Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
Atheisme Let not such therefore flatter themselues and deceiue their owne soules let them shew their religion if they haue any or else they shew themselues to be men of no religion The third reproofe Thirdly it reprooueth such as censure and condemne others as too pure and precise by reason of their profession These men that are colde themselues and care not whether Religion go sorward or backward cannot abide that any should be more zealous and earnest then themselues because they will not runne with them into all excesse of riot therefore they rayle at them and speake all manner of euill against them They haue borrowed many opprobrious tearmes and drawne many reuiling tauntes from the enemies of the Gospell and grace of God and apply them whete they ought not to bee bestowed When the Lord had restored the Gospell vnto vs being brought out of Superstition and Idolatry that the Romanists gnashed their teeth for anger disgorged their malice with rage and were like to breake in peeces through enuy of the worke of the Lord set vp among vs they deuised against vs and our religion most bitter reproaches then was our profession called Puritanisme and our professors branded with the names of Puritans Praecisians and vnspotted Brethren which contumelies are nowe taken out of the mouths of enemies and one Brother dooth spit them in the face of another What a shame and indignity is this that we professing one faith liuing vnder one Gospell embracing one Religion and enduring the same enimies shold borrow such venomous speeches from the scornefull and despightfull Papists and cast them as Dung in the faces of our Bretheren Let vs therefore leaue these rayling and reuiling speeches and send them backe to Rome the Mother of cruelty and of all byting and bitternesse from whence they come Let vs vpbraid no man with his zeale nor hit no man in the teeth with his profession Let vs rather be mooued in loue to follow their example bee prouoked in a godly aemulation to walke in their steps And let vs all know that we must not be like the Laodiceans h Reuel 3 15. which were neither hot nor cold for if we scorne all zeale and forwardnesse in the wayes of godlinesse if we bee luke-warme professors and neither hot nor cold it shal come to passe that the Lord will spew vs out of his mouth The fourth reproofe Fourthly it reprooueth such as thinke they may bee present at the Sacrifice of the Masse and heare and see their Idolatry so they keepe their conscience to God and themselues yea some go farther and thinke they may not only be present at Idolatry in the Idols Temple but bow downe to the Idolles offer vnto them creepe vnto them and serue them with their bodies so that they abhorre such worship in their minds and serue God in their hearts But these excuses cannot serue to iustify such manner of seruing of God When God would assure Eliah that he had his people in those ruines of the Church that he was not left alone he said i 1 Kin. 19 18 He had left seuen thousand in Israell euen all knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euerie mouth that hath not kissed him He doth not say hee had reserued such as did not beleeue in Baal but keepe their heart to God but they are noted by this marke to bee the Lords that they gaue not to Baal the bending of the knee nor any outwarde subiection vnto him In the tentations offered to Christ our Sauiour when the Deuill onely required of him to fall downe and worship him k Math. 4 10 he answered Auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord and him only shalt thou serue Nebucadnezzar required nothing of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the three Seruants of God but to bow the knee and to fall down l Dan. 3 19. to the golden Image that he should set vp and yet they did choose rather to bee cast aliue into the hot fiery furnace and to endure the extremity of the flame It is not therefore enough to worship God in heart and soule True it is he commandeth vs to m Iohn 4 24. worship him in spirit and truth but not only in spirit and truth God requireth of vs the body as well as the spirit the outward man as well as the inward the knee as well as the heart He challengeth euery part member of our body to be employed to his worship Hee that hath an eare to heare n Reuel 2 7. Must heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches Hee that hath a o 1 Pet. 4 11. Tongue to speake must speake as the words of Gad. Hee that hath handes to lift vp p 1 Tim. 2. 8 Must lift vp pure hands without wrath and without contention Hee that hath a knee to bow q Ephes 3 14. Must bow it to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath a mouth to open r Rom. 10 10 Must make confession with it to saluation He that hath feet must say Å¿ Psal 122 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gate O Ierusalem The cause why God claimeth and challengeth the whole body is because the body is his as well as the soule It is his by creation because he made it t Psal 100 3. and not wee our selues we are his people and the Sheepe of his pasture The Clay was his whereof we were formed so that we are his by the Law of Creation Hee feedeth and findeth vs of his owne costs and charges he cloatheth vs with his owne wooll u Psal 50 10 For all the Beasts of the field are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountaines If then we liue at his expenses we are his by another right euen the Booke of his prouidence We are made his by the freeing of vs from the thraldome of sinne from the tiranny of Satan from the bondage of corruption by paying a price a great price by giuing for vs a ransome a great ransome not of Siluer and Gold but by shedding his blood his precious blood for vs the Speare pierced his hart the Nayles pierced his hands and his feet the Thornes pierced his head Seeing therefore he suffered so much in his bodie for our bodies we are wholly his by the worke of our redemption who before were not his The Holy-Ghost likewise sanctifieth our bodies as well as our soules and maketh them a Temple to dwell in and lastly we look for saluation and glorification not onely in soule but in body x 1 Cor. 6 19 20. and therfore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our soules wee must offer vp our bodies an holy Sacrifice vnto him and not commit Sacriledge against him by plucking and withdrawing away any part of our bodies from him The fift reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as keepe company with open enemies to God and
eye-sore vnto our selues Such as are dull and backe-ward themselues cannot abide those that are forward They that are ignoraunt thinke all others to haue too much knowledge They that are cold and slothfull in the matters of God do carpe and cauill at the zeale which they see in others and thinke them to bee too hasty too earnest too praecise Hence it is that oftentimes the Husband checketh the Wife the Father controuleth the Sonne and one Friend tebuketh another as running too fast and shooting beyond the marke Howsoeuer this is not greatly to bee feared in our daies wherein few runne at all many stand still wherein fewe shoot at the marke yet if it were so it is better to be a little too forward then to bee too backward to haue a little too much zeale then to be stark cold as many or luke-warme as the most are We see this in the state of a mans bodie it is easier to worke an euacuation of that which is too much then to procure a restitution of that which is too little It is an easier cure to purge our grosse superfluous humours when they abound then to repayre and restore Nature when it is decaying and consuming It is much easier to take away the sharpnesse of an edge tool then to set a sharp edge on that which is blunt dulled It is easier to pull downe a part of the building which is ouer-much then to lay a new foundation If there be one among vs that seeketh to be too iust and aymeth at a righteousnes aboue the Law there are a thousand that come too short and fayle in that which is required of them It is a most blessed thing to keepe the Golden meane betweene too much and too little It is easier to bring him that is in the excesse to the meane then to reduce him to the meane that is in the defect When a man lyeth dead in sinnes and trespasses and hath no sparke of the life of God in him to bring such an one to true godlinesse is as it were to raise him from the dead When a man lieth languishing and consuming by little and little and all good things begin to decay in him so that he is growne starke cold nothing is harder then to restore such a one it is as much as to worke a wonder and miracle But when our zeale is growne to be a little too hot and our edge made somewhat too sharpe it requireth no great labour it asketh no great paines to reduce vs backe againe and to make vs returne home the way by which we went There is no cause therefore that wee should so rashly and out-ragiously beare our selues toward those that climbe vp a step too high and beare them-selues a little too forward let vs rather examine our selues and consider whether we do not our selues many wayes faile of our duties so that wee may say and say truely we are vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer enuy or grudge at the good of others remembering alwayes that what grace soeuer is graunted to one member is giuen to the whole bodie and to euerie particular member of the body As he that doth good to the eye doth good to the whole body the benefite redowndeth to the hand and foot Thus it is in the mystical bodie of Christ a Rom. 12 5. Wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members Wee see in the Actes of the Apostles b Acts 11 18. when the Disciples had heard that Peter was called and warned by an Heauenly Vision to preach to Cornelius and other Gentiles they helde their peace and glorifyed God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted Repentance vnto life Thus much of the Ioy and Thankes-giuing of the Apostle Now let vs see to whom hee gaue thankes set downe in the next wordes I giue thankes to my God Heere is the first illustration of the Apostles Thankesgiuing declaring to whome it is made to wit to God The Apostle giuing Thankes and praising God hee calleth him his God He saith not simply I giue thankes to God but particularly I giue thankes to my God He calleth him his God and applyeth the promises of the gospel made to all that beleeue peculiarly and especially to himselfe Doctrine 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the promises and mercies of God to our owne selues Whereby we see for our instruction that the nature and property of a true and liuely faith is to aprehend and apply God and his promises particularly to our selues It is a duty required of vs to labor for that faith which may be as an hand to lay holde on the mercies of God and to appropriate them vnto our selues This we see in the vow of Iacob a Gen. 28 21. If God wil be with me and wil keep me in this iourny which I go and wil giue me Bread to eate cloaths to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safety then shal the Lord be my God This speciall application we see oftentimes in Dauid b Psal 22. 1. 104 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe O Lord my God thou art exceeding great The same appeareth in Thomas one of the twelue when Christ who will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flaxe had respect to the weakenesse of his Fayth and bad him see the print of the Nayles in his handes and put his Finger into his side hee cryed out c Iohn 20 28. Thou art my Lord and my God This Christ practiseth himselfe and teacheth others when he sayde to Mary d Iohn 20 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Bretheren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and vnto my God and to your God The Apostle Paule speaking of Christ and the benefites which he reapeth by him saith e Gal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And in another place f 1 Tim. 1 12. I thanke him which hath made mee strong that is Christ our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice All these consents of the holy Scriptures serueth to confirme vs in this truth that true Fayth standeth in a particular applying of the generall promises of the Gospell Reason 1. The Reasons will make this yet more manifest vnto vs. For first euerie one that shall bee saued must haue a particular Faith of his owne and not satisfie himselfe with the Faith of another No man can be saued by another mans beleeuing no more then be nourished by another mans feeding The Prophet Habbakuk teacheth this point euidently saying g
Doctrine 4. True religion must be openly confessed professed Heereby wee learne that faith and the fruits thereof must be openly professed True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued and in the heart acknowledged but must outwardly be confessed and professed in the world before men We see this in Daniell and the three Children hee was cast into the Lyons den they into the hot fiery furnace because they thought it not sufficient to worship God closely and secretly in their hearts but publickly declared what God they serued and what religion they embraced The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes calleth Christ Iesus a Heb. 3 1. 10 23. 13 15. the High-Priest of our profession that is of the trueth which we professe and beleeue And afterward he saith Let vs keep the profession of our faith without wuuering And againe Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name This duty of acknowledging and confessing the truth haue all the seruants of God practised made conscience of from the beginning giuing witnesse to God his truth When the Apostles were conuented before the counsel they did not hide their faith but said b Acts 4 8. 19 20. 5 30. Ye Rulers of the people and elders of Israell forasmuch as we this day are examined of the good deede done to the impotent man to wit by what meanes he is made whole be it known vnto you all and to al the people of Israell that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome yee haue crucified whom God raysed againe from the dead euen by him dooth this man stand heere before you whole And when they were charged to ho de their peace and to speake or teach no more in the Name of Iesus they aunsweared Whether it bee right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then GOD iudge ye for wee cannot but speake the thinges which wee haue seene and heard The Apostle Paule vseth this boldnesse of speech before Felix c Acts 24 14 15. I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the Law and in the Prophets c. And as the Apostle himselfe practised this dutie so Timothy is commended and praised by him for the same d 1 Tim. 6 12 13. Fight the good fight of Faith lay holde of eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses wherein also hee followed the steppes and example of Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession All these as a clowd of witnesses serue to confirme vs in the assured truth of this doctrine that God requireth this duty of vs to confesse his word boldly to manifest our faith openly to shew our Religion publickely that so wee may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sons of men Reason 1. And howsoeuer these Testimonies may serue and suffice for the strengthning thereof yet it shall appeare more plain and euident vnto vs if we waigh the Reasons First the profession of our faith hath a great promise of a rich reward ioyned with it and added vnto it and the starting backe from it as a deceitful bow hath a sore threatning of a grieuous curse following after it It is that which our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples whom he sent out as Sheepe among Wolues and foretelleth them of afflictions and persecutions that should be raised against them e Math. 10 32 23. Marke 8 38. Luke 9 26. 12 8. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in Heauen and whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my Father which is in Heauen It is an hard matter to stand when the storme falleth and to confesse Christ in time of daunger when persecuters arise and enemies shewe themselues but the earnest consideration of this that Christ will confesse vs in the glorie of his Father and before the Angels of God will be a forcible meanes and motiue to put life and courage into vs to enable vs and perswade vs to this practise For what can be more right and reasonable and stand better with the Lawe of equity then that the seruant should not feare to professe what Maister hee serueth who will know him and confesse him when he is entred into his glory If a Prince should come to a man among a great company and single him out by name if he should acknowledge him among a thousand others and speake kindly vnto him it woulde encourage him to liue and die in his quarrell euen so seeing Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the heire of alâ— things will at the last day do vs this honour to confesse vs to be his owne children and giue vnto vs the Crowne of glory how should we bee stirred vp in loue to him againe and strengthned in the inward man to waxe bold in the faith and feruent in spirite to giue out a cleare Testimonie before all the worlde whose Seruants wee are and in all troubles to cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart On the other side wee must bee terrifyed from denying him least hee bee ashamed of vs and denie vs before his Father which is in Heauen Reason 2. Secondly confession is a necessary fruit and consequent of faith where true Faith is in the hart there wil follow confession with the mouth This is it which the Prophet speaketh in his owne experience f Psal 116 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake for I was sore troubled This is made a note of Faith what it beleeueth it speaketh albeit the confession of the truth be accompanied with daunger And least any should imagine this to be peculiar to the Prophet not common to others the Apostle draweth it likewise vnto himselfe g 2 Cor. 4 13. Because wee haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore speake He that is afraid to confesse Christ hath no true faith but he that beleeueth in him will not be ashamed of him and his Gospell Reason 3. Thirdly the Faith of Christes true Religion is a most glorious thing containing in it the great praise and glory of Gods wisedome power mercie and righteousnesse and it deliuereth the matter of mans saluation and eternall happinesse This was it that mooued the Apostle to preach the Gospell freely and boldly h Rom. 1 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Seeing therefore Christ hath promised to confesse vs before his Father seeing faith is manifested and shewed by
confession and lastly seeing the Gospell of Christ is the instrument of Gods power to woorke in vs saluation it followeth that the Religion of God and the gospel of Christ must not onely be beleeued in heart and embraced in Iudgements but also bee confessed by the mouth and professed in the practise of an holy life Obiections answered Against this truth somewhat may be obiected First if true Religion must openly bee confessed then such as are dumbe and cannot speake can haue no Religion if Confession be a fruite of faith then they must of necessitie want Faith that want the vse of the tongue Answere I answere the Doctrine must be vnderstood of such as haue the vse of the tongue giuen them to glorifie God If God haue giuen vnto vs the freedome of speech hee requireth this dutie at our hands If hee haue giuen vs no more then a sanctified and faithfull heart let vs honour him with the holy Meditations thereof he will exact no more of vs then hee hath giuen vnto vs. Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid sayeth or rather the Lorde himselfe by the Prophet Psalme 81. i Psal 81 10. Open thy Mouth wide and I will fill it In like manner it is sayde k Rom. 10 17 That Faith commeth by Hearing and Hearing by the worde of God yet can God extraordinarily giue faith to those that are deafe and haue not their hearing who is not bound to the outward sences nor tieth his graces to the outward eares but supplieth those wants by the working of his holy spirit to the endlesse comfort of such as haue those infirmities Obiection 2 Againe the Apostle sayth Rom. 14 22. Hast thou Faith Haue it with thy selfe before God Where we see hee seemeth to say that it is sufficient if we haue Faith inwardly in the heart albeit no confession followe outwardly with the mouth Answere I answere the Apostle in this place speaketh of another thing to wit of a perswasion touching Christian liberty in things indifferent as if hee shoulde say Art thou strongly perswaded and assured that all Meats are lawfull to Christians Be it so yet vse it betweene God and thine owne Conscience and hurt not thy Neighbour with it nor offend thy weake Brother by it This serueth nothing at all to maintaine a dumbe Religion without open Confession which some would willingly bring in considering as one l Tertullian sayth that he which doth dissemble faith doth deny it Obiection 3. Lastly it is Obiected that Religion is better to bee concealed that we may giue no offence vnto others and auoyde the troubles that ariseth by Confession Answere I aunswere that is no offence giuen to men but a greeuous sinne committed against God who requireth the profession of his trueth And the Apostle Paule was readie to suffer bandes and imprisonment yea euen death it selfe for the profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Thus much breefely shall suffice in answere of the Obiections that are made Vse 1. Now let vs see and marke the Vses that arise from hence First wee learne who are to bee accounted true Christians and true Beleeuers to wit such as shew soorth their Fayth by their Confession It is not left to our owne choyse whether wee will make a solemne and sound profession of the Faith or not no more then it is at our libertie whether wee will beleeue or not or whether wee will bee saued or not It is required of all that belong to God to confesse his name and maintaine his Religion All men must confesse that would be confessed before the Father Christ Iesus will neuer beare and endure that seruant which is ashamed of his seruice The Prophet prophesying of the Kingdome of Christ and shewing how they should grow and multiply as the grasse of the field maketh this as a fruite of their conuersion to the Faith l Esay 44 5. One shall say I am the Lords another shall bee called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name himselfe by the name of Israell This the Apostle m Ro. 10 9 10 also teacheth Rom. 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation So our Sauiour doth not make it proper to his disciples but common to all to confesse him and his words before men And he doth not say whosoeuer shall confesse mee in heart but with his tongue not inwardly but outwardly not secretly but openly For albeit the Faith of the heart be the principall thing and cheefely required of vs yet the confession of the mouth must not bee separated from it This reprooueth such as account this open confession of the truth to bee of no absolute necessitie but a meere thing indifferent left to our liberty to be practised or not to bee practised These are those Libertines that woulde liue as they list and make it no matter of what Religion they be For if it be indifferent whether wee professe Religion or not it is indifferent whether we beleeue or haue faith and let them hold it indifferent also vnto them whether the Lord Iesus doo professe to know them or not Againe we see that it is not enough for vs not to denie Christ but there is required of vs a farther dutie euen to confesse him before men It is required of a dutifull son to confesse his Father with a sound and vpright hart but yet he must not deny his father before men if he would haue his Father confesse him So is it the part of a true Christian to beleeue to righteousnes and to confesse to saluation Euery one would seeme willing and desirous to be saued but if we looke to be partakers thereof Christ must know vs for his seruants and he will not acknowledge vs in his kingdome vnlesse heere we make confession of him If we will not heere know him he wil say to vs heereafter I know you not depart from me n 2 Tim. 2 12. If we deny him he will deny vs If we be ashamed of him take heede least he also bee ashamed of vs. The Theefe that was vpon the Crosse made open confession of his faith reproued the blasphemy of his Companion and called vpon Christ for saluation Luke 23. he rebuked his fellow saying o Luke 23 40 42 43. Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We are indeed righteously heer for we receiue things worthy of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And he sayd vnto Iesus Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome And albeit hee were a Theefe and a Malefactor for which hee suffered death yet is not Christ ashamed of him hee doth not stoppe his eares
and refuse to heare him but to shewe himselfe true in his worde and faithfull in his promise hee dooth acknowledge him as his owne because hee confessed him before that sinnefull and wicked generation saying vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Apostle Iohn liuing when the Deity of our Sauiour beganne to bee doubted of and called into question saith p 1 Ioh. 4 2 3. Euerie Spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God If therefore wee looke to bee confessed of Christ and to haue our soules saued in the day of the Lord let vs boldly beare and behaue our selues vnder the Crosse and not shrinke in the wetting like deceitfull cloth let vs know that confession and saluation must goe together if wee waite for the one wee must expresse the other if confession go before we may build surely and ground our selues strongly vpon the promise of Christ that the saluation of our soules shall follow after and no man shall take it from vs. This made the Apostle say q 2 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Faith and Religion must be confessed it is a duty that lieth vpon vs to seeke to know the truth and labour to expresse the power of godlinesse otherwise it is vnpossible that euer we should make profession of it For profession of the faith presupposeth a knowledge of the faith for how can we confesse that which we kno not or manifest that to other wherof we are ignorant our selues This controlleth and condemneth those that liue in the Church heare the word and haue the Gospell sounding a long time in their eares yet know not what faith is nor how to beleeue so that whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church in regard of the meanes offred to them and in regard of their age wherewith God hath blessed them r Heb. 5 12. they might haue been teachers of others they haue neede to be taught the beginnings of faith the grounds of religion the principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate Alas who can consider without great greefe of heart and anguish of spirit in what state the greatest number of our people stand and remember that after al our planting watering sowing and labouring they are apt and fit to receiue any religion because they are blinde and ignorant and know not God aright or any part of his truth to their soules health They are like the potters Clay which is readie to take any forme and receiue any impression or like the earth which altereth and changeth as the winde or weather as the Spring or Winter shall worke vpon it If they were taught to beleeue and receiue the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcoran of the Turkes the Reuelations of the Anabaptists the Traditions of the Papists or such like rotten trash of mans deuises and if they were countenanced by authoritie of Princes and Lawes of men they were as easie to be wrought vpon as waxe that is readie to receiue any stampe and impression A lamentable case that wee should bee still as Babes and children not knowing the right hand from the left carried about with euerie waue of Doctrine and receiuing the darknesse of errour for the light of the truth But we haue not so learned Christ and the Christian Religion When we haue once giuen entertainment vnto the truth and imbraced it soundly in our hearts we must not denie the faith whatsoeuer befall vs whatsoeuer trouble come vnto vs whether prosperity fawne and flatter vpon vs or whether aduersity pinch vs and paine vs whether the Sunne of peace shine vpon vs or whether the clouds of affliction ouer-shaddow vs wee must alwayes be the same and our standing in the faith should not be wauering or wandering to giue ouer at euery assault and to shrink backe for euery brunt and to deny our Lorde and Maister by euery tentation This serueth to reproue those that knowe nothing and therefore can professe nothing and as they know nothing so they will know nothing of whom we may say as the Apostle doth Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 5. This they wittingly know not and so are wilfully ignorant and shut their eies because they would not see and because the light shold not shine into their hearts For seeing God hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes we may truly say t 2 cor 4 3 4 6 If our Gospell be then hid it is hidde to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Thus doth God send them strong delusion that they shold beleeue lies u 2 Thess 2 11 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let vs therefore seeke after knowledge as for great Treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them we may find eternall life let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto Saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to encrease knowledge in vs to begin in Faith to hold out a good confession to maintaine the truth against all the aduersaries that rise against vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing it is a duty to open our mouthes and lose our tongues to confesse to his name that hath called vs to his truth it standeth vs vpon continually and constantly to pray for the Spirit of strength or corroboration that we may be made able to stand in the time of danger It is not in all that know and acknowledge the truth to auouch it and to maintaine it to confesse it and to stand to it but onely of such as haue receiued the strengthening power of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe x Phil 4 13. I am able to doe all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me So he prayeth for the Colossians That they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ When a man hath once receiued to beleeue hee wanteth a new grace to bee giuen vnto him that the graine of Faith which lyeth hidden in the heart and couered in the Ashes of mans frailty may grow vp openly and bring forth in vs the confession of the mouth This appeareth by the words of the Apostle Iohn who testifieth y Iohn 12 42 43. That euen among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him neuerthelesse because of the
his Religion where they cannot but heare God dishonoured his trueth blasphemed his seruants slandred and reuiled and yet make as though they heard nothing or saw nothing or could speake nothing for they stop their eares and close their eyes and shut their mouths to the discountenancing of Religion and the encouraging of euill persons How many are there that make the true professors of the word and the faithfull Seruants of God a common by-word and their Table-talke at their bankets and meetinges Wee are at such times ashamed of Christ of our faith of our religion of any matter that may tend to the edification of our soules but wee are not ashamed of the workes of the Deuill and of the fruits of darknesse We are not ashamed to fill our tables what shall I say with spewing nay worse then spewing with open blasphemy and swearing with slandering and reuiling of our brethren Such were the enemies that Dauid had experience of they reioysed and assembled themselues against him y Ps 35 15 16 and 69 12 13 the verie abiects tare him and ceased not with the false scoffers at bankets gnashing their teeth against him When he prayed daily vnto God and the zeale of his house did euen eate him vp hee became a Prouerbe vnto them they that sate in the gate spake of him and the drunkards sang songs of him When wee see godly men thus handled and their profession in our meetings taunted let vs open our mouths in the cause of the dumbe let vs giue glory to God in the midst of our assemblies and not suffer the faithful to be so foulely traduced and Religion it selfe through their sides to be nipped and despighted Let vs follow the counsell of the Wise man z Prou. 31 8 9 24 10 11 Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction Open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore We are willed according to our places and power by all lawfull meanes to helpe the afflicted and to succour the distressed We must not be faint-hearted and afraide to speake for them This is it which the Prophet teacheth a Psal 22 22. I wil declare thy name vnto my Brethren in the middest of the Congregation will I praise thee This is a duty to be practised of vs so often as we see our Brethren reuiled their profession taunted and Religion it selfe slandered I heare of thy loue and faith We haue heard before the commendation of Philemons profession so that Paule being farre remoued from him yet had notice of it Now wee are to consider wherein his profession stoode and wherefore he is commended The things for which hee is praised are these two Faith and Loue. He might haue named many other graces and gifts of God his knowledge his temperance his patience his meeknesse his gentlenesse his goodnesse his long-suffering but these are the cheefe and principall these perfect a Christians mans saluation For our happinesse standeth and consisteth in two things partly in our Communion with Christ our head and partly in our coniunction and fellowshippe with the members of Christ Faith is that which vniteth vs with Christ our head loue ioyneth vs together one with another which are the members of his body Doctrine 5. Faith and loue do commend a man to God his Church From hence wee learne that the cheefe things that commend a man to God and his Church are faith in Christ and loue to the Saints of God Among all the guifts of God which bring vnto vs a good report the principall are to be a beleeuer in Christ and to shew forth the fruits of mercy This appeareth in all the examples of the Fathers and Patriarkes of elder times that liued both before the flood and since the flood euen vnto the comming of Christ for by it a Heb. 11 2. our Elders were well reported of By Faith Abell offered vnto God a greater Sacrifice then Caine by the which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts by the which faith also he being dead yet speaketh By faith was Enoch b Heb. 11. 5. 39 translated that he should not see death neyther was he found for God hath translated him for before he was translated hee was reported of that he had pleased God It is saide of Abraham that aboue hope he beleeued c Rom. 4 18 22. 1 8 and 16 4. vnder hope it was imputed to him for righteousnesse The Apostle speaking of the Romaines saith d Colos 4 1. I thank my God through Iesus Christ for you all because your Faith is published throughout the whol world And afterward he greeteth Aquila and Priscilla his fellow-helpers in Christ Iesus who for his life were ready to lay downe their owne neckes to whome not onely he gaue thankes but also all the Churches of the Gentiles So hee giueth thankes to God e 1 Thes 1 3. when he heard of the faith of the Colossians which they had in Christ Iesus and of their loue toward all Saints he praiseth God without ceasing remembering the effectuall Faith and diligent loue which were found in the Church of the Thessalonians All these examples teach vs this truth that it is faith and loue and such like graces of Gods spirit wherby we receiue a good report as that wherewithall we are accepted of God and become renowned in the Church Reason 1. The Reasons follow to confirme this Doctrine First they giue vs good acceptaunce and approbation with God and man because they are euident markes and notable Testimonies of our election and perseuerance They are as two eare-markes to know and discerne whose Sheepe we are Hence it is that the Apostle making mention of the Thessalonians in his Prayers who had shewed the effectuall faith and diligent loue the patience of their hope in our Lorde Iesus Christ in the sight of God euen our Father hee addeth f 1 Thes 1 4 Knowing beloued Brethren that ye are elect of God So the same Apostle writing to the Phillippians g Phil. 1 6. saith That because of the fellowship which they had in the Gospell he was perswaded of this same thing that God which had begun this good worke in them would performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ For howsoeuer the faithfull haue a new name giuen vnto them and written in them h Reuel 12 17 which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it yet do the godly after a sort know and vnderstand the election of others the calling of others the iustification of others True it is they are assured of their owne election to eternall life more certainly by the inward Testimony of the spirit neuerthelesse wee haue some knowledge of the election of our Brethren by outward signes and tokens Now there are two things to bee considered the knowledge and iudgement whereof is hard and hidden the one
Child of the Deuill and of representing his Image For as the names giuen to Sathan describe his nature so the word Deuill in the orriginall tongue which the holy Ghost vseth q Reuel 22 10 signifieth a false accuser a carper a cauiller a disgracer a slanderer one that by all means seeketh to deface the truth and those that vphold and support it Thus the nature of our spirituall aduersity is notably painted and purtraied out vnto vs. His whole practise standeth in false accusations wrongfull imputations and wilfull calumniations of God to man and of man to God He falsely accused God to our first parents in the beginning r Gen 3 5. to enuy their good estate and therefore of malice forbad them the Tree of the knowledge of good and euil He falsely accused Iob to serue God s Iob 1 9 10. 11. in hipocrisie not in sincerity with shew of the body not with singlenesse of heart to be seene of men not to approue himselfe with an vpright conscience in the presence of God These quallities of the Deuill are to be found in all the wicked If you talke and reason with them of such as truely feare God either they will censure them as Hipocrits and falsely accuse them not to be the persons which they make profession to be or else they will detract from them and diminish those guiftes that God hath abundantly bestowed vpon them Christ Iesus himselfe could not escape this viperous brood who was accused by the Deuils ofspring and the Children of darknesse the Scribes and Pharisies to be a Samaritan to haue a Deuill to be a Drunkard to be a Seducer a Blasphemer and what not So was it with his Apostles they were filled with the holy Ghost and endued with the guiftes of tongues yet they felt the smart of this rod and were wounded with this sharpe sword they were accounted Deceiuers accused as Drunkards slaunderd as Disturbers of the common peace and reuiled as Traitors and Rebels against Caesar for the Disciple must not looke to be t Iohn 15 20. aboue his Maister nor the seruant greater then his Lord. These reuilings and reproaches are not peculiar to Christ and his Apostles but common to all the faithfull and true beleeuers in his name they tast of the same cup and haue the like measure measured vnto them They are slandered and backbited they are reuiled and taunted for the truthes sake But let all such carpers and cauilers looke to themselues and take heed to their estate u Iohn 8 44. they resemble their father whose workes they doe and they shew themselues to be petty-Sathans and very Deuils incarnate Now such as are the Children of the Deuill must look to haue their portion with the Deuill and his Angels Let vs therefore be ready to magnifie the mercies of God toward our bretheren let vs speake of the praises of him that hath giuen them let vs remember what God hath done for vs and others and especially let vs beware that we do not disgrace them and their guiftes which tendeth to the dishonour of him that gaue them For as Salomon saith x Prou. 17 5. and 14 31. He that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him so is it true that whosoeuer contemneth and despiseth reuileth and treadeth vnder his foot the Godly adorned from the Throne of God with the precious graces of his spirit he reproueth and reproacheth God himselfe y 1 Iohn 2 29 who hath giuen that annointing which they haue receiued of him Thus we see how we are to behaue our selues in respect of Gods guiftes we must not be ashamed to confesse them but we must be both ashamed and afraid to deface them and so to defraud God of his honour due vnto him Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is our duty when God hath beene good vnto vs or others to make knowne his goodnesse we learne heereby how the Saintes of God may be rightly and religiously honoured of vs and remembred to their euerlasting praise It is our dutie to giue thankes to God who hath blessed them with his graces and gouerned them by his holy spirit and to pray vnto him so to direct vs dispose of our waies that we may follow their godlines walk in their steps wherein they haue gone before vs. True it is the church of Rome go a great deale farther and teach vs to go further in the honoring of them then God alloweth the word approueth For they lade them with the spoils of Christ take from him the royalties of his Priest-hood therfore indeed they do not honor them but dishonor and disgrace them when they decke them with feathers that are not theirs Is there any good godly man liuing on the face of the earth that could bee content to haue theeues and robbers spoile other men of their goods and bring them vnto him and if they offred them would he accept and receiue them If he would not receiue them as his owne but refuse reiect them as belonging to others how shold the blessed Virgin the holy Apostles and other Saintes of God account those sacrilegious wretches to be their friends which rob spoile God of his honor and thrust Christ Iesus our mediator from his office to bestow vpon thē It is their honor to honor the same God with vs and to worship him And it is our honoring of them to giue all honor to God by walking in those wayes wherein they haue ledde vs the way and by following the light which they haue carried before vs. And if we would know how to honour the Saints aright and to giue them their due z Wherein the honour of the Saints consisteth it consisteth in these pointes First that God be magnified and praised in them our praising of them must tend to the praising of him who hath aduanced them and crowned them with his gifts God must be all in all to vs and his glorie must be preferred and sought for of vs. The Apostle remembring the History of his owne calling and conuersion telleth that the Churches of the Iewes saide a Gal. 1 22 23 Hee which persecuted vs in times past now preacheth the Faith which before hee destroyed and they glorified God for me When they heard he was gained to the Gospell they considered therein the power goodnesse and mercie of God and with ioy of heart they gaue him thankes for it Secondly the Saints should be honoured by an approbation of Gods guiftes in them and by an honourable mention of them For seeing they haue vsed the gifts of God faithfully he wil haue their gifts praised and extolled and the Saints themselues to be magnified commended So the Apostle mentioning his persecuting of the church in the time of his ignorance addeth b 1 Cor. 15 10 But by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace which is in me was not in vaine but I laboured
q 1 Cor 7 12 13 16. For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt saue thy Husband Or what knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt saue thy Wife So the Apostle Peter setting downe the wiues duty toward her husband saith r 1 Pet. 3 1 Let their wiues be subiect to their Husbandes that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues Where we see that some are won to the Faith without the preaching of the worde Answere I answere it is true that God blesseth and sanctifieth many meanes beside the preaching of the word to the good of his Children as Meditation Conference priuate instruction Prayer feare of Hell and such like Notwithstanding many that are conuerted to God are deceiued in the meanes and instrument of their conuersion For albeit such as are afflicted are brought to know themselues and to acknowledge the damnable estate wherein they stood yet it is not the affliction it selfe that wrought their conuersion The trouble that they sustained and endured whether it were in body or in mind or in both was sent by the goodnesse of God vpon them to bring them to a loue of the word who before loathed it and made no account or reckning of it This is it which the Apostle teacheth Å¿ Rom. 3 20. That by the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne So affliction may lay before vs the knowledge of our sins but it cannot take them away it may shew vs our wound but it cannot help vs and heale vs it may cast vs downe but it cannot raise vs vp it may bee a Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ but it cannot make vs partakers of Christ It is like a sharpe Needle which doth not nor cannot sow the cloth but it is necessarie to prepare the way for the thred or it is like an eating or a fretting corrasiue which cannot cure but yet it is profitable to make the way for the healing medicine So the afflictions that God layeth vpon vs may bring vs to the sight and knowledge of our sinnes and to the consideration of the miseries which we deserue and to the feeling of the flashes of hell fire but they cannot worke Faith in vs nor assure vs of pardon nor apply to vs the promise of God touching the remission of sinnes It maketh a good beginning but it cannot bring the worke to perfection The like may bee saide of priuate admonition and a godly conuersation which the Apostles teach may be meanes of saluation to others it is not spoken to lessen or weaken the authority or efficacy of publicke preaching as if it were not the ordinary meanes to conceiue nourish and encrease faith in vs neither is it simply to be vnderstood that they are able to conuert the soule but onely that they are good occasions fit inducements and profitable helpes to drawe vs and allure vs to a liking and louing and longing after faith For when a man that is not a Christian but an Infidell beholdeth the holy pure chast conuersation of his Wife after her calling to the knowledge of the truth and hir subiection and obedience toward himselfe he may be mooued to embrace the Christian Religion whereof he seeth such worthy fruites We haue a notable example heerof in u Ioh. 4 39. 42 the woman of Samaria who perswading the men of the Citty to go out and heare Christ they saide vnto her after they hadde heard his preaching Now we beleeue not because of thy saying for we haue herd him our selues and know that this is indeede that Christ the Sauior of the world The exhortation of this woman preuailed with them to heare Christ and by their hearing they were conuerted she was the cause of their hearing their hearing was the cause of their beleeuing shee was the Instrument that brought them to Christ and hee wrought Faith in them when they vvere brought vnto him Obiection 2. Secondly it is saide that reading is preaching and therefore it is a sufficient meanes of saluation To this purpose they quote Actes 21. Moses of olde time hath in euery City them that preach him seeing he is read in the Synagogue euery Saboth day Loe say they he is preached when he is read therfore the bare reading must needs be preaching yea some adde it is better then preaching because when they heare the Scriptures read they knowe it is the word of God but when they heare preaching it is mens exposition and interpretation and they know not whether it bee true or false sound or vnsound right or wrong Answere I answere this obiection falleth of it selfe and it is ouerthrowne by that whereby it is sought to be strengthned For if reading be preaching then reading cannot be better then preaching inasmuch as nothing can be better or worse then it selfe It is not denied but the word Preaching may in a general sence include not only the reading of the word x Marke 1 45. 5 20. 7. 36 but any other way of declaring and publishing the power truth glory and workes of God Rom. 2 20 21. Psal 19 1 2. but then it is not vsed as wee take the word in the state of the question For wee meane by preaching the expounding of the Scripture according to the proportion of faith applying thereof according to the capacity of the hearers And thus they are set downe in the place alledged before as two distinct things one accompanying and following the other according to the ordinance of God and practise of the seruants of God Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this as a duty and direction belonging to Timothy y 1 Tim. 4 13. Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to Doctrine So it is sayde in the booke of Nehemiah z Nehe. 8 7 8. The Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the Law and the people stood in their place and they read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstand the reading Likewise when Christ came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and went into the Synagogue on the Saboth day he stood vp He opened the Booke a Luke 4 17. and read the Scripture then he closed the Booke he sate downe the eyes of all of them were fastned on him and he began to preach vnto them Thus also wee see that when the Apostle Paule wrote his Epistle to the Romaines hee excused himselfe that hee could not come to preach vnto them b Rom. 1 11 15 14. For he longed to see them that he might bestow some spirituall guift among them and acknowledged himselfe a debter to the Grecians and to the Barbarians to the Wisemen and vnto the vnwise so that as much as lay in him hee was ready to preach the Gospell to them also that were at Rome Whereby we see that preaching and hearing are
not wtiting and reading and therefore as the Apostle when hee wrote did not preach so the people when they read did not heare Moreouer if we should reason a little farther with such as preferre simple reading before sound preaching how do they know that the worde which they heare read is the word of God For the Scipture inspired of God is the Originals the Hebrew of the olde Testament the Greeke of the newe Testament in other tongues it speaketh not but by an interpreter for from these two tongues and languages the Scriptures were turned and translated by men into the French by Frenchmen into the Dutch by Dutchmen into the English by Englishmen and so of all other Nations So that when we read or heare read the Scriptures in our owne tongues wee read and heare read the translations of men as when this word is preached we hear the expositions and interpretations of men And hence it is that the translations euen the best translations which are among vs may be amended and corrected according as it pleaseth God to giue greater sight and better insight into those learned Languages and as time discouereth the wantes and imperfections of them But the Scriptures themselues are free from all errour no weaknesse can be discouered in them they cannot bee made better by the iudgement of men or by length of time For al Gods workes are pure and perfect and no man can controule any thing in them If this be true may some say that the translations of the Scriptures are in some sort the worke of man how shall the people know when they haue and heare the worde of God and when they haue and heare the word of man This may seeme to leaue them in a maze and mammering and to hang their Faith vpon the will of men that they shall not knowe what to beleeue I aunswere they must haue in all doubts that arise and in all Controuersies that do trouble them they must haue I say recourse to their faithfull and learned Pastors whose care ouer them and loue vnto them may giue them hope that their senses are exercised in the wise discerning betweene good and euill Whereby by the way we may see the necessitie of hauing Pastours and Teachers able to teach to conuince to correct to instruct to comfort to resolue such doubts and demaunds as are mooued vnto them Besides the people of God haue for their direction both the helpe of comparing one place of Scripture with another and the assistance of the spirit to lead them vnto all truth that shall be necessary for them to saluation Moreouer if we should demaund of these men that are wise in their own eyes how they know the word read to be the holy Scripture what will they answere Will they say by the authoritie of the Church or by the testimony of the spirit But whatsoeuer they speake they must speak against themselues If they say by the Church the Church also setteth foorth the preaching of the Gospell and chargeth vs to heare the same at the mouth of the Minister Will they say by the Spirit the same Spirit will lead them into all truth and open their hearts to attend the preaching Ministry if they be led by the spirit of God Wherefore to conclude and to returne to the former obiection such as hold reading to be preaching or better then preaching are either such as are Idoll-Shepheardes that cannot preach or idle Shepheards that will not preach or ignorant people that cannot iudge or carnall Gospellers that regard not to heare or such conceited sluggards as liue vnder a reading Ministry These are they that condemne the Priests and Prophets nay Christ and his Apostles of want of wisedome and discretion to choose the best meanes or of ignorance to knowe and vnderstand what is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most auaileable for their soules health For if reading be better they are to bee blamed that vse the worse and refuse the better Surely they would neuer haue preached at all if the naked reading had beene as effectuall Moreouer the reading Minister by this reason should be the best Minister reading a better guift then preaching yea euery childe might be a better Minister then he that preacheth the word And then what should we do with Vniuersities and Schooles of Learning which are the Nurses and Seminaries of the Church to traine vp able men and to furnish them with giftes of knowledge But the guiftes which Christ bestowed for the edification of his Church when hee ascended on high and ledde Captiuitie Captiue c Ephes 4 11 12 13. are all preaching guifts The want of guifts which the Prophets complaine to haue beene in the guides of the people d Esay 56 10. was not of reading and reciting the words out of the booke but the guifts of preaching and expounding the Scriptures Hence it is that God reiecteth those that be ignorant as vnfit and vnable Instruments of saluation e Hosea 4 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me And in another place f Mal. 2 7. The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lord of hoasts Lastly the preaching of the word is acknowledged confessed to be the onely g Esay 49 22. 2 Chron. 15 3. essential mark of the Church so that it alone is of force to worke faith and saluation Obiection 3 Thirdly if reading of the Scriptures be not an ordinary meanes to worke Faith in Christ and Repentance from dead works as well as the liuely preaching of them it will follow that the Ministers themselues want the ordinary meanes because they by reading doe furnish themselues to preach to others but seldome do heare others preach Answere I answere they want not the ordinarie meanes from their owne preaching though they haue no other though they heare no other They haue faith before they enter into that calling but it is confirmed by their owne Ministry Hence it is that the Apostle mouing Timothy to giue himselfe to reading to be diligent in exhortation to plant sound Doctrine and to encrease in such guiftes as were bestowed vpon him addeth h 1 Tim 4 16 Take heede to thy selfe and vnto learning continue therein for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that hear thee Where we see he sheweth that his Ministry should be a meanes not only to saue others but to saue himselfe And there is no faithfull Minister but in reprouing he reproueth himselfe in teaching he teacheth himself in threatning he threatneth himselfe in comforting hee comforteth himselfe in strengthning others he strengthneth himselfe yea hee findeth and feeleth his owne
the knowledge of the Gospell the name of God and his Doctrine is blasphemed and euill spoken of Likewise speaking of beleeuing Wiues that haue vnbeleeuing Husbands he putteth them in minde of subiection to the end that by their holy conuersion they may winne their husbandes to embrace true Religion To this purpose the Apostle Paul teacheth seruants to be obedient to them that are their Maisters according to the flesh and chargeth them z Col. 3 22 23 that whatsoeuer they do they do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Seeing therefore that God is the authour of order not of confusion seeing Christ came not to abolish but to establish the Lawe and lastly seeing the Gospell teacheth subiection and doth not release or acquite any of their duty it followeth that the gospel doth not bring in parity and equality among al the Mother of al mischiefe but discerneth and distinguisheth of the Callings of men it doth not giue liberty to peruert all order it maketh not Seruants to be Maisters and Maisters to be seruants but directeth euery one to keepe his place and to abide in his vocation Vse 1. Seeing this is the honor commendation of the gospel let vs see what Vses arise from the knoledge of this point First of al we conclude from hence necessarily that it hath alwaies bin a lying deuise and diuellish slander to Christian religion to be the author and fauorer of carnal liberty and to Christian professors to be enemies to states and commonwealths to magistrats lawes ciuil ordinances This hath alwaies bin the accusation of slāderous tongs to brand the Gospell as the breeder and bringer in of all vprores and conspiracies yet there is no Doctrine vnder the Heauen that lesse deserueth to bee defamed For the Gospell was a friend to Princes when Princes were enemies to the Gospell it teacheth to be subiect vnto them to pray to God for them to obey all their godly constitutions and therefore it is the Father of lies and enemy of al truth that hath sought to disgrace discredit the holy truth of God and such as in truth do embrace it Hee seeth and perceiueth that if the Gospel stand his kingdome must fal if the Gospel florish his kingdome must decay Hence it is that the church people of God haue in al ages and times of the world bin accused of rebellions treasons seditions insurrections many other greeuous impieties Heerof the scripture experience affoord plentiful examples In the book of Ezra the enemies accuse the guiltles Iewes z Ezra 4 15. 1 King 18 17. Ester 3 6. to be a rebellious people that they haue of old bin alwaies giuen to sedition Ahab burdeneth Elias that it was he his fathers house that trobled Israel Haman suggesteth vnto the king against the Iewes that their lawes were diuers from al people that they did not obserue the kings lawes and therfore it was not for the kings profit to suffer them The Apostles are accused to be authors of sedition troublers of cities raisers of tumults causers of rebellion breakers of lawes and teachers of ordinances not lawful to receiue they said of them b Acts 16 19 20. and 24 5. These men that are Iewes trouble our City they preach ordinances which are not lawful for vs to receiue neither to obserue seeing we are Romans Where we see they couer their couetousnesse with a shadowe pretence of standing against innouation but they discouer the hollownesse hypocrisie of their harts when they ioyn trobling of the state and preaching of the gospell together Whereby it appeareth that their troubling of the city was nothing els but because they preached the word which the deuill his instruments could not beare and abide Paule is accused by Tertullus to be a pestilent fellow and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes thoroughout the world and that he taught al men euery where against the law of Moses And no maruel for thus they dealt with the son of God when he taught the truth without mixture of error and without respect of person he was accounted accused not onely to be a Sorcerer a Samaritan a Drunkard a glutton a deceiuer a deuil c Luke 23 2. but an enemy to Caesar and a troubler of the publick peace Now al these things being considered let vs remember what the Lord Iesus sayth to vs d Iohn 15 20. The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you The heathē after Christs time cried out against the christians that they were the authors and causes of al publick plagues calamities that fel vpon kingdoms countries If Nilus flowed not ouer the fields if the heauen stayed if the earth quaked if famine encreased if the pestilence continued by and by the poor Christians as the sheep of Christ were cast vnto the lyons They charged them to make priuy conspiracies e Euseb lib. 5. cap. 11. Tertulli in Apologel Cyprian contra Demetrian to deuise secret counsels against the commonwealth to murther children to feed themselues with mans flesh and to practise all Iniquity they were so blinded that they could not perceiue that their Idolatries brought Gods iudgments Thus we see how the church hath lien open to all false surmises and suggestions of sedition But what can be immagined more vniust or vetrue If there be any peace in this world in any lande it is for the Gospels sake and it commeth through the bountifulnesse of God for his peoples sake that call vppon him Neuerthelesse as the Gentiles dealt with the Iewes and Christians from time to time so doe the wicked in these dayes with the godly they lay to their charge that they keep no lawes that they disobey Princes that they are seditious and tumultuous and enemies to the State If we see or heare the Saints of God thus handled and euilly intreated we must know that this is an olde deuise of the deuill practised against the Prophets against Christ against the Apostles and against all true Christians euen from the beginning And let this serue to comfort vs when wee finde such slaunderous imputations and accusations layde to our charge considering that thus they haue reuiled and railed vppon the Seruants of GOD that haue beene before vs in all times and that wee haue Christ Iesus the witnesse of our innocency who if not in this life yet in the life to come will reueale the thinges that are hidden in darknesse and bring to light the things that are couered In the mean season we must remember f Math. 5 11. that they are pronounced blessed that are reuiled and persecuted for righteousnesse sake and wee must labour to conuince them not so much by words as by deeds g Demosth de corona answearing the falshood of their slanders by the vprightnesse of our liues which shal be able to speak
we haue much infidelitie in vs and are cumbred with doubting in the promises of God it pleased him in great mercy to prouide a remedy for our infirmity so that we may truely say where Sin abounded Grace hath abounded much more Thus we see the Lord Iesus dealt with Thomas one of the twelue when he beleeued not the Resurrection nor those that were chosen Witnesses thereof but said h Iohn 20 25 27. Except I see in his handes the print of the Nailes and put my Finger into the print of the Nailes and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it Heere we may behold as in a Glasse the example of exceeding great infidelity and vnbeleefe hee neither beleeueth nor will beleeue he will liue by sight and not by Faith This was no small obstinacy and incredulity in one of the Apostles who deserued to perrish in his sinne But Christ Iesus raiseth him out of this sleepe and offereth mercy with much compassion as it were pulling him out of this danger Put thy Finger heere and see mine handes and put forth thine hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull This is it which the Euangelist Mathew setteth downe Chapt. 12. i Math. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not breake and smoaking Flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory Now such as Thomas was such we are all by Nature we cannot be perswaded to beleeue except wee see and feele We will not beleeue the bare word of God but are alwaies ready to wauer through vnbeleefe Hence it is that God in great mercy did from the beginning of the world adde to his word his Sacraments to assure his people that as he is the GOD of truth so he meaneth truely and performeth effectually whatsoeuer hee hath promised The Sacraments therefore are as signes and seales of his promises and dependances vppon the word that is gone out of his owne mouth The Apostle speaking of circumcision giuen to Abraham saith k Rom. 4 11. He receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the Father of al them that beleeue not being circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed vnto them also Whereby we may see what the Nature of the Sacraments is to wit l what a Sacrament is and to what end it was instituted that they are visible signes instituted of God to seale vp his promises in the hearts of the faithfull The Author or efficient cause is God who onely hath power and authority to appoint and ordaine them because he it is that can giue force and efficacy vnto them The matter is the visible signe the forme is the maner of institution according to the Rites taught and prescribed in the word The end is that the faithfull may bee confirmed and strengthned in the truth of GOD. The word was giuen to instruct the Church by hearing the Sacraments were giuen to instruct the Church both by it and by the rest of the senses Indeede if wee were Angels and not men and were Spirits without bodies and heauenly Creatures not earthly we should not stand in neede of visible and bodily Sacraments but because our faith is feeble and wrastleth with Sathan the World the Flesh and such Enemies it wanteth proppes and pillers to vphold it that it doe not fall For albeit our Faith be mingled with doubting assaulted strongly with the waues of infidelity yet it ceaseth not to bee a true Faith An vnperfect Faith is a sound Faith though it be weake so that it standeth vs vpon with the Apostles m Luke 17 5. To pray for the encrease thereof Faith goeth before the Sacraments the which without Faith are idle and empty signes without profit without comfort without vse True it is the Infidels as the Aegiptians Aethiopians and other prophane people who neither worshipped the true God nor embraced the true Religion had the outward vse of circumcision as n Herod in Euterpe Histories testifie as also the Turkes and Iewes haue at this day but their cutting off the flesh is not the Sacrament of God but a meere ciuill thing yea an euill thing Thus then we see that the Sacraments were ordained of God to help our infirmity The promise of God is certaine and his Couenant doth not wauer neither can these outward Seales make it stronger But it is we that stumble and stagger and haue neede to be supported And woe vnto vs if we vse not this help and remedy left vnto vs nor profit thereby in confidence and assurance of our saluation For God hath after a sort bound himselfe vnto vs as by an Obligation Indeede man notwithstanding his wordes his oaths his promises his bands his seales and his assurances is oftentimes changeable and vnconstant but it is not so with God whose word is yea and Amen Were it not that we are weake of Faith and slow to beleeue he needed not to sweare by himselfe and by his holinesse hee needed not to haue set Authenticke Seales to his Word sauing that he minded to leaue no place for doubting in vs. Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Chapt. 6. saith o He. 6 17 18. God willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an Oath that by two immutable thinges wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs c. The greater meanes God hath left vnto vs the greater faith he requireth of vs and the more conscionable vse of those meanes that we may not alwaies bee Children Woe then vnto vs if in the store of so great mercies and variety of so many meanes we remaine distrustfull and doe not labour to gather strength of faith and assuraunce of comfort Let vs therefore grow from Faith to Faith as it were from strength to strength and not stand at one stay let vs proceede from one degree and measure to another vntill Christ Iesus bee throughly formed in vs. Vse 4 Lastly seeing Couenants in writing be requisite by the Lawes of God and Man wee must know that it is our dutie to deale iustly and vprightly one with another and in our bargainings to keepe a good conscience toward God and Man For this is the end wherefore Instruments in writing were brought in that all cozenage might be cut off all occasion of strife might be preuented Whereby we may gather that in all ages of men and times of the World there haue beene many deceits and much vnrighteous dealing to the disturbance of publique peace and the dissoluing of concord among men otherwise it had beene in vaine to require or to receiue such security in our buying and selling in our borrowing and lending one with
to his fauour and power h 2 Chron. 20 26 27. For they assembled themselues in the Valley of Berachah and there they blessed the Lord then euery Man of Iudah and Hierusalem returned with Iehoshaphat their head to go againe to Ierusalem with ioy for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their Enemies The like we might say of Hezekiah The example of the Prophet Dauid is plentifull in this Argument he oftentimes prayseth the Lord because hee had heard the voyce of his petition as Psal 65. O God i Psal 65 1 2. and 98. 1. and 115 1. praise waiteth for thee in Sion and vnto thee shall the vow be performed because thou hearest the Prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come And Psal 98. Sing vnto the Lord a new song for he hath done maruellous thinges his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory And Psal 115. Not vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glory for thy louing mercy and for thy truths sake And heereby we may discouer a deepe deuise a dangerous plot and a deceitfull pollicy of the Deuill He laboureth by all meanes to keepe vs from Prayer he cannot abide that we should call vpon the name of our God He will tell vs of k How Sathan worketh to hinder vs from praying the fearefull Maiesty of God to dismay vs hee will suggest our owne basenesse and vnworthinesse to discourage vs he will obiect that others pray not at all yet do well enough that they liue in all abundance and want nothing yet are not so deuout he will tell vs to make vs secure that God knoweth whereof we haue neede before we aske that he needeth not to be put in minde of his mercy and that he cannot forget the couenant that hee hath made with vs. These are subtile baites to intrap vs and mighty stumbling blockes to trip vs and strong tentations to slay vs and by these he oftentimes preuaileth in the Children of disobedience If he cannot obtaine his purpose of vs at the first yet he will not giue ouer but follow vs hard at the heeles till hee hath subdued vs and marke our foote-steppes till he hath ensnared vs. He will say vnto thee when thou preparest thy selfe to pray what needest thou pray at this time Thou art now vnfit thou art without feeling thou hast other businesse to goe about another time will serue as well or better then this when thou mayest be better fitted to this worke For if thou pray without feeling and zeale thou sinnest and thy prayer is abhominable wherefore take heed thou pray not least thou sinne against God Thus he preuailed with Saule when the Priest brought the Arke of God to aske counsell of him what he should doe l 1 Sam. 14 19 Saule said vnto him Withdraw thine hand as if he should say Let vs pursue our enemies I haue no leysure to stand asking counsell of God If he preuaile with vs to neglect this duty at one time he will take aduantage of it so that if he see vs ready to pray afterward he will alledge what needest thou pray yet Thou omittedst it at such and such a time and thou speddest well enough thou hadst no euill or hurt by it why then wilt thou now beginne It will but trouble thy Conscience to be alwaies praying it will hinder thy businesse and cause thee to neglect thy calling yea when thou hast done all thou canst thou shalt get nothing by it but shalt make thy selfe a laughing-stocke and a gazing-stocke to the whole World wherefore it were much better for thee to doe as many other of thy good and honest Neighbours that are not so curious and precise in these matters who are beloued in the World and looke to come to heauen as well as thy selfe Moreouer he will not forget to tell thee that if thou betake thy selfe to this strict course of life it will bring thee into many melancholy dumps and so cast thee downe that thou shalt neuer be merry at the heart This is the Deuils Logicke and Language or rather his sophistry and subtilty and thus he doth discourse and dispute with vs to draw vs away from this duty For well doth he know that prayer is a principall part of our spirituall Armour whereby we are safe garded from him and all other enemies and the most effectuall meanes to kindle in vs the sauing and sanctified Graces of Gods Spirit and therefore when wee cease praying God will stay his hand from blessing vs he will with-holde his graces from vs he will giue vs ouer into the power of our spirituall enemies and renounce vs from being in the number of his Children How Sathan poysoneth our prayers to make them voyde But if he cannot thus farre preuaile with vs but that the conscience of Gods commaundement and our owne dutie will stirre vs vp to this practise then he worketh in vs another way and creepeth vpon vs after another manner Hee will after a sort close with vs and ioyne in the acknowledgment of the necessity of daily exercising our selues in making Prayer vnto God but withall he will foyst in a false finger and tell vs that by deuout Prayer we shall merit saluation and that the moe our Prayers are the greater shall be our merits Thus he mingleth and tempereth rancke Poyson with Prayer so that albeit we vse it we doe abuse it so that it is all one as if we vsed it not Thus he sheweth himselfe to be ready at our Elbow to puffe vs vp with pride and to tell vs that we pray oftner then others better then others with greater feeling then others with greater faith then others with greater zeale and assurance then others Thus he preuailed with the Pharise mentioned in the Gospell n Luke 18 11 12. he stood and prayed thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men Extortioners vniust Adulterers or euen as this Publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue Tithe of all that euer I possesse o Math. 6 5. I loue to pray in the Synagogues and in the Corners of the streetes p Math. 23 14 but vnder a colour of long Praiers they sought the praise of men and the enriching of themselues and therefore were to receiue the greater damnation And as in the former times of the Church when he could not keepe them any longer in Fornication and vncleannesse as if it were a thing indifferent he taught chastity thereby to destroy chastity and vnder a false praise of single life brought in the detestation of marriage and the practise of incontinency so doth hee perswade Prayer thereby to ouerthrow Prayer For to mooue to pray thereby to merrit and deserue is to corrupt Prayer and to make it of none effect It is the duty of the Minister of God to preach the word it hath the promise of blessing and of great reward but
of the Gospell is accused to breede them but this is a false imputation The true cause is the mallice of Sathan and the furie of his Instruments that cannot abide the Light of the Truth to shine among them So then let vs not thinke it a straunge thing when we see such stirres and tumults arise but Arme our selues with Patience Learne to bee VVise as Serpents and Innocent as Doues and condemne those that are the authors and beginners of those broyles and contentions Fourthly obserue the Titles that hee giueth vnto our Lorde and Sauiour he describeth him by two Names First hee calleth him Christ then hee calleth him Iesus Christ signifyeth as much as Annointed Iesus importeth as much as a Sauiour who was so called h Math. 1 21. because hee saueth his people from their sinnes From whence obserue that Christ is the King the Prophet and the Priest of his Church to gouerne vs to teach vs to Redeeme vs to saue vs. This is his Office for these Ends and Vses hee was annointed of the Father with the Oyle of Gladnesse aboue his fellowes This serueth to our great good and the benefit of it is communicated vnto vs he maketh vs i Reuel 1 6. Kings and Priests to God his Father he armeth vs with power and strength against sinne the Flesh the World the Deuill and maketh vs able to ouercome them thorough him wee haue accesse to the father and may boldly appeare in his sight and offer vp our Prayers with assurance k Rom. 12 1. Yea he enableth vs to offer vppe our selues our soules and bodies an holy liuely and acceptable Sacrifice vnto him which is our reasonable seruing of him hee doth enstruct vs in the will of his Father enlighten vs in the knowledge of the trueth and maketh vs as it were his Household Disciples and Schollers to reueale vnto vs all thinges needefull for our saluation Let vs therefore confesse him to be the onely sonne of God perfect God and perfect Man l 1 Tim. 2 5. the sole Mediator betweene God and Man and let vs acknowledge no other Sauiour able to Redeeme and ransome vs to pay so great a price and to deliuer vs from so great wrath and destruction If wee make other Mediatours and set vp other Sauiours wee renounce the Mediation of Christ and Saluation purchased by Christ This pierceth the verie Marrow and entereth into the bowelles of the Romish Religion which setteth vp other Mediators and consequently establisheth a false Christ of their owne which indeed is no Christ no Iesus no Sauiour no Redeemer Fiftly obserue with me that speaking of Marcus Aristarchus Demas Luke he calleth them his fellow-helpers whereby he putteth the Ministers of the Gospell and all the Children of God in minde to bee helpers to the truth and to further the preaching and propagation of the Gospell by all possible meanes that God hath enabled them For this cause the Apostle commendeth many of the faithfull Rom. 16 3 9. Greet Aquila and Priscilla my fellow-helpers in Christ Iesus We must doe all for the truth and nothing against the truth This reproueth those that employ their wits and bestow their strength to hinder the truth and the professors thereof These haue no part nor fellowship in the Ministration nor in the sound profession of the Gospell but are professed enemies to the faith of Christ Moreouer this shall Minister vnspeakeable comfort vnto vs to consider that wee haue beene helpers to the truth and furtherers of the Faith which is in Christ Iesus we shall leaue a good Name behinde vs and receiue and incorruptible Crowne of eternall Glory Lastly note with mee that when Paule wrote this Epistle hee was at Rome and hee ioyneth with him sundry others which were the cheefe and principall whose verie names might carry some credite and authority to perswade Philemon in this matter which hee vndertooke yet in all this Epistle wee haue no mention of Peter who is supposed to haue liued there to haue dyed there to haue beene Byshop there fiue and twenty yeares He ioyneth to himselfe so many Assistants as he could to obtaine his suite He writeth as we heard before from Rome to haue Onesimus pardoned and hee vseth the name of Timothy to that purpose why is Peter heere forgotten Why doth he not ioyne him with himselfe in the same Epistle if he had been resident at Rome as a good Byshop ought to haue beene Againe we see he specifieth many by name Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke but we haue no mention of Peter And it is said that Marke was the Disciple of Peter and by his Commandement wrote his Gospell was it fit to name the Disciple and to forget the Maister to remember the members and to forget the Head To expresse meaner persons and to omit the principall Besides he calleth these men his fellow-helpers Paul was as the Master-workman and cheefe builder they were his helpers and partners in the businesse Was not Peter also one of his bretheren and either a fellow-prisoner or a fellow-helper in the Gospell Wherefore then is hee concealed Obserue with mee from hence and by Conference of many other Scriptures n Peters being at Rome is vncertaine that Peters being at Rome is an vncertaine opinion and an vngrounded assertion It was by composition agreed vpon betweene Paule and Peter o Gal. 2 9. that Peter should preach to the Iewes and Paul to the Gentiles how then could Peter sit as byshop at Rome Or if he preached to the Iewes at Rome how commeth it to passe that the christiā religion was strange in a maner vnknown vnto them when Paul came to Rome as appeareth in the end of the Actes of the Apostles where they say vnto him p Acts 28. 22 We will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this Sect we know that euery where it is spoken against Againe when Paule wrote to the Romaines hee willeth them to salute manie particularly and by name both men and weomen but he maketh no mention at all of Peter which no doubt he would haue done if hee had at that time also beene at Rome Furthermore the Apostle Wrote many of his Epistles from the Citty of Rome as we shewed in the beginning of this Epistle as for example to the Galathians Ephesians Colossians Phillippians to Timothy this to Philemon and that other Epistle vnto the Hebrewes if it were his and from thence hee sendeth manie salutations in the Name of manie that remained at Rome Among whome Peter is neuer mentioned but his name and beeing there is ouer-passed Lastly the Apostle testifieth that while he was called forth to giue an account of his Faith p 2 Tim. 4 16. All did forsake him and none assisted him wherefore either Peter was not then at Rome or if he were he did shamefully forsake him Thus then we conclude from these and such like Circumstances that it cannot be gathered out of
to preach to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell and afterwarde appointed seauentie Disciples to second their Labors he willed them to salute the places whether they came x Math. 10. 11 12. with Luke 10 5. Into whatsoeuer Citty or Towne ye shall come enquire who is worthy in it and there abide till ye go thence and when ye come into an house salute the same and first say Peace be to this house That which Christ commandeth his Disciples himself practiseth toward his Disciples for when he appeared to his Disciples after his resurrection y Iohn 20 21. he saide Peace be vnto you The Apostle writing to the Romaines spendeth the greatest part of the sixteenth Chapter in Salutations Commendations sent too and fro among the Saints Thus hee concludeth another of his Epistles z 2 Cor. 13 11 12. Finally Brethren fare ye well be perfect bee of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of Loue and Peace shall bee with you greet one another with an holy kisse all the Saints salute you All these examples teach vs this as an vndoubted truth that the vse of kinde and curteous speeches are beseeming the seruants of God and becommeth their profession Reason 1. We shall not neede to seeke farre to finde out the true causes and reasons of this Doctrine First our well wishing one to another is a fruit of our loue and a meanes to maintaine and continue loue among vs. To this purpose the Apostle Peter doth command not onely that they should salute one another but such as they loued and such as loued them Chap. 5. a 1 Pet 5 14. Greet ye one another with the kisse of loue If we would maintaine loue we must wisely and carefully entertaine such helpes as may further vs in the perfourmance of that duty whereof this that now we speake off is one so that we are to expresse our inward loue by outward tokens to the end it may bee seene and appeare vnto others Reason 2 Secondly our salutations are remembrances of our care and good affections toward these whom we greet well It is a signe that wee are not forgetfull of them but doe greatly regard and respect them This doth the Apostle Paule signifie Colos 4 12. Epaphras the seruant of Christ which is one of you b Col. 4 12. saluteth you and alwaies striueth for you in praiers that ye may stand perfect and full in all the will of God Where we see he ioyneth these two thinges together as depending one vpon the other his saluting of them and his praying for them Reason 3. Lastly to desire the good of others from the heart is both a fruit of the spirit and a good signe and testimony to our owne selues that we are chosen of God to eternall life To this purpose the Apostle numbring vp many notable fruits of the spirit maketh mention c Gal 5 22. of Loue Peace Gentlenesse Goodnesse meeknesse Long Suffering And in another place he exhorteth them d Col. 3 12. as the elect of God holy and beloued to put on the bowels of mercies Kindnesse Humblenesse of minde Meeknesse Long-Suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another So then if we shall consider that courteous speeches are tokens of loue remembrances of our affection fruits of the spirit and testimonies of our election we may conclude that it is the duty of one Church to wish well to another and of one Christian to speake kindly to another We haue heard the Doctrine confirmed but before we come to the vses that arise from hence it shall not be amisse briefly to answeare an Obiection or two that may stand in our way which may seeme to restraine and forbid that which heere is commanded and allowed Obiection 1. We read in the booke of the Kings that when Ellisha sent his seruant Gehazi to the Shunamites house e 2. King 4 29. Luke 10 4. he bad him if he met any not to salute him and if any man saluted him he should answere him nothing And when Christ sent out his disciples to preach he gaue them the same charge and willed them to Salute no man by the way Where the duty which is heere approued may seeme there to be reprooued Answere I answeare the drift and scope of those places is to be considered and not the bare wordes to be vrged The intent of the Prophet speaking to his seruant and of Christ to his Disciples is to enioyne those persons to omit for that time the practise of duties of common curtesie and ciuility so farre forth as they might stay or any way delay the perfourmance of waightier affaires enioyned vnto them We must therefore vnderstand the meaning of them comparatiuely as if it had beene said Rather then you should any way hinder the quicke dispatch and speedy practise of that businesse which is laid vpon you speake to no man in the way So then the meaning of the places is not simply and absolutely to forbid men to salute others but so farre to require the omitting of it as it should be a let and an impediment vnto them in doing their duties Obiection 2. Secondly we read in the Apostle Iohn in his second Epistle f 2 Iohn 10. If there come any and bring not this Doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his euill Heere againe seemeth to be another prohibition contrary to the precept and Iniunction in this place Answere I answere this place doth not forbid salutations courtesie of man to man but familiarity and acquaintance with Hereticks euen such ioyning and closing with them as may seeme to giue the least applause and approbation to their bad proceedings and wicked opinions Thus much of the loosing of these knottes and aunswering the Obiections that seeme to contradict the Doctrine taught out of this place Now let vs handle the Vses Vse 1 First we learne that courtesie with ciuill gentle friendly soft speeches are to be entertained of the seruants of God This is it which Salomon teacheth in sundry places of the Prouerbes g Prou. 15 1. 25 15. A soft answer putteth away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger And Cha. 25. A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft tongue breaketh the bones This is the commaundement that the Apostle giueth h Ephes 4 32 Bee ye courteous one to another and tender-hearted This is the commendation of Gideon against the rage of the Ephraemites that were greeuously incensed and sharpely set against him hee answered them mildly and gently i Iudges 8 3. and thereby their spirits abated towardes him The like we see in Abigail when Dauids wrath was kindled against her husband and houshold she pacified him by her louing and lowly aunswere k 1 Sam. 25 32 so that he blessed