then that they enioy vpon the earth and can scarsely endure to heare of any exchange 3. These lusts are fitter for the course of nature vnmortified Ephes. 2.3 We had in time past our conuersation among the Gentiles in the lusts of the flesh but now c. which let such professors thinke off who frame themselues too much to the fashion of the world in meat drinke apparell sports and other things perhappes more vnlawfull then these For thus to walke argueth little or no conscience or feeling either of sin or grace and the gentlest name the Apostle giueth it is a sleepie walking Such may indeed carrie the title of Christians but the worke of Christianitie is not present where there is a fight of lusts against the soule but not of the spirit against lusts and much lesse where these furnaces are fed and fewelled and the flames are not daily dying and extinguished Vse 2. This teacheth that only true religion teacheth true mortification and suffereth not a man to walke after his lusts though he walke in the flesh yet he cannot walke after the flesh All false religions carrie indeed pretences of the spirit as Zidkiah smote Michaiah and said when went the spirit from mee to thee but the true religion only hath the promise and presence of the spirit which indeed mortifieth the deeds of the flesh Euery water in Iudea could not heale the lame but only the water of the poole of Bethesdah in which the Angel stirred Arbanah and Pharphar the riuers of Damascus although in shew much more excellent then Iordan cannot cure the leprosie of Naaman No more can euery religion or any but this which alone is from God cure the vncleannes leprosie of our soules The religion of the Pharisies was outwardly exceeding glorious and very strict yet Paul who had liued according to the most strict sect of them all professeth that before he knew Christ he was not crucified to the world At this day Poperie which carieth with it a great shew of humblenes of mind and beaâ—ing downe the bodie yet is farre from teaching true mortification for what doctrine the Turkish not excepted goeth further in clayming iustification and life as the merit of their owne obseruances yea take the strictest sort of them as their heremites anchorites c. that goe barefoote pine and imprison themselues lie on the ground couer their skinnes with sacke cloath c. are they not such as the former looking for heauen as a reward for the strictnesse of their liues doe they not then as one Philosopher said of an other contemne the pride of the world but with more pride Euerie shewe of humilitie is not true mortification for not onely the Epicures who were sold ouer to pleasure were enemies to Paul but those strait and seuere sects also of the Pythagorians and the Stoicks did mightily oppose him In a word among what sort of men doth the lusts of pride vncleannes Epicurisme and couetousnesse more raigne then in the teachers of that doctrine their Monks Prelacie Cardinalls and their father the Pope himselfe so as the truth is cleare that onely true religion in which the spirit delighteth to manifest himselfe is the teacher of true mortification And that we should liue soberly Now we are come to the second lesson which the doctrine of grace teacheth namely that such as entertaine it should lead their liues in the practise of three vertues contrarie to the former vices of vngodlinesse and worldly lusts the which as they are directed either against God or our brethren or our selues so the first of these prouideth against the disordered carriage of our selues in requiring sobrietie the second cutteth off hatefull and vncharitable lusts against our brethren in requiring iustice or right dealing man with man Christian with Christian especially the third represseth impious and vngodly lusts more directly against God himselfe in requiring godlinesse to shine out in the liues of professors For all these three must be practised in the due circumstance of time euen in this present world Doctr. 1. The doctrine of grace teacheth not onely to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and is the mistris of true sanctification in both the parts of it both the mortification of sinne as also quickning in righteousnesse For as it is in the lightning of a darke house first darkenesse must giue place and light must succeede so is it in the shining of this light of grace the night must passe and then the day must come the olde man must be cast off with his lusts and then the newe man put on That the Gospel is the teacher of both these it appeareth in the ende of Pauls conuersion who for this purpose was appointed a minister of the things he had heard and seene and sent to the Gentiles that he might turne them from darkenes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God and also in the whole scope of his doctrine and ministerie from the first to the last as himselfe professeth that when he taught first at Damascus then at Ierusalem after through all the coasts of Iudea and then to all the Gentiles he reduced all his doctrine in all these places to these two heads namely that they should repent and turne to God and then doe workes worthy amendment of life Hence is it that his Epistles are full of such exhortations as these cast off lying and speake truth euerie man to his neighbour walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Be not drunke with wine but be fulfilled with the spirit The same is to be noted also in the other Apostles 1. Pet. 2.12 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles and cap. 4.2 henceforth so much time as remaineth in the flesh wee should liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Vse 1. This doctrine confuteth profane Libertines who as Paul speaketh of some in his time because grace hath abounded continue in sinne they will be saued by such a grace as quitteth them from all holy life and conscionable obedience God is mercifull and Christ died for all here is grace but the fruit and effect of it is to cleaue vnto vngodlinesse and lusts and growe euerie day more foule and deformed then other Whereas the wisedome from aboue is pure and as he that calleth is holy so must he that is called be holy also in all manner of conuersation and if we cal him father we must passe the time of our dwelling in feare The dogges shall be without when as onely the vndefiled in their waies shall obtaine blessednesse 2. Such are iustly hence reprooued who take themselues to be tolerable schollers if sometimes they make shewe of obedience vnto God and his word that they may appeare to men to pray to heare to reade to giue almes c. and yet
not seeing the vglinesse and bitternes of them cannot come to detest them And this is the reason that they are swallowed lightly and carelesly of the most and men take entire acquaintance with them because Sathan and our owne corruption haue caused vs to tast little else then the apparant sweetnesse of them Thirdly because Dauid taketh it for graunted that these filthie lusts must be cleansed by the word thou must be subiected vnto the word which as pure water washeth the soule from such impure lusts and this is when the spirit by meanes of the word rippeth vp the secrets of a mans heart discouereth the loathsomenesse of such ghests as haue taken vp the roome causeth him to flie them and himselfe for them and giueth some newe strength to purge this filthie stie and vncleane cage of his by mortifying his flesh and the lusts of it with the word therefore ioyne effectuall prayer for the powerfull working of the spirit Psal. 51.10.11 Fourthly fence thy selfe with the feare of God that beeing once washed thou maist not returne againe to foolishnesse the feare of God onely is a welspring of life to make a man auoide the snares of death It kept Ioseph a young man from sinning against God bridled Dauid from hurting Saul when it was in his power restrained Ionathan from selfe loue 1. Sam. 20.13 14. To the same purpose maketh that counsel of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2.22 flie the lusts of youth Timothie might aske how should I be able the answer followeth followe after righteousnesse c. that is get to thee such vertues as may be speciall preseruatiues against them among the which the feare of God is most excellent for beeing the beginning of wisdome it teacheth wisedome to looke vnto and order the heart in the first risings and motions of any lust Fifthly vse sparingly Gods creatures of meate and drinke walke in thy calling beware of delicacie excesse riot which are mothers and nursers of these lusts and yet so frequent and bold that they may be read in the foreheads of many of our youth Thus much I thought good to adde to the things which were formerly spoken of this vertue Ver. 7. Aboue all things shew thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie 8. And with the wholesome word which cannot be reprooued that hee which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing nothing concerning you to speake euill of Hauing propounded the seuerall precepts fitted to all ages of men and women the last whereof was vnto young men our Apostle here inserteth a precept vnto Titus himselfe whence it is probably gathered that Titus was now a young man as Timothie also was in the same office of an Euangelist and beeing a Minister in him he closely againe instituteth euery Minister notwithstanding he hath beene most ample in that argument as though Ministers could neuer sufficiently be instructed In these two verses we will consider two things 1. a precept 2. an inforcement of it The precept is That Titus shew himselfe an example to others for as all the persons formerly taught so more especially the last sort namely young men for the slipperines of their age need the benefit of good example aswell as good doctrine and counsell And this exhortation is enlarged by setting downe wherein Titus must become an example which is done First more generally In all things we read it aboue all things others aboue all men which readings may be true and grounds of good instruction but I take the first aptest to the place Secondly by a more particular enumeration of shining vertues as 1. vncorrupt doctrine 2. good life fruitfull in good workes and these not one or two or now and then in good moods but there must be a constant trading in them throughout a graue and pure conuersation 3. there must be ioyned gratious speaches and words for I take it fitliest interpreted of priuate communication described by two necessarie adiuncts 1. it must be wholesome 2. vnblameable or not liable to reproofe The inforcement of the precept is taken from the end or fruit of it which is twofold 1. shame 2. silence to the withstanders and opposers And thus the generall scope of the verses is as if he had more largely said That this thy doctrine O Titus thus aptly applied to all sorts of men may carrie more weight and authoritie with it see thou that considering thou art set in a more eminent place and clearer sunne and hast all eyes beholding and prying into thee thou shew thy selfe a patterne and expresse type wherein men may behold all these graces shining in thine owne life let them looke in thy glasse and see the liuely image of a graue and pure conuersation which may allure them to the loue of the doctrine which thou teachest let them heare from thy mouth in thy priuate conferences and speach nothing but what may worke them to soundnesse at the least keepe thou such a watch ouer thy tongue as that nothing passe thee which may be reprehended and hence will it come to passe that although thou hast many maliciously minded men seeking by all meanes to oppose thy doctrine and life and to destroie the one by the other these shall either be put to silence and haue nothing to say or if they take boldnesse to speake any thing it beeing vniust the shame shall be remooued from thee and fall iustly vpon themselues and all the reproach shall returne home to their owne doores In the precept I will briefly note one or two things because all the particulars of it haue beene handled in the former Chapter In generall therefore obserue that Doctr. 1. In euerie Minister there ought to be such an harmonie betweene good doctrine and good life as the latter may be a strong euidence of the former and both of them exemplarie to his people in publike and priuate First there must be doctrine else let his life be neuer so good it is a dumbe shewe should not the sheepheard feede the flocke saith the Lord the first thing in that strait charge to Timothie is to preach the word to be instant in season out of season herein is the Minister a debter vnto God 1. Cor. 9.16 a necessitie is laid vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel a debter also vnto his people Rom. 1.14 and therefore as much as in him lyeth he must make conscience of discharging this debt And this consideration by the way may put ignorant and dumbe ministers in minde of their wofull estate in that they want these letters of orders whereby the Apostle prooueth himselfe to be a Minister of God 2. Cor. 6.7 among other notes whereby he iustifieth himselfe to be an approoued Minister of God this is one that he carried the word of truth And againe it stoppeth the mouthes of many ignorant people that plead strongly against themselues in the want of a preaching Minister We are well enough we haue
way before her and some safeguarding behind her euen so here all the marriage duties going before it made way for it and all these that follow are the preseruatiues thereof all of them beeing such seruants as by their cognisance may be knowne to belong to such a mistresse And of them all the holy Ghost thought this of home-keeping fittest to follow at her heeles for house keeping is indeed chastities best keeper Not that a woman is neuer to be found without her house ouer her head for many necessarie and iust occasions call her often abroad namely 1. as a Christian the publike duties of pietie and Gods worship as also more priuate duties of loue and workes of mercie in visiting and helping the sicke and poore 2. As a wife both with her husband when he shall require her and without him for the necessarie prouision of the houshold and such like But the thing here condemned is the affection of gadding at any or all houres with disposition of hearing or telling newes or affecting meriments companie expense or excesse accounting the owne house rather a prison then an home and so easily forsaking it without iust occasion And iustly is this course condemned for 1. This is a forsaking and flying for the time out of the calling wherein they ought to abide for their calling is commonly within doores to keepe the houshold in good order and therefore for them to wander from their owne place is as if a bird should wander from her owne neast Secondly this were the high way to become busie bodies for what other more weighty matters call them out of their calling but to prattle of persons and actions which concerne them not Whence the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.13 coupleth these two together they are idle and busie bodies which if any wonder how they can be reconciled thus they are easily those that are idle in their owne duties are most busie bodies in other mens and these busie bodies haue two speciall markes to be knowne by to themselues and others namely their open eares and their loose tongues Thirdly the holy Ghost maketh this a note of an whoorish woman she is euerie where but where she should be sometime gadding in the streets with Thamar somtimes in the fields with Dinah sometimes without at her doore somtimes at her stal but her feet cannot abide in her house and if against her will her bodie be within doores her heart and senses will be without Iesabel must be gazing out of the windowe whereas if the angell aske where Sarah is answer will be made she is in her tent and the daughters of Sarah will be in their tents not in the tauernes nor stragling so farre abroad but that their husbands can readily answer where they be Fourthly what desperate and vnauoideable euils doe they and iustly lay themselues open vnto who make no bones of violating this commandement of God how doth Satan watch all advantages to take them when they are out of their wayes and how easily doth he preuaile against them when they haue pluckt themselues from vnder Gods protection Dinah was no sooner assaulted then ouercome in her wandring and Eue no sooner absent from Adam then set vpon and no sooner set vpon then vanquished euen so women easily forsaking their owne stations are giuen ouer for most part if not so farre as the former yet in their meriments and meetings so far to forget themselues by vnchristian speeches and actions as they haue good cause to ende with sighs and teares Good Goodnes is a vertue which is sometimes in generall opposed to all that inward malice which lurketh in the nature of men and women wherein the whole troupe of vertues are included hereof speaketh the Apostle Eph. 5.9 the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse And euen this is required in women both to bridle that natiue corruption which is so headstrong within as also to beautifie them outwardly so as others beholding them may say of them as Paul did of the Romans I am perswaded that ye are filled with goodnesse and herein resembling Dorcas who was said to be full of good workes and almes deedes which she did they shal not onely be called but be good wiues and good women indeede 2. Sometimes it receiueth a more particular sense and signifieth one of a meeke and yet of a cheerefull spirit and temper not sullen taunting bitter fretting or galling any and much lesse her husband neither of a troublesome and iarring disposition but of a good nature as we say for let her be otherwise neuer so honest wise painfull yet without this goodnes and amiablenes of behauiour she shall be no more pleasant then a continuall dropping which driueth out the owners 3. It is sometimes taken for profitable and requireth that the wife be helpefull and comfortable by her advise labour and sweete societie whereby she buildeth her house Thus did the Lord see good in his wisedome to make man a meet helpe for him when it was not good for him that he should be alone And thus the vertuous woman is said to doe her husband good and not euill all the daies of her life Prou. 31.12 and as she doth good to him and his within doores so doth she also to others abroad as besides the family vers 27.28 to the poore and needie vers 20. And this I take not excluding the other to be here meant especially as a most comfortable and sweete vertue without which that holy institution of marriage would prooue no better then an heauie burthen and molestation Subiect vnto their husbands Marriage in it selfe although it be neither vertue nor vice but a thing indifferent yet is it a shoppe of either according as are the qualities and practises of persons in this condition and therefore this is the seauenth marriage vertue prescribed vnto the younger women whereof there is great reason and necessitie First if we consider the lawe of creation written by Gods owne finger in the hearts of men vsed in all nations and enacted by the naturall light of heathens in the publike lawes that the wife should be subiect vnto her owne husband or as the words of Ahashuerosh his law runne that euerie man should beare rule in his owne house This is one reason of our Apostle 1. Tim. 2.3 Adam was first created and then Eue and therefore Adam must be superiour to which if it be obiected that therefore the birds and beasts should be preferred before both because they were created before either the Answer is that there is not the same reason because the Apostle speaketh of the same kind and not of diuers 2. The Apostle prooueth not Adams superioritie so much from the order as from the ende of creation of the woman which was to be an helper and comfort vnto him Now in reason whatsoeuer serueth to any ende is lesse then the ende to which it serueth but
the partie is recouered and safe we speake truth although he be not attained to the second degree which is a perfect recouerie of all parts to former soundnesse which shall certainely follow the former because it is not another recouerie but a further degree of soundnesse the principles of which he hath alreadie attained and is in possession of euen so is our case God looking vpon vs in his Christ accepteth vs as perfectly saued our selues are freed from the imputation and damnation of sinne and so perfectly iustified our reliques of sinne by the spirit of God are daily mortified and so our selues in good measure sanctified it must needes be granted that our saluation is in our hands and that sinne death hell and the graue cannot hinder vs from the highest degree of it nay rather we must certainely expect death the graue and the iudgement day to set vs in full fruition of our perfect glorie Vse 1. Whosoeuer would be saued hereafter must be saued here a Saint hereafter a Saint here the gate of heauen is here below and the suburbs of that great citie into which the iust doe enter Christ is the doore by him we must enter into the paradise of God Laie hold on him with his merits by the beleefe of thy soule thou hast gotten saluation alreadie and in not beleeuing in him thou art condemned alreadie Fearefull is the estate of men that neuer acquaint themselues with saluation before the end of their daies and then they will be other men and dreame of another condition But Saints in heauen must be the same men they are vpon earth and change not their condition but onely in obtaining a further degree of grace glorie holinesse life and happinesse which they had beginnings of euen in this life they purchased heauen while they were vpon earth treasured in heauen while they wandred in the earth conuersed in heauen while they liued vpon the face of the earth Alas how few are acquainted with such a life as this which is the beginning of all happinesse and saluation We call men to forsake the world in affection as the Saints in heauen haue actually done to flie the corruptions that are in the world through lust as they haue put off all corruptions and sinnefull lusts to haue no fellowship with the vngodly ones of the world no more then they whose sole conuerse is with God and his Saints But how knocke we as they say at deafe mens doores the most haue no portion no treasure but below and therefore their hearts must be below where their treasure is As for the auoiding of sinne whereby as the elect of God they might shine in vnblameable and vndefiled conuersation and so reprooue the darknesse of this euill world they say they cannot be Saints here where all men are sinners and because they cannot be so their lusts are let loose and are at all manner of libertie As for the societie of the vngodly they must goe out of the world if they would auoid it it is inough if in heauen after the finall separation they haue nothing to doe with them but while they are in earth mixed with them they settle themselues to runne with them into all riot and excesse of wickednesse Is this now a beginning of the kingdome of heauen or is it not rather a course that tendeth to nothing else but destruction And as we call men from earth earthly courses and companie so also we call them vnto the beginnings of fellowship with God with the Saints of God to a perpetuall Sabboath or rest from sinne and a constant and cheerefull performing before him all the parts of his worship and seruice both publike and priuate because in the perfection of these consisteth the heauenly life of the Saints But how vnwelcome is our counsell it seemeth to seeke their torment before their time How many be there that cannot abide the least shew of heauenly life in themselues how many scorne it in others and how many who thinke it more necessarie then vtterly to neglect it yet are content to cast the care of it into their last accounts as if they were loth to be saued before they be dead or as if they would leape into the perfect libertie of the sonnes of God at one iumpe But let it be well remembred that he that is not saued before death shall neuer be saued after death and that he that findeth not heauen vpon earth looseth it for euer The Apostle maketh two degrees of the vision of God the former is as in a mirror or glasse and that is here vpon earth in the word Sacraments and meanes of his worshippe the latter is face to face in heauen when the kingdome in regard of these meanes shall be giuen vp to the Father and concludeth that we must knowe in part before we can come to knowe as we are knowne Vse 2. Whosoeuer would haue assurance of saluation let him haue recourse to his sanctification and change of heart and life doest thou finde that the word hath beene powerfull to subdue thy rebellion and frame thy soule to a sanctified condition and thy outward man to an holy conuersation in part here is an assurance and seale of saluation vpon which thou maist ground good hopes for this small measure of sanctification is an earnest pennie confirming all the bargaine and couenant of God with thee and it shall get daily strength and encrease vntill it bring thee to meete God in that celestiall Sion where shall be no faintnesse but where all the remainders of sinne and rellickes of corruption and mortalitie shall be put off In this regard is the worke of our sanctification called the first fruits of the spirit because as the offring of the first fruits was the sanctification of the whole field so these first fruits of our sanctification giue assured hope of the full glorification of the whole man both in soule and bodie This blessed change is called also the first resurrection which whosoeuer haue part in haue alreadie escaped the second death It contracteth the Christian soule as a pure spouse vnto Iesus Christ so as it may with boldnesse and much reioycing expect the mariage of the lambe Where come to be controlled those blind hopes of presumptuous men they are perswaded of their saluation and as sure as any man can be by hope of life eternall yea but where is your assurance oh no I am not sure nor I thinke can any man be but I haue a good hope but whence is this hope of yours because I loue God aboue all I will doe no man any wrong I will pay euerie man his owne I serue God and goe to Church am good to the poore that a man would verily thinke he had a Papist in hand who will be saued by his good deedes rather then one that euer heard of the doctrine of free iustification by faith in the sonne of God But the doctrine we haue