remember our selues to be farre off from God vnlesse we lift vp our hearts also on high and therefore saith the same Psal 25. 1. Prophet To thee haue I lifted vp my Soule Our hearts that thereby we should know if our hearts be not farre from terrestriall cogitations we shall hardly receiue any celestiall consolations We may lawfully in prayer aske corporall benefits of God because Corporall benefits we should thereby know that he is the author and giuer thereof and should not onelie be thankefull to him for it but thereby to seeke loue and worship him because we should Ios 7. bee perswaded of his good prouidence towards vs in that hee hath Ios 7. not onely promised hee will neuer faile vs but also hath an outstretched hand to helpe them that call vppon him Because our faith of recociliation and remission of sins shold bee exercised through the asking of these corporall things The feruent prayer of the righteous Prayer availeth Exod. 8. much aualyeth not onely for them but for others At Moses prayer the plague ceased Elias great 1. King 17. plenty of raine Queene Hester deliuered Hest 14. her and her people We ought to referre all our prayers Prayers c referred requests and doings to Gods good pleasure following the example of Christ when he was crucified Mat. 26. 4 without cause by the Iewes Of David when he was dispossessed of his 2. Sam. 15. 26 Kingdome by his sonne and of Iob Iob. 2. 7 13 when hee was afflicted most grieuously by Sathan The meanes whereby wee are Saluation drawne to saluation is Faith 〈◊〉 and Charity The chiefest of these is loue because it serueth heare and Co. 13. 13 in the world to come The worke of a true faith is builded True faith builded vpon things past we belieue the death of Christ is past things present wee belieue at this present hee sitteth at the right hand of his Father and things to come we belieue that Christ shall come to iudge the August quicke and the dead Faith doth grow and increase in vs three manner of waies By the hearing of the word of God preached Faith increaseth 3. wayes M. P. because it layeth before our eyes the promises which God in his Gospell hath made vnto vs in his Sonne By the reuerent receiuing of the Sacraments because they being rightly receiued of vs are as pledges and seales of the promises of God made vnto vs in his word And by prayer and inuocation because God hath made an especiall promise to vs thereby that hee will heare whatsoeuer we aske according to his will A true and liuely faith must bee A description of true Faith M. S. Simple in belieuing the word of god without inquiring or searching in Gods mysticall matters by humane reasons Sound in defending the truth thereof with inclyning or leauing to the erronious opinions of the aduersaries of the same Constant in following the same word without doubting for any reason of mans blame that seemeth contrary nor to be drawne away from it by temptations promises or threatnings either of torment or of death Such as will know whether they Faith the knowledge haue an effectuall faith must consider the fruis of it is good works for Iam. 2. 17. faith without workes is dead The triall of it is Affliction for it is not sufficient Phil. 1 29. for vs to belieue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake The end of it is Saluation for he that continueth to the end hath this comfort Mat. 24. shal be saued A Iustifying Faith is knowne by these effects It bringeth foorth Mat. 7. 18. Iam. 3. 18. Galat. 5. 6. fruits It worketh by loue It apprehendeth Gods mercy offered in Iesus Christ Faith differeth from Hope and Faith the difference yet wee hope in thinges present as when I hope I am in Gods fauour things past as when I hope my sins be forgiuen me things to come as when I hope to haue eternall life Charity is a singular vertue for Charity a vertue without it what is Faith It auayleth little though it moue mountaines Knowledg it profiteth little though I speake with tongues of men and Angels Martirdome It helpeth little though I offer my body to be 1. Cor. 13. burned Wee ought to liue in loue charity How to liue 1. Tim. 1. 5. because it is the effect and fulfilling of the Commandement and whole Law Because it is a testimony vnto vs of our translation from 1. Iohn 3. 14. death to life whereby we are made 1. Iohn 4. 8. the Children of God and heires in heauen Because it worketh the cause in vs for God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Workes of superarrogation are Workes of superarrogation very friuolous for our works are in no wise availeable to saue vs by reason of their Imperfection because all righteousnes is no better then filthy Esa 64. 6. clouts or as some writ menstruous Rom. 11. 6. clothes Gods election because we should then chose God rather by our works then he should elect vs of his meere grace and then grace were no grace Christs passion because his sonne should haue suffered in vaine if we had any sufficiency of our selues Although works are not the cause of our saluation yet partly they are the effects of it good works are very necessary to bee vsed amongst Christians That thereby God may glorified That by their good examples Mat. 5. 16. 1. Peter 3. 1. 2. Peter 1. 10. others may be wonne to the word That by them they may make their Election sure Dauid numbred three degrees of our saluation Gods mercy whereby Psal 40. 10 Degrees of saluation he fatherly pittieth vs His righteousnesse wherby he continually protecteth vs His truth whereby appeareth his constant fauour towarâ—s vs. There be three causes of our saluation The efficient cause God the Saluation 3. causes M. P. Father is the begining of our saluation The materiall cause Christ Iesus is he in whom our righteousnes is resident The Instrumentall cause faith is the meane whereby wee apprehend the same S. Paul approueth the formall cause of our saluation to be the free mercie of God for whom hee predestinateth Rom. 8. 30. he calleth whom hee calleth he iustifieth and whom he Ephes 2. 8. iustifieth he glorifieth By grace yee are saued through faith Although there be many reasons whereby we may assure our selues to be elected yet we may briefly gather our election by the holy Ghost which testifieth with our spirit that Rom. 8. 15. we are the Children of God by the fruites of the spirit in hauing good workes or will to doe well By remorse of conscience ioyned with the loathing of sinne and loue of righteousnesse Election is knowne by these testimonies Faith is gathered by
sanctification Election Beza 2. Thes 10. 11 and according to the truth truth is gathered by calling throgh the preaching of the Gospell The Gospell assureth vs of a certaine hope of glorification Touching Election and Reprobotion Elestion and ReprobatioÌ„ M. Deut. this is to be considered That the only will and purpose of God is the chiefe cause of both That his free mercy in Christ is an inferior cause of saluation That the hardnesse of heart is an inferior cause of damnation This vndoubted perswasion wee ought generally to haue Euery one is elected or reiected at the begining Euery one is an vnprofitable seruant when hee hath done his best Euery one shall haue reward according to his worke Wee ought not to condemne or Condemne not Psal 64. 4. iudge any to bee Reprobate albeit to be without feare of God and reuerence of man are signes of reprobation Because it is a secret onely reserued to God and therefore hee Mat. 7. 1. Iam. 4. 12. hath said iudge not that ye be not iudged Because the Lord is not so mercifull in forgiuing as hee is miraculous in calling making of a persecutor Acts. 9. 3. an Apostle as hee did by Paul Because the very Godly haue 1. Kin. 19. 10. beene very greatly ouer gone in this matter as that great Prophet of the Lord Elias in iudging the people of Israell These three steps do lead vs into Barnard Destruction 3. steps destruction The dissembling of our weakenes The ignorance of our wretchednes The excusing perseuering in our wickednes The Scriptures are written for vs Scriptâ—res writteo That we might know the will of god and follow it That wee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne Ioh. 20. 31. of God That in belieuing we might haue life through his name The whole Scriptures are diuided Barnard Scriptures deuided into three parts Lawe Prophets Gospell The Law consist in doing the Gospell consist in belieuing This may perswade vs to belieue the authority of the scriptures to be true The secret testimony of the Bib holy Ghost in our heartes which causeth vs to consent thereto The incomprehensible Maiestie of God appearing in the simple and sincere doctrine therein The godly agreement of all parts together with the orderly disposition certainty and successe thereof The Scriptures doe set forth vnto vs amongst many other three speciall matters which wee ought to remember The frailty of man and his prone inclination to euill The Iustice of God and his seuere punishment apointed for obstinate transgressors The mercy of God and his free pardon promised to penitent sinners Euery one ought effectually to know and search the holy scriptures for knowledge because the ignorance of them is the cause of all error for confirmation because we must belieue nothing but that which is approued by them for consolation because in them is Acts 17. contained eternall life We may gather knowledge in the scriptures three manner of waies by attendant hearing of the same well preached By diligent reading of the Acts. 8. same with vnderstanding By continuall conference with such as can open them The word of God then draweth vs vnto him when it is so preached and heard as wee vnderstand and learne what is taught therby When we receiue thankfully that which is giuen promised and assured therin When we be moued with desire and diligence to doe that which it commandeth Word of god perfect word 1. Peter 4. 8. The word of God hath then his perfect worke when it is Preached truely Belieued faithfully Followed effectually Such as will not belieue the word of God what followeth If the righteous searcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinners appeare Euery vnfaithfull shall dye in his vnfaithfullnesse saith Esdras Euery Esdras 15. 4. Ioh. 3. 18. 2. Thes 1. vnbelieuer is condemned already And shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition Ignorance can no way be excusable Ignrance vnexcusable Rom. 1. 19. for that which may be knowne of God is made manifest vnto vs For those that know not the Lawe shall perish without the law For the offering for ignorant sinnes in the Leuiticall law argueth no excuse to Leuit. 4. 12. be admitted Our Sauiour Christ describeth Mat. 13. A description by the parable of the Sower three vnprofitable hearers of the word Such a one as heareth it and vnderstaÌ„deth it not by reason the euil one commeth and catcheth it away out of his heart Such a one as heareth it and receiueth it presently with great ioy but when persecution or tribulation commeth by reason of the word he is offended Such a one as heareth it but the cares of this world and the deceitfullnesse of riches choake it and the same is made vnfruitfull We ought to resort to the Church of God because his holy ministeries Church of God must be vsed M. Fox are there laid open which are hid and obscure to many because wee may be vnited and copled together by receiuing the Sacraments because if the Lord hath promised to grant our requests where two or three bee gathered together in his name how much more will hee bee mindfull of a multitude that so assemble themselues The Church of God hath three Church 3. Ornaments ancient and excellent Ornaments Preaching Prayer Sacraments Preaching ingendreth Faith Prayer increaseth it Sacraments confirme it The Church or Congregation Congregation must pray without difference ought to pray for all men without any difference of Nation kind age or order because the Lord by calling of all sorts yea sometimes those that are the greatest enemies to the Gospell will haue his Church gathered together after this sort and therefore prayers to be made for all because God should not else be manifested to bee the onely God of all men vnlesse hee should shew his goodnesse in sauing of all sorts of men because his sonne Christ Iesus should not be seene to be the only mediator betweene God and of al sorts of men by hauing taken vpon that nature of man which is common to all men and made intercession for all Sacraments are signes or badges Sacraments of Christianity seales or pledges of our faith assurance of our saluation whereof there be two Baptisme and the Lords supper The sacrament of Baptisme teacheth Bib Baptisme vs to put on Christ that his righteousnesse may couer our sinfulnesse assureth vs that wee are grafted in Christ that all our corruption is cleane washed away chargeth vs to mortifie and dye to sinne that wee may become his seruants and liue in mutuall amity The sacrament of the Lords supper Bib Lords supper sheweth vs that the body and blood of Christ crucified is the only food for the regenerate assureth vs that Christ is wholy ours and that by faith our soules are fed and nourished in him vnto euerlasting life requireth a thankfull remembrance of his death with
they grieue them when they are old That they prouoke them not too rigorously at any time least they Collo 3. 21. discourage them Such Children as are obedient to Childrens duty their Parents shall haue this benefit They shall liue long vpon the earth They shall prosper in all M. Perk. their proceedings They shall haue ioy of their owne Children Children ought to obey their Parents by the Law of God by the course of nature by the rule of reason so it be in the Lord. Masters should continually remember Maisters duty That they haue a Master aboue that seeth all That they shall receiue for the wronge they offer of him who respecteth no persons That they bee as carefull to redresse their faults as ready to reproue their seruants escapes Heerein consists the dutie of seruants To obey their Masters in Seruants duty Ephes 6. 6. the Lord without murmuring To doe their duty in singlenesse of heart without eye-seruice To suffer patiently rebukes and chastisements without resisting Riches oftentimes be the meanes Riches to cause Impiety as appeares by the Parable of the young man Security as appeares by the Parable of the rich man Misery as appeares by the Parable of Diues and Lazarus Wicked wealthy worldlings Amos. 6. 1. Esay 65. 13. Iam. 5. 1. Mat. 20. should doe well to consider continually of these places A rich man shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen Such as gather their goods by vsery bribery extortion or such Pro. 28. 8. like vnlawfull meanes what followeth They gather them for such as Salomon saith will bee good to the poore The rust of their gold Iam. 5. 3. and siluer as S. Iames saith will bee a witnesse against them and eate their flesh as it were fire They lye in graue like Sheepe as Dauid saith and death gnaweth vppon Psal 49. 14. them Although worldlings doe make Phil. 3. 8. Worldlings God their God of their goods yet the iust man doth but esteeme Gold Siluer to bee coloured Earth yea but dunge Worldly and voluptuous feeding to bee filth and famine Dignitie and delight to be smoake which the ayre consumeth suddenlie Riches are good in this respect If wee can vse and bestow them to that end they are giuen vs If wee can as willingly leaue them as receaue them If wee set not our Psal 62. 10. hearts on them as they increase It is a vaine thing for a man to hunt so greedily after these worldly goods or take such delight in gathering Esa 49. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 10. Because he shall take nothing with him when he dieth because hee cannot prolong his life with them though hee hath abundance because they will not auaile Ephe. 5. 5. him in the day of wrath Coueteousnesse is contemptible Coueteousnesse Eccle. 6. 2. c in any especially in such as GOD hath sent plenty vnto because it is a plague to a rich man to want a liberall heart Because it is the root 1. Tim. 6. 10. of all euill Because it will bee their owne destruction in the end Riches should not make a man high minded if hee did but thinke vpon God Because hee is but his Steward ouer them for a time Because hee can ympouerish him as he Iob. 1. 12. Acts. 12. 23. did Iob. Because hee can punish him as he did Herod God hath chosen in this world Gods choice Foolish thinges to confound the wise Weake thinges to confound the mighty Vile things thinges 1. Cor. 1. 17. which are not to bring to nought things that are Although begging bee a miserablelife yet wee must not despise the Begging poore For he that despiseth them despise him that made thē For God hath made them as instruments for Pro. 17. 5. Deut. 25. 11. the triall of our hearts and charitie For God hath chosen the poore in Iam. 2. 5. this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of his kingdome Aduersitie and pouerty is oftentimes Iob. 1. Aduersity sent of God for the triall of our faith as appeares by Iob whose safety of substance was taken away For amendment of our liues as appeares by the Prodigall sonne who by these crosses was reclaymed For Pro. 20. 13. neglect of our vocation as appeares by Salomons saying loue not sleepe least thou come vnto pouerty Wee ought to giue to the poore for the glory and honour of GOD. Pro. 3. 9. Giue for Commaundement sake Mat. 5. 16. For good example to others Giue for necessitie sake For a signe of Iam. 2. 18. the sincerity of our profession Giue for natures sake Poore a comparison Pro. 12. 10. It may appeare vnto vs by way of comparison wee ought to giue to the poore for if a good man will haue pitty on his beast how much more ought we to respect a Christian Ioh. 3. 16. If wee ought to lay downe our liues for our brethren how much more ought wee to relieue them with our goods If a Factor ought to dispose his goods where his temporall Master pleaseth how much more ought wee to distribute them where our eternall Master appoynteth Hee that giueth to the poore Gifts to the poore secret Mat. 6. 2. Rom. 12. 8. Eccle. 35. 10. must bestow his beneuolence 1 Secretly without ostentation 2 Liberallie according to his abillitie 3 Chearefully without grudging This assurance hath hee that giueth Pro. 19. 17. Pro. 28. 27. Mat. 25. 40. to the poore Hee lendeth to the Lord He shall not lacke He shall not want his reward The poore ought rather to bee bidden to Feasts then the rich because such haue most need Because Mat. 25. they can make no recompence Because it is most acceptable to God Feasting is not amisse so it bee vsed In remembrance of Gods benefits Nehe. 8. Feasting allowed For the maintenance of mutuall friendship Towards the reliefe of the poore Wee must bee more mindfull of the poore if wee did but remember A daungerous thing Pro. 28. 27. how dangerous it is To hide our eyes from them such shall haue many curses To stoppe our eares at their cry such shall cry and not bee Pro. 21. 13. heard To shew no mercy at all such shall haue mercilesse condemnation Iam. 2. 13. Pure Religion consists in this To visit the fatherlesse and widdows Barnard Religion in aduersitie To follow the Example of Christ To keepe thy selfe vnspotted of the world Such as will bee perfect Christians in Religion ought not to bee Reuel 3. 19. Christians Hot Cold Luke-warme but zealous professors It is very daungerous to deale A daungerous thing craftily in this worlde because it greatly offendeth God who is the Author of truth Because it defraudeth a mans Neighbour with a shew of honest meaning Because it destroyeth the deceiuer in the end Pro. 19. Hypocrites may well Iuggle with the
world but they cannot deceiue Hypocrites these three GOD For hee seeth their secrets and will one day reueale all DEATH For hee commeth of a suddaine and will destroy them with all The DEVIL For he waites for their Soules to reward them for all An Hypocrite is resembled to these three thinges A sheepe in Wo to you Hipocrits skinne Hee talketh smoothly A Foxe in subtiltie Hee intendeth craftily A Wolfe in crueltie He attempteth villany Truth is a most excellent treasure Truth excellent and worthy to bee Honoured Because it ouercommeth all thinges Embraced Because it defendeth all things Aduanced Because it indureth for euer Such as delight in Lying should but remember the Author of it It Lying is a seed of the Deuills sowing The euill of it It is abhomination before the Lord And the end of it It procureth sorrow to his owne soule at the last This discommodity commeth of lying when one doth accustome it hee shall seldome leaue it when Lying the discommodity hee saith truth hee shall hardly bee beleeued when hee is knowne to be such a one the better sort will abhorre him Hee is happie that in his communication hath an eye in feare to Heb. 10. 3. Feane of God Gods Maiesty because it is fearefull to fall into his handes To his Brothers frayltie Because it is the easiest thing of a Thousand to offend him To his owne safetie because he must giue accompt of euery Idle word Our Communication ought to Communication what Esa 19. Heb. 6. 16. bee yea and nay yet wee may lawfully Sweare For the glory and worship of God For confirmation of truth and equity For discharge of our conscience being lawfully called The Magistrate may lawfully require Oathes an oath so it bee done for the manifestation of Iustice Iudgement and Truth But wee ought not to sweare vainely when there is no cause at all Lightly vpon euery smal occasion Rashly without good consideration Who shall inherit heauen saith Psal 24. Dauid He that hath cleane hands a pure hart He that hath not lift vp his mind to vanity He that hath not sworne to deceiue his neighbour The Mischeifes that insue of Lechery Lechery are many if we confer the beginnig with the end at first it tickleth the flesh with touching afterwards it poisoneth the mind with filthy delights and last of all by consenting to sin both body soul are ouercome The sin of Lechery is the pleasāts to the deuill because it hurteth body soule because he was neuer touched with it being a spirit because it bringeth a heape of other sinnes withall The Lecherous man in this life Lechery tormented is three waies tormented with the heat of the Harlot with the paine of his hurt with the worme of his owne conscience The Sonne of Syrach saith there Eccle. 25. Sirach his hatred are three thinges which his soule hateth A poore man that is proud A rich man that is a lyer An old Adulterer that doteth There bee three speciall reasons that fornication should be eschewed Because it defileth the body with a peculier kind of filthinesse Because Fornicators Sacriligious persons a fornicator is sacriligious for that our bodies are consecrated to God Because we ought both in body and soule to serue him who hath saued vs. This briefly is to bee obserued in Eccle 26. A Whores Comparison a Whore Shee brings a man to a morsell of bread therefore compared to a Dogge Shee hunts for the precious life of him therefore compared to a Sowe Shee leades him the high way to Hell she is therefore compared to Dung A whore is to bee abandoned if A Whore abandoned Deut 23. 17. Pro. 23. 28. 2. Esd 16. 42. it were but for these causes because God hath forbidden any such to be suffered Because shee increaseth the transgressors among men Because shee enuieth honest and vertuous women There bee three thinges may terrifie A Theife terrified by 3. things Bradford a Theife in his lewd attempts the precept GOD hath set downe that is Thou shalt not steale The Positiue Law of this Land that is Death of body The ymportable iudgement to come destruction both of body and soule A theife by following one that is the Deuill hee offendeth three Hee displeaseth God by breaking his commaundement Hee hurteth his neighbour by taking away his right He hateth his owne soule Pro. 29. by following sinne This inconuenience commeth of Idlenesse when one is rooted in it Idlenesse the inconuenience it will hardly be◠remoued when he hath the end of his lust it will bee most loathsome when he is so idle the deuill is most occupied There be 3. things that grieued the wise man A man of warre that Eccle 26. 29. Wiseman grieued suffered pouerty Men of vnderstanding that are not set by When one departeth from righteousnesse to sinne God punisheth his people for their sinnes with 3. kinds of plagues Plauges 3. kinds which commonly goe together Warre Famine and Pestilence And where hee blesseth there followeth three benefits Peace Plentie and Blessings 3. kinds Salubrity Christian Souldiers fight but faintly if they want these weapons Ephe. 6. 12. Souldiers weapons The Sheild of Faith The Helmet of Hope The Sword of the Spirit Euery Christian Souldier hath 3. Souldiers enemies Iam. 4. 1. Ephe. 6 12. enemies to incounter with the lewd affections of themselues The euill prouocations of the people The dayly suggestions of Sathan There were three persons spared Persons spared from the Warres Deut. 20 7. Deut. 24. 5. Deut. 20. 8. in the old Lawe from going on warfare hee that was betrothed to a maid he that was but new married he that was faint hearted God sendeth Raine Cold Heate Tempest and such like oftentimes Iob. 37. 13. Weather to punish man to profit the earth to declare his fauour towards man One may eate flesh at all times so it be done without scruple or doubting Flesh without offence of our brother without breach of Godly orders For euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to bee refused if 1. Tim. 4. 4. it bee receiued with thanksgiuing Our meats are sanctified vnto vs Beza 1. Tim. 4. 5. Meates by the word of God and prayer because wee confesse and acknowledge that God is the maker and giuer of those creatures which wee vse because we are of the number of those who through Christs benefits haue recouered that right ouer al cretures which Adam lost by his fall Because by our Prayers wee craue of the Lord that wee may vse those meates with a good conscience which wee receiue at his hands Such as by their Doctrine will Difference made of meates Fox make difference of meates the same may bee called Deuillish or deceitfull in three respects 1 Because the teachers of them make lawes of thinges which are not their owne for God