be fetcht from heaven to consume them For which though they pretend the Example of Elijah yet their Lord observed the distemper and rebukes it Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of q. d. Alas you are mistaken in the frame of your own hearts this impression is not zeal but anger It was another kind of spirit which acted Elijah when he call'd for fire from heaven upon the two Captains and their fifties an invisible flame of just zeal first fell from heaven upon his heart before he satcht those visible flames from heaven upon their heads There was cause enough to justifie so severe an execution The wicked King Abaziah which sent those Pursevants for Elijah with his Grand-father Saul had forsaken the Oracle of God to consult with the Devill 2 Kings 1.6 The Servants of the same spirit with their Master come in a proud imperious way The King saith come down with the Kings mandamus they think to command heaven it selfe Yea while they seem to give him his title thou man of God they do at once deride his function and blaspheme his God q. d we will see what a man-God you are and whether your God can deliver you out of our hand will ye obey the King or will ye not Come down or we will fetch you down now there is nothing to determine the controversie but a signal testimony from God himself And therefore to vindicate Gods glory and his own Commission Elijah imprecates fire from heaven and God by this flaming answer bears witnesse to the just frame of his spirit in so direfull a revenge This our Saviour found wanting in his disciples and therefore rebuketh their passion rather then commendeth their zeale Ye know not what spirit ye are of It were easie to multiply instances but much work is yet behind I would speak somewhat I say concerning our deceased brother and there is need of it for many there be I have too much cause to fear who themselves transported with passion and prejudice while they study parties more then truth having mens persons in admiration because of advantage would make others and themselves believe that there was no other parallel to be found between these venerable servants and Saints of God and our deceased brother save only in their sinful infirmities and especially that of passion It cannot be denied but that as he was in the general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of like passions with other men so in speciall that that black adust humour of choler held the predominacy in his individual Constitution which many times gave a tincture to his discourse action and which standers-by more censorious then candid interpreted to his unjust prejudice But there is two things I shall without blushing take the liberty to speak by way of just vindication both to his person and the doctrine before us sc 1. That blessed be God there is another and more honourable parallel to be held out to the world between these Saints of God and our beloved brother 2. That the affection of Anger rightly qualified and managed is of singular use in the life and work of a Christian especially of a Minister of the Gospel First The Parallel I shall now for the just and necessary vindication of his Name and Ministry hold out to the world a Parallel between Elias and our Reverend Brother A Parallel not of Equality but Conformity not of Rivalry but of Reality to which my conscience doth subscribe as in the presence of God and to which I am confident the consciences also of all judicious and impartial Christians that knew him will bear witness And why should any man conceive it a presumption in me and a boldness almost to sacriledge to mention a parallel between Elijah and this servant of Jesus Christ Considering 1. They were both but Men. The Text saies Elias was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man of like passions with us It is no in jury to persons of the highest sanctity to look upon them as men like our selves since the Holy Ghost himself is here our president 2. It is the same Grace of God which we eye honour in both One star differs from another in glory yet it is the same light which fills the stars though of different magnitude 3. Sic parvis componere magna solebam Such comparisons do not level them in full and just proportions but compareth them in a gradual and Evangelical Analogy and likeness 4. Especially above all in as much as the Children of God even in their state of mortality are not onely exhorted to but celebrated for Conformity and likeness to their Heavenly Father Be you perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect Matth. 5. ult 1 Pet. 1.15 And be ye Holy as he that hath called you his Holy ther 's the exhortation And 2 Cor. 3. ult We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory ther 's their commendation Warranted by these and the like scriptural considerations I address my self to the Parallel A Parallel 1. Elias was a man of Extraordinary sanctity and holiness Enoch-like he walked with God a man of much acquaintance and converse in Heaven even while he was on earth Such in his degree was our Reverend Brother He was a man of singular piety he could say with as much simplicity as most of his brethren in the flesh I believe truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1.3 I am not afraid on his behalf to appeal to his Adversaries as once Christ did to his hearers setting aside humane frailties John 8.46 which of you could convince him of sin I am confident he is gone to Heaven with as unsteined an holiness as most of the servants of Christ ever did within our knowledge Secondly Par. 2 Elias was an eminent Prophet of God to whom God did in a special manner reveal and communicate his counsels and secrets This faithful servant of Christ was a Minister of the Gospel de Arcanis Dei a Minister I say by Scriptural ordination no intruder or up-start of the times who like the false Prophets of old run before they are sent Jer. 23.16 and speak a vision of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. This servant of God was not so but as his Call was from God both inward and outward so the secret of the Lord was with him God was pleased to reveal much of himself and of the mysteries of the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ unto him which he did faithfully communicate to the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer Act. 20.20 and kept back nothing that was profitable unto them but shewed them and taught them publickly and from house to house a man he was of more then ordinary
power the blind of his omscience It gives the lye to Gods truth and the fool to his wisdom This and all this and much more may be affirmed of the sinful distempers of my heart the least corruption in my cursed nature would ungod God if my sin could help it God should be God no longer A man cannot give sin a worse name then it self as a man cannot give the greatest sin a worse name then sin so he cannot give the least sin a better There is no difference in the nature of sin in the godly and in the wicked all the difference is in their persons the one is regenerate the other is not but sin remains sin still in the one as well as in the other Is not this matter of deep humiliation to the Saints Thirdly Cons 3 As infirmities in the godly are of the same nature so they are of the same merit with sin in the wicked All sin is damning And thus should the children of God Smiting upon their thighs say in Gods presence It were just with God to damn me for my infirmities And that he doth not is not from the smalness of my sin but from the greatness of his mercy not from the nature of my sin but from the goodness of his nature 2 Sam. 23.5 not BECAVSE they are but infirmities but BECAVSE He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Is not this an humbling consideration Fourthly Cons 4 Not less this sc that the Saints infirmities grieve the Spirit of God Indeed they are infirmities which properly may be said to grieve Gods Spirit the gross sins of wicked men they are said to quench the Spirit and vex the Spirit and despite the Spirit of God The distempers that remain in the godly do grieve the Spirit Ephes 4.30 Res delicata est Spiritus Sanctus Tert. even of those who are by that Spirit sealed up to the day of redemption Gods Spirit is a tender sweet delicate thing A tender dear friend is properly grieved by unkindnesses the injuries of enemies do provoke the displeasures of friends do grieve and disquiet This should touch a Saint to the quick to grieve his * If he grieve his Cemforter who shall comfort him Comforter The Holy Ghost delighteth to take up his habitation in a Sedate loving spirit Fifthly Cons 5 The Saints infirmities are so many abatements of their Excellencies oh what glorious creatures would the Saints be were it not for their pride and for their passion for their love of the world and for their impatience Et sic in caeteris They would be more then men Angels incarnate and glorious Saints before glorified It is their distempers which do so disguise them many times that they are hardly known from other men The Saints infirmities are the dead fly in the Apothecaries ointment the unsavory But Eccl. 10.4 in their commendations a good man but cholerick an holy woman but high-spirited c. thus infirmities are a veyle to a Chrystians beauty and the flye-blow to their reputation Let your light shine as bright as the Sun in the Firmament your infirmities will eclipse them and darken their glory Sixthly Cons 6 The Saints infirmities may and sometimes do darken their Evidences sinful affections especially if indulged may hinder assurance and keep the soul under jealousies and doubtings a Barly-corn layd upon the ball of the eye will hinder the sight of the Sun as well as a Mountain and the least hair will cast its shadow They are believers infirmities which keep them so low in comfort and make them so oft call their estate into question crying out with that good woeman Gen. 24.22 If it be so why am I thus Had they not need to watch over their infirmities Is this a small evil in the smallest sin that it hinders our assurance and intercepts between the soul and the light of Gods countenance which is better then life it self Seventhly Cons 7 The infirmities of the godly when they doe appear obstruct their influences and not seldom render their endeavours of doing good ineffectual while the sence of their infirmities quickens their endeavours the notice which standers-by take of them hinders their successe It is enough to the proud world to reject and scorn the meekest and counsels of the godly if they can observe but the least failing in them The Saints infirmities are wicked mens shields whereby they fence themselves against their holy admonitions as if they were so many poysoned darts and arrowes they need not reprove me they are as bad themselves they can do thus and thus as if the Saints weaknesses would justifie their own wickednesses Yea not only so but to aggravate their own guilt wicked men look upon the Saints failings with the multiplying end of the glasse which represents them in a bigger character then they are in themselves and not seldom retort a tender reproof with a cruell reproach Mat 7.6 wounding those that intend their Cure and like swine trampling the pearle under foot turn again and rent them As thus in generall so more particularly Passion in the Reprover is a great prejudice to the reproof a man seldom doth good in anger Jam. the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God mans anger seldom attains Gods righteous ends the worst ingredient we can put into good counsell is wrath partly because passion doth blind the judgement and discompose reason a man in anger sees not where his advantage lieth Partly because anger acted beyond Scripture-limits is not a suitable instrument for the meek spirit of God to use The God of peace delights to honour quiet and composed spirits Partly and especially because the proud world will not bear it behold they will hardly suffer the touch of the softest and tenderest hand do but touch these mountains and they will smoke how much lesse will they bear it if ye smite them with a rod of reproof as Moses did the Rock with an hear ye Rebels they will not endure oyle to be dropt into their wounds how will they endure the bitter Corrasive In all these respects the Saints of God had need to watch over their passions anger is not always so just and righteous as it seemeth to be we know not of what spirit we are As the world is ready to call zeal passion so we are very prone to call our passion zeal too often and therefore it is not to be trusted without much holy care jealousie over our spirits lest our goud be evill spoken of Eighthly Cons 8 The passions which are in the servants of God do many times render their Converses lesse acceptable to their brethren by giving way to their own distempers they oft become burdens to others and to themselves too Jer. 20.3 4. very MAGOR MISSABIBS a terrour to themselves and their friends This should make them ride their passions with a very strict rein lest they
Christ and his Apostles left the world For the divisions of Reuben are great searchings of heart Of which we may say as it was said once of the contentions between the Reformed Churches in Luthers time * Dissensus condonart potest modo adsit fides in Christo Dissensiones vero neque sisanguinem fundamus expiabimus Melanct to Luther Our DISSENTS had been pardonable I speak in order to matters of Discipline through faith in Christ but as for our DISSENTIONS all the blood in our veins will never wash off the guilt It is time for Christians to close and to make up their breaches Is not Religion tantum non destroyed by our divisions Ah! that all such as love Jesus Christ in CHATHAM would here in be exemplary that you would lay by all your differences and animosities and unite as one man in this work wherein the glory of God the honour of the Gospel your good and the good of your posterity is so highly concerned the choise of a Minister And for the guiding of your choise propound to your selves I beseech you some such Scripture-qualifications as follow 1. Let him be a learned man I am confident it is one of the policies of Antichrist amongst us To cry down learning as knowing that an ignorant and illiterate Ministry would easily betray the Protestant Religion into his hands Who should not be able to discover their impostures nor evade their Sophistry I do verily believe none are enemies to learning Latrones prius lampadem extinguunt tunc latrocinantur but such as are friends to that design Moses was skil'd in all the learning of the Egyptians Saint Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and verst in Heathen learning he was able to confute them out of their own * Aratus Act. 17.28 Anacrcon 1 Cor. 15.32 Menader vers 33. Epimenides Tit 1.12 Whom the Cretians called a Prophet Poets The Pontificians have felt the dint of your Learned-Protestant Adversaries sword and therefore now would act the Philistines plot upon us 1 Sam. 13.19 that there should be no Smith found in all these three Nations lest they should make themselves swords and spears weapons of defence and offence to stand up against their Babylonian forces At least it is ignorance that loves ignorance and errour that shuns the light Secondly Qual 2 He must be also a man of a sound judgement and well verst in the Controversies of the times that so he may not only be able to preach truth but to confute errour Tit. 1.9 and convince the gain-sayer One that may be able to stop the mouth of seducers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to * Tit. 1.11 muzzle them as the word signifieth that they may not boldly The Devils words to Him were these What stand I talking with thee All men know thou art bold Rothwell and fearest no body nor carest for words therefore I will talk with thee no more See the life of Mr. Rothwell set forth by M. S. Clerk and blasphemously bark against the truth Such an one was your late and worthy ROSWELL the hammer of the Hereticks of this generation The Hereticks were as much afraid of his name as the Devil in poor possessed JOHN FOX of Nottingham-shire was lately of a man of a like name and Spirit famous ROTHWELL Thirdly Qual 3 Be sure to make choice of an holy man a man whose life may be a Continual Sermon that may teach by his conversation as well as by his doctrine He hath no life in his doctrine that hath not doctrine in his life Nay there is not a readier way to make men turn Atheists then for a Minister to preach strictly and live loosely Men will believe their eyes rather then their ears Vivitur exemplo and are lead by example rather then by precept whereby it cometh to pass that the sins of the teachers are the teachers of sin Fourthly Qual 4 Make choise of a man of an healing Spirit to which is required much prudence and integrity Prudence every fool can make divisions it is onely the wise man that can make them up And there must be integrity too least instead of healing divisions he comply with mens lusts and serve the interest of the Devil rather then of Jesus Christ as too many of our times do who would have the repute of sweet-spirited men Fifthly A man therefore of gravity and experience would be much desired among you Qual 5 Quickness of fancy is rarely joined especially in young men with soundness of judgment He that will do good in CHATHAM must carry some authority in his very person Whether my advice to you in these particulars may not come too late I know not if you have prevented me herein I shall count it labour well lost if not I pray God it may be a labour well bestowed And The God of the Spirits of all flesh set SUCH A MAN over your Congregation Numb 27.16 17. that may go in and out before you that the Congregation of the Lord even while you may have a preacher may not be as sheep without a shepherd Fifthly For his better encouragement Adv. 5 raise a competent provision for his comfortable subsistence that while he should be studying for your Souls he may not be distracted with cares for his own Family It is the divinity of our times That the Ministers of the Gospel must live upon the Contributions of the people the people may indent with him for his work but he must not indent with them for his wages he must be bound but they be free and I would they were free indeed An expedient which these times have found out to tye up the Ministers tongue under their girdles flatterers by this means may probably scrape out a livelyhood but faithful ones without special providence are likely to be sterved They hate him that reproveth in the gate It is in the power of your hand to prevent this mischief I know not any Congregation of that quality in England wherein it is a matter of more facility less charge to raise up a liberal subsistence for a faithful Minister then your CHATHAM is I know what I say Worthy Friends make not your Minister an Almes-man that the poor man dare not to reprove sin lest one of my Masters withdraw his contribution In this sence I would have him be an Independent that he may speak the truth of God without fear Sixthly Adv. 6 Forget not the labour of love and the work of faith of Him that now is at rest with God His dear and precious Relicts are yet with you what He is not capable of in person pay unto his posterity It is but a small matter when you have reapt of the Fathers Spirituals that his Orphan-Family partake of your temporals He was content to leave them poor that he might make you rich in the midst of your riches let not his precious relations remain poor Lastly my
God and of Religion the concernments of Jesus Christ and of mens immortal soules Indignities and affronts offered to himself did not tempt out the fervour and acrimony of his spirit as those which were put upon Christ and his precious Truths If so your consciences cannot gainsay it call him no more an angry passionate cholsrick man but call him a faithful plain-dealing zealous Minister of Jesus Christ lest otherwise God hear and be angry and judge you for your passion and partialty And lastly Rule 5 When the warmth and keennesse of a mans spirit is acted not so much against the persons as against the wickedness of men who hold the truth of God in unrighteousnesse Call it not anger and passion bat zeal for God and compassion on mens souls Passion le ts flye its arrows against the persons of men zeal only against their sins Indeed sins and persons are so near that a man can hardly distinguish sometimes between the person and the sin to avoyd the danger therefore let men stand furtther off from their sins that he that strikes at their sins may not with the same blow be judged to strike at their persons also But this is that which I say the heat of anger must be against the crime rather then against the person and when it is mixt with grief which sets pity and prayer on work for the offending party as it is said of Christ Mark 3.5 then it is pure zeal and not distemper'd anger I have done both with the Sermon and with the occasion Onely in as much as the Passions of the Regenerate as I hinted before are not all over regenerate nor have I made this Apology for the Saints in general or this our brother for whose loss we mourn this day in particular as if I conceived there were no sin in their Anger no strange fire in their passion yea because the Saints of God discover much distemper in their affections and passions sometimes even when they act for God for which they judge themselves bitterly in the presence of God for the preventing of mistakes on the right hand or on the left give leave to adde a word or two of Direction now in the close for your better improvement of the doctrine It is twfold sc 1. A word of Caution 2. A word of Comfort Caution 1. To all in general 2. To the Saints in particular To all in generall First 1. Caution general take heed of mistaking your infirmities take heed of putting a softer name upon your Corruptions then God doth and the Scripture doth this is the general deceit amongst Christians Sin takes sanctuary under infirmity Every wicked man calls his Iusts his gross sins his infirmities The Drunkard sayes it is my infirmity the Swearer sayes it is my infirmity the Adulterer alas what would you have him do it is his infirmity sic in caeteris Every prophane wretched miscreant hath taken hold of the horns of the Altar and there he cries alas this is my infirmity Brethren take heed say not infirmity when it is more then infirmity Quest When is that When sin is more then infirmity Answ 1. When men are more sollicitous for pardon then for Cure they are more then infirmities if pardon alone would quiet thy spirit without healing thou art under a mortall disease The Saints cry heal me O Lord and I shall be healed and this is an argument of their sincerity desire of pardon only argueth Self-Love desire of Cure argueth love to Jesus Christ desire of pardon argueth men fear hell only but desire of healing argueth men fear God defire of pardon only sheweth men would be content to live in sin if they durst desire of Cure shewes men would not live in sin if they might Secondly much more when men study the satisfaction of their lusts In exordio adolescentrae petieram à te castitatem continentiam c. more then the mortification of them they are more then infirmities Augustine confesseth of himself before Coversion he prayed sometimes for the gift of chastity but there was something within that secretly whispered Timebam si neâ—citò exaudires sanares me à morbo boncupisâ—entiae quam expleri malebam quam extingui not yet Lord for sayes he I was afraid lest God should hear me too soon and cure in me that distemper which I had rather should have been saisfied then mortified This is the temper of every unregenerate person Conviction may make them pray against their lusts sometime but love of sin makes them indulge them they cannot find in their hearts to lay violent hands upon them they be yet as their own flesh and no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it when men are so tenderly affected to their Corruptions they are more then infirmities sin reigns when men dare not displease it nor rise up in opposition against it Thirdly Third note of reigning sin sin is more then infirmity when men are impatient of Conviction when men are so tender of their corruptions that a man must not touch them He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of their eyes Gracious hearts are glad of conviction let the righteous smite me Psal 141. it shall be a precious oyle c. When reproof is a wound which men cannot bear it is a sign sin is alive and whole within them Sin is then King â—worâ— the soul Eccles 8.4 when a man must not say unto it what dost thou Prov. 3.31 and against which there is no rising up The more any corruption is indulged the lesse infirmitie is in it Fourthly Fourth note when a man or a woman is never troubled with their corruptions but when wrath is upon them then they are more then infirmities The godly go mourning under their secret corruptions when the Sun shines upon their Tabernacles with the warmest influences yea when God is pleased to shine into their hearts with the clearest beams of love the more sensible the Saints are of Gods love the more they hate their own corruptions because they make them unlike to God They that are never troubled with corruption but when wrath is upon them it is wrath that troubles them and not corruption this is not infirmity Carnal people are never good but when they are under the rod and then not because their sins displease God but because Gods judgements displease them Fiftly when Infirmities serve men only for apologies they are more then infirmities when a man can say of any corruption it is my infirmity and acquiesce there it is very dangerous This is certain men in nature do not sit down patient under infirmities because infirmities Corruption is all wed where infirmity is the apology and allowed corruption is more then infirmity The Saints infirmites are their afflictions their burdens not their apologies Oh wretch that I am Rom 7.24 who shall deliver me c. Sixthly Sixth note when