children 1 Thes 2. 7. 11. Zeale and love may stand together for zeal is nothing but the blood and spirits of love as Moses loved the people and prayed for them and wished to be rased out of the book of life for their good yet so zealous was he that he made them drinke the powder of the calfe that they had made Exod. 32. But take heed of that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter zeal complained of in Iames 3. 14. when strange fire is mingled with Gods fire Caution Yet its good not only to come with love in our hearts but to use expressions of love in our speeches as bees that carry honey in their moâ—thes as well as a sting about them and pils are wrapt in sugar Thus our blessed Saviour wept over them in Ierusalem when he said O that thou hadst known in this thy Luk. 19. 41. day the things that belongs to thy peace weeping tears are the blood and spirits of love By this he shewed how he was affected with their misery His eyes were glazed with tears that they might be as looking glasses to view the bowels of compassions that lay at his heart as when he wept for Lazarus they said behold how he loveth him So likewise Paul I tell you it weeping whiles my pen is going mine eyes are weeping yet I tell you it their end is damnation and Ieremy if you will not heare my soule shall weep in secret for your pride Jer. 13. 17. Ministers are indeed the salt of the earth but we do not use to set on nothing but salt upon the table though we sprinkle every dish with salt One reports of Pharaohs daughter that she had a fistula in her brest and would admit none to touch it the Chirurgeon got leave to coole it washing it with a cloth c. and so having a penknife secretly hid he opened it so he cured the disease Its love that edisieth 7. Ministers must preach the Gospel wisely I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement saith Micah I catcht you by craft saith Paul b This wisedome must appeare in three particulars 1. To put difference between persons and persons for though we may reprove all great as small yet not after the same manner reproofe is a degree of punishment or correction and therefore not to be given to all in the same manner rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a father c 1 Tim. 5. 1. Is it fit to say to a king thou art wicked or to Princes ye are ungodly saith Iob d Iohn 34. 18. And yet Ministers may reprove kings for their ungodlinesse as Nathan did David But it must be done with great reverence and respect to their persons as Nathan bowed himselfe to David and Ioah also in his reproof of David 2 Sam. 24. 3. 2. We must difference between sinners Some sin of weaknesse and some of wilfulnesse those that sin of weaknesse we must restore with a spirit of meeknesse Iude 23. we must not break a bruised reed Our Lord Christ bare with Peter in his weaknes when he deserved to have bin left to himselfe aâ—d took him by the hand saying O Thou of little faith c. Matth. 14. 13. and when the disciples slept Matth. 26. 41. The spirit saith he is willing but the flesh is weak Those 1 Cor. 9. 19. c. Gal. 6. 12. Rom. 15. 1. that are bold proud and obstinate sinners those we must rebuke sharply a Tit. 1. 13. Act. 13. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly some are like nettles the gentler they are handled the more they sting or like lime the more water you throw on them the more they burn Again some sins are secret which we must reprove them of secretly Tell him between him and thee b Matth. 18. 15. Iohn 4. 16. But some are more open which may be rebuked more openly yet so as if we can to hide the c 1 Tim. 5. 20. person and discover only his sin aiming at his reformation not his defamation It is great wisedome to know when to mourn and when to dance when to use oyle and when vinegar when to use a searing-iron and when a sear-cloth 3. In a readinesse to acknowledge what is good in them the more easily to win upon them though never to flatter them 1 Cor. 9. 20. thou art not farre from the Kingdome of heaven saith our Lord Christ to the young man And Paul to Agrippa Beleevest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleevest c Act. 26. 27 28. 8. We must preach Christ sincerely aiming onely at his glory and not our Sincerely own applause to advance our own credit As Ioab when he was ready to take Rabba sent to David saying Come thou and take it least the glory should have been attributed to himselfe We are the friends of the bridegroom we must not sue for our selves as Sampsons spokes-man wooed for a wife for him and took her to him selfe Iudg. 14. 20. but for the bridegroom we preach not our selvs saith Paul but Iesus Christ and our selves your servant for Christs sake 2 Cor. 4. 5 He must increase but I must decrease and in this I rejoyce saith Iohn Ioh. 3. 29. 30. This sin sticks very close to the best of us Paul himselfe was subject to be exalted above measure you may easily empty a vessell of water but not of aire This serpent will creep into paradise amidst the trees of pleasure Corn though never so well â—and when sown will come up with chaffe the envious man though we sow good seed will be sowing tares Nay the better our parts and gifts are and the better our performances come off we are the more subject to be proud of them Rarum est in multis praecellere multum deâ— spicere It is rare to be eminent in gifts and humble as the finest cloth is most subject to moths and men are soonest poysoned with sweet flowers Gaetera vitia in malefactis sunt cavenda superbia vero in bonis Aug. Other sins are to be taken heed of in things that are evill but pride in those that are good But remember no honey was offered Levit. 2. 11. in sacrifice because though it was sweet yet it would bubble up were thy duties as sweet as honey yet if they bubble up with pride they are not acceptable Nay â—he better the sermon and the more pains thou hast taken if proud of it the greater is thy sin because thou robbest God of the more glory and it proves but great paines to purchase great misery It was a noble and excellent saying Melior est humilitas in malis quà m superbia in bonis that is a man were better fall into a sin and be humbled after it then to do a good action and be proud of it If we could trust God with our credit name c. and seek his glory he would honour us
mourne for him that is because they have offended him So likewise David Against thee thee only have I sinned Though no question he was grieved that he had sinned against Bath-sheha and Vriab yet specially and chiefly because he had sinned against God So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. how shall I do this wickednesse and so sin against God So Peter went out and wept bitterly but it was when Christ Luke 22. 65. looked upon him with an eye sparkling full of love as if his eye had said what dost thou not know me Peter am not I worth the owning c. Some report this sin so affected him that every night the cock crew he fell on his face and wept for his sin and prayed Lyra Clem. alex. So Mary in the Pharisees house when there was a feast and they sate merry at the table with musick and joy she got under table and turned her eyes once beams of sinfull Ille verè dolet qui sine teste dolet lusts and pleasures into rivers of tears and mourning wherewith she washt the feet of Christ and her hair her ornament and net to catch wanton lovers withall is now become a towel to wipe the feet of Christ withall yea some report that she lived 30. years a penitent in France And the reason why she wept so much you see it was because she loved so much it was her love to Christ produced those lovely tears So the Prodigall lamented that he had offended his loving father saying father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. and that grieves me most that I have offended thee Now the reason why this is a certain sign of our part in Christ is because corruption and the naturall unregenerate part cannot hate sin but grace and the spirit of God which is contrary to it The flesh lusteth against â—he spirit a Gal. 5. 17. so contrarily the spirit of God in us cannot love sin but must loath it and grieve for it grieve not the holy spirit of God by which you are sealed to the day of redemption saith Paul Eph. 4. 30. Signe 5 The fifth sign that we have our part in Christ is if we be poor in spirit and hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. 6. Not after comfort pardon of sinne or salvation onely as Balaam did and those in John 6. that cryed Lord evermore give us this bread that we may never hunger more c. but after righteousnesse to have more power against sin and more grace to love God and Christ and his Saints more and do God better service when it is not so much after happinesse as holinesse not so much after the reward as after the work not only to be glorified of God but to glorifie God Ob that my wayes saith David were so directed in thy sight that I might keep thy statutes Now these desires are signes of thy Psal 119. 5. faith in Christ 1. because they are wrought by the spirit of God Est a Deo ut bene velimus ac ut valeamus Aug. that is it is God that worketh in us to will and to do It is the Phil. 2. 13 Spirit of God that stirs up in us sighs and groanings Rom. 8. 26. they cannot come from our own spirits but are supernaturall desires If iron move upward contrary to its nature surely some loadstone hath been there desire of grace is grace because grace is seated in the desire yet desire of meat is not meat because meat is not seated in the desire Hence the new born babe de sires the milk of the word to grow thereby because he hath tasted how good the Lord it 1 Pet. 2. 3. 2. Secondly Si non ad voluntatem tamen ad salutem Aug. because these are pronounced blessed and promised by God to be satisfied that is with such a measure as God sees meet for them Matth. 5. 6. 3. Thirdly because desire of grace is accepted as if we had what we do desire 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that we have and not that we have not As it appears in the widdows two mites who in Christs account cast in more then they all because her affection was larger then theirs so Abraham is said to have offered his sonne because he 〈◊〉 willing to do it and David to have built God an house because he was willing to have done it To will is present saith Paul but to do good I have no power On the contrary a naturall man his desires are earthly voluptuous ambitious who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. or if he desires spiritual things Ii is in a carnal manner out of self-love because he is loth to be miserable and usually his desires are suddain inconstant and lazy not setled and painfull CHAP. XVIII The sixt signe of the saving knowledge of Christ namely love Signe 6 THe sixt signe of assurance that Christ is ours is love faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. a and that consists in five particulars 1. If we love God As it is an instinct of nature for child en to love the parents that begat them with a heavenly holy love for his holinesse for the excellency of his nature and as looking upon him as a reconciled father that dearly loves us so that the thoughts of God are sweâ—â—â—nd precious to us b 1 Iohn 5. 1. Rom. 8. 28. whereas naturallâ— we bear no love to God we love not the thoughts of him nor look we upon him as loving us or if we do love him it is only mercenarious and meretricious love Vtimur deo ut fruamur mundo as a woman that loves her husband not for his person but for his riches so we love God only for his benefits naturally not but that it is lawfull to love God for his benefits as Mary loved much because much was forgiven her but not chiefly and only for his benefits but also for the excellency of his nature 2. If we love Christ with a conjugal love with the love of a spouse even as our best beloved loving nothing in heaven or earth in comparison of him c Psal 73. 25. To you that believe be is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. as he was to Paul Phil. 3. 8. I count all as losse and dung in comparison of Christ so Moses I esteem the rebuke of Christ greater riches c. Heb. 11. 25. 3. If we love the Saints and members of Christ d 1 Iohn 3. 14. This mark stayes by us when many others cannot be discerned is most certain for we cannot love grace in another mans heart except there were grace in our own hearts Gen. 3. 15. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Only it hath these qualifications 1. First it is a spirituall love to love e Col. 1. 8. them in the name of righteous men for the image of Christ appearing in them and in no other by-respects
m 1 Pet. 2. 2. as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby they that are born the womb desire the milk of the breast as the tender infant cryes for milk as soon as it is born and their end is that they may grow thereby as bees fly upon flowers to suck hony and sweetnesse and therefore they delight not alwayes most in the gayest flowers but wherein most honey is to be gotten and hence often they preferre a plain leaf of a tree before a gay flower An hypocrite indeed may seem to delight in the word as Herod did in hearing John-Baptist n Maâ— 6. 20 But it is not to this end to gather hony from it for the holinesse of it to have his heart made better by it but to tickle his eare with novelties and please his fancy or to get notions that he may be able to discourse c. But if it come home to his particular sin O then he kicks and flings and hates the word and the messenger of it as Herod hated John-Baptist when he spake against Herodias and the Pharisees hated Christ when he began to reprove them of their hypocrisie By this saying thou reproachest us say they Luk. 11. 45. but David loved Nathan who dealt so plainly with him as appears 1 Kings 1. 27. Is this thing done by my Lord the King and thou hast not shown it to me thy servant intimating he was Davids choyce counsellour stil * There is 1. the carelesse hearer that hears but regards not Esa 6. 9 13 2 There is the gazing hearer that comes only to see be seen 3. The curious hearer that lookes more how the glasse is painted then what face he hath 4. The carping hearer that comes to see what he can catch at 5. The spider-like hearer that comes to suck poyson by wresting the word to his own destruction 6. The Butterfly-hearer that like as the Butterfly lights upon flowers to paint her wings but not to suck honey so hee comes not to be more holy but more gaudy with notions All these love not the word with a sincere or spirituall love notwithstanding all his sharp reproof he gave him The fiâ—t sign from love is if we love those that are out of Christ especially in relation to us with a spirituall love Quest But David saith Do not I hate them that hate thee Answ I answer he hated their sins in relation to Gods dishonour but it is a mark of our being in Christ to love their persons with a threefold love 1. First with a love of pity as was touched before in grieving for their sins and pitying their misery as did Ieremiah My soule shall weep in secret for your pride Jer. 13. 17. Our blessed Saviour wept over Ierusalem saying O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy Planxit ruinas animarum Dyon Carth. peace Why were Christs eyes wet with tears but because their eyes were dry quare flevit dominus nisi quia flere te docuit Wherefore did Christ weep for us but to teach us to weep for our selves Cypr. Did not Abraham pity even the Sodomites when he pleaded so with God for them if there were but ten righteous among them and did not Paul tell them weeping their end was damnation we see grace will make us love and pity the soules of other any But much more the soules of those that are in near relation to us as of our wives husbands parents children brethren and sisters and dear friends so David wept for Absalom Iephta for his daughter when he met her whom he had vowed to sacrifice to the fire so Abraham prayd for Ishmael O that Ishmael might live in thy sight and Augustines mother for her son in his naturall condition 2. Secondly In having an earnest desire and care to bring others to the knowledge of Christ and salvation a Nascitur indignè per quem non nascitur alter A good man would not go to heaven alone when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren said Christ to Peter b Luk. 22 31. Josh 24. 15. As the Reubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasseh when they themselves were provided for they were yet to help over their brethren into Canaan Numb 32. 17 18. Spiders indeed work only for themselves but Bees for others c Acts 26 28. Paul wisht not only Felix but all that heard him were not almost but altogether as himselfe was except his bands and imprisonments his chain his gold chain was too rich for him yet to wear that honour he reserved for himself So when the Grecians which came to worship would fain see Jesus Philip and Andrew went and told Jesus d Iohn 12. 21. 22. So the woman left her water o Iohn 4. 29. pot when she had found Christ and went and told them of Christ that were in the city But especially they cannot but earnestly desire and indeavour to bring those united to them in neer relation to the knowledge of Christ As Mary when Christ appeared to her how she ran to tell the disciples r Paul wisht himself separated from Christ for his brethren s Rom. 9. 3. Exod. 32. 10 and kinsmen in the flesh and Moses to be blotted out of the book of life rather then the Jews should not be spared Yea even Dives in hel torments had so much charity as to pity his brethren and prayed Abraham to send Lazarus to them lest they should come to that place of torment Luk. 16. 28. And certainly they that have no regard of the soules of others committed to their charge to bring them to the knowledge of Christ may justly fear that they themselves never had the knowledge of Christ savingly revealed to them nor know the worth of soules CHAP. XIX The seventh signe of the saving knowledge of Christ namely the spirit of prayer Signe 7 THe seventh signe whereby we may know that Christ is ours is if we have received the spirit of prayer You have received the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father saith Paul And the Prophet Zachariah Rom. 8. 15. chap. 12. verse 10. saith I will poure upon you the spirit of grace and supplication which consists of three particulars 1. First the heart is moved and excited Infertur appetitus orandi Aug. ad simplic l. 2. by the spirit to be often with God in prayer as the child naturally cryes and runs to the mother the young to the dam So that they make conscience to performe it and cannot live without prayer a Rom. 8 26. Psal 19. 1. 64. Seven times a day will I praise thee c. especially not without private prayer So Paul as soon as ever he was converted he got alone and betook himself to prayer Act. 9. 11. Behold he prayeth And Cornel. Act. 10. got upon the top of the house there was alone with God in
prayer Daniel three times a day prayed in his closet when he was in danger of his life Nazianzen reports of his sister Gorgonis that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth by her often praying and Gregory of his Aunt Trucilla her elbow was as hard as a horn by often leaning upon a desk when she prayed Eusebius reports of James that his knees were as hard as Camels knees bereaved of sense by often praying And one reportes of Ioachim the father of the Virgin Mary that he would often say Cibus potus mihi erit oratio Prayer is my meat and drink whereas naturall men have no ability or gift of prayer they cannot pray many a wise man that can speak eloquently yea before a king yet is not able to speak five wise words to God in prayer whereas many a poore simple man that is scarce able to speak five wise words to a man especially if he be some great man yet can speak to God by prayer even to admiration To say we have no gift of prayer is to say we have not received the spirit of grace for the spirit of grace and supplication are put together Zach. 12. 10. Nor that we have received the spirit of Adoption for that would make us cry Abâ—a father Rom. 8. 15. It may be such cannot pray eloquently nor so as their words will well hang together yet they can weep sigh and groan which are the strongest prayers Rom 8. 26. 27. Others there are that have no list to this duty they cry what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13 and never pray for conscience sake out of love to the duty but only out of custome for fashion sake or in distresse as the Mariners in the ship with Ionah when they were in a storme Jonah 1. 5. then they cryed every man to his god but yet he delighteth not himselfe in the Almighty he will not alwayes call upon God as Iob speaks of the hypocrite Iob. 27. 10. Now these and such like are so farre from having any faith in Christ that they may rather be called Atheists who think there is no God nor do they beleeve his providence The fool hath said in his heart there is no God saith the Prophet David Psal 14. 1. hence it followes v. 4. He calleth not upon the Lord. 2. Secondly by the spirit of prayer the heart is not only excited and enabled to pray but to pray spiritually to make a spirituall prayer as the Apostle exhorts that we pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit a Eph. 6. 18. and to pray in the Holy-Ghost b Jude 20. and the Apostle Paul tels us the spirit helpeth our infirmities though we know not what nor how to ask yet the spirit makes intercession for us with groanings c. c Rom. 8. 25 26. which assistance of the spirit consists not in orderly invention or composure of words and eloquent phrases for some godly people may want this and it is but a common gift and the common not the speciall help of the spirit promised in Rom. 8. 27. But the spirit of prayer consists in three things First in enabling us to pray in faith with a childlike spirit that can go to God as a father and not as to a stranger d Rom. 8. 15. Esa 63. 16. Lords prayer Wicked men pray but they have not the spirit of prayer because they pray not in faith but shoot their arrows at randome never regarding nor looking after them Now these are but bold narratious or orations not humble petitions It is true a man in Christ may have risings of infidelity but they are overcome by faith 2. Secondly The spirit of prayer consists in enabling us to pray fervently the spirit helpes us saith the Apostle to c Rom. 8. 26. pray with sighs and gronings which cannot be expressed the affections are as it were set on fire by the Holy-Ghost Thus Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 15. So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept sore Esa 38. 1. and Jacob wrestled with God in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Wherefore cryest thou to me saith God to Moses Exod. 14. 15. and Abraham strove with God from fifty to ten Gen. 18. 23. especially our Lord Christ who prayed with strong crying and tears Invention may make us speak but Non semper opus est clamore quia deus suspiria audit Non vox sed votum non musica c. the spirit will make us cry which yet consists not so much in strength of words as of affections naturall men may have externall elocution but want inward affection they are dead and cold prayers they usually pray as though they cared not whether God heard them or no like cold Suitors that care not whether they Ludit deum qui ore petit quod corde negligit speed or no they want the aspiration of the spirit to pronounce Shibboleth Caut. Not that a Christian is alwayes alike in prayer but as the spirit pleaseth to help with his adjuvant cooperating grace without me ye can do nothing the spirit must inspirare or we cannot exspirare The wind must blow that the spices may flow Cant. 4. 16. we are like a ship at sea if the wind blow it goes amain or else it creeps upon the ground sometimes like Pharaohs chariots onr wheeles are taken off and we drive heavily and sometimes like Josephs chariots we drive chearfully 3. Thirdly and lastly to pray with the spirit is to pray with spirituall desires when we pray for spirituall things or for temporall blessings with spirituall affections and spirituall ends to honour God by them as Christs petitions were John 17. and as we are taught in the Lords prayer A naturall man may be very earnest in his prayer yet it is not a spirituall prayer because his desires have only reference to self-love and naturall ends but not to God and his glory They have not cryed unto me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds saith the Prophet e Hos 7. 14. where the Prophet esteems of their prayers no better then howlings like the howlings of Baals Priests who cryed aloud O Baal hear us and they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them f 1 King 18. 28. Therefore such prayers God sometimes sends away with a mock rather then an answer Prov. 1. 28. 29. when distresse and anguish shall come upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me CHAP. XX. The eighth ninth and tenth Sign of the saving knowledge of Christ Sign 8 THe eighth sign that we have attained to the saving knowledge of Christ is universall obedience when we make conscience of all our wayes and have respect to all Gods commandements which consisteth in a setled resolution and indeavour against all sin and a setled purpose
heavenly desires gracious speeches and holy affections c. but I feele no breathings of the spirit in me if I had the grace that others have could walke with God as they do be so holy and heavenly in my conversation as they are I should not feare but I feele my selfe so barren frothy and empty of all good that I can scarce discerne any breathings of the spirit of God in me at all I answer to every one is given grace Eph. 4. 7. acording to the measure of the gift of Christ Some are babes and some are men in Christ Jesus as in Davids army some were common souldiers some captaines and some his worthies In the body there are the feet and toes and head and heart God gives that measure of grace to thee that he sees fittest for thee Some have five talents others two some but one even as it pleaseth God who hath appointed some for eminency and some but for sincerity As Paul that was a chosen vessell to bear his name before kings Act. 9. 15. and therefore must have eminent graces answerable to his imployments Now is not a souldier a faithfull subject because he is not a captain is not the foot a member of the body because it is not the head or heart hath a babe no life because it hath not the life of a man and hath a man no faith because he hath not the faith of Abraham hath a man no love nor zeale to God and his glory because he hath not the love of Moses nor the zeal of Eliâ—s is there no fire because it doth not flame Christ will not quench the smoaking flax which smoaketh only with desires but cannot flame with comforts nor break the bruised â—eed Thou hast some grace to love righteousnesse and hate wickednesse and though to desire and aemulate the graces of others be good yet it may Matth. 12. 20. proceed from â—ride because we would be eminent and have none above us when we so desire more grace that we forget to be thankfull for what we have Secondly this objection brings its own comfort with it for how could I love the grace I see in others and long after it and not have grace in my own heart it is impossible Doubt 13 13. Doubt I feare I have no part in Christ because I have no gift of prayer Zac. 12. 10 whereas God hath promised to poure upon us a spirit of grace and supplication as was said before but I make ropes of sand such broken stuffe as I would be ashamed men should heare me I cannot pray I answer though they be broken prayers yet thou makest conscience to pray and they are the best prayers thou canst make that is the best prayer that comes from faith and where there is most affection suppose a child were sick and could not speake but only give a sad look towards the father and groane did it not even thereby pray the father to help it certainly our sighs groans and tears are prayers when we know scarce our own meaning the Lord knoweth the meaning of the spirit Rom. 8. 27. And God will accept of a willing minde according to that a man hath and not that he hath not The spirit is willing saith our Saviour when the disciples slept but the flesh is weak Matth. 26. 41. 1. Object But I cannot change my words to bring new expressions every time except there be some new occasions but I have almost the same words and therefore it is the same prayer I answere some men make too much of a set-forme of words and some too little for he that ties himselfe to a forme of words and can go no further then his stint of words neither in private nor as any new occurrences happen he may suspect himselfe that he wants the spirit of prayer But some on the contrary dote too much upon change of words as if their prayer were better accepted of God for new words or new invention indeed we judge of the prayers by the elegancy and invention of words but God judgeth of them by the strength of our affections We think God delights in prayers as dainty stomacks do in choice of meats as men do in flowers sweet only while they are new but in Gods esteeme that is a new prayer that comes though with old words yet with new affections did not Christ himselfe pray three times together saying the same words when it was for the same thing and did he not leave us not only as a pattern but also as a precept a set-forme of Prayer to wit the Lords Prayer Many men study somtimes so much for new invention that they lose affection method and devotion and many there be that have good affections but want invention 2. Object But I pray not in faith I am like those in Iam. 1. 6. 7. that waver and doubt who shall receive nothing from the Lord. I answere there is difference between doubts rising and doubts raigning such as proceed from weaknesse of faith and are resisted and such as proceed from total want of faith now thou hast some faith though it be mingled with doubtings which thou fightest against 3. Object If Christ were mine God Mat 7. 7. would heare my prayers but alas I pray but they are all lost I have no return of my prayers I answere thy prayers are alwayes heard and liked so far as they are agreeable to the will of God And answered so far as God sees good for thee because thou art his childe Now if a child cry a mother regards not but when she knows its her own child that crys then she runs to help it 2. Thy prayers are the voice of his own spirit he cannot deny the inspirations of his holy spirit Rom. 8. 26. 27. 3. Christ prayes thou mayest be heard who can never be denied But thou must distinguish between delayes and denials if God denyeth it is because it is not good for thee if he delayth it is because it s not yet good for thee Doubt 14 14. Doubt I feare I am not in Christ because I do not grow in grace for the righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith that is from one degree of grace to Rom. 1. 17. another and the way of the righteous is like the way of the light that shineth more Prov. 4. 18. and more unto the perfect day But I am decayed I have lost my first love Rev. 2. 4. I answere a man may grow when he discerneth it not as the Sunne moves upon the diall insensibly Quanto despectior tibi tanto pretiosior deo saith Aug. The more vile we are in our own eyes the more precious we are in Gods eyes True grace like a tree growes in the root as well as in the branches and downwards under ground as well as above ground ever the more humility the more grace 1 Pet. 5. 5. So Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. Eph. 3. 8.
bono whether thy paines be profitable for the people for a man may preach painfully and yet very unprofitably and then as he that sweareth vainly taketh Gods name in vain so he that preacheth unprofitably taketh Gods word in vain And yet sometimes a minister may take comfort and shall have his reward though his people be not gathered I have laboured in vain c. saith Isaiah yet my reward is with the Lord and Es 44. 4. my worke with my God sometimâ—s we are sent to be the savour of death unto death Es 6. 21. and to make the heart of a people fat c. but this is not when the people perish through our negligence Aug. makes this resemblance suppose a Blackamore and another comes to a Barbers shop to be washed he takes equall paines with both the one is made whiter the other Blacker yet the Barber is equally payd There is cura offiâ—ii that belongs to us and cura eventus that belongs to God Weams Cert Law Alas it s not our work to convert soules but Gods we may sow the seed but God must give successe Rebecca may cook the meat but Isaâ—c must give the blessing Moses may hew the tables but God must write the law we may carry the bottle but its God that gives the wine we may speak words but its God that gives grace in Caelo cathedram habet qui corda movet Si non sit intus quidocet inanis strepitus noster Paul is nothing Apollos is nothing but God must give the increase 4. Ministers must preach Christ faithfully 4. Faithfully he that hath my word let him preach my word faithfully Jer. 23. 8. a 1 Cor. 4. 2. as stewards and ambassadours must do their masters message 1. Not to call evill good nor good evill making the heart of the righteous sad and strengthning the hands of the wicked b Ezek. 13. 22. 2. Not to suppresse or omit any needfull truths or reprooâ—es out of feare or â—avour as c Ezek. 2. 7. Ier. 1. 7. 8. Nathan was faithfull to David Iohn to Herod Elias to Ahab yea Balaam himselfe said the word that God putteth into my mouth that will I speake d Num. 22. 38. 3. Not to preach pleasing things out of flattery and desire to get â—avour e Ier. 6. 14. Ier. 13. 17. Ezek. 13. 19. 11. when like false glasses they represent not a true face f As those that told Dionysius his spittle was as sweet as honey and those that flattered Caesar that told him his freckles in his face were like the stars in the firmament flattery undid Ahab Nero Herod Alexander c. These are the undoers of the soules of the people like evill Chirurgions that skin over the e Ier. 6. 14. Lam. 2. 14. Ier. 23. 17. wound but never heale it g Especially at their deaths O then especially take heed of daubing them over with untempered mortar and so the poor man is in hell when he thought to have been in Abrahams bosome This sin will lie heavy upon a ministers conscience when he lies a dying Will you lie for God or talke deceitfully for his cause saith God Iob. 13. 7. 5. Ministers must preach Christ zealously with intention of affection and 5. Zealously speech Cry aloud spare not c. Es 58. 1. though we need not boare bellow out Es 40. 8. Tit. 1. 5. Act. 7. 5 yet we must acriter urgere and cloath the matter with suitable expressions as apparell to fit the body and the season when the Holy Ghost came upon the Disciples in Acts 2. 3. 4. fire sate upon their tongues And the Angel touched Isaiahs tongue with a cole of fire it was not dipt Es 6. 6. 7. in water and the two witnesses fire came out of their mouthes Rev. 11. 5. Elias was a man made up of heavenly fire and for his zeal was carried up in a fiery chariot into heaven And Jeremy professeth that the word was like a fire within his bones Jer. 20. 7. Gods word is compared to fire a hammer and a sword Ier. 23. 29. Heb. 4. 12. and therefore we must so use it as it may heat the coldest heart break the stony heart and cut and fetch bloud from the hardest hearts Acts 2. 37. Alas naturall men are in a dead sleep and many godly are in Eph. 5. 14. Es 6. 9. a lethargy and in asnorting sleep as the wise virgins and had need be awakened with a loud voice especially considering our message is of so great importance But this is a fault of Ministers now a dayes who love not to have their tongues tipt with fire but dipt in water not to be a hammer or a sword but a reed shaken with the wind they love not to be the salt but the sugar and honey of the word the salt hath lost its savour and the reason is because men will not endure it but are ready to gnash their Act. 7. 51. teeth at such preaching and call it malice c. when as indeed it is the greatestlove that can be As if a mans house be set on fire we must not speak softly as loth to awaken him Sir your house is on fire c. Cry aloud spare not save them with feare pulling them out of the fire he is the Iude 23. Zach. 3. 2. best Chirurgion or Physitian not that puts his Patient to least pain but that cures and heales Not he that is most pleasing but most profitable Yet alas men cry out of such preachers as fiery fellows like the fiery disciples that said command fire from heaven the man is mad now he railes and vents his malice And their best language is it s his passion the man is angry like the widdow while her oyle increased the Prophet was a good man but when shee thought hee slew her sonne then shee cryes out art thou come to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son 1 Kings 17. 18. What have I to do with thee Indeed anger may be a sin when it is against the person of another but not when against his sin keeping bounds so it is our duty to be angry as Pauls spirit was whetted sharpened c. Act. 17. 16. and c. 13. 10. And Iohns spirit Matth. 3. 7. And our blessed Saviour Matth. 23. 33. Yea serpents generation of vipers c. 6. Ministers must preach Christ lovingly 6. Lovingly take heed our own passions mingle not with our zeale that we vent not them to disgrace others or ease our own venemous spirits excellent is the speech of Bullinger in his preface before his Decades Abâ—it fel amaritudâ—nis petulantia Sit objurgatio prudens potius quam audax Ardeat non ira sed spirit us veâ—ementia scelus potius quam scelerati person im-persequi We were gentle among you saith Paul as a nurse cherisheth her children and we exhorted you as a father doth his