution of it is when it is either idle or ill occupied the former when it is sleepie sensles or feared doing nothing at all neither accusing nor excusing the latter when it doth both these but neither of them as it ought but accuseth where it should excuse and excuse where it ought to accuse Now both these being thus polluted let the vnbeleeuer turne himselfe to any thing in generall without himselfe as all things in generall fall vnder the vnderstanding or turne him to any particular thought word action concerning himselfe which onely the conscience hath to doe with in all these he is polluted so as nothing to him can be pure So as we must here conceiue of an absolute impuritie ascribed to the vnbeleeuer which is the onely difference in the opposition for whereas puritie was in the former branch attributed to the beleeuer in some respect onely for 1. the best are encombred with originall sinne 2. but in part and not fully regenerate 3. ouertaken not seldome with actuall transgression which may and doth make them still crie out with Dauid Lord create a cleane heart within me This impuritie is absolutely and without any restraint ascribed to vnbeleeuers and vnconuerted men And in this branch also the Apostle bendeth himselfe against the error of the Iewish teachers who were verie strict and curious least they should be outwardly by this or that meate day garment or otherwise be defiled for he would haue them conceiue that he spake of no such thing neither were these the subiects wherein their impuritie did so much consist but in such a thing as stucke nearer them then any outward thing yea then their verie skinnes euen in vnbeleefe and consequently in such a power of sinne in their hearts as made all things though in their nature and institution neuer so good yet vnto them and in their vse no otherwise vncleane then a fustie vessell corrupteth the sweetest wines that can be powred into it And therefore would he haue these ceremonie-masters to turne their eyes into themselues and looke into their inside and then they shall see themselues bootelesly to employ al their paines in keeping themselues from outward pollution so long as they carrie that within them which defileth euery thing they meddle withall Whence wee learne sundrie instructions Doct. 1. We haue here a good argument of the diuinitie of Scripture in that it can and doth as God himselfe enter vpon and iudge the thoughts of men and of men themselues not as men from things without but from things within euen according to their cleannes or vncleanes before God From this argument the Apostle prooueth the same thing Hebr. 4.12 the word of God is liuely and mightie in operation and deuideth and cutteth a sunder the soule and spirit that is it worketh not only vpon the inferiour faculties which are lesse pure but vpon the purest and most supreame part of the soule called the spirit and the minde and by Paul the spirit of the minde for nothing is so secret in the soule but it lyeth vnder the stroke of the word which pearceth as farre as the eye of the author of it to whom all things are naked and open vers 13. No Anotomist can by cutting vp one part of the bodie after another so manifestly discouer to the eye the seuerall parts of man as doth the word and the spirit therein discouer and reprooue the most inward thoughts such a light carrieth with it as chaseth away the darknesse
and preseruatiue of many graces a bond of her owne and others peace a setler of the comfort of her life an ornament of her head and of her house which once let her be disrobed of she may bid farwell to her families welfare for let any vile affection beare sway but for a little while as of anger impatience excessiue griefe intemperance or any such how is the whole house in a kind of tumult which as a Common wealth in the commotion and rising of some one rebel cannot be composed and setled till the rebel be subdued which they finde too true who in their match were left vnto thēselues to make choise of such as wanted then and yet haue not attained with the feare of God the practise of this vertue Now then seeing this vertue is so necessarie for all parts of life that it ought neuer to be wanting many womē who want not many good parts of nature and grace may yet see hence their error who conceiue that if they be generally well reputed of both for their religious and honest course and can in good manner please their husbands in the administring of the family that then they may be dispensed with in some predominant indiscreete and intemperate affecton especially if it be more priuate as now and then in extraordinarie vnquietnesse and bitternes not seldome in some bitter roote of couetousnesse drawing on iniustice towards their husbands perhaps to breake out into some prodigall and idle expense another way in lashing out libertie of speech against some that cannot answer for themselues in becomming for some dayes the greatest strangers at home c. all this while thinking that these things if seldom will stand well enough with religion but they are to knowe that all Salomons wisedom could not reconcile two things so abhorring together the giuing of the heart vnto wine or any one lust and the leading of it in wisedome and it will prooue starke vanitie to make triall of it after him neither can it be other then the shuffling out of a religious course for man or woman to giue way to any one inordinate lust More of this vertue see in the places forenoted Chast or pure The Apostle by permitting the three former vertues hath made way vnto this fourth which is a fruit of them issuing from the loue of their husband and children and from tending and watching against inordinate affections And this puritie or chastitie is not that of the virgin or single estate but it is a marriage vertue the keeper of the mariage faith and may thus be described It is a puritie both of soule and bodie in regard of vnchast lusts abandoning all vnlawfull and strange pleasures which description is wholly couched and abridged in 1. Cor. 7.34 where the Apostle calleth it the holynesse of bodie and spirit of spirit when it is either not tempted to vncleannes or beeing tempted yeeldeth not or yeelding is recouered by repentance of body also when it neither exciteth nor beeing incited executeth not vncleannes Now how equall and reasonable is it that women especially such as haue the remedie of marriage against impuritie in whome the want of it is more sinnefull and dangerous should be prouoked to the preseruing of such a sweet grace as this is First if we consider how the Lord approoueth and vrgeth it 1. By his commandement 1. Thess. 4.3 this is the will of God that ye should abstaine from fornication and euerie one possesse his vessell that is his body which is the instrument of the soule and containing it as in a vessell in holynesse and honour 2. In that the Lord here interposeth himselfe and though many husbands and wiues thinke of nothing but a mutuall stipulation betweene themselues yet the Lord challengeth the couenant to be made to himselfe as it proceeded first from himselfe so as she that forsaketh the guide of her youth forgetteth the couenant of her God that is of marriage of which God is the author and whose name was or ought to haue beene invocated in the match making 3. In that the Lord professeth that he narrowly watcheth and clearely seeth when this couenant is broken that although the fact be done in the darke and neuer so charily and cautelously yet day and darkenesse are alike vnto him If the husband see it not nor any eie of flesh yet the Lords eie findeth it out and will set it in the cleare light before men and angels This is made a reason of the precept Prou. 5.15.17.20.21 for the wayes of man are before the eies of the Lord. Ioseph might haue sinned secretly enough but that his eie was happily lifted vp toward this pure eie of God which cannot abide to behold such iniquitie 4. In that he declareth that he watcheth the sinner of this kinde to bring destruction vpon his bodie and soule to shut him out of heauen and to roote him as a loathsome weede out of the earth The former appeareth Prou. 5.22 the sinner of this suite destroyeth his owne soule 1. Cor. 6. no fornicator shall inherit the kingdome of heauen Reuel 21. no vncleane thing shall enter within the gates of the citie but shall bee kept without with dogges enchanters and lyers The latter seeing the law of God is that the adulterer and adultresse should die both because he would not haue the land defiled nor the guiltie person to liue as an eyesore vnto the innocent nay more if a man were deceiued in the qualitie of the person he hath taken to wife thinking to find her a maid but he findeth her virginitie bruised and another man hath humbled her it is lawfull for him to put her away and the Magistrate to put her to death as an adultresse Further how strictly the Lord watched ouer this sinne appeareth by that law Numb 5.21 If the husband were but ielous whether iustly or iniustly himselfe was accounted guiltie if he did not bring her to triall and this triall was not to be made by man but was Gods owne triall by the bitter cursed water by which himselfe from heauen would reuenge so greiuous a sinne against so holy an institution as marriage is And in comparison the word of God accounteth this sinne farre more wicked then some of those which mens lawes punish with death we thinke theft a great sinne because it bringeth malefactors to the gallowes and so it is but not comparable to this for Salomon himselfe by comparing these two sinnes putteth them almost out of comparison a theefe steales for hunger to saue his life but he that committeth adulterie sinneth against his owne life the former is not alwaies to be despised but this is neuer to be spared the former may make satisfaction by restitution of the thing and fowre fold for the sinne the latter can make no restitution at all the satisfaction of the theefe may be accepted of the owner or if he cannot satisfie with all the substance of his
way before her and some safeguarding behind her euen so here all the marriage duties going before it made way for it and all these that follow are the preseruatiues thereof all of them beeing such seruants as by their cognisance may be knowne to belong to such a mistresse And of them all the holy Ghost thought this of home-keeping fittest to follow at her heeles for house keeping is indeed chastities best keeper Not that a woman is neuer to be found without her house ouer her head for many necessarie and iust occasions call her often abroad namely 1. as a Christian the publike duties of pietie and Gods worship as also more priuate duties of loue and workes of mercie in visiting and helping the sicke and poore 2. As a wife both with her husband when he shall require her and without him for the necessarie prouision of the houshold and such like But the thing here condemned is the affection of gadding at any or all houres with disposition of hearing or telling newes or affecting meriments companie expense or excesse accounting the owne house rather a prison then an home and so easily forsaking it without iust occasion And iustly is this course condemned for 1. This is a forsaking and flying for the time out of the calling wherein they ought to abide for their calling is commonly within doores to keepe the houshold in good order and therefore for them to wander from their owne place is as if a bird should wander from her owne neast Secondly this were the high way to become busie bodies for what other more weighty matters call them out of their calling but to prattle of persons and actions which concerne them not Whence the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.13 coupleth these two together they are idle and busie bodies which if any wonder how they can be reconciled thus they are easily those that are idle in their owne duties are most busie bodies in other mens and these busie bodies haue two speciall markes to be knowne by to themselues and others namely their open eares and their loose tongues Thirdly the holy Ghost maketh this a note of an whoorish woman she is euerie where but where she should be sometime gadding in the streets with Thamar somtimes in the fields with Dinah sometimes without at her doore somtimes at her stal but her feet cannot abide in her house and if against her will her bodie be within doores her heart and senses will be without Iesabel must be gazing out of the windowe whereas if the angell aske where Sarah is answer will be made she is in her tent and the daughters of Sarah will be in their tents not in the tauernes nor stragling so farre abroad but that their husbands can readily answer where they be Fourthly what desperate and vnauoideable euils doe they and iustly lay themselues open vnto who make no bones of violating this commandement of God how doth Satan watch all advantages to take them when they are out of their wayes and how easily doth he preuaile against them when they haue pluckt themselues from vnder Gods protection Dinah was no sooner assaulted then ouercome in her wandring and Eue no sooner absent from Adam then set vpon and no sooner set vpon then vanquished euen so women easily forsaking their owne stations are giuen ouer for most part if not so farre as the former yet in their meriments and meetings so far to forget themselues by vnchristian speeches and actions as they haue good cause to ende with sighs and teares Good Goodnes is a vertue which is sometimes in generall opposed to all that inward malice which lurketh in the nature of men and women wherein the whole troupe of vertues are included hereof speaketh the Apostle Eph. 5.9 the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse And euen this is required in women both to bridle that natiue corruption which is so headstrong within as also to beautifie them outwardly so as others beholding them may say of them as Paul did of the Romans I am perswaded that ye are filled with goodnesse and herein resembling Dorcas who was said to be full of good workes and almes deedes which she did they shal not onely be called but be good wiues and good women indeede 2. Sometimes it receiueth a more particular sense and signifieth one of a meeke and yet of a cheerefull spirit and temper not sullen taunting bitter fretting or galling any and much lesse her husband neither of a troublesome and iarring disposition but of a good nature as we say for let her be otherwise neuer so honest wise painfull yet without this goodnes and amiablenes of behauiour she shall be no more pleasant then a continuall dropping which driueth out the owners 3. It is sometimes taken for profitable and requireth that the wife be helpefull and comfortable by her advise labour and sweete societie whereby she buildeth her house Thus did the Lord see good in his wisedome to make man a meet helpe for him when it was not good for him that he should be alone And thus the vertuous woman is said to doe her husband good and not euill all the daies of her life Prou. 31.12 and as she doth good to him and his within doores so doth she also to others abroad as besides the family vers 27.28 to the poore and needie vers 20. And this I take not excluding the other to be here meant especially as a most comfortable and sweete vertue without which that holy institution of marriage would prooue no better then an heauie burthen and molestation Subiect vnto their husbands Marriage in it selfe although it be neither vertue nor vice but a thing indifferent yet is it a shoppe of either according as are the qualities and practises of persons in this condition and therefore this is the seauenth marriage vertue prescribed vnto the younger women whereof there is great reason and necessitie First if we consider the lawe of creation written by Gods owne finger in the hearts of men vsed in all nations and enacted by the naturall light of heathens in the publike lawes that the wife should be subiect vnto her owne husband or as the words of Ahashuerosh his law runne that euerie man should beare rule in his owne house This is one reason of our Apostle 1. Tim. 2.3 Adam was first created and then Eue and therefore Adam must be superiour to which if it be obiected that therefore the birds and beasts should be preferred before both because they were created before either the Answer is that there is not the same reason because the Apostle speaketh of the same kind and not of diuers 2. The Apostle prooueth not Adams superioritie so much from the order as from the ende of creation of the woman which was to be an helper and comfort vnto him Now in reason whatsoeuer serueth to any ende is lesse then the ende to which it serueth but
this any idle promise or God not so good as his word No surely for he was in daily derision euery one mocked him hee heard raylings and reproaches of many on euery side yea and which was his cheifest greefe his word was a reproach and derision to the profane so that he was euen determining to speake no more in that name But how did he vphold himselfe in this temptation But the Lord is with mee like a mightie gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne Obiect But for all this good men are preuailed against exposed to reproach wants imprisonment banishment and death it selfe Answ. As the Apostle speaketh of themselues they were killed but not ouercome so the enemie preuaileth against the person of a poore man and Ieremie himselfe may sticke and starue in the dungeon but neither against his faith and constancie and much lesse against his doctrine and the truth which beeing strongest of all shall preuaile against them to their confusion so are the Saints in suffring made conquerers Vse 2. Let none be discouraged if any times bring opposition to good Ministers as though it were a strange and vnvsuall thing if some one age onely should bring forth such a monstrous birth it would be more burdensome but no age is barren yea not fruitfull herein as might be made plaine in all historie Neither may any conceiue worse of the religion whose teachers are opposed by great ones for whereas men loue their owne deuises and what man affecteth not the child of his owne braine neuer were any so maligned by men as the Lords owne inventions Vse 3. Euerie hearer must set to their hands to helpe their teachers and euerie way to strengthen them against their withstanders I meane not by outward strength and power but especially by their prayers that they may be deliuered from euill and vnreasonable men and preach the word boldly which was both the commandement of the Apostle Paul 2. Th. 3.1 the practise of the Church for Peter Act. 12.5 ad 12. And further in that we stand not for nor to our selues but for the truth and Gods people they must by other incouragements be helpes to the truth for if the captaine be in fight is it meete that the common souldier should stand onely idly looking on nay his safetie they must account theirs and striue for him as for themselues if he suffer they must suffer with him as knowing that if the Pastor be smitten the sheepe are like to be scattered Notably doth the Apostle vrge this dutie vpon the Philippians wishing them to continue in one spirit and one mind fighting together in the faith What doth the Apostle proclaime armes or stirre them vp to contention yea surely but such a one as becommeth the Gospell of peace he would haue them them to fight not one against an other but one with an other yea all of them with one minde Neither with a cruell fight with carnall weapons as one enemie against an other but with such a fight as they heard in him and saw in him alas he was fast inough bound to the peace for he was then in bonds at Rome for the Gospel he fought by suffering so must they by their prayers for him by their patience by all manner of ministerie to the Saints in trouble shewe that they partake and fellow-feele in the afflictions of the Gospel Doctr. 2. Those that oppose themselues to good Ministers and men are euer speaking euill and opening their mouthes with reproaches against them and their godly courses Moses was charged and that not in corners but to his face that he tooke too much vpon him whereas hee was vnwilling to vndertake all that the Lord laid vpon him It went currant in court and countrie that Elias troubled all Israel Amaziah accuseth Amos to the king that the land is not able to beare all his words Diorrephes not onely withstood the Apostle Iohn but pratled against him Quest. But what is the reason of all this haue they any cause giuen them Ans. The reason is partly positiue in themselues partly negatiue in the other In themselues 1. the malice of their heart is such as cannot but continually out of the abundance thereof set their tongues a worke the fire within sendeth out such smoake abroad 2. With this malice is ioyned exceeding pride and swelling which mooueth them to seeke the raising of themselues although with the fall of others and make the reproach of others as a ladder for themselues to climbe by for this ende did the false Apostles account of Christs Apostles as the filth and offscouring of the world that is most base and abiect persons 3. With this malice and pride is ioyned exceeding subtiltie and pollicie in their generations well knowe they that they haue gotten euer more conquest by the stroaks of their tongues then of their hands and seldome haue they failed of their purposes For 1. hauing a notable facultie to insinuate into great mens fauours as Rehum and Shimsai they would not hinder the kings tribute nor see the kings dishonour they make no bones of letting fall two or three vntruthes in a fewe lines to the king for what hinderance had it beene to the kings tribute what impeachment of his honour to haue builded the Temple and established Gods true worship in Ierusalem but thus got they their purpose by insinuation and lyes which by their owne force they could not doe 2. As they can coyne of their own so they haue a notable dexteritie to depraue euen innocencie it selfe Is it not wonderfull that the famous harbenger of Christ then whome in his time a greater was not borne of women no nor yet Christ himselfe could so carrie themselues but that the one must needes be counted a demoniake and the other a glutton drunkard and friend of sinners Who then can looke to escape and if they hereby obtaine not their whole purpose yet loose they not all hauing learned that cursed rule of Machiauel that if they speake their pleasure some ill conceit will sticke in the mindes of men which will be worth their labour Now the negatiue reason in good men themselues why their withstanders speake euill of them is set downe 1. Pet. 4.4 Because yee runne not with them to the same excesse of riot therefore speake they euill of you dissimilitude of manners causeth the vngodly by all meanes banish the faithfull out of the world they may seeke a newe world for themselues to liue in if they will if they should walke in such courses as the Apostle Peter reckoneth vp in the 3. verse of the cited chapter and in such a blacke darkenesse as did not reprehend theirs they could well enough giue them the right hand of fellowship but if men will be so precise as that the high way cannot hold them they cannot away with such singularitie Vse 1. Take here a note of a false religion which
so the ordinance of God yea the image of Gods authoritie shining in them by reuersing the condition of all subiection which is to stoope vnder the wills of superiours for they must haue wills of their owne crossing not the vnequall which yet they ought not but the most lawfull commandements of their Masters And as for sustaining rebukes and correction they were neuer trained vp vnto it in their youth and now beeing elder cannot brooke it but sometimes murmure sometimes resist sometimes reuenge Whereas this should be the resolution of all religious seruants I see the word enioyneth me beeing a seruant to account my Master worthie all honour I may not therefore eleuate his authoritie in my heart be he poore be he meane I must not esteeme him from outward things but according to that ordinance of God which hath made him my master and me not his compainion or familiar but his seruant and so beeing I must cherefully obey his will although the things commanded be laborious wearisome and irkesome and I will endeauour so to doe not making my will the rule of my obedience but his in the Lord and if I be rebuked or corrected my part is patiently to endure the same it may seeme vniust often and vndeserued if I might be my owne iudge when indeede it is not but were I sure it were so be it farre from me to take the staff by the end but I will submit my selfe to the Lords yoke who hath commanded me to be subiect not to the good and courteous onely but to the froward if I be hereto called and herein I will imitate my Lord Iesus who taking vpon him the forme of a seruant when he was wronged committed all vnto him that iudgeth righteously so I will only say the Lord looke vpon it and iudge it And now if any seruant make light account of these things the day is comming when he shall finde what it is to rise vp in rebellion against the ordinances of the Lord. The second vertue required of seruants towards their Masters is that they please them in all things Quest. How will this precept stand with that in Eph. 6.6 where seruants are forbidden to be men pleasers Ans. To serue onely as men-pleasers as hauing the eie cast onely on man is hypocrisie and the sinne of many seruants pleasing man for mans sake and that is condemned by our Apostle but to please men in God and for God is a dutie in seruants next vnto the first who to shewe themselues wel-pleasing to their Masters must carrie in their hearts and endeauors a care to be accepted of them euen in the things which for the indignitie and burdensomenesse of them are much against their owne mindes For this is the priuiledge of a master to haue his seruant deuoted vnto his pleasure and will for the attempting of any businesse the continuance in it and the vnbending of him from it and when the seruant hath done all he can it was but debt and dutie and no thankes are due to him from his Master Matth. 8.9 I am also a man in authoritie and I say to one goe and â—e goeth to an other come and he commeth and to my seruant doe this and he doth it Obiect But my master is such a one as I cannot please a churlish Nabal that a man cannot speake vnto him he forgetteth humanitie both in exacting and rewarding my seruice Ans. But this may not vnyoke thee from thy obedience as though thou wert bound no further to please then thou art pleased thou must doe thy dutie if thou hast no other comfort from him yet God to whom and for whom thou doest thy seruice will not leaue it vnrequited Iacob serued an hard Laban one and twentie yeares God gaue him wages enough in the ende when Laban would not and whatsoeuer a man doth that shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free And this reprooueth many seruants who if they may not choose their owne worke or their owne way or be put by their owne will presently cast off all caâ—e of pleasing aâ—kely attempt and performe their businesse as at a wrong end or with a left hand of whom the number is verie great but all of them cast as guiltie of this commandement of God Quest. But wherein must I please my master or mistresse Answ. In all things that is in all outward things which are indifferent and lawfull I say in outward things so Ephes. 6.5 seruants obey your masters according to the flesh wherein the Apostle implieth two things 1. that the Masters are according and ouer the flesh and outward man not ouer the spirit and inward man ouer which we haue all one master in heauen 2. that accordingly they are to obey in outward things for if the dominion of the one be bounded so also must needes be the subiection of the other Againe these outward things must be lawfull or indifferent for they must not obey against the Lord but in the Lord. And therefore our Apostle euer ioyneth some such clause of restraint Colos. 3.22 seruants obey as fearing God Eph. 6.6 as vnto Christ and as doing the will of God Whence it will followe that if any vngodly commandement proceede from our superiorus we say as Paul in an other case a brother or a sister is not bound in any such thing that is against the Lord. Vse Let no seruant thinke it a sufficient warrant presently to doe a thing hand ouer head because he is so commanded by his Master and by God commanded also to please him in all things but he must looke to the chiefe power to which his masters is but subordinate which if it command any thing crossing the former that saying hath place whether it be meete to obey God or man iudge you and besides whatsoeuer is not of faith in the agent be it neuer so indifferent in it selfe it is sin If a seruant here obiect that he cannot find out the nature of euery commandement I aduise him so farre as it lyeth in his power to search that hee may not displease God in any thing and after this if he cannot be resolued of the vnlawfulnesse of the commandement I take it that in supposition of a fault it is rather to be laid on the commaunder then the obeyer 2. Those seruants are condemned that sooth and please their Masters in wicked courses and practises who are so composed to eie-pleasing that the verie countenance of their Masters can carrie them to any iniquitie that as it is said of Pharaoh that both he and his seruants sinned so seruants are contented to be made vassals vnto their Masters sinnes as Absolons seruants were in the sâ—iting of Ammon and others like the high Priests seruants the masters reuile Christ and the men spit in his face so many masters hate and scoffe at religion and the seruants for companie cannot endure it Others
then that they enioy vpon the earth and can scarsely endure to heare of any exchange 3. These lusts are fitter for the course of nature vnmortified Ephes. 2.3 We had in time past our conuersation among the Gentiles in the lusts of the flesh but now c. which let such professors thinke off who frame themselues too much to the fashion of the world in meat drinke apparell sports and other things perhappes more vnlawfull then these For thus to walke argueth little or no conscience or feeling either of sin or grace and the gentlest name the Apostle giueth it is a sleepie walking Such may indeed carrie the title of Christians but the worke of Christianitie is not present where there is a fight of lusts against the soule but not of the spirit against lusts and much lesse where these furnaces are fed and fewelled and the flames are not daily dying and extinguished Vse 2. This teacheth that only true religion teacheth true mortification and suffereth not a man to walke after his lusts though he walke in the flesh yet he cannot walke after the flesh All false religions carrie indeed pretences of the spirit as Zidkiah smote Michaiah and said when went the spirit from mee to thee but the true religion only hath the promise and presence of the spirit which indeed mortifieth the deeds of the flesh Euery water in Iudea could not heale the lame but only the water of the poole of Bethesdah in which the Angel stirred Arbanah and Pharphar the riuers of Damascus although in shew much more excellent then Iordan cannot cure the leprosie of Naaman No more can euery religion or any but this which alone is from God cure the vncleannes leprosie of our soules The religion of the Pharisies was outwardly exceeding glorious and very strict yet Paul who had liued according to the most strict sect of them all professeth that before he knew Christ he was not crucified to the world At this day Poperie which carieth with it a great shew of humblenes of mind and beaâ—ing downe the bodie yet is farre from teaching true mortification for what doctrine the Turkish not excepted goeth further in clayming iustification and life as the merit of their owne obseruances yea take the strictest sort of them as their heremites anchorites c. that goe barefoote pine and imprison themselues lie on the ground couer their skinnes with sacke cloath c. are they not such as the former looking for heauen as a reward for the strictnesse of their liues doe they not then as one Philosopher said of an other contemne the pride of the world but with more pride Euerie shewe of humilitie is not true mortification for not onely the Epicures who were sold ouer to pleasure were enemies to Paul but those strait and seuere sects also of the Pythagorians and the Stoicks did mightily oppose him In a word among what sort of men doth the lusts of pride vncleannes Epicurisme and couetousnesse more raigne then in the teachers of that doctrine their Monks Prelacie Cardinalls and their father the Pope himselfe so as the truth is cleare that onely true religion in which the spirit delighteth to manifest himselfe is the teacher of true mortification And that we should liue soberly Now we are come to the second lesson which the doctrine of grace teacheth namely that such as entertaine it should lead their liues in the practise of three vertues contrarie to the former vices of vngodlinesse and worldly lusts the which as they are directed either against God or our brethren or our selues so the first of these prouideth against the disordered carriage of our selues in requiring sobrietie the second cutteth off hatefull and vncharitable lusts against our brethren in requiring iustice or right dealing man with man Christian with Christian especially the third represseth impious and vngodly lusts more directly against God himselfe in requiring godlinesse to shine out in the liues of professors For all these three must be practised in the due circumstance of time euen in this present world Doctr. 1. The doctrine of grace teacheth not onely to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and is the mistris of true sanctification in both the parts of it both the mortification of sinne as also quickning in righteousnesse For as it is in the lightning of a darke house first darkenesse must giue place and light must succeede so is it in the shining of this light of grace the night must passe and then the day must come the olde man must be cast off with his lusts and then the newe man put on That the Gospel is the teacher of both these it appeareth in the ende of Pauls conuersion who for this purpose was appointed a minister of the things he had heard and seene and sent to the Gentiles that he might turne them from darkenes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God and also in the whole scope of his doctrine and ministerie from the first to the last as himselfe professeth that when he taught first at Damascus then at Ierusalem after through all the coasts of Iudea and then to all the Gentiles he reduced all his doctrine in all these places to these two heads namely that they should repent and turne to God and then doe workes worthy amendment of life Hence is it that his Epistles are full of such exhortations as these cast off lying and speake truth euerie man to his neighbour walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Be not drunke with wine but be fulfilled with the spirit The same is to be noted also in the other Apostles 1. Pet. 2.12 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles and cap. 4.2 henceforth so much time as remaineth in the flesh wee should liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Vse 1. This doctrine confuteth profane Libertines who as Paul speaketh of some in his time because grace hath abounded continue in sinne they will be saued by such a grace as quitteth them from all holy life and conscionable obedience God is mercifull and Christ died for all here is grace but the fruit and effect of it is to cleaue vnto vngodlinesse and lusts and growe euerie day more foule and deformed then other Whereas the wisedome from aboue is pure and as he that calleth is holy so must he that is called be holy also in all manner of conuersation and if we cal him father we must passe the time of our dwelling in feare The dogges shall be without when as onely the vndefiled in their waies shall obtaine blessednesse 2. Such are iustly hence reprooued who take themselues to be tolerable schollers if sometimes they make shewe of obedience vnto God and his word that they may appeare to men to pray to heare to reade to giue almes c. and yet
be glorified by vs hath he called vs out of the world which lieth in wickednes vnto holinesse and so fitteth vs to euery good word and worke oh what a thing were it for vs to walke in such waies as are distastfull and dishonourable to God and no whit distinguish vs from the profane and vngodly of the Lord needed the Lord haue bin at halfe the cost and labour with vs for such fruits as these or is this that returne which he expecteth of all his paines Vse Would any know whether he be a good tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord set into Christ and liuing and thriuing in him let him looke to his fruits which be they neuer so good cannot make a tree good but can declare it so to be Examine then thy selfe whether thou art a new creature whether old things be passed away and all is become new whether thou findest the effect of the blood of Christ purging thy conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God whether thou walkest in the light as he is in the light hence it will appeare that this blood is still distilling vpon thy soule to cleanse thee from all sinne there is no more conspicuous note or euidence that a man hath escaped condemnation and is in the state of grace then that which is giuen by the Apostle as a touchstone Rom. 8.1 Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But what haue they to do with Christ who hate the light in whom sinne ruleth to destruction who walke in the waies of the world and in the lusts of their owne hearts and eyes who are led by the spirit that beareth rule in the sonnes of disobedience who in stead of shewing out the vertues of God beare vpon them the brand and expresse image of their father the Deuil some in mallice and enuie against God and good men as he was a manslayer from the beginning some in vncleannes and filthines as he is called an vncleane spirit others in rayling swearing and cursing who haue their tongues set on fire from hell others in vnrighteous words and deeds as he is a lyar from the beginning some in tempting and seducing others to their owne lure enticing to companionship drinking gaming c. as he compasseth the earth to doe mischeefe of all these we may say as Christ to the Iewes Ye are the children of your father the Deuil for his workes yee doe And others also in whose liues such open vnrighteousnes breaketh not out yet because they cannot shew the fruits of righteousnes we may cōclude against them that they were neuer washed by Christ. The adopted sonnes of God imitate the naturall Sonne who when the Iewes said Tell vs art thou that Christ that we may doubt no longer he presently sendeth them to his workes If I doe not the workes of my Father beleeue mee not so art thou a Christian and the child of God as thou professest and beleeuest I say if thou dost not the workes of God thou art not to be beleeued Now the workes of God are 1. to beleeue in his Sonne 2. to endeauour to keep all his commandements 3. to practise the duties of repentance and invocation and that daily 4. to call others especially those that belong vnto thee vnto the knowledge and seruice of the true God that thou with thy house maist serue the Lord 5. to make thy calling and euery dutie to man branches of obedience vnto God These would make thee diligent in the Ministrie for faith must be maintained neither canst thou obey all vnlesse thou knowest all the third would cause thee to watch against sinne in thy self the fourth to banish it from thy family the last would make thee beneficiall to all men hurtfull to none and by all shalt thou adorne thy holy profession These works of thy father cheerefully and constantly performe and we will beleeue that thou art the child of God Thirdly note that the thing that God requireth in a professor is zeale forwardnes and earnestnes in well doing and that his whole course should be a studious prosecuting of good workes The same word is vsed in 1. Cor. 14.1 Couet spirituall gifts but the word is be zealous after or zealously addicted vnto them and cap. 12.31 Be zealous after the best gifts the same teacheth the same Apostle Gal. 4.17 It is a good thing euer to be zealous in a good thing and is a vertue euery where called for in the scriptures yea such a one as without which good things cannot be done well or in good manner Now because euery forwardnes and earnestnesse euen in good things is not commendable zeale for Peter euen in Christs defence may hastily draw his sword and rashly lay about him therefore to the right ordering of it there must alwaies goe with it these three things First the light of knowledge that it may both beginne and end with the word Paul reprooueth the Iewes who had zeale and that for the law of God because it was not according vnto knowledge yea he condemneth that hote zeale wherewith himselfe was enraged in the time of his ignorance because it had turned almost to the wasting of the whole Church To this head are to be referred those blind deuotions of the Papists at this day who are much in zeale whereby they are in continuall tumults as the Ephesians for their Diana but ignorance must be the mother of these deuotions Secondly it must be guided by good discretion it must be wise as well as warme in greater matters greater and lesser in lesser A wise man will not powre out all his indignation against euery trifling displeasure nor set his whole strength to that which he can wipe away with a finger There must alwaies be a fire of zeale kept burning in the soule as the fire on the Altar neuer went out but it must be a iust zeale proportioned according to the occasion euen as we keepe the fire on our hearths all day long but enlarge or lesson it according to the occasions of the house If some great good be in thine eye tending to the great glorie of God and great good of his Church stirre vp and adde to thy zeale till it become a great flame but in smaller and minutiall matters to carrie an vnbounded and vnbridled zeale were to call for a sword to kill a flie or an hatchet to breake an egge and yet zeale must euer fence the heart from affecting committing or communicating the least euill in the world Thirdly it must carrie with it sincere affection abandoning all by-respects besides the glorie of God desire of mens good and conscience of the good dutie it selfe In doing any good thing the close corners of the heart must be well searched seeing much deceit and guile lurketh in them and if with the Papist we doe any thing neuer so good for the matter and neuer so zealously for the manner to merit at the
hand of God or with the Pharisie to be seene of men or in which our owne respects prouoke our zeale whether glorie fauour credit wealth or any other by-end verily we haue already our reward Now what a necessarie attendant this right ordered zeale is to our good workes and what great reason the Lord hath to require it will appeare by the fruits and effects of it which are such as make the workes we doe not good only but glorious And because zeale is a mixt affection of loue and anger therefore at one time it hath respect both vnto the good worke it selfe as also that which is contrarie and produceth effects of loue to the former and properties of hatred against the latter The effects of zeale against euill are 1. a great hatred of it with a care and diligence to preuent it or if that cannot be it causeth an inward greefe and vexation of heart for the euills it cannot reforme thus was the righteous soule of Lot vexed for that he could not redresse and this greefe giueth often testimonie outwardly of it selfe in sighs and teares as Dauids eyes gushed out with riuers of teares because men kept not the word and Ieremie wished his head a fountaine of teares to weepe for the sinnes of the people yea it is a marke of such as are marked for the Lords that their zeale prouoketh them to mourne for the abhominations of the rest 2. As anger pursueth the obiect of it so doth zeale hunt out and reforme euill where it hath calling and power and that most earnestly Examples we haue in Nehemiah who reprooued smote and pulled off the haire from the beards of the Sabboath-breakers In Phineas who beeing stirred vp extraordinarily slew Zimri and Cosbi in their filthy fact In our Sauiour himselfe who in great zeale whipped out of the Temple the buyers and sellers giuing this reason because the zeale of his Fathers house consumed him And although it properly feedeth vpon the sinne Reu. 2.6 Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicolaitans Psal. 15. I hate the workes of them that fall away yet it disliketh euen the persons so farre as they are agents in sinne for thus farre this grace carried both the Prophet and the Angel of the Church in both those places Reu. 2.2 Thou canst not forbeare them which are euill and Psal. 15. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned so Salomon Prov. 28.4 those that keepe the law set themselues against the wicked but yet so as it carrieth with it such sympathie and compassion that it can quickly turne it selfe into praiers for the offender The effects of zeale for good are 1. It preserueth in the heart a fitnesse and preparednes to euery good worke required of euery beleeuer 2. Tim. 3.17 Secondly it exciteth diligence and hast in the things we doe it abandoneth idlenesse slothfulnes and delaies by which occasions of well doing are often cut off the zeale of Dauid made him prepare diligently for the Temple zeale in the Magistrate causeth in him diligence throughout his gouernment zeale in the Minister maketh him like Apollos of whom we read that being feruent in spirit he taught diligently the way of God zeale and feruencie in priuate men causeth them to shake off slothfulnes in their duties and remooueth in all conditions the curse which is denounced against the man that doth the worke of the Lord negligently most fitly therefore doth the Apostle combine those precepts Rom. 12.11 Not slothfull to doe seruice feruent in the spirit seruing the Lord. Thirdly zeale causeth continuance in well doing which is also required in euerie good action as well as in prayer it contenteth not it selfe with one or two good actions but is plentiful in them and bringeth the partie possessing it to be rich in good workes and to shine light somely therein yea it maketh a man hold out and keepe a constant tenor in good courses and that as well in aduersitie as prosperitie so as he is neither choaked by preferments as verie many nor discouraged by distresses as not a fewe Fourthly zeale setteth such an high price vpon the glorie of God and performance of conscionable duties that it causeth the partie to attempt and goe through though with neuer so much difficultie whatsoeuer he seeth himselfe bound vnto it hardneth the face like brasse against dangers and losses the losse of the world is in his iudgement gaine yea all things are losse and dung so as he may winne Christ this alone yeeldeth ioy in the spoyling of goods by this can a man hate father and mother in comparison of his obedience be contented to be hated of all men for well doing in which case the losse of freinds is but light This zeale for God maketh a mans libertie small in his eye nay in standing out in a good cause his life will not be so deare vnto him as the finishing of his course with ioy yea he can reioyse to be offered vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of the Churches faith as Paul And which is yet much more the zeale of Gods glorie will so burne in the heart as it can carrie a man so farre beyond himselfe as that he shall neglect his owne saluation and wish to be accursed yea and blotted out of the booke of life if God may be more honoured by the one then by the other What be the things then which zeale will not forgoe for Gods honour and mens saluation when as things most precious are parted with yea and cast away in comparison as vile will it sticke to be at a little labour or charge for the saluation of men when it willingly will part with possessions freinds preferments fauour libertie and life yea bodie and soule for God and his Churches causes By all that hath bin said may be concluded how aptly the spirit of God requireth zeale to good works which not onely as we haue seene hateth watcheth against pursueth and reformeth euill but prepareth inciteth continueth in good and will not be driuen from it by any meanes Vse By this doctrine many may see and challenge themselues of want of zeale in religion yea of religion it selfe For 1. a number there are who thinke it well and enough to giue a countenance or some shewe to religion and sometimes they can speak to a good cause but so coldly and so warily as if they would not heare that voice of the damsell which would as much terrifie them as once it did Peter surely thou art one of them which imputation they would take as hainously as the Iewes did the speach of the blind man will ye be also his disciples here may be wisdome of the flesh but little zeale or feruencie of the spirit here is policie but pietie scarse euer a whit 2. Others walke so indifferently betweene the Protestants and Papists that a man cannot tell what to make of them other then such as neither worship
speake let him speake as the word of God and the embassadors of Christ must speake his message euen as himselfe would vtter it 2. The soule of the word is the presence of the spirit which euerie Minister must striue to make demonstration of for else it is but a dead letter or sound it is the spirit that quickeneth it and maketh it liuely and mightie in operation it is not the demonstration of the person nor manifestation of the man that getteth authoritie to the word but when out of good conscience a man faithfully striueth to make it appeare to the consciences of others that not he but the spirit of God speaketh in him that when simple men shall perceiue the secrets of their hearts made manifest they may fall on their faces and worship God saying God is in this man indeede 3. The Prophets and Apostles haue gone before vs as presidents in this behalfe Micha 3.8 I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of iudgment and of strength to declare Iacob his sinne and Israel his transgression Before Isai was sent on his message his lippes were touched with an hote coale from the altar The Apostles accordingly were not sent to witnes of Christ vntill the spirit had descended vpon them and that in the forme of fierie tongues to signifie that themselues beeing kindled with zeale and feruencie in the Lords businesse they should also by their doctrine enflame others and that their speech should not light any where but it should kindle and enflame the hearts of the hearets But the most perfect patterne of imitation herein we haue in the cheife doctor of his Church who not onely after his resurrection could and did make the hearts of the disciples burne within them euen in his ordinarie talke but all the time of his humilitie it is truely verified of his whole doctrine that he taught with authoritie and not as the Scribes Indeed neuer man spake so nor can speake by the confession of his verie enemies for neuer man spake so in his owne name verily I say vnto you neuer man confirmed his speaches with such powerfull and proper miracles neuer man spake with such peculiar grace zeale libertie and command of the spirit in the conscience but yet all his Ministers are to imitate him in zeale in power in libertie of speach and spirit for the glorie of God and come as neere this copie as they can Vse Ministers must take heede of coldnes in their ministerie of liueles and spiritles preaching of powerlesse and a frozen manner of deliuering the word alwaies preseruing a fire of zeale and conscience in themselues mettals we knowe will not worke without fire no more will the steely and stonie heart of man melt or soften without the spirituall fire taken from the altar And yet here I must not be vnderstood as condemning all coolenesse or moderation of speach for doctrine may be ponderous and weightie where the speach is calme and treatable still waters often runne the deepest and Salomon saith that a man of knowledge spareth his words but yet it followeth that he must be of an excellent spirit so there must of necessitie be at the least a soft fire in these distillatiōs But the thing iustly condemned is when men by their owne default beeing giuen ouer either to pride sensualitie or worldlynesse haue benummed their spirits and are become frozen without power or life in their ministerie and so bring forth their doctrine as many women doe their children stil-borne teaching as the Scribes onely of forme without zeale or conscience or experience of that they speake And before I leaue this point it must be knowne that whereas I require heate and authoritie in the deliuerie of the word that therefore euerie heate should be warrantable for some is iustly condemned as 1. all heate of humane affection proceeding from perturbation and passion 2. all inconsiderate heate of youth 3. all heate not well guided although in good men full of godly affections but suffered to boyle ouer so farre as a man looseth his memorie and interrupteth his doctrine and whole discourse 2. A flattring Ministrie is an enemie to this authoritie for when a Minister must sing placebo and such sweet songs it is impossible for him not to betraie the truth 3. To withstand this authoritie or to weaken it is a fearefull sin whether in high or low and the Lord will not suffer his messengers feet to be cut off 4. Hearers must 1. pray for their Teachers that they may deliuer the word with authoritie with boldnesse and with open mouth Ephes. 6.19 Coloss. 4.4 2. Not deeme this authoritie in Ministers humor or anger or bitternes and much lesse madnesse with Festus and least of all to cast them in prison as men rauing as Ieremie was cap. 29.26 3. Not to refuse to yeeld subiection vnder this authoritie nor be angrie when it beateth down some practise which they are loth to part with seeing it is iust with God to reprobate put out the light of such as refuse the conuiction of the light offred The third and last precept of this Chapter and verse Let no man despise thee teacheth two things First how people and hearers should entertaine the Ministers sent them of God seeing they cannot without great sinne despise them for seeing the Lord who could by himselfe worke the saluation of men yet is pleased to vse as his helpers herein weake and base men whom he assumeth into fellowship with himselfe to become coworkers with him although not in the act of conuersion yet in the Ministrie of it who dare despise such whom the Lord so farre honoureth and therefore calleth them his white horses horses in that he vseth them in his battailes against sinne Satan the world and wicked ones and white for the puritie of their doctrine and integritie of their liues yea his Angels namely such as by whom he reuealeth his good pleasure vnto vs and his owne voyce by whom he beseecheth men to be reconciled Secondly how carefull is the Lord to preserue his Ministers from contempt when he affirmeth that such as despise them despise himselfe that sent them In which sence we read that the posteritie of Caine contemning the preaching of Noah dispised and contended against Gods spirit so Israel murmuring against Moses and Aaron Moses saith he hath heard your murmurings against the Lord for what are we that yee haue murmured against vs. Thirdly how vnnaturall a part were it for children to despise their Fathers and what seueritie hath the Lord shewed against it in his law but godly Ministers are the Fathers of their people I am your Father saith Paul and Onesimus yea and Titus here begotten by him vnto the faith he calleth his sonnes Let no cursed Cham presume to scorne them which is not so hurtfull to them as dangerous to themselues beeing the next way to bring themselues vnder
canst so nimbly take all advantages and forfeitures consider whether God deale so or thou wouldst haue him to deale so strictly with thee doth he strike so soone as thou hast sinned and so soone as he hath thee at an aduantage and yet he might say I hope I doe no more but iustice and lawe I require but my couenant Oh therefore let euerie Christian looke into this cleare mirrour and say with himselfe oh how softly and tenderly doth our God deale with sinnefull flesh he layeth not about him nor presently bringeth the forfeit of his lawe vpon me but hath sent out his gospel a mercifull moderator of that rigour without which euerie day would bring a newe deluge of iudgement against all flesh euen so must I in imitation of my heauenly father deale with my brethren not seeke or take the forfeites which the lawe suffereth me to doe but by Christian softnesse which the Gospel teacheth me remit of that rigour and extremitie for shall the Lord powre out a sea of mercie vpon me and shall not I let one droppe fall vpon my brother and would not I haue God to deale in iustice with me and shall I stand altogether vpon iustice and lawe with an other And thou also that takest thy brother by the throat and castest him into prison and there detainest him for some debt vnto which he is altogether insufficient here is lawe also and iustice and I thinke it meete that such should be punished whether for their ouersight or yet much more for their craftie or vniust dealing but yet mercie and equitie must at length take place where there is extreame insufficiencie especially Consider how insufficient thou wert if the Lord should exact all thy debt how he contenteth himselfe to correct thee with the rods of men in mercie and not with scorpions nor in wrath aboue that thou art able to beare he might by his couenant require totall obedience of his whole law but seeing thy state to be broken he is contented to take as thou art able euen a debt of ten thousand pound as it were by a penny a yeare go thou now and doe the like be mercifull euen as thine heauenly father is mercifull But shewing all meekenesse to all men In this precept three things must be considered 1. The vertue prescribed meekenesse 2. The manner how it must be excercised it must be shewed openly 3. The persons to whom to all men The nature of this grace will appeare in the description of it Meeknesse is a grace of God whereby the heart and affections are enclined vnto a mild and louing a kind and curteous carriage towards our neighbour euen then when they might be prouoked to anger Where three things are laid downe to be further opened to the better knowledge of this vertue 1. That it is a grace of God for the next verse will teach vs that we are borne as rough as Esau in our corrupted nature and therfore this strippeth and goeth beyond the best nature beeing a fruit of the spirit and is called the spirit of meekenesse because it is such a peculiar work of the spirit and proceedeth not of the flesh 2. The worke of it is properly to preserue Christian affection in moderating all reuengfull passions not suffering the heart to be easily ouercome with bitternesse but is as a wall or fence of the soule receiuing all the shot of iniurious and hostile actions and speaches and yet keeping all safe within not permitting the possessor hastily or violently either to offer to another or remooue from himselfe such iniuries The mother of it is humilitie the daughter is long-suffering and therefore we read it set betweene these two in diuerse places The next attendants or handmaids of it are inwardly a quiet peaceable spirit for these hath the Apostle combined as inseperable 1. Pet. 3.4 outwardly 1. soft answers such as that of Abigail which broke the wrath of Dauid 2. compassion or affliction of spirit in sight and sence of the afflicted 3. readinesse to forgiue offences 3. I say it preserueth peace within when it is prouoked to warre to anger and returne of wrongs for then is the cheife vse of this grace which is therefore added because many men seeme to haue attained this vertue when it is neuer a whit so Let them alone offend them not you shall haue them gentle courteous affable and tractable inough but crosse them a little and stirre their blood oh now you must pardon them they haue their affections and you shall know they can be passioned and angrie as well as others here shall you see the best nature betraying her meeknes But Christian meeknes must step in to ouercome euill with good when it is prouoked to returne euill or else what great thing dost thou it is no hard thing for the very Infidell and Turke to be kind to the kind nay the wild beast if thou goest no further will be as meeke as thou who the most of them hurt not vnprouoked Secondly this meeknesse must be shewed forth not hidde with our selues but it must be brought into the light that others may haue the benefit of it for as this grace is a signe and pawne of our election which as the elect of God we must put on and araie our selues withall Collos. 3.12 so also must it be the ornament of our vocation whereby we glorifie God adorne our profession and winne others vnto the liking of it Hence the Apostle praying the Ephesians to walke worthy of their high calling teacheth them that this they shall doe if they put on humblenes of mind meeknesse long suffering c. Ephes. 4.2 for otherwise if men partake not in these our graces the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace cannot long last vndissolued Thirdly this meeknes must be shewed to all men beleeuers vnbeleeuers freinds enemies the better and the worse which is a speciall point not to be neglected because it is the ground of the verses following Quest. But if meeknes must be shewed yea all meeknes to all men how may we warrant any anger against any man in any sinne or offence or how may any seueritie be put on against any offender Answ. This beeing a grace of the spirit it crosseth not any other of them so as it is no enemie to that of zeale which we haue vrged out of the 14. verse of the former Chapter and Christians mistake this grace when they dreame it to be a bottomles charitie and vnder pretence of meeknes can beare with any euill which indeed is nothing else but an irreligious and mute approbation and association in the euill He that commandeth to be angrie but not to sinne maketh it a sinne not sometimes to be angrie neither did the meeknesse of Moses hinder but that he might be exceeding angrie at the calfe they had made Whence it followeth that publicke persons must publickly represse and reprooue open sinnes disturbing the
is as altogether lost we are not able of our selues saith our Apostle to thinke one good thought and much lesse to conceiue the things of God which are all mysteries and written in a clasped booke and sealed with seauen seales vntill the Lord by his spirit open the vnderstanding such foolish children are we and and of none vnderstanding Nay further we haue not onely a depriuation of spirituall wisedome in vs but an auersation and vntoward disposition cleane contaarie thereunto that we can imagine and conceiue onely euill continually for what is else prooued by that we are called beasts in vnderstanding and willed not to be like the horse or mule which creatures are not onely with vnderstanding but exceeding â—â—ke and hard to be taught euen when they are much broken and beaten And which of vs hath not experience of his owne slownes of heart to conceiue the things of our eternall peace neuer so plainely neuer so often taught in the ministerie neither is one nature here of better apprehension then an other for the speach is true not onely of simple ones but of the greatest clerks who here are not the wisest men the quickest natures Plato Aristotle Seneca are here as blinde as moles nay Nicodemus a ruler in Israel how babishly and foolishly did he apprehend the speach of Christ concerning the newe birth there was no way but for men to returne backe into the womb againe Thus sensuall and earthly is the best of our wisedome and no sharper is our conceit in such obiects till the Lord whet and frame them till which time we see our selues by this we haue said to be in the ranke of those men vpon whom Paul affirmed that they neither knewe the things of God nor could know them Disobedient This second degree of corruption of mind sheweth that we are not onely ignorant but froward in the things of God and such as will not be perswaded as the word in the originall soundeth and this is nothing els but a peruerse disposition which fighteth against the truth Which a little better to vnderstand we must knowe that before our fall the minde of man had two faculties about the truth of God 1. the knowledge of it so farre as was meete 2. an assent approouing that knowledge In stead of which are succeeded two contrarie corruptions since the fall 1. darkenes in stead of that light of knowledge 2. frowardnes or reasoning against it For example when the vnderstanding of man vnconuerted conceiueth something of that we deliuer out of the word whereas it should assent vnto the lawe that it is good and the Gospel that it is the arme of God vnto saluation the wisedome of the flesh on the contrarie it becommeth enmitie to all this it can finde euasions to shift off the curse it can couenant with hell and death And for the Gospel it is to one foolishnesse to an other offence Pauls preaching shall be counted madnesse or malice or something els which shall be reason and warrant inough to contemne it Deceiued This is the third degree of corruption of mind and a consequent of the former It is a word borrowed from trauellers that are in a wrong way that goe by gesse which they must needs doe who neither knowe the way nor will knowe it who are out and will not bee called in And this noteth a further miserie then before namely that men are naturally resolued in by-pathes delight in their wandrings and haue no delight to heare of the path of life eternall Doctr. 1. Out of the first degree of the miserie of our minds we learne what is the course of vngodly and vnconuerted men namely a foolish and vnwise walking That which the Lord speaketh of Israel is true of euerie naturall man My people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they knowe not the same confirmeth the Apostle Ephes. 5.15 walke not as vnwise namely as ye did before your calling but as wise And if the knowledge and feare of God be the beginning of wisedome how can such as are without Gods teaching euer be wise to walke in the wayes of saluation We account such as want and are destitute of naturall knowledge in outward things no better then fooles and shall those goe for wise who haue not one sparkle of spirituall knowledge which â—s a farre more pretious wisedome then the other If they be deemed simple foolish men who care not to wrong and hurt their bodies much more may such as depriue their soules of spirituall foode raiment yea of eternall life it selfe If those who would exchange gold for a counter much more such as thinke it a good bootie to gaine a small portion of the world with the losse of their soules If they be fooles whom men so esteeme much more whom the Lord so stileth as euery where the naturall and vngodly man and this not for one or two foolish actions for thus the best euen Dauid himselfe confesseth that sometimes he doth verie foolishly but for that his whole course is the practise of notable folly And that we may see this truth in some instances we will note some maine properties of folly and see whether they are not most naturall to euerie naturall man The 1. maine propertie of fooles and silly bodies is that they knowe not the end of their liues why God made them and put them into this world euen so aske many men why God did inspire the breath of life on their faces how fewe would giue this direct answer that by glorifying God in my calling I might be lead to a better life herafter Ask many a man concerning heauen and earth and sea and other sensible things and they will giue some sensible answers as that the earth was made for man and beast to liue vpon the sea for fish and nauigation the ayre for man and beast to breath in the Sunne Moone and starres for light heat and comfort the beasts fishes foules c. for man but why thy selfe fewest would say for God but if they speake true some for themselues some for their familie some for their pleasures some for wealth or some baser ende to which such a noble creature as man is should be destinated The second propertie of folly is that as fooles liue for the present time if they can get meat drinke sleepe cloathes and necessaries for the present they forecast nothing to come euen so vngodly men if they can get wealth and lay vp things present for many yeares to come they dreame of no other heauen they forecast no day of death nor iudgement but oh foole what if thy soule be taken away this night this was that which that foole thought not of and as of their owne so they iudge of all other mens felicitie by things present into which folly Dauid himselfe was sliding when he confesseth himselfe as ignorant as a
a word the very scope of this washing in Iordan directly concludeth against that Popish collection of his for why doth the Lord command him to goe and wash in Iordan rather then as he expected that the Prophet should lay his hand vpon him or by a word heale him Surely no stronger reason can be giuen then this that he should not attribute any power or vertue of the cure to the Prophets hand bodie or person but seeing he must doe that in which there is no such power at all but is so vnlikely a meanes of cure as Naaman almost scornefully reiected the whole glorie of the worke might returne to the God of Israel As vnlikely yea more that water should wash the leprosie of sinne from the conscience as the outward leprosie from the bodie of Naaman and indeede the worke in both is from the spirit of the Lord. The like may be said of the poole of Siloam wherein the blind man must wash and for that place in the 5. of Iohn concerning the poole of Bethesda which healed all manner of diseases the text saith plainly that it was the Angels stirring of the water and without it nothing was done and if the power had beene proper and naturall or inseparably tyed to it it would haue healed the second and third that had stepped in as well as the first So we say when the spirit of God mooueth these waters of baptisme there followeth a cure without which if a man were euery day baptized it would be vnavaileable to regeneration and sanctification Thus not to followe the rest and wast time in them we may see that when men willingly blind themselues it is iust with God to giue them vp to all delusions that in seeing they might not see nor vnderstand Vse 2. As to magnifie and reuerence these sanctified waters as the outward meanes in the right vse of which the spirit worketh and exhibiteth that which they represent so also to beware least wanting this inward worke of the spirit which giueth all efficacie and comfortable fruit of baptisme it become not a barren and a naked signe the rather in that the Lord himselfe obserued this corruption among his owne people that they stood too much vpon outward institutions as the Temple the law circâ—mcision the fathers c. and therefore in many places charged them not to trust in such lying words but to get the foreskinne of their hearts circumcised as well as the foreskinne of their flesh and not to rest in the title of a Iewe which was to be one but outwardly and in the letter nor that they were descended of Abraham according to the flesh except they were Iewes within and descended of Abraham according to the faith also so as by doing his workes they might resemble him So when we see Christians stand so much vpon outward baptisme and are well contented without the inward vertue of it when we see them glorie in the bare title without the power of Christianitie it is our part to imitate the Lord and his Prophets and call our people to get the circumcision not made with hands but by the finger and spirit of God which is more then to wash the foulenesse of the bodie for it is to put off the sinfull bodie euen the wicked corruption of the heart for so it is expounded to be the resemblance of Christ in his death and buriall first and then in the life of grace and glorie to which he rose againe Boast not then of thy baptisme without this change of thy heart and life for then thou boastest of a broken vowe call it not thy Christendome vnlesse by it thou beest set into Christ and transplanted by it into the similitude of his death thou art no better before God then an heathen oâ— Turke notwithstanding thy bodie hath beene washed in this lauer if thy heart still remaine foule and filthy and as good neuer a whit as neuer the better And this I speake of good ground and in the language of Scripture Do we not see the Iewes charged as not circumcised although they had the skinne of their flesh cut Isai. â—4 57.3 and Steuen goeth not as we say behind the doore to call them stâ—ffâ—necked and vncircumcised so why may not we speake the truth retaining in our hearts and stile the reuerence of that holy ordinance that the water in baptisme further then ioyned to the word and applyed to this holy ende authentically to seale that which God hath engrauen vpon it is no better vnto the vnbeleeuer then ordinarie pumpe water It is too Iewish and yet too common that the religion and profession of ChristiaÌ„s standeth for most part in outward shewe and glorie and such things as are made by the hands of men wanting that spirit and truth which is indeede the crowne of Christianitie and yet alas what will the representation of Christs death and resurection doe good if the vertue and power of it be wanting in the soule Vnto thy outward baptisme get the heauens opened as in the baptisme of Christ and see that the spirit hath descended vpon thee to the conuerting of thy soule and begetting thee to a newe life for this is the soule of baptisme without which it is a dead letter and a fruitlesse ceremonie Vse 3. As it is with baptisme so is it with all other ordinances of God no outward meanes of saluation can be effectuall vnlesse the inward worke of the spirit be added We haue power to come and heare the word but vnlesse the anoynting teach vs we shall remaine vntaught yea let the Apostles themselues preach the Lord must worke with them also or nothing will be done These two the spirit of the Lord vpon vs and his word in our mouthes make vp a sweete harmonie And how is it else that men after so long powerfull preaching and frequent hearing remaine ignorant hard hearted rebellious surely the reason is because the Lord giueth not an heart to perceiue and because the spirit bloweth not there to giue the seeing eye and hearing eare which where it is wanting a man may sit out as many summons as Pharaoh did and neuer the better yea the more hardned So in afflictions and corrections which are durable and lingring on many why do men profit so little why doe they not open the doore of discipline why are not the roddes of correction the tree of life to a number surely because the spirit boareth not the eare he teacheth not the right vse of them Obiect But what can I doe withall if the spirit teach me not Answ. The spirit would not be wanting if men would come preparedly to be taught But 1. men come without beleefe and mingle not the word with faith and so it becommeth vnprofitable or 2. without repentance whereas the humble shall be taught in the way onely or 3. without praier and the spirit powreth not out these waters of grace but vpon thirstie
not is still borne or a dead child and vnder this I comprehend a cheerefulnesse to all the parts of the publike and priuate worshippe of God whereas the Prophet maketh it a note of a wicked man that he calleth not vpon God that is he casteth off the whole worship of God Wouldst thou then finde thy selfe to be a newe creature finde this change that the clouds of darkenes and ignorance are remooued that thou hast an heart of flesh that thou findest an abatement of thy sinnes and lusts that thou hast heauenly motions that thou vsest meanes carefully of thy spirituall life that thou growest by the nourishment of the word Sacraments prayer reading conference and other exercises of godlines and repentance this is the way of life which thou hast happily found thou art now much nearer saluation then when thou first beleeued Vers. 6. Which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour To come to the right meaning of this verse we must explane fowre things 1. the gift bestowed which that is the spirit as the former words import 2. the person bestowing him he that is God the Father 3. the measure of the gift 1. powred out 2. plentifully or shed on vs abundantly 4. the person meriting this gift that is Iesus Christ described here to be our Sauiour through Iesus Christ our Sauiour First the gift is the spirit or holy Ghost Quest. How can the spirit be bestowed Answ. In the spirit two things must be considered 1. his essence and person 2. his gifts and effects The former cannot be conferred for neither can his essence or person be concluded in the whole frame of heauen and earth and much lesse in the narrow corners of mans heart he beeing an infinite God equall with the father and the sonne But the latter may for so 1. Cor. 12.11 the Apostle speaking of sundrie operations and gifts â—aith all these things worketh the same spirit and this phrase must be vnderstood by an other Act. 2.17 where Peter alleadging the place out of Ioel 1.28 I will powre out my spirit thus explaineth it I will powre out of my spirit that is the sauing gifts and graces of my spirit such as here the renewing of the spirit by iustification and sanctification of which we shall heare mâ—re in the next veâ—se The second thing is the person bestowing the holy Ghost he that is the Father as ver 4. who as he is the fountaine of the deitie so of all good actions and operations Ioh. 14.26 But when the comforter shall come whom the Father shall send Obiect But Christ saith that he will send the spirit from the Father Ans. This maketh no difference in the thing the spirit proceedeth first from the father as the first in the Trinitie and from the Sonne as from the second in order in the Trinitie and he onely expresseth this order when he saith whome I will send from the Father for when the Father sendeth the holy Ghost it is by the Sonne in whom all our good is deriued but not as by an instrument but as from a principall efficient with the Father onely the second in order from the Father Thirdly the measure of the gift is noted 1. In that he is said to shed or powre him out he saith not he gaue or communicated or dropped or showred but powred him out which noteth the liberallitie and plentie of the thing conferred namely of the graces of the spirit called by the name of the Spirit himselfe that we might conceiue of the bountifulnesse of our God who seemeth rather to communicate the verie fountaine it selfe of grace then the streames and riuers of it In which Metaphor note by the way that the graces of the spirit are here compared to waters which most properly are powred out and that not vnfitly For 1. as water washeth the filthinesse of the bodie so these graces as the pure waters of sanctification wash and cleanse the soule from the corruption and sinne of it Ezek. 36.25 I will powre cleane water 2. water hath a naturall qualitie to extinguish heat and quench the thirst of man and beast so onely these waters bring with them refreshing against the hotte wrath of God which otherwise would prooue a consuming fire for he that drinketh of this water shall neuer thirst more that is he shall neuer wish that grace sooner whereof he shall not drinke to sacietie 3. water softeneth the earth and maketh it fruitfull so these graces of the spirit mollifie the heart so fitteth it vnto all good works which are the fruits of the spirit without which we should be as the heath in the wildernes and as a parched land which seeth not when any good commeth But the second word whereby this immeasurable grace bestowed is signified is the aduerb abundantly or if we wil goe nearer the original richly and so when the Apostle writ this Epistle the spirit was indeed abundantly powred out and that in three respects First in regard of the diuerse kinds of gifts then powred out as 1. The common gifts of the spirit which all good and bad partake in were in greater abundaÌ„ce theÌ„ euer before bestowed such as the gifts of illumination outward calling profession of the truth common generall faith 2. The more especiall gifts of sanctification the which our text most aimeth at as of faith regeneration loue hope c. for so the Apostle seemeth to restraine the graces he speaketh of saying on vs who are renewed by the holy ghost As both the prophet Ioel and Peter speaking the same thing seeme to doe the one mentioning my seruants my handmaids the other speaking of such as inuocate and call vpon the name of the lord and to this purpose we might shew what a number were daily conuerted and how in those dayes the kingdome of God was taken by force 3. More extraordinarie and miraculous gifts which were more proper to those times and in great abundance distributed are here included as the gifts of tongues of healing diseases casting out deuils porphesying command of death after a sort to take and leaue mens bodies and sundrie such other very frequent then aboue all times before or since SecoÌ„dly these gifts were plentifully powred out in regard of the persons people vpon whom they were conferred not now vpon some few Iews or handfull of people as before Christs ascension but vpon all flesh saith Ioel 2.28 vpon euerie nation vnder heauen saith Peter Now both Iew and Gentile bond and free circumcision vncircumcision all respect and acceptation of persons remooued haue equall part and promise in these graces Thirdly in regard of the meanes in which the spirit now conueled these graces that is the word Sacraments and ministerie of the new Testament which farre exceeded in glorie all that ministerie that euer was before it For in former time they sawe in their ministerie things a farre off in types shadowes clouds but
euer haue a Christian on the gathering and gaining hand and therefore hath appointed priuate instruction in the family priuate prayer priuate meditation priuate reading and conference things scarse vsed among Christians though they scarce can be Christians that vse them not and hath promised that where and when two or three be thus gathered in his name he will be present and he is no where emptie handed yea where one man apart shutting his doore praieth or meditateth alone the Lord seeth in secret and repaieth his paines with such store of grace as all men may see him openly rewarded yea let a man be most alone if in such duties he is in most comfortable companie and fellowship with the Lord. Doctr. 2. All the grace that is bestowed on vs is by meanes of Iesus Christ for with him is the fountaine and headspring yea he is the head which sendeth life sence motion and direction into all the members resembled in that holy oyntment which ran downe from Aarons head and beard euen to the skirts of his garment The Euangelist after he had affirmed that Christ was full of grace and truth addeth that of his fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace so the Apostle Colos. 2.9.10 In him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead bodily and wee are compleat in him But how come wee to share with him in it The next words declare it which is the head of all principality and power as though he had said because in himselfe he hath the well-head of glory and maiesty the which becommeth ours in that he is also the head of his Church And as here our Apostle in general concludeth that all the graces of regeneration are through him so were it easy in particular to goe through the rest of the graces and obserue them in the scriptures all ascribed to this proper cause As 1. peace with God and our selues Rom. 5.1 2. entrance and accesse vnto the Father through him Eph. 2.18 3. wisedome and vnderstanding whereby God in him purposed to enrich vs Eph. 1.8 4. consolation and comfort which aboundeth through him 2. Cor. 1.5 5. eternall saluation which is the gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 But in such a plaine doctrine we will spend no more time Those generall places will saue vs that labour Ephes. 1.3 who hath in Christ blessed vs with all spirituall blessings and Rom. 11.36 for of him and thorough him and for him are all things and 1. Cor. 1.30 he is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Vse 1. Want we any grace call vpon God in the name of Christ Whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name he will giue it vnto you get Christ to be thy owne become a true beleeuer that thou maist in him beginne thy prayer with our father this is the way to be rich in grace What a chaunge was there in Zacheus when as once Christ came vnto him whereas before there was nothing in him but iniustice oppression forging and whatsoeuer was naught now we see faith loue iustice mercie restitution reformation yea with saluation euery grace accompanying it 2. Hast thou receiued any spirituall grace sacrifice not vnto thine owne net but be thankfull vnto God in Christ. This the Apostle teacheth in his owne practise in the former place to the Romans of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer 3. Take heede of quenching that grace neither grieue that good spirit of God by thy sinne for thou camest hardly by it for Christ must come downe from heauen humble himselfe to the deaâ—h rise againe ascend and now make continuall intercession before he could procure thee the least grace A thing very little thought of Vers. 7. That we beeing iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Now follow the ends why we are brought into this new condition which are two 1. our iustification before God 2. the purchase of life eternall In the former are to be considered 1. what is meant by iustification 2. what by Grace 3. the doctrines Iustification is the absolution of a sinner from his sinne and the punishment of it by the satisfaction of Christ the Redeemer apprehended by faith 1. The absolving of a sinner this the Apostle declareth when he opposeth vnto it accusation and condemnation It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne for seeing a man by nature and the cursed practise of sinne is depriued of the glorie of God and cannot but heape vp wrath against the day of wrath before euer he can come to a comfortable estate he must be acquitted necessarily of the guilt and curse of his sinne both in the high court of heauen where God is the supreame Iudge as also in the inferiour court and consistorie of his owne conscience Now if it be asked how the sinner shall be thus absolued the rest of the words of the definition declare For 2. I adde it is by the satisfaction of Christ the Redeemer wherein are contained both the matter and forme of the iustification of a sinner The matter is Christs satisfaction his obedience in his life in his death in fulfilling the law and in suffering for our not fulfilling it and the merit of all manifested in his resurrection and glorious ascension The forme is the imputing of that obedience whereby the righteousnes of Christ doth now become the beleeuers as truly and really by imputation as it was Christs owne in action So as it is no legall iustice which requireth personall obedience in the straitest tearmes of the law but Euangelicall whereby the beleeuer satisfieth by the merit of a Mediator and in the person of a suretie which satisfaction is accepted as though it were performed in his owne person And thus the cure is proportionable to the disease that looke as by the first Adam sinne went ouer all who are naturally borne of him namely by imputation and propagation euen so by the second Adam iustice and righteousnes is imputed vnto all which are supernaturally borne of him And 3. I adde that this satisfaction of Christ is apprehended by faith the proper worke of which grace is as by an hand to receiue Christ with his merits and bring him home into the owne heart whence it is that to beleeue in Christ and to receiue him are put for one and the same thing Ioh. 1.2 it is the mouth of the soule whereby we eate and drinke his flesh and blood Ioh. 6. yea such a speciall instrument to this purpose that it is said in sundrie places to iustifie vs by laying hold on the merits of Christ which properly iustifie and we by it though not for it are said to be righteous Secondly by Grace in Scripture sometime is meant the gifts of grace that is any good gift which proceedeth from the fauour and loue of God towards man whether priuatiue withholding euills
of their owne displeasure and sometimes out of their sonnes misdemeanours doe disinherit their heires but the Lord cannot growe into such displeasure with his children as â—ueâ— to cast them out whome in his Christ he hath once admitted into his house If his sonnes sinne against him he will visit their sinnes and scourge them with the rodds of men but his mercie and truth will he neuer take from them Now of the tenure by which we hold life eternall namely of hope I haue spoken twise before in this Epistle at large chap. 1.2 2.13 to which the reader may looke backe onely in a word note that it is a mark of a man set into this new condition to hope and wait for the blessed inheritance in heauen 2. Cor. 5.2 We sigh desiring to be clothed with our house from heauen 2. Tim. 4.8 the description of the godly to be those that loue the appearing of Christ. And if all creatures groane with vs for the time of their deliuerance how ought we much more for whom such things are prepared Hence it followeth 1. that it will not stand with a conuerted heart to linger after the things of this life or to make his heauen vpon earth or to haue equall affection to earth as heauen 2. nor to neglect the meanes whereby this hope is confirmed whether outward offring as the Gospel ministerie word Sacraments or inward receiuing as faith vnfained working in obedience Ver. 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will thou shouldst affirme that they which haue beleeued in God might be carefull to shew forth good workes The first words of this verse beeing as it were a finger pointing to some excellent matter some take to be a preface making way and winning attention to the sequel of the verse others thinke it to be an epiphonema or graue shutting vp of that matter which immediately goeth before as giuing consent and acclamation vnto the most weightie and necessarie doctrine of free iustification by the grace of God in Christ which doctrine because the Apostle by the spirit of prophesie did foresee would be most strongly opposed he purposely by a vehement asseueration strengtheneth as also the doctrine of Christian hope which although it be not of things seene yet is it of things so faithfull and firme in respect of the promise as the Christian soule may without wauering and doubting relie and leane it selfe vpon the faithfull accomplishment of it But I take it the words may not vnfitly be referred to the whole doctrine propounded both before and after there beeing the same scope of both for what new thing is the Apostle to teach which he had not taught and vrged before and what particular is expressed in the verse which formerly hath not beene deliuered to young and old men and women servants and other all which estates after their conuersion vnto the faith are in speciall called to readines in euerie good worke vers 1. and to what other ende are those large descriptions of our twofold estate but to strike on the same string that howsoeuer we could not in the former attaine to any fruitfull conuersation yet now in the latter it were a shame not to adorne our profession and calling and what other end learned we of the appearing of grace but that vngodlines and wordly lusts beeing denied we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world So as I say the Apostle setteth a seale vnto his whole doctrine that it is true and faithfull most vndoubted and certaine in it selfe and most worthie of all our credit and faith seeing nothing can be truelyer spoken nothing more profitably beleeued nothing more comfortably practised then the truth here deliuered vnto vs. Quest. But are not other doctrines true and faithfull yea as true as this and is not all Scripture of diuine inspiration Answ. Yes neither doth our Apostle oppose the truths of Scripture as though one were more or lesse true then another but in more necessarie or more questionable truths he setteth here and there a marke or pointng hand both to vrge the authoritie and necessitie of the one and also to force men more easily to yeeld vnto the truth of the other Example hereof we haue 1. Tim. 1.15 in such a fundamentall point as is saluation onely by Christ to be opposed by so many hundreth heretikes it is no maruell if we see some starre set by it or a light held ouer it that none may passe by it vntill they haue diligently waighed and fully resolued vpon the truth of it In like manner beeing to entreat of the difficult labour care and work of the ministerie from which women as not beeing capable of it are interdicted and of the excellencie of the function which no man might either rashly take vpon him or negligently execute beeing lawfully called and beeing further to set downe a certaine rule vnto which all the lawefull callings in the Church are to be conformed In such a waightie matter as is the preseruation of the Church and pietie he prefixeth a worthie preface 1. Tim. 3.1 This is a true saying if any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthie worke But where the Apostle doth all these things as in this place he could with lesse reason depart from his ordinarie manner Doctr. The Ministers of God must teach euerie truth reueale the whole counsell of God and keepe nothing backe but some truths must be dwelt vpon and more auouched then others and namely such as are either more necessarie or more contradicted This is the wisedome of the spirit of God himselfe who by his penmen distinguisheth of truthes and hath neither prefixed Behold in the beginning of euerie sentence nor affixed his Selah in euerie ones ende but onely in truths more observable and remarkeable then the rest Which point may receiue a generall confirmation from this obseruation that the penmen of Scripture beeing to write the historie of things past because they were of facts more vndeniable as things running into the sences of men they stand not so much vpon ratifications and asseuerations yea a number of historicall books there are the authors of which are not known to the church But when they come to write prophesies of things to come and things in reason more improbable then the authors name his kinred his calling with other circumstances of time place and persons seruing to confirme and conuince the truth of prophesies are registred And if these truthes were either more necessarily then ordinarie concerning the Church or more liable to opposition and exception then was much more caution and confirmation vsed To avoide multitude of examples whereby this point might be strengthened I will onely insist in that prophesie which more neerely concerneth vs that liue now in the newe Testament namely of the Reuelation The which booke because it describeth the state of the Church from the time of Iohn the last of the
the truth of God against the aduersaries of it and where Salomon brandeth him with a note of follie that maketh no question but beleeueth euery thing he sheweth that there is a wise inquisition into necessarie truths tending to edification But the Apostle expresseth what questions he disaloweth in a Diuine foolish questions that is vnnecessarie idle of no moment of no good vse to edification neither in faith nor loue in conscience nor manners Where me thinks Paul by the spirit of prophesie foresawe forewarned and forearmed the Church of that great malice of the deuill which in after ages preuailed to the ouerthrowe of all puritie of religion and piety it selfe and that was by turning men from the comfortable practise and proper vse of Scripture to seeke out an art of diuinitie appropriat to some few and so suddenly came to turne all the sound knowledge of the Scriptures into a skeptike and questionarie diuinitie whereby the deuill kept good wits from the knowledge and studie of tongues and the necessarie fundamentall points of Christian religion and set them on worke in the speculation of strange friuolous and curious questions wherein they were not one more against another then all of them against God and his truth and the building of his Church And this is the quod libeâ—aâ—ie schoole diuinitie then which nothing is more highly magnified of many at this day who had rather tast leekes then Manna and although our Apostle graunteth that it may haue a shewe of learning and wisedome falsly so called yet as here it is called foolish so elsewhere he confidently tearmeth it both foolish and vnlearned because it is occupied in such questions as haue neither wisedome nor learning in them while they make a shew of both Such are their questions concerning their heauenly Hierarchies and orders of Angels concerning the degrees of the Saints in heauen so definitiuely and magistrally determining as though they had newly dropped out of the clouds Paul durst neuer vtter such things who was wrapped into the third heauen Others of them as though at the request of the rich man they had been sent from hell are as confident of things done in purgatorie Others are at redde warre whether things notionall or â—eall be better some sweate in disputing whether the world could be better made others to be resolued whether the Pope be more mercifull then Christ because Christ deliuereth none out of purgatorie as the Pope doth But about their Sacrament and consecrated hoast their tumults are such and so ridiculous as a iudicious Diuine would be loath to foule his mouth or his hearers eares with them These are the toyles of the angelicall seraphicall magistrall and subtile Doctors Scotus Hales Holcoth Durand and such monsters of Diuines which how much true learning they containe the darkenes of their ages in which they liued and since sufficiently manifesteth Gods righteous iudgement was vpon them and the whole world since for their sakes and that sentence verified vpon them while they thought themselues wise they became starke fooles Let students looke how they spend time in them for the truth is that if a man be deuoted to them he shall be euer learning and yet neuer come to the knowledge of the truth nay it may be feared of some who were towardly set in the truth that comming into this schoole too timely are now growne crooked and out of loue with the truth and are indeed turned into the things they read The second thing which Titus must resist are genealogies which also must be rightly taken because there alwaies was and yet is an excellent vse of them in Scripture Before Christ they were so necessarie as the Iewes were commanded to keepe publike and priuate records of their tribes and families yea and if there were any that could not tell or finde his genealogie he was not to be admitted or if inconsiderately he were was to be deposed from publike office Numb 1.18 Nehem. 7.62 and to this purpose some holy writers of Scripture haue set downe for the vse of the Church to the ende whole bookes of genealogies but especially that the Iewes might be able to bring their descent from the Patriarks as we reade of Paul who no doubt could bring his line downe from Beniamin Philip. 3.5 The vse of these genealogies was manifold I will note two First to manifest the truth of God in the Scriptures 1. In the accomplishment of many speciall prophesies to particular persons For example God promised to Abraham that he should be a mightie man that this truth might be fully known must be set downe the whole descent and posteriritie and Princes that came of him although neuer so wicked from Ismael himselfe Rebecca also had a promise of two mightie peoples in her wombe and that the elder should serue the younger how should this be knowne to be accomplished but by the genealogie of them both for which purpose euen the dukes that came of Esau were all recorded The like of Iacobs prophesie concerning Ephraim and Manasseh for otherwise the wicked should haue no name nor register in the booke of God it is not for their owne sakes whose memories should rot but for the honour of God and his seruants they are there rolled to shewe that the godly were not only inwardly but euen outwardly blessed according to promise with such a fruitfull race and posteritie 2. It is a great light to the truth of Scripture when it setteth downe the persons by whom and the times in which euery worthy thing was done what also and by whome the Church suffered how all nations were euer enemies to religion but one little point or corner of the world how God had euer a Church in the world euen in the corruptedst times a litle remnant of Israel that worshipped him in spirit and truth which things are cleared by genealogie The second and principall vse of genealogie is to manifest the true Messiah vnto the world As 1. to shewe that because God would be appeased in the same nature that had sinned therefore he was true man and not in shew and that his humanitie incarnation and natiuitie should not be obscure his naturall descent is by the Euangelists brought downe from Abraham yea from Adam shewing vs thereby what is the proper end of all genealogie in the Scriptures 2. The nobilitie of his birth and worthines of his parentage and that he was the right heire to the Iewish kingdome 3. The truth of the prophesies concerning him that he was the sonne of Abraham and of Dauid and that the scepter departed not from Iudah till his appearing 4. The blessing wherewith that family out of which he came was advanced and distinct from al the tribes of the earth 5. His humilitie who came of all sorts of men and women publike and priuate poore and rich good and bad that he might be a fit Sauiour of all sorts of men not disdaining to place in
the first condition of any good worke that the worker must be a beleeuer in Christ. For 1. make the tree good and then the fruit will be good he must be a man that hath learned by the doctrine of the Gospel to doe a good worke as the words of the verse imply 2. the heart the fountaine of all actions is naturally corrupt with originall sin and the members are weapons of vnrighteousnesse and therefore before the heart be purified by faith the best actions passing through our vnderstandings wills affections and parts can no more auoid tainture and pollution then can the sweetest water running through a muddie channell or the purest liquor standing in a fustie vessell 3. He that being an vnbeleeuer hath not the sonne neither hath the spirit of the Sonne and consequently cannot send forth any fruites of the spirit the Sonne hath not set him free but he is bound hand and foote and not able to mooue in any one action of spirituall life 4. Hee that cannot pray by the spirit cannot bring forth any worke truely good nothing can be done without prayer the Lord must giue strength the will and the deed he must teach vs to worke set vs in and hold vs on in working he must giue it successe and blessing and make it fruitfull to our selues and others and without the prayer of faith nothing of this is obtained 5. Without faith it is impossible to please God for to euery good worke are required many actions of faith For 1. generall faith must make and warrant it good in the matter and know it to be commanded or allowed in the word for that is a good work which God will haue done and good intentions if they roue without a word make nothing good 2. Speciall faith must know the action to be good in the worker renewed in part and accepted in Christ who couereth the spots and imperfections of the worke for the Lord first respecteth the person and then the worke first Abel and then his sacrifice 3. Faith looketh that the worke be good in the endes of it a bad end spoileth the best action Now the right ends of a good worke are 1. Gods glorie for as all riuers goe out of the sea and returne againe into the sea so all good actions as they come from God so they tend vnto him againe be they the least and lowest euen eating drinking or what soeuer else all must be done to the glorie of God 2. The good of our brethren and edification of men for this end Christians must make their light to shine abroad before men and the whole law is fulfilled in this one word Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 3. The exercise of our owne graces by doing our owne duties to God and man not selfe-pleasing profiting praise feare shame or such other sinister ends as sway with the vnregenerate but as is the end of the commandement so must it be of our obedience which is loue out of a pure heart and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 4. Faith will prouide that good actions be compassed by good meanes we may not doe euill that good may come of it It was Rebecca her sinne to draw the promised blessing vpon Iacob by deceit and Lots infirmitie to seeke deliuerance from the Sodomites by prostituting his daughters And though sometimes bad meanes succeed and the Lord by an ouerruling power bring light out of darkenesse yet is there alwaies iust matter of mourning and humiliation 5. Faith will haue respect to good circumstances as times places persons c. the fayling wherein often blemisheth most bewtifull actions and cause them to miscarie and prooue vnsuccesfull In a word faith in the heart is most carefull to doe good things well and because it knoweth that when it hath done the best it can yet all that seruice is vnprofitable it claspeth fast hold vpon the righteousnesse of Christ and will be found in that righteousnesse which is by faith in him Phil. 3. And therefore as for all other so for this good worke of beneficence and loue to the Saints the Apostle wisheth Titus to goe to beleeuers with whom he might be bold as who had receiued a spirit of effectuall faith working in obedience to God and loue to Gods people and could not suffer them to be either idle or vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. Well knew the Apostle that to haue sent him elsewhere on this errand it had bin but the losse of both their labors here he knew he should speed or no where So as we may conclude this point with that speach of Augustine where faith is not no good worke can be The third point in the precept is that these good works must be shewed forth for necessarie vses why Christians should shewe forth good workes I haue formerly shewed in handling the 8. verse of this Chapter and therefore will come to declare what are the necessare vses in generall of such good workes as are here called for And here we must know that the Romish Church hath not more boldly then blasphemously pretended many necessarie vses of good workes which the Scriptures neuer intending to set them vp in the place of Christ are far from acknowledging a tast whereof I haue giuen in a fewe positions which are stiffely defended by the pillars of that Church As 1. That good workes prepare a man to his iustification whereas the former point shewed that a man must be a iustified person before he can doe a good worke 2. That they doe iustifie the person of the worker before God notwithstanding the Apostle saith that by the workes of the Lawe no flesh can be iustified 3. That they make men more iust by a second iustification which distinction of the first and second iustification is a dreame of their owne not grounded in the Scriptures nor once heard of in the Church at the least fourteene hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles 4. That they satisfie Gods iustice for temporall punishment 5. That they merit heauen yea a greater degree of glorie in heauen 6. That they purge away sinnes 7. That they apply Christs merit to purge them 8. That they merit at Gods hand for ones selfe and others 9. That they free from purgatorie paines 10. That a man may raise his trust in God from them All which with many other blasphemous tenures of this kind directly thrust Christ from his throne and make him but halfe a Sauiour at the most and consequently no Sauiour at all It would draw this point further then would well fit a commentarie to dispute here these positions with them and therefore intending our busines in hand and taking the mention of such hereticall blasphemies in this auditorie to be no small refutation we come to those necessarie vses which are warranted by expresse Scripture yea and thence commended vnto vs both in regard of 1. God 2. our neighbour 3. our selues
from the Apostles mouth that for the same all good men approoued him and wished him all good proceedings And hence we may note 1. what is the vse of this most auncient and approoued custome of saluting one another by writing namely to signifie a louing remembrance of the partie saluted with an earnest desire of their good and welfare for that is a common affection to all salutations to signifie such a desire And yet there is great difference betweene one salutation and an other which riseth from the difference of the persons saluting Whereof some are meerely ciuill men without all religion and these could not reach to wish their friends the best blessings although they wished them the best they could reach as the ordinarie formes both of the Greekes and Latines testifie Others haue more in them then humanitie in that they apprehend the higher graces of God in his Christ reuealed in the Gospel and hauing their owne parts therein they most freely feelingly in their salutations wish their friends to partake with them first in such graces as may accompanie their saluation and then in all that outward prosperitie that shall make for their good and these are the salutations of the Apostles and of good Christians they be no court holy water nor salutare libenter from teeth outward but heartie and vnfained testimonies of loue much making for the encrease of mutuall loue yea and the strengthening of the bond of the communion of Saints Now if this be the vse of salutations we may see how grossely the Papists are besotted in martyring that I may vse Luthers word the Angels salutation to Marie For 1. whereas a salutation is a ciuil thing they haue turned this into a deuout praier 2. not to Marie whome the words concerned alone but vnto God at whose hands the repeating of it meriteth pardon of many sinnes 3. whereas salutation is to be done to a partie present among vs this saluteth one absent 4. whereas it was the angels dutie to carrie this message once to Marie they thrust euerie man and woman into the Angels office to carrie the same message euerie moment as if it were a thing not alreadie accomplished 5. what further good can they wish to Marie now in heauen But they haue despised the wisedome of God and what wisedom can be in them 2. Note what a great incouragement and comfort it is for the godly to haue the hearts the commendations the good words and wishes of them that feaâ—e God it is an excellent support against the disgraces of the times and reproaches of vngodly men when Gods people reach vnto a man the right hand of fellowship little neede he care for the causles curses and reproaches of the wicked that hath the blessing of the Saints with him although therefore we haue another rule to walke by then the iudgement of men and in doing our dutie we may say with the Apostle I care not for the iudgement of any man yet it will be good for a man to conceiue how he is esteemed of the best to whom ordinarily God giueth a spirit of discerning that if it be possible with a good conscience he may ioyne a good name which is not onely sweete as a pretious oyntment but will supple and asswage such wounds and stroakes as the â—â—icked will be still inflicting Neither can these two things be easily disioyned the approouing of the heart vnto God and of the wayes vnto Gods people 3. Note from the Apostles example what a good office it is to be a peace-maker and to knit the members of the bodie of Christ close together this argueth men to be endued with that wisedome which is from aboue the properties whereof are to be pure peaceable full of mercie and good fruits especially the Ministers of God must account it a part of their office not onely to reconcile man to God but euen man to man And let euerie man conceiue and remember that our Lord Iesus maketh it one of the pathes and rules of true happinesse when he saith blessed are the peacemakers 4. Note how the Saints of God ought to embrace one another and especially such as are of the best desert in the Church for their labours and gifts euen as the Saints with Paul did Titus many of whom doubtlesse had neuer seene his face but had heard of his faithfulnesse euen such should be our loue to the godly as we should affect them that are absent as well as present and wherein we can testifie that affection to those whom we haue heard well although by face we neuer knew them Greete them that loue vs in the faith Quest. May we not salute any but beleeuers Answ. There is a common salutation which is due from euery man to euery man and that is a ciuill curtesie and kind of honour which is to be shewed to all men our Sauiour Christ commanded his Disciples whensoeuer they entred into an house they should salute the same Matth. 10.12 and gaue them a forme of salutation which they must vse whether the sonne of peace were there or no saying peace be to this house Yea if men be our enemies and will not vouchsafe to salute vs againe yet we must not omit this branch of courteous behauiour towards them Matth. 5.47 If yee be freindly to your brethren only what singular thing doe yee doe not euen the Publicans the same The word traâ—slated be freindly is the same with this here signifieth such freindship as was in those countries testified by salutations and embracings which euen the worst could well inough performe to their freinds but Christ sheweth that we must doe more we must not expect to see whether we be saluted first but kindly salute our enemies although we be not saluted againe And the reason is because it was counted a signe of hatred not to salute a man 2. Sam. 13.22 Absolon said neither good nor bad to his brother for Absolon hated Amnon Whereas Christians on the contrarie must thinke on such things as may preuent offence procure loue and winne if it may be euen estranâ—ed affections But yet howsoeuer this salutation is generally due from equall to equall yet there are some excepted cases in the Scripture 1. such a one as lyeth in some open sinne and hateth to be reformed not yeelding to godly counsell out of the word a superiour here may forbeare to speake to such a one by way of correction but so as he must haue care that he aime at the fault and not at the person and make it so known to the person that he testifieth not the hatred of his person but of his sinne Thus Dauid banished Absolon from the court for killing Amnon 2. There are open enemies of God and of his truth of his Church who haue sold themselues to maligne it such sworne enemies wee may not thus embrace 2. Ioh. 10. If any man bring not this doctrine
bid him not God speede and 2. King 3.14 Elisha telleth Iehoram an idolatrous king that had it not beene for the good king Iehosaphat he would not haue looked vpon him nor seene him And yet this hindreth nothing but that we must salute our owne priuate enemies though we may not the open enemies of God 3. If any haue sinned the sinne vnto death we may not pray for them therfore not salute them 1. Ioh. 5.16 This is the former kind of salutatioÌ„ but not that which the Apostle speaketh of in the text but the latter which is a more inward and entire affection betweene such as are of the houshold of faith who are straitlyeâ— knit together then by the bonds of humanitie and ciuill conuersation for besides these they are tyed by the bond of the spirit of faith of a most holy profession and are brethren not in the flesh but in the faith yea heires of the selfe same inheritance in glorie These are said to loue one another in the faith If they therefore be to be kindly saluted which hate vs much more they which loue vs and if they which loue vs in the flesh much more they which loue vs in the faith and that with a most heartie and large affection Hence note 1. that religion bindeth man to man in the straitest bond for 1. the spirit is the tyeâ— of it and hence is it called the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and indeede it must be a wonderfull bond that can reconcile such deadly enemies as men are before they come into the kingdome of Christ Isa. 11.6 2. Gods image wheresoeuer it is is exceeding beautifull and a great binder especially where renewed and repaired which beeing once espied let the outward condition be what it can be a religious heart seeth sufficient matter of loue and will knit the soule vnto the soule of such a one 3. It addeth strength and firmenesse to all other bonds of nature affinitie desert c. and maketh them more naturall What a true friend was Ionathan to Dauid because he saw that God was with him his soule claue vnto him though the kingdome was to be rent from him for it yet could he not rent his heart from Dauid If Ioseph had not had more then nature he could not but haue reuenged such infinite wrongs vpon his brethren whereas the grace of his heart made him say It was not you my brethren but God sent me before you Consider also of the example beyond all imitation of our Lord Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe to the death for vs when we were yet his enemies 4. This loue must needes be most lasting for beeing loue in the truth for the truthes sake it shall continue so long as the truth doth but the truth abideth with vs and shall abide with vs for euer· and this is the cause that whereas the loue of nature dieth with it and the loue of wicked men dieth with their persons this loue liueth in death yea when goeth to heauen with a man and getteth strength and perfection then faith ceaseth and hope vanisheth away Vse 1. Whence we are taught most familiarly to embrace them that loue vs in the faith and to make most account of their loue Many loue in the face many in the flesh many in nature onely the loue of Christians is a fruit of faith a worke of the spirit and â—herefore a surer bond then they all Well knew the Apostle that none was in comparison worth hauing but this he calleth for no other he careth for no other he mentioneth no other 2. Such as set into any societie with others if he would haue it comfortable vnto him let him strengthen all other naturall or ciuill bonds by this bond of religion let him labour to begin his loue in the faith or if he haue begunne elsewhere alreadie let him reforme the same hereby if he looke for any sound comfort in his estate for this is the cause that men often haue so little returne of loue from their wiues so little obedience from their children so little dutie from their seruants so slender respect from their equalls because they begin their loue and duties at a wrong ende and haue for other respects affected those with whome they liue but the least if at all for grace and religion which of all is the soundest most profitable and most comfortable Quest. But how may I knowe whether I loue an other in the faith oâ— no Answ. By these notes 1. If thou loue him because he is a member of Christ for this loue must be a fruit of faith and knitteth him that hath it to the members as faith doth to the head 2. If thou loue his soule first and will not suffer sinne vpon it 3. If thou spyest and dost reuerence the image of God in him and louest him that is begotten because of him that begat and preferrest the grace of his heart aboue all other outward parts and respects 4. If thou aboue all other things wish him yea if it be in thy power helpe him to a further part in the better part which shall neuer be taken from him 5. If the more thou seest grace to growe in him the more entire thy loue groweth towards him 3. This point sheweth their fearefull condition that make religion the verie cause of their hatred and malice against the godly an apparant marke of the deuill is stamped vpon them who for this cause compasseth the earth that if it were possible he might chase the image of God from off the face of it Secondly in that the Apostle saluteth such as loued them in the faith we may note what a mighty power the Gospel carrieth with it where the Lord will haue it effectuall These Cretians had beene a vile people and of most bruitish behauiour as we haue at large heard in the first Chapter but now there were amongst them such as loued Paul and such as claue vnto him in the faith the Gospel had tamed and subdued them had turned them out of their sauage and cruell natures had made them tractable and docible and of euill beasts had reduced them to Christian affection and conversation but of this we haue spoken before Grace be with you all Amen This is Pauls ordinarie farwell written with his own hand in all his Epistles whereas the Epistles themselues were written out by some of his Scribes And it is added 1. as the marke of his owne Epistle that he might preuent counterfeit writings for well knew he how neerely it concerned the Church to cleaue vnto those writings which were indited by the holy Ghost inspiring the Prophets and and Apostles and not to haue any other bastard writings obtruded vpon her in which practise the deuill was restlesse euen in those times 2. As a testimonie of singular affection and good will which can be by no better meanes expressed then by frequent and earnest prayers and