youth is frequently taken with and it were well if some that were more gtown up were wholly freed from But this is one kind of having fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and which leads Ephes 5. 11. off from acquaintance with Christ For the Books which for the present we read are wont to leave a tincture and impression upon the spirit of the Reader especially if his judgment be weak as ours in younger years are not very strong And of this make this trial whether when you have been greedy in reading such Books you have thereby any great mind to read the Bible I am sure that when you have been seriously reading it you will have as little delight in reading them as Paul had in the thorn in his flesh when he had before been caught up to Paradise as Hierom saith Ama scientiam scripturarum vitia carnis non amabis 3. All vain and idle studies such were those sciences falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. about Genealogies and questions and those old Wives Fables in the Apostles times answerable to which are our Romanza's too many of our silly Pamphlets and let none be displeased if I add not a few of our Criticks minutiae and argutiae no better than as Elian called some of the great Artists pretty little curious knacks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shallow and light heads take up as Jet doth straws instead of what is more solid and substantial like Solomon's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 21. 6. a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death very feathers which we break our arm with by throwing them with our whole might make our spirits vain if not profane and so far from helping us to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 2. 7. this substantial knowledge of Christ that many of the plainest and strongest Scripture-proofs of the Doctrine of Christ are attempted to be evaded and enervated by these bold Criticisms 4. All over-bold and curious prying into the Ark of Gods secrets measuring his Counsels by our thoughts and his wisdom in them by our reason which instead of studying to know Christ hath stretched many mens wits into wild and tedious disputes and quite crackt others brains into blasphemy and distraction as men grow mad having their eyes long set open against the Sun This tree of Deut. 29. 29. knowledge a forbidden fruit which yet we have an itch and licorish appetite after whilst by being thankfully content with what Judg. 13. 17 18. God in Scripture reveals of Christ and his will we should be wise to sobriety Rom. 12. 3. But for Gods secrets Eorum fides salutem affert Periculum Inquisitio as Hesychius speaks To which let me add that of Scaliger Nescire velle quae magister maximus te scire non vult erudita inscitia est 1. Let this be the first Caveat in our learning to know Christ that we lay aside these and such like studies that either in their own nature estrange us from him or at least as we handle the matter hinder us in our search after him 2. Let the second Caveat be this that as to this end we must lay aside all unlawful studies so we must take heed that we do not overdo in our studies that are lawful Not that I would have you study them less but Christ more Nor them so much as Christ less And this 1. Either for time in spending it so wholly on them that there 's none left for those duties in which we should more immediately acquaint our selves with Christ Many a close student who hath stinted himself to study so many hours a day hath it may be forgotten to put into the account one half hour to pray and read the Scripture which is such a leaning to our own understanding that we acknowledge not God Prov. 3. 5 6. a proud Atheistical self sufficiency as though of themselves they could study it out by their own Candle whilst they shut their window against the light of Heaven Which therefore God may justly so blast and cross as that Either they never come to attain that knowledge they are so eager upon they had no knowledge that called not upon God Psal 14. 4. Such hardest Students have not always proved the best Scholars but have only studied themselves blind and put out their Eyes by their own Candle light Or if often they prove Scholars it 's as often that of all others they are furthest off from being Christs Disciples It hath been no news in the World both in present and former times to find greatest Scholars greatest Atheists The wisest of the World by their wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. The Creature terminated their sight which should have been a transparent glass in and through which they should have seen God and so by poring on it they lost him even there where he was to be found when our other studies so wholly take up our time that our addresses to Christ are either wholly excluded or curtailed he who is thereby so much undervalued cannot but be very much offended It 's a sad story that you read of Origen who in his Lamentation confesseth that he fell into Satan's Snare by his not saying out his Prayers Do not therefore so over-study other matters that Christ be wronged in point of time 2. Nor in point of intention of mind and heart by being eager on them but remiss toward him wearing out the body and beating our brains in boulting out some nice subtilty or knotty difficulty in other Arts and mean while never know what Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourteenth verse of this Chapter means never acquainted with that giving all diligence which the Apostle Peter calls for in clearing up our interest in Christ and making our Calling and Election sure Solomon indeed would have thee whatever in thy ordinary calling thy hand finds to do that thou do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy might but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All thy might Moses would have thee reserve for God as his due Deut. 6. 5. Such Holocausts are God's Royalty only Such an one David offered to God 2 Sam. 6. 14. where it 's said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words that both in their rise signify strength and duplicated words to express his double diligence and earnestness putting out all his strength when it is before the Lord according to the Apostles general injunction though we should not be slothful in any other service yet we should be then especially fervent in spirit when it is in serving the Lord. Rom. 12. 12. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might justly challenge an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our diligence to be as much more intent in studying of him as the contemplation and knowledge of him exceeds both in its sublime excellency and profitableness all other speculations However it would be well if we did
angerly nor dealt more roughly than in this Case John 2. But if it be as it was always in him rightly guided it proveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8. 7. the flame of God in which the Soul like Elijah mounts up to heaven in a fiery chariot 2 King 2. 11. Judg. 13. 20. or the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flame of the Altar It 's the fire on the Altar a live coal whereof we find the glorious Seraphim having in his hand Isa 6. 6. all the holy Angels being a flaming fire Hebr. 1. 7. but those Seraphims have in a special manner their Name from Burning and are thereby in the upper rank of those Celestial Hierarchies and proportionably zeal makes us God-like Angelical sets such divinely inflamed Souls far above the ordinary forms of Christians as the fire is above the dull earth and other inferior Elements 2. And yet as essential to a Christian is inkindled in the breast of the weakest and youngest Christian for there is warmth even in conception 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 51. 5. my mother did conceive me or as the word is did warm me and in the very first kindlings of our spiritual conception and new birth in our first conversion when there was otherwise so much smoak there was some of this Divine fire yea very much of it yea and then usually more lively felt glowing and working for God and against sin than it may be afterwards What a fire did it make of those new converteds conjuring books Act. 19. 19. Had it then been a dilute flame and not more than ordinarily hot it would never have so burnt asunder those strong cords of sin and Satan which till then we were bound with as while frigus doth congregare bomogenea heterogenea calor doth congregare bomogenea segregare heterogenea So necessary is this natural radical heat and so unseparable are life and warmth that we cannot first ascend to the highest pitch no nor secondly reach the lowest degree of true spiritual life without some greater or lesser measure of it 3. At least not to any degree of lively activity How nimble and active is the fire whilst the torpid dull earth either sinks down or abides still and stirs not How listless are we to move and unable to do any thing to purpose whilest frozen and benummed with cold but when well warmed how pliable and active The warm wax then works and the melted metal runs And when the Prophet had his lips once touched with a live coal from the altar Isa 6. 6 7. then instead of his former wo is me v. 5. you hear him presently saying here am I send me v. 8. like the Seraphim that touched him with it who had Six wings v. 2. to express the greater readiness and swiftness of those heavenly Ministers as in Ezekiels vision we find their appearance to be like lamps and burning coals Chap. 1. 13. and accordingly we find they had wings to their hands and their feet sparkled for heat and hast v. 7 8. They ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning v. 14. and so we must be fervent in spirit if we would serve the Lord to purpose Rom. 12. 11. be zealous if you would repent or amend Rev. 3. 19. as John Baptist the Preacher of repentance was a burning and shining light John 5. 35. And hence it is that God useth to inkindle this Divine flame in the hearts of those of his Servants whom he raiseth up to any more extraordinary and heroick service and employment We read of Baruch as a special repairer of Jerusalems wall but we read then withal that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flagrante animo instauravit he did much but he was warm at his work and hot upon it Nehem. 3. 20. Apollos Acts 18. 25. was fervent in spirit and then he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord. Fervet opus Phineas Elijah Jeremiah Numb 25. 7 8. 1 King 19. 14 14. Jer. 20. 9. Luke 1. 17. 2 King 19. 31. Isa 9. 7. 37. 32. John Baptist Luther Knox all noted to have been very active in their generations and that they were very zealous too In Scripture when some great thing to be done is spoken of it 's said the zeal of the Lord shall do this and it is the zeal which he inkindleth in the hearts of his more eminent servants that must go through with any such more noble atchievements whilst it either breaks or burns through all difficulties and oppositions as whilest the man that creeps or slowly goeth up the hill is wearied before he goes to the top of it another that putting to his strength runs up with more ease ascends it or as whilst a cold blunt-pointed iron cannot enter if sharpned especially if made red hot makes its way easie In the cold winter and cool night we freeze and sleep It 's the warm day and summer when we are abroad at our work and the heat of harvest that ripens and Isa 18. 4. brings in the crop The Palm-trees which are the ensignes of victory delight to grow in hot soiles on the contrary Bernard well observes that Adami voluntas non habuit fortitudinem quia non habuit fervorem Great is the proportion of activity in the hotter Elements above that which is in the more cool and heavy And proportionably there is a far greater riddance made of God◠work by them that are warm than by them that freeze at it When God washeth away the filth of the daughters of Zion and Jerusalem it 's by the spirit of burning Isa 4. 4. It 's hot water that washeth out such souler stains and defilements And accordingly it adds much to the valuableness of zeal that God so highly valueth and esteemeth of it that as he makes it the end he aims at in mercies bestowed he redeems us to make us a people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. So when angry he is pacified by it So he professeth that the heat of Phineas his zeal had quenched the fire of his wrath against Israel Numb 25. 11. that he accepts it and is prevailed with by it The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much James 5. 16. and without some measure of this lively warmth best duties avail nothing The richest sacrifices if not burnt with this altar-fire and Berengosius Bib. Patr. Tom. 2. pag. 550 551 552. the finest flowr and sweetest oyl if not baked in this frying pan as some of the Ancients apply it have no relish make no sweet savour in Gods nostrils No are very distastful He that is a spirit therefore will be served in spirit and in truth had rather you would let his work alone John 4. 24. than that you should freeze at it He will have the dull asses neck rather broken than offered to him in sacrifice and the slow creeping snail is among the unclean creatures His infinite
of all our moral 1 Cor. 3. 11. qualifications and performances but so as to be the Corner-stone too to go up to the top of the building that so our foundation may be laid surer and our building raised up higher For sine Christo omnis virtus in vitio est and so in getting up to heaven by Hieron in 3 ad Galat. this Jacob's Ladder let the foot tread the rounds let us work and walk in Gods way but withal let the hand before lay hold as it usually doth in going up a Ladder the hand of faith I mean withal first lay hold of Christ and his Righteousness for our justification That the principle may be more noble not the Spirit of a man but of Christ as a man seeth and heareth as a bruit doth but not from a brute but a rational Soul which riseth higher than a bare sensitive Creature can attain to so I would have a Christian be sober just temperate as the most compleat Moralist can be but this from the spirit of Christ and not only from a bare spiritless dull morality and so as according to his higher well-head and principle to rise higher to those more noble spiritual operations of Gospel-faith and love which such a pure moralist is so far from attaining to that he doth not so much as think fit to desire or endeavour after but rather to despise and hate This premised I come more particularly to shew the true value and worth of morality in a vertuous and blameless Conversation 1. It 's the honour of humane Nature a chief part of our humanity whereby we are men yea though not the chief yet the more visible part of the image of God wherein at first we were created and what of this kind is in any of us since our fall are as usually they are taken some of the rudera and broken pieces of that first goodly building Which were they wholly demolished and quite rased out of us we should cease to be our selves to be men and degenerate into the sensuality and ferity of brute Wild-beasts immanitate omnem humanitatem repellente as Tully Offic. lib. 1. Notanda est Dei humanitat Calvin in Dan. 10. 13. speaks for humanity in the true sense and common use speaks something of erudition gentleness virtuousness and that not only in Heathen but even in Scripture Language in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virga hominum plagae humanae the rod of men and the stripes of the Children of men 2 Sam. 7. 14. have something of gentleness and moderation i. e. of humanity in the true sense of that phrase Premunt ità ut non comprimant And therefore I Sanctius in loc must needs say to you be sober chast just vertuous if you would be men not Beasts not Devils 2. But secondly there is more than humanity something Divine in it as being the product of a more common and inferiour working of the spirit of Christ some dimmer and cooler rayes of the sun of righteousness as he is the light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. as he said nec Hieron in Gal. 1. quenquam sine Christo nasci How often doth Austin call these lower workings the gifts of God and if Polemon by hearing of Xenocrates of a drunkard prove sober ne id ipsum quod melius in eo factum est humano operi tribuerim sed Divino He accounts it a Divine work to make only a moral change and reformation It 's a special gift of God qui dona sua prout ipse judicaverit hominibus magna magnis parva largitur parvulis as Bede In 1 Cantic speaketh Gods largess Some kind of fruit of the death of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to restrain sin as the word signifieth Dan. 9. 24. part of the preventing restraining grace of the spirit of Christ And therefore such a gift of God is not be sleighted Nay such a part of the purchase of the bloud of Christ and the work of his spirit is duly to be valued 3. Thirdly As being absolutely necessary for humane Society and our quiet and orderly living and conversing in the world for were not men hereby civilized and the rage and violence of lust restrained take away once justice and temperance morality indeed humanity from humane Society how would it come to homo homini lupus and in stead of a Society of men what herds of brutes and wild beasts even of Devils in an hell let loose should we see in the world What some Romanists unhappily R. Thomson Elench cap. 2. pag. 18 19. made the Emblem of Bellarmine a Tiger held in a chain with this motto Solve me videbis qui siem Let me but loose and you shall see what an one I am would be too sadly verified of us all if once by God or Man let loose and it should be said of us as once of Ephraim Ephraim is joyned to idols let him alone Hos 4. 17. it would not come to so good as was said of Naphtali that he was a hind let loose that gave goodly words there would Gen. 49. 21. but few good words and fewer good deeds proceed from us no nor so good as what was said of Ephraim that he was a wild asse alone by himself Hos 8. 9. though that would be wild enough Jer. 2. 24. but yet with less hurt and mischief to others and our selves than when we should see what horrid metamorphoses of creatures in the shapes of men into brutes for sensuality ravenous beasts of prey for bloud and violence yea incarnate devils for pride malice and blasphemy partly of our selves and partly from Satans temptations this would come to and as in our dayes we see our Ranters and other Enthusiasts devesting themselves of all morality civility yea even humanity are fast posting to For the preventing of which God the most holy and wise Governour of the world as sometimes in a way of outward afflictions he hedgeth our way with thorns Hos 2. 6. to keep us from treading down all bounds and running into all excess of riâ—t Ephes 4. 19. with greediness so also by inward common workings of his spirit he doth not only lay checks and restraints upon our unbridled spirits and lusts but also composes and regulates our tempers and carriages that we may live at least like men civilly and orderly one with another This Austin in several places especially in his books contra Julianum Epist 5. lib. 4. c. 3. hujus tantum temporis vitam fteriliter ornavit de voc gent. c. 7. Epist 130. Prosp contra collatorem cap. 22. 26. Fulgent de incarnat c. 26. observeth in the vertues of the Heathens the Romans and others that they attained to a moral and vertuous deportment ad mores civitatum concordiamque populorum temporalis vitae societatem praesentis vitae honestatem as he and Prosper express
spirit of God could effect it for so that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As by the spirit of the Lord signifieth causam congruam dignam tantae transformationis as C. à Lapide rightly observeth All cometh to this and all fully to my present purpose That now when God is in Christ so fully as I may say exhibited and exposed to our view and in the Gospel so clearly manifested and held forth to us He expecteth and where grace prevaileth he thereby effecteth such a change and transformation that we are not like our former selves but are molded into his likeness and having laid aside our corrupt nature we are made partakers of his Divine Nature This is or should be according to Paul's doctrine there the effect of the Gospel and as Calvin observeth upon my Text according to Peter's doctrine here when he saith that the exceeding great and precious Gospel-promises are given to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by them we should be partakers of the Divine Nature He telleth us this is the end of the Gospel Notemus hunc esse Evangelii finem ut aliquando Deo conformes reddamur id verò est quasi Deificari that at last we may be conformable to God which is as it were to be Deified or as our Apostle phraseth it to be made partakers of the Divine Nature Which whilst we are so plentifully partakers of the Gospel we should be exceedingly ashamed of that we so far fall short of it which yet the very Heathens so much aspired to who fell so short of us as thus in pattern so 2. In principle for as our pattern is more clear so our principle is more high This conformity to God in true Christians you heard from 2 Cor. 3. 18 is from the spirit of the Lord whilst by the spirit of Christ inlightning and regenerating we are renewed after the Image of God Col. 3. 10. As also from faith in Christ laying hold of thâ—se exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel and on Christ in them from whose fulness alone God would have us receive grace for grace grace in us answerable and conformable to grace in him and so to be partakers of the Divine Nature Now this faith these promises this Christ and this spirit of Christ those Heathens and their most â—â—â—limate Philosophers were utter strangers to him they knew not to him by faith they went not nay out of themselves they went not but to their Philosophical moral considerations and their purgative vertues to which they ever joyned their heathenish idolatries and superstitious lustrations and sacrifices With Porphyrie to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charms and sorceries as utterly inconsistent with the Divine nature as the true God is contrary to a vain idol and therefore it is no wonder that it was so wofully deformed a deiformity which they arrived at how trimly soever their admirers do trim it up and turkess it And therefore when there is so much more light and power in the Gospel when our both pattern and principle so far every way exceed theirs Surely God cannot but expect that it should be another-kins likeness to him that we should attain to than what they arrived at And on the contrary let us sadly think what a shame it is to us and to the Gospel too that when there is so much of God in it there should be so little in us who profess it That when we read David's Psalms and the other Prophets writings in the old Testament we should find so much light and life that they both breath and express so much of God in them and we so little so that in truth although as Eusebius observeth they were not called yet indeed they were the true Christians and many of us are really as much without God as we are strangers from that Commonwealth of Israel Especially that even Heathens should herein exceed us that they should so honourably speak of that God whom we so blaspheme that they should express more of God by the twilight of nature than we in the sun-shine of the Gospel that Erasmus should so hardly forbear to pray to Socrates as a Saint whilst many who are named Christians may without breach of charity be called Atheists that any of us should have upon us such black marks of the Devil when on many of them we may discover though ruder yet very lovely characters and lineaments by the help only of their natural Divinity of the Divine nature which we who have better means in all reason should be more possessed of SERMON XX. ON 2 PET. 1. 4. AND should it be here asked what those means are which Quest we should make use of whereby to attain to this high honour and happiness I must answer that all that we of our selves can do as to any Ans inward worth or efficacy operative of so great an effect is just nothing We that can do nothing to make our selves men surely can do as little to make our selves men of God can less concur to the producing of this Divine nature than we did to our humane both are a Creation and therefore the work of God only but yet so as we are to make our addresses to him for the one now that we have a natural being which we could not for the other when he had none And here as the Divine nature essentially considered in God is common to all thâ—â—hree persons so this communicated symbolical Divine nature in us is the common work of them all and therefore to them all we are to make our applications for it 1. To God the Father who as he is Fons Deitatis and communicates Means that Divine nature to the Son and the spirit so he is Fons Gratiae and through the Son by the Spirit imparts this Divine nature to all his children It was his breath that breathed into Adam at first that soul in which especially was his image and it must be his breathing still that must breath into our hearts that divine grace in which consists that his image renewed and this Divine nature God our Creatour is the Author of this new Creature And here the means of it on our parts is by humble and earnest prayer to breath after him for it as the dying man gaspeth for breath that is going away or rather as the dry earth gapeth for heavens rain and influence which it wanteth and so in this systole and diastole upon the out-breathing of our souls and desires followeth in God's way the breathing in of this Divine breath of life the quickning spirit by which we are made spiritual living souls In this case it was said of Saul Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11. For although it be true that the prayers of the wicked whilst they purpose to go on in sin are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. And as true that the prayer
Patientiae and his Master Tertullian before him in his Book of the like Argument are large in this to shew that Impatience is not only a Sin but a Mother-sin that at first undid the Devil and afterward Adam thrust on Cain to his murder Esau to his profaneness the Jews to crucifie Christ and all Hereticks to corrupt and blaspheme the Truth of Christ which was but impatience to withstand their own Lusts but in suffering time to withstand the rage and lusts of the Devil and Men this the fearful unbelieving impatient Soul finds it oft an harder task and therefore rather than stand out basely yeelds up all and it self and all will be content to do all rather than suffer any thing We may tremble when we think of David counterfeiting the Mad-man Peter denying and forswearing his Lord and Master Cranmer subscribing and others of the choicest Servants of Christ faultring and fowly miscarrying in times of straits and dangers Even their Souls had hereby been lost if Christ had not saved them Peter had utterly sunk in that great Wave had not Christ reached out his hand and re-saved him But howl then Mat. 14. 30 31. Zech. 11. 2. ye Fir-Trees if the Cedars be fallen If the Righteous be scarcely saved where will the ungodly and sinners appear If the Godly for want of the exercise of Patience run such an hazard of their Souls how will the ungodly that wholly want the grace of Patience avoid the utter loss of theirs Upon two grounds 1. Their over-prising outward things which they cannot be without 2. Undervaluing their Souls especially seeing it is their Souls that they least of all look after and expose them to danger and loss rather than any thing else deal with them as the Levit did with his Concubine Judg. 19. 25. who to save himself did prostitute her to their lust to be abused to the very death as the Castor bites off and leaves that part of his Body which they most hunt after to save the rest Or like a Forlorn left to face and entertain the Enemy whilst they draw off their Bag and Baggage that they may secure Body Life Estate Esteem and the like leave the Soul at stake to be wounded and defiled with the fowlest and most horrid sins even to deny Christ and utterly to apostatize from him his Truth and Grace and so merely for want of Faith and Patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in such a Luke 8. 13. time and pinch of tentation such fall away And so the best bargain they make of it is but to gain the World and lose the Soul But our Saviour in the place parallel to the Text saith He that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endures to the end shall be saved Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patience is the induring Grace and therefore is the saving Grace at least saves the Soul when it can secure nothing else dare suffer and thereby may expose the outward Man to danger and misery but dare not sin and thereby provides for the Soul's safety and so keeps possession that it be not lost at last 2. That it be not distemper'd and disguised for the present how distracting and intoxicating soever the exercise and affliction be Ira furor brevis As anger is a madness so impatience is an angry Sore that swells and burns Semper aeger caloribus impatientiae De Patientiâ c. 1. as Tertullian speaks of himself and so casts the Soul into a Burning Fever and thereby brings the Man to a perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is so distempered that he knoweth not what he saith or doth And so Asaph in this case by his own confession becomes like a Beast Psal 73. 22. And Heman though he continues a Man yet a distracted Man Psal 88. 15. David when his Heart waxt hot and the Fire burned he saith he spake with his Tongue Psal 39. 3. and as some expound that place more Junius than his share I am sure even Job himself when his Patience began a little to be inflamed into Passion spake over he confesseth that he uttered that he understood not Chap. 42. 3. And if these that were of so sober and gracious a Spirit were whilst in this case so much besides themselves then how stark wild may you expect to find such who have no such inward bridle to check such a wild Horse but lay the Reins loose on the Neck of passion and rage And what is it that you then see A Man in his right wits No but a wild Boar foaming at the Mouth a Lion sparkling with his Eyes a very Bedlam in the height of his phransy And how is the Soul then kept in possession But Patience cools such hot Distempers and being spiritualis Illyricus Patientia sanitatem Tertul. de pat c. 1. incolumitas as he calls it the very health of the Soul it either prevents or cures such phrensies keeps the Soul in a due temper that the Man is still himself as our Saviour That his Patience might have its perfect work in his sensible sufferings of the extremity of his torments refused that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 15. See Galatinus 23. which some say was wont to be given to Men when they suffered to intoxicate and make senseless No better Receipt than a Patient Spirit against a light Head under heaviest Burdens and Afflictions though Job's Messengers trod one on the heel of another and that so long till at last they had nothing more to say because he had almost nothing more to lose yet as long as his Patience received their Messages and he heard them by that Interpreter though indeed at last he started up and rent his Mantle and shaved his Head and fell down upon the Ground and Satan that stood looking on to see how his Train that he had laid took it may be might now think that the distracted Man began his Anticks yet he fell short of his Hopes It 's added that after Job had done all this he worshipped and said Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1. 20 21. Now as they said these are not the words of him that hath a Devil So those words of Job John 10. 21. have they the least touch or air of a Distraction or Distemper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You hear not in them a distracted Man's non-sense but rather a Man divinely inspired speaking Oracles Such a full possession and enjoyment of a Man's Soul and self doth Patience put and keep him in that if it have but its perfect work it makes an all of Joy when there is in view nothing but grief and sorrow Jam. 1. 2 4. so that when it comes to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man is round about beset with miseries and mischiefs that another Man is quite-out exanimated and distracted
because a Servant is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational tool in his Master's hand to be ad nutum Domini resigning up our Reason to his Wisdome and our Will to his Commands doing it willingly chearfully fully without contradiction or exception Frequently and sadly thinking of our Account Heb. 13. 17. which will be very great when we have so many besides our selves to reckon for and yet most certain and cannot be avoided Luk. 16. 2. Matth. 25. 19. And yet comforting and encouraging our selves in a faithful and joyful expectation and assurance of a faithful and bountiful Act. 13. 36. Lord's reward From Enemies Strangers yea from Fellow-Servants it may be envy and hatred derision opposition and the greatest injuries and mischiefs they can reach us but what 's all this to our Master's last Euge well done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Joy Thus much of your Office as in reference to God in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You are but his Servants 2. Secondly Consider it in reference to his People so you by it are made Rulers of his houshold In which words two things 1. The place it self It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of the houshold 2. The Institution of it and the investiture or putting them into it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made or constituted Ruler of his Houshold I shall briefly touch upon both 1. For the Place or Station Rulers of God's Houshold as he 2 Chron. 31. 13. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ruler of the House of God I confess the word is not here in the Original as it is there but 1. The Phrase in this place implieth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the Houshold i. e. in place of Rule and Superiority over the Houshold as Gen. 41. 43. its said Pharaoh made Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all i. e. as our English rightly expresseth it Ruler over all the Land of Egypt according as it 's expressed Act. 7. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Other places in plain words and full titles express it where they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thes 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Act. 20. 28. words partly in Scripture and partly in other Authors given to Princes in Common-Wealths to Generals Captains in Armies to Governors in Families in all which there is an authoritative power of Rule and Government over them that are set under them They are called Rulers and that word commands Obedience Fathers and that speaks Authority Elders and such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a Senate hath power Were it but only Shepherds and Stewards as he that is here Act. 20. 1 Cor. 4. 1. called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Luke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that tells that although like the Centurion Matth. 8. 9. they be under a Superior Authority yet as such they have others under theirs Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 13. 34. but not taken for an ordinary Porter but servus atriensis a Steward that hath the Keys of all as Isa 22. and yet as Porters to let in and keep out of the House of God and from his Table Eveâ—â—â—ey who most of all raise up the Authority of the whole Church as the immediate and first Subject of Church-power as totum and finis do freely grant the Exercise of that Power in some things as only vested in the Officers and in some other things in them especially But the Duty of this place especially of this day is not to dispute Controversals but to exhort and urge Practicals And therefore in that God by this Office hath advanced you Vse 1 so high as to set you over his Houshold Be exhorted so far to know your Place and the dignity and worth of it as not to be ashamed of it nor to be babished in the Execution of it Take heed of such an height of spirit as to grow proud of it of which by and by but yet pray and labour for such a generous magnanimity of Spirit as may in some measure answer the worth of it and may help you with a Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free boldness of Spirit to manage it Great Men expect it in their Stewards and the great God requires it in his This Masculine Ingenuity was in Jehoshaphat in his Temple-work It 's said his Heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 2 Chron. 17. 6. and Nehemiah that unwearied and undaunted Repairer of Jerusalems ruines when the breaches were many and the rubbish that hindred their work much the strength of the Labourers little and yet decaying and the scorns insolencies and oppositions of Enemies very great and yet increasing how did he by Faith and Prayer raise up his own Spirit and by encouraging both Words and Actions endeavour to do as much for his Fellow-Labourers Chap. 4. and 6. Tricubitalis Paulus a low little Man for stature of Body and yet for lowliness of heart yet lower in his own Eyes less than the least of all Saints Ephes 3. 8. yet there was magnum in parvo With what an Heroick Spirit doth he carry on the work of his Ministry How doth the little Man stand as it were on Tiptoes when the Pride and Malice of false Apostles and others would have debased that Fastigium Apostolicum with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I magnify mine Office Rom. 11. 13. Yours is nothing near so high yet whilst it is over God's Houshold too high to be trampled upon by the foot of Pride which yet it is and will on purpose be more if Enemies once perceive that their Scorn and opposition can baffle you into a degenerous Despondency whom this height of your Office should set above any such Indignities A Luther's Courage with a Melancthon's Meekness make between them a fit temper for a right Church-Man Although what I have herein said perhaps is not enough to raise some of our Spirits yet it may be to some is too much who will think I preach that Pride which out of their Charity they say we will practise And therefore because it is a Duty of Humiliation we are now upon I shall rather press Humility And that as from the former Particular because by our Place Vse 2 we are Servants so also even from this because that by it we are set over Gods Houshold For though the Station be High yet be not high-minded but even therefore the rather fear Lower thy Sail the higher the Wind is In Ezekiel's Vision we read the Rings were so high that they were dreadful Chap. 1. 18. As the higher we are the more we tremble when we look downward The height and weight of your Places though it may make an empty pragmatick spirit Proud yet when well considered strongly engageth them that are better advised to be Humble Watchful Fearful As for Instance Are we over Gods Houshold 1. It
comfort when you are to give up your Account you be groundedly assured that your Office is of God and your Call to it by God that in both respects whether you be Ministers or other Elders it is God that hath made you Rulers over his Houshold 1. For us that are Preachers that our Office is of God I hope we are not in doubt nor to seek for proof of No. As long as we understand and remember what the Apostle saith Ephes 4. 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry c. No Socinian or other Sectarian will ever make us call it in Question You that are assisting Elders have had your Place and Employment formerly decried and to this very day questioned as for a long time forgotten in the Church nor so fully and clearly held out in the Word and therefore as the Man in whom the evil Spirit was said Paul I know and Apollos I know but who are ye Acts 19. 15. So some almost out of a like evil Spirit are ready to say Pastors I acknowledg and Teachers I allow but who are ye And therefore you have the more need to be fully grounded in this main Point that your Office is not only Permitted and Allowed but directly Instituted by Jesus Christ For whatever others hold I for my own part must freely profess my Thoughts that if by your Place you have as Officers of the Church a share and Interest in the Government and Censures of the Church in ordaining Ministers admitting Members and in casting out and Excommunicating scandalous Offenders things all of them so material and essential to Church-Communion and so purely Ecclesiastical nothing less than a Jus Divinum and a true and proper Institution of Jesus Christ will groundedly Warrant you to take upon you such an Office and to manage such an Employment Nothing is to be at the Master of the House his Appointment if the great Officer and their chief Employments upon which all the Government and Welfare of the whole Family depend be not Neither the Time nor the Duty in hand will permit at present a clearing of your Title But it doth call upon me to call upon you to get it cleared in your own Consciences The Priests the Children of Hobajah who out of Ambition had married into Barzilla'is stock and would be called by his Name when they sought their Register and it could not befound in Aaron's Genealogy they were as polluted put from the Priesthood Nehem. 7. 63 64. And lest such a Non est inventus be returned you have great need to search the Scriptures the Rolls and Registers in which all such of God's Charters and Commissions are recorded and if in 1 Cor. 12. 28. in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Governments you can distinctly spell your Ruling-Power you have in the beginning of that Verse God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath set in his Church and that speaks plainly an Institution or if in 1 Tim. 5. 17. you can truly and satisfactorily make out Elders that Rule well to be distinct both Persons and Officers from them that labour in the Word and Doctrine you have that which your Faith and Practice may safely build upon from that place in which God provides for their Honour and Maintenance and that in a Church-way which he would not do if they were our Creatures and not his own Ordinances for how should we dare to think what I am though in way of abhorrency afraid to utter that our heavenly Father should keep our Bastards Thus make sure in the first place that your Calling and Office be of God 2. And as sure that your particular calling to it be from God also that he made the Seat and then set you in it that you did not run before you were sent that neither greedy desire of gain in Jer. 23. 21. Ministers or a busy pragmaticalness or a tickling Itch after applause and domination to be accounted some great doe-littles do prick on them or other Elders but that God after he had in some measure fitted them hath inwardly inclined them and brought them to Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 15. Or in case of a Moses Jeremiah's and Ezekiels averseness either some overpowering work of God's upon our Spirit or over ruling providence in our way hath thrust us out to be Labourers in his Harvest Matth. 9. 38. and the wants of our Brethren have with the Man of Macedonia to Paul cried to us Come and help the Acts 16. 9. vote and mission of some and the welcom reception and giving of the right hand of fellowship from others have drawn us ab-inter sarcinulas as once Saul though in another sence than he was to be Rulers of his People In this Exhortation I am the more serious 1. As on the one side because of our very uncomfortable walking in this way if we halt in this particular It 's error in fundamento a fault in the first Concoction Were it no more than an unsetled hesitancy or a scrupulous doubtfulness of our Minds that either the Calling it self is not of God or that we are not called to it by God it will be like Gravel in a strait Shoe will pinch and make us tread very gâ—ntly and tenderly when we walk fair and easily in evenest ways but will make us halt quite down and give out wholly when we are put to it in rough and hard ways will make us fall short of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or free boldness which is requisite for the through carrying on of our work When we seem to have the most assistance from God and least opposition from Man yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Man that hath some inward defect is faint within by the warmest Fire and in the cheariest Sun-shine as the Man though at a marriage-Feast yet when he could not answer that question Friend how camest thou in hither is said to be left Speechless Matth. 22. 12. But suppose at some special times and in some heavy pull and great strait of our employment God should seem to frown and the World and 〈◊〉 should indeed rage as the former we may often deserve and the latter we may be sure of what chear is like to be then if as it was with Elijah now in a Wilderness and as many think out of his way the Angel again and again haunt him and ask but what dost thou here Elijah 1 King 19. 9 13. If in such a strait our own Consciences gagg us and such misgiving thoughts rise up within us I fear my work is not the work of God or that I am not the workman appointed to it by God and so though Men blame me yet God doth not thank me though they unjustly oppose me yet he may most justly desert me with a quis requisivit haec
it self be Gain to us for then our accounts will be summ'd and made up and then Gain and Loss will best appear as Solomon said when he came to his Audit Eccles 2. 11. Then I looked on all the Works that my hands had wrought and on the Labour that I had laboured to do And that was very great as we may see in the fore-going Verses where you find him as a diligent Chymist very busie at his work to extract and gain an Elixir and Quintessence even the Spirit of whatever Contentment the whole Mass and Body of the Creature could afford But alas when all else was evaporated there was nothing left but that Caput mortuum Behold all was vanity and vexation of Spirit and there was no profit under the Sun And as little do all our great Traders and Gainers as they themselves thought that say as James 4. 13. Tomorrow we will go to such a City and buy and sell and get Gain As little profit do they find when at Death they come to their last reckoning In their life and enjoyment oft-times no other profit by what they have Gained but the beholding of them with their Eyes Eccles 5. 11. But to be sure at Death when they must leave them Riches will not profit in such a day of Wrath Prov. 11. 4 will not be able then to purchase a Freedom no not a Reprieve from Death Psal 49. 6 7 8 9. much less everlasting Life and it will be well if not Death eternal And here let me name some few things which Men usually for the present think very Gainful to them which will not at Death turn to account 1. All sins even the gainfullest Demetrius may get no small Gain by making Silver shrines for Diana his Idol and the Master Acts 19. 24. Acts 16. 16. of the Pythoniss by her divination and many others now a days by unlawful Callings and unlawful and dishonest Gains at which God as very angry * Numb 24. 10. smites his hands Ezek. 22. 12 13 27. But none of these can in themselves be true Gain which is wont to be defined to be Boni utilis acquisitio quod ad venerandi Ficinus in argumento Hipparchi Platonis Rom. 6. 23. boni consecutionem conducit It 's the acquiring of something that is profitable towards the acquisition of the chief Good But if the wages of sin be Death this must needs be quite contrary the greatest Loss loss of Peace with God in Life and the loss of God and everlasting Life at Death And then as they said Why should Dammage grow to the hurt of the King Dan. 6. 2. Ezra 4. 22. So I to thee But why should such an utterly undoing Loss grow to thy Soul Or as Paul said to them Acts 27. 10. Sirs I perceive that this Voyage will be with hurt and much Dammage not only of the Lading and Ship but also of our Lives So I must say to every such Sinner unless he strike Sail and steer another Course though thou beest now Top and Top-gallant and goest before the Wind with all Sails spread and filled with as thou thinkest a most prosperous Gale yet this Voyage will be to thy hurt and much Dammage not only of Lading and Ship of that Saburra of outward Contentments that thou art so deeply laden with and of thy Bodie 's brittle Bark but of the Life and that of thy Soul for ever Acquisivit pecuniam Augustine perdidit Justitiam lucrum in arcâ damnum in conscientiâ Gain in the Chest and Loss in the Conscience he hath gotten Money and lost Piety and Justice are sad words but sadder things Such Gainers I compare to such prodigal Unthrifts that lavish it at their Inns and what Gainers they who have got so much Mirth and good Chear Ay but Friends there is a great reckoning that must be paid before or when you go to Bed in Death which will not suffer you to sleep quietly Whilst you by these sinful means increase your Gettings you like such Prodigals run fast and deep into debt which whilst you find the life Isa 57. 10. of your hand as the Prophets phrase is that which supports you with a livelihood you are jolly and never think of it O but there will at Death come a day of payment and then a Prison out of which you will not get till you have paid the utmost farthing and that will never be and so you lie in chains of darkness to Eternity What gain by sin will you then think you have got by that of which you are then ashamed because Rom. 6. 21. by it utterly undone You may then put it all into your Eyes and be there weeping it out for ever Penny-wise and pound-foolish will be then a sad Proverb which you will be sadly thinking of when all is lost and you with it to have gained Lordships and Kingdoms by sinful ways will be found greatest loss at last They will then appear to have been the Devils gifts rather than God's and as they use to say that the Devil's Gold which he gives to Witches is found to be but leaves and trash so you will find these to be such trash as will yet make Fewel for everlasting burnings What therefore you heard out of the Prophet Ambros de Joseph lucrum pietas nescit pecuniae in quo pietas dispendium est God in anger smites his hands at we should with an holy despising with him Isa 33. 15. shake our hands of namely of the gain of oppression bribes and whatever other unlawful profits which will then prove loss with a witness No then Godliness will appear to have been profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. and although in the profession and practise of it we have met with 2 Cor. 7. 9. inward repentant grief and outward loss and mischief yet as Paul saith we shall in the upshot find that we have received dammage by it in nothing 2. Nor will all even lawful acquisitions of outward profits or pleasures or honours or the like contentments as we use falsly to call them if not better improved and husbanded make Death gainful or be gain to us then when I say not the unlawful getting or using or keeping of them for that I spake to in the former Head but the bare resting and satisfying our selves in them without making out after and sure of Christ who is both in Life and Death advantage will be the loss of our Souls and what hath a Man then gained though he had gained the whole World Matth. 16. 26. In regard of usual events in ordinary providence Solomon saith there is a time to get and a time to lose Eccles 3. 6. and all our Life should be a getting time to get Grace and Peace that so at length we may gain Glory but there is no time to lose at least to lose our Souls especially death is no such time when if they