Profaners of the Sabbaoth 124 Prouision for the poore 160 Prouidence of God orders all thinges 295. It exempts men from sinne 300. It comforteth 302. It giueth contentation 303 Puritan how it arose 93 Q. Questions answered whether the holy Ghost be excluded in Salutations 4â— Why Paule cals God his God 66. Whether Faith respecteth the Saints Ibid. Why Faith is restrained to the Saints 67 how Infants can be saued that want faith 8â— Whether all that cannot say God is their God are Reprobates 81. Whether the Spirit may bee lost 133. Whether a Christian may not be angry 174. Whether it be sufficiently to haue Faith inwardly in the heart and so to conceale our Religion 88. Whether vnlawfull to respect persons 189 Whether we may heare none but our owne Pastors 202. Whether God be not able to saue vs without the ministers 215 Whether al men would beleeue if they heard God speake 218 How the promise of long life is kept 39 What they must doe that are not able to restore 413 We must not aske the question why all beleeue not 240 Question whether it be lawfull to sue at the Law 246 Whether the faithfull can fall away 491. R Rash Iudgement 6 Reading is not Preaching 208 Who hold reading to be preaching 209 Reioyce when we ought 68 Repinining See Enuy. Religion must be professed 86 Reproofe of such as loue onely the vngodly 115 Reproaches See Taunts Repentance blots out the reproach of sinne 88 317 Residents required of Pastors 19â— 196 Reason against Non residency 196 197. Regeneration wrought by the word See Preaching Reuenge not iniuries 304. Reasons to proue we ought not 305 Repentance not to be delayed 318 Repetitions 406 Restitution 413 Reward a meanes to moue to godlinesse 226 Religion brings profit with it 230. The seuerall sorts of profit 231. It makes all the Family dutifull 234. It is no inheritance 237 Reformed Families haue often in them vnreformed persons 237 Repentant offenders must be forgiuen 244 Reioyce at our Brothers good 421 Regeneration 424 Reproofe 430 Reward prooues not merit 463 Rich men want reproouers 27 Rigour 480. in punnishing to be auoyded 176 177 Riches abused 275. Riots and Rowts condemned 369 S. Sabaoth to be duly sanctified 23 Saints are not to be prayed vnto 66. not to be beleeued in 103. why so called 117. There are Saints vpon earth 118 Two sorts of Saints 118. No reproach to be a Saint 119 Saints of the Popes making 121 Saints how they may be honoured 145 Wherein it consisteth Ibid. Salutations 465. they beseeme the Seruants of God 471 Sanctification a signe of election 122. necessary in all Ibid. Seruants we are to all 134 Sermons read 212 Seruants are of two sons 365. how they must do their duty 284. Whatsoeuer they do heartily is accepted 285. how they are made obedient 235 Seruants â—…lly entreated 329 Sacraments 391. What they are ibid. the causes of them 392 Sathan hinders prayers 462. how he poisoneth it 461. he perswades it will merrit ibid. how he is to be resisted Ibid. Sins of the penitent not to be increased 311 Selfe-Loue 258 Sinfull men contemne the Ministry 296 Sharpenesse See Rigour Slanderers of the godly reproued 96. they are petty-Deuils 144. we may be such by holding our peace 429. Slander to religion to make it enemie to Princes 263 Slander that we make God the author of sinne 301 Solitary life 23 Soule-Labour is greatest 36 Soule-Loue the truest 44 Societies of the vngodly must bee shunned See Company Soule more excellent then the body 505 Spiritual blessing chiefly to be craued 49 Sport not at sinne 72 Spirit compared to fire 133 Spiritual graces to bee preferred before earthly 500 Speech how to be ordered 477 Standers at a stay reprooued 131 Stirre vp the guifts of God See Gifts Strangers not to be wronged 443. Infidels respected them Ibid. Superiours to be reuerenced 177. they beate Gods Image 178. they must vse mildnesse toward Inferiors 333 334. they must instruct them 344. Profitable Meditations for Superiors 335 Suretyship lawful 373. how it may be vsed lawfully 377 Christ became our Surety 375 Sureties for euil persons 379 Rash Suretiship the vndoing of many 381 Sureties must do three things 383 Submission to the Gospel 401 Subscription 494 Suing at Law 246. what to be obserued in it Ibid. Suspitions 427 T Taunts must not discourage vs. 120 Tale-bearers 427 Testaments of the dead allowed 387. rules to be obserued in them ibid. Thankesgiuing required 68. 425. 456. it is to be giuen to God alone ibid. not only for our selues ibid. not to be seuered from prayers ibid Theft in borrowing 4 3 Time-seruers 486 Times and seasons of our conuersion in Gods hands 607 Titles giuen to the Ministers 34 Triall of our conuersion how to be made 232 Translations of Scripture â—09 True Religion alters a man â—27 Troubles of our Brethren must touch vs 422. we must seek to remedy them 423 Tongue 475. 476. How to order it in speaking 477. How it is abused Ibid. English Traytors made Romish Saints 19 Turkes Common-wealth 376 V No valour to reuenge 250 Vaine to set our selues against the Gospell 3 Vaine-glory 146 147 Vanity of this World 505 Vexing of the Saints 1â—0 A vexation to dwell among the vngodly 150 Vnequall marriages 32 Vncertainty of humane things 154 155 Vnblameable infirmities See Infirmities Vnrepentant Sinners must bee charged with their sinne 320 Vngodly hate the godly 325 326 Vnthankfulnesse of the poore 412 Vniuersall vocation and election there is not 240 Vncourteous speaches 475 Vnknowne tongue in prayer 498 Voyce of God cannot be indured 218 Vpbraiders of penitent persons 314 Vse maketh men prompt 133 Vse not guifts to the hindrance of others 138 Vse of our goods belongs to the Saintes 372 Vserers 410 W Want of outward blessings See blessings Weake ones not to be despiced 83. they must be strengthened 478 Weake Faith auaileable 285 Wiues must be helpers of their husband 29 A Christian Wife is a great blessing 30 Wiues must wait the fittest times 31 Wife that is godly 326 328 Way to breed obedience in all sorts 234 Wicked men haue nothing theirs 60. Al things are set against them Ibid. they are Bond-men 115 Wicked prouoke Gods wrath against Princes 268. They are the greatest breakers of Princes Lawes â—63 Wicked are Vsurpers 23â— 497. They are miserable in earthly things 49â— Willingnesse in all duties 2â—2 The minister must shew it in Preaching 286. The people in hearing 287 Worship must be performed with the whole body 94 Works of mercy must be specially shewed to the godly poore 111. They are accepted as done to Christ Ibid. Workes which are meritorious See Meritorious Wofull the estate of Apostataes 485 Wils of the dead See Testaments Word is seed and meate 130 World a bait 488 Worldly men reprooued â—01 Wretched estate of such as are without the preaching of the Word 213 Writings allowed for assurance 386. They stay suits 388 Y Yeare what best welcome to the couetous 409 Young persons owe duties to olde Men 180 They must suffer them to speak Ibid. they must giue them place Ibid. Z Zeale commended 10. Scoffers at it punished 10 11. It must be tempered with knowledge 11 True Zeale what it is 11. It is commended in good things 433 Zeale blinde 11 Faults escaped PAge 9. line 34. read knot of loue l. 36. r. prisoner of Christ page 5. l. 55. dele of p. 20. l. 41 42. r. our p. 36. l. 12. r. prison pag. l. 46. read if meat page 54. l. 54 read to reside page 77. li. 18. read but what pa. 123. l. 2. r. so old page 150. l. 34. r. mire p. 152. l. 18. r. leaues pag. 165 l. 18. read cooperation p. 167. l. 1. r. waies p. 174. l. 54. r. persons p. 178. l. 19. r. swarme p. 183. l. 43. dele bee p. 197. l. 7. read vigilant p. 219. l. 38. r. distractions p. 220. l. 18. r. and that p. 227. l. 15. r. the name p. 248. l. 18. r. not to hate l. 19. not to desire p. 250. l. 1. r. Amnon p. 254. l. 13. r. all such p. 265. li. 19. r. the inheritance p. 287. l. 18. r. and no. p. 288. l. 14. r vnto our p. 301. l. 1. r. could not p. 302. l. 7. r. spurre p. 303. l. 30. r. strayeth p. 319. l. 3. r. charge p. 341. l. 5. r. burned p. 350. l. 41. r. mutuall p. 352 l. 34. r. consent p. 360. l. 49. connecting p. 369. l. 44. r. being p. 370. l. 3. r. Churles p. 372. l. 13. read them not p. 381. l. 31. or the. p. 401. l. 11 r. guided p. 415. l. 30. dele no. p. 11. l. 15. r. albeit they want and ability to releeue them p. 260. l. 22. r. make him p. 433. l. 1. r. them striue p. 441. l. 31. r. to be the. p. 443. l. 11. r. no pitty p. 450. l. 50. r. to ouercome p. 457. l. 31. without profit p. 462. l. 24. r. of merriting p. 475. l. 52. vnregenerate heart p. 426. l. 12. r. not the. p. 427. l. 51. dele with p. 449. l. 42. read when he p. 447. l. 2. if we p. 267. l. 23. we had 227. in Margin r. Sophoc in Aiace p. 489. l. 21. read they will and l. 30. r. pace p. 495. l. 38. r. not want
meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
dooth more consume the inward parts wast the body impaire nature decay strength spend the vitall Spirits and cause them to be subiect to sundry infirmities sicknesses and diseases then any the strongest labour that is vsed among men For this we may obserue that the labours of the body though they bee great maintaine strength preserue the stomacke encrease the appetite and adde vigour to euery part but it is farre otherwise in the labours of the mind they weaken the naturall powers they wast the vitall Spirits and they decay the health of the body Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this precept to Timothy a Minister of the Gospell e 1 Tim. 5 23. Drinke no longer Water but vse a little Wine for thy stomackes sake and thine often infirmities declaring thereby that it often falleth out that the Ministers of the Gospell wich take paines in their callinges are feeble in body weake in strength sparing in dyet and subiect to diseases Vse 2. Secondly seeing the calling of a Minister requireth paines and labour it reprooueth those that be Idoll Shepheards dumme Dogges euill Beasts slow bellies not labourers but loyterers not worke-men but sleepers which make not the calling painefull but gainefull How many are there that enter into this waighty and worthy calling for their owne ease and to follow idlenes and pleasure How many to enrich themselues and to gather wealth The Prophet Esay f Esay 56 10 complaineth greatly of such in his time Chap. 56. 10. Their Watchmen are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe Dogges they cannot barke they lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping Let all such consider the greatnesse and height of their excellent caling and remember the honourable Titles whereby they are called that so they may bee put in minde of their duties Let them g Pro. 27 23. be diligent according to the counsell of Salomon To know the State of their flocke and take heede to the heards for Riches remaine not alwaies nor the Crowne from generation to generation And howsoeuer many that possesse the places occupy the roomes and vsurpe the Titles of Pastors doe glory in their calling and account themselues sent of God yet so long as they loyter in the Lords Haruest and will take no paines to winne Soules to God they are but Idols h Psal 115 6 7 8. They haue eyes and see not they haue a mouth and speake not neither make they a sound with their throat they that make them are like vnto them so are all that trust in them True it is they can say somewhat for themselues and can alledge sundry reasons to maintaine their ease and idlenesse i Pro. 26 16. And the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seauen men that can render a reason as appeareth in the example of the sloathfull Seruant who did hide his Maisters Talent notwithstanding if the diligence in their calling be not answerable to the dignity of their office they shall haue the reward of sluggards they shall haue the Talent and gifts which they haue receiued taken from them and the blood of those that perish through their negligence shall be required at their hands Againe it condemneth and conuinceth the senselesse opinion of vaine and vnthankfull men that cry out against the Ministers in euery place accounting their calling easie and themselues idle as liuing by the sweat of other mens browes and receiuing their meanes and maintenance without any manner of paines Albeit this obiection be indeede idle and deserue no answere and that it is in vaine to reason with the belly that hath no eares to heare nor hart to conceiue and albeit I stand in a slippery place because I should be censured to speake rather for our selues then for others and to respect more our owne gaine then the good of others yet somewhat must be said to this foolish and peeuish conceit Indeede I acknowledge freely some are vnprofitable drones that doe not gather but eate the Honny and some idle Shepheards that fleefe the sheepe but feede not the Flocke these I confesse haue their liuing come in easily who indeed deserue no liuing and because they wil not labour they should not eate and woe bee to them if in time they repent not But these men that obiect as before doe exclaime and cry out not against the abuses of the office or the slothfulnesse and negligence of men but against the calling it sefe contrary to the saying of Christ who teacheth k Math. 10. that the Labourer is worthy of his hire and the workeman of his meat and opposing themselues against the ordinance of God who hath appointed the Ministery to be maintained for as l 1 Cor. 9 13 14. they that Ministred at the Altar did liue of the Altar so God hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell As these men are ignorant of this high ordinance of God so they seeme not to know themselues They are so blinde so brutish and blockish that they knowe not by any experience from themselues m There is a labour of the soule as well as of the body that men haue soules and that there is an immediate soule-labour farre greater then bodily labour and likewise a soule-suffering which they shall one day feele if they repent not many waies exceeding and surpassing bodily suffering or any torment that befals the body Remember with mee and consider a little though it bee in an higher degree the sorrow of the Soule that was vpon Christ in the Garden without any the least touch and visitation of the bodie whether it were painefull and laboursome or not n Luke 22 44 When it so heated and crushed him that it caused him to sweat droppes of blood that trickled downe to the ground Many diseases of the body are very painefull and hard to bee borne but the greefe and anguish and horror of the soule is a thousand times more painefull according to that which Salomon speaketh in the Prouerbs o Pro. 18 14. Chap. 18. The spirit of a Man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it Furthermore there is persecution p Whitae de apontif Rom. quaest 5. cap. 2. of the Soule as well as a persecution of the body and these two are distinguished and differing one from the other For when Tyrants persecute the Church and rage with fury against the Saints their faith is not shaken but Religion then flourisheth most of all as we see when Israell was in Aegipt The greatest slauery and slaughter is when mens soules are corrupted with false doctrine Lastly is the calling of a Prince of a Counsellour of a Noble-man an idle calling because they vse not bodily labour This is as if a man should say q Cicero de Senectute that the Gouernour of the Ship doth nothing in sayling because while some climbe the Masts other walke vpon the
of them when a Caiet tract de concept de indulgent many among themselues doo seeme not much to respect them and affirme that the Saints canonized may be no Saints and the myracles whereupon it is grounded no myracles And because the Church of Rome speaking of Saints doo alwayes meane such as are in the Popes Kalender and of his canonization who is now helde to be the onely Saint-maker vpon the earth and propound such to the people to the honoured and worshipped let vs consider a little what those Saints are whom they adore and call vpon Our Sauiour Christ accuseth and reproueth be Samaritans b Iohn 4. Because they worshipped the thing which they knew not a worship they performed but they knew not what But this falleth flatly and fully vpon the papists heads for they worship many fictions for Saints shadows for men whereas there were neuer any such that liued vpon the earth It were easie to alledge sundry of this stampe but a fewe shall serue and suffice insted of many Saint George is worshipped among the Papists as a renowned Saint but such a Saint as they report and receiue this George to be was neuer extant in the world who is saide to haue killed a Dragon that was so big that foure yoake of Oxen could hardly draw him out of the City which c Baron notat in Martyr Roman Aprilis 23 sundry of their owne writers esteeme little better then a fable Secondly S. Christopher is solemnly adored by the Church of Rome who is reported of some to be a man of twelue foot long and of other to be twelue cubits high this is he that went vp and downe to seeke the Deuill to serue him for he said I go to seek my Lord the Deuill to serue him If this were a Saint hee was one of the Deuilles Saints whom he serued and called him Lord and not one of Gods Saints The like we might say of S. Catherine and infinit other whome falshood hath forged and deuised and superstition norished and retained Moreouer their Legends of Saints are so full of fables and fooleries that they doe not onely set them downe for Martyrs which neuer had being in the worlde but they adore deuoutly for Saints and Martirs those which by the confession of their wisest writers were pagans Iewes traitors hereticks men of a wicked life of a doubtful faith what was the soldier I pray you that pierced the side of christ but an Infidel for otherwise he would neuer haue thrust his speare so spightfully and offred that villany and violence to the body of our blessed sauiour yea it may probably appeare be gathered out of the scripture d Reuel 1 7. that hee was not only a cursed vnbeleeuer but a damned wretch reprobate and no approued history maketh mention of his calling and conuersion yet the blinde ignorant papists do worship this souldier as a Saint vnder the name of Longinus what is this but to make Pagans and Infidels Saints yea when so manie dead mens bones and blood their reliques and ashes are worshipped in euery coast and corner where popery raigneth what assurance can any man haue that he doth not worship the bones bodies of pagans heathens Gamaliell mentioned in the Acts was an incredulous Iew a right Pharisee e Acts 5 39. as apeareth by the counsel which he gaue to the Iewes in the Counsel fit for a Politician vnfit for a Christian shewing rather a wily witty head then a religious hart if he had beleeued in Christ he wold not haue feared to confesse his name yet hath he a place among the Romish Saints and reuerently are his relicks esteemed of them How many of their f Anselme Becket More Fisher Campian Sherwin c. English Martirs were diuellish traitors odious perfidious disloyall seditious rebellious vnfaithful to their Prince enimies to their country Some endeuoured to stir vp forrain Princes against their Soueraigne Lord which no man can deny to bee an act of treason Some went about to stirre vp the Kinges Subiects to rebellion and stood at open defiance and at the swords point with the Prince Others haue bin slaine in the field in the midst of the rebellion which themselues raised among the rebels which themselues armed Others were executed as notorious Traitors for maintaining the Popes Buls of deposing princes and would by no meanes condemn them none of them would promise to ioyn with the Princesse side and take her part if the Pope should send an army against hir to depose her person to spoile her subiects to inuade hir country Of this sort heere set downe thus qualified and sanctified are Becket More Fisher Forest Sanders Campian Sherwin Parry Ballard Babington Someruil and such like who are canonized by the Pope and agnized for Saints by the Papistes they pray vnto them and keep their bones and rags for holy reliques and worship them whereby it apeareth that they put those in the Popes kalender as rubricated Martirs and imagine them to be Saints in heauen who by al likelyhood are tormented damned with the deuils in hel The time will not suffer vs to make a Catalogue of these their Saints but this may suffice to shewe that the Papists honour diuers Saints which neuer liued in the world but are meerely fansied and fondly imagined others that are doubtful not certainly known to be such as they are reported others likewise that were pagans in superstition Iewes in religion Hereticks in profession traiotrs in practise and wicked men in their conuersation of whose damnation in hel there is more certainty then either of their faith in earth or saluation in heauen And thus wee will leaue them their Saints and their Saint-maker Vse 3. Thirdly seeing all they that belong to Christ are Saints it belongeth to euery man to try the assurance of his saluation by the fruits of his sanctification For heerby we may assure our selus that we are in the communion of saints if we lead a sanctified life If we haue our conuersation in holinesse wee shall haue in the end euerlasting life The Apostle teaching that the foundation of God abideth sure so that the Lord knoweth who are his sheweth how wee shal know that we are the Lords euen euery one for his owne assurance g 2 Tim. 2 19. must depart from iniquity Heereunto commeth the saying of Iohn in his first Epistle h 1 Ioh. 1 6 7. If we say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie do not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne And Paul writing to the Romaines saith i Rom. 8 10. If Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake We
For if they ought to be vnto euery one of vs as the Mother brethren yea as the flesh members of Christ they ought not to be neglected or contemned but to be cherished Heereby g 1 Iohn 3 14. we shall know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the bretheren On the other side we ought to mourne and lament for such as remaine in ignorance of God lie vnder the dominion of sinne and continue in the prophanenesse and abominations of their youth It is noted by the Prophet h Psal 1â—9 136 Luk â—9 41. Phil 3 18. that his eyes gushed out with riuers of waters because they kept not the law of God Christ Iesus mourned for the hardnesse of heart that appeared in his hearnrs he wept for Ierusalem when he came neere vnto it Righteous Lot was vexed day by day when he beheld the vncleane conuersation of the sinfull Sodomites The Apostle told the Phillippians of vaine walkers and that with teares that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ We see by common and daily experience when any of our friendes and familiars are dead or lye at the point of death a naturall affection toward them causeth vs to weepe and lament for them and draweth oftentimes from vs abundance of teares how much more ought it to go neere vs and make vs sob and sigh from the very depth and bottom of our hearts to see our bretheren lie dead in sinne and as it were rotting in the Graue of their corruptions or else to walke in the paths of death that bring with it certaine destruction and eternall damnation If a man should come into a field where he should behold thousands slaine with the sword wallowing in their bloud and others hauing receiued their deaths wound to languish in paine and to striue and struggle for life who would not account it a lamentable shew and most pitifull sight But thus is it with vs and this is the condition of many thousands that glory that they abide in health and yet are most dangerously sicke and diseased that thinke they are aliue and yet behold they are a company of dead carcasses that boast they are farre from the Gates of death and yet alasse they lie gaping and gasping for breath which is ready to be gone If there be in vs any life of Gods spirit or any loue of Godlinesse it cannot but greeue our soules to behold the desolations that are in the earth i Reuel 3 2. 1 Tim 5 6. Mat 8 22. and the languishing of many ready to die nay which are already dead in sinne and stinke in the nostrils of God and man For as a man hauing escaped shipwracke and gotten into an Hauen and Harbour reioyseth in his owne safety and comforteth himselfe in his deliuerance but when he behouldeth the misery of his brother suffering shipwracke and cast away by the violence of the stormes and Tempestes that beat vpon his barke which drowne both it and him in the Seas he cannot but greatly be greeued and exceedingly perplexed So ought it to be with vs howsoeuer the escaping from the filthinesse of the world and the vniting of vs with Christ our head doth breed in vs matter of great ioy and may worthily cause vs to reioyce yet when we see the bondage of our bretheren vnder k 1 Pet 2 19. sinne and the ruines into which they are come it cannot but worke in vs great anguish of spirit If we perceiue them to wander out of the way and to go astray from the simplicity of the Gospell and from the fold of Christ and fellowship of the faithfull it is our part to turne them backe and to gather them home For how l Math 18 12. thinke yee If a man haue an hundred sheepe and one of them be gone astray doth he not leaue ninety and nine and goe into the Mountains and seeke that which is gone astray and if so be that he finde it verily I say vnto you he reioyseth more of that sheep then of the ninety and nine which went not astray so is it not the will of your father which is in Heauen that one of these little ones should perish This loue toward the lowest that are conuerted to the faith and coupled to Christ reproueth two sorts of men First such as are ashamed of the poore Saintes who being without the comfort of friendes but not without contempt of the world are not regarded or esteemed He that despiseth his poore brother redeemed with the bloud of Christ would also despise and despight Christ himselfe if he walked vpon the earth He that honoureth not a faithfull man of low degree doth dishonour the faith it selfe and reprocheth the Gospell that he professeth yea he despiseth the Church and shameth such as are members of it This the Apostle Iames teacheth m Iam 2 2. If there come into your company a man with a Gold Ring and in goodly apparell and there come in also apoore man in vile raiment and ye haue a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say vnto him Sit thou heere in a goodly place and say vnto the poore Stand thou there or sit heere vnder my Footstoole Are ye not partiall in your selues and become Iudges of euill thoughts The needy seruants of God and poore afflicted Saintes are ashamed and blamed of the world they are scorned and scoffed at by the vngodly shall we then that are of the same Religion profession and communion ioyne hand in hand with them and contemne the faithfull that deserue to be honoured thereby adding more sorrow to their affliction and doubling the misery that is vpon them For it must needes lie heauy vpon them and euen oppresse them with anguish to finde this measure at our handes of whom they looked for comfort and counsell This appeareth in the saying of the Prophet n Psal 55 12. Surely mine enemy did not defame me for I could haue borne it neither did mine aduersary exalt himselfe against me for I would haue hid me from him but it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar It is made a note and marke whereby we may try our selues whether we belong to the Church of God and shall be receiued into the Kingdome of glory o Psal 15 4. that a vile person is contemned in their eyes but they honour them that feare the Lord. But the practise of many men is directly contrary who as they are of this world they magnifie and make much of the vngodly but tread and trample vnder their feet the Children of God as if they were a thing of no value The Apostle blameth the Corinthians and noteth it as a blot and blemish in them p 1 Cor 11 22 that they put the poore to shame separating themselues from them and refusing to partake the supper of the Lord with them Secondly it reproueth such as contemne those
is sweeter then the Hony it is purer then the Gold it is better then the Pearles more nourishable then meate more forceable then the Leauen more profitable then the Raine more comfortable then the Dew that falleth vpon the Herbs It is able to make a Blinde man see a Crooked man straight a Bond man free a poore man rich a sicke man whole nay a dead man it is able to make aliue againe This is a great worke it is a wonderfull Miracle that God worketh in the time of the Gospell We are borne dead in sinnes g Ephe. 2 1. and trespasses without Faith without Repentance without Grace without God without Hope without Sanctification without Saluation but the Word of God is able to bring restoring of sight to the blinde deliuerance to the Captiue liberty to the bruised healing to the broken hearted and life to the dead This is noted as the end of Paules calling and sending to Preach the Gospell h Act. 16 18. To open their Eyes that they may turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus Thus also the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes writeth i Heb. 4 12. The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged sword and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart If any aske the question how it hath this power I answer not by any inherent quality in it selfe nor by any force it receiueth from man that preacheth it but from the Supernaturall power of God k Gal. 2. and Psal 19 7 8 13 who is mighty in the hearts of men reioycing the heart conuerting the Soule giuing wisedome to the simple graunting light vnto the eyes and keeping from presumptuous sinnes by it Reason 2. Secondly that way whereby God worketh Faith in vs by the same meanes he beginneth our new-birth and maketh vs his owne Children But the ordinary meanes to worke Faith in vs is the preaching of the word For how shall they l Ro. 10 14 17 call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they Preach except they be sent So then Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God We see heereby that Faith is the cause and beginning of repentance we see also that Faith is wrought by the word and therfore by necessary consequence repentance must come by the word Here are three things offered to our considerations the Word Faith and Regeneration Regeneration is a fruit of Faith Faith is an effect of the Word the Word is preached by the Minister Now it is a true rule m Causa causae est causa causati that the cause of the cause is also the cause of the effect and therefore the preaching of the Word beeing the cause of Faith which causeth Repentance and Regeneration must also needes be the cause of Repentance and of Regeneration Reason 3. Thirdly it is the ordinance of God to worke this good worke of Regeneration in vs because we cannot by our wisedome or any naturall guifts in our selues though most esteemed in our owne eyes and greatly magnified by others attaine sanctification of life or beleeue vnto saluation This the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 1. and maketh this the reason why God will saue vs by the hearing of Faith preached n 1 Cor. 1 21. Seeing the World by it owne wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue There is a double knowledge of God and a double way to know him one Naturall the other Spirituall Naturall by the sight of the Creatures by the view of the world by beholding the heauens o Psal 19 1. Rom. 1 19. which declare the glory of God whereby the eternity the Maiesty the power the wisedome the greatnesse the goodnesse of God doe appeare Spirituall by hearing and hearkning vnto the word of God which not onely beareth witnesse to those essentiall properties of God more sufficiently and fully then the former but setteth down distinctly the Trinity of the persons and the mercy of God toward the elect promised and performed vnto them for Christs sake Naturall reason is blind in the matters of God and though it may serue to make vs without excuse it cannot suffice to bring vs to saluation without a farther and better guide So then the Lord to make the wisedome of the World foolishnesse and to gaine glory to his owne Name and to shew that he hath vouchsafed that grace mercy to vs which he denyed to the wisest among the Gentiles that were learned and skilfull in all humane knowledge but were vtterly ignorant of his Word hath raised vp to vs a light which they neuer saw and made vs to heare the sound of a voyce which they neuer heard Seeing therefore the word preached is of so great force that it causeth Faith in vs which all the wisedome of the World could neuer worke it followeth that this word of God is the ordinarie cause or Instrument of our conuersion and saluation This is so plain so pregnant a truth that it is greatly to be wondred that any should stumble or stagger at it and that all doe not submit themselues vnto it Obiections brought to proue preaching not to be the ordinarie meanes to beget faith But because doubts arise and Obiections are made against this point and principle plainly proued and firmely established by reasons out of the Scripture let vs see what they are and how they may be answered Obiection 1. First of all it is obiected that there are other meanes effectuall to worke Faith and to bring to Repentance as afflictiō or priuat admonition Touching affliction such as liued in Idolatry in ignoraunce in vncleannesse that fauoured wholly of the flesh and nothing at all of the spirit haue bin brought to confesse and forsake their sinnes and to humble them-selues vnder the mightie hand of God some being afflicted in body p 2 Chron. as Manasseth others troubled in Conscience feeling the wound of the spirit groaning vnder the stroke of Gods iudgements q Actes 9 6. as Paule in his conuersion haue by this meanes had Faith and Repentance giuen vnto them And touching priuate exhortation it is made auayleable to turne vs to God Hence it is that the Apostle teaching that a beleeuing Husband may with a safe Conscience vse the company of an vnbeleeuing Wife and a beleeuing Wife vse the companie of an vnbeleeuing husband so that the one ought not depart from the other hee vseth this Reason
as the Well-spring we haue it not of our selues we haue it from him according to that which the Euangelist Iohn setteth downe r Iohn 1 16. Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued and Grace for Grace Secondly it is called the Grace of Christ not of God the father not of God the Holie-Ghost but of Iesus Christ our Lord because hee is the meanes or as the Cunduit-pipe whereby he it is brought and conueyed vnto vs Thus the same Euangelist speaketh in the wordes following Å¿ Iohn 1 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. He it is that is the Mediation and Propitiation for our sinnes he hath purchased the fauour of God he hath wrought reconciliation for vs so that through him we are accepted of God the Father and beloued in his beloued Ephe. 1. 6. Thirdly we must consider the Title giuen to Christ Iesus hee is called a Lord or Ruler and that in many respects First by creation in that he made vs of nothing when we had no being t Iohn 1 3. For all thinges were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made Secondly by right of Inheritance u Heb. 1 2. Psal 2 8. For he is made Heire of all thinges Thirdly by right of Dominion for he hath Dominion ouer all things and ouer vs also so that he ruleth preserueth and keepeth vs as his owne to eternall life being bought with his most preciour blood None of them can bee lost that are committed vnto him neither can any plucke them out of his hands All thinges are put vnder his feet and subiect vnto him Fourthly he is said to be our Lord he is not onely a Lord hauing right and might graunted vnto him ouer others but hee s called our Lord. First because the Father gaue him a people and chosen Generation ouer whom he should rule So then by reason of this donation appointed vnto him before all worlds he is truely called our Lord. Secondly in regard of the work of redemption which he hath wrought for vs he alone hath paid the ransom for vs and deliuered vs from the power of the Deuill so that hee hath the greatest right of possession in vs. Lastly we are thereby put in mind that we ought so to beleeue in Christ our Lord that we put our trust and confidence in him and that we rest throughly perswaded that by him we are throughly freed and deliuered from all euill It is not enough for vs or sufficient to saluation to beleeue Christ Iesus to be a Lord but we must beleeue him to be our Lord. For wee all knowe and beleeue that the Deuill is a Lord and ruleth in the hearts of the Children of disobedience he is the God of this World and a Prince that beareth great sway but wee doe neyther know nor beleeue him to be our Lord as we beleeue Christ Iesus to bee the Lord of vs all Fiftly he addeth With your Spirit He craueth this Grace to be with his Spirit whereby he meaneth as much as if he had said with you one part of man being named for the whole the more principall part being put for the whole person For man consisteth of two essentiall parts of Soule and Body True it is the Apostle Paule doth sometimes deuide man into three partes the Spirit the Soule the Body as when he prayeth for the Thessalonians x 1 Thes 5 23. That their whole Spirit and Soule and Body should be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. By the Spirit he vnderstandeth the mind reason or vnderstanding which else-where hee calleth the y Ephe. 4 23. Heb. 4 12. Ephe. 4. 17 18. Spirit of your mind This is nothing else but a faculty of the reasonable soule which is seen in inuention and iudgement By the the Soule he vnderstandeth the inferior faculties and powers as the will and affections both which followeth the body which is the Instrument whereby the Spirit and Soule do worke By the Spirit in this place is not meant onely the minde or onely the Soule but the whole man is to be vnderstood as it is expounded Phil. 4. 23. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all And Col. 4 18. Grace be with you yet he nameth the spirit because it is the principall subiect and seat of grace Sixtly the Apostle proceedeth and saith Your spirit hee speaketh not to Philemon alone saying With thy Spirit but he enlargeth his heart and saith With your Spirit as speaking to many Whereby wee are to vnderstand those to whom this Epistle is written and deliuered to wit cheefly to Philemon whose Title it beareth and to Apphia his wife to Archippus the Minister and to the Church that was in his house to all these he wisheth the Grace of Christ Lastly he endeth with the word Amen which is as much as euen so or so be it or so it shall be Indeede it is no part of the former prayer but it betokeneth and signifieth two things First an hearty desire whereby we wish that we may be heard and that God would answere vnto our requests Secondly the certainty of our confidence and the confirmation of our Faith whereby we trust that we shall be heard It is an Hebrew worde retained by the Apostles in their Epistles and in other places wherewith we are taught to conclude our Prayers withall by Christ our Sauiour It is added to shew that we should come with boldnesse and beleeue that we shall obtaine trusting in the truth of Gods promises The postscript of the Epistle Hauing thus laide open the sense and meaning of the wordes in this last Verse it shall not be amisse to speake some-what of the wordes following which are the subscription and vnder-writing of this Epistle in these wordes Written from Rome to Philemon and sent by Onesimus a Seruant It is most likely that this Epistle was written and sent at one and the same time with that entituled to the Colossians both because the same persons are named in both the Epistles the same persons writing and the same persons sending salutations to others and both of them in the Post-script are sayde to be sent by Onesimus as it were by a Carrier only heerein resteth the difference that this Epistle was deliuered to Onesimus alone to bee carried to Philemon a priuate man but the other was conueyed by Tychicus and Onesimus to the whole Church of the Colossians whereof Philemon and his Family were but one part But touching this subscription as also others in other Epistles we must vnderstand that they were added by men and are no part of the Cannonicall Scripture which is the rule of our faith to which we must yeeld without all contention or contradiction and from which we cannot appeale without intollerable iniury to the spirit of God For howsoeuer diuers of these Post-scripts may be true yet it is very plaine and
Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
light of his countenance from vs yet he will restore vs to the ioy of his saluation as we see in the example of the Prophet he could not in his trouble receiue any true comfort m Psa 77 5 11 for howsoeuer hee did thinke vppon the Lord he was still troubled and though he prayed vnto him yet his spirit was full of anguish the helpe then which hee found in his present distresse was this Then I considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of olde So when we feele not that comfort and delight in praying that wee felt we must not wax faint giue ouer we must continue in the Prayer of faith though not of feeling Making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers This is the second circumstance whereby the Thankesgiuing of the Apostle is amplified wherein hee witnesseth that he vsually prayed for Philemon and others Doctrine 3. It is the dutie of the faithfull to pray one for another In this practise of the Apostle we learn that the faithful are to pray one for another It is a duty required for al of vs not only to pray for our selues but to pray for others especially for those whose piety is knowne vnto them This we see plentifully prooued and confirmed in the example of Abraham he prayed for the Sodomites that they might be spared he prayed for Abimilech that he might be healed When the people desired Samuell to pray for them he saide a 1 Sam. 12 23 God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you This Paule performed for the Romaines b Ro. 1 9 10. God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourny by the will of God to come to you Heerunto we are directed by that forme of Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples and left vnto his Church directing vs to say Our Father giue vs forgiue vs lead vs not deliuer vs Not My Father giue me forgiue me lead me not deliuer mee So the Apostle shutting vp what Armour a Christian must vse against his spirituall enemies hee saith c Ephes 6 18. Pray alwaies with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirite and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me that vtterance may be giuen vnto me that I may open my mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell So hee d Colos 1 3. and 4. 3. prayed for the Colossians alwayes since hee heard of their faith in Christ and of their loue toward all Saints and hee required the Prayers of the Colossians againe for himselfe that God might open to him the doore of vtterance to speake the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Thus the Apostle Iames doth teach vs to deale one toward another e Iames 5 14. Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with Oile in the name of the Lord the Prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp All which examples and Commaundements serue to guide vs to the performaunce of this speciall dutie that we are charged and commaunded to pray one for another and to be mindfull one of another in our best thoughts and most serious Meditations Reason 1. The Reasons heereof being rightly waighed will easily gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For first the Communion and fellowship that is among the Saints requireth our Prayers one for another We beleeue that there is one body one head one company one inheritaunce one Brotherhood f Ephes 4 3. as we see Ephes 4. Endeuour to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the bond of peace there is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all Now what Communion were this among the members of Christ vnlesse we were straightly tyed to pray one for another and to performe this mutual dutie one for another So that the want of it is a plaine argument that we are not members of the same body seeing we desire not the good of them Reason 2. Secondly it is a most forcible weapon put into our hands whereby we are made able to helpe our selues and the rest of our Brethren which are fellow-souldiers with vs all of vs fighting vnder the same Captain Iesus Christ Their fighting is our fighting their retyring is our retyring their victory is our victory their loosing of the field is our loosing of the field For euerie one is not a Soldier by himselfe but wee are all ioynt-souldiers together wee ouercome together and we are put to the foyle together For euen as souldiers do not onely stand vpon their seuerall guards but vnite their forces togither whereby it commeth to passe that they who being seuered assunder and scattered abroad might easily be ouercome hauing ioyned their forces are vnconquerable and vnresistable so if we doo not onely looke to our selues and our owne footing but ioyne in Prayer with other they for vs and wee for them our spirituall enemies shall not be able to confront vs or confound vs but we shall make them turne their backes to vs and their faces from vs. The Apostle g Ephes 6 18. naming the Armour which we must all put on to defend our selues and our Brethren and to offend our enemy doth set down Prayer as a chiefe meanes to obtaine Gods assistance for our selues and others Reason 3. Thirdly Prayer is a Medicine to heale all maladies and a Plaister to cure all sores What Physition is it that hath such a receite What Chirurgion that hath such a salue The Maisters of that Art haue seuerall remedies for sicknesses and diseases that come of contrary causes but this Medicine will take away all our spirituall greefes and infirmities yea albeit they proceede of contrary causes So then it must needs be a soueraigne Salue that serueth to such seuerall purposes This is it which the Apostle Iames pointeth out vnto vs h Iames 5 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the Prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it bee feruent Seeing therefore wee are as a body standing of many members and seeing prayer is a weapon to defend vs and a medicine to heale vs it followeth that we must vse it one to helpe and succour another Vse 1. Now let vs see what are the Vses First we learne that the vse
and refuse to heare him but to shewe himselfe true in his worde and faithfull in his promise hee dooth acknowledge him as his owne because hee confessed him before that sinnefull and wicked generation saying vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Apostle Iohn liuing when the Deity of our Sauiour beganne to bee doubted of and called into question saith p 1 Ioh. 4 2 3. Euerie Spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God If therefore wee looke to bee confessed of Christ and to haue our soules saued in the day of the Lord let vs boldly beare and behaue our selues vnder the Crosse and not shrinke in the wetting like deceitfull cloth let vs know that confession and saluation must goe together if wee waite for the one wee must expresse the other if confession go before we may build surely and ground our selues strongly vpon the promise of Christ that the saluation of our soules shall follow after and no man shall take it from vs. This made the Apostle say q 2 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Faith and Religion must be confessed it is a duty that lieth vpon vs to seeke to know the truth and labour to expresse the power of godlinesse otherwise it is vnpossible that euer we should make profession of it For profession of the faith presupposeth a knowledge of the faith for how can we confesse that which we kno not or manifest that to other wherof we are ignorant our selues This controlleth and condemneth those that liue in the Church heare the word and haue the Gospell sounding a long time in their eares yet know not what faith is nor how to beleeue so that whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church in regard of the meanes offred to them and in regard of their age wherewith God hath blessed them r Heb. 5 12. they might haue been teachers of others they haue neede to be taught the beginnings of faith the grounds of religion the principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate Alas who can consider without great greefe of heart and anguish of spirit in what state the greatest number of our people stand and remember that after al our planting watering sowing and labouring they are apt and fit to receiue any religion because they are blinde and ignorant and know not God aright or any part of his truth to their soules health They are like the potters Clay which is readie to take any forme and receiue any impression or like the earth which altereth and changeth as the winde or weather as the Spring or Winter shall worke vpon it If they were taught to beleeue and receiue the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcoran of the Turkes the Reuelations of the Anabaptists the Traditions of the Papists or such like rotten trash of mans deuises and if they were countenanced by authoritie of Princes and Lawes of men they were as easie to be wrought vpon as waxe that is readie to receiue any stampe and impression A lamentable case that wee should bee still as Babes and children not knowing the right hand from the left carried about with euerie waue of Doctrine and receiuing the darknesse of errour for the light of the truth But we haue not so learned Christ and the Christian Religion When we haue once giuen entertainment vnto the truth and imbraced it soundly in our hearts we must not denie the faith whatsoeuer befall vs whatsoeuer trouble come vnto vs whether prosperity fawne and flatter vpon vs or whether aduersity pinch vs and paine vs whether the Sunne of peace shine vpon vs or whether the clouds of affliction ouer-shaddow vs wee must alwayes be the same and our standing in the faith should not be wauering or wandering to giue ouer at euery assault and to shrink backe for euery brunt and to deny our Lorde and Maister by euery tentation This serueth to reproue those that knowe nothing and therefore can professe nothing and as they know nothing so they will know nothing of whom we may say as the Apostle doth Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 5. This they wittingly know not and so are wilfully ignorant and shut their eies because they would not see and because the light shold not shine into their hearts For seeing God hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes we may truly say t 2 cor 4 3 4 6 If our Gospell be then hid it is hidde to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Thus doth God send them strong delusion that they shold beleeue lies u 2 Thess 2 11 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let vs therefore seeke after knowledge as for great Treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them we may find eternall life let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto Saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to encrease knowledge in vs to begin in Faith to hold out a good confession to maintaine the truth against all the aduersaries that rise against vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing it is a duty to open our mouthes and lose our tongues to confesse to his name that hath called vs to his truth it standeth vs vpon continually and constantly to pray for the Spirit of strength or corroboration that we may be made able to stand in the time of danger It is not in all that know and acknowledge the truth to auouch it and to maintaine it to confesse it and to stand to it but onely of such as haue receiued the strengthening power of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe x Phil 4 13. I am able to doe all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me So he prayeth for the Colossians That they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ When a man hath once receiued to beleeue hee wanteth a new grace to bee giuen vnto him that the graine of Faith which lyeth hidden in the heart and couered in the Ashes of mans frailty may grow vp openly and bring forth in vs the confession of the mouth This appeareth by the words of the Apostle Iohn who testifieth y Iohn 12 42 43. That euen among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him neuerthelesse because of the
Atheisme Let not such therefore flatter themselues and deceiue their owne soules let them shew their religion if they haue any or else they shew themselues to be men of no religion The third reproofe Thirdly it reprooueth such as censure and condemne others as too pure and precise by reason of their profession These men that are colde themselues and care not whether Religion go sorward or backward cannot abide that any should be more zealous and earnest then themselues because they will not runne with them into all excesse of riot therefore they rayle at them and speake all manner of euill against them They haue borrowed many opprobrious tearmes and drawne many reuiling tauntes from the enemies of the Gospell and grace of God and apply them whete they ought not to bee bestowed When the Lord had restored the Gospell vnto vs being brought out of Superstition and Idolatry that the Romanists gnashed their teeth for anger disgorged their malice with rage and were like to breake in peeces through enuy of the worke of the Lord set vp among vs they deuised against vs and our religion most bitter reproaches then was our profession called Puritanisme and our professors branded with the names of Puritans Praecisians and vnspotted Brethren which contumelies are nowe taken out of the mouths of enemies and one Brother dooth spit them in the face of another What a shame and indignity is this that we professing one faith liuing vnder one Gospell embracing one Religion and enduring the same enimies shold borrow such venomous speeches from the scornefull and despightfull Papists and cast them as Dung in the faces of our Bretheren Let vs therefore leaue these rayling and reuiling speeches and send them backe to Rome the Mother of cruelty and of all byting and bitternesse from whence they come Let vs vpbraid no man with his zeale nor hit no man in the teeth with his profession Let vs rather be mooued in loue to follow their example bee prouoked in a godly aemulation to walke in their steps And let vs all know that we must not be like the Laodiceans h Reuel 3 15. which were neither hot nor cold for if we scorne all zeale and forwardnesse in the wayes of godlinesse if we bee luke-warme professors and neither hot nor cold it shal come to passe that the Lord will spew vs out of his mouth The fourth reproofe Fourthly it reprooueth such as thinke they may bee present at the Sacrifice of the Masse and heare and see their Idolatry so they keepe their conscience to God and themselues yea some go farther and thinke they may not only be present at Idolatry in the Idols Temple but bow downe to the Idolles offer vnto them creepe vnto them and serue them with their bodies so that they abhorre such worship in their minds and serue God in their hearts But these excuses cannot serue to iustify such manner of seruing of God When God would assure Eliah that he had his people in those ruines of the Church that he was not left alone he said i 1 Kin. 19 18 He had left seuen thousand in Israell euen all knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euerie mouth that hath not kissed him He doth not say hee had reserued such as did not beleeue in Baal but keepe their heart to God but they are noted by this marke to bee the Lords that they gaue not to Baal the bending of the knee nor any outwarde subiection vnto him In the tentations offered to Christ our Sauiour when the Deuill onely required of him to fall downe and worship him k Math. 4 10 he answered Auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord and him only shalt thou serue Nebucadnezzar required nothing of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the three Seruants of God but to bow the knee and to fall down l Dan. 3 19. to the golden Image that he should set vp and yet they did choose rather to bee cast aliue into the hot fiery furnace and to endure the extremity of the flame It is not therefore enough to worship God in heart and soule True it is he commandeth vs to m Iohn 4 24. worship him in spirit and truth but not only in spirit and truth God requireth of vs the body as well as the spirit the outward man as well as the inward the knee as well as the heart He challengeth euery part member of our body to be employed to his worship Hee that hath an eare to heare n Reuel 2 7. Must heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches Hee that hath a o 1 Pet. 4 11. Tongue to speake must speake as the words of Gad. Hee that hath handes to lift vp p 1 Tim. 2. 8 Must lift vp pure hands without wrath and without contention Hee that hath a knee to bow q Ephes 3 14. Must bow it to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath a mouth to open r Rom. 10 10 Must make confession with it to saluation He that hath feet must say Å¿ Psal 122 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gate O Ierusalem The cause why God claimeth and challengeth the whole body is because the body is his as well as the soule It is his by creation because he made it t Psal 100 3. and not wee our selues we are his people and the Sheepe of his pasture The Clay was his whereof we were formed so that we are his by the Law of Creation Hee feedeth and findeth vs of his owne costs and charges he cloatheth vs with his owne wooll u Psal 50 10 For all the Beasts of the field are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountaines If then we liue at his expenses we are his by another right euen the Booke of his prouidence We are made his by the freeing of vs from the thraldome of sinne from the tiranny of Satan from the bondage of corruption by paying a price a great price by giuing for vs a ransome a great ransome not of Siluer and Gold but by shedding his blood his precious blood for vs the Speare pierced his hart the Nayles pierced his hands and his feet the Thornes pierced his head Seeing therefore he suffered so much in his bodie for our bodies we are wholly his by the worke of our redemption who before were not his The Holy-Ghost likewise sanctifieth our bodies as well as our soules and maketh them a Temple to dwell in and lastly we look for saluation and glorification not onely in soule but in body x 1 Cor. 6 19 20. and therfore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our soules wee must offer vp our bodies an holy Sacrifice vnto him and not commit Sacriledge against him by plucking and withdrawing away any part of our bodies from him The fift reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as keepe company with open enemies to God and
how Faith is alone and how it is not alone how it goeth with Loue and when it goeth not with Loue. It is alone in our Iustification it is not alone in our godly conuersation It is alone in receiuing Christ it is not alone in furnishing a Christian mans life nor sufficient to adorne him with such graces as God requireth to be in his person for all other vertues must be in him Vse 3. Lastly seeing Faith and Loue are alwaies linked together in one man this ouerthroweth another Doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Faith may be without Charity and separate from good workes For the true and iustifying Faith of Gods elect can be no more without workes then the fire without heate the water without moysture the sand without heauines the Sunne without brightnes the soule without life or the good tree without good fruit Neither let them pretend the d Iam 2. 17 Apostle Iames to colour this their fancy as though it proued that a man may haue Faith without Charity For he speaketh in that place of a dead Faith not a liuely Faith of a false Faith not of a true Faith of the Faith of the Deuils not of the Faith of Gods elect of Faith in outward profession not in the inward affection He sheweth that e verse 17. Faith if it haue no workes is dead and againe f verse 20. 26. Faith without workes is dead he likeneth such a Faith to the Faith of the Deuils and therefore it cannot be a iustifying Faith vnlesse they will make the Deuils good Catholiques and partakers of saluation He resembleth this Faith to the good words of him that wisheth well to a poore man but doth nothing at all for him he speakes him faire but he doth not succour him And as the body that breatheth not is dead so Faith that bringeth not forth good workes is dead Now a dead Faith is no Faith it is Faith in name but not in Nature The Philosophers g Arist polit lib. 1. cap. 1. teach that when the body is dead there shall be neither foot nor hand but onely a likenes of name as a man tearmeth a hand of wood or stone a hand so in like sort is a dead hand called an hand or a dead man a man because howsoeuer they are not the same yet they retaine the shew and shaddow of the name but al true parts of the body are defined by their Office and faculty Thus doth the Apostle call a dead faith by the name of faith whereas indeed it is no more true faith then a dead man is a liuing man Hence it is that some of the Popish writers teach that Iames by the name of h Iam. 2. 26. spirit vnderstandeth not the soule but the breath and that he fitly compareth workes to breath and faith to the body i Caietan com on Iam. 2. 26. because as the body of a liuing creature if it breath not is dead so faith if it bring forth no workes is dead for breathing is an effect of a liuing body and working is the proper effect of a liuing faith we say therefore that there is a faith which may be without Charity and there is a faith that cannot be without Charity There is a generall faith which beleeueth that there is one God and giueth assent that the Scriptures be true which goeth no farther this we confesse may be and oftentimes is without good workes But there is a faith that worketh by Loue which can neuer be seperated from Charity and good workes but wheresoeuer it is there is infallibly and inseparably ioyned vnto it the Loue of God and man k Phil. 1. 11. bringing forth the fruits of Righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of God If we haue this true faith l Act. 15. 9. which purifieth the heart it will be rich and plentifull in all good workes and teach vs to shew the fruites of Loue to our Bretheren There hath beene a long contention and much adoe in the Church how to reconcile Paule and Iames together the one aduancing faith and the other good workes Paule saith m Rom. 3. 28. we are iustified by faith and not by the workes of the Law Iames saith wee are iustifyed by n Iam 2. 24. workes and not by faith onely These sayings by faith and not by faith by workes and not by workes seeme one directly opposite and contrary to the other This difference is onely in the letter not in the matter in shew not in substance in words not in meaning and the Doctrine which now wee haue in hand will helpe easily to accord them nay there cannot be a better reconciliation then when we ioyne them together in the practise of our liues and conuersations Let vs ioyne the liuely Faith of Paule with the Good-workes of Iames let vs bring them both into action and so we shall be iustified by S. Paules faith before God and by S. Iames Workes before men Thus the places will easily be made one which seeme different the one from the other For although Paule do commend Faith yet he dooth not condemne Workes and albeit Iames do commend Workes yet he doth not condemn Faith and therefore as they teach both so we must practise both we must be voyde of neyther of them Seeing they preach both we must know that both are required of vs. This ouerthroweth two sorts of men first Papists and then Libertines The first reproofe First the Church of Rome do vs great wrong and iniury both in falsly slandering vs and in filling the eares of the simple and ignoraunt people with lyes that our Doctrine is a Doctrine of liberty and licentiousnesse that wee teach men or at least open a gap to men to liue loosely and lewdly and that we are enimies to Good-workes whereas in verie deede we do the cleane contrarie as this Doctrine among a thousand others may beare witnesse which now wee deale withall teaching vs that Faith must alwaies go with Works that Faith purifieth the heart and giueth victory ouer the world Wee teach that Christ is not onely our Iustification but also our Sanctification We charge men to beware that they vse not the liberty of the Gospell as a cloak of maliciousnesse We teach them to serue the Lord with feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Wee will men to let their light so shine before men that they seeing their Good-Workes may glorifie their father which is in heauen This is no Doctrine of liberty nor openeth a window to all wickednesse and yet this is our Doctrine which is so plaine and euident a truth n Stapl. de Iustif pag. 334. that some of our hottest aduersaries are driuen to acknowledge it But who are they that haue this leisure to pry and search into the liues of others abroad and are ignorant of themselues and their owne Doctrine
shall not neede to climbe vp to Heauen to know it God hath left vs a better a more easie certain way then to search into the secrets of God that he hath kept to himselfe if we enter into our selues and see the effects and signes of it wee shall not doubt thereof but rest assured with vnspeakable comfort that we belong to him For as the Lord knoweth who are his so we shall know that wee are the Lords if wee finde the fruites of election grauen in our hearts among the which this is one of the principall our vnfaigned loue to the Brethren the forgiuing of our enemies our delight in the Saints our dooing good to them that are of the houshold of Faith Reason 2. Secondly such poore as be faithfull belong vnto Christ and what comfort soeuer is ministred what releefe soeuer is shewed to them is ministred and shewd to Christ as christ himself witnesseth with his own mouth who is truth it selfe that they should the more readily embrace it as the truth For hee telleth vs that it shall be said to vs in the last day that haue helped the Saints and refreshed their bowels g Math. 25 40 Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren ye haue done it to me This is a notable motiue and encouragement to moue vs to this dutie to consider that our loue is shewed not to men vpon the earth but to Christ sitting in heauen at the right hande of his Father Heereunto commeth the wise saying of Salomon h Prou. 19 17. He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Yea he is so rich a rewarder and a bountifull recompencer of that which is done to those of his houshold i Math. 10 42 that if a cup of cold water be giuen to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple to a righteous man in the name of a righteous man he shall not loose his reward When one lendeth to an honest man that standeth vpon his credite hee seareth no losse he knoweth he will performe what hee hath promised and accounteth his word as good as a band and Obligation how much more ought we to be assured of right good payment when wee haue done any good thing vnto the poore forasmuch as we haue not done it to man but vnto God He hath giuen his word to see vs paid will we not take his word he offreth to enter into bands to be bound in a statute is not statute-law good with vs Albeit he be indebted to none but all in debt to him yet hee offereth himselfe as a pledge and becommeth surety for the money who is so good a pay-maister that he wil not onely restore the principall but pay the hire and profite to him that hath lent it both in this life and abundantly in the life to come Reason 3. Thirdly we are bound to follow the example of our heauenly father to loue as he loueth to loue most where hee loueth most of all and least where hee loueth least of all Now he loueth all his creatures which are the works of his hands k Gen. 1 31. Hee saw them all when they were made and loe they were all exceeding good but he especially loueth mankinde Whom l Gen. 1 26. hee created in his owne Image according to his likenesse and yet most especially he loueth the faithfull vppon whom hee bestoweth the riches of his loue and hideth not the secrets of his kingdome from them yea hee hath giuen them his owne sonne to bee their Wisedome Iustification Sanctification and Redemption vnto them howe should he not with him giue them al things else This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 4 10 warning vs to Trust in the liuing God which is the Sauiour of al men especially of those that beleeue Heere is a patterne and president for vs to follow that wee may be like our Heauenly Father we must loue all mankinde but wee must most entirely and dearly respect the godly we must loue al the poore but the poore that are faithfull we must loue most of all If we must bestowe labour vppon barren ground we must not leaue the fruitfull vntilled and if wee must cast our Bread vppon the Waters where it may seeme to bee lost wee must not denie it to the liuing members of Christs bodie which are our Brethren Reason 4. Fourthly wee cannot by our well-dooing benefite God at all our goodnesse can doo him no good our loue cannot profit or pleasure him For as our wickednesse can do him no harme so our kindnesse can procure him no good This hee sayth and thus hee speaketh in the Prophet n Psal 50 9 10 11 12. I will take no Bullocke out of thine house nor Goates out of thy Foldes for all the Beastes of the Forrest are mine and the Beastes on a thousand Mountaines I knowe all the Beasts on the Mountaines and the Wilde Beastes of the fielde are mine If I bee hungrie I will not tell thee for the World is mine and all that therein is Wee receiue all good from him wee can returne nothing backe to him againe to doo him good This is the reason which the Prophet Dauid teacheth which mooued him to ioyne himselfe vnto the people of God and to profit them because hee saw he could not pleasure God his well-doing could not extend to him Seeing therefore the dutie of loue shewed to the Bretheren are seales of our election and are accepted as done to Christ himselfe seeing we must follow the example of our heauenly Father and that we cannot by al our goods helpe him it followeth that we must begin our works of mercie at the faithfull cast a pittiful eie open a liberal hand especially toward thē Vse 1. Let vs now come to the Vses of this doctrine First this teacheth that there ought to be among all the faithfull a communion of Saints they are as a family or houshold among themselues They haue a neere fellowship they are neer brethren they are fellow members of one body they are knit togither by one spirit they are called vnder one hope they are made Christs by one faith they are made one by one baptisme they haue one bread to feede vpon they haue one cup to drinke of they haue one table to meet at they haue one God that they worship they haue one saluation that they aime at This the Apostle expresseth at large Ephe. 4. Support one another through loue o Ephe. 4 2 3. endeuouring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lorde one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all We are
charged to haue a care of all mankinde but as it is fit and conuenient that they which are of the same family should be helpfull and beneficiall one to another rather then to such as are of another family which are not so neerely ioyned vnto them so we must haue a care to doe good to all the sons of men but it is requisite that those which are members of the same body nay which are Sonnes and Daughters Bretheren and Sisters hauing the same God for their Father the same Church for their Mother the same Christ for their elder Brother which are begotten of the same immortall seede nourished with the same Milke and gathered together in one hope should be beneficiall and bountifull one to another rather then to those that are forraigners and Strangers not linked to them by the bond of Faith nor ioyned with them in the bodie of Christ Wherefore the Apostle saith to the Phillippians p Phil. 2 1 2. If there bee any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Loue if any fellowship of the Spirite if any Compassion and Mercie fulfill my ioy that ye be like minded hauing the same Loue being of one accord and of one iudgement He teacheth vs to haue one minde and heart he admonisheth vs to cleaue together and to hold together We see how those of the Kingdome of darknesse and destruction do couple and combine themselues together against the Church and chosen Children of God for doubtlesse q Acts 4 27. we may say as the Apostle did Against thy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentles and the people of Israell gathered themselues together And as the Prophet speaketh r Psal 83 5 6. They haue consulted together in heart and haue made a league against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ismaelites Moaâ— and the Agarims Gebal and Amalech the Philistims and the inhabitants of Tyrus c. So is it in these dayes the vngodly rabble of prophane persons haue ioyned together and make as it were a Conspiracie against the godly the prophane and Atheistes the Papistes and Libertines set themseâ—…es against the faithfull of the Lande and open their mouths against heaueâ— they deuise all horrible and detastable slaunders to worke their confusioâ— Wee finde hard entertainment in the World because wee are chosen out of the World Wee are hated of them because we are not Companions with them in euill We are reuiled and slaundered of them because wee will â—ot followe all excesse of ryot to the slaunder of our profession and to the dâ—shonour of God Wherefore the Children of light should company and consort together beeing the Sonnes of God heyres of his Kingdome members of Christ Temples of the Holy-Ghost The vnreasonable Creatâ—res may condemne vs. We see Cattle heard together Sheepe flocke togethâ—r Fishes shole together and Birds of a Feather will flye together O what a sâ—…me is it then for vs to make a rent and diuision in the bodye of Christ by seperating our selues one from another in affection of heart and practise of life A true Christian man or woman is like a Candle that consumeth it selfe to giue light to others So must Gods people spend those gifts which God hath giuen them for the benefit of their Brethren This Å¿ Wherein the communion of Saints standeth Communion which we are to yeeld to the Saints standeth in two things not to speak of the Communion that we haue with Christ our head but one toward another Fitst in affection Secondly in gifts In mind and affections wee must be of one heart to mourne with them that doo lament and to reioyce with those that God doth comfort We see this to be in the natural members of our body if one member do suffer the rest are pained if one reioyce the other are comforted This dutie the Apostle remembreth vnto vs t Rom. 12 15 16. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of like affection one toward another So the writer to the Hebrewes moueth vs u Heb. 13 3. to Remember them that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body If our selues were in prison we would haue a sensible feeling of our imprisonment and wee would be readie to complaine of the want of the fruits of loue in others toward vs if we were not visited and comforted Let vs therefore practise that toward others which wee would haue practised toward our selues This must all true Christians haue in minde that they must haue tender harts and compassionate affections putting on the bowels of mercie and commisseration in regard of the miseries that befall the Church in generall or our Brethren in particular Christ Iesus is touched with a feeling of their miseries and accounteth them as done to himselfe as appeareth when he said x Acts 9 4. Saule Saul why persecutest thou me This reprooueth those that weepe when the Church reioyceth or reioyce when the Church weepeth The Prophet Amos complaineth of this deadnesse of hart in his dayes y Amos 6 6. The people drank wine in bowls they annointed themselues with the chiefe oyntments they stretched themselues vpon Beds of Iuory but no man was sorry for the affliction of Ioseph If we be not touched with a sight sence of the Churches miseries it is a plaine argument that we are dead members not liuing rotten members not sound sencelesse members not feeling The second part of the Communion of the Saints standeth in the communication of gifts The gifts of God to be imparted to our Brethren are of two sorts For as we consist of two parts the soule and the body so the gifts are of two kinds Spirituall graces and temporall Blessings Wee must bestow vpon them spirituall gifts procuring their good by example exhortation comfort prayer reproofe We are z Heb. 3 13. Gal. 6 1. willed to exhort one another while it is called to day wee are admonished when any man is fallen by occasion into any fault as spiritual men to restore such a one with meeknesse considering out selues least we also be tempted Touching temporal blessings we must be ready content to bestow such goods as God hath bestowed vpon vs for the good of our fellow-members If we haue this worlds good we must not hide our compassion from them for then wee cannot assure our selues that the loue of God dwelleth in vs. Vse 2. Secondly seeing we are charged to prouide for the goodly poore and not to see them want it teacheth that we are all the Lordes Stewards to dispense and dispose his blessings to others We holde all that we haue of him and we hold all at his will and during his pleasure hee may thrust vs out of our houses when he listeth For properly we are not Lordes but Tenants not Owners but Stewards not Possessors but
die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit ye shal liue for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And in another place Å¿ 2 Cor. 5 15. Thus we iudge that if one be dead and he died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe Sanctification goeth alwayes before glorification Euerie one would be glorified but euery one wil not be sanctified euerie one would liue with God but euery one will not dye to sinne euery one would receiue the victory but euery one will not fight the battel But let vs not be deceiued God is not mocked If we would attaine to saluation we must first haue sanctification we must be Saints in this life if we look to be Saints in glory heerafter we must be Saints vpon the earth if we would be Saints in heauen wee must first make a beginning before we can come to the ending We must take paines wee must labour hard and sweate much before we can come to our iourneyes end Let vs therefore take heed we do not make a mocke of the Saints least we mocke at our owne sanctification and consequently neglect nay despise our owne saluation If we make any account of holinesse of life let vs not cast it out as a reproch to bee holy Let vs consider that this is the will of God euen our sanctification it is not therefore his will that wee should delight in prophanesse and vngodlinesse And as for those that are scorned and abused or rather not they indeede or their persons flouted and contemned but their Faith their Religion their Sanctification let them not hang downe their heads and be discouraged but walke boldly through good report and euill report and be so farre from shrinking back for these taunts reuilings that rather we should prepare our selues for an harder battell an hotter encounter We haue not yet resisted vnto blood Remember what our Lorde and Maister hath endured the reproach of the world the slaunders of the vngodly the mockings of the malicious the shame of the crosse and what not We must not looke to fare better then he we must not thinke to be entertained otherwise then he was If this be the worst that they can say by vs if this be the greatest fault they can report of vs that we are Saintes and holy persons let vs not be discomforted but rather comforted heerein that God is glorified in vs his name is honoured and the mouth of Iniquity is stopped hauing nothing to detect vs off nothing to obiect against vs. The enemies of Daniell howsoeuer they watched all occasions and sought all opportunities to betray him and destroy him yet the greatest crime they had to charge him withall t Dan 6. 11. and 3. 12. was that he prayed to his God three times a day and made supplication vnto him The Caldeans had no other fault to charge the Iewes to haue committed then that they would not bow downe vnto an Idol If they could haue found any other matter to accuse them of as Malefactors their malice was so great to their profession and to their persons for their professions sake that they would not haue spared and held their peace But this was the glory of these seruants of God that they suffered not for their sinnes and deseruings but for their faith and a good conscience This was it wherin the Church and faithfull comforted themselues Psal 44. If we haue u Psal 44. 20 21 22. forgotten the name of our God and holden vp our handes to a strange God shall not God search this out For he knoweth the secrets of the heart Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter This is that place which the Apostle alludeth vnto Rom. 8. Whereby he comforteth the people of God in their afflictions whereby we see what is the portion and condition of the Saintes in this life they are sheepe not wolues they are afflicted they doe not afflict they are killed they do not kill they are killed not because they haue forsaken and renounced God but because they would not forsake him and renounce him They are slaine not for their owne sinne but because they would not commit sinne against God If this be our case and condition that we are reproached for our righteousnesse and religion and if we x 1 Pet 4 13. 14. be railed vpon for the name of Christ we haue cause to reioyce in asmuch as we are partakers of his sufferinges and shall be partakers of his glory yea blessed are we for the spirit of glory and of God resteth vpon vs which on their part is euill spoken off but on our part is glorified Let vs comfort our selues and our bretheren with these thinges Vse 2. Secondly seeing all the faithfull liuing in the world are Saintes this serueth to conuince the Church of Rome who appropriate the word Saintes to those that are dead and honour none with this title that liue vpon the earth but such as are departed out of this life and being famous for miracles are Canonized by the Pope whom they account as a God vpon the earth Hence it is that they adde farther that our Church cannot be an holy Church because there was neuer yet any Saint or holy man of it approued to be such by miracle or any other euident token They renounce our Church because it is no holy Church and they conclude it is not holy because we haue no Saints that are in it or euer were of it First lct vs speake of our Saintes and then somewhat touching their Saintes whereof they boast so much and in whom they glory so greatly Touching the former the Prophets Apostles and holy men of the first Churches were professors of the same faith that wee beleeue as appeareth by the Scriptures by which we offer to be tried in al controuersies but our Aduersaries will not deny these to be Saintes and such Saintes as haue beene approued by miracles Againe we haue in our Churches true beleeuers iustified by the bloud of Christ and sanctified by the spirit of God and therefore are Saintes by calling as we haue shewed before We haue the fruites of sanctification as necessary effects of a liuing faith we profit daily in repentance from dead workes we labour more and more for y Col 2 2. 5. Rom 8 16. the full assurance of vnderstanding and stedfast faith in Christ for our redemption But such as liue in sin and walk in the flesh haue not the spirit of Christ they are not of our church they are no true Saints they may bee among vs but they are not of vs. As for the popish Saints which are found in their Golden Legend so called and stand in redde letters in their Kalenders it is no maruell if we do not account
life and the yeares of their age proceed and hasten vnto an end yet they neuer endeauour to proceed in Godlinesse and to hasten to Gods Kingdome whereas we should all prouide that as the outward man decayeth so the inner man may be renewed and as the body is weakened so the spirit may be strengthened Wherefore let all such know that not to go forward is to go backward not to encrease is to decrease not to labour is to loyter not to go before is to come behind and not to proceed is not to profit but to loose all Our Sauiour speaking z Mat 25 18 26 27 28 29. of the seruant to whom he had giuen one Talent that digged it in the earth and hid his Maisters money saith Thou euill seruant and slouthfull thou knewest that I reape where I sowed not and gather where I strewed not thou oughtest therfore to haue put my mony to the Exchangers and then at my comming should I haue receiued mine owne with aduantage take therefore the Talent from him and giue it vnto him which hath ten Talents for vnto euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and from him that hath not euen that he hath shall be taken away Cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Where we see he went not backward he lost not that which he had but he kept his owne and yet he is called an vnprofitable seruant and is cast into vtter darknesse So the Apostle reproueth the Hebrewes because a Heb 5 12. when as concerning the time they might be Teachers yet they had need againe to be taught what are the first principles of the word of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meat The second reproofe Secondly it reproueth such as runne a while and then giue ouer so that al their righteousnesse is as a morning dew These are they which were zealous but they returne to their old sinnes and start away as if they had neuer beene the men This the Apostle condemneth in the Galathians b Gal 5 7. Chap. 5. Ye did runne well who did let you that ye did not obey the truth Hymeneus and Philetus were held to be great Christians and obtained a good report in the Church c 1 Tim 1 19 20 and 2 Tim 2 18. yet afterward they fell away putting away a good conscience making shipwracke of faith and saying that the resurrection is past already thereby shaking the foundation of religion as it were a maine pillar of the building and so destroying the faith of certaine In like manner he complaineth of Demas a great professor of the Gospell d 2 Tim 4 10. that he had forsaken him and embraced this present world Good beginnings helpe not without good proceedings If a man haue a long iourny to make what auaileth it to go many miles if he stand still in the mid-way he were as good neuer begin as not continue We see this in Lots wife she went out of Sodom with her husband and seemed as forward as he but in the end she looked backe e Gen 19 26. and was turned into a Pillar of Salt We must forget that which is behind we must not pause in our race nor stay to take breath vntill we come to the end of our course when wee shall freely breath and rest from all our laboures We must therefore striue and contend that we may out-go not onely others but euen our selues We must neuer stay our iourney but alwaies hasten and so euery day amend our pace that we runne more swiftly to day then we did yesterday and to morrow then we did to day This the Apostle teacheth setting downe the lawes to be obserued in running f 1 Cor 9 24. Know ye not that they which runne in a race runne al yet one receiueth the prize So runne that ye may obtaine And againe If g 2 Tim 2 5. any man striue for a Maistery he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do Wee haue in the holy Scriptures many lawes to incite and prouoke vs to walke to goe forward to runne to striue to wrastle but we haue none to sit still to be idle to loyter to be carelesse and secure like to those that stood idle in the Market place h Mat 20 6. to whom Christ said Why stand ye heere all the day idle It is the will of God that we should alwaies make strait steps with our feet in this life that when we haue kept the faith and finished our course we may rest from all our laboures It is a wofull case to runne and neuer to come to the iourneyes end to labour and yet to reape no fruit of his labour This made the Apostle say i 1 Cor 9 26. I therefore so runne not as vncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the ayre It is not enough to runne except we runne well The third reproofe Thirdly it reproueth such as enuy the good blessings of God vpon their bretheren For if we should desire their profit as well as our owne and their encrease as wel as our owne we ought not to repine at their good successe in or heauenly It is noted to the great praise and commendation of Moses that when Ioshua enuied the guift of prophesie in the Elders and would haue Moses to forbid them he answeared k Num. 11. 29 Enuiest thou for my sake Yea would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them He cared not what became of his owne credit and estimation among the people so that God might be honored glorified among them The like mind was in Iohn Baptist when his Disciples tolde him that all men began to flocke after Christ and to resort to him whereby they feared the fame of their Maister would decay he said vnto them l Ioh. 3 28 30. Yee your selues are my witnesses that I said I am not that Christ but that I am sent before him hee must increase but I must decrease The like wee see when the Disciples of Christ forbad him that cast out deuils in Christs name because hee was not one of the Disciples for Christ said vnto them m Mark 9 38. Forbid him not for there is no man that can do a Myracle by my name that can lightly speake euill of me whosoeuer is not against vs is on our part Let vs take heede of this enuy which is a greefe arising of another mans prosperity alwayes ioyned with a secret kinde of malice towardes him that is enuied This is a wilde plant springing vp in the soule which destroyeth true Charitie reioysing at the euill and sorrowing for the good that befalleth our Brethren And howsoeuer enuie be noysome and pernitious to others it is more hurtfull to him that
horror of conscience vexation of spirit and confusion of face Woe then woe I say to all idle Ministers and sluggish people that when they are to bee gathered vnto their Fathers and ly vpon their death beds cannot remember what good they haue done but shall bee troubled and tormented with the consideration of this what good they might haue done that they might haue beene fruitfull trees but haue beene barren Good ground but haue beene euill These men haue nothing else to muse and meditate vpon but how they haue spent whol dayes and nights whole moneths and yeares in eating and drinking in feasting and company in pleasures and pastimes in surfetting and drunkennes and what comfort shall their poore distressed soule and languishing bodye feele in that day but crie out with a lamentable cry and a pittifull howling able to mooue the stones and to pierce the rockes that all is vanity and then condemne their folly that haue placed their happinesse in this vnhappinesse and the ioy of their spirit in this sorrow of their heart For if that be true which the Prophet saith o Psal 128 1 2 Prou. 10 4. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee It is no doubt as true that such as eate not the fruit of their labors but eate the fruite of their lazinesse and loytering are accurssed This is it which our Sauiour addeth p Luke 12 45 46. If that seruant say in his heart My Maister doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the Seruants and Maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken The Maister of that seruant will come on a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers that Seruant that knew his Maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Where he teacheth that as eternall life is the reward of diligence and discharge of our duty so is eternal destruction the wages of all idle bellies Such as do no good to others shall know at the last that they haue indeed done no good vnto themselues The more seruiceable wee haue beene to others the more profitable shall we be in the end to our selues and the comfort of all shall be felt in our hearts when wee shall say with the Apostle q 2 Tim. 4 7 8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing A notable example heereof wee haue in Obadiah who was Gouernor of Ahabs house when he saw himselfe in distresse of famine in fear least Eliah should depart he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith the worship of God and the fauour shewed to his children and heerein hee was comforted When Iezebel r 1 Kin. 18 13 slew the Prophets of the Lord he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water Let vs therefore neuer bee without such arguments to comfort vs wee shall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble and especially when we are going out of the world And that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne The Apostle in these wordes mentioneth this to be the cause why he would haue the guifts of God bestowed vpon Philemon to be communicated to others because by that meanes they might be made knowne to others and acknowledged by others and so spread abroad farre and neere Doctrine 3. The goodnesse of God toward our selues or other must be made knowne Wee learne from hence that it is the duty of euery one to manifest and shew forth yea to spread abroad and to speake of the guifts of God bestowed vpon themselues and others When God is good toward vs and distributeth his graces among vs we must be ready to confesse and acknowledge them when we feele them in our selues or see them in others This our Sauiour a Mat 5 16. teacheth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thus the spirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the single heart of Dauid the sincerity of Nathaniell the labours of Paule the repentance of Peter the restitution of Zacheus Christ Iesus publisheth the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist b Iohn 5 35. he saith he was a burning and shining Candle and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light The Apostle declareth c 1 Tim 4 14. that the faith of the Romanes is published throughout the whole world The praise of Timothy was noysed and notifyed in the Church wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings answearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him c 1 Tim 4 14. Despise not the guift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prohecie with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Eldership So likewise the fact of Mary annointing the body of Christ and working a good worke vpon him to bury him is commanded to be made knowne and not kept secret d Mat 26 13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout all the world there shall also this that she hath done be spoken off for a memoriall of her Thus the Apostle remembreth the e 1 Thes 1 3. effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of that hope in our Lord Iesus Christ which was in the Thessalonians So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ierusalem that were in distresse All which Testimonies serue to teach vs that it is our duty to publish the guifes of God vpon vs or our bretheren not to hide them to spread them abroad not to smother them to make them knowne not to couer and conceale them to our selues Reason 1. And albeit these examples may be sufficient to moue vs to embrace this as a certain truth yet we haue sundry reasons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vnto vs. First to the end that Gods graces being seene knowne he may be glorified and blessed for them who is the author and giuer of them It ought to be our chiefest desire and study that God may haue his praise and glory among vs. This is that reason which Christ our Sauiour
Sonne What coulde bee more reproachfull then to robbe his Maister and then to play the runnagate that so he might runne on in his euill course and deliuer himselfe from punnishment Yet wee see the Apostle is not ashamed of him is not ashamed to cal him his Sonne that Philemon might not be ashamed to receiue and to accept him as his Seruant For if he be the sonne of Paule he may bee esteemed the seruant of Philemon Fourthly wee see how effectuall the sounde conuersion of a sinner to God ought to bee and how forcible it should bee to preuayle with vs to winne our Loue towardes him and cause vs to performe all the duties belonging vnto him For wee may not bee ashamed to account him eyther as a Sonne or as a Brother whome GOD accounteth for his owne sonne and seruant We are most vnworthy to be called the sonnes of God if we refuse his children to be our brethren But if we marke this aright we shal find the number of those to be few which regard the Faith conuersion saluation other spiritual blessings bestowed vpon their brethren as they ought and therefore testify no loue shew no ioy performe no duties when they behold sinners conuerted vnto God Fiftly we see that the name and praise of a spirituall Father which is proper to God alone is communicated to the Apostles and Ministers of God whereas God onely doth renew and regenerate vs by the power of his spirit the Ministry onely is mans whether hee be Pastor or Apostle Our Sauior teacheth vs l Math. 23 9. to cal no man Father vpon earth It is no worke of man be hee neuer so excellent to frame and reforme the soule into the Image of God But because we are borne anew by Faith and Faith commeth by hearing the Minister as the disposer of the Mysteries of God doth vnder God perfourme the dutie of a Father So then seeing the word of God preached by the mouth and Ministery of man is the immortall seede of eternall life it is no maruell if he bee called by the Title of a Father from whose lippes we conceiue that seede and receiue that worde Thus much is to be obserued of vs in general out of this verse Now let vs come to the particular Doctrines I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus c. Wee are heere to marke the scope and purpose of the Apostle in these words We see he vseth exceeding earnestnesse and importunity to haue him receiued to his Maisters fauor The condition of Onesimus was this he was a seruant of the basest calling For men Seruants and Maid-seruants in those dayes were not as they be nowe Men had them not for Wages and hire as they that wer bound to do no more then Couenant but they were Bondslaues to bee bought and sold in the Market and their Maisters possessed them as Oxen and Cattle and hadde power ouer them of life and death Now albeit he were a seruant of this kind and condition and had beene besides a runnagate and a Theefe deseruing greeuous punishment euen death yet he pleadeth his cause being conuerted with as great force and feruency as can be expressed Doctrine 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned We learne from this loue appearing in the Apostle that the basest person in the Church truly conuerted brought vnto Christ should not be contemned but most louingly tenderly and Brotherly regarded The least lowest member that belongeth to God ought not to be reiected and debased but highly for Christs sake to be honored and respected We see how Christ calleth vnto him all that are weary and heauy laden m Mat. 11 28. promising to ease and refresh them Likewise he embraceth the poore and simple as louingly and cheerefully as the rich and wise of the world The Publicans and sinners are accepted of him that were hated of the Iewes The Woman taken in adultry accused by the Pharises is exhorted by him to repentance The Blinde man restored to his sight n Iohn 9 35. and 8 11. and cast out of the Synagogue is sought out by Christ and taught to beleeue and broght to be a true member of the Church The penitent Theefe hanging o Luke 23 43 vppon the Crosse and hearing Christ preach is conuerted to the Faith and receiued into paradise It is not the will of p Mat. 18 14. our heauenly Father that one of these little ones should perish When the prodigall sonne had wasted his wealth and his strength in riotous liuing q Lu. 15 20 24 so that necessity fell vppon him and Famine constrained him to eate of the huskes wherewith he fed his Swine his Father receiued him into his fauour and had compassion vpon him hee willed him not to returne backe to his Harlots and to betake himself to his former companions but while he was yet a farre off he reioyced to see him and embraced him when he saw him saying This my sonne was dead but is aliue againe he was lost but he is found and they began to be merry The incestuous Corinthian swept out of the Church by the censures thereof r 1 Cor. 5 4. 2 Cor. 2 6 7 and deliuered vp to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus and wandering as a stray Sheepe from the sheepe-fold is brought againe into the house of God and into the assembly of the faithfull The Apostle hearing of his sorrow for his sinne and of his vnfaigned repentaunce saith It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that nowe contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse The like we see might say of Mary Magdalen who was infamous in life out of whome Christ cast seauen diuels Of the Cananitish woman whom he heard and helped of the Cripple that lay at the Poole whom when Iesus founde in the Temple Å¿ 1 Iohn 5 14 hee exhorted to sinne no more being now made whole least a worse thing come vnto him Likewise the Euangelists declare that by the power and loue of Christ t Math 11 5. the blind had their sight restored the Leapers were clensed the dead were raised the halt walked the sicke were healed and the poore receiued the Gospell So the Apostle willeth u 1 Tim. 6 1. seruants that are vnder the yoke to account their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God his Doctrine be not euil spoken of All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs that such as are of meanest account and least estimation beeing conuerted to the Faith and belonging to Christ are greatly to bee regarded and entirely to be beloued Reason 1. This shall not seeme any thing strange vnto vs if we marke the Reasons whereupon it is grounded For first
the sinne nor consider the iniury offered to others but suffer themselues to be drawn and ouercome by affection or kindred or other mens suites to bestow sufficient places vpon vn-sufficient persons By couetousnesse when they reserue a portion or pension to themselues and when they so pare it and share it from the incumbent that they sequester the greatest benefite of the Benefice for themselues b Iudg 17. and bestow ten Shekles and a sute of apparrell by the yeare to another to beare the name and to serue the Cure These bestow as much vpon their Horse-keeper to keepe their Horses as vpon the Minister that hath the charge of Soules If ignorance be the cause I would in the Name of God and in reuerence to their high places and callings craue liberty to vse a word of Exhortation vnto them to beseech them to giue me leaue to put them in mind and to be content to learne how they came by this right and authority to be put into their hands After that the bounds and limits were assigned to euery Parish and seuerall Churches were appointed for seueral Ministers and Lands and liuings bestowed for their maintenance to the end that euery one should keepe his owne and no man to intrude vpon the right of another nor rob the Church of that which was giuen there were certaine temporall men chosen c Marcil patau desens pac part 2. cap. 14. either by godly Kinges or by such as had endowed those Churches and giuen them Lands to be Patrones of those Churches who might be able and ready to defend the Church rightes and priuiledges to the end the Pastours themselues should with more conuenience and lesse incumbrance apply their vocations It was thought vnfit for them to follow suites of Law whereby their studies might be distracted and so the people should not be instructed and besides those holy men resembling Christ and imployed in the seruice of the Church would not be contentious in the law to striue with any whereby wee see they are called Patrones because they were appointed by the first Doners to defend the right of the Donation against all Intruders and Incroachers vpon their guifts and to protect the Church-liuings from the iniuries and insolencies of couetous and contentious men They were not appointed by the first institution to bestow Church-liuings as now they doe but to patronize the right of the Lands consecrated to the Church Afterward they were allowed to nominate the Minister that the burthen that lay vpon them might be the better borne and that the trouble might be eased with some honour Seeing therefore they haue as men of trust the right of Patronage and presentation put into their hands and may not onely defend the place but name the person let them be carefull to discharge the trust that is reposed in them and shew themselues worthy of that power and priuiledge committed vnto them Againe let them consider that it is a great calling of great importance and therefore great guifts are required for the execution of it It hath annexed vnto it the charge of Soules and therefore is not slightly to be passed ouer Ignorance shall excuse no man d Luke 12 48 Hee that knoweth not his Maisters will shall be beaten with fewer stripes but wilfull ignorance of such as do not know nor will not know is a double sinne This is not spoken with any mallice or hatred to their persons but in a desire of their good and a loue to the people so that we say no otherwise of such Patrones then Christ did of his persecutours e Luke 23 34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If negligence and carelesnesse be the cause of this offering of vnworthy persons to be the Ouer-seers of the Church then f Babbin Preface before Com. I craue humbly and heartily the wise consideration of these profitable Meditations The Lord threatneth to the Watchman death that warneth not his hearers g Eze. 3 17 18 and saith he will require their blood at his hand If then God haue made me or the people hath chosen me or the Church hath suffered me to be a Patrone I ought thus to reason If I negligently place such a one as for want of ability cannot or for want of conscience wil not giue warning and admonish the wicked of their sinnes can I want my portion in the wrath of the Lord that is threatned against all such defaults Christ Iesus teacheth that it is a signe of loue h Iohn 21 15 to him in the Minister to feede his Sheepe to feede his Lambes if then I bee a Patrone of any place I must thinke that it is a token and witnesse of my loue to Christ if I cause his Sheepe and Lambes to be fed And if it be want of loue in the Minister when he doth not feede but fleese the Sheepe when he doth not teach but starue them is it not so in me if through my sluggishnes and sin it so come to passe It is a great sin to lay handes rashly to admit any into the ministery and thereby to giue that worthy calling to an vnworthy man and is it no offence in me being Patrone to bestow the Liuing vppon such a one If he be to be blamed that giueth institution and induction hee cannot be excused that giueth the presentation It is noted by the Euangelist i Math. 9 36. that when Christ saw a great multitude of people gathered together from all quarters he had compassion vpon them because they were as Sheep without a Shepheard The word vsed in that place is of great force deriued of a word that sigfieth the Entrals the Bowels and inward parts expressing thereby as it were an aking of his head or a yerning of his Bowels to see so pittifull a sight so dolefull a spectacle If then there belong vnto me the right of a Patronage and presentation to any Liuing I must thus consider if I be led by the Spirit of Christ or haue any zeale of his glory or care of the saluation of his people in me I must shew mercy and compassion to those Soules that are so dearely bought and purchased euen by the precious blood of Christ If we haue an house to build we will not admit of euery Work-man that offereth his help or is commended to vs by others or will labour best cheap but we wil make choyce of the most expert and sufficient And shall we then chuse or commend to the building of the Spirituall house of God euery Cobler and Bungler vnsufficient persons k 1 Kin. 12 31 eyther Ieroboams Priestes that were of the lowest of the people l 1 Sam. 2 17. or such as Elies Sonnes who were the leudest of all the people When the Tabernacle of God was to be builded they tooke not tag and rag from among the refuse of the Congregation m Exod. 31 3. but such as
multitude of his compassions Doth he see vs any better by Nature then others whome hee hath reiected and refused No in no wise We are of the same moulde with them and by nature no better then they Let vs not stand vpon the righteousnesse of our owne nature or the deserts of our own works or the goodnesse of our Ancestors but seeke to haue grace in our hearts x Ouid. Metamorph lib. 13. Quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco and not to call that our owne which we our selues haue not done The Father shall not be saued by the Childe nor the Childe by the Father y Ezek. 18 25 26 27. but euery man shall confesse the wayes of God to bee equall and giue an account for himselfe Manie godly and faithfull parents haue had children appointed to wrath and reserued to destruction and therefore whether our fore-fathers were beleeuers or vnbeleeuers let not vs looke so much vpon them to glory in them or to rest vpon them or think to be saued by them as enter into our selues and labor to approue our obedience in the sight of God Vse 3. Thirdly seeing that in good houses are found euill persons it putteth all Parents and Maisters in minde of a necessary duty and offereth them comfort in the discharge of their duty Their duty is not to forget or neglect to pray vnto God earnestly constantly and continually for Gods blessing vpon his labours in their family For when wee haue doone our best endeuours and vsed the greatest diligence there remaineth somwhat behinde to be performed for our Children and people euen to wait for the encrease of our labors and the worke of Gods Spirit to season and sanctifie their hearts that belong vnto vs. It is not the outward worke of teaching that can conuert the soule and reforme the life We can but speake vnto the eare it is God that speaketh vnto the heart Hence it is that some beleeue and others blaspheme some are bettered by the word others are made worse by instruction and become desperate and extreamly wicked as the Sun that softneth the wax and hardneth the Clay The Iewes that were fedde by the word z Acts 13 45. and 19 9. were filled with enuie and contemned the ordinance of God offered vnto them and spake euill of the way of God and the meanes of saluation So it was with Pharaoh the more Moses and Aaron spake vnto him so much the more his heart was hardened For the word thorough the corruption of our nature is as an Hammer that hardeneth the Anuile as a fire that consumeth the Stubble and as a Raine that bringeth vppe briars and bushes that are reserued to be burned There is no godly Housholder but if he be diligent to marke the manners and to know the behauiour of the people about him he shall espy not onely many vnreformed in themselues but secret enemies to reformation in others So that it is their parts to entreat God both before and after the meanes vsed to make them effectuall and profitable and to desire him to encline their hearts to practise and obedience We must follow the example of the Husbandman who after the sowing of his seede and Tilling of his ground a Iames 5 7. looketh for the early and the latter raine to come from heauen so must we call vpon God our Heauenly Father to send a gracious raine to moysten their hard hearts and so to soften them as that they may bee fit to receyue instruction This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth b Ier. 31 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God And in another place the Church saith c Lamen 5 21 Turne thou vnto vs O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old Whereby we see that we must depend vppon God to poure out his grace vpon them and to beginne in them the work of regeneration Moreouer this serueth to comfort all faithfull Parents and godly Maysters who haue with a good conscience beene carefull to discharge their duties and to reforme their families albeit many remaine obstinate and continue setled in the Dregges of their sinnes It is vnpossible for the d Ier. 13 23. blacke Moore to change his skin and the Leopard his spots it is hard for them to do good that are accustomed to do euill Our labour shall not bee in vaine to our selues albeit it be in vaine to others our worke shall return into our owne bosome albeit it will not enter into the bosome and breast of others This is it which Christ our Sauiour saide to his Disciples whom he sent vnto the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell When e Math. 10 12 13. ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Our carefull endeuours shall be rewarded of God albeit they be smally regarded of men they are approued in Heauen albeit reproued reiected in earth When the Prophet Esay bringeth in the Lord Iesus complaining that his preaching tooke none effect among the vnthankfull people of his owne hard-hearted Nation hee comforteth himselfe in this assurance that he knew his labors should not be in vain in the Lord f Esay 49 4. I said I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my work with my God So shal it be with euery one of vs that are deuout and diligent in doing our duties and in instructing our families God will not measure our paines by their profit nor reward our diligence according to their negligence g 1 Cor. 3 8. For euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour This ought to be an encoragement to al men to take pains with their people and to comfort them against al discomforts that arise in their way to slake their diligence to cool their zeal to hinder their paines and to stop the course that happily they haue begun to win their families to a loue of the truth Vse 4. Lastly seeing euill persons are found where good meanes are vsed it teacheth all those that are vnder the gouernment of godly Masters not to blesse themselues as though they were happy because they dwell not in prophane places because they serue not prophane Maisters because they are partakers of instruction which many thousandes want but it belongeth vnto them to labor by all meanes to make the vse of the meanes offered vnto them to bee fruitfull and effectual for their saluation For as when we come into the congregation of the faithfull we ought to bee prepared and fitted to receiue the spirituall food of our soules so in comming to the priuate exercises of
6 16. But these men say Doe not I loue them that hate thee and hate them that loue thee They hate the godly in their hearts and the more grace appeareth in them the more they despise them as Michall did Dauid when she saw his zeale in bringing home the Arke of the Lord into his own Cittie They esteeme more of their dogs and Swine then they doe of the deare Seruants of God bought with the precious blood of Christ therfore they say Oh these are the little flock these are Saints these are holie folkes we are not for their company But if we belong to God and to his Kingdome wee must of necessitie be of the Communion of Saints And if indeede thou thinke them holie thou oughtest to conclude therefore we are and must be and will be for their company For either we are holie or vnholie either godlie or prophane either righteous or vnrighteous If we be not true Christians we are no better then Deuils incarnate and therefore shall haue our portion and reward among the Deuils So then either they vtter those words with a scoffing spirit and then we leaue them to his iudgement that will take vengeance of all such taunts that he accounteth cast out against himselfe or else they make a fearefull conclusion against their owne Soules disclaiming themselues to be Members of the Church renouncing the sweet society communion of the Saints refusing the forgiuenes of their sins and accounting thēselues vnworthy of eternall life or else they speake ignorantly as poore silly blind Soules who are to be pittied and praied for and this all the hurt we wish vnto them for all the mallice they beare against vs beeing bold to craue more good for them then they doe for themselues saying g Luke 23 34 Acts 7 60. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Thus we desire God to giue them them eies that are blind and to open their hearts that haue shut them against the truth and the professors thereof Vse 2 Secondly seeing it is our duty to respect euery one of the faithfull according to the grace of God measured out vnto him it is required of all men to looke alwaies to the best things in the choise of the companions of their life We learne not to enter rashly into any neere societie with such as haue not the graces of Gods holie spirit to commend them When any of vs are to seeke friendes to match our selues with a Wife to entertaine Seruants to make choyce of teachers our care must be to enquire after such as haue true pietie in their hearts and may yeeld vnto vs sound comfort And whensoeuer we haue made that happy and heauenly choyce we must labour to cherish to encrease and to strengthen them in all their waies and for our parts must delight and reioyce in them aboue all other One good Friend one godly Wife one religious Seruant is worth ten thousand others what priuiledges of the flesh soeuer they bring with them Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Cor. 7 39. The Wife is bound by the law as long us her husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to marry with whom she will onely in the Lord. We see how Dauid among all the Sonnes of Saule made choise onely of Ionathan to ioyne with him in a strong league of sure friendshippe because he knew him to haue an vpright and faithfull hart toward God These two did take sweet counsell together and had their soules knit in a fast and firme knot of mutuall loue Likewise concerning the seruants of his house that he would receiue and retaine he saith i Psal 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee there shall no deceitfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight c. The Apostle Paul called to be an Apostle teacher of the Gentiles hauing conuerted many to the faith did take the greatest delight and reaped soundest consolation in them he accounted them his Crown he esteemed them his Sonnes he called them his glory he reioyced in them as his hope This appeareth in the example of Onesimus whom he had begotten in his bonds the greater fruits of Faith he found in him the greater account and reckoning did he make of him The like wee might say of others euen of whole Churches gained to the Gospell the more they encreased in godlynesse the more his bowels were enlarged in care and compassion toward them This affection ought to be in all true Pastors toward their people they must loue such aboue the rest as exceede and excell the rest in the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse This affection should be in the Father towards his Children he should loue them most he should giue them most hee should prouide and prepare for them most that haue most Religion in their hearts most grace in their soules most soundnesse in their liues Let them bee vsed best that are best and finde most fauour that shew the greatest faith The Scripture teacheth vs that Isaac had two sonnes Esau was the first borne yet Iacob had the blessing Godlinesse maketh the younger to bee the elder the second to be the first the lowest to be the highest the least to bee the greatest but vngodlinesse causeth the first borne to be last maketh the elder to be younger and easteth downe the highest into the lowest roome So we see that among the sonnes of Iacob k 1 Chro. 5. 1. Gen. 49 3 4. Ioseph had the double portion albeit he were the youngest of them all sauing one because the rest of his Children had stained them-selues with some grosse sinne which did put them out of their proper place and disinherit them of the blessing This point heere to be learned and practised reproueth two sorts of men as well such as make choise of such as bee wicked as those that hate them which are good and godly We must not delight our selues in those that be carnall and corrupt albeit they be neuer so neer vnto vs. Ahab did repose and reioyce himselfe l 1 King 21 7 1 Sam. 22. 9. 1 Ki. 12 8 31 in Iezabell against Naboth Saule in Doeg against Dauid when he saw that God was with him and his spirit departed from himselfe Rehoboam made choise of youthfull vaine and vicious Companions and refused the Counsell of the prudent and the aduise of the Elders the friends of his Father Ieroboam made choyse of the ignorant multitude of the scum of the people and of the Rascall sort to be the teachers of Israell and their guides and Gouernors in the matters of Gods worship It is a common euill to delight in euill company in prophane persons in Idoll-shepheards in carnall
soeuer our places how simple soeuer our persons how base soeuer our conditions are we haue as good a title and as great an interest in the death and passion of Christ as they that shine in the world that are clad in Purple and fare deliciously euery day And as these haue redemption by him so God affordeth to them the meanes of saluation as wel as the mightiest Monarkes vpon the earth The poore man hath the word of God offered to him reade vnto him and preached vnto him as well as the rich he hath the Sacraments of God prouided for him as well as for them that are of high place he may pray vnto God as freely as comfortably as chearefully as the great men of the earth and he hath a gracious promise to be heard and respected as well as they Though thou farest hardly and meanly at home k Prou. 9 2. Math. 22 1. yet God hath prepared thee a feast and biddeth thee to his Table richly furnished and plentifully stored with all prouision Though thou do not iet vp and down in Silks and Veluets and hast no gorgeous attire to put on yet God hath l Rom. 13 14 prouided thee a better garment he giueth thee his owne sonne to put on and clotheth thee with his righteousnesse which shall couer all thy shame that thy nakednesse shall neuer appeare in his sight So then seeing God accepteth no mans person seeing Christ vouchsafeth to call vs Bretheren and lastly seeing the faithfull haue redemption by his bloode it followeth necessarilie that our Christian Religion and Faith in Christ doe make all persons after a sort equall as Bretheren and Sisters of one and the same Father and Family and Ioynt-heyres of one and the same Kingdome that is immortall and neuer fadeth Vse 1 The Vses of this Doctrine are many putting vs in minde of sundrie good duties First seeing that in Christ who is the elder brother of the house we are al made Brethren and Sisters together hauing one Father which is God one Mother which is the Church one inheritance which is heauen it is our duty being neerely ioyned by so strong bands and in so fast and firme a society to loue one another to seeke the good one of another and to cut off all occasions of discord and diuision that may arise among vs. For shal such as are members of one body be diuided one against another Or shal such as are the deare Children of the same Father nourish hatred and hart-burning among themselues Or shall such as are parts of the same family foster mallice in their hearts and follow contentions and emulations to the ruine one of another My Brethren we see these things are but these things ought not so to be How shall God be our common Father if wee liue not together as louing Brethren Or how shall he call vs his children if we behaue our selues as strangers or enemies one to another This Brotherly loue is the roote of all good duties to be performed where it is wanting there is nothing but strife and sedition and all manner of euill workes This is the old commandement m Leuit. 19 18 That we loue our Neighbors as our selues This is the new commandement giuen vnto vs n Iohn 13 34 That we loue one another Seeing therefore there is one body and one spirit one Faith and one Father one Church and one Baptisme let vs support one another by loue and endeuour to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace This is it which the Apostle prooueth when he hath shewed o Colos 3 11 12 13. That there is neither Grecian nor Iew neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all and in all things he addeth As the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowelles of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknes long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue euen so do ye and aboue all these thinges put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse When a Controuersie contention arose in the houses of Abraham and Lot among their seruantes though there were a great difference and disparity between them yet Abraham saide p Gen. 13 8. Exodus 2 13. Acts 7 26. Let there bee no strife I pray thee between thee me neither between thy Heardmen my Herdmen for we are Brethren This is that whereof the Prophet putteth vs in mind and offereth to our consideration q Psal 133 1 3 Behold how good and comely a thing it is Brethren to dwell euen together there the Lorde hath appointed the blessing of life for euer To this purpose the Apostle saith r Ro. 12 10 11 Be affectioned to loue one another with Brotherly loue in giuing honour go one before anothee not sloathfull to doe seruice feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. It cannot bee denied but many occasions of iarres and ianglings arise among men and the more they are giuen to the world the more they are wrapped and intangled in them the lesse desire and delight they haue to be loosed from them Hee that is giuen to contention shall alwayes feede himselfe vpon it and neuer want matter to keepe him in it But would we know what is the cause of so much hatred malice that remaineth among vs Heereupon it ariseth euen from hence that we forget that we are Brethren and do all looke for one and the same inheritance Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Gospell of Christ teacheth vs to account our selues as brethren albeit it take not away the degrees of persons the differences of Callings it serueth as a good instruction to all Superiors to vse all mildnesse and moderation patience and meekenesse towards those that are their Inferiours and placed vnder them and to teach them not to contemne and abhorre them not to despise and disdaine them For howsoeuer there be one way a great inequality betweene them in matters of this world and in the things of this life inasmuch as God set superiors aboue vs in an higher place and requireth subiection reuerence and obedience of those that are beneath yet in another respect they are matches and equals hauing a like portion in Christ and a like interrest in the meanes of saluation Wee see in many things of this life the Lord maketh no difference betweene high low betweene Prince and people True it is their foode is daintier but are their bodies stronger Their attyre is costlier and their apparrell finer but are they kept the warmer They may haue greater helpe of the Physitians but can they deliuer them from death They may haue a more costly Coffin a a more sumptuous Tombe and a greater train following them to the graue but can these things helpe the soule No no the Prophet is plaine and experience shoulde make vs able to see it and wise to
that such as contemne their Parents and refuse to helpe and succour those that GOD hath made nearest vnto them and so bound them in a greater band doe commit the greater sinne and plainely declare that their hearts are voyd of naturall affection The third reproofe Thirdly this Doctrine reprooueth those that where most causes and reasons concurre and meete together to vrge them to their dutie do not make vse of them nor bind themselues more closely and straightly with them nor shew more kindnesse being moued by them so that the greater and moe the meanes are to tie them in affection one to another the lesse many times their loue is This may be made plainely to appeare vnto vs if we consider the particular practise of the people toward their Minister and the generall behauiour of one of the faithfull toward another God hath bound the people to their owne Pastor by a straighter and neerer coniunction then to the Shepheards of other Foldes because they haue a greater charge of their Soules and must giue an account for them to the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheep and yet we see they are most bitter and violent against them because they reprooue their sinnes and discouer their corruptions that they themselues may see them and forsake them and God may forgiue them Shall the sicke person hate the Phisition because hee sheweth him his disease and offereth his help best endeuour to cure it In like manner shall we be spightfully intreated and cruellie handled and mortally maligned that wish them the greatest good shew our selues their best friends deale faithfull with their Soules and labour to bring them to eternall happinesse This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians e Gal. 4 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tellyou the truth Thus also the Prophet Ieremy complaineth f Ier. 18 20. Shall euill be recompensed for good For they haue digged a pit for my Soule remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them We pray for them we stand in the gap wee exhort and admonish them we desire to cure them of those sinnes that fight against their Soules to destroy them Secondly we are to draw from hence a generall consideration that as God hath called vs with an holy calling into the bosome of the Church so he hath linked the faithfull in loue one to another and yoaked them together with the sweet yoake of his Gospell and yet how many are there that professe the name of Christ and will needes be accounted true Christians that cannot abide the Children of God but hate them with an vnfained hatred and account them as their Mortall enemies If we should see a man rage against the members of his owne bodie g Marke 5 5. and strike himselfe with stones to the wounding of the flesh like the man possessed would we not seek to binde him with Chaines and say he were mad and out of his wits So likewise if we be in Christ we haue him as our head and are members one of another and therefore such as nourish the passions of hatred as Coales of fire kindled in their breastes are out of their right minde as men distracted and beside themselues No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth h Ephe. 5 29. and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church We haue many effectuall meanes and strong reasons to ioyne our affections one to another i Ephe. 4 4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit there is one hope and one inheritance there is one Faith and one Baptisme there is one God and Father of all which is aboue all and thorough all and in vs all These are so many bands to hold vs together if wee plucke these Chaines asunder and breake the Fetters in peeces that no man can tame vs nor binde vs we are not liuing but dead members and offer violence to our owne flesh The single knot of nature ought to be sufficient to knit vs one to another and the least thred of naturall coniunction of our humane Nature ought to sew vs together as a Garment fitted for our bodie how much more when many occasions meet together which should establish brotherly loue to continue among vs Vse 3 Thirdly seeing coupling of many reasons together and the meeting of many good respects in one giueth the more cause of ioy and gladnesse of louing and caring one for another it giueth a profitable instruction to all Children and Seruants and other inferiors to performe the duties of honor and reuerence to their Fathers and Maisters If there were no other means this were a sufficient meanes to make them tractable and attentiue to the wordes and directions of their Fathers and Maisters euen because they are their Fathers and Maisters For this includeth many reasons and ioyneth them in neerer bandes then they were tyed together before and detecteth them of a greater sin and maketh them guilty of a greater iudgement When it pleased God to open the mouth of Baalams i Num. 22 28. Asse to reprooue the foolishnesse and wickednesse of that false Prophet it was his fault not to hearken nor giue heede to that which is spoken vnto him When God instructeth vs by the Creatures which are the common Maisters of all mankind we must learne the inuisible thinges of God by them When the Wise-man passed by the fielde of the slothfull k Prou. 24 30 31 32. and by the Vine-yard of the Man destitute of vnderstanding which was growne all ouer with Thornes and Nettles he behelde and considered it well he looked vpon it and receiued instruction But when the Lord chuseth one to speake vnto vs and to informe vs in his waies which hath beene the Instrument of our life and being of our peace and welfare of our good and saluation we ought to haue more respect to his person and to his perswasion as he is a more honorable Messenger and as his words do proceede from greater loue and kindnesse toward vs. This serueth greatlie to reprooue all rebellious Children and contemptuous Seruants which dislike and distast the holie instructions and informations of their Fathers and Maisters If they receiue any temporall commoditie from them this doth rellish well in their mouthes but they regard not their counsels they will none of their instructions These are wicked Children these are vngodlie Seruants An euill Child is but halfe a Child an euill Wife is but halfe a Wife an euill Seruant is but halfe a Seruant an euill Subiect is but halfe a Subiect The godly and gratious Child is a Childe indeede a godly and gratious Wife is a true Wife indeede a godly and gratious Seruant is a right Seruant indeede a godly and gratious Subiect is to be accounted and acknowledged a true Subiect indeede For as there are degrees of coniunction of mankinde one to another which are
the truth but to haue our harts and affections sanctified to follow it It behoueth therefore not to rest our selues satisfied with generall notions but so to ensue after them as that we make speciall application of thē Dauid in general knew that Adultery was euill Noah knew that drunkennesse was beastly Peter knew the denying of his Maister was fearefull yet in the brunt of tentation though the minde had knowledge of it the affections would not refuse it but yeelded as a Cittie besiedged by an enemy Fourthly the Apostle putteth Philemon in minde that seeing there was so neere a coniunction between them twaine that they were become as it were one man and had one minde in two bodies it followeth that whatsoeuer was ioyned to one of them ought of necessity to bee ioyned to the other Whereby we see that such as are our friends ought to be also the friends of our friends that is of those that are ioyned vnto vs. Philemon was the friend of Paule and therefore if Onesimus were the friend of one he must needes be the friend of the other Paule and Philemon were as two Brethren if then Onesimus were the Brother of Paule he ought also to be accounted the Brother of Philemon and therefore he would haue him receiued as himselfe It is no true friendshippe when one taketh profession to loue another man and yet hateth him which is his cheefest and dearest friend for if indeede we loued him we would for his sake loue the other that loueth him This we see in the couenant made with Abraham n Iam. 2 23. who is called The friend of God whereby it appeareth o Gen. 12 3. that the Lord promised to be a friend to his friends and an enemy to his enemies Fiftly in the amplification of the conclusion he addeth As my selfe thereby shewing that he would haue him regarded no otherwise then himselfe Whereby we learne that our loue to the Brethren ought not to be in word or in tongue or in shew but in deed in truth and in hart This is Christian loue this was in Christ toward vs and this should be in all of vs one toward another 1. Iohn 3 18. Rom. 12 9. 1 Pet. 4 8. These particular obseruations and sundry others might be stood vpon and farther enlarged but I haue only pointed them out and will leaue them to your farther consideration I wil onely stand vpon the Doctrines that are more principally intended and more particularly purposed which consist in the strength of the reason and in the truth of the words in themselues considered If thou account our things common receiue him as my selfe This reason is drawne from the working cause Where to moue Philemon to graunt his petition he alleadgeth the communion that was betweene them If I bee partaker with thee and thou with mee of the common benefites so that the same thing which is mine is thine and the same thinges which are thine I may account mine thou being my Friend canst not deny to loue and receiue him that is my Friend Indeede if we had onely a priuate respect vnto our selues so that my things were mine owne and not thine and thy things were thine owne and not mine thou mightest deny me my request but seeing thou art another my selfe and deare vnto me as mine owne soule it is a forcible reason to stirre thee vp both to heare and graunt that which I desire and request of thee Doctrine 1. The consideration of the cōmunion one with another ought to moue vs to regard one another From hence we learne that the consideration of the mutuall coniunction that we haue one with another giueth vs an interest one in another and ought greatly to moue vs to heare and regard each other So then the acknowledgement of our communion ought to stirre vs vp to haue such a care one of another that nothing requested vpon good ground should be denyed This is it which the Father of the faithfull calleth vnto Lots remembrance p Gene. 13 8. Actes 7 26 Let not vs striue for we are Brethren So dealeth Moses toward the Israelites he shewed himselfe vnto them as they stroue and would haue set them at one againe saying Sirs ye are Brethren why doe yee wrong one to another The Apostle telleth the Ephesians that they were as one Body and one Spirit they had all one Faith and Baptisme and hope of saluation q Ephe. 4 3 4. and thereupon perswadeth with them to endeuour to keep the vnitie of the Spirit in the Bond of peace Thus he teacheth the Corinthians r 1 Cor. 12 13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether we be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one spirit so that the gifts giuen vnto vs are giuen to profit withall The Apostle Iohn speaketh to this purpose Hereby haue we perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the Brethren This appeareth in the practise of Christ ſ Iohn 11 11. he said vnto his Disciples Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go to wake him vp Where we see he maketh the friendship that was betweene them a motiue to go to Bathania to raise him vp from the dead This is offered also vnto vs in the parable propounded by Christ Which of you shall haue t Luke 11 5. a friend and shall go to him at midnight and say to him Friend lend me three loaues c. declaring thereby that he which hath a friend indeed resteth vpon him and is bold with him in the time of his necessitie Al these places and examples teach vs to be ready to performe all duties of loue and kindnesse one to another seeing there is or ought to be a common fellowship among vs. Reason 1. The reasons of this truth are very plaine and apparant For first of all we haue all of vs one common Father we are al his children we haue one common Maker we are the worke of his hands If then we be so neerely tied so closely linked yoked one to another we ought to haue a great care and respect one of another This is it which Iob considered to moue him to mildnesse toward his Inferiors u Iob 31 15. He that hath made me in the wombe hath he not made him Hath not he alone fashioned vs in the womb Where he sheweth that the Maister and the Seruant haue one and the same Creator so that they are so straightly ioyned together as that they are bound to bee beneficiall one to another To this purpose Salomon saith x Prou. 22 2. The rich and the poore meet together the Lord is the maker of them all that is they liue together in a common fellowship and one standeth in need of another Reason 2. Secondly as we haue one common Father so we haue one head and
good course a long time and dedicated their young yeares as it were bringing their first fruites to God who notwithstanding haue turned out of the way when they haue beene going out of the World Euen as it falleth out sometimes that such as haue failed safely in the wide Sea and kept an vpright course that they haue escaped the dangers of stormes and tempests and Rockes and quicke-sandes haue notwithstanding beene cast away in the very Hauen through negligence and security and want of heed taking so is it with many that haue stood out in daungerous times when the Windes haue blowne and persecutions haue beene hot who in calme weather and peaceable times in their latter times haue suffered shipwracke and haue dashed the Barkes of their Soules against the vaine-pleasures and vanities of this World which drowne Men in perdition and destruction Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians prayeth vnto God for them in this manner m 1 Thes 5 23 Now the very GOD of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole Spirit and Soule and Body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Hee saw they had neede of Gods gratious assistance euen vnto the last breath of their body to vphold them and to keepe them in his feare Let vs therefore remember what the Prophet speaketh of those that are truely regenerate Psalme 92 12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme Tree and shall grow like a Caedar in Lebanon such as bee planted in the House of the Lorde shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth Fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing If we be in the number of these men described in this place alwaies fruitfull in good thinges and neuer barren of heauenly graces we shall be assured that we shall neuer be remooued Trees as we see by experience grow barren when they grow old but such as are planted in the House of God must be most fruitfull in their age But with many it is cleane contrary the more old in age the more old in sinne and sapped in all sorts of wickednesse This is a searefull signe and prognosticate of a finall Apostacy when our ending is not answerable to our beginning Obiection But heere some man may say Can the faithfull fall away for euer Can they loose their Faith altogether Answere I answer such as liue in the Church and seeme to themselues and to others to haue faith may fall away but such as haue the faith of Gods elect can neuer fall away God doth stablish them in Christ 2 Cor. 1 12. And they are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1 4. So that our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3 3. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance and he that hath begun this good worke in vs will also finish and perfect it vntil the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. We are persawaded that neither life nor death nor Deuill nor any meanes whatsoeuer shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God Notwithstanding we must beware of carnall security least these guifts of God be weakened and diminished in vs for albeit they cannot dye yet they may decay and decrease and we may fall though not fall away and our Faith may be lesse though not vtterly lost Christ Iesus hath somewhat against the Angell of the Church of Ephesus o Reuel 2 4. because hee had left his first loue He was not finally fallen from Grace but is highly praised for his patience and perseuerance but is charged to haue slacked his course and to haue cooled his zeale and therefore hee is not saide to haue lost his Loue but to haue left his first Loue so that they were not so earnest so seruent and so zealous as they were at their first Conuersion Wee haue therefore continuall neede to be often in prayer that wee may euer-more encrease in heauenly Graces and bee preserued by the power of God that we be not ouercome by the power and subtiltie of Sathan who desireth nothing more then our Destruction nothing lesse then our good and saluation 25 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your Spirit Amen The order of the words Hitherto of the first part of the Conclusion which is the salutation sent from others Now of the salutation that commeth from him-selfe which is as his last farewell and shutting vppe of the whole Epistle and as it were a solemne taking of his leaue of him and the rest which is thus much in effect Grace bee with your Spirit The first part or former word is amplified and enlarged by the efficient cause from whence it commeth and proceedeth to wit Christ Iesus who is also declared by that Soueraigne Authoritie which he hath ouer all Our Lord. Lastly the whole Prayer is garnished with a certain exclamation of heartie wel-wishing to them in the last word Amen Thus much touching the Order The Interpretation of the words Let vs come to the Interpretation of the Words and search out the meaning of them by other places of Scripture Wherein we are to consider what is meant by grace why it is called The Grace of our Lord Iesus why he is called A Lord. why Our Lord what is meant by Spirit what is meant by your Spirit and lastly what is meant by this word Amen First touching Grace whereof we haue spoken before Verse 3. we must vnderstand that there is a two-fold Grace mentioned in the word of God p Called Gratia gratū faciens One which maketh a man gracious and acceptable to God which is the free fauour and loue of God whereby he is well pleased and exceedingly contented with his elect in Christ his beloued sonne which is in God himselfe and in no Creature whatsoeuer either Saint or Angell The other is Grace freely q Called Gratia gratis data giuen to men both common to the elect and Reprobate or proper to the elect onely which are supernaturall and sauing graces The former is called the first Grace which is no inharent quality in vs but an essential property in God and the cause of all graces in vs and the Fountaine of all benefits that flow vnto vs. Thus it is taken in many places as Rom. 1 7. and 3 24. and 4 16. and 11 6. The latter is called the second Grace because it is deriued from the former as we see 1. Iohn 1 16. and 1. Pet. 1 14. and 5 10. and 2. Pet. 3 18. Now in this place I vnderstande it of the fauour and Loue of GOD with the which hee beganne his Epistle before and with which heere he closeth it vppe ending euen as hee made his entrance Secondly hee calleth this The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ for two Causes first because he is the fountaine of it he is
they are in death Å¿ Dan. 5 6. like Belshazzar who in the middest of his Feast and fulnesse saw the hand-writing vpon the wall as a Prognosticate of his destruction Lastly albeit they haue the blessings of God and keep them in bondage yet withall they possesse the Cursse of God which alwaies waiteth vppon them and is ready to seize vpon them The Theefe liueth alwaies in feare of the Iudge and of the day of Assises so doe these men liue in continuall daunger of Gods Iudgement and punnishment which shall one day meete with them Sixtly obserue that he desireth grace to rest in their spirits and albeit he meane heeereby their whole persons as we haue shewed before in setting downe the Interpretation of the wordes yet heereby he assigneth the proper Seat of Grace to be the Soule For the Grace of Christ is an inward and spirituall thing and therefore taketh vp the inward and spirituall part of man Indeed when once grace is entred into the heart and sitteth there as a Queen to order all our thoughts and affections it wil spread it selfe through the whole man and afterward as it were goe out of the dores into the outward actions We see heereby where grace is especially felt for as the Soule is the subiect of it so the Soule hath the especiall feeling of it Our Iustification and forgiuenesse of sinnes the peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding is felt in the Soule yea Glorification and eternall life throgh Iesus Christ is felt in the Soule This teacheth vs to labour earnestly t Heb. 13 9. to haue grace in the heart that from thence it may flow into all our actions It is not enongh to haue gratious tongues gratious wordes gratious mouths we must first haue grace within and giue vnto God our heartes Nothing is more detestable to God and man then Hypocrisie there appeareth grace without but there dwelleth none within there is great shew but little truth or rather no truth at all Lastly obserue with me the last word whereby the Apostle shutteth vp the Salutation and the whole Epistle to wit Amen This is set downe in a word and yet it containeth more then the prayer it selfe For in prayer we testifie our desire by this we witnesse our Faith By this we obserue that vnto our requests and petitions in prayer must be ioyned Faith and Beleefe that God will grant the thinges craued This appeareth in the Prophet u Psal 89 52. Psal 89. Praised be the Lord for euermore So be it euen so be it Wee are taught thus to shut vp our prayers by Christ our Sauiour in that platforme which he hath left vs. Thus the Apostle closeth and concludeth his Epistle x 2 Cor 13 13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen And indeed praier auaileth onely in them that beleeue y Iam. 1 6 and 5 16. It is the prayer of faith preuaileth much if it be feruent yea we must aske in faith and not wauer if we thinke to obtaine any thing at his handes From hence we learne that we ought alwaies to labour to giue assent to Gods promises when we pray and to striue against doubting and infidelity All the promises of God z 2 Cor. 1 20. are in Christ yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. This we see in the Father of the Child possessed Mark 9. When Christ Iesus said vnto him a Mark 9 23. 24. If thou canst beleeue all thinges are possible to him that beleeueth he answeared Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe To pray without Faith is not to pray at all And to say Amen in the end of our prayers and yet to pray with doubting and without beleeuing is to make a lie and to teach our tongues to deceiue our hearts For this is a great iarre and discord when infidelity is in the heart and faith in the tongue when inwardly we wauer and outwardly the mouth vttereth Amen More-ouer so often as we vse publike prayers they must be pronounced and deliuered with that plainenesse feeling and zeale as that the people being thereby moued and their faith and affections going with that which is deliuered and prayed for may answere Amen vnto that which is desired This is it which the Apostle toucheth 1 Cor. 14. b 1 Cor. 14 15 16. I will pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also Else when thou blessest with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the Roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou saiest This reprooueth the Popish and Romish Liturgy that vse in diuine seruice a strange and vnknowne tongue whereby the people are nuzeled in ignorance and can receiue no c 1 Cor 14 19 1â— edification or instruction And heereby consider the deepe deuise of the Deuill how farre he hath preuailed in this false Church For when he saw he could not thus farre haue the vpper hand as vtterly to cast the word out of the Church and to take away the vse of prayer when he perceiued it to be vnpossible to roote out the word of God and to abolish the inuocation of his holy name he fell to worke another way and that is to suffer the thinges to remaine and to take away the right and profitable vse of them so that albeit the word is read it is read without knoledge and albeit prayers be made yet they are made without comfort Thus the names of the worde and prayer remaining the benifite of them is taken away The like we might say of the Sacraments especially of the Supper of the Lord they will seeme to haue it yet in truth they want it to allow of it and yet they destroy it and abolish it If the Deuill should vtterly remoue these thinges out of the way so that the names neither of the word nor of prayers nor of the Sacraments were heard among them all men might discouer this deceit no man would easily be seduced by this palpable grossenesse but he is a more cunning worke-man he can hide his snares from being seene so that he will not haue them vtterly remooued and renounced that the people might say we haue the word reade vnto vs wee haue good prayers saide among vs we haue the Sacraments with vs yet all is done in a strange manner the Priest vseth a strange tongue and the people are nurtured in strange ignorance For the word is heard ignorantly praiers are made ignorantly and the Sacraments are receiued ignorantly The whole frame of the Popish Religion is maintained by ignorance Thus much of the generall obseruations that might be enlarged and farther amplified which I haue briefly pointed out and albeit all of them be very pertinent yet I will
not and enioy them as though we possessed them not To this purpose the Apostle Peter saith Chap 5. f 1 Pet 5 7 Cast all your care on him for he careth for you Wherefore then should we nourish immoderate and excessiue cares in our bosomes seeing we haue assurance of Gods care towards vs Let vs trust in him and be secure without all distrust and feare If we haue spent our daies in the following and pursuing after the vaine profits of this life let vs bethinke our selues what we haue done and study to redeeme the time that is to come and consider wherefore we were created redeemed The things that are seene are temporall the thinges that are not seene they are eternall Let vs aboue all preferre those thinges that are able best to preferre vs. Let vs not liue heere as men that spend all their daies in catching after feathers and following toyes and trifles that cannot profit If we should see a man wast his yeares from day to day and from moneth to moneth and from yeare to yeare and hauing liued forty or fifty yeares hath done nothing but catch after shadowes runne after Butter-Flies follow after Gew-gawes or behold the Moone-shine in the waters or alwayes looke downe vpon the earth or alwayes blowe vp Feathers in the Aire would we not thinke him starke mad and iudge him out of his wittes Euery man is ready to accuse him of Madnesse no man would thinke he did him wrong to call him so or craue pardon for that he hath done But bee not too hastye to censure such and to passe the sentence of Madnesse vpon them least the Parable be applied to thy selfe and be verified of thy selfe The wise man who knew best who are Fooles and what to iudge of folly preacheth and proclaymeth both in the entrance and end of his wordes g Eccle 1 2 12 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity If then these things be all vaine nay Vanity it selfe it is more then certaine that such as spend their time and wast their years and consume their strength in catching after these toyes these shaddowes these shewes these feathers these follies these trisles and spend more yeares in pursuing after these earthly thinges then they do houres in attaining Heauenly thinges may truely be accounted Fooles or Mad-men or sottish or such as are possessed with a Spirit of giddinesse that runne vp and downe hither and thether and know not what they do Wee vse commonly to pittye such as are mad and beside themselues and out of their right wittes None are farther out of the way nor more destitute of true Wisedome then these men are that haue the least care of the best thinges and the greatest care of the least thinges Let vs beeware least while we thinke our selues to be wise we become starke fooles while we thinke our selues spirituall we be proued to be carnall and while we loath madnesse and folly in others we loue madnesse and folly in our selues Vse 3. Lastly seeing spirituall thinges must be placed and preferred before earthly we learne another duty from hence namely that we ought to make greatest account of the greatest blessings and such as are highest of all must also be highest in our estimation These we ought especially to pray for of the want of these we must haue a speciall feeling Wee are ready to aske for our daily bread but we do not desire the bread of life we do not hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse Wee are wholly ignorant of the right manner and method of praying wee regarde not to obserue the order which God hath ordained Christ Iesus instrcting vs to pray h Math 6. and leauing vs a perfect pattern how to make prayer both for matter and method hath made this the fourth Petition to haue our daily bread giuen vnto vs. But we will not pray after this manner we will not obserue this direction we make this our principall care we make it the first Petition nay we make it both first and second the third and sourth the fift and sixt we make it the beginning and the ending we set it before and behinde wee enter with it wee conclude with it wee make it all in all to haue earthly blessings and temporall commodities and bodily necessities supplyed vnto vs. What a shame is it vnto vs that if we will not know the preheminence of heauenly thinges aboue these mortall and transitory vanities we should be such great strangers at home and so ignorant of our selues and of those parts whereof we consist Who is so simple that doth not vnderstand that the soule is more noble and excellent then the body If then it be more worthy as being a spirit an immortall spirit ought we not in the first place to prouide for it Ought wee not to adorne it with all spirituall graces Ought we not so to quallifie it as that it may be inheritour of eternall glory Let vs therefore affect the things of certaine abode and seeke after Wisedome Faith Sanctification and the true Riches of the Spirit If our Treasure be in Heauen our hearts will be there also Let vs lay vp and locke vp our Treasure in Immortality let vs be sure to lay a good foundation against the time to come One thing is necessary this is the good part that shall not bee taken away from vs. All humaine thinges are full of vncertainties and the meanes of their decaying and vanishing are manifold the Rust the Moth the Canker the Theefe beside a thousand other casualties that take them away from vs. It is an holy and heauenly admonition giuen vnto vs by Christ Math 6. i Math 6 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse and then all other thinges shall be ministred vnto you This checketh and controlleth the preposterous order and bad practise of most men in their callinges they set the wrong end forward they labour first of all to get wealth and wellfare from day to day and from yeare to yeare but neuer thinke of the roote of welfare and from what Fountain all earthly blessings spring to wit from the grace of God Let vs imploy our paines to get Gods fauour and then transitory thinges Wealth Peace Honour Liberty and such like will follow so farre as they shall bee expedient for vs otherwise all our abundance shall turne to be our bane woe and destruction all thinges shall be accursed vnto vs our Table shall be made a snare to take vs and torment vs. The grace of God in Christ is sufficient to make a man blessed and without it all other thinges though we had them in the greatest measure cannot free vs from cursednes Now it is vnpossible that euer we shuld seeke for these gratious gifts of God except we feele our own misery in the want of thē It is the want of health which we desire to haue restored the feeling of our
vs and the Gulfe of his wrath ready to swallow vs we shall cry out for one drop of Grace for one drop of Faith for one drop of comfort to refresh our pining Soules and to deliuer vs from the shaddow of death Now is the time to desire and seeke after grace if we let slip the present occasion offered vnto vs we shall afterward cry out for it and complaine of the want of it and yet shall neuer attaine vnto it Thus was it with the rich Man when he entreated Abraham to haue mercy on him and to send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water to coole his tongue beeing tormented in that Flame Abraham answered Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Thus was it with the foolish Virgins who slumbred and slept and regarded not to procure and prouide Oyle h Mat. 25 10 11. for their Lampes for when the Bridegroome was come and had shut the Gate they cryed in vaine Lord Lord open vnto vs who receiued their answere Verily I say vnto you I know you not Thus it shall be with those in the last day which shall say i Math. 7 22. Lord Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out Deuils And by thy Name done many great workes For then hee will professe vnto them he neuer knew them depart from me ye workers of iniquity So shall it be with those that haue neglected the time and passed ouer the opportunity k Luke 14 25 26. who begin to say Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our Streets to whom he shall say I know you not whence ye are Let vs all be wise and beware by their examples that we do not delay the time from day to day Let vs craue this guift of God that we may haue it in time of neede and in the houre of tentation If now while we haue time we shall desire and labour to obtaine grace wee shall not neede heereafter to stand in feare of Death or to cry out through horror and despaire O that I had one drop of Faith O that I had one drop of Grace Vse 2. Secondly seeing grace is in the first place aboue and before all other blessings to be desired and required at the handes of God let vs learne the high-way and enter into the beaten path that leadeth to this Grace and when wee haue learned it let vs walke in it in a constant and setled course Now the steppes l Three steps leading vs to finde Gods grace that wee must make to trace it and finde it out are these The first degree or steppe is to dislike our selues and to bee in disgrace with our selues Euery man naturally is in loue with himselfe and his owne shadow But wee must cast off this selfe-loue that cleaueth so fast and hangeth on and learne to know our selues and to hate our selues No man can magnifie Gods mercy sufficiently vntill hee attaine to the knowledge of his owne misery Daniell a man gratious and dearely beloued of GOD acknowledged this in his prayer and as it were ascendeth into the presence of God by this steppe m Dan. 9 7 8. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and vnto euery Man of Iudah because we haue sinned against thee This was the course that the Prodigall Sonne tooke and the way that he entred g Luke 15 21 Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Thus did the poore Publican insinuate himselfe into the grace of God and departed iustifyed in his sight he smote his breast saying h Luke 18 13 Lord be mercifull to me a Sinner To be proud and puffed vp with our owne righteousnesse and to trust in our owne wisedome is the fore-runner of a fall The second step to obtaine grace is after we haue felt this want and misery in our selues wee must not rest there but earnestly desire and inwardly hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly thinges First we must feele our selues empty before our Soules can haue this hunger Our Sauiour describing true blessednesse to his Disciples and shewing wherein it consisteth contrary to the iudgement of the World hee saith i Math. 5 3 6. Blessed are the poore in Spirit that is that know themselues poore that feele themselues poore and voide of righteousnesse and then he addeth Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled We must k Iohn 6 27. and 4 14. hunger after the meat that neuer perisheth wee must thirst after that Well of Water which springeth vp vnto euerlasting life If wee neuer hunger after grace we shall neuer haue grace The whole desire l Math. 9 12. not the Phisition but they that are sicke They m Iohn 9 41. which thinke they see are made blind and their sinne remaineth Lastly it is required of vs to lay hould by the hand of a true Faith vpon the grace and mercy of God in Christ Iesus offered vnto all of vs in the promises of the Gospell generally and learne to apply them to our selues particularly Christ calleth those n Mat. 11 28. that are weary and heauy laden promising to ease end refresh them In the last and great day of the Feast Iesus stood and cryed saying o Iohn 7 37. If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He teacheth p Mark 16 16 That he that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued These are generall promises these require particular application Wee cannot receiue them into our hearts and make them our owne except we lay houlde of them by a speciall Faith This liuely Faith bringeth Christ home to vs and openeth the doores of our Soules to entertaine him If then we feele our owne miserie if we hunger after mercie and if wee apply the promises of the Gospell to vs particularly we shall be assured to finde the grace of God and tast plentifully and abundantly of his loue So many as truely desire grace must looke to attaine it by these meanes and climb vp to the top of it by these steps and degrees as by certaine staires Vse 3. Thirdlie seeing grace is first of all to bee craued it directeth vs to obserue and keepe a good order in seeking and crauing thinges at the hands of God We are taught first to seeke his grace and fauour as the roote and Fountaine and then peace welfare and other blessings He that will receiue fruit from the tree must come to the roote and body before he can come to the braunches so if we would haue peace health
wealth a good name fauour friendship or other gifts of the Spirit wee must begin at the roote that is intreat first for the grace of God take hold of his free loue and aboue all thinges beg his fatherlie fauour to compasse vs as with a garment and to defend vs as with a shielde It is in vaine to aske any thing it is in vaine to hope for and to expect any blessing as a blessing before this be asked and obtained This order is to be obserued if wee would enioy and possesse Gods blessinges When the grace of God commeth and maketh vs accepted it commeth not alone but commeth accompanied and bringeth a traine of all other blessings with it Hee that will seeke a benefite from a Prince must first seeke to bee gratious with the Prince and get his fauor he must neuer look to be respected and regarded in his suit that is out of the Princes fauour so if wee would haue wealth welfare ease honour peace prosperity or any other guifts we must before all things labour to bee gratious with the great God of Heauen and seeke to be accepted in his beloued This serueth to reprooue the preposterous course of carnall Men h Horac epistol lib. 1. Epist 1. who set the Cart before the Horse and place the Boby before the Soule and aduance the Earth aboue the Heauen and so ouerthrow the whole order of Nature labouring first for wealth and afterward for vertue first for Riches afterward for Religion first to bee great in the World afterward to bee gratious with God These men seeke from day to day and from yeare to yeare for earthly profites and vanishing pleasures but neuer thinke on the root of all blessings the grace of God This corruption is reproued by Christ who prescribeth vnto vs a better way when he saith i Math. 6 33. Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you If the things of this world be the first in our thoughts the cheefest in our desires the greatest in our estimation and the best in our imagination we haue our reward wee must looke for no other reward at the hands of God Vse 4. Lastly when we haue found our hearts perswaded and our Soules possessed of this grace of God let vs delight in it let vs rest vpon it let it bee made our stay and comfort in all times and vpon all occasions Let vs remember to be more thankfull to God for it and more ioyfull in it k Esay 9 3. then those that reioyce in Haruest or such as finde great spoiles and rich booties If thou shouldst finde Mines of Siluer and Gold and Mountaines of Pearles and precious Stones they could not giue such comfort and contentment vnto thy Soule as this grace of God is able to doe which is a Iewell of Iewels Blessed is the man that findeth this Treasure and getteth it into his heart for the l Pro. 3 14 15 Marchandize thereof is better then the Marchandize of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then Gold it is more precious then Pearles and all thinges that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto it For these treasures of the earth which worldly men haue in so great price and estimation are bought at a deere rate of the owners but the Lord offereth and giueth his grace frankly and freely vnto vs which neede the same as we read in the prophesie m Esay 55 5 1 Iames 1 2. of Esay and in the Epistle of Iames. Secondly the Marchandize of these Pearles may be stolne from vs we cannot so safely and closely lay them vp but time will consume them rust will rot them and Theeues will steale them n Math. 6 19 as our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell But the grace of God shall neuer dye or decay but is euer flourishing and euerlasting Lastly the gain of Siluer Gold if we could possesse it in the greatest measure is but to maintaine the body and to prouide for this present life for a season but the gaining of grace and the fauour of God is an entituling of vs to the Kingdome of heauen and to eternall life which he that hath this grace of God in his heart shall possesse for euer Indeed few men do beleeue this because they make more reckoning of thinges earthly then heauenly but all men shall finde it to be true in the end This treasure the poore may haue as well as the rich In all tentations this will stand by vs and raise vs vp when we are cast downe and strengthen vs when we are weake This grace whereby wee are freely beloued will goe with vs abroad will stay with vs at home will lye downe with vs in bed will sit with vs at Table will direct vs in prosperity will sticke to vs in trouble will comfort vs in sicknesse will solace vs in death and will accompany vs to heauen To desire this is the best couetousnesse and that which onely hath alowance and approbation from God o 1 Cor. 14 1 and therefore the Apostle chargeth vs to couet spirituall thinges All these thinges teach vs to rest and rely vpon the grace of God as vppon the onely comfort of our Soules and the very life of our liues according to the practise of the Prophet Psal 4. after he had desired of God to lift vp his louing countenance vpon him he addeth p Psal 4 8. I will lay mee downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety And peace c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first blessing which the Apostle craueth for them to wit the grace of God which is the grace of graces Now followeth the second which is peace which is a notable fruit growing vpon the blessed tree of grace This signifieth the quiet concord and vnity which the faithfull are made partakers of beeing once ingrafted into Christ and brought into the bosome of the Church They find peace and are at an agreement which hath many branches and standeth of many parts euery one whereof is a most worthy blessing First q Rom. 5 1. wee are at peace with God when we are reconciled vnto God in Christ so that he hath no quarrell or controuersie against vs. Rom. 5. 1. Secondlie wee are at peace with the elect Angels r Psal 91 11. which pitch their Tents round about vs and are set to guard vs least we dash our foot against a Stone Thirdly we are at peace with our selues when our consciences enioy quietnesse and tranquility not accusing or condemning but excusing and cleering vs being washed in the blood of Christ Å¿ Phil. 4 7. This is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Fourthly wee are at peace with Gods Children t Esay 11 6. foretold by the Prophet that the wilde Beasts and tame should dwell together the cruell and the gentle should
of those thinges they enioy no more then of those things which they haue not obtained This made the Apostle say f Heb. 6 11 12 We desire that euerie one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope vnto the end that ye be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and Patience inherit the promises God is constrained oftentimes to take away the means that he sendeth for our good whē we make no good vse of them he taketh away good Pastors he sendeth setteth vp euill Pastors in their roomes when we do not profit nor are careful to make others profit by vs. This the Prophet Zacharie denounceth from the mouth of the Lord g Zach. 17 16 I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor healt that that is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp but he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare the clawes in peeces This also Christ our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell h Math. 13 12 Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that he hath Furthermore in the parable of the man that going into a farre Countrey called vnto him his seruants and deliuered vnto them his goods we see that the euil seruant that hauing receiued a Talent hid it in the ground brought onely a Talent to his Maister againe hath i Math 25 28. that taken from him and it is giuen to him that had gotten and gained fiue Talents It is accounted an euill Tree not that onely which bringeth forth euill fruit but that also which bringeth forth no fruit It is accounted euill ground not onely that which beareth Thornes and Briars but that also which bringeth forth no Corne for the vse of man He is accounted an vniust steward not onely that wasteth his Maisters goods conuerteth thē to his own vse but he that keepeth them safe and sound without imployment which he had receiued to lay out to dispense and to distribute He is accounted an euill seruant not onely that selleth to others or reserueth to himselfe his Maisters Corne which he should haue sowed in the earth that it might haue brought forth great increase and a plentifull Haruest but he that keepeth it by him and in the end deliuereth it backe in the same manner and measure that he tooke it So are we vnfaithfull seruants vniust Stewards and euill bestowers of our Maisters mony if we let it lye by vs and do not imploy it to some gaine If then they be blamed and vnrewarded that gaine nothing what shall they be esteemed that loose the Stocke and dash away the principall Againe if God haue giuen vnto vs this worldes good he requireth of vs to do good with it to helpe those that are in want and to distribute to the necessities of the Saintes Hath God beene liberall to vs that we should be hand-bound and heart-bound vnto others He hath left the poore with vs that we should be in stead of God to them k Exod 4 16. as Moses is said to be giuen to Aaron in Gods stead as a wise Councellor so we are appointed to be vnto them as a wise distributer supplying that which is wanting vnto them How should God giue much vnto vs when for his sake we will not giue a little If we were in their case and condition and had experience how great the misery of want is and how heauy the burden of pouerty is we would be willing to be refreshed comforted and eased l Mat 7 12. Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Whatsoeuer we do vnto them shall not be vnregarded or vnrewarded we sow it in a fruitfull ground and we shall reape it againe with great encrease Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must imploy that which we haue receiued to the benefite of others it serueth greatly to comfort such as haue beene careful to communicate to others rhose thinges that they haue receiued and to make them partakers of the same comfort that they haue reaped by them It is a blessed thing when men haue endeuoured to their power to benefit others to exhort them to admonish them to comfort them to refresh them and haue vsed our guiftes to the profit of our bretheren O what a wonderfull comfort and consolation shall it be vnto vs when we must leaue this world and go the way of all flesh to remember that we haue not spared to do good to others wee haue not failed to benifit others we haue not ceased to scatter abroad a part of that which we haue gathered Let vs lay this to our heartes and apply it to our consciences both we that are the Ministers and you that are the people If we that are made watchmen ouer the Citty of God and ouerseers of the Church shall to the vtmost of our power imploy our guifts and spend our selues to giue light to others God will not forget the labour of our hands but great shall be our reward in heauen according to the promise mentioned in Daniell the Prophet m Dan 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Heereunto accordeth the answere of Christ to the question of Peter n Luk 12 42 43. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Maister shall make Ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall find so doing We shall find more comfort of conscience and ioy of heart and gladnesse of spirit when we depart this life that we haue beene faithfull in that little committed to our trust and made others partakers of it as well as our selues then if wee had great abundance of earthly blessings and were owners of the whole world The like comfort shall all faithfull people of God find that haue distributed their Maisters goodes they shall receiue their reward according vnto their worke We see the haruest is answereable to the seed time and they shal reap as they haue sowed Then they shall tast the sweetnesse and reap the comfort of their labor bestowed in applying themselues to the profit of others Their last day shall be a blessed day vnto them when they shall finde God as readie to communicate vnto them his glory as they haue bin to do to others their duty and to bestow vpon them the fruits of mercy and the works of charity The greatest good is to seeke to gaine their soules the next is to giue to their bodies On the other side howe vncomfortable shall that day of our leparture be how wofull and full of trouble bringing