things into it selfe as we see Reas 5. by a stone cast into it or make them burst in pieces and fly about the house so let the profane dwell among the faithfull hee will either be conuerted or expelled out of dores Sixtly the nature of fire is to goe vpward and to carry other Reas 6. matter with it and this is the reason that when water boyleth it flieth out of the pot For the fire being vnited with it would carry it vpward but being not able it fals downeward so grace will ascend on high pierce the verie heauens and indeuours to draw others also though sometime it fals out with it as with the fire For meeting with a cold subiect it loseth its labour and cooleth it selfe for a season Seuenthly fire is the most actiue of all other elements Reas 7. hauing much forme but litle matter and so is grace For where it is it will be working not idle Finally fire comes downe by accident through the motion Reas 8. of the sunne that 's placed in it and were it not for the Sonne of righteousnesse grace would neuer descend from on high into this low region This informes the carnall man why hee is cold in good Vse 1. duties and others hot why he is vnwilling to worke and others so forward in the greatest opposition why can a man carrie fire and not giue light colaes and not be burned aske the Sunne why hee shineth and the fire why it heateth and they will tell thee it s their nature to doe so and so is it the nature of grace to shine like a starre in a darke night amongst the wicked and be hottest in the greatest frost of persecution and to strike the highest tower in pieces aswell as deuoure the dryest stubble And here we must all learne a double lesson First to get Vse 2. this fire and next to keepe it from quenching This is that one thing necessarie and how should we reioyce if it be already kindled For without it we are blinde corrupt cold yea starke dead We must make our harts the hearth to vphold it and our hands the tongues to build it it must lodge with vs daily send out a flame from vs and our lampes must be continually burning then shall we glorifie our God giue light to others walke safely as walled about with a defence of fire in this Pilgrimage and the Lord at length shall send vs fierie Chariots to carrie vs to heauen where our lampes shall burne day and night and shine as the Sunne in the cleare firmament for euer and euer One sparke of this is more worth than all the balme in Gilead This is that true fire that commeth from aboue which boyleth rosteth and seasoneth all our sacrifices and makes them acceptable vs also vnto God for without this fire we cannot escape eternall burning What haue I said yes I haue said that where this fire is not kindled that person cannot be saued Stirre vp the gift Note further hence that The gifts of God are to bestirred vp within vs. Doct. 4. We may not permit them to lie vnder the ashes and euer to be smoking neuer burning Did not father Isaac call for sauorie meate before he would blesse his sonnes and the Prophet a Minstrell before he would Prophesie David would cry Awake my soule why art thou so cast downe within me and Christ when he lifted vp his eies towards heauen might hee not intend the same thing Gen. 27. 7. 2 King 3. 15. Psal 42. 5. Ioh 17. 1. For if they be not will they not perish haue you not Reas 1. heard that they are of a fierie qualitie and therefore subiect without stirring blowing to decay and be extinguished And in so doing shall we not send forth the more light Reas 2. giue the greater heat want of this causeth darknes coldnesse in our conversation Here the idle seruant is reproued who wrappeth his Vse 1. Talent in a Napkin couereth this fire in the ashes and neuer vseth the bellowes to blow it vp and kindle it and yet those will stirre vp lust enuie and all the bundle of corruption that is within them to the vttermost What prouoking is there to strife and debate carrowsing and all maner of vncleannesse but this is to set wild fire a burning and to kindle a flame that will deuour to destruction and eate vp all our increase This fire needs no fewel this coale wants no blowing for of its owne nature it wil burne to the bottome of Hell O that these knew what a cooler the Lord hath prepared for them Let our Sodomites burne in lust fire and brimstone will consume them Well let vs take warning by their warning and practise Vse 2. this point so necessarie and that this fire may neuer dye but flame and ascend continually wee must first auoyd what may quench it and secondly vse the helpes that will inkindle it The things that put out the fire of the spirit in vs are What quencheth the grace of God in vs. 1. Euill cogitations as smoke weakneth the eye cold frosts nippe the tender budde and stinking smels damp and dull the purest spirits so doe bad thoughts disturb impouerish and enfeeble the gifts of God that be in vs. 2. Corrupt speech that troubleth the fountaine and stoppeth the spirits spring it shakes the yong plants of grace as the boisterous windes doe the late graffed sions this will cause the new man to dye before his time and the best fruits he beareth to become blasted 3. Wicked workes they rase the foundation and like the Boare of the wood roote vp all when these breake forth into action then fals grace suddenly into a consumption for they doe not onely wither the branches and change the complexion but also kill the body deuoure the iuice of life and destroy the constitution 4. Leud companie This doth presse downe and keepe vnder the gifts of God that they cannot shoot vp and spring as water to fire greene wood to dry this quencheth all one graine of this leauen leaueneth the whole Lump Let the Isralites liue among the Aegiptians though they hate the men yet they will learne their manners and Peter will grow cold if hee warme his fingers at Caiaphas his fire 5. The prosperitie of the wicked that will buffet the soule wound the verie spirit and make grace to looke pale and wanne how haue the faithfull fainted to see this and the strongest foote of faith reeled staggered this mudde hath made the men of God almost to turne out of the way Psal 73. 6. And finally the pampering of the flesh it will impouerish the Spirit and make it looke lanke and leane if the one be pampered the other will be starued When one of these buckets is ascending the other is descending Paul knew â—t well therefore would beate downe his body and keepe it in subiection These be the greatest impediments that hinder
the gifts of grace from stirring growing Thus hauing remoued the quench-coale from oppressing 1 Cor. 9. vlt. the fire of the spirit like an ouer-laded beast eased of his burden we will adde some incentines to blow and stirre it vp that it may kindle flame and ascend and they be either publike or priuate 1. Goe not my friend from Ierusalem to Iericho where Helpes to stir vp grace in vs. though the situation is good the waters are nought but plant thy selfe vnder a powerfull ministerie and then diligently attend to the word When Paul had said quench not the spirit hee addes immediately despise not Prophecyings Preaching will 1 Thes 5. 19. like a mightie wind cause this spirituall fire to kindle and burne within vs. 2. The sacraments The one puts vs in minde of our promise the other of the comming of our Lord in glorie Will not the least token from a friend cause our hearts to leape within vs Did not the babe spring in his mothers wombe when the mother of Christ came neere him and shall not grace bestirred vpin consideration that he is at the verie dores 3. Good companions Saul will Prophecie among the prophets and the greenest wood burne being bound with the dry one coale will kindle many and diuerse litle brands set one another on burning when Silas came to Paul did he not burne in spirit 4. Diligence in our particular callings This will constraine vs to stirre vp the grace that is in vs for the actions thereof are like so many instruments without which wee cannot set this fire a working and through idlenesse doe not our gifts lye dead rust and canker 5. Singing of Psalmes When we ioyne with others in this action how will grace flame within vs euery word will lift vp the minde and each period leaue a sweete relish behind it that will glad the spirit Loue-songs doe noe more inflame lust than the song of songs will grace in the hart 6. Lastly admonition it will worke wonderfully if it bee performed with circumstance and in season It s like oyle that makes the face shining and glorious or the morning dew that waters the tender plants Where this fals grace wil sprout and flourish The priuate helpes are 1. Reading either the scriptures or other holy writings This being done in a corner will refresh the spirit It s like foode to the fainting Passenger 2. Meditation he that sits long by the fire shall haue his body to grow hot and his cold spirits to become actiue nimble Let this be done thorowly and it will make grace to stretch it selfe beyond its ordinary wont and the Christian to be rapt out of himselfe He that viewes the sunne will soone cast downe his head so hee that thinkes seriously of the sonne of God will cry I haue ioy enough 3. Praier who euer in his secret chamber went to God by praier but hee was rauisht in minde and in the strength of that action spent all that day without wearines God giueth the greatest gifts in secret and like man reueileth himselfe a not such a one possesse the place of one that 's lawfully sent and called of God and man and make the ground of the Church barren Let them then who assume to themselues this office of dignitie Vse 1. take heed what they doe The person ordinated must be of good report well qualified For otherwise it may and will be the very bane and pestilence of the Church when men vnfit not furnished with convenient gifts are ordinated inducted What saith our Lord If the blind lead the blinde doe not both fall into the ditch Mat. 15. 14. This also from the rule of relation must teach them who Vse 2. enterprize this high calling to be carefull to enter in an holy manner at Gods doore not the deuills window Such can neither expect the protection or blessing of God They sit like a man on the toppe of a mast the least gust makes them subiect to drowning Some assume this place as a theefe an vntamed horse backe him with much a doe ride him in a sweat and come downe with a mischiefe It may be iustly said to such friend how camest thou in hither who sent thee or requireth this at thine hands Whereas Timotheus his gifts were increased by prayer Prophecy and imposition of hands wee may conclude that The ordinances of God are not without profit if rightly practised Doct. 7. Who euer vsed any in an holy manner but preuailed for a blessing Was not the plague stayed when Aaron tooke a censer put fire thereon from the altar and incense according to Moses command and did not the blood of the Paschall Lamble stay the Angel which destroyed the Aegiptians from touching the Israelites When was preaching or praier vaine in the Lord if duly performed Numb 16. 8. Exod. 12. 23. 2 Sam. 24. 16. Acts 2. 41. and 4. 31. and 16. 14. Ia. 5. 16. 2. Chro. 30. 20. Isa 38. 5. For hath not each ordinance a special promise Aske and Reas 1. ye shall haue Seeke and ye shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And shall wee thinke that the condition on our part performed the Lord will faile on his word Let not such a thought once creepe into our minde Mat. 7. 7. What if our best actions be imperfect is not the sinne Reas 2. remoued by the blood of Christ Iesus shall he not present them to his father without spot without rinckle When our Lord hath corrected our errours cut off the superfluitie supplied the defects of our doings then shall they appeare good before God and receiue a recompence of reward Rev. 8. 3. Away then with that old and no lesse profane complaint Vse 1. Isa 58. 3. We haue fasted and thou seest not afflicted our soules and thou regardest not and what profit is there in seruing Iob 21. 15. the almightie Was not Ahabs humiliation rewarded Iehues zeale commended and in some sort recompenced Yet were they not Hypocrites reprobates Their word was the Lord of hosts but their proper scope the praise of men the safetie of themselues not the glory of God rather their proiects were an earthly kingdome Shall wee thinke then that sinceritie in Gods service is without reward that his ordinances are not being in an holy manner performed profitable euery way to his faithfull servants What stronger motiue can be in the world to induce men Vse 2. to be frequent in good duties than this consideration Humble thy selfe the Lord shall lift thee vp Preach the Saints shal then be gathered the body of Christ edified Fast and pray and thou shalt prosper Commune with the best of Gods seruants bee a companion to them that feare him Come often to the Lords table and corruption shall wither dye the fruite of the Spirit grow flourish and waxe strong within thee For is not the promise of God true doth not his word stand for euer
of more grace than a common Christian This is the reason his gifts were increased 3. That the more worthie calling God sets vs in the greater portion of his spirit will he powre vpon vs. He did so by Timotheus 4. That preachers may aboue others depend vpon God for a blessing For are they not consecrated with great care and solemnity enriched with extraordinarie gifts and graces Think on this O ye men of God and in contempt of the world let the honour of your calling and hope of good successe in the faithfull execution comfort your soules and breed an vndaunted resolution in you VERS 7. For God hath not giuen vs the Spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind THis verse may either be applied to the verse The Logicall resolution going before or that which followeth in the which is contained a Reason why Timothy should stirre vp the gift of God in him or not be ashamed of the Gospel And thus the Argument stands Whosoeuer is freed from the spirit of feare and is endued with the spirit of power loue and a sound minde must stirre vp the gifts of God in him be resolute in his calling and not ashamed of the testimony of Christ the Lord But thou my sonne art free from the Spirit c. Therefore thou must stirre vp the gift of God c. In the verse we may obserue two things First what the children of God haue not viz. The Spirit of feare Secondly What they haue viz. a threefold gift 1. Power 2. Loue. 3. A sound mind The Author of all which is said to be God For God That is God the Father the first person in the The Theologicall exposition deity though we exclude not the other For as all the three persons consented to and cooperated at mans Creation so doe they at his Recreation Gen. 1. 26. Hath not giuen In a Gift is 1. A giuer 2. A thing giuen 3. The freedome of the thing giuen 4. An act by which it is giuen And lastly some person that is made partaker of the gift giuen Vs. To me Paul thee Timotheus and it may extend to other grounded and strong Christians vnder the Gospell The Spirit This word Spirit is sometimes tooke in a bad Spirit taken in a bad sense Math 8. Luk. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 1 King 16. sometime a good sense In a bad 1. For Sathan 2. For a Ghost that wandereth 3. For false doctrine Or. 4. For some evill motion stirred vp by the Devill or some other cause c. In a good sense 1. For God in generall 2. For the subsistences Spirit in a good sense Ioh. 4. Esa 48. 1 Ioh 4. Gal. 5. 17. Eph. 3. Rom 8. Acts 23. 1 Thes 5. in particular 3. For the word of God 4. For the worke of grace 5. For the very act or motion that proceedeth and floweth from the worke of the Spirit And it is applyed to the whole soule and the faculties of it with the naturall animall and vitall parts the which we omit But in this place it is to be vnderstood I take it both of the ill motions that proceed from Sathan and his cursed worke within vs Or the good motions of the Holy Ghost and his blessed worke that is wrought within vs. For Sathan like the Spider is seldome separated from his wicked webbe neither may we put a sunder the Spirit and the worke or gifts of the spirit For so good a cause will not bee absent from his effect Feare We reade of a feare commended and commanded Psal 2. Prou. 1. Isa 33. Iam. 2. 19. the which some stile a filiall or childlike feare and it was in Adam by Creation and is restored to man at his Regeneration And we read of a feare in Divells and wicked men condemned and to be abandoned the which Divines call a servile or slauish feare Paul in Rom. 8. 15. Makes it an effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of bondage or servitude and opposeth it to the Spirit of adoption or filiation the which feare is here meant and it befell man for sinne and came not by creation For before Adam had transgressed there was no evill obiect in the world and this feare is a punishment of sinne therefore it may be called the gift of God but giuen in reuenge as we giue blowes to the peccant person Others by feare in this place vnderstand that feare which is at a mans first conversion Or comparatiuely For they say they vnder the Gospell had lesse feare then those that were vnder the Law and because the Scripture calleth that often nothing which is not in that measure But I rather hold the first interpretation making carnall men the proper subiect of it But of power By power is not to bee vnderstood any distinct grace but rather a strength of all other graces For every grace hath some enmity that must be overcome by this power And as in the naturall body there is a power or strength in every member so in the Spirituall body an ability of each part to the welbeing of it And of loue Naturall affection is not here ment but that which is Spirituall and seeing our Apostle sets it downe indefinitly and without its obiect we may expound it of Loue to God and man And of a sound minde Some turne the word Sobriety As if the Apostle had meant it or meates and drinkes But I vnderstand it of a spirituall sobriety the which hath in it two things 1. Soundnes of iudgement 2. Moderation of affection It stands thee in hand my Sonne to stirre vp the grace The Metaphrase of God that is in thee to looke diligently to the worke of thy Ministery and not to be idle or ashamed of the testimony of our Lord the Gospell of Christ Inasmuch that the Spirit of bondage which the vnregenerate are possest withall is tooke from thee and the Spirit of power and loue and of a sound minde to aide thee to moue thee and to direct thee the which are by God conferred and onely giuen to vs his peculiar and adopted children be imparted vpon thee And now if we consider the words as they be a Reason The Deduction of Doctrines and haue relation to the precedent and consequent verses then this is the first poynt that we obserue that The duties of our callings are not to be neglected Doct. 1. Io. 11. 9. c. 1 Cor. 16. 13. We must goe through good report and evil report And not feare any contrary opposition but quit vs like men and be resolute For to doe otherwise is to bring the evill vpon vs that Reas 1. wee are afraid of The Iewes would not confesse Christ because of the Romanes who if they did feared would spoile their Temple Yet was it spared No it was razed downe Math. 16. 25. to the ground notwithstanding And more then this they that be fearefull
be abolished Finally this may pricke on the Ministers to Preach the Vse 4. Gospel in season and out of season seeing it s the onely way to make the barren gracious and the dead to liue for euer VERS 11. For the which I am appointed a Preacher and Apostle and a Teacher of the Gentiles PAVL in this verse maintaineth the dignitie of The Logicall resolution his calling although he had done so in the first verse of this Chapter the which is farther explicated First by the object matter or end For the which Secondly how hee came vnto it in the word Appointed Thirdly by the dispenser of it being Paul himselfe who is infolden or Comprehended vnder a threefold denomination or tittle 1. Preacher 2. Apostle 3. Teacher And 4. and lastly the Persons be specified vnto whom he was to execute his function and they are said to be the Gentiles So that in this verse we see foure things to bee considered 1. His calling 2. How he came by it 3. The subiect that he was to Preach and 4. To whom For the which That is the Gospell for he had mentioned The Theologicall exposition it in the last word of the precedent verse so that this hath relation to that or to the ende of his calling which is to worke life I am appointed That is preordained of God and by him now set apart for this function A Preacher The word signifieth a Cryer who with an audible voice did openly proclaime things also it is sometimes expounded amongst the Greekes for a fish and of the Latines a Trumpet And Apostle See ver 1. And a Teacher Some expound the words thus A Preacher that is one that deliuereth the truth openly audibly an Apostle whatsoeuer hee had receiued a Teacher rendring reason of his calling and the doctrine hee deliuered Others hold that euery Congregation should haue both a Preacher and a Doctor and they instrance in Moses and Aaron Paul and Timotheus the Doctor was to deliuer the principles of Religion and the Preacher to presse the people to put them in practise But because euery Congregation was not and is not of ability to maintaine both therefore one must supply the duty of Preacher and Teacher The Doctor must be able to deliuer new thing and old and the Preacher had neede 1. Of a faithfull memory 2. An audible voyce and good vtterance But I assent to those who hold that by these three words the same things is ment Of the Gentiles These people came of Iapheth the sonne of Noah for whom he prayed Gen. 9. 27. That Gospel the which is an instrumentall cause for The Metaphrase the abolishing of death and the bringing in of life I Paul am preordained and separated of God to preach vnto the poore seduced and ignorant posterity of Iapheth who hither to haue beene strangers from the life of God and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and this doe I repute no base but an excellent function and honourable calling It is worthy our observation how that when the Apostle Doctrines deduced nameth God hee still maketh mention of some mercy of his and but nominating the Gospell we see how he runneth on it in diuers words whence we may gather that The seruants of God take delight to dwell and discourse of Doct. 1. good things Gal. 6. 11. Acts. 20. 7. It s no burden or wearisomnes to the Saints for to enlarge their speech on heauenly subiects A Traueller when he hath taken view of the scituation of many townes and countries beheld the rare monuments that hee hath met withall reioyceth to make relation thereof vnto his friends after his returne and so is it with a Christian who is a spirituall traveller when he hath seene into the mysteries of Religion found out the great secrets therein conteyned by the painfull travell of his minde He maketh it the ioy of his heart largely to discourse thereof vnto his brethren For this will draw others to see and search into the Reas 1. worth and dignity of the things Why is the Gospell no more regarded or the high calling of a Minister so little esteemed the Reason is because men of worth and learning doe not speake much and often in the commendation of the same Another Reason springeth from the loue they haue to the Reas 2. things If David loue the word he will write a bookâ— and dedicate it to the succeeding ages and generations hee will speake of it at home and abroad yea whatsoeuer we loue we will long by speech dwell vpon To vse a familiar similitude Let the hound affect the haunt will he not double and treble his voyce and crying This reproveth such that condemne men for speaking Vse 1. and often repeating of the workes and word of God Such vse to cry Oh! you be full of the spirit And is not this to speake evill of good and to despight in a kind the spirit of grace Surely this is a foule and fearefull sinne and cannot without repentance but be rewarded with a vengeance or some heauie iudgement Such men like the Athenians account preacherâ— but bablers but let those remember that they that despise them despise him that sent them And by this doctrine we see a difference betwixt Gods Vse 2. sonnes and Sathans slaues the one count it there meate and drinke to doe and speake the will and word of their heauenly father the other seldome or neuer doe the one or other But did they loue the Gospell they neither would or could besilent for their word like fire in straw would burst forth Will not the Souldiour speake of his wounds the huntsman of his hounds and the husbandman of his Cattell and grounds And shall we loue the Gospell and neuer make mention of it No no this little speech of heauenly things argueth that the loue of many is but cold Love the word once and say nothing of it if thou canst For the which The doctrine to be gathered is this that The Gospell is principally to be preached Math. 4. 23. and Doct. 2. 24. 14. Mark 16. 15. Because the end of our preaching must be Christ crucified Reas 1. who is the end of the Scriptures for the Morall politicall and ceremoniall law doe all poynt at him Besides all grace is wrought in the heart by the Gospel Reas 2. Act. 20. 32. Tit. 2. 11. preached therefore it is called the Word of grace yea Grace it selfe and by the Law we cannot come to grace and glory the which was signified by Moses that entred not into the land of Canaan and Ioshua typified Iesns who brought salvation by the Gospell Was not Christ preached and the Gospell vnder the Quest Law Yes but more darkely then in these dayes so that for Answ matter we haue no other Gospell but for manner and forme This reprehendeth those Preachers that preach all things more then the Gospell scraping together
AN EXPOSITION OF THE SECOND Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy the first Chapter WHEREIN 1 The text is Logically into it's parts resolved 2 The words plainely explicated 3 A familiar Metaphrase annexed 4 The seueral Doctrines thence arising deduced and largely cofirmed 1. by Precept 2. by Example 3. by Reasons All which is accompanied with familiar and delightfull similitudes for the better alluting the drouping affections to imbrace the truth and the froward will to obey it Lastly as the matter requireth there is vsed definitions distributions subdiuisions trialls motiues and directions all which be of great vse in their proper order By IOHN BARLOVV sometime Minister of the word at Plimmouth but now resident at Halifax in Yorkshire LONDON Printed by â— D. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sould at his shop at the 3. Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1624. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr LEONARD PVMROY MAIOR OF Plymmouth with the worshipfull Magistrates his brethren and to all who beare Office in that Corporation I. B. wisheth Grace Mercy Peace WOrthie Sirs and much respected friends the truth is that if I would follow the fashion of the world you should then receiue a large commendation For sure I am many a man hauing narrower footing hath leaped farre a smaller bottome spun a long thread and of lesse matter erected a stately building But I to shun the appearance of flattâ—ry silence the carping aduersarie and that another day my hand might not cry my heart mercy will turne my prayses of you into prayers for you and exhortations to you that as you haue begunne well so you may neuer waxe wearie or proud in so doing You are stiled Gods able by your example to bring good or euill into fashion the gouernment of the inferiour lies vpon your shoulder Wherefore doe iustice and take heede of quitting the guiltie and condemning the innocent But let iudgement runne downe as the waters and righteousnes as a mightie streame In this Amos. 5. 24. sea there must be no ebbing nor flowing the bankes at euery season are to be full swelling ouer Neither is this streame to be staied for a moment or turned another way If it should iniquity in the meane time would take her place and whosoeuer drawes and drinkes of that puddle shall dye the death Moreouer you may not mixe it the mudde of iniustice with the pure fountaine of righteousnesse for that will hinder the current from sliding through the channels of Iudicature so cleerely and speedily as the Iudge of all the world expecteth commaundeth And that this wels mouth may not be stopped this streame stayed or by any vncleane carkase cast into it putrified but runne strongly purely and spring for euer in your elections remember lethroes counsell to Moses Choose you Exod. 18. 20. 21. 22. 1 Cor 5. 6. out able men fearing God leuers of the truth and hating couetousnes though to be an inferiour officer Will not a little leauen leauen the whole lumpe And tel me wheÌ„ is the riuer troubled at any time but when the mud is raised vpward the cleere water falleth downeward Let the righteous rule there wil be rest but if the wicked beare sway troubles shall come Who wil put a sword into a mad mans haÌ„d will he not beare it for nought ingender strife coÌ„ceiue mischiefe Depresse the profane 23. puddle exalt the cleare water then shal God be with you and all the people also goe home to their place in peace I speake Io 13. 10. the truth I dare not flatter you are cleane may I not adde but not all It s a rare societie that consists of none but Saints a singular body without all blemish and may we can wee finde a corporation that hath no vnsound member in it Will you credit me haue you but one such I could wish there were none at all I accuse no mans person Euery one must fall or stand vnto his owne master the wrath of man doth not accomplish the iustice of Iames. 1. 20. Reu. 22. 11. God Wherefore he who is righteous let him be righteous still and if any be filthy let him wash 2 Kin. 5. 13. and be cleane And not to weary you with words here you haue at the last what some of you long since desired at my hands viz. the first lectures at my comming to you I preach't among you Now may the wise see what the world hath carped at and the Preacher full often bin blamed for as if the earth had not beene able to haue borne his words nor he for the bitternesse of his spirit worthy to set a foot in Gods sanctuary I confesse my corne may be mixed with chaffe my coyne haue some slips and my zeale not altogether according to knowledge yet my desire in Preaching printing these Sermons was and is that sinne might be mortified holines vivified God our master after the best manner serued and both speaker and hearer at the last day saued Here you haue onely the beginning but if the Lord will you may see and receiue the ende of my labours with you Truly I shall greatly reioyce if my weake indeauours proue in the least measure to you or any other profitable and that they may assure your selues my prayer according to my power to him shall not be wanting who is only able to giue a blessing And thus commending you to God I take my leaue and will during life alwayes rest From Halifax in Yorkshire August 19 1624. Yours in what he can to doe you service I B. The Epistle to the Reader FRiendly Reader it were but labour in vaine to tell thee why I made choice of this Epistle rather than another to to treat of For are not all Preachers sowers So that if they breake vp any little close within the large pale that boundeth Gods great demaine the holy letters they cannot misse it but keepe their compasse Neither is it to any purpose to declare vnto thee why these lines are now put to publike light For is not all the graine in Gods garner good fit for the market and to be set to sale For to omit many reasons this is the very truth that as Prognosticators vsually write Almanackes to and for that Climate wherein they be resident so haue I made election of this portion and now especially penned it for that place where and amongst whom the Lord for a few yeares by the hand of his prouidence cast me Wherefore I will the rather informe thee of my method in this succeeding treatise the which is this and thus In the first place may it please thee to view it thou shalt finde the text Logically into its parts resoluod next the words plainly explicated then a familiar Metaphrase as we apprehend the sense annexed And last of all the seuerall doctrines arising thence deduced And because ordinarily a deduct is to be drawne not from one simple but two Arguments
visitation to be obserued 257 3. The Church more glorious since the comming of Christ than before 258 An obiection answered 260 4. Christs appearing in the law and Gospell glorious 263 5. Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour 265 6. Death by Christ is destroyed 267 In what sense it may be said that Christ suffered the second death 268 How we may destroy death 269 How Christs death killes death in vs. 270 Whether God could or not haue saued man without a satisfaction 272 How finite man may be said to suffer infinite torments 273 7. All spirituall life is procured by Christ Iesus 273 8. To preach the same things againe is warrantable 273 Acaution 274 9. The office of Christ chiefly cònsisteth in the abolishing of death and procuring of life 274 Rules to know if death be remoued from vs. 275 Trialls if we haue life by Christ Iesus 276 Motiues to get spirituall life 277 10. Life spirituall is eternall 278 Helpes to life spirituall 280 11. Though all grace come by Christ yet not without the meanes of the Gospell 280 Doctrines Page Vers 11. 1. The Godly take delight to dwell and discourse of holy things 283 2. The Gospell principally to be preached 284 3. The dignitie of our calling to be maintained 285 4. Preachers be cryers 287 Cautions for cryers 288 Rules for auditors 289 5. The word preached a principall meanes whereby sinners are conuerted 289 How reading may be said to be preaching 290 Whether preaching is to be preferred aboue praying 291 Sundry obiections answered 291 6. When God will call a people he raiseth vp fit instruments for that purpose 293 Paul sent principally to Preach to the Gentiles 294 8. Prayers made in faith are not alwayes granted at the first 295 Vers 12. Doctrines Page 1. The goodnes of an action cannot free the doer frō affliction 299 2. Neither learning wisedome pietie or externall priuiledge can prescrue a man from persecution and affliction 302 3. Good men suffer many things 303 4. A resolute Christian is not ashamed of the Gospell 305 Helpes to endure shame 306 5. The example of others sufferings should moue vs to suffer also 306 6. As the wicked haue pretended causes to afflict the faithfull so haue they good grounds not to be ashamed of their sufferings 307 7. It is an experimentall knowledge that will make the men of God resolute in good courses 308 Rules to procure experimentall knowledge 309 8. Knowledge of God precedeth faith in him 311 How God is to be Knowne of vs. 314 Rules to know God 315 9. It is the dutie of a Christian to settle his soule in the certaintie of his salvation 316 Signes of presumption 317 Hinderances of the soules setling 318 10. The best way to secure the soule is to commit it into the hands of God 318 Helpes to commit the soule to God 319 What times especially the soule is to be committed into the hands of God 319 11. God is a God of power 321 His power defined 321 Two kinds of impossibilities that God cannot doe 321 Particulars mentioned of the first sort 321 And instances of the other kind 322 The power of God distributed 324 Differences of this power 324 A subdiuision of his externall power 325 Actuall power hath two parts 325 From all which many conclusions especiallie against our aduersaries the Papists and others 326 Rules to get experience of Gods power 327 12. As power so will may be attributed to the Lord. 328 Gods will defined and explicated 329 Gods will seuerall wayes distinguished 331 Many Corrolaries from the former propositions 333 13. Faith hath distinct degrees 335 14. The greatest faith may grow 336 How faith and infidelitie are inseperable 337 Helpes of faith to the distressed christian 337 Vers 13. Doctrines page 1. Perswasion and disswasion are to be accompanied with direction 343 2. The best way to maintaine puritie in religion is to haue a patterne 343 Adam had the law writ in his heart at the creation 343 Adam broke the morall law 344 The law was writ in Moses time 345 3. All men guided by one and the same patterne 346 An obiection answered 347 Rules to direct vs in our callings generall particular 349 Briefe notes on the Decalogue 351 When the Sabbath begins 353 Why the Sabbath was changed 355 4. The patterne of a christian is to consist of words 355 5. The words must be sound words 356 Whether words may be vsed not found in Scripture 356 6. Apostles are onely to prescribe patternes 357 7. By faith and loue the patterne of sound words is preserued 358 Properties of loue 358 What is done in faith 360 What in loue 360 Why faith is put before loue 360 Why both together 361 Seuerall doctrines collected but not prosecuted 360 Vers 14. Doctrines page 1. The graces of Gods spirit are good and worthy things 363 2. Grace being got is to be preserued 366 3. Spirituall gifts are in danger of losing 367 How far a man may fall from his former grace 369 Signes of falling from former grace 369 4. The faithfull are the temples of Gods spirit 371 How may the spirit be said to dwell in man being infinite man finite 371 In what manner the spirit may be said to dwell in the reprobate 371 Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 373 5. Where the spirit takes possession he dwels for euer 374 How Sathan may be sayd to reenter being once cast out 374 The spirit dwels in a new hart the which hath many properties 376 In what manner the heart is made new 376 6. The Spirit of God is an holy spirit 378 Why he is or may be called holy 378 How the spirit may be procured 379 7. The graces of the spirit are preserued by the spirit 379 Vers 15. Doctrines page 1. We are to put the faithfull in mind of others falling away 381 2. To fall frō our former professiō is a great sin foule offence 382 Helpes against reuolting 383 Causes of reuolting 1. inward 2. outward 385 3. Men of great note in the Church may sometimes fall away 384 4. God doth propertion mans shame according to the offence 386 5. Great wicked men vsually fall by couples 388 6. Many may fall away together 388 Whether all that fell away of Asia neuer returned 389 Vers 16. Doctrines page 1. One good mans example is to be preferred before a multitude of wicked men 392 2. In the time of persecution few haue bin found faithfull 393 3. A good gouernour may procure a blessing vpon the whole family 394 How a godly family may be knowne to be so 397 4. Loue is of a spreading nature 398. How farre loue spreadeth 400 5. The mercie of God is to be wished especially for our friends 401 6. Want may befall Gods dearest children 402 7. The faithfull are not once but often to be relieued 403 8. Gods children are a thankfull kind of people 404 9. Good men haue beene vsed like malefactors 405
and that proceedeth daily from vs who were able to abide it Not we Christ onely excepted so that we must flee to the promise for life and cast off the precept in this respect Besides this there is another reason rendred by the Apostle Reas 2. which is that if justification and consequently salvation had beene obtained by the Law then Christ had dyed Gal. 2. vlt. gratis in vaine for nothing Indeed the Law is able to giue life for Christ was saved by it but we are weake and not able to fulfill it And though the law be said to be of no strength it is in this respect that like a iust Iudge to an offender Rom. 8. 3. it giueth a true testimony not able to set man at libertie who is a transgressor Confutation springs from this roote of the Papists who Vse 1. tye salvation rather to the law and workes than to Christ and the Gospell Reprehension too proceeds from the same ground against Vse 2. the ignorant Protestants who being demanded how they hope to be saved Reply either by their good deeds or honest meaning this is naturall Papistrie yet good workes are in no sort to be omitted For they be the true euidences of faith as childe of a father the high way to heaven though not the principall and immediate cause of raigning these may be said to bring life as the nurse to the child faith as the mother And from hence every one that longeth after life must Vse 3. 1. deny his owne workes 2. Learne to be acquainted with the promises and to discerne them from the precepts 3. Labour for faith to apply them for knowledge except mixed with faith profits nothing Heb. 4. 2. This may also direct Ministers how to teach their people Vse 4. a principall point of Catechisme as also to worke faith in them that they may beleeue not that the law is to be omitted for that reuealeth sinnes breaketh the heart setteth before the eye of the soule Gods irresistable judgement and directs the way that leadeth to justification and salvation yet in a differing manner from the Gospell It s our Schoole-master to Christ Gal. 3. 24. Might we not hence obserue further that the principall end of Preaching is to bring men to life and salvation By the foolishnesse of Preaching it pleaseth God to saue such as 1 Cor. 1. 21. beleeue Then are they farre wide that looke for life without a Preacher Why doe they not expect children without generation a crop of corne without sowing Againe we note out of the word according that There is one method or true manner or at least matter of teaching to be practised of the Preachers for every Art is guided by its owne rule precepts obiect Which is in Christ Iesus In Christ that is from him or by him Whence let it be noted that No life or salvation is to be expected but in and through Christ Doct. 7. Iesus Whether we respect the life of motion sence reason or salvation all is conveyed to man from him he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14. 6. Ioh. 10. 10. and 17. 12. Act. 3. 15. For he created all things as he was God without him was Reas 1. made nothing that was made He is the beginning of all creatures Col. 3. 15. therefore called the Lord of life Act. 3. 15. He also as God preserveth the essence and being of the Reas 2. creature 1. In giuing nourishment fit and convenient 2. and in blessing the meanes without both which the life of man like a lampe that lacketh oyle is extinguished for man liueth not by bread onely but by every word that proceâ—deth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. Furthermore life and salvation come from Christ as he Reas 3. is our Suretie and Saviour 1. For by his death he hath destroyed death O death Where is thy sting 2. By his life he 1 Cor 15. 55. v. 22. 23. hath purchased our life as by the offence of one man came death so by the obedience of Christ came life 3. All the promises 2 Cor. 1. 20 meet in Christ and are yea and amen in him as all the lines doe in the point of a Center 4. He sends his word and spirit for to quicken vs being dead before that time in sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and trespasses In a word by his death we dye with him and through his Resurrection and Ascension we shall rise out Rom. 5. 10. of the graue and ascend and liue for ever with him From this point doe many profitable Vses spring First learne hence that the life of a Christian is no base being Vse 1. or mouing but the sweetest life of all and equalleth if not excelleth that life of Adam in the Garden because it floweth from a more pure fountaine springeth from a more honorable head and is purchased with a farre greater price Doe we not esteeme Wine by the Grape fruit by the tree Oyle by the Oliue And people by their pedigree It s called the life of God for God gaue it at the Creation Christ Ephes 4. 18. redeemed it by his Passion and it s the neerest to that life the Lord himselfe liueth and delighteth in it s a royall life for it exceedeth this life all other what ever Ther 's not a greater dissimilitude betwixt the life of a naturall man and a beast than there is betwixt this and the life of reason And it s a durable life certaine and abideth for ever and Vse 2. can it be otherwise comming from Christ Let the root liue the branches will not wither the spring flowe the rivers will be full and whilest the head is not hurt well fare the members Indeed this tree was once dead but now he is aliue Rev. 1. 18. shall dye no more death hath no longer power over him They therefore that are graffed into this stocke shall never taste of the second death For out of their branches shall flow Io. 7. 37. rivers of the waters of life And as Moses with his rod struck the rocke whence issued water to refresh the people so God with the law of his iustice strooke Christ the rocke out of whose side commeth the water of life to saue all his members Besides it also followeth from the same ground that it is Vse 3. a secret and hidden life hid in Gods bosome long before it was manifested hid in the Promise hid in the Sacrifices and Ceremonies hid from the eyes of the world hid from him that hath it for the greatest and best part of it is said to be hid with Christ in God that is in heaven Col. 3. 3. For God and heaven are often put one for the other in Scripture And it may be said truely to be a hidden life so few seeke it or find it and yet if they doe they know it not Hence
for by the first he is re-beloved but by the second in a greater maner the manifestation of affection breedes affection as it is apprehended whether we respect truth or measure This argueth that the loue of many as Lot said of Zoar Vse 1. is but a little one so weake a spring can haue no deepe fountaine so small branches no great vertue in the roote and so feeble a flame no abundance of fewell for causes produce effects proportionable to their internall power doe they not Try then as the truth so the measure of thine owne and Vse 2. thy friends affection by the outward effects he that loues much will declare it by many prayers sundry actions this did Mary to Christ Christ to the people Beniamin must haue better attyre a double portion if Ioseph respect him aboue his brethren Shall Ionathan dye He shall not die if the hearts of Sauls subiects cleaue vnto him If Iesus loue Lazarus he will weepe groane in spirit and cry with a powerfull voyce Lazarus come forth for vndoubtedly such as the heat is within will be the burning without much loue much manifestation of it in words in action Or it may be Paul addeth mercie to grace and peace because that Timotheus was a Minister for the like he doth to Titus and omits it in all other his salutations to the Churches and people in generall to teach vs that Ministers of all men stand in need of mercie Doct. 10. And that not onely in respect of themselues but in regard of their place and calling To whom was this command chiefely exhibited Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull but to the men of God Or why did Elisha pray Let thy spirit be doubled vpon me but to confirme the truth of this Doctrine 2 King 2. 9. Luk. 6. 36. For they are in Gods roome resemble his Maiestie and Reas 1. therefore haue the more need of mercie in abundance Againe they are daily exercised about men in the greatest Reas 2. depth of misery and therefore store of mercie is necessary for such where much is to be vsed much is required This doctrines vse is scarce dreamed of or if it be but little Vse 1. practised Who that is a Preacher from the forenamed grounds seeketh to be rich in mercie Alas wee consider not how we resemble God What miserie the most are in and hence it followeth that Ministers many times are the most mercilessemen This must teach Preachers a lesson worth the learning Vse 2. namely to exceed all men in grace and mercy as Saul did the common people by the head and shoulders for doe they not resemble God Are they not the Wells where miserable sinners are to fill their emptie soules with the water of mercy Doth not each Ambassadour striue to resemble his Lord who sends him If the Preachers pit be dry how can we expect any in the common ditch Are not the Priests lips to preserue knowledge And shall their hearts be emptie of the spirit These haue rather need of a double portion I haue heard of a fire kindled in a towne that tooke hold of every house and passed by the Preachers I would not haue it so in regard of the spirit for how ever the former was accounted a mercie sure I am this latter is an heavie iudgement for all men should runne as the poore to the great mens houses to kindle their turffe at the Preachers Altar Where others striue for double honor double maintenance labour thou for double holines double mercie thus to doe is to doe wisely and but thy dutie neither From God the Father In this phrase two things concerning Doct. 11. God may be observed first that He is a Father God may be stiled a Father either essentially or personally Do ye so reward him O ye foolish people and vnwise is he not your Father This may be vnderstood essentially Deut. 32. 6. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. knoweth that I lie not here it is to be accepted personally Againe he is either a Father in generall or in speciall in generall as he is the Creator and conserver of all creatures hence he is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. Of Angels Iob. 1. 16. Of men haue we not all one Father Mala. 2. 10. And in speciall he is a Father and that of Christ or of the faithfull 1. Of Christ as he is the Word and begot from all eternitie the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set vp from everlasting or ever the earth was Pro. 8. 22. 23. 2. Of Christ by personall vnion Thou art my sonne I to day begot thee Psal 2. 7. Acts 13. 33. And of the faithfull he is likewise a Father in speciall 1. By regeneration Of hâ—s owne good-will be gate he vs by the Word of truth I am 1. 18. Or 2. By adoption Now are we the sonnes of God and haue received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Father Father Rom. 8. 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. And haue the faithfull God for their Father in a peculiar Vse 1. manner Then in the first place we may take knowledge of their dignitie David could say Thinke ye that it is a small 1 Sam. 18. 22. thing to be sonne in-Law to a King Was that such a priviledge Then what is this O that the faithfull knew their owne worth Let the faithlesse fume chafe and swell till they burst yet one of these is worth a thousand of them the world is not worthy of such for is not the righteous better than his neighbour How readest thou Pro. 12. 26. Let the faithfull learne hence to know the God of their Vse 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9 Fathers and to serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde will not a sonne honour his Father Must we respect the person of man And shall not wee regard the glory of God who is our Father How if we neglect him Can we be excused Doth not he expect it Deserue it And is it not our dutie to doe it Giue we him then his deserved titles make we mention of his many mercies secke we his glorie learne we his will and doe it for not every one that cryeth Lord Lord but he that doth the will of the Mat. 7. 2â— Father which is in heaven shall be blessed As he is our Father in speciall so let vs honour him in a singular maner the rule of creation requires it much more of re-creation and adoption Againe Art thou a faithfull person Then looke vp to Vse 3. God thy Father expect a worthy portion at his handes Can they that are evill giue to their children good things Luk. 11. 13. and shall not your heavenly Father giue to you the things whereof ye haue need Be not then in doubt but beleeue cry not What shall I eat drinke
be done before Prayer owne basenesse 3. Of thy present condition and 4. Of the former successe which thou thy selfe and others haue had in the done despaire to speed for it s not enough to haue faith but in every action to vse it now when the vnderstanding is misguided marke this then faith is idle not exercised The last thing that must accompany prayers is fervency Iaâ— 5. 26. The energeticall operatiue fervent Prayer is it which speedeth prevaileth This is the fire which must heat it concoct it else God will reiect it never regard it reward it the which may by these subsequent helpes be procured 1. Vnderstand the worth of what thou desirest crauest Helpes to pray with fervencie for that will fire our affections set an edge on our petitions He who knowes the excellency of grace mercy and peace of the remission remotion and prevention of sinne and the effects of sinne cannot but open his mouth wide send forth his petitions with sighes and groanes and strong cryes 2. Thinke how necessary these things of worth are for thee Why doe beggars cry so earnestly but from an apprehension of their present necessitie great misery Is it not Mat. 8. 28. Luk. 18. 41. evident What caused the blind man to cry O thou sonne of David haue mercie on me The Apostle Helpe Lord or else I perish but the want and worth of that they desired 3. Get loue to the thing thou askest strong affections cause fervent prayers earnest petitions Christ louing Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for Iob. 11. 33. 34 him David did the like for his sonne Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying Doe we not see this in Sutors 4. Be humble in thine owne eyes conceiue thou art lesse than the least of Gods mercies Proud persons either never pray or but coldly luke warmely He that would leape highest stoopes lowest so he that would pray with fervencie must haue humilitie 2 Chron. 33. 11. 12. 5. Increase thy faith for as Powder the shot so faith sendeth out prayers furiously fervently a great faith will cause men to burne in the spirit and to cry mightily to the Lord God of heaven Mat. 15. 28. 6. In one word Cherish no sinne in thee He who steales his bread will pray coldly for a blessing on 't more might be added but these shall suffice And after Prayer somewhat is to be observed also 1. We What after must vse all lawfull meanes for the procuring of what we Prayer Ezech. 36. 37. haue prayed for He that keepeth not the condition may not expect the performance of the promise or band 2. And we must watch and waite for the things we haue asked at the hands of God these two are often coupled together Ephes 6. 18. Col. 4. 2. Pray and watch Were it not madnesse to preferre a petition to a Prince yet never attend an answer To craue an Almes and not looke and stay for the giuers pleasure 3. If thy demand be not granted at the first thou must not faint despayre but pray still hope and waite still great Luk. 18. 1. men doe not alwayes reward the Musitian at the first sound or ditty for then he would straight be gone mis-spend the gift and play at another Window so dealeth the Lord for we are apt to cease praying and things easily got are soone forgot little regarded 4. And when thy request is granted thou must be thankfull Prayer Watching and Prayses are linked together some fayle in the first many in the second but the most in the last David â—ould blesse the Lord when he had heard Psal 116. 12. his petition so must we In the third place wee are to declare why Prayer is so Prayer is a difficult dutie difficult a dutie to be performed 1. For man must deny himselfe goe in the forme of a beggar acknowledge a superiour and his heart naturally being proud he is not easily brought on his knees constreined to stoope to so meane and low a pitch Who is the Lord cryed Pharaoh that I a King should serue him 2. We exercise every facultie of the soule and member of the bodie in this action as the invention iudgement memorie will tongue hand and all The more strings on an Instrument the more difficult to well tune and strike them many pinnes to the lace makes it hard in weaving 3. It s a most holy dutie wherefore the harder What do the Saints in heaven more then praise God And as that life they liue is most excellent so most difficult for by how much it exceeds other actions in holinesse by so much its many earnest words in prayer for the Preacher as they doe in taxing and condemning of him who knoweth how the Lord might poure his spirit on him loose the root of his tongue and make him one of a thousand Wherefore pray for all men but especially for Princes for Preachers He that doth not this is an enemie to the Church no friend to his owne soule And pray thou that the spirit of prophecie may rest vpon him that hee may deliver the word with all boldnesse be freed from the hands of vnreasonable men and so speake and so doe as that he may saue his own soule and them that heare him Of thee Another may be hence collected that Whom we affect we will pray for Doct. 11. Yea the more fervently we loue another the more earnestly and often we shall pray for that person God forbid sayd Samuell that I should cease to pray for you What could 1. Sam. 12. 23. moue him to doe this but affection see this in David in Ionathan in Iesus and in all the faithfull For truth of affection will vse all meanes lawfull to doe Reas 1. that party good who is affected and is not this one if not the chiefe among many Againe the lover and the beloved are as it were but one Reas 2. subiect so that if wee can pray for our selues wee shall for them whom wee affect This shewes that true loue is rare and hard to be found Vse 1. Many boast of it who never had it to vse the wordes of Dalilab how canst thou say thou louest Father or friend brother or sister wife or children and dost not this thing for them He that affirmes he loueth and prayes not for that person shall be found a lyar and no affection is there in him Make triall of the truth of thy loue by this doctrine canst Vse 2. thou pray for him or her thou affectest without ceasing night and day Then thy loue is sound if not but carnall Many a man tels his wife she her husband Preacher people and they the Preacher one another that they loue them but where be their Prayers When call they on God for them I dare peremptorily avouch that all these are lyers It s 〈◊〉 possible for a man to loue his friend
Kytes do on stirking carion but neuer tasted of Angels food They may eate huskes with hogges thinke and say they liue the onely iouiall royall life but they shall neuer make me beleeue that their hearts answere to their boasting for death is in the pott this red broth wrings them in the bellie and as Ioab said in another case will be bitternesse in the latter end But we will dismisse them to wallow like swine in the mire and mudde swallow each filthy vomit seeing they can relish no better food Let men by this doctrine try the truth of their profession Vse 2. whether they be sound Christians or meere rotten worldlings Art thou a Preacher and hast thou ioy of hart in studying preaching in feeding the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made thee the ouerseer is it thy meat and drinke to prune Gods tender plants strengthen the weake and comfort the feeble-minded canst thou reioyce more in winning a soule than if thou hadst lawfully obtained the office of a Bishop why then thou art a Christian indeed an Interpreter one of a thousand for these bee the branches where this ioy growes and the onely pathes where it is to be found And you that flocke to the house of God like Pigeons looke the Preacher in the face as if you would eat the word from his mouth and make publike profession doe you heare with delight pray with comfort and praise God with reioycing are you rauished in spirit on the Lords day and account it your Iubile your heauen then doubt not of your spirituall estate For these are the sparkes of far greater ioy and the vndoubted fore-runners of euerlasting pleasures But if the wayes of God dampe thy mirth cary a cold report to thine heart and like old Barzillai thou art wearie of men singing and women singing feeles no more tast in the bread of life than hee that hath an ague doth in the white of an egge thou art but a counterfeit one that hath a forme but wants the true fruits of the power of Godlinesse and therefore a stranger in the kingdome of heauen But it will be said the wicked aswell as the Godly haue A doubt resolued their ioy in the vse of the Lords ordinances where then is the difference How may it be discerned Why thus 1. The true Christian hath sorrow before solace mourning preceedes his mirth for as at the creation darknes was before light the Chaos the comelie creatures and as the ground is first broken then scattered with good seed so is it at our regeneration new creation We first see our ignorance blindnes confusion haue our harts pricked our spirits wounded by the Law and then followes beautie comfort and amendment But it is not so with the wicked for they haue light before darknesse ioy without heauines and bring forth comfort ere they haue conceiued sorrow or felt any panges or throes that accompanie the new birth The Christian comes to his ioy as an Ambassadour to a forreigne Prince or souldiers to the spoyle with preceeding crackes of canons fireworkes and garments tumbling in blood this is the road way to sound comfort 2. A good Christian fetcheth the water of ioy primarilie from the pure fountaine of iustification not the troubled spring of sanctification the old man treads the old way hauing no knowledge or experience of a better hee lookes for heauen but by his good deeds First he will deserue it and then sue for possession but the new-man is assured that God indents with no man vpon such termes onely he relies on his all-sufficient suretie Did Zaccheus purchase Christ by his almes by his fourefold restitution or by faith rather onely beleeue is the new way and the conduit that conueyes comfort into the Cisterne of the Soule 3. Moreouer the ioy of a true Christian is of another nature spirituall the worldlings is carnall or at the best but a bastardly kind of spirituall comfort for hee wants the spirit he hath no radicall grace planted in his soule that can beare and nourish true and solide reioycing Doe men gather Grapes of thornes Figs of thistles then may carnall meere naturall men haue spirituall ioy sound and vnfeigned comfort it were as easie to finde an haruest in an hedge as this fore named fruit in the heart of the vnregenerate person 4. Finallie the ioy of the sound professor is constant eternall for the cause is constant and abideth for euer but the formall hypocrites candle shall be put out his ioy shall perish For the foundation thereof is sandy the obiect mutable and abides but a season Suppose by the addition of fewell it should crackle till death yet then at the furthest the flame therof shall be put forth neuer more rekindled So that you see what a reall and broad difference is betwixt them And is there ioy to be found in the course of a christian Vse 3. what then shall be had in the kingdome of heauen did David dance before the Arke how will hee leape before the Lambe could Peter sing in prison and shall hee not chante it being set at libertie with Gods sonnes if the gleanings be so good what will the whole haruest be shall a tast so refresh the soule then doubtles a full meale must needs reuiue rauish the spirit Thinke on this you that are in this wildernesse so shall it comfort your hearts exceedingly For if to sow breed single ioy the reaping will trebble it This must perswade men to take vp the yoke of Christ Vse 4. for its easie light tast and see how good the wayes of God be Men are worse skard than hurt when they draw then hand from the worke of the Lord for great ioy is to be found in well-doing If this afford not comfort what can but the most thinke not so therefore they are strangers from the ioys of a Christian Beginne I beseech thee to auoyd sinne cast off the communion of the wicked read heare pray and be doing of good and experience shall tell thee that no ioy is like the ioy of a Christian It s hid in part from the best totally from the worst but if men would make triall they would say of it as the Queene of Shebah did of Salomons wisdome that the report is true but the halfe of it was not told them For it much exceedes the 1 King 10. same which they heard on 't Finally we obserue from these words that The strongest Christian may receiue increase of comfort from Doct. 7. his weake brethren Paul not inferiour to any of Gods seruants hoped to haue his ioy augmented by the comming of Timothie As a poore man by wisdome may deliuer a Citie so may hee that is weake comfort his stronger brethren Did not Ionathan reioyce Dauid the greatest worthy in the world and the 2 Sam. 1. vlt. poore widow of Sarephtah refresh the man of God Yea Christ himselfe was comforted by an Angell and betwixt him
neuer heard of all the daies of their life Is there not a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and is hee Isa 5. 20. not culpable of Iudgement to honour those the Lord neuer did I would haue men to iudge charitably rather then to speake too confidently yet God is wise for such praise without iust desert stirres vp men to rippe vp that whereby their names rot and so that is effected they neuer intended And may not this giue vs some glimpse what to deeme Vse 3. of them whose faith to this day was neuer heard of may not such feare their present condition and we mourne to consider their wofull estate wa st thou neuer a noted person reputed singular or entertained of the Saint surely thy faith is dead and thou art dead the Lord quicken thee Let this in the last place bee a comfort to those whose Vse 4. sound goeth through the world and whose names are famous too amongst the faithfull For it argueth some good thing to be in thee when good and bad haue some words about thee Crowes doe not flocke and houer and cry but it s about some thing nor Eagles soare and gather themselues together except there be a carkase yet take this also with thee be sure thou art such in truth as good men report of thee and contrary to what the world daily dischargeth against thee For otherwise thou maist haue a name to bee a liue and art dead and defamed but of desert And by the way take this as a note of faith vnfeigned viz. a care to Note become better when either the good commend thee or the bad condemne thee It may here be demanded how Paul came to know that these three had one and the same faith It s not to be doubted of but by the effects that flowed from these persons though he had an extraordinary gift of discerning too From the which this will arise that Faith vâ—feigned is to be iudged by the effects We cannot see Doct. 8. it in its selfe or in its cause But we omit this and collect another doctrine which is that Faith workes like effects in diuerse subiects Doct. 9. The Grandmother the mother and the mothers sonne had the same faith and the like fruits proceeded from them else Paul would neither haue called it vnfeigned or said that it dwelt in them or giuen them all three one and the same testimony All three had faith and vnfeigned faith For the likenes of actions were in them and proceeded from them by the which it was called vnfeigned and equally appropriated to each particular person And it is an vndoubted position that faith produceth the like effects in all Gods children in truth it must bee vnderstood not in degree For as faith increaseth the effectes are bettred Many Lanternes with seuerall Candles will all giue light but in proportion to their diuerse degrees and quantities Euery peece hath his report but according to the bignes and each instrument will sound but variously as they be in proportion and that for these reasons Because faith differs not in kind but in degree and like Reas 1. causes produce like effects Euery Bell hath its sound Each stone its weight and seuerall planets their diuerse influences yet not in the same measure though they may varie in kind Againe faith is diffused into subiect though seuerall yet Reas 2. they are the same in nature and consist of like principles Fire put into straw will either smoke or burne let the bundle be a thousand life in the bodie will haue motion though not in the same degree and measure and reason in euery man acteth but not so exquisitely The constitution may not be alike therefore a difference may be in operation naturall and also from the same ground in acts spirituall A darke horne in the Lanthorne dimmes the light somewhat Faith is begot and increased by the same originals the Reas 3. spirit and the word be both the principall and conseruing causes of it If one woman conceiue and bring forth a child and another nurse it varietie of foode might somewhat alter the nature and disposition of it but that spirit which begets faith doth also preserue it therefore it cannot be but that the like effects should proceed from it Here by the way we may see that those mothers if a forced necessity compell not who bring forth and bearâ— children yet haue no care to nurse them are to be blamed for so doing in that they differ from Gods manner of proceeding And in the last place if faith had not like effects in all Gods children Reas 4. then could they not attaine to one and the same ends as iustification sanctification saluation c. And so should it be in vaine the Lord failing and man too of their chiefe scope and purpose Hath not God made euery eie to see and hand to worke and shall we then iudge that faith shall not act but be idle away with that From this point we may learne how to iudge of the faith in our times which so many boast of they cry haue Vse 1. not we faith Doe not wee beleeue aswell as the best but where be the fruits of faith vnfeigned hast thou an humble and purging heart dost thou call vpon God at al times tary his leasure and rely vpon his promise art thou bold and resolute for good causes canst thou resist Sathan cleaue to God and shunne the appearances of euill will neither pouerty ouerpresse thee by despaire or prosperitie by presumption Why it s well and we beleeue that Faith is to be found in thee but if not thou hast it not rooted in thee For the tree is knowne by the fruit Will not the flower smell the candle giue light and the fire heate and shall true faith be without her effects boast not too much lest thou deceiue thy selfe taking the shadow for the body and that which is not for that which should be And this doctrine is of great comfort for them that often call the truth of faith into question But hast thou the true Vse 2. signes of it then thou hast it What if it worke not so mightily as in others will it follow that thou art without it suppose thou wert carried to the toppe of some high tower and casting thine eye vpon seuerall chimneyes of the which number thine is one and all smoking wouldst thou not conclude that fire in is thine house aswell as in thy neighbours there is the like effects therfore the same cause of certaine When men in heart and life are like the Godly let them be assured they haue the same faith It may differ in some degree yet the quantity greater or lesser alters not the kind of it Leauen is leauen though neuer so litle and if the meale bee seasoned it is to be found in the lumpe This must teach vs to take heed how we rashly
to doe that which is good shall not inherit the kingdome of God for without shall be the fearefull and faint-hearted aswell as the whoremongers murtherers and faithlesse persons and shall tast Rev. 21. 8. of the second death This reproues the timorousnes of our daies and pusillanimitie Vse 1. that is in many persons The Magistrate like Pilate sometimes feares the people and so quits the guilty condemnes the innocent The Minister too often cryes peace peace when there is a sound of much warre powres in oyle when vinegar were fitter and all because hee feareth the Auditors Peter thus denyes his Master and Pauls friends doe forsake him Yea this evill is but too generall vnder the Sunne But let it not be so with vs Beloued least what we most Vse 2. feare fall to be our portion Let vs be diligent in our seuerall courses For he that walketh in the day stumbleth not We Ioh. 11. cry out against him that first breaketh the Rancke count him and call him a white-liuered and faint-hearted Souldier then let vs avoyde what we so much condemne and dislike in others For that which thou detestest in another by others shall bee as much detested if it be found in thee also And learne to feare God so shall hee make all creatures to stand in awe of thee For as Moses serpent did devoure all the false so will this true feare eate vp all that is counterfeite The next thing we note out of the words is this that Growne Christians haue not the Spirit of servile feare Doct. 2. Rom. 8. 15. Psal 23. 4. 112. 7. Yet such as be lately converted and weake haue much and many troubles and inward terrors Carnall persons are full of despaire and feare but men of age and grace are freed from it at the least in a great degree Reas 1. 1 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 6. 14. For such are not vnder the Law subiect to the curse but vnder the Gospell of grace and mercy Hee that varieth the obiect and altereth his habitation shall find in his naturall body a diuers operation so they that come vnder the act of Gods loue and fauour are freed from their former feare Reas 2. Againe they haue the spirit of adoption whereby they be certified that they are the sonnes of God and in state of Gal. 4. 5. Salvation Now may they eate their bread with ioy and drinke their drinke with a glad heart for the Lord accepteth them Eccl. 9. 7. The favour of a Prince maketh the subiect merry and shall not the loving kindnes of the most High expell all mourning First by this we may try the truth and strength of grace Vse 1. in vs. Are we full of terror Doe we tremble at the evill tidings and quake in the remembrance of death iudgement and hell Then wee are either weake or no Chrians at all for faith and Gods favour maketh a glad heart and a chearefull countenance They that are alwayes trembling haue the spirit of feare and cruell bondage And in the second place We are directed how to expell Vse 2. feare and blow away the thicke mists of terror why get a growth in all grace striue to be a strong man in the Lord. Cripples are afraid of every thing so weake Christians and wicked persons quake at the wagging of a leafe at every little sound A third thing from the former part of this verse wee gather which is that Freedome from slauish feare is no small favour Doct. 3. Rom 8 15. Ioâ— 13. 2â— Paul Doth make mention of it as of a matter of much moment and a thing not lightly to be passed from the which they were deliuered Because its a fruit of sinne and an heauy curse incident Reas 1. to the wicked For if man had not offended he had never feared either the remotion of good or the infliction of evill Gen. 3. 10. the proper obiects about which this passion is conversant exercised Besides doth not this feare wound the Spirit eate and Reas 2. gnaw out the very heart consume the bones dry vp the marrow and make the face looke pale wanne griesly ghostly Psal 39. 11. and the whole body to consume and wast away And is it not an opposite to boldnes hope ioy and that Reas 3. inward peace that passeth all vnderstanding For no Chastisement of this kind is for the present ioyous but grieuous Heb. 12. 11. What can peirce the soule more then this dart enter so deepely into the secrets as this keene arrow Let Cain's Gen. 4. 14. flight further confirme it and our owne experience speake the trueth of this thing Fourthly doth it not hinder a man from the doing of Reas 4. Ioh 3. 1. 2. Luk. 19. 21. many good duties why doe we run from God often lay his honour in the dust forsake our brethen deny the truth and omit diuers good actions holy excercises Why feare Gen. 20. 11. 1 Sam. 21. 12. Math. 26. 59. constraines vs. Why did Abraham call his wife Sister David faine himselfe madde Peter curse and banne Oh! it was a slauish feare that produced these effects Then let such as are freed from it prayse God and repute Vse 1. it no common favour Freedome from this evill is either thanks-worthy or nothing You that sometime haue felt the force of it cast your eye behind you and forget not the the dayes of old What would not a man giue to be rid of this guest when he lodgeth in the house of his heart Nothing would be too deare at such a season And shall God dispossesse him and we proue in gratefull well take heed what thou doest for God can cause him to returne with a double sting and vexe thee more then in former time And here we must learne to avoyd all occasions that may Vse 2. procure it and to vse the meanes that will expell it driue it away Take heed of the omission of good or the least commission of euill for these two be the naturall parents that produce it conserue it For as euery body hath his shadow each Bee her sting so euery sinne hath feare for his attendant wouldest thou sleepe securely lay thee downe in peace liue with ioy and dye with comfort Then learne to doe good cease from euill Heare is yet another poynt to be noted out of Pauls manner of reasoning Why doth he couple himselfe with Timotheus saying for God hath not giuen vs and not thee I take it to incourage him the more to stirre vp the gift of God in him whence obserue that There is a wise handling of a matter to be obserued in the prouoking Doct. 4. of others to good duties It is worthy of our consideration to marke how our Apostle Neh. 2. 3. Act. 22. 26. 27. sometimes seuereth himselfe sometimes coupleth himselfe with others in his Exhortations Prouocations Reprehensions Why did Paul say to
the Centurion Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be safe and not we cannot be safe Act. 27. 31 The Reason shal be a Reason of the Doctrine For otherwise his words would not haue tooke so deepe impression Reas 1. For if he had said we cannot be safe Then they would haue paraduenture obiected that Paul said so for his owne safety but excluding himselfe they might Coniecture that God though they perished would saue him Mark 11. 30. c. another way And thus did our Lord by his wisdome put to silence the Pharisees in his Reasonings Againe when we haue vsed the likeliest course in our proceedings Reas 2. for the effecting of a thing we shall haue the greater hope of the end we aime at And if we be preuented yet Ester 4. 16. the remembrance how we obserued the best and wiâ—est way wil be of great force to comfort and content vs Euery wise Christian and daily workeman know the truth of this by daily experience in their proceedings In the vse of this we are constrained to reproue 〈◊〉 Vse 1. discrâ—tion of Preachers and priâ—aâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no wisdome in their provoking of others to good duties and thereby rather hurt then helpe others with whom they haue to deale in the way of Godlines and honesty What wilde fire shall you sometime see to fly from the Altars in the Temple what indiscreet carriage and gesture incomposed and indigested phrase from the Pulpit And agreat deale of passion little compassion The same is often seene in the Auditors also in censuring the preacher condemning of his method manner of deliuery his deduction and prosecution of doctrines Is this to honour an Elder to admonish him as a father is this wise and Christian dealing And let but one once haue a little life and true light he is crying out against all men condemning blindnes to the Center of darkenes These haue forgotten what they sometime were and though they haue zeale yet it s not guided by knowledge discretion and so there Actions worke no Reformation but Deformation Let vs then get wisdome in the guiding of all our speeches Vse 2. and perswasions Imitate the thresher when thou art to deale with thy Brother who first Tappeth his Corne in the sheafe before he lay on greater stroakes for else the good graine would fly into euery corner and the straw not endure the flayle so begin by degrees with another and when he will endure Tapping then smite harder or else thou dost but labour in vaine And thus we come to the second branch of the Verse But the spirit of power and of loue and of a sound minde These words haue a three fold consideration 1. As they haue relation to the former verse 2. As they are opposed to the spirit of feare and 3. As they one depend vpon another But first we will handle them as they be absolutely considered in themselues where we collect that Gods people haue the spirit of power Doct. 5. Had not the Poastes of an house neede to be of heart of Oake Gods people should be as Gedeons children euery one like the sonne of a King or Davids worthies men of valour mighty and strong able to turne the wheele ouer the wicked to smite them with the sword of the word hippe and thigh Was not Ieremiah a defenced Citie an yron pillar a wall of brasse Ezechiel had his face made strong his forehead like the adamant harder then flint Michaiah was full of power iudgement strength Barnabas of faith Steuen of the holy Ghost Ier. 1. 18. Ezek 3. 8. 9. Acts 7. 55. First Preachers haue the spirit of power else 1. How Reasons should they studie preach watch and pray 2. Withstand all oppositions 3. Boldly reproue great obstinate sinners for sound preaching will haue much resisting Iudas will be 1 Cor. 16. 13. Eph. 6 10. Coll. 1. 11. betraying Alexander withstanding and drunkards railing balladizing 4. And will not the deuill play his part who is strong And all private persons haue this power 1. Else how should they resist all naturall weaknesse in Reasons them which hinders the cheerefull performance of good duties 2. Ouercome all outward impediments they shall meet withall 3. Support the heauie burden of affliction which is a concomitant of the Gospell and 4. Without fainting indure to the end Weake trauellers will soone bee tired feeble professors quickly foyled And here is condemned those both Preachers and people Vse 1. who haue it not themselues neither can indure it in others We commend the deep-mouthed hound the shrill sound of the trumpet the lowd report of the piece yet cannot away with care not for the spirit of power resolution in a Christian Nay is not the drunkard who is mightie to to powre in strong drinke applauded the great beasts and huge Buls of Bashan for pushing and gorering one another admired Why then should not the spirit of power in Gods people be regarded extolled Is not power appropriated Iob. 9. 4. to God Did not Christ speake with authoritie and power and not as the Scribes Is not this recorded for his praise Mat 7 vlt. then where be mens wits are they not besides themselues Wilt thou heare me or wouldest thou be reputed Gods Vse 2. then striue for this strength procure thou this power for is it not a grace of the spirit are not they that want it subiect to slauish feare what can be of more worth stand thee in greater stead another day For can a Souldier be too strong a traueller ouer well limbed then may a Christian be too well fenced armed Must he not wrestle with principalities and powers combate with the sonnes of Anak tread vpon the Lion and the aspe and who can tell what weight may be put on his shoulders for time to come will wee not provin our beast for a long iourney rigge our ships for a rough passage build them strong for a long voyage bend our staffe before wee leape and shall we neuer fortifie the inner man repair the batterd bark of our soules nor try the truth of that stilt which must helpe vs to heauen Wherefore gather spirituall greatnes striue for this strength and purchase this power by all meanes possible and that thou maist doe these things 1. Endeuour to see thine owne weakenesse when men thinke How the spirit of power may be procured they want nothing they will not care for any thing If we truly did discerne our infirmities we would then labour for strength and stabilitie But ignorance in this makes men like Peter full of presumption 2. Auoyde sinne For as the more we bleed the weaker we become so the more we sinne the lesser power haue wee hee that sinnes weakeneth this spirit of power and pineth away 3. Mortifie the flesh for that is an opposite to this spirit Weaken the weeds and the good corne will florish so crucifie
words and moderation of affection worke mightily in others especially in some natures This Condemneth the rashnes and headines of some in Vse 1. our dayes who would haue fire and brimstone to come downe from heauen to destroy the aduersaries Oh! how rate is this moderation of affection to be found in the sons of men I had almost said in my heate and hast there is no moderation at all And if wee well weigh it we shall finde but little For how doe some ioyne house to house land to land So that the poore haue no habitation left them The iudges Isa 5. 8. loue to cry with shame Bring yee The Ministers are not Hos 4. 18. altogether excuseable in this and in too rash censuring blameable How doe many men also stuffe themselues with the Creatures and keepe no moderation at all in their apparelling recreating Doe not some discharge Cannons and drinke carrowses as if the Kings shot and powder were prouided for no other purpose but to make mirth and not to wound his aduersaries One cryeth like Moses Heale her now another with Rahel Giue me sonnes or else I dye a third as David would God I had died for thee and with the Thessalonians millions mourne as men without hope But we omit further reprehension and come to exhortation Let vs all then striue for moderation of affection for it s Vse 2. not the least degree of sanctification And tell me wherein Gods children haue more faild then in this how did Peter misse it many times in many things and Ionah greeue for a guord The Minister must labour for it in the deliuery of the word hee must suffer evill men patiently sowe the seede in his hand and contentedly stay and waite for a blessing informe the iudgement before he worke on the affections or else like the Carpenters pinnes if he strike without boaring his words will fly againe in his owne face And that we may all of vs haue moderation obserue these following rules as remedies If we deale with men they be either whole Churches or Rules for Moderation particular persons We must not separate from those that 1. differ with vs but in Ceremonies we must wisely and moderately carry our selues towards them for the band that tieth vs together is not a bare Ceremony It s want of moderation of affection when men make a rent in the Church spet their Mother if they haue any in the face and count all her children Antichristian These know not or doe not what is required of them Are thou to deale with particular persons why then they are either called or not called if they be called then they be either weake or strong If they be weake in the faith receiue them not for disputation but for edification Few obserue this thing If he befalleâ— theâ— restore such a one with the spirit of meekenes Bones ouâ— of ioynt haue neede of atender fingeâ—ed person What are they without then deale genâ—ly with them at the first for fell opposition driueth them off the further instruct them with meekenes and proâ—e what the Lord will worke that way Wee see that a skilfull Cooke when hee would haue the fire to roste and 〈◊〉 the meate â—he â—t the first layeth it a farre off for thâ—â—eate being lesse â—â— sooner openeth the pores and peirceth to the bone by reason of the small opposition whereas were it at the beginning put too neare it would shuâ—â— the pores scortch the meate and neuer roste throughly â—y reason of the opposite force of the contrary qualities So when wee be to deale with one that 's cold in Religion begin we by degrees vse not too much â—eate at the first least he oppose the more and bee gone Try him if he will be wonne with the gentle words of exhortation I assure my selfe that for want of Moderation in this kind the Magistrateâ— Minister and priuate man haue not beene so profitable and succesfull in their proceedings as they might Obiect But some may obiect they are such as hate and persecute the truth God â—eares so should we hee knowes reprobates so doe Sol. not we he may haue a strange working in it the which wee doe not see he dwells with Angels but so do not we Repl. Oh! but they are Dogs and swine Why then 1. Giue them good example 2. Prouoke them Resol not 3. Pray for them and 4. Doe not finally iudge them but leaue them to the Lord. Thus we come in the next place to speake of moderation in personall iniuries Wherein thou must be very carefull for we loue our selues very well Doe men speake against thee or write against thee avoyd thou all bitternes and immoderate courses Rashnes and heate in this case as I haue especially obserued in some mens writings hath done a good cause harme say with Michael avoiding rayling Iud 9. words The Lord rebuke thee or with Paul I pray God it be not layd to their charge And we must beare with small errors in others and naturall infirmities for this is great wisedome Yet we must not be tainted with their errors but reproue Caution them though our dearest friends I might follow this point further in respect of outward things but a word of all in generall Take heed how thou lettest thy affections loose they be nimble birds quicke spirits and not easily recalled Let them not light and sit long of any stand either person or thing for they will with the more difficulty be remoued When men set them on as the Bee doth her sting or the Cripple leane on his Crutches with all their strength then when the thing they affect is tooke away they fall vpon all foure and are foully be mudded Set them on as Citizens doe their Mastique patches on their faces or as we put gloues on our hands so will there neither be paine or peril in the remotion of them Or doe as he doth by his feete that standeth on the quicke-sands remoue them often by withdrawing the minde from them so when the tyde of trouble approacheth thy affections as his feete will not sticke fast but without danger thou maist plucke them vp and be gone The true cause why the best men haue beene so turmoyld in crosses hath beene the immoderate affection of earthly moueable obiects In conclusion avoyde all counterfeite moderation for Caution it s as bad as immoderate affection and be thou assured that if thou vse either at one time or other it shal wound the heart peirce deepe into the soule and cost thee full deare Learne this lesson now least it proue too late hereafter Having handled Power Loue and a Sound mind as they are absolutely to be considered we come in the next place to speake of them 1. But briefly as they haue dependance on the verse going before 2. As they are opposed to the Spirit of feare and 3. As one hath relation to another And first
we note that Power loue and a sound minde should moue vs to be resolute Doct. 1. in good actions and to stirre vp all other gifts we haue receiued Againe we obserue as they bee in opposition with the word feare that Doct. 2. The Spirit of power expelleth feare For the weaker is easily subdued by the stronger Men of strength will with ease ouercome feeble Infants Besides we collect that Loue driueth away feare Perfect loue casteth it out as another Doct. 3. Apostle writeth 1 Ioh. 4. 18. And this may be obserued also that A sound minde putteth away the Spirit of feare Doct. 4. He that knoweth all the dangers in his voyage and hath skill to guide the Barke will not feare shipwracke Ignorant Pilots so iniudicious Christians are timorous persons Reasons For 1. It will teach a man why he should feare 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 2. What to feare and what not to feare 3. When he is to feare when not to feare And 4. How to feare for kind measure Wouldest thou then not feare as the wicked doe then striue for a sound mind a profound Iudgement And as they depend one on another we gather that Power loue and a sound minde are of absolute necessity for a Doct. 5. resolute Christian Preacher or private person For Power without Loue can worke but will not Reasons 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Loue without power would worke but cannot And Power and Loue can and will but a sound minde is requisite to guide both Woe then to those that stand in the Sanctuary of God to feede his flocke and haue none of the three neither seeke for them It had beene good for such they had gone to plow or Cart. I say no more of them but the Lord haue mercy vpon them In the name then and feare of God let vs striue for these Vse 2. three this cord will not easily be broken Get wee power loue sound minds so shal we be resolute in good courses and fight valiantly the battels of the Lord. Sleepe not with the veyle of darknesse ouer thine eyes couer not thy heart with the mantle of hatred neither be thou like the cripple that is alwaies crawling or relying on his crutches But get thou the annoynting of grace from aboue that thine â—â—es may be opened loue shed abroad in thy heart and strength and nimblenes to run through the whole man Omit not the season neglect not the meanes least thou seeke one day and shalt not be heard And finally we note another thing that Doct. 6. Power loue and a Sound mind are the gifts of God Man by his fall lost all Learne then whom to praise for them if thou best them whither to goe for them if thou want them VERS 8. Be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of mee his prisoner But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God TWo things in generall in this verse are to be obserued The Logicall resolution 1. A Dehortation 2. An Exhortation In the Dehortation are three things 1. What the Apostle dehorts from viz. Shame 2. Whereof Timotheus must not be ashamed viz. 1. Not of the Testimony of Christ 2. Neither of Paul his prisoner And 3. The ground why hee must not bee ashamed is contained in the word Therefore In the Exhortation three things also may be noted 1. To What the Apostle exhorts him and that is to suffer afflictions 2. What afflictions such as accompany the Gospell 3. How he must suffer according to the power of God And the word Therefore may also be a ground to the Exhortation as to the Dehortation The Theologicall Exposition Be not therefore This word therefore presupposeth two things 1. An inference drawne from some precedent reason 2. A thing to be omitted or performed subsequent Ashamed Shame is an effect that followeth the commission of some evill and alwayes is a companion of true repentance But by not being ashamed Paul intendeth more as Boldnes resolution constancy perseuerance Of the testimony of our Lord. That is the Gospel of Christ and it may be called his Testimony for 2. Reasons 1. For Christ did seale it with his bloud 2. Because in the Gospel testimony is giuen of Christ Testimonies are either divine or humane they be inarteficiall arguments hauing little force of arguing or prouing a thing and that they borrow from the artificiall for they haue it not in their owne nature Now the Gospel is a divine testimony and hath great power and authority because the author of it Christ was trueth it selfe and they that penned it were carried by the Spirit and could not erre Neither of me his prisoner There be two sorts of prisons and prisoners spirituall or corporall of spirits or of persons Peter speaketh of spirits in prison where note by the 1 Pet. 3. 19. way that soules departed are in place contrary to the iudgement of some But here is meant a corporall or personall prisoner for so was Paul at that present And he ioynes himselfe with Christ because his cause was coupled with Christs The Exhortation followeth But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel or Doe thou suffer together for the Gospel This word Partaker intimates 2. things 1. Companions or diuers persons 2. A thing devided or shared amongst them The persons Companions to Timotheus was Paul and others the thing they had part of was afflictions And afflictions are such as either wound the soule or body for man consisting of a double substance may suffer two kinds of torments But man onely can hurt the body not the soule of Paul was in their fingers Of the Gospell Gospel in Greeke is glad tydings and Gospel some deriue of God and speech saying it is an old Saxon word signifying Gods speech or good speech The sense is Endure such troubles as accompany the Preachers and embracers of the word of God and of Christ According to the power of God There is some difficulty in the vnderstanding of this phrase and my Authors say nothing to content me Some vnderstand them thus Being moued by or with the power of God others reade Being perswaded by the Gospel which is according to the power of God that is in which the power of God doth plainly shew and declare it selfe For my part I take this to be the truth that Paul wold haue Timotheus to suffer as he was able and had or should receiue ability from God And hee seemes to answere a secret obiection that might arise in his sonnes heart He might thus reason How am I able being yong and weake to endure such great troubles as accompany Paul and other strong Christians Paul takes away this thus Why Timothy doe thou suffer according to thy power beare what thou art able for that 's all I require of thee or that the Lord will afflict thee withall Being that the Lord hath
thing of great worth and of the Reas 2. faithfull principally desired and therefore casting the eye of their mindes vpon that they will endure any sorrow Why did not Paul and others faint Why they accounted that the 2 Cor. 4 vlt. afflictions of this life were not worthy of the weight of glory that way layd vp for them in the heauens Here we see what enemies those be to themselues Who Vse 1. are alwaies casting their eye on their present miseries but neuer looke vp to the heauens If the husband man would neuer haue thought on the day of reaping hee would haue small comfort in plowing sowing c. And this is to direct vs what to doe in the sad times of affliction Vse 2. namely to thinke on our salvation David had vtterly fainted but that hee expected to see the goodnes of God Psal 27. in the land of the living and so shall wee in troublesome times haue we no eye towards the land of Canaan the new Ierusalem He that wades through a strong and swiftriuer must looke to the shoare not downe vnder his feete For then his head would grow giddy his eyes dazell and he be in perill of drowning so when the strong streames of affliction compasse vs on cuery side if we would not faint and fall cast we our eyes on the banke and coast of heauen And this thing is worth our daily observation for we shall haue some rubs lesser or greater continually This poynt then is physicke for each time euery malady Thus we proceed to handle the words without any relatition to the verses foregoing Who. The note is that God is the Author of mans Saluation whither temporall orâ—ternall Doct. 4. totall or partiall All the Prophers beare witnesse to this David cryeth Salvation Psal 3 vlt and 27. 1. Isaâ— 12. 2. is from the Lord The Lord is my Salvation Isaiah God is my Saluation and the Saviour of all men 1. Tim. 4. 10. For he found out that new and everliuing way when man Reas 1. Gen. 3. 15. had lost himselfe into which Satâ—an could not pry and the Angels desired to peepe into And as he found out the way so he prepared the meanes Reas 2. â—oh 3. 16. for he sent his sonne made of a woman that they that beleeued in him might be saued Thirdly he was contented to take a satisfaction of the Reas 3. surety whereas he might haue required it at the debtors hands and then no flesh had beene saued for none could haue made an infinit satisfaction What shall I more say he hath sent his word law and Reas 4. Gospell he hath fitted and thrust foorth Ministers to diuide it aright and to discouer the hidden mysteries in the same finally hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit and by the finger of the Holy-ghost in some measure made vs for the present capable of his kingdome it s he and none but hee that saveth Israel For the father he saveth vs by grace Christ by Note purchase the Holy-ghost by application This serveth to confute the Papists who ascribe too much Vse 1. vnto man for the worke of his salvation but wee passe by that And is God the principall agent in mans salvation Then Vse 2. not vnto vs not vnto vs but vnto his name giue wee the praise For what power had we to giue our selues a being to preserue our selues since we were borne to worke out our saluation why were not we reiected with many borne in a land of darkenesse or strangled sucking of our Mothers brests who tooke the veile of ignorance from our eyes caused the light of the glorious Gospell to shine into our soules and made vs who sometime were fooles wise vnto salvation why then with a gratefull heart say with the Prophet It is the Lords mercy I was not long agoe consumed and hee is my God and my Salvation And would we all be saued why then seeke vnto God Vse 3. rely vpon him yet vse thou all other helpes that hee hath prescribed Doe the best thou canst but still depend vpon him not on the meanes the which without his finger as Moses rod will worke nothing And is God the author of mans saluation why then let Vse 4. the righteous be of good comfort for they shall be saued What can hinder who can prevent his resolution Let Sathan and all the Spirits of the infernall pit gather their wit power and forces together cast riuers of water out of their mouthes breath fire at their nosthrills spet venome as fast as words yet God shall plucke off their Chariot wheeles smite them in the hinder parts they shall in heapes lye dead and stinking on the shore when the waters shall giue way that all the Israel of God may safely passe and possesse heauen And though sometimes we may seeme to be in great dangers as Paul and the people were in the ship yet Act. 27. as they did to land at the length so shall we come safe to the land of the liuing For not one whom the father hath chosen and his sonne redeemed but in the time appointed they shall be saued Not one of these souldiers shall become captiues none of these children shall bee disinherited Feare not them little flocke seeing nothing can depriue you of saluation Hath Out of this word it may be gathered that The Salvation of the faithfull is certaine and not doubtfull Doct. 1. Paul speakes of it as of a thing perfected finished And it is vsuall in the Scripture to call things that are not as Num. 23. 10. though they were Balâ—â—â— made no question of thiâ— God saith he will put his feare into them and they shall never mâ—â—ke Ier. 32. 29. 40. that depart from him He hath promised to marry himselfe to them in faithfulnes that is in a couenant that shall not bee Hos 2. 19. 20. broken and to such there is no condemnation And for the Rom. 8. 1. certainty of this poynt wee may produce many worthy reasons And first from God the father thus we argue 1. Hath hee Reas 1. not chosen them 2 Tim. 2. 19. and shall he at any time reiect his people Why then doth he not make a new election why for his counsell shall stand 2. He loueth them and whom he once loueth doth he not loue them with an everlasting loue Ier. 31. 3. 3. He cannot repent of what he hath promised or faile of his word Rom. 11. 29. and 4. Is not his iustice satisfied hath not Christ paid the full debt and shall God require it againe of the debtor Rom. 5. 8. And if God hath chosen them loved them his iustice bee satisfied for them and he hath promised to saue them shall then any of them perish on Gods part I trow this is plaine to euery mans capacity that they shall not nor cannot A second maine Reason or rather many may
of the world or with the Iew in Babilon haue thy parents reiected thee thy friends cast thee off and all thy familiars waite for thy halting Yet grace shall neuer leaue thee or the Lord forsake thee but preserue thee to eternall glory Let Rachel die in trauell Abel be slaine of his brother Iames be beheaded Christ crucified and Eli breake his necke yet they shall be saued And if thou be faithfull God shall deliuer thee from every evill worke and preserue thee to his heauenly kingdome Then be of good comfort for if earthly priviledges breed such ioy what should these heauenly doe Why where bee our hearts and what doe we thinke vpon And this should teach vs thankfulnes to God who hath Vse 3. now made our spirituall estate more certaine in Christ our surety then it was at the first in Adam our father The Pope gets large summes for long pardons the Landlord great fines for a lease for many yeares But we haue a pardon and lease that are of force for euer and euer ours be signed sealed and deliuered by the finger of the Spirit through the bloud of Christ Iesus and with the full and free consent and presence of God the father Then say with the Apostle vpon the same ground To whom be praise for euer and euer Amen And is our salvation certaine How then should wee be Vse 4. pricked forward to goe on in the constant and cheerefull vse of all meanes that may effect it for doth not expectation and assurance of the end set all a worke who would plow if he had no hope of a haruest crosse the dangerous seas if he were out of all heart for his returne in safety or take Physicke should hee not thereby expect recouery of some present sicknes or the remouall of some future disease feared And had we no hope then we might be out of heart But seeing not one of our haires shall perish as Paul said Acts 27. concerning corporall safetie let vs eate and drinke with gladnes be of good courage and vse all helpes prescribed for as the wicked haue no minde to vse the meanes because they haue no hope to inherite heauen so wee by the contrary ground should be stirred and enliued to cast off sinne grow in grace suffer affliction and if need be to resist vnto blood in as much that we be assured and know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And with what willingnes will man and beast bauke and hunt being in hope to finde and catch the prey shall we then hauing such a prize in our hands haue no hearts surely it should not nor it must not be so Saved Hence let it be noted that The Salvation of man is a rare and great blessing Doct. 6. No doubt but Paul doth mention it as a speciall fauour from the Lord. And seeing in these words he seemeth to vse a Reason to moue Timotheus to be resolute in al good duties if he had knowne a better or more forcible argument hee would haue produced it for his purpose See Gen. 49. 18. Which place the two Caldee Paraphrasts expound not of Gedeon or Sampsons deliuery that were temporall and transitory but the salvation by Christ which is eternall and permanent 1 Pet. 4. 18. Io. 4. 5. Phil. 2. 12. Isai 45. 17. and this will further appeare by many reasons Let vs consider it in the causes 1. We were not redeemed Reas 1. with gold and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. Doth not the word the good word of God and the Spirit effect and apply it and was not the best message that euer Angels brought Saluation to mankind And are not all times meanes and things subordinate to Reas 2. the same this is the end of all ends Gods glory being excepted and yet his glory is procured by the same The more generall a thing is the better it is for begetting conceiuing bearing baptizing calling and iustifying yea Sanctification preceede it And is it not then the best thing And is it not directly opposed to damnation the worst Reas 3. thing that can be named the wicked shall be in hell amongst the damned Divells and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire on the contrary the Godly shall inherite heauen enioy the communion of the blessed Angells for ever and ever Finally consider what it is to be saued 1. Shall not the Reas 4. image of God in such be perfectly renewed Psal 17. vlt 2. Their ioy shall it not be full Psal 16. vlt Their habitation of pure gold and the fruition of all eternall and now lay all these together and will not the point be a trueth that mans chiefest blessednes consisteth in his saluation Come we to the vse Where we reprehend many that esteeme it a matter of no Vse 1. moment or estimation Is it a thing of weight to preserue a yong plant from withering a beast from drowning the body from dying and nothing of importance to saue the whole man from damning The ignorant man as hee vnderstands not the worth of it so hee neuer seeketh after it The Couetous cryeth its good to bee here gaine is great godlines The Epicure hee goeth in purple and fine linnen euery day fareth delicately drinketh wine in bowles spendeth his time in pleasure and altogether forgetteth his latter end The voluptuous man maketh merry saying The next day shall be as this we will haue our fill of loue and neuer once mindeth his salvation As for the drunkard biting vsurer and the swearer they long agone haue made a league with hell and a couenant with death boasting Tush God will doe neither good nor euil Zeph. 1. 12. and is there wisedome in the most high This poynt may iustifie the courses of such as take paines Vse 2. to worke out their saluation and to make their calling and election sure Goe yee on and the good Lord shall be with you Let it neuer be said of any of you ye began well but who did let you It s a fearefull thing to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh This might move Parents to make their children the Vse 3. subiects of salvation for would you not haue them to bee heires of great things Say then with Abraham Oh that Ismael might live with Noah God perswade Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Sheâ— All call with David Come hearken vnto me ye little children and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. For those be the best parents that can vse the meanes to bring their sonnes and daughters to be coheires with Christ of the kingdome of God and to participate of endlesse salvation Whereas our Lord said Weepe for your selues and for your children So say I Get salvation for your selues and for your children And from this ground wee are all to be intreated and instructed Vse 4. to
Ieremiah Iosiah Timothy and others that of children were called that Parents might be encouraged to vse the meanes of conversion and not be without all hope of a blessing And so we doe of some old men as of Abraham called at 70 yeares of age and it seemeth probable by Nichodemus his answere to Christ that he himselfe was an old man Iohn 3. This no doubt is written that we might not Aged persons rarely called despaire of any for God can call whomsoeuer and whensoeuer he will Yet men and women of great age are not often called 1. For they are most vnfit for the Lords worke what man will take an aged person to make a watch or to become a Musition for are not his fingers set which should bee nimble for such a calling how vnhandsomely will they goe about so curious an instrument or action And shall the Lord then not make choise of the fittest persons to performe his actions 2. Old men haue gotten a stronger habit of sinne then others what saith Christ of such Can a Blackamore change his skin and a Leopard his spotts then may ye doe well that are accustomed to doe evill 3. Sathan hath more possession of such people and is the harder to be cast out 4. We read in the Gospell that God calles at the third houre sixt houre ninth and eleuenth houre why not at the twelfe making an equall distribution I cannot tell I doe but guesle but it may be because at the twelfth houre either none or few are called I would not be mistaken here as though this were vnpossible with God but that men might be moued not to procrastinate and deferre their conuersion I haue added this And when trees haue beene often watered pruned and dunged yet beare not doth not the Lord of the vineyard bid them to be cut downe Luk. 13. for why make they the ground barren wicked men hinder the good of others This for the time of calling The manner how followeth and that is either violently How the Lord calleth or more gently God is wise in all his proceedings and therefore calleth as he seeth needfull Some he peirceth to the very hart woundeth the spirit causeth them to quake and tremble exceedingly at the voice of his power others he calleth with a still and quiet voice as is most conuenient The discreet Mother hauing a child stubborne vntoward shaketh the rod when as one that is more meeke and tractatable is allured by a cherry or apple and euen so dealeth the Lord by his chosen children for he calleth them according to their dispositions and seuerall qualities yet alwaies so as they come and obey his voice 2. And this may serue to haue beene spoken of their cutting off both for time and manner Next their fitting followeth the which consisteth of 2. branches the one Compunction the other desperation When the Cyon is cut off from the tree then in order it followeth that it be fitted to be set into the stocke into which it is to be grasted And so when by the knife of the law we are either violently or more leisurely lopped from the old oliue it ensueth that wee be fitted to be set into the new Christ the Lord. Now this compunction of heart hath two degrees the one rendeth asunder the very ioynts and sinewes pierceth and entreth into the very bones and the marrow But the other doth not wound so deepe but as it were skarreth the skin and â—ateth into the flesh For as some be let bloud in the finger others in the arme or head so God being a most skilfull Chirurgion doth pricke and let vs bloud as he discerneth the nature of our disease The child came to himselfe by neezing seuentimes 2 King 4. 35. And after this compunction followeth an holy desperation which consisteth in the denying of a mans owne merits and relying on the Lord for mercy for his sinnes being great and many his good workes not any at all he is therby brought to despaire in regard of himselfe and also to call the mercy of God into question Yet not doubting whether the Lord can but whether he will or not grant him a pardon for his sinne Now doth the sinner hang the head smite his hand vpon his thigh cry earnestly to God for mercy and seeke to the Minister the Phisition of the spirit for grace and comfort And this compunction and holy desperation is greater in some then other for these Reasons 1. Some man may haue had many outward calls by the Sixe reasons why all men are not called a like word and inward motions by the Spirit the which hee hauing resisted and not obeyed then hee is brought to feare that he hath sinned the sinne vnto death And if he hath any knowledge in the Scriptures peradventure will bring that to fight against himselfe especially that place in Heb. 6. or 10. 2. Other some haue had good education and haue bin trained vp in the Scriptures of children so that they haue beene restrained from many grosser sinnes then others haue committed Whence it followeth that there is degrees of compunction Trees that haue beene long vnpruned haue the more cuts when they come to be lopped and dressed 3. Peraduenture the Lord hath a purpose to send some one of his children for to dwell like Lot in Sodom or Ioseph in Egypt and there he foreseeing that they shall haue weake provocations to good strong temptations to evill letteth them drinke the more deepely of the dregs of sinne that they in future time the rather may be moued to avoyd it For a wounded spirit and troubled conscience for sinne will proue for time to come an excellent Tutor Hee that hath burnt his feete with treading on the hot stone will looke the better to his steps in all his iourney afterward 4. All men haue not constitutions of body alike some be strong others weake so that that measure which will but cure the one humble him sufficiently would kill the other and bruise him to powder And if some were so cast downe as others be they being poore men and to liue by great toyle and dayly labour would neuer be able to execute the duties of their calling and to get their bread by the workes of their hands A man in the breaking of his beast will haue an eye to that and shall not the Lord much more in the reclaiming of his children 5. God appointeth some to be sonnes of thunder to speake with power and authoritie to Preach amongst a people whose faces be as brasse and neckes like sinewes of yron therefore he bringeth them home as we say with a witnes at their conuersion For as he that hath receiued much wrong by a bad neighbour will speake worse of him then he can who hath had lesser iniuries at his hand so will such as haue felt the enmity of sinne the most preach more fervently against it then he who hath not felt the sting
Can every woman tell the time of conception any man where the wind first beginneth or clearely discerne the motion of the shadow on the Dyall Doth not the head grow gray and the corne white by degrees and an insensible motion Tell me then art thou holy then be thou assured thou art effectually called for the effect argueth the truth of the cause Where there is heate there is fire and wheresoeuer is sanctification there also was effectuall vocation In the last place this is to teach such as are called on this Vse 4. manner to walk worthy of their calling Is it an holy calling liue thou holily Shall a Prince plod in the mire defile his clothes and pollute his person by the base offices of poore subiects How vnseemely then is it for these holy brethren for so be they stiled Heb. 3. 1. to wallow in sinne and follow vncleannes Let vs then be holy as our heauenly father who hath called vs is holy Not according to our workes The point is this that Man is not saved for his workes sake Doct. 11. Dan. 9. 9. Psal 14. 1. 3. Rom. 3. 12. And that neither in respect of the beginning nor end For the beginning the Papists themselues say we haue remission of sinne by Christ but hold that this is onely a degree and that our iustification and salvation proceed from our owne workes But our workes haue no such hand in this busines If we be saued by our workes then either by the workes Reas 1. before our conuersion or after But by neither Ergo. For the first are we not blind 1 Cor. 2. 14 The motioâ—s of our hearts evill and that continually Gen. 6. 5 Are not our wills turned from God Hos 5. 4 Haue wee power so much as to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5 Are we not beasts fooles mad-men dead in trespasses and sinnes the very children of wrath by nature Psal 49. vlt. Eph. 2. 13 And if the fountaine be thus polluted what shall the streames be first make the tree good then expect good fruite Againe we are not saued for the good workes done after our Regeneration for 1. They be due to God as the workes of Creation were 2. They are imperfect 3. If they were perfect yet not proportionable to eternall glory And 4. When we haue done our best we are commanded to say that we are vnprofitable servants and shall Christ bid vs lye Rom. 7. vlt. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. Luk. 17. 10. And wee are not saued partly by workes partly by grace for God will haue all the glory and Christs merits may not bee either divided or extenuated Because we are not able to repaire the breach that Adam Reas 2. made For the Law requires two things If since the fal we would be saued by it One that we vndoe what our father did another that we performe what he omitted And who can doe either of these wherefore the Papists play the fooles who tel vs of doing of good but neuer of suffering evill Let them first satisfie the rigour of the Law and the infinite wrath of God by suffering and then perfectly keepe his commands and they say somewhat But though they would be doctors of the law they nothing know as they should neither vnderstand the things which they doe affirme And haue we not true title to heauen before we can doe any good worke being iustified by faith This confureth the Papists and reprehendeth the ignorant Vse 1. Protestants who differ in name onely that hope to be saved by their good deeds Demaund how they hope to come to heauen Oh sir say they by my good workes Thus blind are many at nooneday Learne hence not to trust in thy owne workes but solely Vse 2. to rely on the free mercy of God in Christ Iesus Yet thou must doe good workes 1. Because God is glorified by them Why good workes are to be done therefore our light must shine 2. They adorne our calling and bring honour to our profession 3. Thereby wee shall stop the mouthes of our enemies 4. Giue Sathan the lesse ground of temptation 5. They assure vs that our faith is true not a dead faith 6. And doth not our saluation consist in perfect holinesse And is it not also begun in this life And for the direction vnderstand that there be these things in a good worke 1. The Person must be iustified For if we be not graffed Foure things needful to do a good worke into the true vine Christ Iesus we shall but bring foorth wild grapes Iâ—h 15. 1. 2. The rule by which we are guided must be 1. The word Ier. 6. 16. Rom. 2. 14. 15. Isa 30 21. Rom. 8. 13. of God or 2. The Rule writ in the heart or 3. The motion of the Spirit or 4. The example of the faithfull For more Rules then these can no man shew Gal. 6. 16. 3. We must haue an eye to Christ and doe it in his 1 Cor. 11. 1. name for he remoues the imperfection of it 4. And finally the principall end must be the glory of God not excluding the good of our Brethren and our own salvation I might gather further from this phrase that Doct. 12. Men haue workes Euery one will haue a Religion such as it is and will be doing this or that But according to his owne purpose and grace c. Hence we what he purposeth shall come to passe his calling is without repentance for it comes from his purpose Let vs not finally censure any for his calling and the Vse 4. time of it proceeds from Gods purpose instruct them and proue if the Lord at any time will call them out of the snares of the deuill Yong conuerts be the sharpest censurers of old sinners This may confirme thy faith in the promise of God for Vse 5. his purpose shall stand What if some wander from the flock they shall be brought home at the lenght if they belong to his election And finally let vs doe according to our good purpose Vse 6. this patterne of Gods is worth the imitation of man We often haue good purposes but they are speedily blasted Some purpose to build God an house but they are soone altered Others to leaue sin but death prevents their purpose And many haue a minde to become Christians but time changeth this purpose Wherefore purpose and performe for this is the glory of man I could further gather that Doctrines deducted not handled 1. There is a distinction of callings Therefore Paul puts in Purpose Whence will follow what the Papists deny viz. a distinction of Churches 2. That The difference of Gods calling some and reiecting others is taken from Gods purpose 3. That The doctrine of Election is a part of the Gospel for it brings salvation 4. And finally that The purpose of God was from eternity And others would follow hence But for the
Gods purpose and promise But we haue need of Heb. 10. 36. patience that after we haue endured wee might receiue the promise Art thou in bondage with Ioseph there is a time to set thee free in a strange country Why Hâ—rod is yet aliue that would seeke the childes life what if thou be in want cannot the Lord feede thee in the wildernesse Art thou persecuted why one day thou shalt be blessed if it be for well doing Doe men condemne thee without cause Are the wicked set vp and they that tempt God deliuered Do Mal. 3. 15. Isai 59. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 14. such as refraine from evill make themselues a prey And because they run not to the same excesse of ryot as others are they badly reported of what of all this the day of tryall is at hand and euery secret thing that God hath in his secret counsell purposed or in his word revealed promised shall be accomplished Truly this must support thee comfort thee and create patience in thee for yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry and reward euery man Heb. 10. â—7 according to the works he hath done in his flesh good or evill Thinke thinke thinke on this thou shalt soone see 2 Cor. 5. 10. an end of all thy troubles and thy desire accomplished vpon all the Lords enemies But is now made manifest Where let it be obserued that We are to take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation Doct. 2. The faithfull haue obserued the distinct acts of Gods prouidence from the beginning of the world vnto this day We are sent to the Crane and the swallow and the Hawke that flieth in the South shee flieth from the pinching cold of the North for the heate of the Sunne in the South or when she is in casting her feathers they doe pricke and tickle her therefore she spreadeth her wings on the South that the Sunne might ripen and further them the more in growing so she should be heated Ier. 8. 7. Iob. 12. 7. Prou. 6. 6. Gen. 32. 10. c. For in so doing it will yeeld vs matter of thanksgiuing Reas 1. why are we so barren in the praise of God we doe not consider what great things the Lord hath done for vs. David from this ground cryed out What shall I render vnto Psal 116. 12. the Lord for all his benefits It would strengthen our faith for future time worke in Reas 2. vs patience contentedly to waite the Lords leysure as we see in the Prophet Manoahs wife and many others Psal 42. 5. Iudg. 13. 1 Sam. 17. This iustly taxeth many in our times who neuer thinke Vse 1. on the dayes of old neither take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation How few dreame of this duty and rare be those men that minde it We are worse then the vnreasonable creatures who sing in the spring bathe in the summer and praise God in their kind by a secret instinct of nature yet man endued with reason the Prince of all created things for whom all other creatures were made mindeth not this duty And if this be our duty Why let vs doe it Cast thy eye Vse 2. backe as farre as the Creation take a view how often the Lord visited his people how he hath from time to time performed his promise and effected his purpose for this is worth thy labour why are we so ingratefull vnfaithfull distrustfull and alwayes repining Alas we consider not the distinct acts of Gods prouidence ouer vs. I haue woundered at Iob for he began with God and went hand in hand from his Conception with him vnto that very day obserue his words Lord thou hast powred me Iob. 10. 10. c. out like milke thickened me like curdes clothed me with skin and flesh fenced me with bones and sinewes thou hast giuen me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserued my spirit Be thou this iust mans scholler for neuer canst thou learne and practise a more comfortable and profitable poynt of doctrine For it will humble thee breed admiration in thy heart strengthen thy weake faith worke in thee loue to God and cause thee to prayse him with delight all thy life long We take a view how the beast moue vpon the earth birds flie in the ayre fishes play in the waters and the Sun and Moone run their course in the firmament and shall we haue no eye to him that created all these moveth all these and is present at and worketh daily in all these by all these Surely surely this is not well done therefore to be speedily amended and the rather in that we haue failed so long so often David forgot not that some time he kept ewes with yong Moses that he had beene a sheepheard Amos a fig-gatherer and Shaphat that he had followed the plough and shall wee forget from what pouerty we by God are advanced to great promotion All your progenitors haue not worne gownes of purple and scarlet beene Rulers in Cities and Corporations neither tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore let the gracious visitation of Gods good hand neuer depart out of your mindes The time of this appearing is to be vnderstood vnder the law but cheifly in the dayes of the Gospell whence we doe deduce this doctrine that The estate of the Church is more glorious since the comming Doct. 3. of Christ then before him And for many Reasons First in respect of the Iewes Reas 1. For first Circumcision was removed which was full of torment it made Zipporah to call Moses bloudy husband yet many Exod. 4. 25. be so ignorant that they know not this priviledge Secondly The Ceremonies and sacrifices which were chargeable were abolished we haue the body in stead of the shadow the substance for the circumstance Hence Paul stiled Gal. 4. 9. them beggerly and impotent rudiments And if we must not come into the Temples but bring our Lambs and Rams we then would see the priviledge we enioy Thirdly The Iewes before his comming were in great slauery the Romans gouerned by 70. Elders the Scepter was departed from Iudah and the Pharisees had corrupted their doctrine Herod sought the babes life for feare a King should rise vp to the Iewes of the family of David and they had heauie burdens imposed vpon them the which they were not able to beare Fourthly Christ came of their flesh and was not that an honour For many desired children and esteemed it a curse to be barren vnder the law because each one hoped to haue beene the Mother of our Lord. And did he not first preach to that Nation wrought miracles amongst them and doe many great workes there Now his first fruits were to be respected Reas 2. Math. 15. 26. Rom. 11. 17. and 3. 29. And secondly in respect of the Gentiles it was more glorious for First They were dogs before but now God
couetous when he hath gotten goods the Prodigall hauing satiate his soule with the huskes of pleasures the ambitious when he hath climbed to the highest pitch of honour thinke they liue the onely Iouiall life and yet all dwell and breathe in the chambers of death and as the Apostle speakes are dead while they be aliue no better than walking ghosts in the formes of liuing men Let such buy and build plow and sow marry and beget many children yet the vntimelie birth is better than they The basest life exceedes as much the best meere being as Adam the red earth whereon his body was made but this life excels all others Gods only excepted more than men do beasts or Angels Deuils Why then let the worth of it moue thee the withering of this is worse than the death of the Gourd of Ionah And will not this consideration that all thy actions are but as so many beautifull sinnes and distastfull vnto the Lord set thee a worke to obtaine it Then call to mind how it maketh all things beautifull and well pleasing to the eye Will not our flesh tremble to see a body without a soule the teeth closed the eyes open the lips shrunke and the bloud set blacke and swart in the face and members is not such an obiect odious to man Euen so yea worse are we being dead in sinne to God and good persons Yet if all that 's said will not moue thee to this then know No life here no escape of death hereafter And immortalitie We collect hence that Life spirituallis eternall Doct. 10. It is not like the Lillies that flourish to day and wither to morrow Methushelah liued long yet died at the age of 969. but he that once hath the life of grace shall see no corruption Mortality shall put on immortalitie and though the body perish yet this life is in the soule being a more excellent subiect for as he that puts off his apparell doth not leaue his naturall life in it so he that layes downe the body loseth not the life of grace and immortalitie with it For as the naturall life is in the body not in the apparell so the spirituall life is in the soule not in the dead corpse after the separation Mat 19. 29. Mark 10. 17. Ioh. 5. 24. 1 Cor 15. 53. For Christ hath purchased eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Reas 1. Christ was a holy person yea God aswell as man and he obeyed freely these two made the satisfaction of Christ sufficient And there is a proportion betweene Adams sinne and Christs sufferings 1. Finite sinne offending Adam Christ Adam Christ Adam Christ 1. Finite suffering satisfying 2. Finite sinne offended the infinite God 2. Finite suffering satisfied the infinite God 3. Finite sinne infinitely offended the infinite God 3. Finite suffering infinitely satisfied the infinite God So that life must be infinite because the satisfaction was infinite in value and worth and equall to the offence in remouing eternall death God hath promised eternall life and hee is faithfull and Reas 2. cannot denie himselfe 1 Ioh 2. 25. Christ from whom this life is deriued liueth for euer and Reas 3. maketh intercession Heb 7. 25. Reu 1. 18. Else it were better with the wicked than the faithfull of all Reas 4. men they were most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And the word is called eternall 1 Pet. 1. vlt. And we read of an eternall house an eternall weight an eternall kingdome an eternall crowne and an eternall inheritance This 1. Confutes those heretikes that hold the soule is Vse 1. mortall 2. the Papists also who say that a man may haue true spirituall life and lose it But we see that Christ hath brought life and immortality or immortall life and if this life should end then it were mortall This makes also for the comfort of such whose friends Vse 2. are departed in the Lord why be of good cheare they are not dead but liue for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing This vse is of great vse were it well vsed This likewise might and ought to encourage all to goe Vse 3. on with cheerefulnes and Christian resolution and not be afraid of death seeing after it followeth eternall life death like a dore le ts the soule passe a better roome of habitation And here we haue a strong motiue to moue vs to labour Vse 4. for this life Is it immortall incorruptible why then striue for it What man would not liue long why liue this life once and liue for euer and that thou maist thou must 1. Be vnited to Christ for euery branch that abideth not in Helpes to life spirituall him is cast out and withereth All spirituall life floweth from this coniunction For as the graft hath life from the vnion with the stocke so haue we from Christ Ioh. 15. 2. Heare the Gospell preached for the word of is God spirit and life and he that beares this voyce though he were dead yet shall be liue What though we cannot quicken our selues yet we may vse the meanes And the Angell may trouble the water and Christ come and heale vs when we are at the wels mouth and vnable to helpe ourselues 3. Pray often Dauid neere about 19. times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme prayeth Lord quicken me Lord giue me the spirit of life c. Did he thus sure then it was good for him to be practised of all such as would be quickned and enliued Finally and aboue all things resist no good motion that thou hast in the vse of Gods ordinances or at any time else for this is to driue the author of all life from vs. Entertaine them therefore and kindle those sparks by obeying of them so shall thy soule liue and not dye Through the Gospell Here is manifested the instrumentall cause by which death is abolished and life brought vnto vs whence let this be noted that Though all grace come by Christ yet it is deriued vnto man by Doct. 11. meanes of the Gospell For that declareth how it may be attained and no other Reas 1. writing God giues his spirit with the Gospell not by the Law Reas 2. Gal 3. 2. and hence it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. This must worke in vs a loue to the Gospell and a care Vse 1. to continue it amongst vs. Had we but one herbe in our grounds that would cure all diseases would we not hedge about it water it and by all meanes seeke to preserue it it from perishing Why the Gospell is this herbe that tree whose leaues onely cure all the nations We must make much of them that bring this Physicke Vse 2. for the wounded spirit how should such men be respected Pray we that the word may runne and be scattered to the Vse 3. foure ends of the world otherwise death will reigne life
when the sheepe are wandring or ready to be devoured by the wolfe Will ye not ring the Bells awke when the Citie is on fire Discharge the greatest Canon when the ship is in distresse and in danger to be lost in the hauen And shall not the Preacher cry roare and like Iohn bellow like an Oxe for so the word is read when men sleepe and sinke in sinne and be in hazard to be drowned and deuoured by Sathan that cruell wolfe and Pyrate of the soule And is not God said to cry Christ to cry the Spirit to cry and shall the sonnes of thunder then be silent or not heard Surely if these should not cry the very stones in the streete would take vp a complaint and cry aloud Say not then Here 's a Rut indeed for the word seemes to bee borrowed from that we haue in hand but be swift to heare slow to speake remisse to wrath And here let the Preachers learne and take warrant to cry Vse 3. aloude and spare not O yee that be sonnes of thunder let your voices be heard aboue sound your tongues like trumpets and shout on high Feare not the frownes of the vulgar care not for their Cauills but imitate the great Cryer Christ the Lord who cryed in the great day of the feast and Cautions for Criers when he was checked cried the lowder Yet take these cautions with thee Cry not before thou be sent least thou loose thy labour 1. and spend thy voice in vaine Againe Cry nothing but what the Lord puts in thy 2. mouth and then thou needest not to be ashamed for such commodity is saleable warrantable Besides Cry where God would haue thee keepe a compasse 3. for all persons are not willing to buy neither is the Lord well pleased in so doing Finally put a difference in Crying Cry to the wicked 4. Ier 22 29. O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord and to the poore in spirit Come buy milke and hony without money Cry Psal 101. 1. iustice to the wicked mercy to such as hunger and thirst after righteousnes And are the Preachers Cryers why then let the people Vse 4. giue attention to them Is it not a shame to sleepe in the market place to be napping when the faire is in proclaiming and to haue the eares closed when the cryer cryeth his commodities at our very doores And take these Rules Rules for auditors for thy direction 1. Heare not euery Cryer for many false cryers are gone out into the world Sathan sends foorth false Prophets daily As Papists c. 2. Learne to iudge of the commodity or things that be cryed The Iesuite hath much couuterfeite stuffe and many a false message that he cryeth If he come from the Pope neuer feare his proclamations or buy his Bulles for they shall assoone hurt thee as Nimrod endanger heauen by the building of Babel 3. When thou vnderstandest what is cryed then be sure that thou buy it put it in practise Whatsoeuer pertaineth to thee heare and obey 4. And in Conclusion goe home and tell thy Neighbours what was cryed in the Market Thus did the poore woman and it may be profitable for them and thee Wee Ioh. 4 29. will doe so in earthly things that others may know how to avoyd a danger or buy a good commodity and shall we not doe the same in spirituall matters which concerne the conservation of the soule surely it stands both with Reason and brotherly affection therefore doe it also And a Teacher of the Gentiles The doctrine is that The word preached is the principall meanes whereby Sinners Doct. 5. are converted Eph. 4. 12 Isai 61. 1. 2. We may say of it as David did of Goliahs sword that of all other ordinances which God hath appointed There is 1 Sam. 21. 9. none to that Peter did conuert thousands at one Sermon Acts. 2. 41. Reas 1. Because by Preaching sinne is more clearely discouered and the iudgements of God more manifestly and with power set before the eye then by reading or any other means It doth vnfold the things that are closely wrapped couched together And the more that sin the iudgement of God against it is declared to the eye of the minde the more apt is that person to turne vnto his God Ezek. 13. 22. And Faith commeth by the word preached which is the onely ground of true Conuersion from sinne and euill For Reas 2. so saith our Apostle Rom. 10. 17. This confuteth the opinion of those that preferre Reading Vse 1. before Preaching for the Conuersion of sinners We doe not deny but the word reade is the rule of holines may conuert the Spirit accompanying his ordinance and therefore is to haue his place and due respect in the Congregation but we will not equall it to preaching for therein wee should not doe well and wisely And if Reading were more excellent and of greater force to convert then Preaching why are not the people conuerted that haue a Reader To what end then serue the Schooles of the Prophets Wherefore should men study the knowledge of tongues and Arts to divide the word aright and to distribute to euery mans present necessities And why should Sathan rage more against Preachers then readers except the word powerfully deliuered did not the more batter and beate downe his Kingdome Besides why did not Christ send out his Apostles with this charge Goe read but Goe preach to all nations wherefore doth Paul pronounce a woe to them that preach not the Gospell And why did he not charge his son Timotheus before God to Read in season and out of season What should we more say but as Paul doth of another thing He that giueth his virgin to mary doth well and he that doth not doth better So he that readeth may doe well but he that coueteth to prophecy doth better and I thinke that in this I haue the Spirit of God But it will be objected that Reading is preaching Obiect Sol. 1. 2. Reading by a Trope is put for preaching et â— contra But I answere that euery ordinance of God hath its proper rule by which it is performed Now Reading and Preaching haue not one and the same Rule to guide them therefore are not the same action For two contrary rules produce contrary effects when effects or things effected are proportionable to the Rules by which they were framed But I omit this seeing so many learned haue handled it at large yet I thought it not amisle to say somewhat And here I might fall into another poynt that is at this Quest day amongst some controuerted viz Whither Preaching is to be preferd aboue praying or praying before preaching Some say Praying others Preaching Ans I answere that as every member in the naturall body hath its proper vse and end for the which it was framed and therefore the most weake member may
excell the principall in some one thing as the foote by fleeing may saue the body when the head cannot moue without it So the least of Gods ordinances in one thing or other may be more profitable then the highest For â—xample For the plantation of a Church the conuersion of the sinner the begetting of faith the information of the iudgement and the directing of man in the pathes of righteousnes Preaching doubtlesse hath the preheminence But in easing of the troubled heart by confession in recounting the great and many things the Lord hath done for vs in praysing him for his benefits and obtaining of comfort and helpe in the time of need and to a sinner converted prayer I thinke is the more profitable Obiect Sol. It will be said We cannot pray without preaching True not well neither can wee preach well without praying Againe faith comes by preaching and without faith no Obiect prayer We grant it yet prayer doth preserue it increase it Preaching Sol. is the procreant but Prayer the conservant cause of faith the one is as the Mother the other as the Nurse We in preaching heare God speake to vs in praying we Obiect 3. speake to him True it is that the Lord in the word truly preached speaketh Sol. to man yet not immediately And so in praying doth God speake also For the Spirit of God doth direct and assist all the faithfull to pray And in this following respect Prayer seemes to haue the prayse For in Preaching God by man speaketh vnto man But in Praying Man by the Holy Ghost doth speake vnto God the Father And on the other part Obiections are brought as this Obiect That which is for another thing is of lesse value then that thing for which it is But preaching is for prayer therefore not to be preferd aboue it This rule seemes to me not alwaies to hold true Example Sol. The father and the Mother are for the sonne therefore the sonne is better then they God was in Christ and redeemed the world by him therefore the world is more worth then the sonne of God This were a doubtfull if not a blasphemous consequence Yet obserue this that one thing may be for diuers ends as the Redemption of man by Christ was not solely for the good of man but for his owne and the glory of his father and Christ as he was God was both the end and the meanes so that sometimes things be not as they seeme to be I will to and fro dispute the question no longer for my first generall answere shall stand for all And none needs to doubt of the truth of it Onely thus let vs conclude that as Christ said Giue that to Caesar which is Caesars and to God that which is is Gods So giue we to preaching that which is its due and to prayer its priviledge also And in the second place this should teach vs thankfulnes Vse 2. to God for the word preached Alas what were all other fauours worth if we had not the Gospell to conuert vs and to sanctifie vs to God all things to vs We esteeme not of this fauour as we ought and as it deserveth Haue wee a guide to direct vs being out of the way a Phisitian to remoue some dangerous disease or but a remedy to turne our cloth into a better colour We esteeme highly of such things But haue too little respect vnto the word taught the onely meanes to heale our spirituall maladies and to conuert vs vnto the Lord. And if this be not thanksworthy then all we haue is of no worth Praise wee the Lord therefore that our visions faile not Againe would we and our children be converted and Vse 3. healed then let vs depend on the word taught Moses Rod in Moses hand did worke miracles and so the word in the mouth of the men of God will destroy the cursed worke of Sathan in vs and make vs in mind and life like vnto Christ Iesus We must wash in this poole attend at this porch and suffer this water to fall vpon vs so shall the Leprosie of our sinne be washt away and we be transformed into the image of the Lord wherin we were at the first created But how few mind or practise these things Yet it s a truth that there is no way to bring vs ordinarily vnto heauen but the diligent hearing of the word preached Last of all Let vs all strive to continue the word taught Vse 4. amongst vs for if it faile the people perish Nay we should to the vttermost of our power with the Thessalonians cause the Gospell to run and abound in all places this is a worke of worth and great necessity You often and it s good speake in the praise of that in his Art matchlesse Peere Sir Francis Drake for deriving the water into your Corporation and you are at daily expence to repaire the breaches of its passage And shall we then neuer be at any charge to cause the water of life to slow through the Townes and places about vs by the Conduits of faithfull preachers Nay would to God some did not stop this wells mouth or rather hinder the passage But woe to them whosoeuer they be Of the Gentiles We might gather diuers things from these few words being diuersly considered but the cheife I take is this that When the Lord will call and saue a people hee rayseth vp the Doct. 6. fittest instruments for that purpose Who fitter then Paul to be a Preacher to the Gentiles or to deliuer Israel then Moses being skilfull in all their learning Peter was a man resolute and fiery therefore the more meete to deale with the stiffnecked Iewes And the Lord sent Papists to Pp ' for their conuersion for they knew their iuglings and were able to beate them with their owne weapons Because the Lord is wise in all his wayes and skilfull in Reas 1. all his enterprises A man of vnderstanding will doe his best to haue his matters effected and shall not the fountaine of all wisedome worke wisely Againe the Lord doth this in respect of the people for Reas 2. they naturally are subiect to quarrell to make objections and to deny the meanes of their conuersion Now a man well qualified will remoue their doubts conuince them in iudgment discouer their folly and so the sooner draw them to repentance For though God can worke and sometimes doth with weake or no meanes at all yet this is his Method in his ordinary course of proceeding By this poynt we may partly tell what to iudge of many Vse 1. places and people in the world Doth the Lord send them fit Pastors then hope the best but if not feare the worst This must teach vs to reuerence the Lord in his workes Vse 2. and not to passe by without casting our eye on his wise prouidence For its worthy of our obseruation and imitation I feare
zealous for the law and ceremonies and Paul preached the Gospell called them beggarly and impotent rudiments told that if they were circumcised Christ profited them nothing Why this so tooke downe the pride of man that he should not be iustified by his owne workes but by anothers that Paul was persecuted and hardly entreated of his owne Country men If a skilfull Taylor take measure of a crooked and mishapen person and fit the garment proportionable to the patterne a proud peece of flesh will powte swell and wrangle with the workeman so let the Ministers and men of God doe good devide the word aright high and lofty spirits will be muttering for they cannot endure the light or to be told of their deformities Thus Paul was reputed an enemy for telling them the truth A counterfeite and false glasse is the fittest for old withered and wrinckled Curtezans to view themselues in for if it should shew them their right shapes all things to nothing they split it against the wals And in the last place the goodnes of an action cannot Reas 4. exempt the weldoer from affliction for its a meanes to breake downe the walls of Babel to throw the gates of Hell off her hindges and to weaken the kingdome of Sathan God saith He will set enmity betweene the womans seed and Gen. 3 15. the Serpents and how For thou shalt bruise his head so that breake the Diuels plots and pate by doing good be thou assured he will haue thee by the heele And Paul was the worse entreated for preaching to the Gentiles for the Iewes hated them and Sathan had long held them in his custody and prison of darknes Here we are taught a rule of wisedome and that is Neuer Vse 1. to iudge the goodnes or badnes of an action by the vsage and future entertainment of the Doer for in so doing wee may commend amisse and speake good of evill and evill of good Was not Abel killed Moses forced to flee Iacob ill entreated David derided the Prophets imprisoned Stephen stoned Iames beheaded Christ crucified and many of his innocent members massacred murdered for well doing Iudge not therefore before the time condemne not least thou be condemned But rather vse your censuring in this in not laying a blocke of stumbling before your Brethren Pharaoh a wicked King may haue peace when David the annoynted of the Lord may flee for his life Ahabs foure hundred of false Prophets may haue freedome when faithfull Micaiah may kisse the stockes Christ may be crucified when Barrabas shall be deliuered And so may the guilty sometimes escape when the guiltlesse and guilelesse are in great ieopardy For he that refraineth from evill maketh Isa 59. 15. Mal. 3. 15. himselfe a prey When as they that tempt God and worke wickednes are set vp aduanced deliuered In the next place we see how impossible a thing it is for Vse 2. a good man to liue in peace for wicked men will reward evill for good Let Christ turne the Iewes water into wine he shall haue from them vinegar to drinke tell them the truth they will hire false witnesses to sweare lyes against him If he say hee hath the Spirit of God they will say No he hath a Diuell Let him remit sinne they will cry he blasphemeth If he demaund for which of his good workes they seeke to kill him they will answere that the Diuell goeth about to kill him and not they And did the world thus deale with him who had no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth then neuer expect thou any good entertainment from the world in this world for shee loueth none but her owne Shall men burne greene boughes and spare those that neuer beare spue out the water of life and tast deepely of the muddy puddle Eclipse the Sun and not puffe at a candle Dig vp the rootes and cherish the branches pierce the head wound the heart slay the heire and shall the members not be mortified the hands nayled and the yonger brethren fouly entreated Wherefore let David arme himselfe for Saul will cast a speare at him for he is the Lords annointed If Nehemiah will repaire his fathers sepulchres build the walles of Ierusalem hee shall meete with a Sanballat a bush in a place here or there a Tobiah that will oppose dissemble write counterfeit letters to hinder him for hee seeketh the welfare of Israel and that 's their griefe Will Paul scatter the Gospell write Epistles preach to the blind and ignorant Gentiles the proud Pharisees then his owne Countrimen will proue his greatest enemies and repute him a plaguy fellow for preaching new doctrine to a new Nation Will Ames Shaphat Peter and Iames leaue their former meane callings to preach and prophecy at the commaund of the Lord shall they not be disgraced What! is Saul among the Prophets how know these the Scriptures Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Amo. 7. 13. And gâ—â— to thy fathers house some Amaziah will cry and eate thy bread and prophecy there but come not at Bethel for it is the kings court And seeing this hath beene done to the best in times past let vs in our dayes expect a part so long as the Diuell and the Pope are at liberty I suffer these things We see here two things 1. Who suffered 2. What hee suffered The Doctrines shall be pointed at and briefly passed The first from the person to bee noted is that Neither learning wisedome piety or externall priviledges Doct. 2. can preserue a man from suffering affliction Math. 23. 34. 35. For Paul was well discended of rare parts singular prudence Phil. 3. 4. 5. and great sanctity yet all these could not exempt him from persecution great tribulation Christ was the fountaine of all wisedome grace and holines yet who euer more vilely entreated then he Moses the meekest man on earth David a man according to Gods owne heart and Iob a iust and perfect man yet all scoffed derided vpbraided and the drunkards made Ballads of them Why the wicked are not respecters of persons all fish Reas 1. are alike that come to their net Nay rather the more holy any is the more be they hated of them A crabbed Kyte will seize on the tenderest carcasse so wicked and profane men make a prey of the most singular person Againe the rarer parts any hath the more doth hee build Reas 2. vp the decaied walls of Ierusalem gather the scattered Saints and repaire the body of Christ and this cannot Sathan neither his instruments tolerate with patience If the great Temple of Diana goe downe Bethel be aduanced let Paul expect the greatest spight that created Natures can complot against him If the Lords annointed call his Nobles for the welfare of our Israel then fire faggot gunpowder shall be prouided If this be thus then how doe they misse the marke and Vse 1. shoote besides the Butt
who make Pictures Lay-mens Vse 1. bookes and they defend that it giues no occasion of Idolatry I say no more then cutting of throates doth of murther or running into the fire of burning This must teach all of vs to haue regard to what is written Vse 2. To the Law we must and to the Testimony This is the surest way to keepe our selues from all idolatry and superstition for what is superstition but that which is aboue the Supra statutum stitute The next poynt is this that The words of the patterne are to be sound words Doct. 5. Sometimes the Word is called Pure holy precious wholesome tried sweete good and the like all which presuppose soundnes sincerity Psal 12. 7. Prov. 30. 5. Rom. 7. 12. For if the words be not sound the patterne cannot but Reas 1. be vnsound When poyson is mixed with good meates and wines it spoiles all so when the words be not wholesome the 〈◊〉 and forme of doctrine is defectiue one rotten post maketh a weake building We must be transformed into the doctrine and as the Reas 2. spirit in the meate we eate is turned into ours so must the Word we reade or heare be converted into vs. Rom. 6. 17. And if our spirituall food be not wholesome our soules will grow sicke and dye This taxeth the Familists who haue words neuer heard Vse 1. of but from themselues As Manified Godified fulcom throw-breakings and the like So the Papists they fetch the milke of the Word out of the breasts of the Whore as Masse Pope our Lady Cardinall Iesuite transubstantiation and many more We read of Canaanites Iebusites c. Of which number these may well be reputed They cry out against vs for strange words as Companation impanation circumpanation But we all abandon them with transubstantiation But may we not vse words that be not in Scripture Quest Answ Yes But the sense must be there as if we say faith onely iustifieth c. But here the Papist with an open mouth calleth vs Heretikes and say wee neuer reade faith onely in Scripture Well this onely would I aske them is Christs exposition true Is it imitable Then we may say faith onely it being a truth though onely be not added For it s written Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him which latter phrase Christ turnes him onely shalt thou serue Math. 4. 10. Luk. 4. 8. Sure they had best now they know it to correct Christs words and say Onely is not in the Hebrew Text. But these exalt themselues aboue all that is called God And therefore the very Antichrist And as here we be taught to avoyd vnsound words so Vse 2. we must truely vnderstand the words els though words be good the sense will be bad The Papists vnderstanding Grace which is the free favour of God to be that which is habituall in vs and righteousnesse imputed for inherent holinesse or created righteousnesse for iustification haue by that meanes made such a patterne as we may boldly speake is not onely dangerous but damnable A patterne of their prescription in stead of saving poy soneth Which thou hast heard of me Whence it followeth that Apostles are to prescribe Patternes Doct. 6. A No man vnder the degree of a Prophet or an Apostle may prescribe Gods Church and Children patternes See Ephes 2. 20. Math. 28. vlt. For they know like skilfull Physicians all the diseases Reas 1. of our soules and like cunning Painters they vnderstand the very height breadth length bayre complexion and age of our spirituall man and so doe no other therefore the fittest to prescribe patternes to giue vs receipts They onely had the hand of Gods spirit to guide their Reas 2. Pensill for they spake and gaue their patternes as they were carried by him otherwise they might haue erred now they could not therefore they onely can prescribe true patternes 2. Pet. 1. vlt. And here againe I might meete with Pope and Papist Vse 1. who haue made more false patternes by the vsurpation of authoritie then there be lies in their leaden Legend or false stories of theirs in the three Bookes of the Lady of Loretto But blessed be God they shall prevaile no longer with many for their madnesse is evident to all wise men I will not stand to name them for they be like so many leprous persons wrapped in menstruous rags stinking reliques Pittie such Painters abandon their patternes And here we learne a double Vse First that we take not Vse 2. vpon vs to prescribe patternes wee are neither Prophets nor Apostles Secondly Learne the knowledge of the true patterne and draw the picture of thy life by that for they were directed by the Holy Ghost they could not misse their draught and there is no word or thing that can truely settle thy soule and quiet thy heart but the words of Prophets and Apostles Keepe then this patterne which thou hast heard In faith and loue According to our former exposition of these words we collect this Doctrine that By faith and loue the patterne of sound words is kept and observed Doct. 7. These two are often coupled together and pressed by all Psal 27. vlt. An◠186 1. the Prophets and Apostles Cotoss 1. 4. 23. 1 Thes 1. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Phil. 5. 6. Rev. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 1 Ioh. 1. 2. 3. Iohn the loving Disciple treats still of loue For by faith we beleeue that God is and a rewarder of them Reas 1. that serue him Faith beleeueth the Law Gospell the threats promises And therefore it s said Without faith its impossible Heb. 11. 6. to please God And by faith we liue quench the fiery darts of the Deuill are iustified overcome the world and be saved And whatsoever is not of faith performed is said to be sinne Rom. 14. 23. So that Faith is necessary to keepe the patterne For it purifieth the heart inwardly and is the true ground of all outward and acceptable obedience And for Loue that 's needfull also For Loue helpeth attention strengtheneth the memory Reas 2. setteth the Will aworke vniteth to God and Man and therefore t is rightly said that By loue we fulfill the Law For Rom 13. 10. without this affection our best actions neither please the Creator nor be profitable to the creature Loue hath foure principall properties Properties of loue 1. It will make vs goe speedily about good duties how did the women run to the graue Sichem make haste to be circumcised And Christ raise vp Lazarus quickly and Loue constrained them 2. Loue will endure sorrow Christ through loue layd downe his life for vs the Apostles for their brethren it suffereth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4. c. 3. Loue seeketh revenge Shall he make our Sister a Whore Gen. 34. 31. And it will breake a good heart by taking revenge
Iudg. 17. vlt. me seeing I haue a Leuite to be my Priest And shall it not then be said of euery faithfull man and woman I am sure it will goe well with mee seeing I haue the Spirit of God in my heart And this Doctrine must teach the faithfull diuers lessons Vse 3. 1. They must take heed that they greiue not the holy spirit of God For neuer had any a better guest 2. To marry in the Lord for shall they make the Temple of the Holy Ghost the member of an harlot 3. To keepe their vessels in comelines and honour and to touch no vnholy thing For shall we defile the Temple of God 4. And finally to vse all meanes that it may be continued and preserued both from destruction and pollution Againe Let not a man disdaine to entertaine the faithfull Vse 4. When the Author of the Hebrewes would perswade the people to giue lodging to strangers he produceth this as Heb. 13. 2. an argument to moue them for saith he some in so doing haue receiued Angels into their houses Was this of force why then let the consideration of the poynt we haue in hand be powerfull to perswade to the same duty It went well with that family where Ioseph was so shall it with those that entertaine such in whom is the Spirit of God And here let man learne a lesson and wonder Is the Vse 5. Spirit of God in Paul and others where the spirit of all vncleannes not long before ruled Admire his humility that would descend so low as to dwell in so meane an habitation He that dwells in that light that none can attaine vnto now dwelleth where was a palpable darknes Salomon on this consideration broke out Is it so that the most high will dwell with the sonnes of men and shall not we doe the like from the same ground 1 King 8. 27. In the last place Let vs examine our selues whether we Vse 6. be Temples of this Spirit or not for if he dwell in the faithfull it 's reason we should proue if we our selues be not seduced And let these tryalls following decide the matter Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 1. Where he dwelleth there is peace that passeth all vnderstanding ioy that 's vnspeakeable glorious 2. There is liberty not to sinne but to all holy actions 1. They can pray with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed 2. Prayse God with an heart enlarged and with a willing Rom. 8. 26. minde 3. Runne all the wayes of Gods precepts chearefully and 4. Are resolute in the greatest and most desperate opposition for God his truth and their brethren 3. Where he takes vp his lodging there is holines He doth not dwell in Drunkards Epicures Vsurers fornicators or any vncleane person This fire purifieth the heart cleanseth the inward man though neuer so full of filthines in former time 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 5. 18. 4. In a word where he inhabiteth he alwaies moueth the mind to doe good refresheth the soule after the performance of any holy action with a secret content and hidden approbation opposeth all evill iniections in the first apprehension as of Atheisme merit murder c. and in Conclusion he alwaies allureth that person in whom he is to bring all his actions words gestures thoughts and intentions to the word of God reuealed for that 's his owne Rule and by that we may know if he be in vs had we no other tryall We may gather another Note of great consequence out of the word Dwell which is that Where the Spirit of God taketh true and speciall possession he Doct. 5. is not cast out for euer For the word Dewll importeth not onely possession but continuance David Abraham Iacob with all the faithfull were neuer totally and finally depriued of the Spirit or the graces of the Spirit after they once were the subiects of the same Ioh. 16. 13. Math. 28. 20. First because he delighteth in his habitation and where Reas 1. that is in the inhabitant he will not be remoued from his home Who is able to dispossesse him is there any greater then Reas 2. he he it is that hath cast out the strong man Sathan and will neuer suffer him againe to reenter But it s said that Sathan findeth the house swept bringeth Obiect seuen spirits worse them himselfe and dwelleth there Math. 12. 44. c. To omit the diuers interpretations of that place this I Sol. take to be the truest Sathan is compared to a wayfaring man or traueller who wandreth vp and downe the Moores and Marshes to find water yet when his hope is frustrate it being dry land he then returneth to home his own habitation the which is garnished to his minde So the Deuill when he cannot take possession of other persons he like a sow returnes to his former muddy poole and findeth it swept but from all goodnes therefore he resteth there with greater content then he had in his progresse He hath malice enough to seeke a dwelling in all the elect temples of Gods spirit but that fire from aboue hath dryed vp the spring of sinne he cannot finde reentry therefore he makes a regresse to that person or Nation where he shall certainly enter For if the Spirit had swept and garnished the house from the power of sinne and adorn'd it with his gifts that are peculiar to the elect the Diuell might knocke at the doore but he should neuer be admitted to entrance much lesse to dwell there This might serve to confute the Papists who hold that Vse 1. the Spirit may be lost and cast out but we haue elsewhere spoken more at large of this poynt then here we will And this may confirme the salvation of Salomon as also Vse 2. teach vs what to thinke of those that began in the spirit yet ended in the flesh assuredly their gifts were generall not speciall neither did the Holy Ghost euer in a peculiar manner dwell in their hearts This may be of good vse to all the godly for their saluation Vse 3. is sure the Spirit shall neuer leaue them vntill nor then neither he hath safely conducted them to the hauen of heauen Oh that we knew the worth of salvation then this doctrine would rauish our soules and in the greatest stormes of temptations yeeld vs boldnes Were a great Merchant assured that his pilot would and could bring his ship safe to shore oh how would it reioyce his heart and glad the soule and shall we haue no ioy in the consideration of the certainty of our saluation Sure then it is because we know not the worth of heauen or misery of shipwracke at the gates of hell Would it not haue comforted David or Iacob to haue had a Ionathan in their iourney And shall it be no matter of mirth to vs that the Spirit of truth will lead vs into all truth This made the man
of God in his greatest danger when he had almost slipâ— and beene turned out of the way to triumph that the Lord would guide him by his counsell and afterward receiue him to glory and in a good heart it will worke the like effect Psal 73. 25. And in the last place this might stirre vs vp to vse all Vse 4. good meanes that we might once entertaine and euer retaine so worthy a guest How will we inuite and entreat to haue our good friend but a day nay one meale to be with vs then shall we not vse all the skill we can to possesse the Spirit of God who will abide with vs and comfort vs at all Quest times in all conditions Thou wilt say Sir by what way may I come to this thing Why thou must get a new heart Ans for he will neuer lodge in the old for that 's naught And this heart must haue these properties 1. It must be broken and that by the Law and the Gospel Properties of a new heart Luk. 18. 13. The Law breakes the heart 2. Wayes 1. In reuealing vnto man the number and greatnes of his sinnes so great an enditement will pierce deepely 2. By declaring what fearefull Act. 2. 37 16. 27. c. iudgements we be subiect vnto For these two will humble a man to the dust He that seeth his former perfection what it was and present misery what it is cannot but be a man of sorrow and the law revealeth both But a Iudas may goe thus farre therefore the Gospell must haue its stroke in this busines and that thus when the Law like an hammer hath dashed in pieces our hard hearts then the promises must come to make them melt and relent within vs and that by a double act the one is in the consideration how our sinnes caused the onely sonne of God to become accursed for a good Nature hauing but a generall illumination cannot but be wounded at this consideration But yet we must passe another step ahd that is when the remembrance of Gods mercy in giuing vs his sonne to dye for vs and in assuring our hearts that all our sinnes are freely pardoned the many heavy iudgements that we were lyable to are for euer remoued and our saluation sealed to our soules I say when the remembrance hereof hath its strong operation and makes our hearts to melt in our bodies The Law like the mallet breaketh the flinty heart but the precious promises of the Gospell like a kind shower the earth bringeth it to a good temper For as the field that becomes fruitfull must haue the first and second raine after that it s plowed and rent asunder by the harrow so must a new heart haue this twofold worke by the Law and gracious promises contained in the Gospell We must not onely mourne that our sinnes be many and the iudgments we be lyable to heauie but also euen our bowells must yearne within vs that Christ was crucified for vs being an innocent person and the Lords fauour worke mightily with vs who hath declared vnto vs in particular such a depth of mercy 2. The new heart must be a pure and purging heart For Math 5. 8. blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this pure heart is procured by two meanes 1. By getting of faith for faith will purge like barme in beere and purifie the heart it will cause that no corruption shall lodge or abide neere it 2. A pure heart is obtained by this consideration that no vncleane heart shall inherit the kingdome of God For euery thing naturally seekes it owne preseruation and this once vnderstood it will haue its operation This new heart must be like a liuing spring 3. A new heart must be a smiting heart and that for the least sinne that 's done in secret knowne only to God and our selues aswell as for great offences committed in publike 2 Sam 24. 10. and in the view of many Dauid had a new heart and his had both these qualities and it must smite 1. For sinnes of commission 2. Of omission 4. A new heart must be an vpright heart and that is in regard of time or person for time alwaies endeavouring to be righteous for person 1. Before God And 2. With all Acts 24. 16. men And herein I doe endeauour my selfe alwayes to haue a good conscience before God and before men So that we see that new hearts must be 1. Broken hearts 2. Purging hearts 3. Smiting hearts 4. Vpright hearts and in such an heart dwelleth the Spirit of God Wherefore strive thou for such a one and be thou assured that the Spirit of God will come into thy heart and dwell with thee for euer and euer But if thine heart be not thus qualified be not deceiued the Holy Ghost shall neuer take one nightes abode in the mansion of thy soule and on the contrary thy heart will be but a Denne for that foule and vncleane spirit the Deuill who if he possesse thy heart will draw thee on into that fiery Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for all eternity I might here note another Doctrine which is that The Spirit of God is an holy Spirit Doct. 6. He is in many places so stiled in Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 13. Eph. 4. 30. c. And he may be so called for these Reasons First in that he proceedeth from the father and the Son Reas 1. the fountaine of all holines Againe he is coequall coessentiall coeternall with the 2. Father and the Son Therefore God holy yea holines it selfe And he worketh the beginning progresse and perfection 3. of all holines in the Creature And as he is opposed to Sathan that vncleane spirit he is sayd to be holy Finally he alwayes disswadeth from vncleannes and perswadeth 4. to holines as we may see in the holy Scriptures which by the holy men of God were penned as they were carried by the holy Ghost Take we heed therefore how we resist or quench the Vse 1. motions of this Spirit For this is a fearefull sinne and to be avoyded We read of some that haue grieued and despighted the holy Ghost but the end of such was neare vnto cursing and burning And this may be done in our selues and others What a lamentable thing is it when gracious words proceede from mens mouthes to heare one say O Sir I perceiue you are a Puritane and one full of the Spirit Doest thou this of ignorance Why then thou art blame-worthy to speake euill of what thou knowest not if of knowledge the greater is thy offence and seemeth to be a step vnto that sinne vnto death Therefore in the name of God despite not the Spirit of grace in thy selfe or thy brother And seeing this Spirit is holy Let those that enioy him Vse 2. be carefull to keepe him and them that want him to striue for him for he is
worth the hauing Holines is a thing much to be respected and cannot be had without the spirit And doe thou obserue these directions 1. When thou feelest and findest any secret motion stirred How the spirit may be procured vp in thy heart to holines entertaine it prayse God for it and giue willing obedience therevnto For there is almost no man but at one time or other he shall heare a still voice within him saying This is the way walke in it This must Isa 30. 21 be cherished greatly regarded For if we put this from vs peraduenture when we would with all our hearts feele such whisperings they will be wanting and not easily come by 2. Attend vpon the men of God in the Ministery of his word For it s sayd While Peter spake and the people heard the holy Ghost fell vpon them They that deny the meanes cannot expect this mercy Act. 10. 44. 3. Pray to God the Father that he would send downe his Spirit into thy heart Can they that are evill saith our Sauiour giue to their Children good things how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Luk. 11. 13. 4. And in Conclusion Speake not evill of thy brother say not he hath a Devill This was the Pharisees fault and Mark 3. 30. in so doing it seemes they sinned vnto death For they told him that he cast out Devills by the Prince of Devills when they thought otherwise so that malice against the truth being accompained with a sound vnderstanding of the truth appeareth to be that irremissible sinne Now the last thing to be collected is this that The Graces of the Spirit are preserved by the Spirit Doct. 7. Paul hauing commanded Timotheus an hard taske giues here a notable direction how he may be able to doe the same and that is through the assistance of the holy Ghost This is also seene Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 13. For Sathan is strong man but weake 2. He is subtill we Reas 1. 2. be simple so that the Spirit of all wisedome and power is he that can enable vs to preserue this worthy thing within vs. And who more fit to doe this then hee that hath wrought this good worke by his owne finger in vs Here we might controule the doctrine of our Aduersaries Vse 1. who ascribe so much power to man after grace receiued or especially that they attribute so much to man in his pure naturalls Hath Timothie neede of the speciall worke and aide of the Spirit to keepe the gifts of grace in him Let them then that will stand vpon their owne strength we dare not Vse 2. And in the next place here we learne instruction to be humble in our owne eyes to deny our owne power and to runne at all times and in all distresses to this refuge of the Spirit for assistance He that doth this doth wisely and but his duty neither the which he is commanded And he that doth not this layeth himselfe open to the fiery shot of Sathan and dangerous methods he vseth buildeth on the sand and the house of his hope the foundation of his faith is certaine to fall But let not vs so learne or teach the Doctrine of Christ Yea rather pray we with the Prophet Lord stablish me with thy free Spirit Plal. 51. 13. VERS 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes IN this Verse is contained a complaint Where foure things are to be observed The Logicall resolution I. The persons against whom it is made and they be laid downe 1. Generally and implicitely in the word all c. 2. Particulary and explicitely one is named Phygellus another Hermogenes II. These people are explicated by their place of habitation or birth which was In Asia III. Their fault was that they turned backe IV. From whom that is expressed in the word Mee And the proofe of the trueth of all this is annexed For this thou knowest This thou knowest That is thou Timotheus doest The Theologicall exposition very well know by experience that what I say is truth Thet all they which are in Asia Or which were in Asia for the time is not expressed in the Greeke neither is it much materiall whether he complained of them that followed him to Rome or that remained still in Asia or that dwelt in Rome being borne in Asia But this is most true that they were Asians I will say nothing where this place was or how farre distant from Rome or the scituation and largenes of it but leaue it those that haue skill in Geography and Topography Be turned from me That is haue not visited me refreshed me Me. Paul the Ambassadour of Christ but haue forsaken me and denied their former profession Some read are become aduersaries to me and rise vp against me I thinke that they omitted all these duties of loue and resolution in Religion the which were in Onesiphorus so that I would expound their fault by the future commendation which immediately followeth Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Or of which sort country number and its likely these two were of the chiefe of them probably Ministers I doe not thinke it vnprofitable in vaine or all together The Metaphrase without warrant to put thee my sonne in remembrance of the many Backsliders who were in Asia forsaking of me and revolting from their former profession of the Gospell of which number Phygellus and Hermogenes were men not of the meanest rancke and note amongst them although it be very well knowne vnto thee by experience already For this thou knowest Hence it may be collected that It is warrantable and profitable to put the people in minde of others Doct. 1. backesliding and falling away For if it were not then Paul would not haue done it we may be assured This may also be seene in Act. 20. 29. c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 13. c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. For by this meanes they may learne to beware of such Reas 1. And is it not good to be acquainted with our enemies for he that is forewarned is forearmed It will cause the people to make the more of them that Reas 2. Ioh. 6. 67. be faithfull Will ye also goe away and is not this an helpe to discerne betwixt the good and evill It will make the best to looke better to their footing least Reas 3. they themselues also fall away For good Christians are iealous of their owne estate and will draw spirituall instruction out of euery thing When one falls before vs we shall looke the more circumspectly to our footing Finally they will be the lesse discouraged or disheartened Reas 4. when they heare that some haue fallen For were there not some such examples it would goe worse with the best for hereby they see it 's no new thing to
Townesmen doe still liue by stealth I scarce know one of many who will not filch and steale And shall we not then iudge him a foole that will be drunke for company and follow the most though they be the worst Noah might haue followed the old world Onesiphor us all Asia the Queene of the South haue staid at home Lot ate and drunke with the Sodomites and the Prophet Mithaiah Prophesied lies with 400. false Prophets vpon as good ground But should they haue then escaped drowning burning and damnation Would these examples haue exempted them from fire and destruction yet they were great many and mightie for multitude In the next place therefore let vs neuer be led by the most Vse 2. but the best for if we follow the many millions who drink vp sinne as the fishes doe water we shall participate of their paine and torment Let vs all then with good Iosuah resolue that we with our families will serue the Lord for heapes of lewd examples exempt none that tread their darke steps from cursing and burning Wherefore with fewest follow the truth in loue and neuer runne after the rude and rash multitude to commit evill Another point we may single out from the comparing of them that fell away with him that stood stedfast in the faith which is that In the time of persecution few haue beene found faithfull Doct. 2. Psal 12. 1. 1 King 19. 10 David cryeth Helpe Lord there is not a godly man left Elias I am left alone The faithfull are fallen from the earth diminished are the righteous Luk. 2. 35. For affliction is harsh to flesh and bloud it will not easily Reas 1. be sustain'd vndergone Oh! how hard a thing is it to forsake all and follow Christ Because many were neuer throughly rooted and grounded Reas 2. in the trueth they haue not deeply tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore they pitty themselues Stand not amazed then if vpon the same ground thou Vse 1. seest whole troopes cast off the yoke throw their ensignes in the field and run away For the strong water of affliction will carry vnsound mindes like chaffe on heapes before it Let this sword be drawne pierce the hearts of one or two the Hypocriticall thoughts of thousands will be vnsheathed discouered Luk. 2. 25. Then boast not too much of others or thy owne resolution Vse 2. in the times of peace for thou maist well with Peter in an hot skirmish shrinke and shriuell seeke out a secret place and deny thy Master Many cry I would haue dyed rather then haue done as such or so But wast thou euer in like triall hast thou proued thy prowesse by experience in equall perill why then ti 's somewhat to the purpose If not doe thou feare for wisemen will it 's but vaine boasting cowardly like bragging And I haue seene this that bawâ—ng curres bite least soonest run away so hot spirits in calme times haue proved the greatest cowards when Garments haue tumbled in bloud I had rather be that sonne who promised nought and yet did his Fathers will then he that said enough but did nothing And so we come more directly to the words as they are independant and absolute in themselues And first of all we collect this instruction that A good gouernour may procure a blessing to the whole family Doct. 3. For Pauls prayer was grounded on the Lords promise Gen. 19 30 27. 39. 5. therefore he might prevaile Lot did so to Sodom Ioseph to Pharaoh's house Iacob to Laban Lydia and the Iaylor being Act. 16. baptized and beleeuers no doubt but their families fared the better for their sakes Rahab the harlot saued many aliue so Iosh 22. Paul in the ship For godly gouernours are in the Couenant of grace and Reas 1. the Lord hath promised to be their God and the God of their seed also and shall his promise take none effect Away Gen. 17. 7. with that A second reason may be drawne from the neare vnion Reas 2. that is amongst them for Masters and seruants Parents and children make as it were but one body so that if it goe well with the head welfare the members Whelpes fare the better for the childrens sake in gathering vp the crumms that fall from their fingers This serues in the first place to cut off the many cauills Vse 1. which such men vse to make They vse to reply like the virgins when they are moued to distribute to the necessitie of the Saints I would but I feare that I haue not enough for my selfe and children you know that I haue a great charge and no small thing will maintaine so many fill all these mouthes And He is worse then an Infidell that provides not for his family Thus couetous men quote Scripture to serue their wicked purpose but neuer else Yet alas they neuer consider the prayers of the Saints how God of oftentimes punisheth their posterity with pouertie for their pinching nay taketh from them his word and Spirit the greatest iudgement on earth as he did by the family of Ieroboam And though children be punisht for their owne sinne yet that they are punisht such a time and in such a manner or measure often commeth to passe through the wickednes of parents As we see that when the Canaanites sinne was full they brought a speedier and greater curse vpon their posterity This may be a great comfort for good gouernours for Vse 2. certainly they shall not loose their reward hast thou visited the widowes and fatherlesse washed the Saints feete distributed to their necessities then shall the Lord shew mercy to thee and thy seede after thee build vpon 't for God is true of his promise yea such as comfort his shall be comforted of him But on the contrary such parents as pinch and spare withhold their hands from doing of good when iust occasion is offered they shall lay vp wealth for him that shall wast it nay peraduenture they shall neuer know who shall be their heire and is not this vanitie and a great griefe And this may be a strong Motiue to moue parents to be Vse 3. good and godly for their childrens sake wouldest thou haue thy throne established thy feede flourish and thy posteritie blessed then be mercifull to the poore become an honest man feare God and worke righteousnes A wicked father and prophane mother as much as in them is doe pull downe pouertie shame contempt and all the fearefull curses of the Almighty vpon their owne soules and bodies with their children also Oh! that they would beleeue this Let naturall affection moue thee if the feare of God will not worke vpon thee to doe good and to be pittifull And know thou this that wicked Parents are likest to the Deuill murtherers from the beginning no sooner haue they giuen the weake infant a being but by their sinnes as so many sharpe
The yong man must Remember his Creator in the daies of youth least the houres come wherein hee shall haue no pleasure in them Iezabel had a time so had Ierusalem Agrippa and many others but when they foreslowed the oportunitie they found not in future time any mercy When God calleth and we will not come we shall cry but we shall not be heard Wofull experience hath taught this truth to many thousands for there is an appointed time for all things vnder the sunne 2. Seeke for what thou wouldst haue at the Lords hands let him be the principall Asa was sicke in his feete Ezekiah at the heart the one seeking to the Phisician first died the other going to God had his life many yeares prolonged Goe not with Saul to a witch at Endor with Iudas to the Pharisees with Ephraim and Iudah to Ashur and Hos 5. 13. king Iareb with the Papist to the Pope or Angell But goe to the Lord for these are miserable comforters and the best of them if the God of all the world the first mouer of all things and chiefe Phisician be absent cannot heale thee or cure thee of thy wound But seek vnto God and he will heare thee helpe thee 3. Goe to him but not like the proud Pharisee with I thanke God I am not so nor so neither with the boasting Papist in the robes of thing owne righteousnes but come vnto him in the name of Christ Iesus the sonne of his loue send him or set him before thee For whatsoeuer thou shalt seeke in his name that is in his worthines it shall be giuen thee For without Christ he is a consuming fire 4. Let the word and that neuer-erring spirit be thy guide If these two lead thee to the Father in the new and euerliuing way of Christ the Sauiour of all that are saued thou shalt find according to thy hearts desire Practise this Rule 5. Haue respect to the manner of thy seeking let it be vpon the feete of faith and affection with the wings of pure zeale and feruency and then thou shalt find assuredly 6. And finally let the end of thy seeking be for the glory of thy God the good and comfort of thy brethren and reformation of all thy wayes the curing and curbing of thy strong corruptions the encrease of all grace and for food friends favour and rayment so farre and no farther as the Lord seeth them to be needfull for thee Obserue these directions and then stay the Lords leysure and be sure of it that as Onesiphorus found Paul so shalt thou the thing thou hast sought after be it what it can in earth or heauen Now whereas Onesiphorus sought Paul at Rome and was permitted to refresh him we may note that Rome heathen was not sobad then as Rome Christian is now Doct. 5. Act. 28. 30. For Paul might be suffered to liue to haue his keeper Reas 1. to leade him in a chaine to dwell in a house all that would were permitted to come vnto him and without let he might preach the kingdome of God the Gospell of Christ But now if a Paul were there he would not be thought worthy to liue no not for an houre Againe wicked men grow worse and worse Reas 2. Vse Let this for euer be as a sure brand for that Beast who is drunkk with the bloud of the Saints that it is he and no other who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and the very Antichrist whom the Lord will consume with the sword of his mouth They boast of piety and pitty when as Cain was no more cruell to Abel then they be to the faithfull Well Let them thinke that they doe God good seruice in putting vs to death yet they are deceiued it that In this we are not that for so doing they shall tast of the very dregs of Gods hottest vengeance spue and fall and dye the second death For Pope and Papists are men according to the Divells owne heart VERS 18. The Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day and in how many things he hath ministred vnto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well WE are now come through the good prouidence The Logicall resolution of God to the last verse of this Chapter In the which two things are comprehended 1. A prayer 2. An Appellation In the Prayer we may obserue 4. things 1. To whom Paul prayed the Lord. 2. For whom he prayed him That is Onesiphorus 3. For what he prayed mercy 4. At what time he would haue his friend to receiue the thing he prayed for at that day In the Appellation we haue these particulars 1. That Onesiphorus relieued Paul 2. The place where it was at Ephesus 3. Wherewith that is many things And 4. The probation of this in the last words These or this thou knowest very well He drawes an argument from Timotheus knowledge to confirme his Testimony The Lord. In Hebrew Adonai is Lord being a word of The Theologicall exposition the plurall number yet often vsed in the forme singular it is deriued of Aeden a base or pillar which sustaineth a thing and our English word Lord hath much like signification being contracted of the old Saxon word Laford which commeth of Laef to support sustaine or cherish so that Lord is a Sustainer refresher supporter cherisher For if God withdraw his power all things come to nothing In the Greeke it properly signifieth one that hath authoritie or on whose authoritie something dependeth or consisteth and so indeed doe all things depend on God and hee is cheife gouernour and owner of all things created Mercy The word in the Hebrew put for mercy doth import a sacred affection of piety fauour benignitie and bountifull good pleasure or will of God towards a man without respect of desert or merit It is also applied to man and then it is meant a pious louing and benigne affection whereby he is moued and inclined to doe good to shew pittie compassion c. or that grace of God the which he hath receiued from the father through Christ which is inherent in him or conferred externally vpon him and then its glory Isai 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. And it is frequent for the Greeks to vse that word which our Apostle doth here for it the which Christ himselfe alloweth did practise See Hos 6. 6. Math. 9. 13. And the Hebrewes of Chesed which is Mercy call a godly man chasid that is gracious mercifull Psal 4. 4. some read a gracious Saint With the Lord. The like phrase we read Gen. 19. 24. The Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord. Paul vseth the like manner of speaking for as iudgement came from the Lord vpon Sodom so he prayes for mercy to befall Onesiphorus from the Lord Yet I haue thought that Lord in the first place is to be vnderstood of the Father and in the second is meant the Sonne
11. with Gods Saints For there the deuil endeauoureth to dwell as the Pope at Reas 1. Rome at this day he raiseth stormes of affliction the leprosie of sin cleaueth close to their walls through his setting on Againe those places coÌ„monly haue many sorts of false religions Reas 2. all will coÌ„spire against the truth in that become friends as we see in Herod Pilate in crucifying of our Lord Iesus so we read of Ephraim against Manasseh Manasseh against Ephraim yet both against Iudah Isai 9. 21. Let none thinke that the greatnes of the place can exempt Vse 1. him from pouerty or persecution Be not too forward to pitch thy Tents at Bethel except Vse 2. thou haue a full and lawfull calling Lot may liue better in little Zoar then in the great city of Sodom Christ in the small village then at Ierusalem Moses at Madian then in Aegypt Where Onâ—siphorus relieued Paul so worthy a man and an Apostle this will follow that The best man and worthiest Christian may stand in want be Doct. 12. releiued by a meaner person that both for soule and body For the one may be in prosperitie when the other is in aduersity Reas 1. in peace when the other is in war corporal spirituall God bringeth it to passe for to encrease affection to knit Reas 2. them the nearer together in the bands of loue and amitie Doe not lightly regard thy inferiour brother for the weaker Vse 1. may doe pleasure to the stronger Timotheus may do Paul a kindnes in carrying him his bookes and parchments And the meaner man weaker Christian by this may be Vse 2. of comfort for little doth he know how the Lord will imploy him Iephthah was despised being basely borne yet in future time the people prayed him to be their Iudge and he was so and he fought and prevailed for Israel The third point we note where Onesiphorus ministred to him many things is this that A good man thinkes nothing too deare for the preachers of the Doct. 13. Gospell We are commanded to make such partakers of all our goods Rom. 15. 27. 1 Cor. 9. 4. c. For they giue spirituall things for carnall Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. They watch for mens soules They suffer much paine in study reproches of the wicked and bitter pangs for others good In a word they are the Ambassadours of the great King Reas 4. Vse 1. This checketh many who would be reputed forward professors and with Simon Magus some great bodies yet thinke all too much that goeth that way These could be content that like Paul Ministers would turne tentmakers But be thou otherwise minded if he be a man sent from Vse 2. God preach the word and is faithfull holy all thou hast is too little for him Let such a man enioy a sufficient honourable and constant stipend I say if his doctrine be sound his conuersation proportionable make yee much of such But would ye know what letteth 1. Coueteousnes This holdeth all and cryeth giue giue bâ—t will neuer part with any thing We haue a thousand yong men in our dayes Christ met but with one in his we read â—f that would goe away sorrowfull if they should sell but an hundreth part of what they haue to giue the poore especially were he a preacher 2. Infidelity letteth For men want faith to credit God therfore they be so strait-handed Did men beleeue that they should be rewarded an hundred fold would they not be more liberall And of all men the Vsurer he hath no faith for he will take mans band before Gods for Ten where he might haue the Lords for Ten-times Ten in the Hundred and will not 3. Idlenes is another let these vsually doe nothing so they haue nothing that liue in this lethargie 4. And the last let is vnthriftines An vnthrift and prodigall alwaies be in want for they haue one way whereout more runs in a day then will returne in a yeare The two first Coueteousnes and Infidility get all but will part with nothing the two letter vnthriftines Idlenes either are vsually in want or if they haue it it runs apace but a wrong way and takes its rest but neuer on the right subiect So that let Ministers neuer expect maintenance from any of these especially if he cry out as he must against these bosom and beloued sins Christ was neuer worse vsed or Paul either then when they preached against Coueteousnes and Prodigality And lazie vnthriftie persons make sure work for amending for the one is vsuall turning himselfe on his bed like a doore on its hinges and the other in the tauerne or tipling house into a barrell or a beast when they should heare the preacher and be reformed And to end with the end this we note for a conclustion thaâ— In the greatest straits the Lord remembreth them that suffer Doct. 14. for his cause and Gospel Read the Acts of the Apostles Paul was releeued at Rome often at Ephesus yea the rude Barbarians did vse him kindly Act. 28. 2. For God hath the most glory by them Reas 1. 2. 3. 4. The rest of the Church most benefit by them The truth the greatest prayse by them And sin Sathan all his depthes the greatest ouer â—â—row by them and shall not the Lord then remember them Let vs imitate our heauenly Father euer respecting those Vse 1. most that suffer for our good and alwayes to the vttermost of our power to make much of such Priscilla and Aquila must be greeted much respected why for they to saue Pauls life laid downe their owne neckes Surely if God deale mercifully with those that suffer for him shall we want compassion towards them that suffer for vs And is it so as we haue heard Then be resolute in the Vse 2. Lords cause take vp thy burden gird thy sword vpon thy thigh put on al the armour of a Christian souldier march on in thy ranck and order What if Sathan tempt thee the Serpent brood do bite thee the fiery triall befall thee or the King of feare pale fac'd death looke grin vpon thee Yet the word is gone out the oath is 〈◊〉 to it and the Spirit hath sealed that they that suffer for the â—ruth of God of Papist or Pope men or Deuills in Rome or is â—ll shall neuer be forgotten for saken Take a view through all 〈◊〉 holy letters cast thine eye on all the former ages looke where thou wilt or canst and thou shalt alwayes find it so that in the greatest misery God hath remembred mercy in the greatest weakenes giuen power in the most pinching pouerty sent plenty and in death conveied life Wherefore neuer feare want misery penury mortality for the Lord shal be with thee whether soeuer thou goest and in what estate soeuer thou beest But me thinkes I heare some say What needeth all this 〈◊〉 not at peace may we not sit vnder out vines sleepe safely in our beds walke the pleasant fields eate drinke and take our pleasure Mistake me not For I am not weary with these fauours I wish the Sun of that morning may neuer rise or that euill time approach wherin it might be said the Arke is gone and the glory of God from this our Israel Yet is not Sathan compassing the world hath not the Serpent much viperous spawâ—â— will not his great instrument that blacke crawling vgly adder the Papist be casting foorth his venome shooting out his sting and lye lurking in the sweetest herbes to bruise the heele of the seed of the woman But to let this passe death will come iudgment will come and damnation will come this thou knowest And is it then in vaine to comfort thee against those three fierce gyants that thou shalt conquer and ouercome them all that not an haire of thine head shall perish but thou shalt be landed safe at the kay of Canaan the kingdome of God I cannot tell I doe but guesse yet except thy faith exceed mine me thinkes I am not herein at all deceiued neither a whit vnprofitably exercised But I say no more Let the day declare it FINIS Laus Deo Amen