their belly acted the part of a god in giving them lawes bidding them to doe proiect devise this or that undermine such and grounding them in this first fundamentall law Thou canst not live long neither wilt thou live well therefore while thou livest live for thy pleasure take thy ease and from thence inioynes them to use all meanes thereto take all acquaintance undermine all that crosse thee and all to this end that thou maist have thy ease As it was then so now is it with the Papists their successors all the differences in Religion betweene them and us are by them grounded on the bellie that is the Monarchie of the Pope and worldly pompe and Masses invented for idle Priests latine prayers little or no preaching onely that the people being ignorant they might more easily command them If their errors were not invested in gaine wee should soone accord their worship especially the manner thereof onely to delight the sense And among our selves many are not wanting that make profession of religion but denie the power thereof so long as religion and outward content doe meet and when Religion brings preferment all will be religious for they live by no rules but those that their lusts prescribes morning and evening taking care for the flesh how to bee rich how to live at ease and for this will sell their birthright in happinesse refusing the Word refusing good companie yea heaven it selfe And this justly comes as a iudgement for mans first rebellion when men will not serve God as they should they are iustly given over to the service of those that are no Gods But it may be asked may wee not seeke to content our flesh I answer wee may respect our bodies and there is a due honour that belongs to the outward man but we must so seeke for them as in the first place and principally we seeke the Kingdome of heaven and is righteousnesse and then God hath promised to cast these things upon us But when wee breake order and measure being first and principally carefull for our lusts the divell knowing our haunts offers baites fitting for our humours and wee like filthiâ— swine devoure our owne destruction And therefore to avoid this let us set the feare of God and damnation before our eyes and if we use not these things moderatly and soberly let that in Rom. 8.13 be as a flaming sword to keepe us from the way to destruction If we live according to the lusts of the flesh we shall die and therefore as strangers and Pilgrims let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule against our comfort here and our happie estate hereafter Secondly let us avoid the companie of condemned persons but looke on them with a kinde of horrour and detestation of them and and passe not for their wicked censures their end is damnation and their bellie is their God But because the best are drawne away by these pleasures let us observe some directions And first let us see the reasons why we are thus inveagled with them First these earthly contentments are present to our sense the other onely are present to faith which the carnall man lookes not after neither cares for Secondly wee nusle up our selves in an opinion of the necessitie of these things seeing the present use of them and wee see no present use of those better things Thirdly these things are bred up with us and wee are acquainted with them from our infancie and so they pleade prescription and when we are thus taken up before Religion comes after and very hard it must needs be to keepe our mindes lifted up and yet is it most necessarie to be for lusts doe drowne men in perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 But for helpes in this estate of ours observe first with due consideration the nature dignitie and excellencie of the soule that it is a spirit of an excellent beautie adorned with understanding and judgement not made to cast off the crowne submitting it selfe to the rule of every base lust which indeed is the onely happinesse of the beasts nay if happinesse consist in pleasing the senses beasts are more happie than we for they have neither sâ—â—me without nor conscience within to disquiet them in the injoyment of their pleasures And know also that this bodie of ours being of that excellent temper is a fabricke which was not made onely for to be a strainer for meate to passe through The qualitie of the braine in man the structure of the eve doe testifie man was made for divine meditation to contemplate of the workes of God which it doth behold with the eye as through a glasse Secondly wee must know by giving our affections to these things we are made like the things we affect for the soule is placed in the middest as it were betweene heaven and earth and as it affects the one or the other so is it fashioned if we love the flesh we are flesh if wee follow the spirit wee are transformed to its likenesse Thirdly consider that God is better than the worshipper else is hee mad that will worship it but the bellie is baser than our selves reason teacheth us the pleasures of this life end in death when our soules must still continue after all now to seeke such pleasures as cannot continue with us is madnesse as appeares even by the light of reason and therefore are of more power with naturall men than pure religious truthes but for those that are called The Scripture puts them in minde of the last day of judgement and telles them that they are made for heaven and such are therefore to set their mindes on things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Col. 3.1 and when they begin to grow worldly and to follow their belly it calles them backe with a but know for all this God will bring thee to judgement which duly pondered cannot but be as a hooke in our jawes to bring us back to a more diligent watch over our wayes VERS 19. And whose glorie is in their shame A Second part of the inward disposition shewing that they glorie in that which brought shame to them for circumcision was a ceremonie given to the Church when it was but in the infancie and for them that were borne in the strength of the Church being well growne to glorie in such beggerly rudiments was shamefull in the words first consider the affection second the object or end for the word implyes both and in the first consider the sinne then the cure The sinne that is reproved in them is vaine-glorie that is glorying in a thing not to bee gloried in and it is grounded upon pride which is a desire of excellencie in vaine things and it is for the most part in vaine injuditious men who ordinarily doe glorie in things that tend to shame These Philippians saw that Paul was now committed the doctrine hee taught they thought was not good
a Christian by his proper act Worship and by the proper object thereof God and by his most proper part in spirit And the word Worship is taken for the inward worship of God commanded in the first Commandement also comprehending our feare love of God and joy in him issuing from the knowledge of the true God All our obedience issuing herefrom is worship of God including our duties to man in obedience and relation to Gods Commandement The ground of this obedience and worship is the relation betweene God and the reâ—sonable creature being the Image of God now this image being lost in the fall of our first parents wee must worship him not onely as our creator and maker but as reconciled to us in Christ as he hath made us anew Secondly we are to worship him as the well-spring of all grace goodnesse excellencie and greatnesse Thirdly As he doth communicate all unto us he is ours Christ is ours all is ours this should carry our soules to love him be his as he is ours especially to be his in Spirit By which is meant the reasonable soule understanding will and affections And Secondly with sanctified understanding sanctified will and sanctified affections Thirdly with all our strength spirit life and chearfull readinesse Wherefore God is the proper object of spirituall worship Trust on him love him joy in him invoke and pray to him and to him onely not to the Virgin Mary Saints or Images as the Papists doe Mat. 4.10 Him onely shalt thou serve as Christ saith because our commandement is onely from him and extends onely to him The promises are onely from him he onely is present in all places he onely supplies our wants and he onely knowes what our wants are and how to helpe Saints are not present in all places they cannot heare many at once nay they cannot heare our prayers unlesse they be present they are finite creatures they have no infinite properties Christ he bids us invites us to come to him he hath promised to heare us and to ease us And further God knowes the secret wants which the Saints cannot know no wee our selves know them not and therefore are we to goe onely to God in all our necessities because it is most gainfull for us to goe to him that can helpe us nay we owe him this honour by going to him to acknowledge his omnipresence his willingnesse and ability to doe good VERS 3. In Spirit THe Apostle in these words shewes the manner of true worship by the most proper and fit part of a Christian to wit his Spirit that is as soule truely sanctified lively and cheerfully with a willing and ready mind fitly disposed Contrary to outward false and hypocriticall worship And the reason is Because God is a Spirit and therefore must be worshipped in spirit Secondly it is the best part of a man and God who challenges all and that justly looks especially that he hath the best part Thirdly the Spirit hath a being of it selfe and praiseth loveâ—h and rejoyceth in God when it s out of the body and the body is stirred up to this duâ—y onely by the spirit it being of it selfe senselesse as a blocke and outward worship without inward is but the carkasse of worship The Prayer of a wicked man is abominable because he regards iniquitie in his heart Psal. 66.18 And this spirit of ours without the spirit of God cannot worship him and therefore every one that is not changed makes God an Idoll This may deprive all such of comfort as care not for this spirituall worship thinking they have done enough if they have mumbled a few idle words over God accepts it no more than if they had sacrificed a dogges head as he saith Esay 66.3 And verily what other is Poperie but a bodie without a soule when they worship in blinde sacrifices in a strange language Is this a spirituall worship when they neither know what they doe nor say Let us shew that we are not of their number Come we with love and with the intention of all our affections and this will sway the whole man body and soule and so shall we worship him in truth and not in hypocrisie as many doe that bring their Idols with them their mindes are on their pleasures and riches though their body be present before God And it hath ever been an error in the world this limiting and tying Gods worship to outward worship of the body with a kinde of ceremonious gesture and it is very much liked for such like Reasons as these are First the outward gesture as holding up hands bending the knee casting up the eyes they are things that may easily be done Secondly they make a glorious shew in the eyes of the world its a commendable and good quality to be religious especially if they bee observed so to be Thirdly its beneficiall to men when as hereby they are knowne to be no Atheists and therefore not that way uncapable of preferment or the like Fourthly outward worship satisfies conscience a little men know they must worship God and goâ— to Church that these are means to save men and thâ—y thinke that in doing so they stoppe the cryes of their consciences Alas Alas these sleepie blinded consciences of theirs will â—t length awake and will accuse them for the outward ceremonious hypocriticall worship of him that requires the spirit to worship him with But some men may say how shall we know whether we serve God in spirit or no I answer observe these properties First Wâ—ether thou lamentest thy defects in the best actions thou dost and art not puffed up with conceit of the sufficiencie of thy performances Paul found this in him for although he lived being a Pharisee as concerning the Law unrebukable yet when he was converted he saw much corruption which before he knew not and laments and bewailes it Rom. 7. Secondly Examiâ—e thy selfe whether thou makest conscience of private closet duties Of prayer in thy studie when none sees thee Of thy very thoughts Dost thou serve God with thy affections and thy very soule Dost thou weepe in secret for sinnes yea for thy secret sinnes Dost not thou doe good duties to be seene of men as the Pharisees did Contrariwise wilâ— thou omit no place nor time but alwaies and in all places thou wilt worship God This must be done for God is alwayes and for ever God and he is in all places in private as well as publike and therefore a Christians heart must be the Sanctum Sanctorum where God must remaine present continually and therefore he makes conscience of and is humbled for the least sinnes yea those that the world esteemes not of and counts them as niceties and that in as great a measure as ordinarily men are for the greatest sinnes they commit Thirdly Canst thou indure the search of thy selfe and thy infirmities by all meanes by thy selfe by others by the word
by private friends Nay canst thou desire this search that thou maist know thy â—inne more and more for this end that thou mayst truely hate it with a more perfect hatred Canst thou truely appeale to God as Peter did to Christ thou knowest that I love and preferre thee above all It is a sure signe of thy sinceritie which the world cannot have and therefore when they see their sinnes laid open they spurne at the ordinances and spite the Minister and their true friends that put them in minde of their faults accounting them as their onely enemies Surely they shall never be able to indure the search of God hereafter and the last day when he shall lay them open they shall be overcome with shame A fourth signe is That at the houre of thy death this spiritual worshipping of God will give thee content when nothing else can Thou mayst say with comfort as Hezekiah did Lord remember how I have walked before thee in sinceritie When down-right affliction comes outward verball profession vanisheth with all the comforts thereof then perisheth the hope of the hypocrite Two things upheld Iob in comfort in his great extremity he was first assured that his redeemer lived and secondly he knew his innocency in those things that his friends charged him with and such times will fall on us all either at the time of death or before when nothing but innocencie and sincerity shall be able to uphold us Labour therefore for sincerity and spirituall worship Worship God in spirit but let it be done outwardly also But first bring thy heart and intention to what thou dost and that will stirre up the outward man to its duty and for the performance hereof follow these directions First learne to know God aright For worship is answerable to knowledge for how can we reverence God aright when we know neither his goodnesse nor his greatnesse how can we trust on God when we see not his truth in the performance of his promises in the Scriptures and in our owne experience those that doe not these know not God for as the heart affects according to knowledge So also its true in divinitie as we know his justice wee shall feare as we know his mercy wee shall love him and as we know his truth we shall trust on him Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name shall trust in thee and in other places of the said Psalme the Lord is knowne in the judgement he executeth vers 16. Secondly know God to be the first mover and cause of all men ordinarily feare the creature attributing that to it which belongs to the Creator But God he is the giver of all and Christians looke on the secondary means as to the first author and ground of all the rest they behold the Magistrate as in God feare them no otherwise but in the Lord. Atheists they will not sticke at any sinne whatsoever to get the love of those that may bring them any worldly commodity A Christian hee pleases and seekes the love of him that can make enemies friends when he lists and when it s for our good he knowes in him we live move and have our being Thirdly make much of spirituall meanes God he works by meanes by his word attend to it it works love feare joy and reverence in us and therefore no marvaile if those that neglect these meanes are not acquainted with these graces of Gods spirit 4 Fourthly Lift up thy heart to Christ the quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15. Our hearts naturally are dead Christ is our life when thou art most especially called to love to feare to humilitie pray to him to move thee and yeeld thy selfe to him and then shalt thou pray in spirit as it is said in Iude 20. heare in spirit doe all in spirit doe outward workes of thy calling in spirit for a true worshipper will out of spirituall grounds doe all outward works of his particular calling as well as the workes of his generall Christian vocation Let us therefore doe all things from our hearts to God and to our neighbour else will not God accept of our workes It is the Iew inwardly who shall have praise of God The want of this sincerity hath extinguished the light of many a glorious professour and thereby hath brought a great scandall upon the true worshippers of God in spirit VERS 3. And rejoyce in Christ. THe word rejoyce implyes a boasting or glorying of the heart manifesting it selfe in outward countenance and gesture as also in speech it also implies a resting on and contenting in the thing we glory in proceeding from an assurance that we glory in a thing worthy of glory for they are fooles that delight in bables Observe hence therefore That those that will worship Christ aright must glorie in him For the worship of Christ is a thing that requires incouragement and nothing can worke this incouragement like the glorying in Christ and therefore Paul in the first part of his Epistle to the Romans having shewed that God had elected them freely and had begun the worke of sanctification in their hearts he comes in the 12. Chapter I beseech you saith he present your selves as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice to God And in Tit. 2.11 The grace of God teacheth by incouraging us to deny ungodlines to walk unblameably soberly righteously and godlily in this present world And therefore whensoever wee grow dull or dead think of the great benefits that we have by Christ and it will quicken us and all our performances In the next place observe That Christ is the matter and subject of true glory and rejoycing and onely Christ for they well goe together a full and large affection with a full and large object boasting is a full affection the object is every way as full First as he is God and man he is God full of all things he is man full of all grace and void of all sinne he is Christ anointed to performe all his offices he is a Prophet all-sufficient in all wisedome in him are the treasures of wisedome he teaches us not onely how to doe but he teaches the very deed he is our High-priest he is the sacrifice the altar and the Priest and he is our eternall Priest in Heaven and on earth on earth as suffering for us in Heaven as mediating for our peace Who shall condemne us it is Christ that dyeth yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 He is also our King he is King of all King of kings and Lord of lords a King for ever and at all times subduing all rebellions within us and all enemies without us and he is all these so as none is like him and therefore is worthy of our glory Secondly Christ is communicative in all these he is Prophet Priest King for us he is God man he is Christ for us he
them from evill in the world and not that thou shouldst take them out of the world Ioh 17.15 If we be under crosses if this spirit and power of Christ be in us it will enable us to beare all patiently it will keepe us from murmuring and fretting It will also convince us of our naturall estate so as wee shall see evident necessitie of Gods almighty power to change us this made the Apostle Paul and the Iaylor to looke about them for helpe Lord what wouldest thou have me to doe and thus it will make us never to give God rest nor Christ respite till that power that shall raise up our bodies doe raise up also our soules and he shine in us by his spirit that did bring light out of darknes and fashion us as in his wisedome shall be most meet In the next place the consideration of Gods Almightie power should teach us not to be dejected or cast downe at the reports of the afflicted state of the Church abroad it should bring us rather to God to rely upon his goodnes and power for God is ever God almighty and the same mercifull God that ever he was and therfore we should pray for the Church the more instantly that God would give them beautie instead of ashes wee should urge him with his promise of building up and defending of his Church and destroying of Antichrist and let us make the resurrection of the body a ground to strengthen us in the beleefe thereof as the returne of the children of Israel from Babylon was sealed by the resurrection of the dry bones Ezek. 37. as also the Apostle from the resurrection of the dead gathereth that God by that power hath and will deliver him 2 Cor. 1.9 10. Furthermore when wee are oppressed with any extremitie though never so great by continuall meditation of his promises wee should strengthen our selves and apply them to our present estate and condition knowing that he that raised us out of dust will not suffer us to bee buried in miserie but will with the triall give us a gracious issue at the last by raising up our bodies at the last day by his almighty power which made also the Patriarch Abraham to hope above hope what though our helpes be few its no matter what the instrument is so as Christ is the chief worker In the next place This should incourage us to stand out sted fast in a good cause for the truth do not think with our selves alas I am but one and a weake sillie man what can I doe against a multitude let not such thoughts discourage thee thinke of Luther a poore Monke who alone set himselfe against the whole world and wrought that effect that wee have all cause at this day to honour the memorie of him it is not thou but God in thee that is able to confound all thine enemies and therefore with Moses behold him that is invisible Yet further this should bee observed by a Christian as a ground of his perseverance to the end for when wee know we are Christians what can bereave us of our blessings what can make our faith faile its Gods power that will keepe us to salvation and he that beleeveth shall have life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 6.39 40.44.47 and many other places and Christ by his almighty power swayes all our life to our building up to salvation and therefore in contraries we should beleeve contraries that death will worke life miserie happinesse corruption incorruption and this vilenesse glorie for its Gods order to worke by contraries that his power might the more appeare And at the houre of death then behold him that is thus able and all-sufficient that shall presently glorifie our soule and at length will raise up our bodie also and unite it to our soule to partake with it in glorie and happinesse that will then quit us of all sinne corruption death change all our enemies shall bee troden under our foote and all this by his almightie power whereby he is able to doe farre above that wee are able to think and therefore let us with a holy admiration thereof say with the Apostle Ephes. 3.20 To him be glorie for evermore Amen FINIS Loâ—uere ut videa 1 Cor. 8.5 Animus â—ujusque is est quisqueâ— 1 The Appellation 2 Exhortation 3 Limitation Meanes to get Ioy. Answ. 1. Ob. Answ. Psal. 120.5 Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Note 3. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Vse 1. Vse 2. Rev. 1. and 2 3. Doctr. 1. 1 John 4.1 Quest. Answ. Ob. Answ. A threefold judgment to wit I Of Discretion II Of Directiâ—n III Of Jurisdiction Doctrine Quest. Answ. Rev. 22.15 Remedies against seducers Remedy 1. Remedy 2. Remedy 3. Remedy 4. Meanes and waies to mortifie sinne Three parts viz. 1 The Act Worship 2 The Object God 3 The most part viz. in Spirit Reasons why God must be worshipped in Spirit Vse Reasons why outward worship is so well liked and loved Ob. Answ. Signes of spirituall worshippers Helps unto spiritual worship Doctr. 1. Doct. 2. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 5. Reason 6. Quest. Answ. Causes of true joy Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Answ. Signes of true Christian joy 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe Quest. Answ. Doctrine Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4 Reason 5. Quest. Answ. Signes of fleshly confidence St. Pauls prerogatives Obj. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Wherein and how the knowledge of Christ exceeds humane knowledge Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Signes of the choice of Christ. Quest. Answ. Obj. Answ. Answ. The meanes how to be united to Christ. Vse 1. Signes of mortification Quest. Answ. Obj. 1. Obj. 2. Ob. Answ. Doctrine Vse 1. 1. Direct 2. 3. 2. Hind 3. Hind Direct 1. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Hind 4. Hind Doctrine Vse Doct. Vse 2. Doctr. Vse Doctr. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. 1 Signe 2. Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe Vse 2. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doct. 1. Signe 2 Signe 3. Signe 4. Signe 5. Signe 6. Signe 7. Signe 9 Signe 10. Signe Meanes unto perfection Motives to the use of the meanes and unto perfection Doctrine How to walk according to the Rule Ob. Answ. Doct. Wherein imitation consists Why examples are laid downe in Scripture Vse 1. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Who were enemies to Christs crosse Gal. 5.4 A threefold judgment Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1. Helpes Remedies against vaine-glory Rules Signes Doctr. Quest. Answ. 1. Dir. 2. Dir. 3. Dir. 4. Direct 5. Dir. 6. Dir. Obj. Answ. 7. Dir. Ob. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vsâ— Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doctrine Doctr. 1. Quest. Answ. Vse Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse Quâ—st Answ. Obj. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine 1.
cheerfully and God tells us of it to the end wee may fixe the eyes of our mindes upon it Colos. 3.23 Whatsoever we doe doe it heartily as to the Lord knowing of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance But some may say if it bee an inheritance to us how is it then propounded as a price to us I answer it s both a reward and an inheritance it s an inheritance because it s given to adopted sonnes it s a reward after labour not for labour so as running is the way to a crown not the cause of it But the Papists say we have it by faith why then is it a price or reward why or how can it be a price or reward and yet ours by beleefe I answer incouragement and this price are not given to workes as workes but as workes by faith for by it wee runne and overcome all trials and troubles reward is due to perseverance but perseverance cannot bee without faith But for the matter in hand I say its expedient to looke to the price that we be not carried away with temptations on the right hand or on the left and therefore let us not looke on them Moses eye was so fixed on this price as he set light by all the pleasures of this life the eye of faith in a Christian is stronger than that of sense yet let us take these cautions First that we know ourselves sonnes and that wee come to this price by inheritance And secondly that we love not God so much for his goodnesse to us as for that goodnesse which is in him for a Christian aymes first at Gods glorie then at his owne good and so hee loves God for being goodnesse it selfe then for being good to him And yet a Christian in order comes first to see Gods goodnesse to him and therefore loves him and then he arises higher to the love of God even for that he is goodnesse and thenceforth admires and adores his fulnesse for else to love God because God loves us is mercenarie Wee are therefore to thinke of this happie estate and as children though at the first wee know not what belongs to inheritances and rewards yet the elder wee grow in Christianitie the more let us search into these things and see what is laid up for us It is an unvaluable price that will free us from all evill of companie of enemies of Sathans anoyances of hinderances of sinne from all occasions without us and inclinations within us from sicknesse of body and troubles of minde it s a Saboth after sixe dayes worke It is beyond all earthly crownes the runners have envie not one another nay they helpe and further one another and are glad of one anothers forwardnesse all are heires all happie all shall be crowned and with an incorruptible crowne an inheritance that fadeth not but is undefiled and such an one as is kept for us 1 Pet. 1.4 It s not like the crownes of leaves that soone fade no we shall ever bee in the presence of the sonne of Righteousnesse where we shall have a continuall spring But to proceed in the next place this is a price of calling we must be called to it who can take a calling on him unlesse God calles him and who can be inabled but those that hee inables This calling of his is the beginning of his golden chaine of salvation hee calles us from a cursed estate to a happy communion from death and bondage under the devill to be Kings and Princes And this is done by outward meanes and inward worke of the spirit this calling is a powerfull calling inabling them to come that are called And hereby we may try whether wee have any title to heaven or not For first if wee be effectually called it supposeth we are chosen called and singled out from others of the world and therefore all swearers and those that are given to drunkennesse and profanenesse they are not called nor singled they remaine as they were for this singling out is the first part of the execution of Gods decree of election And whom God calles he qualifies Princes they may call men to places but they cannot qualifie them But God when he calles Saul to be a King hee gives him a Kings heart so if we be called to this heavenly kingdome we shall have holy and Kingly hearts and mindes given us Secondly mens tongues will shew what calling they are of in their discourse A Christian will remember he is a Christian and will walke worthy of his calling and with Nehemiah hee will reason shall such a man as I doe thus speake thus thinke such vile sinfull thoughts and those that are not of this carriage shew no great religion in them And just it is with God to give such over to a great measure in sinne Thirdly this calling is to glorie and therefore he that is called he will thinke of heaven and magnifie and admire Gods goodnesse to him what thing is man Lord that thou shouldst bee mindfull of him and therefore those that admire the pompe and glory of this world it s a signe their calling is worldly and that they are called by the world Fourthly if a man be called by God hee shall finde a spirituall answering within himselfe to Gods call If God say thou art my sonne the heart answereth thou art my God Behold I come quickly saith Christ even so come Lord Iesus saith the Christian heart And therefore a rebellious disposition shewes that Gods spirit is not there Thirdly this calling of ours is a high calling it s from heaven to heaven it s from a heavenly spirit by spirituall meanes to Christ in heaven to Saints to spirituall imployments and priviledges Hence therefore wee may learne who are the greatest men sensuall men thinke those in outward place the greatest men of all other alas they are nothing to a Prince of heaven hee is a spouse to Christ shall judge all the world and triumph over Sathan All other callings end in the dust with our bodies Kings shall rise as Pesants and it may bee in a worse estate than many of the meanest there is no difference in death All other callings are by men from men to men to earthly purposes let us make therefore a difference and know whence our calling is that we may be thankfull and whether it is that we may be joyfull We may also in the next place hence gather who are of the highest spirits its a Christian and onely he he overlookes all these base things his way his minde is ever upwards and with Paul he thinkes â—ll drosse and dung that is here It is the disposition of the world to minde high matters here in religion are the true aspiring thoughts as if men will be covetous of honour here 's the right honour and these are the honourable persons Who honour me I will honour saith God onely a
the weake Christian for every crosse strikes at his heart and at the foundation of his faith making him presently doubt of Gods love and favour to him Sixthly A growne Christian he is experienced to finde out Sathans devises and plots and can put a difference betweene the motions of the flesh and the spirit and therefore knowes what corruption to weaken and what grace to strengthen when as new beginners for want of practice and experience sees not these things and therefore ere hee is aware runnes into many offences and lookes for no remedie Seventhly A well grounded Christian can withstand the bitter blasts and oppositions of this world nothing could move Paul nor separate him from the love of God but a weake Christian either is blowne away or at the least shaken with every blast as it is in yong trees newly planted Eightly A grounded Christian beares with the infirmities he sees in others he pities them and helpes them if he can but judges not of them as those that are weake who for the most part are captious you that are spirituall must restore saith the Apostle those that are weake with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 So as it is the weake ones that are scandalized and as they are soone offended so doe they soone give occasion of offence to others by their ill example but the growne Christian indeavours to live free from offence in the least things hee is watchfull against Satans wiles Ninthly a perfect man doth most of all others see into his particular wants and lookes hence after a further degree of grace and therefore the Apostle bids such as are perfect to forget things past not to looke on those that are behinde but to see what is yet before to bee attained unto and to presse forward thereunto Tenthly A strong Christian is of abilitie and indeavour still to beget other Christians It s the propertie of a growne creature to beget its like a weake Christian hath enough to doe to looke to himselfe there may be many more signes named but these will suffice Le ts come to the meanes whereby we may grow to this strength and perfection And first of all we must know there must bee an order we are to grow in fundamentall graces in the first place for we water not the leaves but the root of our plants and the graces that are the foundation of all workes being gotten and diligently cherished the workes which are but as leaves will soone put forth The maine fundamentall grace of all is faith which we are principally to looke after First in getting assurance of our salvation to this end walke holily for many live in sinnes against conscience and so can have no assurance of the pardon of their sinnes and how dead and blockish are they David though a man after Gods own heart yet losing the comfortable assurance by his sinning against conscience of the pardon of sinne thought Gods holy spirit had quite forsaken him therefore he prayes Take not thy holy spirit from mee Psal. 51.11 Therefore labour for assurance of pardon of sinne for where the soule is wounded with the guilt of sinne it cannot inlarge it selfe in love but is possest with a fearfull expectation of judgement but when the soule is assured of the pardon of its sinnes it breeds love to Christ and there it s said of Marie shee loved much for many sins were forgiven her In the next place we are to labour for faith in the promises of the forgivenesse of sinne and Gods goodnesse to us that hee will give grace and glorie and that wee shall want nothing this will put courage into us And as we are to labour for faith so also for love which is cherished by meditation of Gods mercies and his love to us and this will set us on fire in all good workes and so much of this grace as wee have in us with so much strength and intention of spirit shall wee indeavour to please God in all things and this argument the Apostle used to stirre up the Corinthians 1 Cor 7.1 Having these promises le ts clense our selves from all filthinesse perfecting holinesse in the feare of God In the next place Whatsoever wee doe le ts labour to doe it with the best advantage labouring to practice and exercise as much grace and as many as we can as in giving give in zeale to Gods honour in love to mercie towards our brother that is in need and in regard of justice we owe it to him God hath commanded us to give him and he will reward it for we lend to the Lord when wee give to the poore If we are to abstaine from any evill we are to abstaine from it with a perfect hatred thereof and consider how it will offend it will breake peace of conscience and dishonour religion scandalize those that are weake dishonour God and bring shame to our selves yea wee must remember that the talents that God gives us do increase in the use of them the more we strive to doe things exactly the more perfection we shall attaine to in the use of performances Thirdly Let us not neglect litle things either ingood or ill omit no occasion of doing good and take heed of the least beginnings of ill abstâ—ine from all occasions and appearance of evill for though in comparison they seeme small they are of great consequence Fourthly Wee must keepe our affections to holy exercises and meanes for God workes by meanes neglect none for so much perfection thou losest thereby and consider what meanes will fit our disposition when we are indisposed are we dull in prayer then reade if that will not be endured then use the communion of Saints and still remember that we be not wearied with prayer for God sends not his away emptie and that those things may be the more effectuall observe some motives to stirre us up And to this end consider the priviledge of a perfect Christian He is as Mount Sion which cannot be moved if wee tell him of death it s his hearts desire tell him of afflictions he is resolute he lookes for them he knowes he lives Gods childe and so he shall die when a weak professor feares afflictions feares ill tidings feares death and when it comes seekes for comfort and hardly findes it Secondly a perfect Christian is a beautifull example and makes others in love with Religion he is throughly exercised and practised the weakling is scandalous makes men offended at Religion soone takes offence soone stumbles and gets many knockes so as his life is bitter Thirdly the perfect man honours God and gets him much glorie by hearing reading praying and such duties now as parents love those children best that are most like unto them so those whom the Lord findes like unto him hee will make them more neeâ—e to him in likenesse Fourthly the perfecter a man is the more neere communion he hath with Christ and hath
it is becâ—use its a dishonour to God not to take notice of his goodnesse and glorious graces in others and therefore if the starres doe praise him surely these starres must much more set forth his glorie that being of themselves sinfull wretched men by his power are made glorious lights for others to walke by And in the seventh place in things whereof there is no certaine rule to direct us wee ought to imitate the example and custome of the most holy and sober sort As in apparell much question is what sort what fashion is most to be imitated let the most sober and moderate of thine owne ranke be guide unto thee It s singularitie to differ from such with a desire to be noted and it savours of pride and such shall be condemned by their examples even as Noah condemned the old world For use of all this learne hence what is the best succession that is the best and surest note of succession which is both in doctrine and example locall succession is nothing they are the children of Abraham that doe the workes of Abraham they are Iewes which are Iewes inwardly in the spirit the Papists they cry out against us we have no succession but it is they have no succession their doctrine every where crosses the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome their practice is without president what president have they for rebellion for their equivocation and the like they follow indeed but as corruption doth generation VERS 18. For many walke of whom I have told you often THese woâ—â—s containe a reason of Pauls exhortation and from the connexion wee may observe that where truth is error is where wheat is there are tares walke as I doe for there are many with whom yee converse that walke as enemies to the crosse of Christ. Our enemies tell us because of our errors wee are not the true Church they may better conclude contrarily that because we have some few errors therefore there is a true Church amongst us where truth is there will be opposers and therefore we are not to be scandalized hereat the skill and courage of a Christian is seen most where truth is in danger as the goodnesse of a Pilate is seene specially in a tempest The Papists will not have the Word read in the vulgar tongue why because they say many errors will thence arise while the common people understand it not They may as well argue because there is much deceipt therefore I will not buy nor sell. St. Paul was of another minde he would preach at Ephesus for a great dore and effectuall was opened though he knew there were many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 In the next place observe he saith many there were meaning of the better and more eminent sort that is of teachers a pitifull thing that in the golden times of the Church the chiefe leaders of the Church should be mislead and therefore we are not to wonder that we should finde it thus and thereforâ— wee must not bee scandalized by the multitude one Micaiah is better than 400. false Prophets and therefore we must not number the followers but weigh them aright To proceed he saith there are many he nameth none in particular yet no doubt but noted scandalous persons may and ought to bee particularly named that others may take notice and heed of them yet this must bee warily done The Apostle curses the Copper-smith but onely names Demas Those that are weake must be gently touched those that are obstinate and scandalous must bee plainely made knowne and this draweth some of our writers particularly to lay open the vices and falshoods of those that are obdurate and therefore we must not take scandall thereat it arising from a zealous care of Gods Church not of malice In the next place he saith he told them often the Apostle was affectionately bent for their good and therefore to write the same things often to them it was not greevous to him seeing to them it was safe for the nature of man is very dull in conceiving of things that belong to salvation and their memories are but brittle If therefore we doe often inculcate and lay open the danger of that whorish Religion long since condemned it must be well taken in these times especially wherein men are so secure daring to venter on any thing yea to goe to their Masses upon pretence of their strength that they câ—n come away without being defiled VERS 18. And now tell you weeping AS if he should have said if nothing else will make you beware yet let my teares move my teares proceeding from griefe and compassion of the miserable estate of such Teachers and of such as are led by them Affections therefore are lawfull yea necessarie in Gods children all actions in Gods worship are esteemed according to the affections that they are done with we are as we love not as we know what is the life of a Christian but the performance of things with courage delight and joy and therefore the strongest Christians have strongest affections for Religion doth not harden the heart but molifies it and regeneration doth not take affections away but restores them sanctified and pure But to come particularly to the matter here he is compassionate and so compassionate as his naturall constitution will admit hee expresseth this with teares which ariseth from griefe for something within our selves or by reason of sympathie with others for some danger that they are in or like to fall into The reasons hereof are because they are led by the spirit of Christ who was all made of compassion for he wept for his friends for Lazarus and for his enemies O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered you and you would not hee was tender in bearing the infirmities of his weake Disciples and of weak women his compassion was such as drew him to the lowest degree of humiliation to free us from danger Secondly the Saints have cleere sanctified judgements to apprehend true causes of remorse they know what danger is as Paul saw here that the Sheepe were in danger of wolves and saw the danger so much the greater by how much they saw not the danger they were in Thirdly the Saints have their hearts broken with sense and feeling of Christs compassion in their hearts and so are molified expressing it outwardly towards their brethren contrarily the wicked never felt any remorse or pitie of Christ in them and therefore know not what compassion meanes so as their mercies are cruelties Use this as a note whereby we may discerne of our Christian estate for surely where there is no compassion there can be no excellent estate Againe from the Apostles object of compassion and weeping observe that spirituall evill and danger is the most proper object of Christian compassion Paul he pities not himselfe because of his fetters he was in but it was the bonds of sinne made him cry Oh wretched man that