minister vnto him so we so soone as Christ hath done any thing for vs should rise vp immediatly to serue him And as Annah when she had receiued a sonne from God did consecrate him to God againe so whatsoeuer wee receiue of God wee must giue it to God againe that is vse it to his glorie and make it one of our meanes to serue him for all things which wee receiue in this life are giuen vnto vs lest we should want any means to serue God Then because the Apostle requireth Thankes for all things I shewed you that hee is not thankfull before God which thankes him onely for his benefites but he is thankfull indeede which thankes him for his chastisement It may be while the Lord giueth many will say Blessed be the name of the Lord. But when the Lord taketh who wil say Blessed bee the name of the Lorde When the Lord did take Iob sayd Blessed be the name of the Lord. There is one example then of Pauls doctrine which in all things gaue thankes The Prophet Dauid saith Thy staffe and thy rodde haue comforted me there is another example of Paules doctrine which gaue thankes vnto God for his rod for an obedient childe doth not only kisse the hand which giueth but the rod which beateth After speaking of these wordes Quench not the Spirite I shewed you that Spirit doth signifie the giftes and the motions of the Spirite The Spirite in the third of Matthew is likened to fire and therefore Paul saith well Quench not the Spirite because fire may bee quenched Heere I tooke occasion to speake of zeale which is the fire of the spirit shewing you that God is pleased with zeale as men are pleased with loue but as Christ did baptize with fire so Iohn did baptize with water and as the holy Ghost descended with fire so he did descend with winde that cooleth fire shewing that our zeale should be a temperat zeale as our Maisters was Esaiah was commaunded to crie but not to roare the Iewes might not gather too much Manna no more than they might gather too little As there is a measure in knowledge so there is a measure in zeale that is Be zealous according to discretion as Paule saith Be wise according to sobrietie The Disciples were commended for their zeale when they left all to followe Christ but Christ reprooued them for their zeale when they would pray for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Therefore zeale and discretion vnited together are like vnto the two lyons which supported the Throane of Salomon and hee which hath them both is like Moses for his mildnesse like Phineas for his feruencie therefore as wine is tempered with water so let discretion temper zeale But I neede not bring water to quēch that fire which is out alreadie I would rather I could say of you You are too zealous as Paule told the Athenians they were too superstitious But our sicknesse is not a hot sicknesse but a colde sicknesse the hot bodie is distempered but the colde bodie is dead Zeale was neuer infamous before our dayes the Papists are commended if they be zealous but the Protestant if he be zealous is held in derision Then I shewed you how the spirit is quenched as a man doth quench his reason with ouermuch wine and therefore we say when the wine is in the wit is out because before he seemes to haue reason and now he seemes to haue none so our zeale and our faith and our loue are quenched with sinne Euerie vaine thought and euery idle word and euery wicked deed is like so many drops to quench the Spirit of God Some quench it with the busines of this world some quench it with the lustes of the flesh some quench it with the cares of the minde some quench it with long delayes that is not plying the motion when it commeth but crossing the good thought with bad thoughts and doing a thing when the Spirite sayth Doo it not as Achab went to battell after he was forbidden Sometime a man shall feele him selfe stirred to a good worke as though hee were led to it by the hand and againe he shall be frighted from some euill thing as though he were reprooued in his eare then if hee resist hee shall straight feele the spirit going out of him and heare a voyce pronouncing him guiltie and hee shall hardly recouer his peace againe Therefore Paule saith Grieue not the Spirite shewing that the spirite is often grieued before it be quenched and that when a man begins to grieue and checke and persecute the spirit lightly he neuer ceasseth vntill he haue quenched it that is vntill he seeme to haue no spirit at all but walketh like a lumpe of flesh After Quench not the Spirite followeth Despise not prophecying In the ende of this Epistle Paule speaketh like a father which is come to the ende of his life who because he hath but a while to speake heapeth his Lessons together which he would haue his sons remember when he is gone so Paul as though he were set to giue good counsel and had not leasure to speake that he would sendeth the Thessalonians a briefe of his minde which their meditation should after amplifie expound vnto them His first aduice is Quench not the Spirite that is when a good motion commeth welcome it like a frend and crosse it not with thy lusts The second admonition teacheth how the first should be kept Despise not prophecying and the spirite will not quench because prophesying doth kindle it The third admonition teacheth how to make fruite of the second Trie the doctrines of them which prophecie and thou shalt not beleeue errour for truth but hold the best The fourth admonition is the summe of all and it commeth last because it is longest in learning that is Abstaine from all appearance of euill This is the summe of all for he which can abstaine not onely from euill but from the appearance of euill is so perfect as a man can be in this sinfull life put all these together and it is as if Paule should say Quench not the spirite by despising of prophesying neither despise prophesying because all do no prophecie alike but rather when you heare some preach one way and some another when you see some follow him and others follow him do you trie the doctrines by the Scripture as the men of Beroea did and chuse that which is best and soundest and truest hauing alway such an eye to the truth that you abstaine from all appearance of error so iealous the holy ghost would haue vs of our faith that we set no article vpon our religion but that which is an vndoubted truth As Moses did nothing in the Tabernacle but that which was shewed in his patterne It seemes that there were some among the Thessalonians as there be among vs which did forsake all
with the wicked therefore their gifts are not like the tree planted by the waters side but like the Chaffe which the winde bloweth away Nay saith Dauid themselues are like Chaffe which the winde bloweth away If they bee Chaffe then their fruite is Chaffe The Gluttons table was for the vngodly but the Lords table was for the holy Therfore he which had not the Wedding garment had not the wedding feast For if the Lord would cast pearles vnto Swine why doth he forbid vs to doe so Therfore it is not said Be it vnto thee as thou desirest lest all should looke to receiue but Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest that all might care to Beleeue It is not said to them which seeke not yee shall find but Seeke and you shall find How should they Enter which haue not a hand to knocke at the doore How should they Receiue which haue not a tongue to aske the giuer How should they haue wisedome which haue not the feare of the Lorde which is the beginning of wisedome Thus as Iames saith Shew me thy faith and I will shew thee my faith So God faith shewe mee thy loue and I will shew thee my loue as Christ was knowne at Emaus by breaking of bread so you may knowe him heere by dealing his giftes It is said when Ioseph feasted his brethren Beniamins messe had fiue times more than any of his brethren because Ioseph loued him more than the rest so the mercy and graces of God will shew to whome his affection standeth If you see Christ leaning on a mans breast as Iohn did on Christs breast then may you say this is a beloued Disciple For as Lidia perswaded Paule and Silas to come to her house saying If you iudge me to bee faithfull come to my house so you may iudge them to be faithfull to whose house the Lord commeth If you aske Salomon to whome the Lord giueth wisedome and knowledge hee answereth To a man which is good in his sight Eccles the second Chapter and twentie sixe verse shewing that those men are gracious in Gods sight as Ioseph was in Pharaohs Contrariwise if you see God flying from a man as Dauid fled from Saul that is withdrawing his spirite as the Master did his Talent then you may saie this is not a faithfull seruant to his Master for if he had vsed his Talent well the Lord would increase it as hee promised but because he doth abuse it therefore the Lorde dooth withdrawe it againe as he threatned To some God giueth and neuer recalleth againe to some he giueth and after taketh it from them As some Angels went vp the ladder and some went downe so some mens gifts increase and some decrease To the Ephesians the fourth Chapter you haue GOD giuing In Matthew 21. you haue him taking In Genes 1. you haue God blessing In Genes 4. you haue God cursing In Acts 26. you haue God opening eyes In Esay 6. you haue God shutting eyes In Dan. 2. you haue God making wise In Esa 44. you haue God making fooles In Iohn 15. you haue God dressing trees In Matthew 3. you haue God hewing downe trees When one sea floweth another â—bbeth When one starre riseth another setteth When light is in Goshen darknesse is in Aegypt When Mordecai groweth into fauour Haman groweth out of fauour When Beniamin beginneth Rachel endeth Thus wee are rising or setting getting or spending winning or loosing growing or fading vntill wee arriue at Heauen or Hell As Elisha his spirite was doubled so Saules spirit departed As the Gentiles become beleeuers so the Iewes become infidels As Saule becommeth an Apostle so Iudas becommeth an Apostata As Iohn groweth in the spirite so Ioash decaieth in the spirite As Zacheus turneth from the world so Demas turneth to the world As Lidias heart is opened so Pharaohs heart is hardened Euen as the thornes burne while the Vines fructifie When Ishbosheth was a sleepe vpon his bed Baanab and Rechab came and tooke away his life So while men sleepe and do no good God commeth and taketh away their gifts It was neuer said Sampson hath lost his strength vntill he harkened vnto Dahiah It was neuer said Saul hath lost his spirit vntill hee harkened not to Samuell It was neuer said Take his Talent from him vntill he hid it in the ground One sinne openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out While Iaacob staied with Laban Labans cattell increased because God blessed him for Iaacobs sake but when Iaacob went from him many of Labans sheepe went with him and he grewe poore againe so while the loue of righteousnesâ—e is with thee to husband thy knowledge and wisdome like Iaacob thou shalt thriue in graces and one daye shall teach another but when that steward departeth from thee then looke that thy wisedome and knowledge and iudgement should decrease as fast as the widowes oyle increased the world will winne the flesh and the flesh will winne the spirit and one sinne will crie to another as the Moabites did at the riuer Now Moab to the spoyle now sinnes to your spoyle then thy knowledge shall flie as though it were afraide to bee taken captiue of ignorance thy loue shall not abide thy hatred thy humilitie shall not abide thy pride thy temperaunce shall not abide thy concupisence As thou seest the leaues fall from the trees in a boystrous winde so thy graces shall drop away one after another as though thou were in a consumption As the Arke would not staye with the Philistines so the grace of GOD will not staie with sinners but flieth from them like persecutors Dauid was not so readie to flie from Saule but the spirite was as readie to flie from him too This must come vppon all which sinne like Sampson their strength must departe from them vntill they learne like Nabuchadnezzar from whence it came This sentence is such a meditation that hee which would preach it to the quicke had neede to haue an eie in all mens hearts to see how one vertue dieth after another vntill the soule die too As there is a fall of leaues and an Eclipse of the sunne and a consumption of the bodie so there is a fall of giftes and an Eclipse of knowledge a consumption of the spirit It is straunge to see how wisdome and knowledge and iudgement doe shun the wicked as though they were afraid to be defiled As Barach would not goe vnles Deborah would go with him so knowledge will not stay vnles vertue will stay with her To this Ieremy poynted when he mocked the Iewes for saying Knowledge shall not depart from the priest nor counsel from the wise nor the word from the prophet to this Esay pointed when he saith The wisdome of the wise men shal perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent shall be hid as if he should say one day Christ will tell you that Whosoeuer hath not from him c. And
when you heare that saying then remember these examples how he hath fulfilled it before After come the apostles and they shew some hardened some bewitched some blinded Paule tels how Demas fel away and Iohn sheweth how many fel away Thus the Prophets and Apostles on either side and Christ in the mids hold vp this threatning as if it were a pit which all are falling into The soule of man is called the temple of the holy Ghost As God pulled downe his temple when it became a den of theeues so he forsaketh the temple of the soule taketh his graces with him as frō a diuorsed spouse when it lusteth after other loues With any Talent he giueth this charge Vse increase it vntill I come being left at last the commeth againe to see what we haue done The seede was sowen this yeere the Lord cals for fruite none will come the next yeere the next after and none comes at last the curse goeth foorth Neuer fruit grow vpon thee more Then as the figtree began to wither so his giftes begin to paire as if a worme were still gnawing at them his knowledge leeseth his relish like the Iewes Manna his iudgement rustes like a sworde which is not vsed his zeale trembleth as though it were in a Palsie his faith withereth as though it were blasted and the image of death is vpon all his religion After this he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did and speake as he did and hath no power but wondereth like zedekias how the spirit is gone from him Now when the good spirit is gone then commeth the spirit of blindenesse and the spirit of errour and the spirite of feare and all to seduce the spirite of man After this by little and little first he falles into error then he comes vnto heresie at last hee plungeth into dispaire after this if he enquire God will not suffer him to learne if he read God will not suffer him to vnderstand if he heare God will not suffer him to remember if hee pray God seemeth vnto him like Baal which could not heare at last hee beholdeth his wretchednes as Adam looked vpon his nakednes and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children because they were not All this commeth to passe that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to haue As the ship sinketh vpon the Sea while the merchant sporteth vpon the Land and makes him a banquerout when he thinketh that his goods are comming in so while wee are secure and the heart spendeth and the eare bringeth not in by little and little the stocke decaieth and moe become banquerouts in Religion than in all trades beside When a man sinneth he thinketh with himselfe I will doe this no more after another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this no more presently another sinne promiseth as much profite as that and hee saith againe I will doe this and no more There goeth strength and there commeth a wound so the soule bleedeth to death and knoweth not her sicknesse till she be at the last gaspe Euen as a man vndresseth himselfe to bed first hee casteth off his cloake and then his coate and then his dublet so when GOD rifleth our hearts he pulleth away one feather after another first he wounds his faith after he strikes his loue then he blindeth his knowledge thē he shall haue no delight to heare the word after he shall growe to hate the Preachers of the word at last he shall euen hate the word it selfe This is the bleeding of the soule or the spiritual consumption when graces drop away as the haires fall from an hoarie head before death Let Achitophel be a spectacle for all to feare he was counted a wise man and a deepe Councellor yet because it was the wisedome of the flesh the storie saith that GOD turned his wisedome into follie and that he might seeme foolish as he was in deede God made him to hang himselfe whereby his follie was more notorious then his wisedome But most notable is the example of persecuting Saul when he began to fall he ran headlong First he fell in hatred of Dauid then he fell in hatred of GOD after God fell in hatred of him Anon the spirit departed from him At last hee sought for helpe at Witches which he had condemned before This is the propertie of sin to spurre a man forward vntill he commit that which he condemneth himselfe that he may be tormented of his owne conscience Now if I might applie this scripture as Christ sayth are there no mo sinners but they vpon whom the Tower of Shilo fell So I may say is the Talent taken from none but from him which hid it in the ground Nay Saul was but a type of many which should loose the spirit Sampson was but a type of manie which should lose their strength Demas was but a type of many which shoulde imbrace the world as Dauid cryeth How are the mightie ouerthrowne So wee may mourne and say how are the zealous cooled how are the diligent tired They which should season others are become like the white of an egge which hath no taste once they seemed to haue fruite but now they are not hanged with leaues As God cryed vnto Adam Adam where art thou so they may cry Zeale where art thou Learning where art thou Conscience where art thou Loue where art thou They which shined like the Sun when they rose seeme now to be eclipsed of their light The world hath won the flesh the flesh hath won the spirit and Iordaine is turned backe As God tooke heat from the fire when it would burne his Children so he taketh knowledge from the learned when they turne it to euill Now when they see such ruines of their gifts with what heart can they thinke I am the tree whom Christ accurseth or I am the seruant of whom it is sayd Take his Talent from him Therefore I say to you as Christ sayd remember Lots wife as her bodie was turned into salt so your wisedome may turne into follie your knowledge may turne into ignorance your vnderstanding may turne into blindnesse your zeale may turne into coldnes therefore let al which haue a Talent take heede how they vse it Three thinges I note in these words then end First Christ saith not It shall be taken from them which haue but from them which seeme to haue Lest they which stande should feare to fall Paul saith not Let him which standeth take heed lest he fall but let him which thinketh he standeth so lest they which haue the Spirit shuld feare Christ saith It shall bee taken from them which seeme to haue Marke how warilie the Scripture speaketh for this speech doth shew that many shall fall and yet it doth shew that none shall fall but they which seem to stand that none shall lose
Dauid as appeareth in the first booke of Samuel the thirteenth Chapter fourteenth verse As all those whom God set ouer his people in his mercy and not in his anger had some note of excellencie aboue the rest which God chose them by as it were the Magistrates marke the mildest man Numb 12. 3. or the wisest man 1. Reg. 4. 31. or the iustest man Heb. 7. 2. as though if all these had met in one the inquisition should haue staied there and all giue place to him but our vertues are so singled that he which was called the mildest is not called the wisest and hee which was called the wisest is not called the iustest as though God found some defect in his owne election For when hee chose one milde another wise another iust he shewed that hee would haue one which is milde and wise and iust like himselfe that is as I may say a man made euen in print As Paul biddeth to choose widdowes which were widdowes indeed 1. Tim. 5. 3. so we should choose Magistrates which are Magistrates indeed that is such as seem to be sent of God for that purpose as Pharaoh chose Ioseph because he was the fittest in all the Land Gen. 41. 38. Elisha thought that the single spirite was not enough but required that the spirite of Eliah might be doubled vpon him because he was a Prophet which should teach others so we should picke out them which haue a double spirit to be Magistrates because they must gouerne others as God picketh foorth Iosua in Moses roome hee might haue chosen many out of all Israel which had the spirite of widome but he chose Iosua of whom he sayth that hee was full of the spirite of wisedome Deut. 24. 9. shewing that if one bee better than another he should be chosen before the rest because the best haue said Send another Exod. 4. 14. as though none were fit but for want of Angels we are faine to make Magistrates of men Therefore as Samuel went ouer all the sonnes of Ishai to annoint a successour to Saul and put back one after another which thought themselues fit yet there was but one amongst them which pleased God and the Prophet could scarce discerne him so necessarie it is that this choyce bee committed to none but to the godly because he which would haue chosen the best yet liked another before him Therefore there was such a scrutinie amongst the tribes to finde out the man whom God had chosen as Iethro taught Moses to cull out of all the people those which had best courage and feared God and dealt truly and hated couetousnes Therefore a wicked man may not supply the place of God as the Scribes and Pharisies sate in Moses Chaire but as it is said of Iudas Let another take his place so let better take their place for they which are called Gods must be like God If all should be holy as he is holy how much more should they be pure as he is pure wise as he is wise iust as he is iust which beare his name which supplie his person and guide the world vnto good or euill If the race should be to the swift and the battell to the strong then as Saul did exceed all the men of Israel from the shoulders vpward so he which commaunds others should exceede other in giftes of grace that they may know him from the rest and say this is hee for he exceedes the rest in vertue as Saul did in stature like the King of Bees which is fairest of all the hiue Therefore if Pharao would let none but Ioseph gouerne Egypt Pharao shall rise vp against those Kings which care not whom they place ouer their people imitating Rehoboam which made them his companions whome he should haue expelled from his Court 1. King 12. 8. Secondly this extolleth the calling of Magistrates As Iacob honored Iosephs children when he said they should bee called after his name so God honoureth the Magistrates when he giues them his owne name calling them Gods as though there were a kinde of Godhead in them These things pertayne to the wise and they themselues do not alwayes see it yet he which hath a spirituall eye and carries the patterne of GOD in his hart may see another like nesse of God in Magistrates than in common persons As the builders of the Temple had a speciall wisedome and spirit which God gaue them for that worke which they were chosen too so when Samuel had anoynted Dauid hee saith that the spirite of the Lord came vppon Dauid from that day forward as though hee had anoeher spirite after than he had before There is difference betweene Kings inferior Magistrates for the Prince is like a great Image of God the Magistrates are like little Images of God appoynted to rule for God to make lawes for God to reward for GOD to punish for God to speak for God to fight for God to reforme for God and therefore their Battelles are called the Lordes battailes and their Iudgements the Lordes Iudgements and their Throne the Lords Throne and the Kings themselues his Kings to shewe that they are all for God like his hands by some he reacheth mercy by some iustice by some peace by some counsel as Christ distributed the loaues and the fishes by the hands of his Disciples This God requires of all when he cals them Gods to rule as he would rule iudge as he would iudge correct as he would correct reward as hee would reward because it is said that they are instead of the Lord Godâ— that is to doe as he would doo as a Scholler writes by a Copie This is a good studie for Magistrates in all their iudgementes to consider what GOD would doo because they are in steede of God I rule for God I speake for God I iudge for God I reward for God I correct for God then as hee woulde doo and determine so must be my sentence As we should thinke how Christ prayed before we pray and how hee spake before we speake because his actions are our instructions so they should thinke how Christ would iudge before they iudge because Gods lawe is appoynted for their lawe Such a thought must needes leuel the way before them put them in mind of a good iust holy iudgement because God is good iust and holy Thirdly they are called Gods to teach them how they should gouerne Howsoeuer other care for the glory of God the performance of his will the reformation of his Church Princes and Rulers which are Gods themselues are to doe the businesse of God as their owne busines because they are Gods Gods busines is their busines Gods Lawe is their Lawe Gods honour is their honour When the King or Iudge or Magistrate doth seek the Kingdome and glorie of God he should thinke he seeketh his owne