Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22.29 when Christ wept over Hierusalem what was the cause even their blindnesse If thou hadst knowne saith he at the least in this thy day those things which now are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.42 Because men know not the wages of evill therefore they doe it and because they would securely doe it therefore they refuse to know it Oh that men knew how good it is to obay to disobay how evill then should we have a new world but the Devill takes an order for that where he can prevaile and therefore he hath the Pope in one part of the world who will allow his subjects I meane the Layty no divine learning the Turke in another who denies to his any learning at all and this is no small advantage unto him for that Edict of Iulianus the Emperour whereby it was interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into Scholes Lectures and other exercises of learning was esteemed a more pernicious engine and machination against the Christian faith then were all the sanguinary persecutions of his predecessors Ob But blessed be God and our gracious Soveraigne may some say this is not our case we have plenty of light in our Horizon our Land abounds both with humane and divine learning Answ Very true and it is a blessing which we can never be sufficiently thankfull for and yet the Devill takes such an order that the odds is not much betweene our light and their darknesse for either Wizard-like he presents things in a false glasse or Sorcerer-like he makes things appeare other then they are by deception of our spirituall sight or Sophister-like he darkens the truth which the Word will not suffer to bee conceald with subtile distinctions as a man that puts out the candle with snuffing it or Causistlike he fills mens heads with a world of Problemes and Paradoxes their hearts and consciences with a thousand needlesse and endlesse questions unprofitable cold and bloodlesse impertinencies whereby the sound and saving knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified which was the onely care and studie of St. Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 is the portion but of a few even amongst us as the effect shewes for are not most men to whom the Gospell is so gloriously preach't chiefely guided according to the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2.8 Quest But will any now in this cleare Sunne-shine of the Gospell be perswaded that they know not Christ crucified Answer It is too true Rightly a monknowe no more 〈◊〉 he practise◠that few know him for if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they would keepe his commandements Ioh. 14.15 for hereby saith St. Iohn is it knowne that we know him if we keepe his Commandements 1 Ioh. 2.3 but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and there is no truth in him ver the 4. Rightly a man knowes no more then he practiseth it is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 that he knew no sin because he did no sin in which sense he knowes no good that doth no good and he may know much that cannot utter much as a Martyr answered Bishop Bonner My Lord I cannot dispute for the truth but I can dye for the truth a good argument to prove that he knew Christ for mens actions expresse their knowledge better then their words Vertue is ordained a wife for knowledge and where these two joyne there will proceede from them a Noble prodiene a generation of good workes but they that wander in by pathes declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation Rom. 3.17 That is but a raw knowledge which is not digested into practise What 's the difference betweene Christianity and infidelity but holinesse For as Rhetoricke is the Art of speaking well and Logicke the art of disputing well and Magistracy the art of governing well so Christianity is the art of liveing well It is not worth the name of knowledge that may be heard onely and not seene good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions when we are wise in our hands as the Dutch are said to be These things if ye know happy are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13.17 and in Deut. 4.6 keepe the Commandements of God and doe them for this is your wisdome and understanding before God and men The knowledge that saves us He that hath saveing knowledge hath every other grace is more then a bare apprehension of God it knowes his power and therefore feares him knowes his justice and therefore serves him knowes his mercy and therefore trusts him knowes his goodnesse and therefore loves him c. for he that hath the saving knowledge of God hath every other grace there is a sweete correspondence betweene every one where there is any one in truth As in the generation the head is not without the body nor the body without each member nor the soule without it's powers and faculties so in the regeneration where there is any one grace in truth there is every one 2 Cor. 5.17 but see it in particulars They that know thy name saith the Psalmist will trust in thee Psal 9.10 there 's faith Let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that he understandeth and knoweth me Ier 9 24. ther 's joy Hee that knoweth God heareth us 1 Ioh. 4.6 there is an awfull attention to the Word preach't If thou knewest me saith our Saviour thou wouldest have asked of me Iohn 4.10 ther 's the Spirit of prayer and supplication He that knoweth God loveth God and the children of God 1 Iohn 4.7.8 He that knoweth God keepeth his Commandements 1 Iohn 2.3 Now I know thee saith Iob to God I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42.5.6 He that knoweth God is borne of God 1 Iohn 4.7 there is love obedience humility godly sorrow regeneration I might goe on and instance in every other grace For as feeleing is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye sees and feeles the eare heares and feeles the palat tastes feeles the nosthrills smell and feele so knowledge is involved in every grace faith knowes and beleives charity knowes and loves patience knowes and suffers temperance knowes and abstaines humility knowes and stoopes repentance knowes and mournes obedience knowes and does confidence knowes and rejoyces hope knowes and expects compassion knowes and pities Yea as there is a power of water in every thing that growes it is fatnesse in the Olive sweetnesse in the Figg cheerefulnesse in the Grape strength in the Oake talenesse in the Cedar rednesse in the Rose whitenesse in the Lilly c. so knowledge is in the hand obedience in the mouth benediction in the knee humility in the eye compassion in the heart charity in the whole body and soule piety Alasse if men had the true knowledge of Iesus Christ it
and vice but evill men especially and deceivers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 they goe first over Shoes then over Bootes then over shoulders at length over head and eares in sinne as some doe in debt § 110. O The dangerous and insensible insinuations of sinne Custome of sin tokes away the sense of sin if that crafty tempter can hereby worke us but to one dram of lesse detestation to a familiarity in evil he promiseth himselfe the victory Custome brings sinne to be so familiar that the horror of it is turned into delight and as men doe at first lesse like sinne so with continuance they doe lesse feele it frequency in sinne takes away the sense of sinne as a man may looke so long upon the Sunne that he shall become blind and then he is not sensible of any light it hath or heare a great noyse so long as they which live neare the fall of the River Nilus that it may make him starke deafe for even so it fares with the notoriously wicked who being familiarly accustomed to all manner of lewdnesse can commit foule sinnes with lesse touch of conscience then others can heare of them as you shall have Blacke-smiths that are used to the frequent and dayly handling of hot Iron hold a scorching fire brand in their hands and laugh whilst another would rore out Estrich-like they can concoct Iron and put it off as easily as another weake stomacke can doe jelly Oh hovv the soule that takes a delight in levvdnesse is gained upon by custome Neither vvill any meanes restraine such a Sampson for let him be bound vvith greene vvithes the shame of men they vvill not hold him with new Ropes the feare of authority they will not hold him vvith the pinne and vvoofe of Lavv and Gospell none of these vvill hold him Indeed for a time shame it selfe may hold them in though sinne holds them under but shortly after they have brazen faces so bloodlesse that they cannot blush and then farewell all good There is some feare to offend some knowledge of good and evill some remorse some conscience while shame lasts but if shame once depart knowledge goes and feare goes and remorse goes and conscience goes none will tarry behind shame at least where the feare of God which is the bridle and curbe to sinne is absent all vices will there be present and abound and when they are once crusted over with perseverance no hope of returning like as the Tortise delighting in the Sunne swimmeth on the top of the water so long untill the heate hardeneth her shell that she cannot sinck and then she is taken Wherefore let not this point part with us till it hath taught us two things to wit to make conscience of small sinnes not to reiterate or allow our selves in the practice of any knowne sinne § 111. ANd so you have the maine ground Againe God hath proclaimed an enmity betweene the wicked and the godly for so long as the world endures foundation roote or spring of their opposition which yet is not all for admit their natures were not contrary this alone were omni-sufficient God from the beginning hath proclaimed an enmity between the seede of the Serpent and the seede of the woman which is irreconcileable and endlesse for as it hath beene from the beginning of time so it shall last to the end of all time when time saith one began this malice first began nor will it end but with the latest man It is an everlasting act of Parliament like a Statute in Magna Charta Gen. 3.15 where even in Paradise Iehova the eternall God and Lord of Hosts saith unto Sathan I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede hee or it shall bruise thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele whereby Sathans seede is meant the wicked of all ages and by enmity bitter immoderate inveiterate irreconcileable and endlesse hatred and division opposite to that amity and familiarity which formerly had beene betweene the Woman and the Serpent as Expositors universally conclude So that there was a twofold kingdome set up in this world both spirituall a kingdome of sinne and darkenesse Sathan is their King and they must seeke his wealth and honour all they can and strive to enlarge his kingdome by winning all they can from Christ by a continuall warre and skirmish and a kingdome of light and holinesse the King and cheife commander of the one being Sathan the Prince of darkenesse the god of this world and chiefe of evill Spirits his subjects all unregenerate men and the King of the other being Christ called in Scripture the wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father and Prince of peace the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Isay 9.6 Rev. 17.14 who is also the chiefe of men even the chiefe Sonne of man his subjects the godly and regenerate alone betweene which Kings and their Regiments God himselfe having proclaimed a perpetuall warre saying I will put enmity betweene the one and the other how can we expect lesse for with God neither doth his word disagree from his intention because he is truth it selfe nor his deede from his word because he is power it selfe God is not as man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of man that hee should repent hath he said I will put enmity betweene the men of the world and his owne people and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken the word and shall not he accomplish it Numb 23.19 Heaven and Earth shall passe away but one jot or tittle of his word shall not passe till all be fullfilled Math. 5.18 So that to be without temptations reproaches and persecutions we may rather wish then hope for what peace can wee looke for betweene the seede of the Serpent and the seede of the woman since God himselfe from the beginning hath set them at enmity yea once to expect it were an effect of frenzie not of hope § 112. THat Sathan is their King As they have not bene wanting bitherto in any age you have it Iohn 14.30 and the Prince of this world it is plaine Iohn 12.31 and that he ruleth by and worketh in all the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 makes cleare and that they are his servants kept by the Devill in a snare and taken Captive of him at his will are the very words of the Holy-Ghost 2 Tim. 2.26 which being so considered together with the former proclamation how should they not seeke his wealth and honour by fighting for him How should they not strive to enlarge his kingdome and the territories of Hell by winning all they can from Christ by a continuall warre and skirmish as they have not beene wanting hitherto in any age Yea I could produce testimonies and examples till darke night to prove that there hath beene in all ages is now and ever shall be betweene these two Kings
and shall not be able how shall they be able who seek not at all Luk. 13.24 And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shal the ungodly and sinner appeare as the Scripture speakes 1 Pet. 4.18 And thus you see that mercy is for vessels of mercy Mat. 5. and not for vessels of wrath that he which is truth it selfe hath a like threatned the eternal death and destruction of the wicked as promi sed the salvation of the godly § 146. BUt thy carnall heart VVicked men believe no part of Gods word really and in deed which is flint unto God wax to the divell will believe the promises let goe the threatnings you shall dye saith God is heard but you shall not dye saith the divell is believed as it fared with Eve when she eate the forbidden fruit yea thou believest his promises that thou shalt have them but thou believest not his precepts to doe them nor his threatnings that thou shalt suffer them for thy not believing and disodedience which sheweth that thou truly believest neither yea this makes it apparant that either thou believest there is no God at al or else that God is not just and true nor speakes as hee meanes in his Word which is worse or if thou doest believe that hee is a just and true God thou believest also that thou shalt bee punished as hee threatens for thy provoking of him and thou provokest him that thou mayest be punished which is worst of all so that take thee in the best sense thou art but one of David's fooles which say in their heart there is no God and livest therafter which is never a whit strange for it is usuall with them to thinke there is no God for whom it would make that there were none what we would have to bee we are apt to believe I confesse it is hard for men to believe their owne unbeliefe in this case much more hard to make them confesse it for he whose heart speakes Atheisme will professe with his tongue that he believes there is a God and that hee is just and true and that every tittle of his word is equally true which being but granted this must necessarily follow that God will as well punish the impenitent as pardon the repentant Wherefore bee no longer faithlesse touching what is threatned against obstinate sinners but faithfull for he that will not believe these witnesses of Gods severity against sin shall everlastingly perish But suppose the Scriptures were lesse expresse and cleare in this point the Law must not be interpreted according to the delinquents judgement but after the will and meaning of the Law-giver which made the same Indeed a world of men believe with Origen that God is so mercifull that al in the end shall bee saved both reprobate men and Divells they presume that God must needs save them because hee made them without any other ground though in another fit they are as apt to despaire and to say with the same Origen should all other sinners obtain mercy yet not I yea it is to be feared that many die with this fond presumption of mercy in their minds as the Israelites with meat in their mouths but shall they therefore be saved because they think they shal be saved no no more then Esau had the blessing and Agag his life given him because they confidently thought they should § 147. SEcondly All the promises in tailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith repentance looke upon the promises single and thou shalt finde that they are not made indefinitely to al but with a restriction to such only as are qualified and made capeable thereof by grace from above The Penmen of holy Writ have set out Gods mercy in high and stately termes Heb. 4.17.18 Ion. 4.2 1 Pet. 1.2.3 Ephesians 3.18 but withal they declare that hee resembles Augustus Caesar in his dispensing the riches thereof of whom they which write his life note that in his military discipline hee was exceeding liberall and lavish in his gifts to such as were of any desert but withall as sparing and straite handed to the undeserving What though Christ in the Gospell hath made many large and precious promises there are none so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruit therof unfained repentance and each of them are so tyed and entailed that none can lay claime to them but true believers which repent and turne from all their sinnes to serve him in holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12 14. Esay 59.20 So that hee must forsake his sinne that will have God to forgive it 1 Samuel 2.30 As for instance our Saviour hath made publike Proclamation Mark 16.16 that whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved but marke what withall is added he that will not believe shall be damned Againe Heb. 5.9 he is said to be the author of eternall salvation unto all that obey him not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickednes and never submit themselves be ruled by the scepter of his word These and many the like promises yeild joyful assurance to the sinner that repents no comfort to him that remaines impenitent Or in case the condition of faith and repentance is any where unexprest yet every promise must be understood with such condition yea it was never heard that any ascended into heaven without going up the staires of obedience and good works that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification for even the Thiefe upon the Crosse believed in Christ and shewed the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his owne sinne reproving his fellow in confessing our Saviour Christ even then when his Apostles denyed and forsooke him in calling upon his Name and desiring by his meanes everlasting life For know this that whosoever Christ saveth with his blood he sanctifieth with his Spirit and where his death takes away the guilt and punishment of sinne it is also effectuall for rhe mortifying of sinne Romans 6 5 6. Christs blood saith Zanchie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the foyle and filth of sin as to cleare and assoyle from the guilt of sin God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1.4 they therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen Hee is said to have given himselfe for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purge us to bee a peculiar people unto himselfe zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 and Luk. 1.74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an oath that whomsoever hee redeemeth out of the hands of their spirituall enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life 1 Peter 2.24 Other Scriptures to this purpose are many as Matth. 19.17 hee that will
and vanish with all his workes of darkenesse If temptations might be but turned about and shewen on both sides the kingdome of darkenesse would not be so populous But when the Tempter sets upon any poore soule he shewes the baite hides the hooke all sting of conscience wrath judgement torment is concealed as if they were not nothing may appeare to the eye but pleasure profit and seeming happinesse in the enjoying of our desires those other wofull objects are reserved for the farewell of sinne that our misery may be seene and felt at once Thus he delt with David in his adultery and murther he presented to him through the false glasse of the flesh the pleasurable and over amiable delight of his sinne but concealed that shame that griefe those wounds of conscience those broken bones Psal 51. and sharpe corrections that were to follow that he could not so much as thinke of them and so he dealt with our Saviour he shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and glory thereof but there was also much griefe as well as glory in the world he would shew him none of that so in every sinne there is farre more gall and bitternesse then hony and sweetnesse yet he suffers not our deceitfull hearts to take any notice thereof till it be too late as it fared with our first Parents who could not see what they did until they had eaten the forbidden fruite but then saith the Text were their eyes opened the Divell that shut them before opened them them Gen. 3. Yea for the most part he labours to keepe men blind during the presumption of their lives and only opens their eyes in the desperation that waits on their death or in Hell as it fared with the rich man who never lift up his eyes to Heaven untill he felt those flames like the Syrians whose eyes were never opened till they were in the midst of their enemies sin shuts up mens eyes but punishment opens them § 185. ANd so much of the advantages Not to be overcome by their alurements we must be that Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in getting and keeping and improving their converts wherby it appeares that he who will not be overcome by them must be watchfull wise valiant As well watchfull to defeate and wise to avoid their crafty alurements as valiant to despise their cruell impositions for that we may be the better for what we have heard these three uses would be made thereof else evill were as good not seene as not avoided our happinesse is in the prevention not prevision of them wherfore First 1 Watchful since the Devill and the World are ever practising to lift us out of vertues seate and study nothing but our destruction by tempting and enforcing us to sinne let us be watchfull ever prepared alwayes ready and standing upon our guard like as wise and experienced Souldiers when they looke every minute for the approach of their enemy doe both wake and sleepe in their armour least they should be surprised at unawares or like wise Mariners who alwayes prepare and make ready their tackling that a storme which they cannot looke to be long without may not take them unprovided well may we sheath our swords but put them off we may not yea let us in vigilancy and watchfulnesse over our selves imitate the Nightingale which sleepes with her breast upon a thorne for feare of the serpent that continually studies her ruine The Philistines could not bind Sampson so long as he was awake wouldst thou not be overcome be not secure Yea wouldest thou be secure continually buckle unto thee the whole Armour of God prescribed by St. Paul Eph. 6.13 to 19. and walke circumspectly Eph. 5.15 The traveller that hath money in his purse rides with a Pistoll by his side yea the rich Merchant will not step over into the Low-countreyes without a Man of Warre at his heeles least he should meete with a Dunkerker by the way An assaulted city must keepe a carefull watch and so must thou if thou wilt keepe out of their snares we see they are busie and subtile therefore it behoves us to be circumspect When the theife compasseth the house let the owner guard the house If a Castle be besiedged and not defended how shall it stand whereas in vaine does the theife looke in at the window when the sees the master standing on his guard in the roome besides it is easier to keepe an enemy out by bolting the doores then to thrust him out being once got in § 186 SEcondly 2 VVise let us be wise and cautelous to avoid their crafty allurements take heede of beleiving their words of trusting their promises of yeelding to their perswasions and solicitations when they woe us to drinke more then will doe us good yea let quaffers quarrell rage and scoffe threaten curse and load thee with a thousand censures yet hold thine owne still pledge the Devill for none of them all Ob. Many obâ—â—â—â—â—ons answered But I shall offend my friend and the rest will take exceptions Answ Thou art what thou art when thou art thus tried and put to it wherefore if the wife of thy bosome shall tempt thee to evill or seeke to alienate thy affection from God and his Law she is a traytor both to thee and to him and therefore must be rejected What saith St. Hierom should my Father kneele to mee my Mother beseech me with teares my Brothers and Sisters seeke to entise mee to the love of this world and the neglect of Gods worship I would shake off my Father tread under foote my Mother and spurne my Brothers and Sisters rather then they should be a meanes to keepe mee from the service of God Neither will the complaint of our first Parents be taken for a good answer or plea another day That others deceive thee will be a poore plea another day it will be fruitlesse to say such and such a friend deceived me Eue was perswaded by the serpent to eate the forbidden fruit and Adam by Eue yet that would not justifie them in the Court of Heaven each of them had a severall curse both tempters and tempted True it is drunkards being better acquainted with wrangling then reasoning and deeper in love with strife then truth what they cannot maintaine by reason a feminine testinesse shall outwrangle at least if a man will be subdued with words which is the case of none but cowards and fooles but as for their exceptions If thou wouldest avoid all circumvention by these multiplied healthes pledge the healths of none and then none can take exceptions he that would not be drawne to pledge many healthes let him not admit of any upon any tearmes But they will be importunate above measure Ans A shamelesse begger must have a strong deniall O but I shall be held unmannerly discourteous uncivill c. What because thou wilt not hazard thy health credit soule c to
hath some pleasure or profit or credit by thee as prosperity procureth friends no lesse then adversity proveth them which is with Craterus to love the King rather then with Ephaestion to love Alexander now I doe not hold him worthy thankes that professeth me kindnesse for his owne ends Or secondly he loves only thy body or naturall parts which is but the worst peece of thee and love to the body is but the body of love the soule of love is the love of the soule Neither doth he truly love that loves the body more then the mind and soule or common gifts before saving graces this love as it is never long liv'd so it is oft but feigned as you shall have drunkards and dissembling polititians salute one another with God save you at their meeting and wish one another hanged at their parting Italian-like they will be glorious and complementall in their in vitations but if you accept of their offer they will hate you for it ever after A drinking friendship is but a drunken friendship and beleeve it thou wilt find those friends firmest that thy vertues purchase thee these will love thee when thy wealth is gone whereas those that be wonne without desert will also be lost without a cause you need but be an Arbitrator betweene two such friends to make them both your enemies things that differ in their end will surely part in their way now thy end is to gaine him his end to make a gaine of thee for let the passage of profit be stopt his love is likewise at a stand have you deserved never so well from him the deniall of one favour nay an health shall drowne the memory of many fore-performed ones which is all one as if for the abortion of one child a man should kill all the former issue whereas the good mans thankes for old favours lives even in the blowes of injurie or can you not feede these vermine as you have done away they goe like a Sunne Diall you shall be no longer regarded then you are shined on by prosperity yea Rats runne not faster away from an house on fire nor lice from a dead body then they from poverty and if ever it be your misery to stand in need of them looke for no other requitall then Iob had of his carnall friends whom he compares to a deceitful Brooke which in winter is hard frozen with cold in Summer dried up with heate betweene winter and Summer passing away alwayes deceitfull never of use Iob. 6.14 to 19. Yea a man may say of such friends as a learned Antiquary said of Rumney Marsh bad in Winter hurtfull in Summer never good nay this comparison falls short for thou hast sped well if such friends prove not dangerously hurtfull as well as helpelesse Have I not knowne some of them resemble the Snake which when a kind Husbandman had taken out of the cold and cherished in his bosome and she had recovered her lively heate and was growne lusty singled out him ungratefully to trie her first sting upon or a Promotour that in Lent eates flesh at your table and yet is the first that accuseth thee to the Magistrate If Ziba be waxed great under Mephibosheth he will give him a lift for all he hath A promoted Begger hath not seldome renounced his advancer And what else can be looked for from them They cannot make conscience of civill duties who make none of divine If a man have cast off his God he will easily cast off his friend They that have broken their faith with him will keepe no faith with us When Religion is once gone humanity will not stay long after I take leave of this point with a caution Reveale to such men no secrets for he that now loves thee dearely may come to hate thee deadly nor beleeve a word that they say for they are like Antigonus who never denied any sute that was asked but withall never performed any thing that he granted for what they promise when they are drunke they forget when they are sober or like Saul who being perswaded of David's worth and loyalty sweares as the Lord liveth he shall not die 1 Sam. 19.6 yet within foure verses for all his oath he darts a Speare at him intending to naile him to the vvall in the next verse he sends messengers to his house to kill him or like the Councell of Constance vvho made promise to Iohn Husse of a conduct and safe returne yet like forsworne persecuters put him to death § 204. OB. Objections answered But here some of them will reply That we lay the saddle upon the wrong horse when we tax them for want of peace love and friendship in that the religious only shew inconstancy by bidding farewell to their old friends and acquaintance so soone as they embrace religion Answ Change in the vicious were a rare vertue To this is answered First that constancy except it be in the truth and in a good cause is impudency change in the vicious is as great a vertue as constancy in the vertuous The Almaines were praised for changing their customes which were found to be but bad before as Tacitus affirmeth Constancy in things ill is so farre from being a vertue that it is an absolute vice Of things imperfect change is the way to perfect them The Gentiles became beleevers the Iewes Infidells Zacheus turnes from the world Demas turns to the world Paul turns an Apostle Iudas an Apostate I would faine know whether change in the Gentiles Zacheus and Paul was not as great a vertue as it was a vice in the Iewes Demas and Iudas Saint Paul was inconstant indeed for to day as it were he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ and to morrow he preacheth Christ in the Synagogue what then will any not debauched censure him of ficklenesse for it nay will not all wise men thinke it a great honour to him and commend him for shaking hands with the high Priests and his fellow Pursevants when once hee heard that voice from heaven Act. 9.4 There is not any so neare unto us but if he fall from God wee may fall from him It merits the name of wilfulnesse when we will not admit of a lawful chang to the better As Philocrates sported with Demosthenes you may not marvell Athenians that Demosthenes and I do differ for he drinks water and I drinke wine so some laugh at us for being sober with Rhenish and we as much pity them for being drunk with Canary Againe they censure us of inconstancy we them of impudency Now in this case when that is reputed ridiculous by one which is accounted sage by another as wise what shall we doe but make Gods Word the umpier Wherefore in all changes I will have regard to these three things God's approbation mine owne benefit and the not harming of my neighbour and then where the change is not a fault I will never
bee sinners that in the meane time we forget them to bee men and brethren I answer Answ This were to dash the first Table against the second whereas they are conscious of both alike A charitable heart even where it hates there it wisheth that it might have cause to love his anger and indignation against sinne is alwayes joyned with love and commiseration towards the sinner as is lively set out Mark 3.5 and Philippians 3.18 where S. Paul tells us of them weeping that are enemies to the crosse of Christ and Mar. 3.5 That our Saviour while he looked upon the Pharisies angerly mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts Zeale is a compounded affection of love and anger When Moses was angry with the Israelites and chid them sharply at the same time he prayed for them heartily And Ionathan when he was angry with his Father for vowing David's death did still retaine the duty and love both of a Sonne to his Father and of a subject to his Soveraign A good man cannot speake of them without passion and compassion yea they weepe not so much for their own sinnes as we doe according to S. Chrysostome's example O that our prayers and teares could but recover them Those that are truly gracious know how to receive the blessings of God without contempt of them who want and have learned to be thankful without over lines knowing themselves have beene or may be as wretched and undeserving as S. Augustine speaks A true Christian can distinguish betweene persons and vices offenders and offences and have no peace with the one while hee hath true peace with the other love them as men hate them as evil men love what they are not what they doe as God made them not as they have made themselves not so hate as to be a foe to goodnesse nor so love as to foster iniquity It is a question whether is worst of the two to be vices friend or vertues enemy Now saith Augustine He is not angry with his brother that is angry with the sinne of his brother yea if we hate the vices of a wicked man and love his person as the Physitian hateth the disease but loveth the person of the diseased there is nothing more praise worthy as saith the same Father And another It is the honest mans commendation to contemne a vile person And another I know no greater argument of goodnesse then the hatred of wickednesse in whomsoever it resides yea David makes it a note of his integrity Psal 31.6 and 139.21.22 and 26.4.5 and in Psal 15. He is bold to ask the Lord this question Who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holy mountaine the answer he receives is this 1. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse 2. And speaketh the truth from his heart 3. Hee that slandereth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his neighbour nor receiveth a false report against his neighbour But the fourth is Hee in whose eyes a vile person it contemned while hee honoureth them that feare the Lord and he cannot be sincere who doth not honour vertue in raggs and loath vice though in a robe of State So that as the Prophet asked Iehosophat 2 Chron. 19.2 wouldest thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord it may bee demaunded should Christians be friends with them who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ no no. And yet to the men separate from their manners we have no quarrell but wish them better then they either wish to us or to themselves Indeed if we should contemn them as they think we doe it were but a just recompence of their folly and wickednesse for as one speaking of the poverty of the purse saith that poverty is justly contemptible which is purchased by following of vice so may I of the poverty of the mind that poverty of wit and grace is justly contemptible which is purchased by a wilfull rebellion against God and the great meanes of knowledge and grace which we enjoy To conclude this point we think it 's better to leave them and be thought proud wrongfully then stay with them and be knowne bad certainly § 206. AGaine Object some will alledge we give offence to them that are without Another objection answered which is contrary to the Apostles precept who saith Give none offence neither to the Iews nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 as they will make a crooked staffe serve to beat a Dog when a streight one cannot be found Nothing but ignorance is guilty of this scruple Answ for the offence is only taken not given and herein they pervert the Apostles words touching offences as Pharaoh's servants did the same word when they said unto their Master concerning Moses How long shall he be an offence unto us Exodus 10.7 for he meaneth in that place only such offences as are contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell as he hath expounded his own meaning Rom. 16.17 And if nothing might bee done whereat vvicked men are offended then the vvord of God must not be preacht nor his holy and divine precepts walked in yea Christ must not have come into the vvorld to redeem it for he was to the Iews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnes 1 Cor. 1.2 3 But all vvhich God hath commanded must be done and all vvhich he hath left indifferent may be done and none may or ought to censure the doing of it The precept is plaine one believeth that he may eate of all things and another which is weak eateth hearbs saith the Apostle and vvhat followes let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not condemn him that eateth for God hath received him Rom 14.2.3 If I know the thing to be good and that I doe it to a good end what care I for their idle misconstruction morally good actions must not be suspended upon danger of causelesse scandall in things indifferent and arbitrary it is fit to be over-ruled by feare of offence but if men will stumble in the plain ground of good let them fal without our regard not without their owne perill Now that the Cuckoe may acknowledg this for her owne egg notwithstanding she hath laid it in the Doves nest let the men of the world know that it is not an offence given by us but taken by them yea they first give an offence to us by their ungodlinesse and after take the just reward of the same namely to be excluded our society for an offence wherein they imitate Athanagoras who as Tully reporteth would alwayes complaine of his punishment but of his fault he would say nothing or Adam who was ashamed of his nakednesse but not of his sin wicked men are neither sensible of doing injury nor patient in suffering for it It 's a rule of justice that what men deserve they should suffer yea in this particular case Gods rule is if