as more fine than firme deceitfull stuffe like unto the wind which fills but feeds not the body which though it may catch flyes the curious and the vaine yet it will never save soules and the Cockatrice and the Spider the loathsome conversation of uncleane men whose example of life is offensive in the Church of God as a most infectious thing How much harm both in weakening the power of the word and in confirming the corruptions of the World the Ministers conforming and fashioning themselves to the ryot excesse sensuality of these times have done the wicked see and deride the godly see and lament If thou want'st faith love and a good life in the weighty calling of the ministry though thou hast an Angels tongue yet thou art but as harsh-sounding brasse a brazen-fac'd Hypocrite and few good men will desire thee thou art but a tinckling Cymball and too many will play upon thee To a wanton young man that was disputing of temperance and sobriety one said well Who can endure thee building like Crassus supping like Lucullus and yet speaking like Cato But as Nazianzen said of Basil sit tonitrum oratio tua fulgur vita so let thy speech be thunder but thy life lightning many thunder but they lighten not the one may rouze the drowsie sinner terrifie the secure wanton the other comfort the faithfull hearers who are glad of such a light amongst them guide and direct the weaker minds who need such an helpe who looke for such a patterne If then Nathanael goe and see Christ by thy ministry as Zacheus got upon the Sycamore tree to see Iesus the one shall bee received the other left Zacheus honoured the tree cursed then let Philip alwayes say Come and see that going together to Christ there may bee honour to Philip comfort to Nathanael 2. Nathanaels comming to Christ in these words Iesus saw Nathanael comming In Nathaneel his comming to Christ foure things may bee observed 1. His Consent hee coms without resistāce 2. His Speede hee coms without delay 3. His Truth hee coms without fraud 4. His Success hee coms without losse 1. His Consent NAthaneel having a call from God a direction by Philip doth not resist either by excuse or frowardnesse but freely willingly resolutely yeelds himselfe to forsake his fig-tree his prejudiciall conceit and addresseth himselfe to goe to the Lord. True it is that the Mediatour had never seene Nathanael comming unto him as a true Israelite if the Father had not drawne him by secret and effectuall perswasion yet if Nathanael had wantonly and wilfully resisted the holy Ghost and Philips direction hee had not beene drawne Let us then endeavour in the receiving of the Grace of God to consent to the heavenly motion and not to be stiffe-necked as St. Paul speaks to be hardened in our hearts through the deceitfulnesse of sinne or as Saint Stephen saith of the Iewes Heb. 3.13 to resist the holy Ghost Acts 7.51 For in our conversion in our comming unto Christ these three are cōnexed namely the prevention of Gods grace mooving and stirring us the direction of the Gospel in which the Holy Ghost effectually worketh and the consent of the will which striving against diffidence and sinne endeavours to yeeld unto the counsell of Gods Word motion of the Spirit If we should dreame as the Manichees and the Anabaptists of the power of the holy Ghost carrying us unresistably without any action of ours without endeavour and labour in the exercise of Prayer and hearing the Word the ministry of the Gospel should be needlesse and there could be no conflict in the mind no thirsting no contending to lay hold on God Hence St. Basil saith wel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely resist not being called consent being moved endeavour being counselled desire being stirred and the Lord that sees thee strugling draws neere helps thy infirmity and gives the Victory of thy conversion to this purpose speaks Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Lord draws he draws consenting that is not giving himselfe to idlenesse and neglect of endeavour but having the voice of the Gospel and the inward moving of the Spirit labours against the savour of the flesh to delight in God So yee see a Cōnexion of these three prevention of Grace direction of the Word and consent of the Will in the worke of our conversion according to that of St. Iohn Revel 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say also come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Nothing excepts thee from the spirituall fountaine but thy will Not God for the Spirit saith come Not the Church for the Bride saith come Not any convert for he that heareth saith also come Not necessity for hee that is a thirst may come Not want of merits for it may be taken freely Only want of will may hinder because it is taken by desire and will As then in the Old Law there was the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering of which all was given to God nothing reserved either for priest or people and the offering for sinne of which part was given to God and part reserved for the Priest but none for the people and the peace offering of which God had his part the Priest his part and the people their part So in the Gospell we finde a threefold worke The worke of Redemption the worke of Ministration and the worke of Conversion In the worke of Redemption all is given to the Mediatour to the bloud of Christ as the onely price of our redemption nothing to the Priest or people In the worke of Ministration part is given to God part to the Priest but nothing to the people the consecration and sanctification of the worke unto God the execution to the Priest But in the worke of conversion part is given to God preventing by grace and effectuall perswasion part to the Priest directing by counsell by instruction and part to the people consenting by will For if the will of man were utterly idle in our conversion in vaine should the Apostle say Wee beseech you that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine 2 Cor. 6.1 2. His Speede. YE have heard Nathanaels consent now observe the hast and speed which hee makes to have experience of the Lord Hee is called and he comes at the first call hee observes the time of his visitation without delay He is now called if hee dally out so gracious occasion hee knowes not whether he shall be cal'd againe or no. For as Gregory the great well noteth Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti crastinum though God hath promised pardon to him that repents yet he hath not assured the sinner one day to live His speed confounds our sloath he comes at the first O that wee would come to Christ at many at any call In worldly matters wee can say
and liberall speech Next he speakes in us according to that of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 13.3 Doe you seeke experience of Christ that speaks in me For which voice David prayeth thus Psal 35 3. Say thus unto my soule I am thy salvation O familiar and comfortable speech Thirdly he speakes for us according to that in Saint Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those which thou hast given mee bee there even where I am and in his first Epistle 2. cap. 1. If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous Lastly he speakes of us according to that in the Revelation cap. 3.5 I will confesse his name before my Father and the Angells So then hee speakes to us by way of Invitation in us by way of Inspiration for us by way of Intercession of us by way of Commendation he speaks to us by his word in us by his Spirit for us by his bloud of us by his Iudgement But observe the Lords Order first to us next in us then for us lastly he speakes of us If thou wilt not heare the Lord speaking to thee in his Word if thou do'st not finde the Lord speaking in thee by his Spirit if thou dost not rest upon the Lord speaking for thee by his bloud thou shalt never heare him speaking of thee by commendable testimony That the Lord speakes for us is good and gracious but that he speakes of us as in the Gospell Mat. 25. Euge serve bone c. Well done good servant and faithfull is an absolute happy and honorable speech Blessed is that man may heare the Lord Iesus say of him Behold a true Christian 2. The Manner IN the manner of Nathaneels commendation eight things may be observed First the Order of Christ in praising The Lord knew Nathaneel before but yet he never said any thing of him by commendation untill he saw him comming unto him whence we may collect that then a mans actions are laudable in Gods judgement and his life honourable when Christ is made the end and scope thereof It cannot be but that the Lord sees thee comming hee sees thee going hee sees thee hearing praying working trading he is about thy bed and about thy paths and spies out all thy wayes then thy heart hath comfort thine action honour when the Lord may say that hee sees thee comming to him Men talke of faire and goodly sights but how happy for us and how comely a sight were it if the Lord might see us all this day comming unto him But we may now justly complaine with Bernard Vix quaeritur Iesus propter Iesum scarcely is Iesus sought for Iesus sake the falsehood of intention not ayming at Gods glory not respecting the Lords eye which beholds the truth of the inward parts make that though by customary and ceremonious professiō the Lord may say that he sees many comming yet indeed few comming unto him Secondly this praise is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in presence Iesus said of him and that before him he prayseth Nathanael to his face which showes that if praise bee free from flattery used with moderation intending the encouragement of vertue and approbation of the good it is no fault to commend in presence though it is the part of a wise man to use it sparingly and of a good man not greedily to heare his owne praise Thirdly this praise is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 openly and in publike in the audience of many The Lord is not asham'd to take notice of his poorest servant openly to acknowledge and honour his meanest professor Here have we specimenfuturae retributionis the very Image and token of our future recompence according to that of Christ Mat. 6.4 Thy Father that seeth in secret he will reward thee openly Let us endeavour to abound in good things and to lay up good works as treasures and let us leave it to the Lord to lay them open to shew them forth who hath all things noted in his booke Fourthly this praise is given by certainety of demonstration Behold a true Israelite saith Christ hee is pointed forth by him that is onely able to discerne betweene the Sheepe and the Goats we praise by the censure of charity Christ by the certainty of knowledge we hope well of many wee can point out none We leave them to be discerned and pointed forth by that finger that made them Fifthly this praise is according to the truth of the thing in him for Iesus would never have said this of him if hee had not found it in him It is impossible that the eyes of the Lord which behold the things which are just should be obscured with Error Vanity or Partiality For as Saint Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3.7 He that doth righteousnesse is righteous so the man which is righteous indeed is so accounted before God and no other Think'st thou that the Lord will account the hypocrite the wanton the unjust person a true Israelite the praise that comes of God is not deceitfull or vaine Hee neither condemnes the righteous nor justifies the wicked And that praise which the scripture gives unto the servants of God is according to the truth of the thing in them not according to imputation Sixthly this praise is according to the favour of the Gospell and the measure of sincerity not according to the rigour of the Law and the fulnesse of perfection Though Christ saith of Nathanael Behold a true Israelite in whom is no guile yet he saith not in whom is no sinne Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 1.8 whosoever affirmeth that hee hath no sinne deceiveth himselfe and there is no Truth in him and if Nathanael should have thought that hee had no sinne in him he should have had no truth in him By the grace of Imputation we have no guilt no sinne but by the grace of Sanctification we have no guile no fraud That is in very deed we confesse that in many things we offend all and sincerely and from our hearts indeavour no longer to serve sinne but to please God in all things Before the preventing grace of GOD comes which makes us to walke commendably before God we are all lame from our mothers wombe like the Creeple at Lystra not able to stirre in the waies of GOD having receiv'd grace yet we are many times lame like Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 4.4 by some grievous fall and having present grace he that stands surest may cry with David my foot had well-nigh slipt and the truest Israelite that striveth to walke with God in uprightnes Gen. 32.31 is lame like Iacob that halts on his thigh though not in his heart and though his spirit be willing yet his flesh is weake Though the true Israelite doth not appeare before the Lord empty yet he hath but a Mite in his hand and he that sees clearest by the annoynting of the eye-salve hath yet a mote in his eye and he that is covered with the white
any good to the confession of the Son of God! Thus oftentimes our mindes being obscured whence wee looke for most wee finde the smallest good whence wee thinke least comes the greatest benefit Though Naaman the 2. Kin. 5.12 Syrian brag'd of his Abanah and Pharpar rivers of Damascus yet he found that good in little Iordan which hee could not have in all the rivers of the world Againe see how Nathanaels comming and seeing hath got a victory over his curiosity and vaine exception at Nazareth Experience hath wrought that in him of which Philips tongue was not able to informe him Philip taught him well directed him wisely but the Honour of the victory is reserv'd for Philips Master It is the part of a good teacher saith one docere delectare flectere to teach to delight to perswade vpon which words saith Saint Austin docere necessitatis est delectare Iucunditatis flectere victoriae to teach is the worke of necessity to delight a matter of comfort but to bend move and perswade the minde is the Honour of Victory Such a power Nathanael found in the words of Christ that hee might truly say Never spake any man like this man for by his speech Nathanael got not onely knowledge and contentment but also victory so that he might say of himself as the Romane Commander sometime wrote unto the Senate veni vidi vici I came and saw and overcame O that the fruit and profit of our comming might be such that in the power of the Word of God we may so overcome the lusts of the flesh so breake asunder the snares of the Divell and with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord that wee may also truly say Wee came and saw and overcame Secondly Nathanael got more by comming and seeing than his guide did or could then shew him So that as the Queene of Saba said of Solomon and his royalty that the one halfe was not told her which yet she comming and seeing did finde So the better halfe was not told by Philip which yet Nathanael found by comming and seeing Philip told him indeed Wee have found Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth but Nathanael more divinely Thou art that Sonne of God thou art that King of Israel Philip preach't him the sonne of Ioseph Nathanael found him the Sonne of God Philip told him of a Citizen of Nazareth Nathanael found him the King of Israel Philip spake of the forme of a servant Nathanael found the better halfe the majesty of a Lord. Such benefit have all they which come without fraud and finde by experience the Grace of Christ For in the feeling of the comforts of God we find much more than can be told us or expressed by us Iob 42. I have heard of thee saith Iob by the hearing of the eare but now that mine eyes sees thee I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes So the children of God may truly say We have heard of the Lord Iesus Christ by the hearing of the eare but now that hee dwells in our hearts by faith now that we see him and know him by experience wee abhorre the lusts of flesh and bloud yea wee have judged all things but losse and doe count them but dung that wee might possesse Christ Hence saith Bernard O Iesu spes poenitentibus quam pius es petentibus quam bonus te quaerentibus sed quid invenientibus O Iesu the penitent mans Hope how loving art thou to those that desire thee how good to those that seeke thee but what to those that find thee what but that which Nathanael found him the Sonne of God the King of Israel what but that which Thomas found him My God and my Lord Iohn 20.2 what but that which wee all finde him The rest for our soules Mat. 11.29 Ioh. 1.29 that Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world and that great good and only Shepheard of our souls thorow whose bloud the everlasting Covenant is sealed unto us Heb. 13.20 Thirdly Nathanael by his comming got a hopefull blessing a comfortable promise That hee should see greater things than those So deals God with all his children by giving them the earnest of their inheritance hee sealeth them unto the day of their redemption and concludes them under hope of future blessings that they may bee incouraged to goe on cheerefully and to continue faithfully in their profession We are now the Sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3.5 it appeares not yet what wee shall be saith Saint Iohn We have now milke we have now strong meate but there is a Manna that is hid reserved for us We have now comfort in the forgivenesse of our sinnes glory in the testimony of a good conscience protection from the danger of our enemies but yet the promise of entring into our Masters joy addes unspeakeable contentment and we are much mooved with this hopefull blessing Yee shall see greater things than these And is the experience of Christ thus full of profit and blisse what folly and madnesse is it in men therefore to be so wedded to their Fig-tree the deceiveable lusts of sin that when they have runne and seene and tri'd all the courses of the world yet they must say with that heathen man Omnia fui sed nihil prodest I have beene of all ranks but I am nere the better What shame is it that our negligence of divine things our wilfulnesse should bee such that the Lord complaines saying and yet ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Ioh. 5.40 O whither doe yee wander yee sinfull sonnes of men ye have no whither to goe but to Christ no way but by Christ if ye will find rest for your soules 2. Commendation Nathanaels praise and commendation come now to be observed contained in these words Iesus said of him Behold a true Israelite in whom is no guile Concerning which three things may bee considered 1. The Author of this praise 2. The Manner of this praise 3. The Matter of this praise The Author Iesus said of him he said it of him that knew what was in him and none could say that of him but hee that searcheth the heart It is peculiar and proper to the Lord so to praise The conscience of man is Gods secret Arke into which to assay to prie is audacious presumption which to touch with humane censure is impious arrogancy Therefore the Apostle speaking of the inward Iew Rom. 2.29 of the Circumcision of the heart in the Spirit not in the letter saith that the praise therof is not of men but of God Hence observ the variety of the Lords speech concerning his people For first he speakes to us according to that in Saint Matthew Math. 11. 28. Come unto mee all yee that bee weary and heavy laden and I will ease you and in the Gospel of Saint Iohn 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke O mercifull
these but words of course if thy heart beleeves this doctrine Deceive not thy selfe by secure presumption Marke what the Apostle addeth and such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God he doth not say and such are some of you and yet ye are justified but such were some of you giving us to understand that such sinnes cannot stand with the grace of Iustification and Sanctification of the Spirit I but yet such a person may bee elect saith one We doe not now dispute what he may be or what Gods purpose is to worke in him hereafter but this wee are bound to teach and the people beleeve that men so long as they continue in such sinnes are not in the state of salvation and if they dye without repentance they are certainly damned Neither must men deceive themselves with a conceit of hidden grace and presence of the Spirit during the continuance of such sins for these sinnes being contrary to the Holy Ghost doth so quench the divine motions and so pollute the soule that Saint Iohn speaking of one of such sinnes affirmes flatly 1 Ioh. 3.15 Wee know that no man-slaier hath eternall life abiding in him He doth not deny but that a man-slaier repenting may have eternall life but he concludes against this fraud of presumption maintaining that such an one during his sinne without repentance hath not eternall life abiding in him but by his sinne hee hath lost the Spirit of GOD and the comfort of salvation by Christ untill he be againe renewed by repentance And therfore men that continue in such sinnes ought to bee so farre from beleeving that they in Gods favour are safe they that are bound to beleeve by the word of God that they shall never inherit the kingdome of Christ I but saith this deceiver doth not the scripture say Blessed is the man whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven Psal 32.1 and whose sinnes is covered if covered saith he then continuance in sin cannot hurt a beleever But the godly which know the comfortable sence of these words admits not this deceivers glosse All our former sins by repentance and faith in Christ are forgiven and so covered that they shall not appeare to our confusion but then we know also that repentance imports not onely a verball confession and acknowledgement that we sin but also a reall and true forsaking of such sins as are committed against conscieÌ„ce The grace of Christ then covers our infirmities as a cloath to hide them because they continue so long as wee live but it covers our impieties crimes as a plaister that draweth out the filth and healeth the sore We must not thinke that the Name and merits of Christ are a cloake for villanies or a covert for iniquities but as by the grace of Christ our weaknes is covered so our wickednes is cured so that a wicked man and a Christian are directly contrary 3. Fraus impia the wiced fraud in profession of Religion VVE have observed alreadie that fraud of Iniustice deceiving others that fraud of folly deceiving themselves now let us see that impious fraud in the profession of Religion deceiving the LORD of which we may briefly observe six kinds The FRAUD 1. Of Formall and Politicke 2. Of Faint and Negligent 3. Of Fained Counterfeit 4. Of Forced and Servile 5. Of Forged and Arbitrary 6. Of Flattering and Carnal RELIGION 1. Of Formall POliticke Religion admits no more of Gods service than may stand with the state serve the time and please men a ranke of men there are that so turn themselves to serve GOD that yet they have alwayes an eye therin to serve their own turne Aug. de civi dei ca. 20. l. 2. Hence come the principles of polititians Tantùm stet tantùm floreat copijs referta victorijs gloriosa pace secura Respublica et quid ad nos caetera Let but the state of the common wealth stand and flourish abundant with plenty glorious with victory secure with peace and we looke after no more Hence come their positions Conservatio Reip. status prior ac antiquior esse debet quam religionis causa Bâ—lloy pag. 2. The preservation of the Common-wealth ought to be more precious and more to bee respected than the matter of Religion Antiquisart p. 124. Hence comes this their brutish conclusion Virorum fortium hic scopus hoc studium haec cura primaria esse debet vitam laetam ac affluentem ducere This ought to be the drift the study and prime care of a generous man to live a jocund and delicious life Of which beasts yet Iob hath fearefully concluded Iob 21.13 They passe their dayes in pleasure and in a moment goe down to hell O how this polititian smiles to observe the true Israelites following their profession in earnest counting them therefore God Almighties fooles But well answered the Lady Paula the Polititians of her time nos stulti propter Christum sed stultum Dei sapientius est hominibus We are fooles for Christs sake but the foolishnes of God is wiser than men Inertiaese et otio dante c. saith Ierome whilst these Mammonists give themselves to idlenes and sloth they count those which seriously meditate in the Law of God day and night tanquam garrulos et inutiles as vaine and scripture-men Psal 14.6 and as David saith They have made a mocke at the Councell of the poore because the Lord is his trust This formalist is in the Church as a sword in the heart as a serpent in the bosome as a poyson in the stomack as a theefe in the house by him the righteous soule is grieved the plaine Israelite circumvented the weake infected the Church robbed From this fraud the true Israelites exempted who first seeks the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse serves not the time but the Lord and their prime care is to worke their salvation with feare and trembling 2. The fraud of faint Religion THe second fraud in profession is Negligence when the professour is not inflamed with zeale and the love of God but with a remissnes and carelesnesse creeps about the workes of godlines This fraud the holy Ghost espied in the Angel of the Church of Laodicêa Reu. 3.15 saying I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot and of this guile speaks the Scripture fearfully Ier. 48.10 Cursed is every one that worketh the worke of God negligently Free from this guile are all true Israelites Psa 42.2 So David that said my soule is a thirst for God 1 King 19.10 So Elias that protested saying I am zealous for the Lord God of Hostes though many times they which are at ease in Syon count Elias his zeale the maine disturbance of Israel T' is a fearefull commination of the Lord against neutralls these luke-warme professors in the Prophecy of
Lord had not knowne thee thou had'st not knowne thy selfe not knowne him not knowne heaven If the Lord had not seene thee first with the eye of mercy thou hadst never seene him with the eye of faith So beloved before Gods messengers call us from the darknesse of sinne and ignorance to the marveilous light of Grace and truth the Lord saw us in our danger lying as it were at the gate of hell full of sores full of sinnes uncovered uncured unpityed according to that of David Ps 142 4. there was no man that would know me no man that cared for my soule He then saw us with the eye of mercy and had compassion on us and decreed concerning us to give deliverance according to that charge to his messenger Iob 33.24 Deliver him that he goe not downe into the pitt for I have received a reconciliation If then the Lord know us if the Lord see us with this preventing gift of Grace whilst we imbrace the same wee are so moved that wee doe not onely come to see Christ with Nathaniel nor long only with the Greekes saying Wee would faine see Iesus Ioh. 12 21. But as the faithfull soule speakes Ca. 1.3 wee runne after him in the sweet savour of his Oyntments and so runne that wee obtaine the Saviour yet having obtained we humbly remember that saying of the Apostle Paul what hast thou that thou hast not received 1. Cor. 4 7. O tu ecclesia saith Saint Austine O thou Church S. Au. in pri cap. O thou Israel without fraud if thou art now an holy people and hast knowne Christ by the Word of the Prophets and Apostles as Nathaniel knew him by the guidance of Philip yet miserecordia sua ante te vidit quam tu eum cognoseres cum sub peccato jaceres with his mercy he saw thee before thou knew'st him when thou layest under the burthen of thy sinne where this is not confessed and the Glory of our Convertion not given to the preventing Grace of Christ there is not the true Isralite but the fraudulent and proud-hearted Pelagian An injurious ingratefull fraud it is to arrogate that to our selves which wee have of the meere goodnesse of our Lord therefore in the feeling of the Lords mercy upon us remembrance of our desperate and lost estate Let us thankefully say with the Prophet David Not unto us Ps 115.1 Lord not unto us but to thy Name bee the glory 2. His Direction AS yee have heard how Nathaniel was prevented by a mercifull Call from God so next heare how hee was directed by Philip as a faithfull guide In which two things are remarkable 1 The Power of his Direction 2 The Manner of his Direction For the power of it wee are to know that God hath appointed the ministeriall direction as an Order for the working of faith sanctifying the preaching of the Word to bee the Power and Wisedome of Christ to salvation according to that in St. Iohns gospel Ioh. 17.17 sanctifie them in thy truth thy word is the Truth and to that in the Acts spoken by St. Paul I commend you to God Act. 20.32 and the word of his grace which is able to build further who therefore cals the Gospel the word of Gods grace not onely because it is a gracious word full of comfort to the penitent contrite and borken heart but because it is the Instrument or meanes whereby God conveies his grace to the faithfull hearer Hence Saint Peter exhorteth 1. Pet. 2 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby and Saint Iames having said that God of his owne will begat us by the word of truth inferrs presently therefore let every man bee swift to heare Ia. 1.9 And Saint Paul by that question of his How shall they beleeve unlesse they heare Ro. 10.14 Doth manifestly approve the word as the Instrument of faith And therefore in his Epistle to the Galatians Gal. 3.2 he calls the ministry of the word the hearing of faith saying received ye the Spirit by the worke of the Law or by the hearing of faith Let us then acknowledge Gods Order for salvation and that the Church is tyed to the direction of the word let us magnifie Gods Ordinance and not basely esteeme an Instrument so powerfull and divine Next let us not dreame of any other Course from God for our Conversion Lastly let us know that the Spirit of God in that ministration truely effectually infallibly moveth the minds of men and enclineth them to faith and good workes whilst the word is heard of them read and thought upon So that God is never wanting to blesse this his order of ministring the word and our labour in hearing never lost so that we take heed how we heare and neglect not so great salvation For as in receiving the holy Sacrament of our Lords body and bloud if wee doe not set a barre against the grace of that by a purpose to continue in sin we doe infallibly partake of the spirituall food to eternall life So in the hearing of the word we have assured certainety to receive the gift of faith unlesse by our idle and wanton neglect it falls out that the Pearle is cast before swine Mat. 7.6 2. The manner of the Direction HAving heard of the Power now consider the manner of Nathaniels direction wherein wee may observe these three things 1 The Charity of Nathaniels guide 2 The Prudēcy of Nathaniels guide 3 The Fidelity of Nathaniels guide His Charity appeares in desiring speedily to impart unto others of that good which hee himselfe had received Philip was no sooner cal'd himselfe but hee cal'd Nathaniel no sooner had hee experience of the heavenly and incorruptible treasure and tasted how gracious the Lord was but he endeavoured to communicate the same to Nathaniel thas hee also might rejoyce in God his Saviour And it is observable how Cheerefully Philip proceeds in this businesse as a man surpriz'd with Ioy ravisht with Contentment in the voyce of exultation his heart as it were leaping for joy at his new-found treasure breaks forth into these words Iohn 1.45 We have found him of whom Moses spake and the Prophets Iesus the son of Ioseph of Nazareth It is a specious mark of Gods children to be cheerfull in speaking good of the name of Christ and Carefull to acquaint others with that happy good which themselves have found And like as the leprous men having eate and drunke and enrich't themselves 2. Kin. 7.9 when they considered the multitude of the City of Samaria ready to dye for hunger they having enough were touched in their hearts and said one to another Wee doe not well this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace So the Messengers of God and every true Convert having bread enough in their fathers house considering the multitude of sinfull
I shall bee safe A foolish kinde of men there be who cannot stay the Lords leasure but in the height of Pharisaicall pride fall to valuing to praising of themselues and despising others forgetting the hand-writing against Baltazer Dan. 5.27 Thou art weighed in the ballance and found to light pondus meum amor meus non lingua saith Saint Austin t is the truth of my heart not the vehemence of the tongue that is of moment and weight in Gods tryall Selfe-praise is the fruit of Folly Security Pride Vnthankefulnesse Selfe-love for he that praiseth himselfe either considers not the glory of perfect vertue 1 Esay 64.6 in comparison of which all our righteousnesse is as a stained cloth and so showes his folly and vain-glory Or remembers not the multitude of his secret sinnes under burthen whereof David praies 2 Psal 19.12 ab occultis munda me Domine cleanse me from my secret faults O Lord and so showes his Security Or forgetteth the bond of mans duty 3 Luke 17.10 which being performed leaves yet the doer as an unprofitable servant and so showes his Pride Or considers not the fountaine from whence every good and perfect gift commeth according to that of Saint Iohn Iohn 3.27 No man can receive any thing except it bee given him from above and so showes his unthankefulnesse Or lastly appeares singularly good in his owne eyes not taking notice wherein hee is exceeded by many and so showes his selfe-love To avoide this let us say of our selves as wee are taught of God let us devise nothing By the corruption of Nature let us say we are enemies Rom. 5.10 Gal. 4.6 by the grace of Adoption say Wee are sonnes by neerenesse of coniunction to Christ say Heb. 2.12 We are brethren by familiarity of love say We are friends Iohn 15.15 by tendernesse of Christ his protection over us say We are his spouse Reu. 21.9 by condition and covenant of our profession say We are servants and by true acknowledgement of our wants and insufficiency say Wee are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 let the Lord find that we are without fraud let the world see that wee are without crime But let not us say that we are without sin yea let us say nothing of our selves but in the humility of mind because the poore in Spirit are blessed Mat. 5. Secondly the rule of praise is to speak in Truth without flattery or partiality It is not fit to cast the Childrens meate unto dogs Praise is onely the encouragement of vertue Never did Christ give this testimony of true Israelite to the hypocritical Pharisie Iohn the Baptist did not salute them as True Israelites but thus Mat. 3.7 O generation of Vipers It had not beene fit for Saint Paul to have graced Elymas with this testimony when as he was full of all subtilty and mischiefe Acts 13.10 the childe of the Devill and enemy of all righteousnesse As charity is not suspitious so it is not sottish and where apparant wickednes is there ought not to be the dawbing of untempered flattery Therefore it is well said by Elihu in the Booke of Job I will not accept the persons of men Iob 32.22 nor give titles unto men least my maker take mee away suddenly I will not reach Judas a sop nor cut a lappet from Sauls coat let us not speake good of the covetous whom God abhorreth nor extenuate the commendable deeds of any by envious destraction The sinners Oyle though bright and sweet yet is slippery and vayn and becomes not any wise man not any friend much lesse a Priest a messenger of GOD. Thirdly in the Rule of praise we are to observe that our praise ought to be spirituall not according to the vanity of worldly prayse which neither aymes at a spirituall end nor discernes the spirituall thing some praise out of lightnesse making way for lust so wantons praise in whole volumes some praise out of covetousnesse making way for lucre so worldlings praise where they think to make use of a man some out of feare making way for security so weaklings prayse to avoyd oppression some out of affection making way for consort and idle fellowship so schismaticall sectaries so good fellowes praise some in tongue and show onely making way for friendship so flatterers praise some praise to be praysed againe making way for glory so fooles praise some praise either the forbidden fruit or at least the apples of Sodome which when they are touched are but dust the vanities and trifles of this World which when they are weighed are but Smoake when they are embraced are but shaddowes honour wit riches beauty proportion noblenesse strength are the wonders of the world but the true Israelite whom heaven honoureth the Angells guardeth the Glory of Christ is neglected and passed over with no applause and yet in truth none more noble than hee that is borne of God none wiser than he that is wise to salvation none richer than he that possesseth God none more beautifull than he that is unspotted of the World none more proportionate than hee that beares about in his body the marks of the Lord Iesus none more strong than the true Israelite that prevailes with God Fourthly in the rule of praise observe that it ought to be in the discretion of charity more ready to incourage by praising the good than to grieve by publishing defects Though Nathanael had imperfections yet the Lord would bee no divulger of them The rule of praise requires charitable silensing of defects and weaknesses and therefore that butchers dogge as Bonaventure calls him that slanderer which hath his mouth alwayes bloudy in back-biting the godly is to be abhorred of all good men Those hoggs comming into the paradise of Gods Church stored with hearbs and flowers instead of taking their sweet savour with their foule mouths besmeares and brands the plants the people of God how much the Lord hates the wickednesse of Cham yee may know by his curse and yet wee see nothing more common nothing more pleasing to mans corruption for want of discretion and charity than to detract to gird at others to traduce and to play with others infirmities forgetting their owne 3. The matter of the praise a true Israelite THe manner of Nathanaels praise being finished the worthithinesse of the matter viz a true Israelite without fraud calls for a diligent observation what a true Israelite is may be discerned two wayes 1. By imitation of Israel 2. By exemptiō from fraud For the first Not all saith Saint Paul Rom. 9.7 8. are Israelites that are of Israel but the sonnes of promise are reckoned for the seede not all that cry Lord Lord are subjects indeed but they which doe the will of God Not carnall propagation not externall profession but imitation of Israel makes the true Israelite In Israel therefore seven speciall things may be briefly observed for Imitation First Israelis
Malachy Mal. 1.14 Cursed is the deceiver that hath in his flock a male and offereth a corrupt thing 2 Pet. 2 7. If thy righteous soule bee grieved at sin with just Lot If thou mourn'st because men keepe not Gods Law with zealous David Ps 119 136. If thou art weary of thy life for the daughters of Heth with Rebecca Ge. 27.46 If thou canst cry with Samson for that well of life Iudges 15.18 give me drinke or I die with thirst then art thou free from fraud and thou art knowne of God for a true Israelite O let us raise up our hearts from this fraud remembring that of the Apostle Gal. 6.9 Be not weary of well-doing knowing that ye shall receive if yee faint not and let us carefully follow the councell of the holy Ghost Reu. 3.2 Be awake and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die 3. The fraud of fained Religion THe third fraud in profession is counterfeit religion which stands in outward show without intention of the heart drawing neere unto God in the lipps the mind being far from him This deceiver showes himselfe in the Feathers of the Swan but secretly wallowes in the mire of the Swine and though hee seemes to be a very hoorder of the Manna yet is he found feeding at the Prodigalls trough These deceivers saith Nazianzen weave Penelopes web what they make in the day they marre in the night Like they are unto Plinies bastard Eagle that hath the face of an Eagle but the foote of a Goose Ezech. 10.14 or to Ezechiels vision with many faces of Angell of Man of Beast these shew themselues Cherubims in the Church in company men beasts in secret Suidas Pasetes the Iuglers feast full of varieties in show vanishing all away when they should be tasted was but a mock-belly the goodliest building the fairest house without Inhabitant to give reliefe that poore men call but a mocke-beggar and the most ostentant professors which have a shew of godlinesse without the power therof a counterfeit Israelite is but a mocke-God these are reeds shaken with every winde of tentation smooth but yet hollow without the pyth and substance of godlinesse This fraud the holy Ghost found in the Angel of the Church at Sardis saying Reve. 3 1. I know thy workes that thou hast a name to live but indeed art dead From this guile was David free who cheerefully appeales to Gods view saying Ps 138.23 Examine me O Lord and prove me try out my reines and my heart T' is with every true Israelite as St. Ierome speakes of a good Priest Christiani Sacerdotis lingua manus mens concordent A true Israelites tongue and his hand and his heart goe together 4. The fraud of forced Religion SErvile and compel'd religion is the fourth fraud in professiō and that is when men attend the exercises of religiō without freedome of soule spirit Where appears the main difference betweene religion inspired and religion cōmanded the one leades by cheerefulnes love the other draws by feare and force I will offer saith David unto the Lord free-will offerings Psal 110.3 Psal 45 6. that is offerings of a ready and cheerefull mind A speciall mark of a true Israelite for where the spirit of God is there is liberty saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.17 I was glad saith David whē they said Come we will goe into the house of the Lord. But these deceivers reckon the Lords service as a very torment to their pleasures profits a cooling of their delights and as the devills in the Gospell was affected with the presence of Christ so these with the exercise of godlinesse what have they to doe with them they come to torment them before the time Mat. 8.29 5. The Fraud of forged Religion ARbitrary and devised Religion is the fifth fraud in profession which magnifies private inventions to the neglect of the councell of God which being urged as necessary parts of divine worship argue the Word of God of Insufficiency but it is the wantonnes of mens wits and luxury of their mind that rove out beyond the limits of God and are not content with his Wisdome This fraud Christ spied in the Pharisies Mat. 15 6. who made the Commandements of God of no effect to establish their owne traditions This fraud also is observed to be in the Romish Church who have equalled their traditions to the Scripture and have devised a new Creede making their fancies Articles of Faith needfull to salvation This fraud some also impute to the Church of England though injuriously for it urgeth no humane invention as an essentiall part of Gods worship or as needfull to salvation but onely for order for comlinesse for signification From this fraud the true Israelite is free who is so bound to the word of God that he makes it the warrant the honour of his actions the warrant that secureth the rule that directeth the honour that graceth his Religion 6. The Fraud of carnall Gospelling THe last fraud in profession I call flattering or carnall Religion which doth not crucifie the flesh with the lusts therefore they say of their lusts as Pilate said to Christ what evill have they done These deceivers admit nothing that savours either of labour or restraine of the appetite tell them of mourning for sinne of watching in prayer of fervency in devotion of fasting and abstinence of mercy and almes deedes to the poore and such like and they will put of all to the hearing of a Sermon an easie worke and for the rest seeme to say as the Devills did to the sonnes of Sceva Iesus wee know and Paul we know Act. 19 13. but who are ye Sporting they may say we know feasting we know but what is fasting what mourning what almes Of this fraud speaks the Apostle S. Iude saying Iude 1.4 there are certaine men crept in Vngodly men which turn the grace of our God into wantonnes These men instead of building that Spirituall Tower mount up a narrow and overtopping Chimny Luke 14.28 instead of sound religion a smoaky vaine and foule singularity These fly not like doves to their windowes Esay 60.8 as the Prophet describeth the Godly mans celerity spirituall contemplation but hop like frogs raising themselves a little from the earth in a ceremonious hearing of the word praier the weight of their belly of their lusts puls thē down to their pond to their filth againe and there though they croake of Religion of the Gospel of Christ yet in truth they can not abide to enter into the streight gate the narrow way that leadeth unto life Quintus Cicero perceiving his brother Mark to sue for the Consulship counselled him that continually he should think upon these words Novus homo es Consulatum petis Roma est Thou art but a strāger thou suest for the Consulship and t' is Rome where