A Vineyard of any other possession is most deare to him that holds it that he will not part withall on any tearmes The Lord forbid it me y 1 Kings 21.3 said Naboth to Ahab that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers vnto thee Thus is the Church more deare and precious to the Lord than all other societies in the world z Psal 87.2 Hee loueth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob It a Isay 43.4 is precious in his sight He will giue men and people for her life b Cap. 62.3 It is a Crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall Diadem in the hand of her God Hence it is called c Isay 49.22 The beauty of the earth The standard of the Nations d Matth. 4. The holy Citie e Reu. 21.2.19 A citie whose walles and gates are of precious stones and the streets of gold f Cant. 2.1 The rose of the field The Lilly of the Vallies g and 4.13 15. The fairest amongst women An Orchard of Pomgranats A Fountaine of Gardens A well of springing waters And being compared with other societies h Cap. 2.2 3. As a Lilly amongst thornes and like the Apple-tree amongst the trees of the Forest So then by all these comparisons it is euident that there is no society in the world so excellent none so worthy none so amiable none so louely none so deare none so precious vnto the Lord as is his Church And thus in generall we haue seene what excellent proportion and congruity there is betweene them and how liuely by a Vine-yard the nature and condition of the Church visible is set forth Now more particularly if we compare the Church and the Vine it selfe together we shall finde the resemblances manifold either in respect of the Root or of the Branches or of the Banke or of the Wood or of the Leaues or of the Fruit there being no property in the one which is not in a sort answered in the other For the Root Qui viret in folijs venit à radicibus humor that we know sendeth sappe to euery Stem and Branch whereby they flourish and bring forth fruit and vnlesse they continue in the root they can neuer thriue nor prosper for thence it is whence they haue their moisture Thus the Church and euery true member of it receiueth the life and sappe of grace from Iesus Christ who is the root and into whom the multitude of true beleeuers are engrafted whereby they grow and bring forth fruit to God So that vnlesse they continue in him they cannot prosper but must needs fade and wither according to our Sauiours speech i Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine Vers 5. no more can ye except ye abide in mee I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without mee you can doe nothing Vers 6. If a man abide not in me hee is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them vp and cast them into the fire and they are burned In the Branches there is great resemblance diuers wayes 1. There are many branches in the root yet all make but one Vine so all the faithfull in the congregation and all the congregations of the faithfull in the whole world make but one only Church And albeit there are k Cant. 6.8 9. threescore Queenes and fourescore Concubines and Virgins without number yet saith Solomon speaking in the person of Christ my doue my vndefiled is but one And so witnesseth S. Paul l 1 Cor. 12.20 Now are they many members yet but one bodie One as sucking sap from one and the same root liuing by one and the same spirit m Ephes 4.4 and ruled by one and the same head Christ blessed for euer But of this more hereafter 2. All the branches of a Vine though they seeme to stand alike in the stocke are not alike fruitfull neither doe they all draw sap and moysture from the root for as some are fruitfull and flourish so some againe are barren and wither which are cut off and cast into the fire Thus is it in the Church visible all the members thereof are not alike incorporated into the root through the inuisible bonds of the spirit neither doe they n Iohn 15. bring forth fruit in him Some there are who are onely externally engrafted others there are who are also internally The former sort are such members of the Church visible who by externall baptisme haue giuen their names to Christ and so entred into the profession yet indeed are not Christs because they haue not the Spirit of Christ for though they are baptized with water yet they are not with the holy Ghost They haue Iohns baptisme but not Christs baptisme This kinde of Sacramentall engrafting will suffer a cutting off o Iohn 15.2 because they haue not the sap of grace ministred vnto them from the stocke of life but are as dead trees and branches The other sort are they who besides the outward engrafting are also inwardly engrafted by the holy Ghost into the stocke Christ Iesus and doe liue in him and grow in him and bring forth fruit to the praise of his name Notwithstanding both these sorts as they communicate together in the outward bonds of one profession as they visibly continue together like one visible body vpon that one root Christ Iesus on whom they all outwardly professe that they depend as on the fountaine of their sap and life so they both together make this visible Vineyard and Church on earth 3. There is no branch of any tree that exceedeth it Sine modo crescunt Plinie in growing and spreading forth it selfe in one weeke yea night how exceedingly is it shot So the true members of the Church exceed all others in growth in grace they are still spreading forth their branches growing from one degree of grace vnto another They are all for Addition and Multiplication nothing for Diuision or Substraction except in euill Virtutes Christianae sunt copulatiuae They sing the song of degrees adding to p 2 Pet. 1.5 Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godlinesse and to Godlinesse Brotherly-kindnesse and to Brotherly-kindnesse Charitie They be not like the old Moone in the wane but like the new euer in her increasings 4. The branches of the Vine grow the better for their pruning and not the worse bringing forth after it is cut more and better grapes not worse nor fewer Thus the Church and true members of the Church the more they bee afflicted the more they flourish as q Exod. 1.2 the people of Israel vnder Pharaohs tyranny the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied and grew Thus the Church of
propounded point let then this be considered of how Verse is the forme of speech which it hath pleased that wise and all-knowing Spirit to choose to reueale a great part of his reuealed will in for besides those speciall Psalmes and Canticles before mentioned there are sundry parts and bookes of holy Scripture Poetically pend as the booke of Iob the booke of the Psalmes the booke of the Prouerbs with Solomons Ecclesiastes and Canticles as the most learned Fathers of the Church haue testified And many other parcels of holy Scripture which we haue meerely translated into Prose are Verse in the Originall This me thinkes should put all out of doubt For who can be so irreligious as to think or imagine that the Holy Ghost would euer haue vsed any vndecent or vnlawfull manner of expression of his holy Mysteries and cause vs to giue credence to this truth viz. Poetrie and Poesie is an Art and exercise lawfull and praise-worthy Reason The commendable properties of which Art appeare in these two ancient Verses Metraparant animos Comprêndunt plurima paucis Aures delectant pristina commemorant Which I finde by r Withers preparation to the Psalter pag. 64. one thus Englished to my hand Verse doth the soule prepare and much in briefe affords It rauisheth the eare and things long past records There is Ryme Reason or Reason for Ryme First it prepares fits the soule for holy duties therfore we vse Psalmes before our Sermons 2. It comprehends much in a little as we see in the Psalmes For what are they but a Compendium of both Testaments 3. It delighteth the eare and causeth it to hearken more attentiuely as we haue before seene in the beginning 4. And lastly it is a great helpe to memorie and causeth things once learned long to be retained as we finde by experience in children and others what they learne in Ryme they neuer forget againe to their dying day Now to apply the point Vse 1 This may serue first to informe our iudgements concerning the lawfulnesse hereof that so this exercise and Art which is by some wrongfully held in contempt may be brought into a more reuerend esteeme for what is the maine cause so many speake against Poetrie but an ignorant misconceit they haue thereof imagining it to be but a vaine inuention of man and an vnfitting language for to expresse holy and sacred matters and mysteries by But that which hath beene said before serues for the discouery and I trust shall also for the recouerie of this error God hath vsed Verse to expresse a great part of his reuealed will vnto vs and hath mingled many of his heauenly precepts with the sweet and pleasing straines of Poesie and Numbers And therefore let it neither be thought a vaine and vnnecessary curiositie nor yet as some others doe a horrible and damnable impietie True it is in these wretched daies for the most part we shall finde that the subiect of Poesie is wantonnesse and lasciuiousnesse wherewith the mindes of youth are wonderously bewitched But yet as ſ Plut. de Music one said of Musicke we may say of it The proper and principall subiect of it is the Almighties praise Shall we then condemne the lawfull vse with the vnlawfull abuse That may not be Let vs cast away the fashion but keepe still the stuffe Let not the exercise it selfe be abhorred nor the vse thereof condemned but the corruption thereof For certainly there is no Art that doth set forth the glory of God which is the chiefe end of mans creation with so much excitation and expression as this Art doth And therefore by t Spondanus some it is preferred to all Arts and Sciences To conclude this vse if euery Art be the gift of God and if it be of him u Exod. 31.3 4 5 6. to inuent and finde out curious workes to worke in gold and siluer and in brasse c. Then must it likewise be of him to guide the pen and giue the tongue for speaking such excellent things and after so elegant a manner The like might be said for her sister Musicke This may likewise serue for a Reprehension of such Vse 2 as abuse this Art which in it selfe is so lawfull and commendable and by their wantonnesse cause it to grow contemptible And thus doe vainer Poets who by their lasciuious tymes lustfull Sonnets Plaies and Enterludes bring shame vnto the Art disgrace to Poesie and dishonour to the giuer The like is the practise of wicked Fidlers and Baladmongers who make it their profession and get their liuing by poisoning many a soule in alluring their mindes vnto vanitie with their bewitching harmonie and tempting charmes of lasciuious Musicke A shame it is that such Vermine should be suffered in so well a gouerned Common-wealth as this is And the greater is our shame in that our Magistrates haue no more care for the putting such good Lawes in execution as are already enacted for the punishment of these Come we now to the third circumstance propounded in this Preface to our consideration and that is the manner of the Prophets publishing this Poem which he did indite I will sing As the former particular gaue occasion to speake of the lawfulnesse of Poesie and versifying so doth this for the authoritie and lawfulnesse of Voice-Melodie and Singing Let the point be this Doct. Songs and Poems artificially modulated may lawfully be sung Songs and Poems artificially modulated may lawfully be sung for the setting forth of Gods praise This I will make good both by precept and practice out of the Old and New Testament Out of the Old * Psal 95.1 2. Come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs make a ioyfull noise to the rocke of our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanksgiuing and make a ioyfull noise vnto him with Psalmes And againe x Psal 66.1 2. 135.3 Make a ioyfull noise vnto God all ye Lands sing forth the honour of his name Praise the Lord for he is good sing praises vnto his name for it is pleasant As in these and many other places it is commanded So by many of Gods faithfull seruants we may finde it hath beene practised For y Numb 21.17 Israel sang this song Spring vp oh well Sing you vnto it z 1 Chron. 15. Dauid and a 2 Chron. 5. Solomon did likewise vse it and gaue appointment how the Iewes should sing Psalmes in their Temple So did b Exod. 15.1 Moses c Iud. 5.1 Deborah and Barak with others more as in the proofe of the former Doctrine appeared In the New Testament it is commanded in these expresse words d Ephes 5.19 Coloss 3.16 Speake to your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing and making melodie in your hearts vnto the Lord. And againe e Iam. 5.13 Is any amongst you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes And there also we finde it
vsed by f Acts 16.25 Paul and Silas who at midnight prayed and sang praises to the Lord and by g Mat. 26.30 Christ and his Apostles whose example is without exception who sang a Psalme together as at other times so that night in which our Sauiour was betrayed Thus out of holy writ we haue proued the point Vide Eccles hist Theod. lib. 2. cap. 24. Clem. Alex. lib. 2. Paedagog cap. 4. Euseb Eccles hist lib. 2. cap. 17. Much might be brought likewise for the further confirming of it out of Ecclesiasticall Historie if it were as needfull as easie so to doe of the practise of Christians since Christs time but of that much I will alledge only at this time that testimonie which h Lib. 3. cap. 33. lib. 8. cap. 9. lib. 10. cap. 4. Plinius secundus a Heathen who liued about 200 yeares after Christ gaue vnto the Emperour Traian in the behalfe of Christians They vse saith he to rise before day to celebrate Christ in Psalmes as God And as Socrates reports neither Constantine nor Theodosius euer began a battell i Socrat. Schol. Eccles hist lib. 7. cap. 22. but first they and their souldiers sung Psalmes and made supplications to the Lord. Let vs now come to some profitable vse And first it serueth soundly to lesson such as condemne Vse 1 this exercise or deride such as vse it either in publike or in priuate Such mockers are euery where to be found who as they deride all other parts of Gods seruice so amongst the rest this But if it be a worke of Gods spirit to sing and if Gods children k 1 Cor. 14.15 sing with the spirit as S. Paul auoucheth then against whom doe these open their mouthes whom doe they blaspheme A lamentable thing it is that in a Land professing the Gospell and after the continuance of the publike preaching thereof so many yeares such an ancient laudable and holy exercise should be made a matter of scorne in the seeming of any The Lord lay not this sinne vnto our charge Vse 2 Secondly let vs be stirred vp on all sides to a conscionable performance of this Christian dutie We haue seene it commended to vs by the practise of Gods Saints and by Christ himselfe And not only so but commanded likewise in expresse termes so that wee may not thinke it as a thing indifferent whether we sing or no but euery man to whom God hath giuen the facultie of singing ought as well this way as any other to set forth his Makers praise Motiues to singing Now the better to stirre vs vp to the performance hereof for we shall finde our flesh backward enough as well in this as in any other good exercise I might vse many motiues One taken from the admirable effects and vertues of the Psalmes there being in them a pretious balme for euery present sore so as that there is no temptation nor affliction which can befall a Christian but in the Psalmes he may finde both the formes of expressing them and their meanes of remedie Another might be drawne from the practise of the dumbe creatures As the Larke and other birds which shut vp the light with a sweet dittie and againe saluteth the Sunne when it begins to peepe the next morning with such sweet straines as God hath naturally giuen to it This l Ambros Hexā lib. 5. cap. 12. one of the Ancients vseth as a motiue to draw vs to the exercise of singing For how can men but blush saith he to remember that they haue begun or ended a day without a Psalme when they see the birds those wilde quiristers of the wood constant in their deuotions beginning and ending the day with variety of song But I loue not to be tedious Remember only what Dauid saith m Psal 147.1 It is a good thing to sing praises to our God It is pleasant and praise is comely There are some things good but not pleasant as afflictions Some things are pleasant but not good as sinne And some things may be both good and pleasant yet not comely But this is all It is good because commanded of God and agreeable to his will as before hath beene proued It is pleasant as the children of God experimentally haue witnessed who in time of tribulation haue vsed them as a great meanes of consolation and as a sweetning to their tortures So did Theodorus a man young in yeares though not in grace of whō we reade n August de Ciu. Dei lib. 18. cap. 52. Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 35. that being cruelly tortured with vnheard of torments from the breake of the day vntill the tenth houre without intermission and then set on horsebacke on both sides tortured by the executioners sang with a cheerefull countenance the 96 Psalme Which vndaunted constancie the Officer perceiuing sent him backe againe to prison reporting to the Emperor what was done and with all told him that vnlesse he forbare to exercise such cruelty it would redound to their glory and his shame It is comely for it is the exercise of the Angels in heauen to sing praises and Halleluiahs to the Lord. Wouldst thou then exercise thy selfe in that which is both good pleasant and comely then sing Psalmes for all these are met in that one dutie Now for as much as many a good duty is mard in Vse 3 the making and spoyld in the performance let me adde a third vse for our direction and therein shew what is required of vs in our singing that God may haue the glory The rules that concerne this exercise are summarily comprehended in these words of the Apostle to the Colossians Coloss 3.16 Teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. Here we haue directions both for Matter Manner and End Concerning the matter of our songs It must be first good and wholsome spirituall and heauenly Such songs we must sing as are either already in the word or else composed according to the word 2. It must be fitting that it may edifie It must teach and admonish and therefore wisdome is required euen in chusing of a Psalme that it may be fitting the occasion Concerning the manner of our singing these are the things required First it must be with the heart Now to sing with the heart is to sing with vnderstanding and with feeling For he that singeth and vnderstandeth not what he singeth what is he better than a sounding brasse or a tinckling cymball And therefore saith the Apostle p 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing but I will sing with the vnderstanding Our hearts must goe with our voyces the one must be lift vp as well as the other For God is a spirit and will be worshipped with the spirit Looke then to prepare thy heart before thou singest and awake thy tongue with q Psal 57.7 8. Plus valet
of man without glorifying his Maker is but dung and wormes but this dung and wormes by glorifying God shall be made glorious Now the only way to bring glorie to his name is by bringing forth the fruit of our planting Againe he saith By this we shall be his Disciples that is know and haue a testimony that we are so and indeed without fruit none can haue his vocation adoption or engrafting into Christ sealed vp vnto his soule He then that is vnfruitfull wants this testimony which euery one desires to haue and none to be without Againe he telleth them this was the end of their election before time and speciall vocation in time i Vers 16. Yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit Besides if a man endeuour to bring forth fruit he is sure to speed when he hath any suit to God and therefore in the same verse he addeth this as a reason to his exhortation That whatsoeuer they should aske of his Father in his name he might giue it them If all this will not serue to make vs fruitfull that which our Sauiour saith in the beginning of that chapter me thinks should awaken vs Vers 2. for Euery branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away and presently after If a man abide not in me viz. to bring forth fruit he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Much more might be said for the pressing of this so necessarie a dutie My desire is to say enough and but enough now what hath beene spoken is enough if God shall please to accompanie it with his grace and operation of his blessed Spirit without which neither this nor all that can be said will be enough to worke vs hereunto By this time haply thy heart may smite thee for thy barrennesse and the Spirit may begin to worke within thee a desire after the fruits of holy life insomuch that out of the longing desire of thy soule which thou hast of fruitfulnesse thou wilt now come to me as those Publicans and souldiers came to Iohn saying k Luke 3.10 Cap. 10.25 What shall we doe Or as that Lawyer came to Christ with Master what shall I doe If this be thy next question what thou shouldst doe to become fruitfull I would aduise thee to follow these directions See thou be remoued out of thy naturall soile Directions how to grow fruitfull and be engrafted into another stocke For that thou maist be fruitfull thou must be as it is said of the godly man in the first Psalme l Psal 1.3 A tree planted because by nature the best of vs are but as wilde Oliues and if euer we become fruitfull trees we must of necessitie be transplanted from the first Adam into the second The tree must be good before the fruit can be m Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree euill and the fruit euill saith our Sauiour for men n Cap. 7.16 gather not grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles Vers 18. As a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit so neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Vntill thou be a plant planted in the house of the Lord and engrafted into Christ by a true faith and made a new creature by Regeneration hauing a beleeuing heart and a good conscience thy fruit can neuer be good all thy workes are as so many sinnes yea thy best works are but as rotten weeds Thornes and Thistles thou bringest forth and therefore art o Heb. 6.8 nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned but being once engrafted into this stocke Iesus Christ thou canst not but bring forth fruit incontinent though not such plenty and store of fruit as afterwards for such a liuely power of life is in it that wert thou as dry as Aarons withered rod yet thou shalt presently be changed into a flourishing and fruitfull tree As the Theefe vpon the Crosse p Luke 23.39 who no sooner was set into it but he beares fruit in an instant 1. Reprouing his fellow theefe for his sinne in railing vpon Christ 2. Iustifying Christ and pleading his innocencie giuing a good testimonie of him 3. Condemning himselfe acknowledging Gods righteousnesse in laying that punishment vpon him 4. Crauing mercy and forgiuenesse from his Sauiour desiring him to remember him when he came into his kingdome so thou being ioyned vnto him that is raised from the dead q Rom. 7.4 shalt bring forth fruit vnto God Labour therefore to be engrafted The ordinarie meanes is the word preached for as in grafting so here God is the husbandman Christ the stocke Beleeuers the imps the Spirit the sap the word the sawe the Sacraments the ligatures As therefore without a knife or sawe to open and riue the stocke and let in the imps no man can graft so without the word no hope of this benefit And this that hath beene said ouerthrowes a point of naturall and Popish religion viz. That a man may be iustified and saued by his good workes when by this that hath beene said we see that good workes can only be the fruits of persons already iustified Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum August and that which followes cannot be the cause of that which went before The fruit cannot make the tree to be good it doth only declare and manifest that it is good according to that speech of our Sauiour r Matth. 7. The tree is knowne by his fruit In the second place that thou maist be fruitfull see thou plant thy selfe by the running brookes Seat thy selfe vnder a powerfull Ministerie that so thou maist be partaker of those waters Å¿ Ezek. 47.12 which flow from vnder the threshold of the Sanctuarie Water we know causeth fruitfulnesse as drought doth famine The inundations of the riuer Nilus caused Aegypt to be so fruitfull So these spirituall waters will cause vs mightily to fructifie and increase and make vs t Isay 44.4 spring vp as amongst the grasse and as willow by the water courses Thus the Church as it was planted in a fruitfull field so was it likewise placed by u Ezek. 17.5 great waters insomuch that it grew and became a spreading vine And the godly man being planted by the riuers of waters * Psal 1.3 brought forth his fruit in due season Is it then the true desire of thy soule to fructifie and bring forth fruit See then that thou frequent the Sanctuarie of the Lord. x Iob 8.11 Can the rush grow vp without mire or can the flag grow vp without water Is it possible that thou shouldst increase in grace and goodnesse and yet neuer drinke of the waters of Shiloah It cannot be If therefore thou hast not in thy owne fountaine seeke to thy neighbours and carry
by a Deputie nor Atturney Thus the godly man is compared to a tree that bringeth forth h Psal 1.3 her fruit in due sâ—ason It must not then be borrowed fruit for so an heart as stonie and barren as Cheapside it selfe may be made a far richer garden than some of those are where those herbes brought thither naturally grew The Papists indeed would faine make vs to beleeue that if our owne lampes be without oile we may goe and borrow of our neighbours to supply our wants For holy men of God say the Rhemists i Supererogatio quasi super id quod erogatur Rhem. Annot. on Luke 10.35 2. Cor. 8.14 1 Cor. 9.16 haue done not only that which they ought to doe but more than was required at their hands as for example Iohn Baptist fasted more than he was commanded and Mary liued more strictly than she was required now these superabundant works as a Church treasure becommeth an aduantage to others who are more defectiue and indeed hang as it were vpon the Popes tally for who giues most But these workes of supererogation are workes of superarrogation our Sauiour hath taught vs this lesson k Luke 17.10 When we haue done all we can we are but vnprofitable seruants And therefore let none build their hope vpon such a sandy foundation as the good workes of others another mans meat cannot nourish me another mans garment cannot warme me another mans eie cannot guide me neither can another mans workes saue me You call vpon your Minister to preach for himselfe vpon your seruants to doe their worke for themselues and vpon your Captaine to leade his company for himselfe and therefore let me call vpon you to doe good duties by your selues and for your selues Let not great men thinke to goe to heauen by their Chaplaines nor Wiues by their Husbands nor Parents by their Children nor seruants by their Masters by whom vsually they are religious here and thinke to be glorious hereafter Let me craue your patience a little in hearing a Storie which though in it selfe it be idle and fained yet may be of good vse to set forth a truth vnfained There was a certaine man saith the Legend which would neuer goe to Church himselfe but euer when he heard the Saints bell ring would say to his wife Goe thou to Church and pray for thee and me one night he dreamt that both he his wife were dead that they knocked together at heauen gate for entrance Peter being the imagined and supposed Porter lets in the wife but keepes out the husband Illa intrauit pro se te telling him thus She is entered in both for her selfe thee For as she went to Church for thee so she is gone to heauen for thee This is the Fable The Morall is good and instructs euery one to haue a personality of faith and proprietie of fruit that himselfe seruing God himselfe may be blessed of God So willeth the Apostle l Gal. 6.4 Haue reioicing in thy selfe alone and not in another It is his m Hab. 2.4 owne faith the iust shall liue by and a mans n 2 Cor. 5.10 Luke 16.2 owne workes that he must giue an account of For at the last day the question will not be what hath he done but what hast thou done And therefore let thy grand 〈◊〉 be to prouide an Answer to that Question which will put the greatest part of the world to a Nonplus See then that thou preach for thy self if thou haue a calling thereunto pray for thy selfe giue thankes for thy selfe serue God for thy selfe and thus make the Prouerbe good which otherwise is deuillish Euery man for himself God for al. Preuention And yet to auoid all scruples I would not so be vnderstood as if we might not ioine with others in holy duties for that we may yea must or that we are not to pray for others or haue others pray for vs for this ought to be only we are not to content our selues with what is done by them vnlesse we ioine in heart and doe the like our selues Neither doe I thinke it a thing vnlawfull but fitting if a Samuel be in presence that he should performe these holy duties be it in any family and blesse the meat be it at any mans table for at such a time the Lord and Master of that house or family how great soeuer should giue way But as for children to giue thankes at their Fathers board except in case before that they are Prophets I thinke it not expedient Sure I am Christ neuer put his Disciples to it though they were men growne vp and of ripe yeares but euer gaue thankes himselfe And therefore the practise of many parents is too too childish who make their children their chaplaines and if they be out of the house grace shall be out of the parlour as if it were vnbeseeming their worthinesse to call vpon God for a blessing vpon what they eat Secondly our fruit it must be kindly fruit For no man gathereth grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles o Matth. 7. Good ground we know bringeth forth fruit of the same kinde and nature with the seed that it was sowed withall and not tares when wheat was sowne nor cockle when barley was cast into the ground Thus a Christian mans fruit must be such a conuersation as may beseeme the Gospell p Phil. 1.27 thy fruits may not be fruits of the flesh which are so rife so ripe yea rotten No nor fruits of ciuill righteousnesse wherewith many content themselues concluding they are trees of righteousnesse because they pay euery man his owne deale iustly truly and so carry themselues as that no man can say blacke is their eie when notwithstanding they are void of all true pietie and sanctitie No nor fruits of externall profession of Religion or outward reformation But the fruit God expecteth from thee must be kindly resembling the Author which is the Spirit of grace and that holy and pure seed which is the word of grace Such fruits as those reckoned vp by the Apostle q Gal. 5.22 23. Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith c. other fruits than these or the like to these beseeme not Christians r Ephes 5.3 4. As for fornication vncleannesse couetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you saith the same Apostle as becommeth Saints Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor iesting which are not conuenient If it becommeth not a Saint once to name these things much lesse to beare them and bring them forth Muddie water is lesse offensiue in a puddle than in a fountaine Brambles and briars doe a great deale better in a hedge or thicket than in a garden knot Let one worldling doe as another worldling does but let no worldlings practice be a president to thee What if my Lady Iesabel and other gentlewomen in Court and Citie haue such a complexion such haire
a smaller one would doe Let the wicked storme and fret and breathe out threatnings against Gods Church and people this we know assuredly they may doe what they can but they cannot doe what they would And thus much for the first circumstance which concerneth the Author or inflicter of the iudgement Now followeth the second which concernes the punished or the parties on whom it is inflicted and they are Gods owne people a people whom hee chose for his peculiar before any other people in the world beside it was his Vineyard his owne enclosure as these words thereof and it doe note vnto vs. Let this then be our obseruation hence Doct. God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him That God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him but will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes The Scriptures propose many examples our eares haue heard many reports our eyes behold daily many presidents which may confirme this Doctrine What dolefull complaints doe we reade that the Church maketh euery where in the Lamentations x Lament 1.18.20 2.1 c. Behold oh Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse The sword spoileth abroad as death doth as home c. How lamentably doe the godly bemoane themselues and the estate of the Church in the Prophesie of Isay y Isay 64.9 10 11. Be not angry O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer behold see we beseeth thee we are thy people Thy holy cities are a wildernesse Zion is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautifull house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste And how doth the Prophet Dauid expresse the burden of his afflictions wherewith he was afflicted in the z Psal 6.3 32.4 Booke of the Psalmes a Psal 38.2 3. Thine arrowes saith he sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne And againe thus b Psal 116.3 The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of hell gat hold vpon me I found trouble and sorrow and many such like patheticall complaints he makes The whole Booke of the Iudges may be a proofe for this truth wherein wee see how the people of Israel proceeding to doe euill in the sight of the Lord he sold them into the hand of his and their enemies We might further instance in Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and others all which make this good that God spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 Two Reasons may be giuen hereof First That the Lord might declare himselfe to be an aduersary to sinne in all men c Psal 51.4 and that the wicked may see he is not partiall to any when his commandements are not regarded Reason 2 Secondly That he may reduce his seruants from running on headlong with the wicked to perdition For were wee altogether exempted from the rod how wanton and froward would we grow and into how many perils would wee cast our selues And so saith Saint Paul d 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world Obiect But did not Christ giue himselfe for his Church and shed his bloud for their redemption was not their sins punished in him How comes it then to passe they are still subiect to Gods heauie vâ—sitations Resp. True it is that Christ did beare away all our punishments but he hath not freed vs from fatherly corrections Now when God afflâ—cteth his in this world it is more for medicine than for punishment more for a correction than for a penaltie Losses crosses pouertie imprisonmeent sicknesse yea death it selfe are not to vs punishments nor curses properly but fatherly chastisements being inflicted as furtherances of sanctification not as meanes of satisfaction And thus you haue this obiection answered and my doctrine confirmed viz. God will not spare any no not his owne people when they sin against him Vse 1 Which being so this may terrifie wicked and vngodly ones who make a trade of sinne driuing after it as it was said of Iehu in another case as if they were mad and yet imagine because God for a time e Psal 50.21 holdeth his peace and keepes silence that hee is such a one as themselues a louer and approuer of their wicked waies But oh you fooles how long will you loue folly and when will you grow wise Doth God correct the flock of his owne pasture the children of his owne houshold and shall you goe scot-free Doth the Lord chastise them so heauily the burden of whose sins Christ hath borne in his bodie on the crosse and shall such as Christ neuer died for no nor yet f Iohn 17.9 prayed for escape shall not many prayers and teares sighes and groanes petitions of Gods Saints requests of the Spirit together with the daily intercession of Iesus Christ Gods only and welbeloued in whom he is well pleased keepe off such bitter things from them who but now and then breake out Woe and alas then what shall become of you who neuer pray sigh nor shed teare for sinne for whom Gods blessed Spirit makes no request and who haue no interest in the mediation and intercession of that iust and righteous Aduocate who sinne not of infirmitie and weaknesse but boldly and presumptuously with a high hand against the Lord Thinke of an answer to those interrogatories which the Spirit of God propoundeth to thee in holy Writ g Ier. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the Citie which is called by my name and shal you goe vtterly vnpunished And againe h Cap. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt escape And againe i Luke 23.31 If these things be done to the greene tree to them who haue in them the sap of grace what shall be done to the drie to them who haue no moisture of goodnesse And againe k 1 Pet. 4.17 18 If iudgement first beginne at vs who are the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare What answerest thou to these why speakest thou not And now O my God behold how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I heare an answer true but terrible l Psal 11.5 6. The Lord indeed will trie the righteous in his furnace but the wicked and such as loue iniquitie doth his soule hate vpon the wicked shall he raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest
liuing what credit is it for him to brag that such an estate was left him nay is it not a shame So if the vertues of thy parents liue in thee it is then a grace vnto thee that thou descendedst from their loynes otherwise the contrary The very Heathen x Ouid. Metam lib. 13. Juuenal Sat. 8. haue rather choose to descend of vnnoble parents so themselues were noble and renowned through vertue than to come of worthy parents and progenitors and themselues to grow base and degenerate out of kinde So it is better to be religious and the sonne of wicked parents than being the sonne of godly parents to be wicked Cain Cham Ismael and Esau might boast of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac the noblest parents who on the other side might blush and grieue at such degenerate issues Walke then in the steps of thy godly parents and speake not of thy bloud Non genus sed genius non gens sed mens but of thy good not of thy parents vertues but of thy owne for what hath a coward to doe to glorie in the valour of his father And I would that Papists would consider of this who brag that their Pope and Bishops are the Successours of Peter and the rest of the Apostles Well admit this to be true yet can they shew vs how they succeed them in their gifts and graces If they cannot as all the world may see they cannot their personall succession is nothing worth and they brag of an emptie title without honour It remaines now that we come to taka a view of the fruits which this Vineyard brought forth which is the third and last thing I propounded to be considered Text. Hee looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crie Here we see first what fruits they were which God especially expected and they were fruits of the second Table Iudgement Righteousnesse And secondly what were the fruits which they returned namely Oppression A crie I might obserue hence from the Prophets elegancie adorning of his speech Rhetorically by a figure thus much that Doctr. Rhetorick may lawfully be vsed in the handling of Gods word Vse Rhetoricke is an Art sanctified by Gods Spirit and may lawfully be vsed in handling of Gods word There might be brought diuers instances out of holy Scripture wherein all the parts of Rhetoricke are vsed and euery approued rule of it practised yea euen in this very Prophesie But I hasten towards a conclusion and therefore passe from this with a word of admonition to all that we beware how we condemne the lawfull vse with the abuse For the Art it selfe is to be approued and onely the abuse thereof to be condemned But I come to the particulars in my Text. He looked for iudgement righteousnesse He doth not say he expected Oblations and Sacrifices which this people were abundant in as Chap. 1.11 but he expected that Iudgement and Iustice should be administred the cause of the poore pleaded and all good duties and offices of loue should be shewed towards our brethren and those who were in need Sundrie points might hence be raised but I will only obserue this one which is as the summe of all The works and duties of the second Table are in speciall manner expected and respected by God Doctr. The duties of the second Table God especially respects In the first Chapter of this Prophesie wee may reade how forward this people were in the outward duties of the first Table y Isay 1.11 offering multitude of sacrifices and burnt offerings of Rammes and the fat of fed beasts c. But God he cals them off and tels them he would none because they had no regard of the duties of the second Table z Verse 15.16 for their hands were full of bloud Then exhorting them to repentance hee wils them to testifie the truth thereof by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance And for their better direction he instanceth in some particulars making choice not of such duties as immediately concerne himselfe but of such as especially concerne our neighbour a Verse 17. Seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow As if he had said vnto them You offer multitudes of sacrifices and obserue solemne daies and Feasts the new Moones and Sabbaths and the like and are not wanting in the outward duties of the first Table But I especially respect the duties of the second wherein you haue beene wanting and therefore labour to finde out what is right and seeke after that iustice that God requires in his Law dealing with others as you would be dealt withall giue ouer your crueltie exercise mercie and stretch forth your helping hand for the releeuing and defending of such as are in need And in the 58. of this Prophesie we may reade how God reiects their b Isay 58.6 7. prayers and fastings because they regarded not to shew mercy and kindnesse vnto the poore and needie and withall shewes them what manner of Fast it was that he required namely to loose the bands of wickednesse to vndoe the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free To deale bread vnto the hungrie to bring the poore that are cast out vnto their houses to cloath the naked and the like This was the Fast that God did especially respect In the Prophesie of Micah we may reade what large proffers the wicked make c Micah 6.6 7. They will come with burnt offerings and calues of a yeere old they will offer thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oile they would giue their first borne for their transgression the fruit of their bodie for the sinne of their soule so that God would be pleased herewith But yet all this would not please him d Verse 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God without this all the former is nothing worth Thus we see verified what we finde recorded by the Prophet Hosea I desire Mercie and not Sacrifice e Hos 6.6 It is better pleasing vnto God to see the duties of Iustice and Righteousnesse of Mercie and louing kindnesse performed to our neighbour than to haue Sacrifices neuer so many or great seuered from these done vnto himselfe The workes and duties that the second Table requires to be performed of vs are most expected and respected by him Reas For the touchstone of piety and true religion towards God is our iust and righteous dealing with our brethren f 1 Ioh. 3.10 Herein are the children of God knowne and the children of the Deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loueth not his brother True faith is operatiue g Iam. 2.18 26. and worketh by loue and is to be manifested by our workes without which it is to be iudged dead as S.