Lex Ceremonialis non quoad usum Historicum sed Typicum ac signifitativum tantùm Arnoldus The Ceremoniall Law is still a Teacher of Moral Duties as 1 Corinthians 5.7.13 and 1 Timothy 2.8 and Iames 1.18 The N. T. excelleth the Old though the same for substance in twelve particulars V. Paâ—aeum in Rom. 1.1 Est fallacia à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter By disannulling the Old Testament he doth not mean the Bookes of the Old Testament but that old manner of publishing administering and applying the Covenant Lyford 1. Loquitur Christus non de tota Lege sed de Vmbris Legis Prophetarum quae tunc incipiebant impleri abrogari 2. De Vaticiniis implendis in N. â— quae tunc coeperunt impleâ—i determinari Paraeus Aâ—gument and. à particulari ad Vniversale à parâ—e ad totum Evacuatur in Christo non V. T. sed velamen ejus Aug. Accessione Novi T. Non perfectius sed clarius factum est V. T. See this Text more fully opened in my Sal Terrae c. 5. Summâ sapientiâ bonitate non solum ad sufficientiam sed ad plenitudinem fidei dispensare nobis voluit Polan The Manichees 1400. years ago denyed the Old Testament whom Saint Austin confuted yet this is some of the New-light of our Times See Mr. Edwards's Gangrene 3. Part. p. 3.14 Scrutamini i. e. cum labore diligentiâ â—ffâ—aite aâ—canes Seripturarum thesauros uâ—i qui scrutantur venas auri argenti terram effodiunt ut aurum inveniant à Lapide Rom. 1.1 and 16.26 1 Cor. 10.1.6 Heb. 11. V. T. rectè intelligentibus est prophetia Novi T. nam V. T est occultatio novi in N. T. est manifestatio veteris Aug. * V. Stoughton Davids Love to Gods Word pag. 4 5. Praestat alias In Authore in Objecto in perfectione utilitate Piscator in Epist. Dedic ad 1. Chronic. Lumen rerum est Historia haec clausa aperit obscura illuminat Historia est magistra dux lux vitae humanae in qua regnorum rerum publicarum vitae humanae ortus casus occasus vitia virtutes quasi in speculo cernas omnemque prudentiam viam ad felicitatem alieno exemplo felicitate vel infelicitate discas Pezelius Mellifici Hist. in Epist. Dedic 〈…〉 V. Ravanel in verbo Scriptura Num. 4. distinct 1. Scipturae nomine sacra Scriptura per Anton omasiam significatur Matth. 22.29 Joh. 5.39 Sacra dicitur quia à Deo diclata et divinitus inspirata res sacras ad aeternam salutem necessarias continet Bucan See Mr. Ant. Burges Ser. 91. on that Text. Quo Spiritu Scipturae factae sunt eo legi desiderant ipso etiam intelligendae sunt Bernard See more in my Schooles-Guard Rule 1. Si ab ipsis etiam gentium vanis planéque prophanis sacris arcebantur prophani certè multo indignius fuerit quenquam Christianum ad earum quas solas verè sacras esse scimus literarum monumenta ac adyta illotis manibus pedibâ—sque irrumpeâ—e Tylen Syntag. cap. 9. * See Mr. Clerkes Mirror cap. 119. p. 583. Folio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est simpliciter instruere sed sapientem reddere Gerhard Qui ritè scit uti Scripturis huic nihil ad salutem nihil ad bene vivendum deest Calvin Insigne Sacrae Scripturae encomium quod non aliâ—ndè petenda sit sapientia quae ad salutem sâ—fficit Calvin See B. Vshers Body of Divinity p 6. August Confes. l 3. c. 4. Vis sapiens verè reddi lege sacra Aretius Mr. Blake in his Treatise of the Covenant Chap. 12. Oh quà m te memorem fides Virtutum nobilissima 〈◊〉 Caâ—dâ— es super quem versitur â—orta coeli situla per quam hauâ—itur aqua vitae Annâ—lus ille Nuptialis quo mens Deo despâ—nsatur c. D. Arrowsmith Tactica sacâ—a l. 2. c. 7. Sect. 13. Vâ—â— plura Vtilius est quod semper quà m quod aliquando utile Aristot. V. D. Arrowsmith Tactica sacra l. 2. c. 7. Sect. 11 c. Christ is All in all to a believer in 37. Particulars Robinsons Christ all in all Mr. Sam. Ward Ser. 1. p. 1. Robotham Pretiousness of Christ. Taylers Types Vennings Mysteries of Christ. Moses Unvailed Sangars Morning Lect. p. 39. and â—8â— Mr. Burroughâ— Saints Treasury See on Colos. 3.11 p. 31. Vxor coruscat radiis mariti Vxori lis non intenditur * i. By Inspiration of the holy Ghost who is a Spirit of Truth and led the Writers of these Writings into all Truth so that they could not erre Dutch Annot. in locum * Prophetae Apostoli fuere quasi calamus in manu Dei Gregor V. Perkins CC. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinitaâ— inspirata vel Spiritu Sancto Dictante conscripta quod non suo instinctu judicio ductu uti profani Historici Philosophi sua conscripserâ—nt sed Sacrasancto inspirati locuti sunt scripserunt Sancti Dei Homines á Lapide in locum ubi plura * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acti impulsi Vâ—ilis ad omnem vitae partem ad omnia Loctrinarum genera Bulling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Doctrinam scil sanam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad redargutionem q. â—ex iisdem fontibus confirmatur Veritas refutatur Vanitas Rectum est Index sui obliqui Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangulâ— nam qui refellitur obmuâ—escit vel ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habeo quod is qui aliquem reprehendit ejus facta patefacit quasi in lucem fert est enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstratio falsi Aristot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad correctionem Redargutio correctio parum differunt nisi quod posterius ex priore manat nam recipiscentiae initium est malorum nostrorum â—gnitio Divini judicii sensus Calvin Ad instructionem in justitia i. ad justam sanctum vitae conversationem Estius Vt Doctrina est credendorum redargutio confutandorum correctio vitioâ—um ita instructio est Virtuâ—um Aâ—â—tius Hic locus est Achilles Protestantium Bellarm. l 4. de verb. Dei c. 10.12 Eâ—si Apostoli plura scripserint ea tamen non esse diversa ab iis quae in V. â— continentur Nam in V.T. novum latet in Novo Veins patet Gerherd See this excellently cleared by Mr. Hildersham on Iohn 4. Lect. 44. Apostolorum Doctrina non fuit nova quoad essentiam etsi quoad Circumstantias habuerit novitates Arnoldus contra Socin cap. 2. p. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utilis quod dicitur non tantum de Vtilitate convenientia sed de sufficientia ac perfectione ut idem sit ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baldwin in loc Quid ad sufficientiam deesse potest ubi adest perfectio D. Morton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
were the Messiah Christ proves it out of Isay 35. 53. and 61. when others Questioned the Resurrection Christ confutes them out of Exodus 4. I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob When a Question arose about Divorcements Christ hath recourse presently to the Old Testament and alledgeth those words Genesis 2. For this cause a man shall leave Father and Mother and they two not they twenty as the Polygamistical Anabaptists would have it shall be one flesh So when the Pharisees accused Christs Disciples for breach of the Sabbath Christ presently defends them with an Old Testament proof Matthew 12.3 compared with 1 Samuel 21.6 So when the Scribes and Pharisees taught for Doctrines the Precepts of men Christ confutes them out of Isay 29 13. When Christ would teach men to deal justly and to doe as they would be done by he proves it from the Law and the Prophets which comprehend the whole Old Testament Mat. 7.12 So did Paul Acts 26.22 and 28.23 he taught nothing but what was written in the Law and the Prophets So Ephesians 6.2 3. and Peter confirmed what he said out of the Old Testament 1 Peter 2.4 and 1.1 15. When Paul would fright men from murmuring he brings an Old Testament Example 1 Cor. 10.6.11 All these things are written for our Example So he proves Justification by Faith out of the Old Testament by Abrahams being justified by Faith Rom. 4. He proves the maintenance of Ministers to be due from the Law 1 Cor. 9.7 8. All this proves that the Old Testament is not abrogated 3. The Word of the Lord endures for ever not a Jod or tittle of it shall pass away till all be fulfilled Matthew 5.18 But the writings of Moses and the Prophets are the Word of God Hence they are called His Statutes his Testimonies his Law and his Commandements and in our doubts we must to the Law and Testimony as our Rule Isay 8.20 and Peter tells us 2 Peter 1.19 that we have a more sure word of Prophesie speaking of the Old Testament whereunto ye do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place and if they do well that take it for their Rule and Guide then they do ill that reject it to follow some Ignis fatuus some New-light of their own inventing 4. He that denieth the Old Testament when it crosseth his Lusts will when a Tempation comes deny the New Testament also for the Pen-men of the Old Testament were inspired with the same Holy Spirit of Truth as were the Penmen of the New There is but one Spirit 2 Corinthians 4.13 and it cannot speak Truth in Paul and falshood in Moses but the same Holy Spirit which spake by Peter Paul Iohn c. Spake also by Moses Isay David Ieremy Luke 1.70 Hebrewes 1.1 2 Peter 1.21 Question one and you will quickly question all Question Moses and you will question Matthew Question Matthew and you will question Paul till at last with the Quakers you have cast off all For what is the Old Testament but the New obscure And what is the New Testament but the Old made plain both have an eye to Christ they being saved in the Old Testament by believing that Christ would come and we in the New by believing that Christ is come So that deny one and you will quickly deny both 5 The Anabaptists themselves who cry out most against Old Testament proofs yet are as ready as any to borrow proofs from thence when they think it may make for their advantage Thus the Anabaptists in Germany that cried down the Old Testament yet went about to justifie their rising against their Superiours from the Example of the Israelites rising against Pharaoh and when we demand what grounds they have to preach without a call they can then cite Numbers 11.25 2 Chronicles 17.7 Ioel 2.28 I hope they will allow us the same Liberty which they take themselves and when we cite Old Testament proofs against Tolerations and for punishing blasphemers with death they will not be offended 6. How shall we be able to convince a Jew that Christ is the true Messias It must be out of the Old Testament for the New he wil not believe Now that Christ is already come according to the Promises and Prophesies of him is as cleare as the Sunne by Old Testament proofes 1. He came into the World at the time foretold Daniel 9.24 after seventy weaks i. fourty nine years the Messiah shall come therefore the Messiah is now for from that time till now is two thousand yeares and more as appears by History 2. The place of his Birth was foretod Micah 5.2 and accordingly Christ was born at Bethlem Matthew 2.6 3. 'T was prophesied that he should be meeke and lowly not a glorious earthly King that should come with fire and sword to subdue Kingdomes Isay 42.2 Zech. 9.9 accordingly he was so Matt. 11.28 4. 'T was prophesied that he should be crucified Psalm 21. Isay 53. and he was so Matthew 26.3 'T was prophesied that he should rise again Psalm 16. and he did so Matthew 28. and Gods judgements on the Jewes to this day who desired his blood might be on them and their children and it is so for at this day they are a cursed scattered contemptible people This Argument convinced a Jew fourscore yeares agoe in England Thus we see the necessity of the Old Testament in this respect See more Reasons in Master Rowles Confession of Faith p. 30.31 c. An Answer to the Anabaptisticall cavils against the Old Testament Objection If the Old Testament be not abrogated then we are still bound to Circumcision Sacrifice and other Legal Rites Answer It doth not follow for though these Jewish Ceremonies are now abolisht yet it may be useful to know them though we are not bound to the Practice of them 1. That we may see what the Jewish Paedagogy was and how God ruled his Church then 2. That we may be thankful to God who hath set us in a better condition and eased of all those tiresome journeyes and costly sacrifices Now what fallacious arguing is this because the Types and Sacrifices of the Old Testament are abolisht Ergo all the Old Testament is abolisht Every freshman can tell them à parte ad totum non valet Argumentum E. g. Some compounded Anabaptists are notorious Heretickes shall we therefore conclude that all are so All that they can gather is this That since the Ceremonial Law is ceast Ergo something in the Old Testament is ceast This no man denies but under this pretence to cast off all the Old Testament wherein are so many excellent instructions tending to Faith and good Life is most unjust and ungodly dealing and this may serve in Answer to that Socinian Argument from Heb. 8.13 and 7.18 where the Old Covenant is said to vanish Answer The Apostle speaks not there of the Doctrine of Moses and the
174. l. 27. r. Practical l. 28. r. Oeconomical p. 197. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 217. l. 35. r. mirror p. 219. r. delectatione p. 222 l. 14. r. Pillar p. 231. r. Polyptoton p. 234. l. 5 dele All. p. 259. l. 17. r. Question p. 267. l. 12. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 28.4 r. ultro in marg p. 311. l. 40. declaration p. 133. l. 20 acrei p. 339. l. 6. Beophman p. 366. l. 26. add David had 3 enemies Saul Goliah and Absalom p. 375. l. 38. r. reproaching p. 380. in marg liberam for liberalitatem ex parte dantis AN EXPOSITION Of the third Chapter OF THE Second Epistle of PAUL TO TIMOTHY 2 TIM 3.1 c. This also know That in the last dayes perilous times shall come THE Apostle having in the two fore-going Chapters fore-warned and so fore-armed his dear son Timothy against those Schismaticks Hereticks Hypocrites and false Teachers which were then arising and creeping into the Church he comes now by a Propheticall instinct to fore-tell of greater evills and of more false Teachers and Seducers which should yet arise especially towards the end of the world In this Chapter we have 1. A Prediction or prophetical narration of the men and manners of the last times from verse 2. to verse 9. 2. The better to avoyd them we have here the marks whereby the Seducers and Impostors of the last times may be knowne 1. They are glozing Hypocrites verse 5. they have a form and but a form of godlinesse 2. They are of an insinuating disposition they slily and secretly creep into houses verse 6. 3. They are subtle they set first on the weaker vessel like the devil their father that first set on Eve that he might by her the better deceive Adam v. 6 7. 4. You may know them by their opposing the Truth and the faithfull Ministers thereof verse 8. 5. By their corrupt principles and practises verse 8. 6. By their Apostasy they fall away more and more and grow worse and worse verse 13. 3. Lest Timothy should be discouraged here is first a consolatory promise for the bounding and breaking of the follies and fopperies of the malice and madness of these Impostors verse 9. 2. The better to encourage him Paul sets before him his own Example and shews him what troubles and persecutions he under-went and how the Lord delivered him out of all verse 10 11. and withall tells him that persecution was not peculiar to him but that it was the common lot of all the godly whilst they live in this world 4. He exhorts Timothy to constancy and perseverance in the doctrine which he had received verse 14 15 16 17. and withall to a diligent study of the holy Scriptures which he adorns with a most elegant Encomium drawn 1. From their divine Authority 2. From their singular Utility 3. From their compleat Perfection This also know q. d. O Timothy my dearly beloved Son whom I have begotten in the faith I have armed thee before against present dangers and against those enemies to the truth which are already risen up in my life time such as Alexander Hermogenes Hymenaeus Phyletus c. I come now by a spirit of Prophesie to foretell thee of future troubles which shall befall the Church of God not only immediately after my death for even then from amongst your selves shall ravenous Wolves arise Act. 20.29 30. such as Menander Carpocrates Cerinthus c. who shall have a form of godnness but will deny the power of it but especially towards the end of the world those last dayes will be the worst iniquity will then abound and the love of many shall wax cold Be not therefore my son discouraged neither let any of Gods faithful Ministers thy Successours be dismayed or take offence at the Sects and Schismes at the Heresies and Blasphemies which shall in those last and loose dayes arise do not wonder at them as if some strange and new thing were come into the World for this also you must know That in the last dayes perilous times shall come In the last dayes That is all the time from Christs first coming in the flesh till his second coming to Judgement In scripture the latter or last times are taken two wayes 1. More generally for all Gospel-times from that time since Christ came in the flesh and publisht the Gospel this is called the Gospel-time in opposition to the Legal administrations and this is frequently in scripture phrase called The last time and The last dayes This appeares by those parallel Texts Ioel 2.28 compared with Acts 2.17 Heb. 1.2 1 Pet. 2.20 2.3.3 Isai 22. Hos. 3.5 Mich. 4.2 33. Thus we may understand that saying of Iacob to his sons Gen. 49.1 Gather your selves together that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last dayes i. at the coming of the Messiah or when Shiloh comes v. 20. Hence Gospel-times are called The end of the world 1 Cor. 20.11 Heb. 9.26 and the last houre 1 Iohn 2.18 Now these are called The last dayes 1. Because all was then consummated which was prophesied concerning the work of mans Redemption and so is the perfection of all times or as the Apostle cals it The fulness of time Gal. 4.4 Nothing now remains but a looking for the day of judgement which how soon it may come we know not 2. Because the whole time of the worlds continuance being distinguished into three great Periods the Gospel-time is the last of The three The first was from the creation to the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai The second from the giving of the Law till the Appearance of Christ in our nature The third from that Appearance in Humility till his Appearance in Glory and this is that which in scripture is oft called the Last time because after it there shall be no more 3. Comparatively in respect of the precedent times which have past since the beginning of the world those times were longer than these Gospel-times are like to be 4. By the last times more especially is sometimes meant the times that are somewhat near the end of the World which are the latter times of these last dayes when people shall give themselves to luxury and security and all manner of vices Mat. 24.24 37 38. and thus it hath relation to the times we live in wherein iniqâ—ity abounds and love to God his people his Ministers and Ordinances abates Apostolicall times were bad but these dregs of dayes and this dorage of the world will be far worse This also know That in the last days perilous times shall come Perilous times shall come That is hard hurtfull hatefull heavie pernicious perilous troublous times shall come On this clause there are almost as many Opinions as there are Writers and as many Interpretations as there be Interpreters Yet in all this Variety there is no contrariety they may easily be
heart so that such men seldom Repent So long as men have any thing to trust in they will not care for God when people are grown to be Lords they will not come near God nor be ruled by him Ier. 2.31 therefore the Lord outs his of their creature-confidences and makes them sensible of their lost and fatherlesse condition before he shewes them mercy Hos. 14.3 other sins which are carnal and sensual are more easily discovered and conquered but covetousnesse is a more close cloaked 1 Thes. 2.5 spirituall sin and so is more hardly discerned and more hardly cured And this amongst others is one Reason why for one covetous person which returnes there are twenty prodigals which brings me to that Question Whether a Covetous man be worse then a prodigal Answ. We must distinguish of prodigals 1. Some are compounded ones and have many other foul enormities mixt with them as Idleness Whoredom Drunkenness c. and these aggravated by long continuance in them now there 's more hope of a Temperate young Worldling then of such a compounded Prodigall 2. There is a single and simple prodigal one that only spends beyond his estate and wastes his means excessively now caeterisâ—paribus there 's more hope of such a one then of a covetous man and that for these Reasonâ— 1. The prodigal man doth good to many but the covetous man is not good to himself 2. He gives though he gives too much and so comes nearer to liberality whose act is giving is nearer to blessednes according to that of our Saviour Acts 20.35 't is a more blessed thing to give then to receive But the Covetous man will part with nothing willingly 3. The prodigall hurts himself yet benefits others but the Covetous misâ—r defrauds both himself and others 4. The prodigall is more tractable and sooner reclaimed by reason of his poverty misery and affliction his eare is opened to discipline and he more ready to hearken to good counsell Luke 15. But a covetous man the more he hath the worse he is and the older he growes the harder 't is to reclaime him other sins age may bereave a man off the acting them but covetousness increaseth by age How long may we preach to such before we can stir them we speak to stones and call to dead men Hence our Saviour tells us that a Camel may sooner go through the eye of a needle then a rich man because so apt to trust in his riches can enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mark 10.24 25. 9. It unfits a man for any employment whether it be Magistraticall Ministeriall Martiall or Domestical 1. He 's an unfit man to be a Magistrate such a one will transgresse for a morsell of bread any base reward will byas him and therefore Iethro describing a right Governour tells us Exod. 18.21 that he must be 1. A man of Courage a magnanimous man one that fears not the faces or frownes of any be they never so many or mighty else he 'l soon be daunted and discouraged The want of this made fearful and faint-hearted Rehoboam to be branded for a child viz. in heart and courage 2 Chron. 13.7 though he were then above 40. yeares old as appears 1 Kings 14.21 therefore God commands Ioshua 1.7 to be strong and of good courage and the like counsell David gives to Solomon 2 Kings 2.2 2. He must fear God or else he will fear the face of man Deut. 1.17 the great fear of God will devour all base inferiour feares Micajah fear'd not two great Kings sitting on their Thrones in Pompe because he saw a greater then they 1 Kings 22 10.14.19 no man can be truly valourous but he that is truly Religious as we see in Ioseph Nehemiah Daniel The feare of God is the Foundation of all Vertue without it non sunt verae virtutes sed Vmbrae they are meere shadowes 3. He must deal justly and truly sifting out the truth that the poor be not opprest 4. He must â—ate covetousnesse Publick persons must have publick spirits not seeking themselves but the common good else he 'l take bribes which blind the eyes of the wise so that they cannot discern betwen a good cause a bad it makes them partial perverts judgement making men passe sentence on his side from whom he received the bribe Hence the Lord so oft condemnes it Exod. 23.8 Deut. 16.19 27.25 1 Sam. 8.3 Isai 5.23 and 't is made a note of a wicked man Psal. 26.9 his right hand is full of bribes These stop the eares tye the Tongue and manacle the hands No Vice so foul as this in a Magistrate the bottle and the basket will make him to do any thing So that if a Iudge should aske me the way to Hell saith B. Latimer I would shew him this way First Let his heart be poysoned with Covetousnesse Secondly Let him then take bribes and at last pervert judgement there lacks a fourth thing to make up the Mess which so God help me saith he if I were Iudge should be Hangum tuum a Tyburne Typpet to take with him if it were my Lord chief Iustice of England or my Lord Chancellour himselfe to Tyburne with him As birds are caught with bird-lime so are men with gifts and therefore men deale with such as we do by dogs throw them a crust that they may not bark or bite This was one of those sins that helpt to ruine Jerusalem Ezek. 22.12 Micah 3.11 12. Isai 1.23 24. many build them brave houses with their bribe but God threatens to bring a fire on those houses Iob 15.34 though bribes may build them yet bribe-takers cannot protect them for God hath said it who is able to performe it that the Tabernacles of Bribery shall be consumed This hath made Gods servants carefull to keep themselves pure from this sinne 1 Samuel 12.3 Acts 20.33 and the Lord hath promised Life and Happinesse to such Psalm 15.5 Prov. 15.27 Isai 33.15 Quest. Are all gifts unlawfull and may a man never take a gift Answ. We must distinguish of Gifts There are six sorts of gifts 1. Gifts of Piety to promote Gods worship 2. Gifts of Charity to the Poor 3. Gifts of friendship to preserve amity 4. Gifts of duty and gratitude from inferiours to superiours to testify their Obedience and Thankfullnesse 5. Gifts of bounty and favour from superiours to inferiours to testify their love to them Now there is no danger in such gifts because they increase love and help to preserve humane society 6. There are Gifts of iniquity that tend to the destruction of our Brethren and the perverting of Iustice and this is that Bribery and those Gifts which Gods word condemns It doth not simply condemn the taking of a Reward but the taking of a Reward against the Innocent Psal. 15.5 So that 't is not sinfull by way of Gratitude either to send a gift or to receive a gift but
unto Caesar saith Christ what is Caesars due give it as willingly as if it were a free gift so saith Paul Rom. 13.7 render to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Hence Christ though he might have pleaded Freedom as being of the blood yet for Peace-sake and to avoid Scandall he paid Tribute Mat. 17.29 They have right to their Tributes both by the Law of God by the Law of the Land and by the Law of Nature We enjoy great blessings under them both Temporall and Spirituall we sit queitly under our owne Vines no Plundering Fireing Crying nor Killing in our streets Now to preserve all these there is a Necessity of Taxes which are the sinews of a State and without which no State can be long kept in Peace Nor can the Church Common-wealth Armies Navies Counsellors Schooles Universities Hospitalls c. be maintained without Taxes and therefore there is a great deale of Equity and Necessity in their payment 2. You that groan before you are sick and murmur without a cause must know that your Blessings are far greater then your Burdens We enjoy Houses Lands Wives Lives Children Peace and above all the Gospel of Peace the Token of Gods speciall presence amongst us for this mercy alone many of our fore-fathers would have given twenty times our Taxes and have thought it nothing if one should give us a 1000 l. per annum provided we would pay a Pepper-corn every yeare to testify our Thankfulnesse we would count him unworthy of so great a gift who should deny so small a favour 3. Suppose superiours should lay unjust Taxes on us yet must we patiently undergoe them remembring that 't is the sins of a people which give strength to Tyrants Things that cannot be remedied must patiently be borne When the Lord told Israel what their King would do to them all that they must do was to cry unto the Lord and acknowledge their sin 1 Sam. 8.11 c not that God approved of such doing but shewing them what the might of a King would draw him to do 4. Especially when Taxes are imposed on the Subject by Authority of Parliament the best and highest Court in the Land they should cheerfully be paid This is the fundamental and most proper Government in the Land 'T is indeed the glorious priviledge of our Nation above all other Nations 'T is that Government which the Lord hath wonderfully owned in all their set battles and miraculously preserved in despight of all opposition 'T is observed by a great Master of the Law Sir Edw. Cook that no Prince ever prospered that did oppose Parliaments and those that have been ruled by Parliaments have flourished wonderfully as King Henry the Eighth King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth Tacitus observes that the Romans vanquisht the ancient Brittains for want of Parliaments Object Parliaments have done very little good Errors and Disorders still abound c. Answ. Omne invalidum naturâ querulum Weak men are full of complaints when men faint in time of triall it argues their strength is but small 1. Know Parliaments have done much very much considering the Mountaines of opposition which they have met with 2. Had not my sins and thy sins hindred them they had done more We oft murmur at Moses and Aaron when 't is our own Rebellion that keeps us in the wildernesse 3. The Parliament never approved of those Errors and Disorders which are now so rise amongst us For 1. They did expressly Covenant against them 2. They have publisht Ordinances and Acts in Print against them 3. We hope this present Parliament will take further Order for the suppressing of them I have been the larger on this point that I may take off that scandal which the wicked in all ages have cast on the people of God viz. That they are enemies to Caesar Factious Seditious Turbulent c. Thus Haman accused the Jewes for Breakers of the Kings Lawes Hest. 3.8 Paul is counted a pestilent fellow and a troubler of the State Acts 17.18 12.26 24.5 and Christ himself was counted no friend to Caesar. But this I dare boldly affirm That Superiours have no better Subjects in the Land then such as fear the God of heaven These obey for conscience sake when others obey onely for Self and out of Fear These will sacrifice their Lives and Estates in just and Honourable wayes for their Governours when those that serve them for their own Ends will leave them forsake them These pray Pay and Preach for Caesar carefully obeying his just commands whilest the wicked are Cursing Swearing Drinking Murmuring at Taxes and Transgressing their Lawes The honour of Religion should be dear to us and we should walk so wisely that we should give no just cause of offence to any Colos. 4.5 1 Pet. 2.12 much less to our Superiours but by our wise inoffensive walking we should labour to win their hearts to a love of the truth As a wise and vertuous wife may be a means to win her husband 1 Cor. 7.16 So holy humble wise-walking Christians may be a means to convert or at least to convince such as are a verse to the Truth So did the Constancy Courage Patience and Piety of the Primitive Christians 2. We shall encourage the Lord to continue the Blessing of Government amongst us 'T is a great Government amongst us Take it away and you open the Floud-gates to all Licentiousness and Villany men would be like Ishmael wild men every mans hand would be against his Brother Gen. 26.12 when there was no King in Israel every man did what seemed good in his own eyes Iudg. ult ult Without Government one man would be but bread for another as in the Sea the greater fiâ—h devoure the lesser Hab. 1.14 15. Take away Government and what Rapes Rapines Tumults and Disorders would there be every mans lust would be a Law Better have Tyranny then Anarchy a Tyrant then no Government Better live in a State where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfvll to be done 'T is a very bad Government indeed that is worse then none at all where there is Magistracy some may be opprest and wronged but none can be righted where there 's none Better poor people should sit under a scratching bramble then have no hedge at all to shelter them from the stormes of popular fury Seeing then that the Magistrate is the Minister of God for our good both Temporall and Spirituall Rom. 13.4 Seeing he is a meanes under God to preserve our blessings to us and to increase them in our hands by a Peaceable enjoyment of them there is all the reason in the world that we should freely and fully contribute to his necessities in the promoting of such just and pious designes And they deserve to be branded for sordid Earth-wormes unworthy to enjoy any Priviledges in a Nation that shall murmur or repine at such just Assessements
shall attain to a higher Degree in this Devillish Art of Blasphemy That the word is thus to be restrained is cleare from the Context both before and after The Apostle useth a kind of Gradation 1. He tells us men shall be Self-lovers Silver-lovers Boasters Proud insulting over their Brethren and which is worse they spare not God himself but are Blasphemers of him 2. The Apostle in V. 3. mentions false accusers slanderers and despisers of good men which he would not in all rationall probability have done if the word Blasphemy had been here restrained onely to slanderers So that I take the word here to signify Blasphemy against God himself and this hath many Branches 1. Gods name is blasphemed Addendo by adding or attributing that to God which his soul abhorres As that he is the Authour of sin and approves of sinne Psal. 50.21 Mal. 2.17 or that he is cruel unjust improvident not regarding how the affaires of the world go This is the blasphemy of Epicures 2. Detrahendo by denying God that honour which is due to him as when we deny his Omnipotence and say God is not able to deliver this was the blasphemy of the King of Assyria 2 Chron. 32.17 or when men deny his Omniscience Omnipresence Eternity Immensity Immutability and so upon the point deny all Gods Attributes as the Socinians do who hold that the Attributes are not Essentiall but Accidents and Qualities in God So when men give the Honour due to the Creator to the Creature as the Israelites who called their Golden Calfe God this is called a great provocation and in the Originall Blasphemy Nehem. 9.18 3. When men abuse the glorious Names and Titles of God by prophane cursing swearing forswearing murmuring fretting and storming aâ— Gods dispensations this is to set our mouthes against Heaven Psalm 73.9 and with Sennacherib to rage against God 2 Kings 19.28 Levit. 24.11 25. Iob 3.1 Ier. 20.14 4. When men raile on Christ and revile him as the Jewes did who lookt upon him as a meer man and a sinner as one that was mad and had a Devill Mat. 27.39.63 Iohn 9.24 and 10.20 5. Gods Name is blasphemed when men speak contumeliously and dâ—sgracefully of the Word of God as if 't were false imperfect and no Rule for our lives Or of the Workes of God saying This might have been otherwise this might have been mended c. 6. When men revile the Magistrate vvho is Gods Vice-gerent this is called Blasphemy 1 Kings 21.10 Naboth hath blasphemed God yea and the King So 2 Peter 2.10 speaking evill of dignities Blaspheming them saith the Originall i. e. They make it their work it is their Trade to goe up and downe reviling those in authority So much the Participle of the Present Tense implyes this is forbidden Exod. 22.28 7. Such as slander and Disgrace the Ministers of Christ not so much for any personall defects but because of their office because they are Ministers of Christ now Christ takes the contumelies done to his Embassadours as done to himselfe Luke 10.16 They are Christs Organs and primary instruments to promote and propagate his Glory in the world they are his Heralds to proclaim his Name and Truth unto the world and he will not suffer any to abuse them unrevenged Thus when the Apostles were defamed it was called Blasphemy 1 Cor. 4.13 Rom. 3.8 8. When men calumniate and traduce the servants of God meerly for serving him when they scorne and scoffe at Saints for their sanctity this is called blasphemy 1 Pet. 4.4 they speak evill of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemeing you Such were those Iob 17.6 and 30.9 Psal. 69.12 and 71.9 Ezek. 5.15 Lam. 3.16 Nahum 3.6 Mat. 11.18 1 Cor. 4.9 9. When men traduce and reproach Gods Ordinances as low empty mean things so did those false Teachers 2 Pet. 2.2 by whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemabitur the Christian Religion is the right way to salvation yet those by their calumnies laboured to turn men from it So Acts 13.45 and 18.6 Iames 2.7 Revel 2.9 10. When such as professe Christianity live loosely and licentiously when they live not up to their principles nor answerable to their holy profession they cause Gods Name to be blasphemed 2 Sam. 12.14 Ezek. 36.22 23. Rom 2.24 and so do those that apostatize and fall from the truth to Idolatry they do in an high degree cause Gods to be blasphemed Levit. 18.21 Isay 63.7 Ezek. 20.27.28 they disparage the Lords Pastures and do interpretatively say There is no lovelinesse truth or goodnesse in the wayes and worship of God and therefore they forsake it what greater blasphemy Thus Hymoneus and Alexander making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience are said to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. ult and if those whom Paul peresecuted that did out of fear renounce the Faith are yet said to blaspheme Acts 16.11 oh how sad is their condition and how high their blasphemy who do electively deliberately and wilâ—ully forsake Christ and his truth without any such tentation and triall These come near to that irresistible blasphemy and upardonable sin against the Holy Ghost When men through Ignorance for want of Light shall persecute Christ and his people this blasphemy is pardonable as we see in Paul who was a persecuter a blasphemer but he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1.13 So did many of the Jews Acts 3.17 But when men shall wittingly willingly maliciously and despitefully oppose Christ and his truth as the Scribes and Pharises did this is that blasphemy which shall never be forgiven Luke 12.10 Mark 3.29 Let us now apply this Character of the last times to our times and see if all these 10. kinds of blasphemy may not be found amongst us The Lord is my Record that I take no pleasure in the Devils victories now in raking in this loathsome dung-hill I desire to write with Teares what I have read with trembling I could heartily wish that the Land were clear of all those blasphemies with which it is charged But alas if we go about to plead not guilty in this kind we shall but double our guilt Our blasphemies and blasphemers our Copps and Coppins our Colliers and Nailers our Foxes and Farme-worths our Biddles and Bests I might say Beasts are taken notice of by Forreiners as well as by Natives There needs no secret search or digging for these abominations they are Publisht and Printed to the view of all so that they cannot be concealed or denied Had they kept their blasphemies in secret we had been silent but since they have been so impudent as to Print blasphemy it can justly offend none if we Print against them 'T is fit the Remedy should be as large as the Malady Since Generalls are no charge let us descend to particulars 1. Are there not some amongst us that have Printed that God is
our Portion but we must have earthly pleasures to peece out our happinesse withall it s an infallible sign of such as love pleasures more then God 2. Be diligent in your callings then you will be out of the reach of many Tentations and be freed from many noysome lusts which pursue and pester idle persons 3. Shun the company of such as are given to pleasures for as a man can hardly escape free from Blacking and Meale that is familiar with Colliers and Milners so he can hardly escape the lusts and pleasures of the world that is familiar with voluptuous ones There is a secret poyson and infection in wicked society when men are mingled with them they learn their works Psal. 106.35 Many that have been good whilest they have been in good company as Iehoash which was good all the time that good Iehojada lived 2 Kings 12.2 yet when they have changed their company have changed their manners also Let the daily falls of others in this kind make you to feare VERSE 5. Having a Form of Godlinesse but denying the Power thereof from such turn away THis is the last but not the least sin of the last times That we may the better know and avoyd the Impostors of the last times the Apostle comes now to give us some speciall marks for the former 18. are common to the seducers and the seduced by which they may be known as 1. By their Hypocrisy they will be glozing Hypocrites who under pretence of piety will practice all manner of iniquity making religion a cloak and stale to cover all their villanies Such were the Gnosticks of old to whom some conceive the Apostle had an eye who were fleshly Libertines given up to sensuality and all manner of wickedness yet made a shew of Piety and pretended extraordinary holiness Such are the Papists now on the one hand and the sectaries on the other both pretend singular piety when their lives abound with all manner of iniquity These painted Sepulchers in all ages have been the greatest enemies to Reall Saints as you may see Cant. 1.6 Isay 66.5 Matth. 23.34 Iohn 16.1 2. Acts 13.50 In these words the Apostle tels us 1. What these men have viz. A form of Godlinesse 2. What they want viz. the Power of it 3. How we must behave our selves towards them viz. we must shun their society from such turn away 1. For the first they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vain and empty shew of Faith and Holiness They are not men without the Pale of the Church such as Heathens and Jewes which are open enemies to the Gospel but they have a forme of Godliness an externall profession of Religion in Words Ceremonies and Gestures they make great shewes and put on the Vizard of piety like stage-players they act the part of a King but strip them of their robes and they are beggarly Rogues They have non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the true form and essence of Godliness which consists in an invvard change and doth denominate and give being to things but they have formality or an outvvard shevv and shadovv of Holiness Like Pictures and Images vvhich have an external shevv and shape of a man vvhose lineaments and proportion may be so dravvn to the life that there vvants nothing but life indeed to act them they vvill be great professors and look vvhat a sincere Christian hath in Substance that have these Formalists in Semblance they have no life no povver no principle of operation in them 2. They vvant the povver i. e. the truth of Godliness vvhich consists in true faith purifying the heart Act. 15.9 in love unfeigned to God our neighbour 1 Tim. 1.5 in the internal spiritual obedience of the heart worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth Iohn 4.24 'T is a professing of the truth in truth and walking in the power of it But alas where shall we find this The form indeed is frequent but where shall we find the power of grace the beauty of Holiness and the efficacy of the new creature do not most resist that inward vertue power of godliness by which the heart should be renewed the conversation rectified So that formality formality formality is the great sin of England at this day under which the land groans True the form profession of religion abounds but alas for the vain carnal covetous proud censorious sensuall walking of the professors of it The complaint is generall there is not that Mortification Self-deniall and Circumspect walking as formerly There 's more light but lesse life more shadow but lesse substance more profession but lesse sanctification then formerly There is more fasting praying preaching but where 's the Practice and Power of Religion as Isaack said to Abraham behold the wood but where 's the Lamb so behold the Duties but where oh where 's the life the power the truth of what is done The voyce is Iacobs voyce but the hands are the hands of Esau for they deny the power of Religion not only in their hearts but also in their works Titus 1.16 1 Tim. 5.8 they so live as if Godlinesse were but an aery notion and a matter of fashion without all force or efficacy The form of godlinesse is easie and cheap service and so hath many followers bodily exercise and a bare observation of the Letter of the Law is delightful even to Pharises but the life and power of Godliness is hard and haâ—sh to flesh and blood Matth. 7.13 Luke 13.24 1 Pet. 4.18 it teacheth high and hard Lessons such as Self-deniall Mortification resisting sin and Satan living by Faith Patience yea joyfulness in sufferings c. these spiritual Lessons are distastefull to carnal men and therefore few they be that goe this way The Text may be considered two wayes Relatively or absolutely 1. Relatively as it relates to the 18. sins before mentioned so this sin is the cloak to hide and cover them all men will be lovers of themselves but under a form of Godliness Hence Observe That a man may have a form of Godlinesse and yet live in all manner of wickednesse 'T is true the Power of Godliness cannot consist with the power of Ungodliness but the more the power of Godliness is lifted up in the soul the more the power of Ungodliness will be supprest as the house of David grows stronger and stronger so the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker But yet the form of Godliness may stand with the power of Ungodliness A man may be a glorious Professor in the highest form and yet a Puny in the form of Grace He may be a blazing Comet for profession and yet be a Devill incarnate in life and conversation The Scribes and Pharises were glorious Professors and yet but painted Sepulchers filled with pride and oppression even when they were murdering Christ they had a form of godlinesse Iohn 18.28 they
28.4 4. These Impostors do not onely deceive these silly women but they bring them under the Devils yoke they make slaves and prisoners of them they bind them with the cords of error and then they lead them whither they please They deal with their Proselites as the Devil doth with witches he promiseth them liberty but brings them to prisons promiseth them pleasures yet gives them pain promiseth them Riches yet keeps them poor promiseth them life but gives them Death They ensnare them with their Pythanalogy and hold them as fast with their lyes and flatteries as a Jaylor doth his Prisoner which he keeps in bondage 2 Tim. 2. ult or the fisher his fish which hath swallowed his bait 2 Pet. 2.14.18 These Satanicall fishers of men put on the Visors of Piety and preach liberty pleasure ease as other fishers cozen sometimes the eye and sometimes the taste of the silly fish so these have variety of baits but none so catching as that of carnal liberty Hence they are said to bewitch men Gal. 3.1 to enchaunt and delude men Rev. 18.23 and make them drunk Revel 17.2 It will be our wisdom then to submit our selves to the word of God and from the heart to obey its commands so shall we know the truth and the truth will keep us free from the power of sin and error Iohn 8.32 the keeping of a good conscience is the way to keep faith and sound doctrine 1 Tim. 1.19 get the heart once establisht with Grace and then you will not be carried about with every wind of doctrine Heb. 13.9 get Gods fear once planted in your hearts and then you will never depart from him Ier. 32.40 VERSE 7. VVhich Women are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth THe Apostle goeth on to shew what women they are which are brought into bondage by seducers viz. such as are unconstant unsetled and given to seek after novelties and curiosities they are not content with plain truth revealed in the Scripture they must have novum aut nihil some new light some new-found doctrine or else 't will not down with them this unsettles them and makes them run hither and thither after this and that man but all in vain They make a great adoe but to little purpose they are alwayes learning yet learn nothing which they should learn Now the Reason's of their Non-proficiency are 1. Either because they have no better Teachers they follow false Prophets and blinde Guides and when the blinde shall lead the blind no wonder if both fall into the ditch These may seem wise in their own eyes when in truth they know nothing because they know not the truth which is the foundation of all knowledge 2. They thrive not for want of a right disposition within They love their lusts better then the truth and this barres the heart against holy Learning Intus existens prohibet alienum When their judgements are blinded with lusts and their hearts hardened through sin how should such thrive 2 Tim. 4.3 3. Or else they seek not after sound and saving truth but all their enquiry is after some curious novelty they love to heare and learne nothing else in this point being true Athenians Acts 17.21 Well they may toyle and take a great deal of pains for some aery notions and empty speculations that they may come ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to some kind of knowledge but never ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the Text to such a knowledge as brings forth an acknowledgement of the truth in the power of it 4. Oft times they are meer Scepticks in Religion they are ready to question every thing but they believe nothing they have no foundation no resting place they lay out their mony but not for bread and therefore 't is no wonder if they spend their labour without being satisfied Error cannot satisfy the soul we must enquire for the good old way of truth and Holinesse if ever we would find rest for our souls Ier. 6.16 God who is the great Lord of all will have his commands obeyed not questioned He loves Currists and not Quaerists He prefers obedience before disputes We have disputed so long till we have almost disputed all Religion out of doores We should study rather to live well then dispute well therein lyes our happinesse Mat. 7.24.25 Iohn 13.17 The Spirit of God writes not Notions but Assertions in our hearts it establisheth them so with grace that the gates of hell cannot prevaile against it though such may by the violence of a tentation be moved yet are they like Mount Sion which can never be removed out of its place Heb. 10.23 and 13.9 Against Scepticks and Seekers See that excelent Tract of Mr. Gelaspy his Miscelanies cap. 10 11. yet how many delight in giddinesse and count it a bondage to fixe a belief affecting free-will in thinking as well as in acting And though the Sect of the Phylosophers of that kind be gone yet there remain certain discoursing wits which are of the same veines though there be not so much blood in them as was in those of the Ancients The Scepticisme and Affectation of Novelties is the great sin of England at this day As many are much taken with new Fashions so many are much taken with new Opinions new Doctrines new Teachers and new Expressions Yet the Apostle doth not blame these women simply for seeking after knowledge for the wiser sort of Heathens have commended that but he blames them for hunting after Novelties and vain speculations and in the meane time neglecting the sound and saving truths of the Gospel This is celeris cursus extra viam a swift running to destruction 'T is true all the godly are learners the knowledge of the truth is not Innata but acquisita not born with us but attained by means yet they are not ever learning they know the truth in which they firmly rest and from which they suffer not themselves to be moved and never till then have we profited in our learning when we are made so able to discern the truth as that we are satisfied with it and our consciences are at rest by it even in the saddest dangers Ephes. 4.13 14. 1 Thes. 1.5 6. 2 Pet. 1.12 2. I wish this were not the sin of silly men as well as of silly women to be alwayes learning yet never come to the knowledge of the truth how many are men in yeares yet children in understanding 1 Cor. 14.20 and when for the time they might have been Teachers they had need to be taught the elements of Religion Heb. 5.12 though the knowledge of the best in this life be imperfect and we are alwayes learners here yet we must strive forward toward perfection and not alwayes stick in the place of bringing forth Hos. 13.13 nor be like a horse in a mill still going round in
Pope and in these dayes of liberty God hath something to witness against Heresie Thus the Lord in his Wisedom hath so ordered it that there shall be not onely Schismes but Heresies to exercise the Gifts and Graces of his people and to discover the rottenness and filthyness of graceless ones that they who will not believe the Truth may be given up to the efficacy of errour This is some comfort and may help to uphold our spirits in this day of Iacobs trouble 3. Observe A corrupt head and a corrupt heart usually go together no sooner are mens minds corrupted but presently it follows they are Reprobate concerning the faith and if once men make shipwrack of faith they will soone part with a good Conscience too 1 Tim. 1.19 Corrupt Principles breed corrupt Practises and corrupt practises teach men to invent corrupt Principles When men grow lawless and profane then they turn Antinomians and deny the Law if Mortalists then they deny the resurrection if Libertines then they cry down the power of the Magistracy and cry up one Universal Toleration Hence when Christ had spoken of false Prophets he presently adds and iniquity shall abound Mâ—tthew 24. When people go a whoring from God then follows corporall whoredom Hos. 4.12 13. We see this experimentally true in our days How many before they were Sectaries were civilly just pious and in the judgement of charity were thought to be sincere Christians yet now are turned Anabaptists Socinians Libertines Proud Censorious Idle Atheisticall Unclean These lusts lay unmortified in their bosomes and now they rejoyce that they have a time of Liberty to vent them so that a corrupt life attends on corrupt Principles both as a Punishment and a just judgement of God upon men for resisting the truth and in the nature of the thing for as a foul moist head causeth distillations of corrupt matter upon the lungs so loose Principles dispose men to a loose conversation the doctrine of Godlinesse reproving their Ungodlinesse makes them cast it off as you may see in the Epistles of Peter and Iude who describing false Teachers and their false Doctrines presently adde their wicked lives their filthinesse covetousnesse licentiousnesse turning the Grace of God into wantonnesse Be sure then to keep your heads pure from errour if ever you would have your hearts and hands pure from sin 4. Observe That false Teachers are very dangerous persons they are not such meek innocent harmlesse persons as some imagine The Apostle here tells us that they are impudent fraudulent resisters of the truth men of corrupt Heads Hearts and Hands and what could he say more unlesse he should call them Devills and so he doth verse 3. in the last dayes men especially seducing men for all these 19. sins are appliable also to the false Teachers of the last times as appeares by the context verse 5 6. shall be slanderers or in plain English Devils and he here compares them to Iannes and Iambres two Egyptian Sorcerers who were Limbs of the Devill and verse 13. in expresse Terms he calls them Sorcerers evill men and Seducers the words in the Originall are evill men and Sorcerers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incantatores praestigiatores besides their Heresies are called damnable and their ways pernicious 2 Pet. 2.1 and themselves are likened to Balaam the witch 2 Pet. 2.15 'T is true at first they make a shew of extraordinary Sanctity and Self-deniall the better to deceive the simple and thereupon they rayle on all the Churches of Christ amongst us as being mixt with wicked men yet after a little time these painted Sepulchers appeare in their proper colours and the vilenenesse of their lives and doctrine is made known to all The Anabaptists in Germany at their first arising pretended extraordinary Sanctity but in a short time their Villanies Murders Polygamies blasphemies Heresies Adulteries c. appeared to the world These are worse then the Sword or Plague men are afraid and fly from those but they are naturally prone to embrace these 2. Those hurt but the body these destroy the soule 3. God is glorified in his judgements but he is exceedingly dishonoured by seducers 4. By the sword and persecution the Church increaseth but by subtle Hereticks the Church diminisheth Hence Luther calls Hereticks Peccatorum poenam summam Dei indignationem Luther in Hos. 9. The greatest Plague and a sign of Gods indignation against a people And the Scripture calls them devouring Wolves who come to kill and drink the blood of souls Iohn 10.8 9 10. Matth. 7.15 such as make their disciples two-fold more the children of the Devil then themselves Mat. 23.15 Such as subvert whole houses Titus 1.11 whose word doth eat as a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2. which suddenly over-runs the Parts takes the Brain and if not quickly cured by cutting off the part infected kills the Patient Heresie is of a spreading Nature if it be not speedily and carefully supprest it runs from one man to another from one City to another and from one Kingdome to another Error begets error such fall from evil to worse Verse 13. Hence false doctrine is compared to a Leaven Mark 8.15 which secretly and suddenly diffuseth it selfe through the whole lump till all be leavened Sometimes seducers are compared to an overflowing flood which carries down all before it Revelations 12.15 and anon to Cheaters that beguile silly souls with their flesh-pleasing doctrine they catch freshly people Ephesians 4.14 and to dogs Philippians 3.2 beware of dogs i. beware of false Prophets who are like unto dogs Go not unarmed get a sword or a staffe to defend your selves against them If there were ten thousand mad dogs in the Land you would keep within doores or go armed and use all means to destroy them Now they resemble dogs in 14. particulars 1. A dog is a base contemptible creature hence the Scripture calls vile persons dogs 1 Samuel 17.43 1 Kings 8.13 Matthew 15.26 So such as go about to draw men from the Truth are vile men however they may have high conceits of themselves yet God esteems no more of them then we do of a dog and though he may throw them some off all and bones to picke as he doth to the blasphemous Turk that great Dog of a great part of the World yet his soul abhors both them and their services Isay 66.3 2. 'T is an unclean creature and might not be offered in sacrifice Deut. 23.18 So these being themselves unclean all they do is unclean Titus 1. ult 3. 'T is a libidinous impudent creature Hence unclean persons are called dogs Deut. 23.8 Revelations 22.15 without are dogs who are those Whoremasters are set in the front this made Abner say to Ishbosheth am I a dogs-head i. shamelesly libidinous that I should commit whoredom with my Fathers Concubines 2 Samuel 3.8 yet such unclean ignorant and impudennt Cynicks we have who though they want Arguments yet want
is one end why we came into the world viz. that we might bear witness to the truth Iohn 13.37 We are Gods salt and therefore must by our Prayer Preaching and Practice help to season men and keep them from rotting in sin and error One part of our work is to convince gain-sayers Titus 1.9 This others of abilities may do ex charitate but we ex officio We are the keepers of the Vineyard and must take care that the Foxes spoil not the tender Grapes We are Fathers and must see that the children have not a stone given them insteed of bread nor a Serpent instead of a fish Let the zeal of others quicken us How zealous was Elijah and Paul against the false Prophets of their times How zealous was Athanasius against the Arrians Austin against the Pelagians and the Donatists Luther Calvin Beza c. against Papists and Sectaries of all men it becomes not us to be silent and meal-mouthed when our Lord 's dishonoured 3. Let every one stand upon his guard Christ warned his own Disciples to beware of such Matthew 7.15 the best know but in part and Satan is so subtle that we may soon be deceived How quickly did the Galathians fall from the faith to justification by works in so much that the Apostle wonders they were so soon fallen to another Gospel Galathians 1.6 'T was Luthers complaint that an ignorant rayling sot could in a moment overthrow what we have been building many years Such is the cursed depravation of mans heart I shall therefore give you some preventing Physick against the pestilent attempt of seducers 1. Get your judgements rightly informed especially in the Principles and Fundamentals of Religion as Faith Repentance Justification Sanctification and new-Obedience Our greatest care should be about the greatest things of the Law Lay a good foundation else the building will totter When men are children in understanding then they are tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine Ephes. 4.14 Heresie is most strong where knowledge is most weak 'T is the weak flies which hang in the spiders web when the strong break thorough The simple are apt to believe every thing Proverbs 14.15 and like children swallow all that 's put into their mouths There are 7. things as a Reverend Divine hath well observed which are apt to be carried away by the Flood of Heâ—esies 1. Light things 2. Loose things 3. Weak things 4. Low things 5. Rotten things 6. Tottering things 7. Ventrous things How many erre for want of knowledge Psal. 95.10 Matth. 22.19 upon this account the Apostle would not have a Minister to be a novice 1 Tim. 3.6 The Devil deals with men as the Cow doth by the Lamb which first picks out the eyes and then devours it Or as the Philistims dealt by Sampson they first put out his eyes and then they make him grind like a slave Thus he dealt with Eve Gen. 3.4 5. First he deludes her judgement with ye shall not die and then he easily perswades her to eat of the forbidden fruit We should therefore be wise as Serpents that we be not deceived and innocent as Doves that we prove not deceivers Vt nulli nocuisse velis imitare columbam Serpentem ut possit nemo nocere tibi 2. Walke alwayes as in Gods eye have respect to all his commands be ready to obey in revelatis in revelandis whatsoever God shall discover to you to be his Will be not Nominall but Reall Christians rest not content with the form but get the Power of Godlinesse Hereticks are a mere scourge for Formalists and Hypocrites When men reject Gods call he gives them up to delusions Isay 66.4 and the lusts of their own hearts Psalm 81.11 12. Hosea 4.12 13. When men will not be schollars to truth they shall be masters of errors and teachers of lies well verst in the blackest and basest Art 'T is just with God that they who will not have Truth for their King should have falshood for their Tyrant being given up to the Efficacy of errour or to errour in the strength and power of it 2 Thes. 2.10 11. If Pharaoh will not believe the real Miracles of Moses he shall be deluded with the false ones of the Magitians If Ahab will not hearken to Micaiah a true Prophet he shall be deluded by lying spirits in the mouths of false ones and this is one end why the Lord suffers not onely Schismes but Heresies to abound viz. to discover mens hearts to themselves and others Deuterenomy 13.3 So long as the glasse is still no dregs appear but stir it and then they shew themselves Fire discovers the mettle and storms shew us which were rotten trees No man fully knows his own heart till a temptation comes If a man should have told our Apostles 1500. years agoe that they should have denied the Trinity Scripture Sacraments Ordinances c. they would have been ready to say as Hazael am I a Dog that I should do such things as these 3. Grow in Grace This is a special preservative against Apostacy 2 Peter 3.17 18. To this end sit down under a sound soul-searching Ministery God hath ordained this as a special means to establish us in the truth Ephes. 4.10 Better have a biting Gospel said Bradford then a toothlesse Masse better it is to sit under the saddest shade of the true Vine even weeping then to frolick it under the greenest trees and most pleasant Oakes of Idolatry and Heresie We have been barren stocks in the Vineyard of the Lord we have been dead under lively Oracles like the Smiths Anvill we are the harder for beating on such is our corruption that we are the worse for preaching Isaiah 6.9.10 Now God in his just judgement punisheth sinne with sinne he punisheth such contempt of the Gospel with Heresie Witchcraft Apostacy c. 4. Try before you trust Tho your Minister be a Holy man yet ' try what he teacheth you will tell money and weigh gold after your father and shall we onely take Doctrines on trust Since there are not a few but many false Prophets gone forth into the world as Anabaptists Arrians Quakers c. it will be our wisedom to try all things weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary bring them to the touch-stone of Gods Word and what upon trial you finde to be sound and right hold it fast retain it against all adverse power whatsoever 1 Thessalonians 5.21 Prov. 23.23 buy the truth at any rate part with it at no rate Prov. 4.21 Luke 8.15 Rom. 12.9 2 Tim. 13.14 Heb. 2.1 and 10.3.3 Rev. 3.3.11 The world was never so full of Spirits as now There is the spirit of Errour the spirit of Fornication the spirit of Pride the spirit of Slumber the spirit of Giddinesse the spirit of Delusion c. Had not we then need to try the spirits 1 Iohn 4.1 Hath not God given us the
thousands of Saints have gone before us in it 3. This following of them will evidence our salvation and assure us of our reigning with him in glory 1 Thes. 1.4 5 6. know Brethren your Election but how because ye became followers of us Peter Martyr tells a story of a deformed man had married a very deformed wife and being desirous to have handsome children he bought abundance of curious Pictures and caused his wife every day to view them and as he saith the man had handsome children The application is plain Let us set the beautifull examples of Gods Abrahams Pauls c. before us and then though by nature we are deformed yet by the assistance of Gods spirit enabling us to follow the holy examples of his people we shall become beautifull and lovely in Gods eye 2. Observe That 't is lawful sometimes and in some cases to mention those Graces which God hath given us Paul here to comfort and quicken Timothy tells him of his Faith Patience Long-suffering Afflictions and how the Lord delivered him out of all In other places he mentions what he had done and suffered for Christ. 1 Cor. 11. totall Phil. 1.12 13 14 c. Iob 29. and 31. declares his innocency and integrity to the world Self-commendation is lawful in eleven cases Caut. But then the Matter the measure the Manner and End must be good it must not be to advance our selves or exalt our own names as many Sectaries do who call themselves Saints The holy ones the servants of the living God but to bring glory to God and exalt his name What the Pharisees spake proudly and falsely a believer may speak humbly and truly Lord I blesse thee that I am not as vile as the vilest since by nature I am as vile as any 't is thy Free-Grace and distinguishing-love that hath made the difference My Doctrine Q. d. Thou hast known my doctrine to be sound and sincere without the mixture of humane inventions Nudus nudè nudam patefeci veritatem I have faithfully fed Christs flock with the sincere milk of his word and not as the false Prophets do with the chaffe of their own deceits and dreames One speciall note whereby to know a true Minister is his doctrine this is that fruit by which you may discern a false Prophe◠from a true one Matth. 6.16 by their fruit i. e. by their doctrine you may know them if they teach such things as infect the judgement with error or taint the life with uncleannesse though they seem never so holy note them for false Prophets Our Saviour by the truth of his doctrine proved himself to be sent of God Iohn 7.16 17 18. and 12.49 50. Paul commands Timothy to keep the pattern of wholsome words 2 Tim. 2.13 and Titus must be careful in appointing Ministers for the Church to chuse such as hold the faithful word Titus 1.7.9 Morall Vertues may be found with a false faith let not those Apples of Sodome deceive you for as there may be good doctrine where the life is bad so there may be false doctrine where the life is seemingly good Look therefore in the first place to the doctrine and in the second place to the vertues which seem to commend it so doth Paul here first he tells you his Doctrine was found and now he comes to declare his Graces and how he lived 2. Manner of Life Q. d. Thou hast not onely known my doctrine bnt my life also neither hast thou onely known an action or two but thou hast known the whole course and Series of my life partly as an eye-witnesse and from credible witnesses and clear demonstrations and how my conversation and doctrine have agreed Note That 't is an Houourable thing to joyn with sound doctrine an uncorrupt exemplary life and conversation They that believe in God must be Patterns of good works thus must Ministers perswade and induce beliefe Believe me for my works sake whether my doctrine be of God Iohn 13.38 It aggravateth the sin of unbelife when both doctrine and manners of life testify that it is of God Matth. 21.32 A Minister with true doctrine and a bad life weakens the credit of the truth he teacheth pulls down what he builds declares a profane heart in despising the doctrine delivered from God and incurres the Pharisaicall brand Matth. 23.3 They say but do not 3. Purpose Q. d. Thou hast throughly known my ends and aymes the intention and scope of all my doings and sufferings of my life and doctrine Thou knowest very well that I never sought my self my own ease profit pleasure or applause but the glory of God and the good of his Church have been the ultimate end of all my actions Quest. But who can know another mans purpose Answ. A close Hypocrite will hide it much but a sincere man cannot but manifest it to such as live familiarly with him and observe him Hence Note That good men have good aymes ends and purposes 'T is not sufficient that a mans actions be materially good but they must be formally and finally good the bent and intent of the heart must be right 'T is the end which denominates the action and makes it either good or bad Religious duties are to be tried not onely by their Acts but specially by their Ends. A man may do that which for matter is right in the sight of the Lord yet if he do it not with an upright heart all is nothing 2 Chron. 25.2 Iohn in destroying the house of Ahab did that which was right in Gods sight but because his End was Selfe God afterward deales with him as with a Murderer Hosea 1.4 Let us therefore get honest ond good hearts Luke 8.15 and then our intents and purposes will be good and we shall finde acceptation with God in what we do 1 Kings 3.6 and 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. 4. Faith Long-suffering Love Patience Foure Graces which grace and adorne a Christian but specially a Minister of Christ. My faith q. d. thou hast throughly known my fidelity and faithfulness in the discharge of my Ministerial duties viz. in Preaching Praying Watching and disputing against gainsayers So the word faith is used Titus 2.10 shewing all good faithfulnesse viz. in the discharge of their duties 2. It notes Pauls firme affiance and confidence in God by which he was enabled to undergoe all those labours dangers and difficulties which he met with in his way without despair or despondency as Antipas is said to be faithfull to the death Rev. 2.13 so Paul persevered in the faith of Christ even to the end Obsorve 'T is a Ministers glory to be faithful in his place and calling that we are which we are in our Relations and Callings When a Minister is studious in the Law of God diligent in praying preaching and watching over the flock doing all out of a love to God and deep compassion to the soules of the
at that great day Matthew 10.32.33 and as you have suffered more for him then others have done so you shall have a higher degree of Glory Matt. 19.28 29. See more Yongs benefit of affliction cap. 1. Sibs Cordials p. 160. Calvins Instit. l. 3. c. 8. S. 7.8 Bifields Mirrour Treat of Promises cap. 8. p. 336. and Gods Treasury c. 28. Objection But I see my persecutors flourish in health wealth prosperity whilest I am poor persecuted and low Answer Fret not your self because of prosperous wicked men for they shall soon come down Psalm 31.1 2.13.35 36. and 73.19 20. 't is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes. 1.6 and though they be many that rise against the Church yet the Lord hath said he 'l make Ierusalem a burthensome stone to All people be they never so many or mighty Zach. 12.3 they shall but wound and cut themselves that meddle with her they shall all have enough of it who ever they be as we see in Pharaoh Saul Senacherib Iesabel Haman Herod the Moabites and the Iewes who persecuted Christ and his Apostles are to this day a cursed dispersed people Be not therefore terrified by your adversaries Phillippians 1.28 though they be great yet there is a greater then they though they plot yet God hath a plot above their plots he sits in Heaven and laughs them to scorn Psalm 2. they are ludibria coeli though terrores mundi Psalm 37.12 the wicked plot Verse 13. God comes between the plot and the execution and mars all He snares the wicked in their own devices Psalm 9.16 Higgaon Selah This is a matter worthy of our chifest meditation God will punish all wicked men but persecutors of his people especially As the Martyrs shall have the highest joy so their persecutor shall have the deepest sorrow There is a neere Union between Christ and his Church he is the Head and and they are his Members he the Vine and they the branches he the husband and they his Spouse Col. 1.18 Eph. 1.22 4.15 16. 3.30 and therefore he must needs be sensible of the wrongs which are done to them Acts 9.4 5. Isay 63.9 Zach. 2.8 Christ and his people have common friends and common foes Francis the first after he had commanded the destruction of the Protestants was never his own man after Winceslaus King of the Bohemians within 18. dayes after he had marked out the names of some Christians to death was smitten himself Though wicked men may forget their wickedness yet God will not Amos 8.7 he can tell Amilek 400. years after what he did against Israel and punisheth him for it 1 Sam. 15.2 3. God will destroy the destroyers of his people If Pharaoh persue Israel God will pursue Pharaâ—h If Mount Seir slay Israel God will destroy Mount Seir Ezek. 45. per totum If Pashur smite Ieremy God will smite Pashur If Ieroboam stretch forth his hand against the Prophet that hand shall wither If Herod vex the Church Vermin shall vexe him And however persecutors may escape in this life yet they are sure to pay for it in the next Phillippians 1.28 2. Thessalonians 1.6 7.9 Rev. 19.20 and 20.10 let us comfort our selves with the remembrance of that great day Here many times they live longest who deserve not to live at all Here the Israelites make brick whilest the Egyptians dwell at ease David is in want whilest Nabal abounds Here Sion oft'times is Babylons captive and they that deserve nothing are Lords of all yet this is our comfort the day of the Lord will come and then we shall be above and our enemies shall be beneath Now they cite us to their bar and we cite them as Ierom of Prague did his adversaries to Gods Bar. I summon you all to answer me shortly before the great and just Judge of all the world They prepare evils for the Church and God prepares rods for them God is jealous over Ierusalem for the wrong that is done to her Zach. 1.4 and though he bear long yet he will not alwaies bear Tempus erit Turno There 's a time when they shall pay full dearly for medling with such holy things Ier. 2.3 God hath prepared arrowes for to shoot at persecutors Psalm 7.13 and rather then fail he will make their own arrowes to wound themselves and fall on their own pates Psal. 37.14.13 The fire that should have burnt the 3 young men Daniel 3. burnt those that threw them in and the Lions which should have devoured Daniel devoured his enemies Daniel 6. Lastly Prepare for trials look for storms as sure as now we live so sure a change will come how soon we know not We should therefore with Ioseph in those years of plenty prepare for years of scarcity and in the highest prosperity remember the dayes of adversity for they may be many so did Iob. 3.23 Rules That we may be Real Martyrs and suffer rightly 1. The man must be good The person must please before the suffering can please Uprightnesse breeds boldnesse and the Holiest men have ever proved the happiest Martyrs as we see in Paul Latimer Bradford c. 2. The End must be good 'T is that which denominates the Action a man may seem to die for the Truth yet not in Truth nor out of love to Christ and his Truth but for ambition and vain glory 1 Cor. 13.7 such suffer Iactatione magis quà m delectatione for selfe ends and not out of love to Christ and so loose all 3. The matter and cause for which we suffer must be good for 't is not the suffering but the cause which we suffer for which makes a Martyr We are never blest unlesse we suffer for Righteousnesse sake Matth. 5.11 When men suffer as murtherers malefactors blasphemers and disturbers of the Peace of the Nation as the Quakers do this is cause of shame but if a man suffer as a Christian its cause of rejoycing 1 Peter 3.14 and 4.15 16. When men hate and persecute us not for any evil that we have done but because we will not do evil but study to please God and serve him in sincerity when 't is for Christs sake that we are killed Rom. 8.36 then our sufferings are the sufferings of Christ and reflect upon him so that he takes them as done to himself Matt. 25.45 Acts 9.4 Heb. 11 26. 4. The manner of our sufferings must be right 1. It must be patiently without murmuring or repineing loose this and you loose the reward of all your sufferings 1 Peter 2.19 20. if when ye do well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God or as the Original renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will thank you for this This is stupenda condescentio a wonderful condescension that God should account himselfe gratified and as it were beholding to such sufferers To make you Patient
consider that these persecutions and trials come not upon us by chance or fortune or according to the pleasure of men or devils but by Gods Decree and fore-appointment and special providence There is no evil in this kinde but it comes from God Amos 3.6 Deuteronomy 32.39 2 Samuel 16.10 11. Psalm 39.9 Iob 1.21 Isay 45.7 Hosea 6.1 I create evil not the evil of sinne but the evil of punishment which to our apprehension and feeling is evil Sin is simply per se evil but these sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in our apprehension onely whatever the Instruments of our troubles are yet God is the Orderer and disposer of them Iosephs Brethren sell him into Egypt I but God disposed it unto good Gen. 50.20 the Assyrian is but Gods rod which can do nothing without the hand that moves it Isay 10.5 they have onely a dispensative power from God As our Saviour told Pilate so we may say to all the wicked they have no power to take a hair from our heads unlesse it be given them from above Iohn 19. Herod Iudas Pilate and the Iewes and the Devil had all ends of their own in persecuting Christ yet did they nothing but what God had fore-ordained and decreed should be done Acts 4.28 God hath fore-ordained the Beginning End Quantity and Quality of our Sufferings Romans 8.18 1 Thessalonians 3.3 God deals with us as a father doth with his children turning all to their good Romans 8.28 There is nothing will still the Soul like this viz. that 't is the Lord who in wisedom and love is pleased thus to try us we shall never be dumb and silent till we see 't is the Lord that doth it 2. We must not onely beare these Trials Patiently so as a Heathen may doe but Ioyfully When we suffer for Righteousnesse sake we must be exceeding glad and even leap for joy Luke 6.22 23. Though the flesh repine yet God would have us to mount it Joy all Joy when we fall not into one or two but into Varietie of Tentations viz. banishment imprisonment losse of goods Friends c. Iam. 1.2 We must glory in Tribulation Romans 5.3 Rejoyce even to Gloriation The Apostles went from the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy of that Honour to be dishonoured for Christ Acts 5.41 45. Paul oft glories that he was a prisoner for Christ and that he bare in his body the mark of the Lord Jesus Galathians 6.17 He had been whipt and stoned and stocked and he carried the marks of these as so many badges of honour Yea he chose rather to glory in tribulation and sufferings then in his Revelations and raptures into the third Heavens 2 Corinthians 11.23.24 30. His Glorying was in the Crosse of Christ Colossians 1.24 2 Corinthians 7.4 Ephesians 3.13 Philippians 2.17 Iohn did not boast that he was an Evangelist or of his Revelations but that he was a brother in Tribulation Revelations 1.9 'T is said of the Primitive Christians that they rejoyced in loosing their goods for Christ Hebrewes 10.34 and the Thessalonians received the word in much affliction and joy 1 Thessalonian 1.6 and Paul exceedingly desired to be made conformable to Christ even in his sufferings Philippians 3.10 Ignatius cryed Let sire crosse breaking of my bones come quartering of my members crushing my body and all the torments that Man and Devil can invent so I may but enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ. When the Emperour threatned Saint Basil with death He boldly answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O that I might die for the Truth When Eudoxa the Empresse threatned Chrysostom He sent her word that he had learned to fear nothing but sinne A noble spirit knows not what discouragement means but like the valiant horse he breaks through dangers Iob 3.22 23. He triumphs in the midst of Trials and in an holy securitie he laughs at troubles Iob 5.22 Psalm 46. Romans 8.37 38. They onely are the Men that in a Spirituall sense doe tread on the Lion the Aspe and Adder Psalm 91.13 The water in Wether-glasses riseth highest when the Wether is foulest So Gods People when at worst then are they best when they have nothing in the creature they have most of God Habakkuk 3.17 18. Sense can say if we want Figges yet we have Wine to cheer us and if the Vine should fail yet the Olive may help for a time or if these should fail yet we have Corn in our Fields to support us or if a Famine should come yet if the Pastures abound with Flockes that will be some help or if the Flocks abroad should fail yet the Herds of the stall at home may support us Thus far Sense may goe But when all these fail and no outward comfort can be seen yet then can a Beleever rejoyce in his God This is the Happynesse of Gods People let things goe how they will or can yet he either doth or may comfort himselfe in his God When nothing but darkenesse is upon the Creature then Habbakuk hath an Yet and David a But wherewith to comfort and encourage themselves 1 Samuel 30.6 It may shame us who are cast downe by every light Affliction when we consider Davids condition at that time he comes to Ziglag which was given him for a Refuge He findeth the Citty burnt the Inhabitants taken Captive and amongst the rest his Wives and his Souldiers which should have ayded him they speake of stoning him yet in the midst of all these difficulties David corroborates himself in the Lord his God We use to rejoyce in gifts especially if one should give us a whole kingdom but 't is a greater Honour to be a Martyr for Christ then to be a Monarh of the world Heb. 11.26 'T is a great priviledge and a high Prerogative to suffer for the Gospel 't is no common gift but 't is a gift of free-grace and speciall love All the elect are called to be believers but not to be publick sufferers Suffering for the Gospel is in some respect a priviledge above believing the Gospel Phil. 1.29 such are the house and habitation of Gods Spirit there he rests and desires to dwell 1 Pet. 4.14 the Spirit of God will bring them to glory or the glorious Spirit of God will dwell in them in a glorious manner aud fill them full of Joy and Peace in believing This made the Saints so forward in the Primitive times to suffer for Christ that the bloudy Emperours were fain to make Decrees to hinder their Martyrdome I have read of a woman that in the time of Valens the Emperour ran with her haire loose about her eares and her child in her armes to the place where the Martyrs were slain and being askt whither she ran she answered Crownes are given to day and I will be partakers with them Thus in the reign of Charles the ninth when the Duke of Subaudia misused aud persecuted the men of the Valleyes burnt
poysenous Tenents before he can be a compleat Anabaptist Even the Devil observes a method in seducing 1. He makes men Scepticks in Religion so that they Question every thing yet believe nothing 2. They become Schismatickes and make a rent in the Church 3. They become Hereticks overturning the very foundations of Religion First the Devil makes men unconscionable hearers of the Word Secondly Contemners of it Thirdly Haters of the Preachers of it Fourthly and at last they hate God himself that sends them Oh then stop sin and errour in the beginning it is much easier to keep them out then to cast them out Every act of sin is a wound to the soul it weakens it and leaves it more unable to withstand a temptation Besides God in justice oft punisheth one sin with another when men will not go forward nor profit by the means of grace they shall go backward growing worse and worse till they come to a reprobate sence and are past feeling that they may fill up the measure of their sin and Gods wrath may come upon them to the uttermost for their ingratitude and rebellion 1 Thess. 2.16 'T is a sad case when men are given up to be ruled by unruly lusts when like Tapsters and Drawers they must answer all comers If Pride call ready Sir If Pleasures call here Sir If Lust call anon anon Sir If Covetousnesse call I come Sir This is the miserable slavery of those who serve divers lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seducentes Seducti Deceiving and being deceived In the words there seems to be an Hysterosis and Inversion of the Order for in the Order of Nature men first erre themselves before they lead others into error Or we may take the words thus whilest those notorious Impostors go about deceiving others by their Sophisms and shewes of Holiness the Devil by the just judgement of God deceives them They cozen others and the Devil cozens them leading them into far greater errors and so they shall be punisht on a double account 1. Because they erre themselves and resist the Truth 2. Because they have drawn others into error The Participle of the Present Tense notes their assiduity and constancy they make it their Trade to deceive others they are still Deceiving one or other with their smooth and flattering Language The Devil is an old Serpent he is a Serpent for subtlety and an old Serpent for his experience in seducing He finds by experience that those things which are taught by men take sooner then if he should personally appear himself In times of ignorance and Popery the Devil appeared more commonly and visibly but now in these dayes of light he acts more secretly and subtilly working on man by man As God loves to imploy good men for the conversion of others not that he needs the help of man but for the exercising of the graces of his servants and for the greater manifestation of his own Glory So the Devil who is Gods ape loves to deceive men by men He hath his Agents and Emissaries every where He hath Magitians for Pharaoh a Balaam for Balack a Witch at Endor for Saul false Prophets to delude Ahab c. The world abounds with Devils incarnate so that if ever that Caveat were seasonable 't is now Beware of men Matth. 10.17 and 24.4 the Devil oft deceives by a Father a Brother a Wife a Friend Watch against them and whosoever he be that would draw thee into sin or error looke upon them as the Devils instruments and say to them as Christ did to Peter Get thee behind me Satan As good men delight in converting others so wicked men delight in perverting others as those would not goe to Heaven alone so these would not goe to Hell alone and therefore they labour to make others twofold more the children of the Devil then themselves Of this sort are Jesuites on the one hand and Sectaries on the other either of which with their Flesh-pleasing doctrine will doe more mischief in pulling down then twenty faithful Ministers can build up again in many years Though the Heresies which these deceivers bring are damnable yet the Apostle tells us that Many will follow them 2 Peter 22. This Christ foretold that many false Prophets should arise and deceive many Matthew 24.11 so doth Antichrist 2 Thessalonians 2.10 2 Iohn 7. Revelations 13.14 and such there were in the Apostles time Titus 1.10 11. Now the Reason why deceivers deceive so many are these 1. In respect of the blindness of our minds in Spiritual things 1 Cor. 2.14 2. In respect of our Natural pronenesse to error by Reason of the Vanity of our minds which make us far more apt to believe lies then truth Isay 30.10 2 Timothy 4.3 4. 3. In respect of our instability in the wayes of God Seducers beguile unstable souls Ephesians 4.14 2 Peter 2.14 We are unstable as water which turns with every wind that which pleaseth us to day displeseth us to morrow 4. In respect of our sinful simplicity we are apt to give blinde Obedience suspecting no evill Romans 16.18 We are apt to follow our own carnal Reason against the Word of God 5. In respect of error it self It s easie and pleasant to flesh and bloud which makes such multitudes to follow it The way of Truth is strait and narrow with much adoe is it found but with the more difficulty practised He who treads this Track like Ionathan and his Armour bearer must climb the Hill when others swim down the stream This is the Reason why so many follow falshood rather then truth not because falshood is in its own Nature stronger then truth or Satans stratagems too strong for the Spirit of God but because these false flesh-pleasing doctrines agree with our corrupt Nature therefore 't is that men doe so readily embrace them 6. God in his just judgement gives up such as will not believe his Truth to the power of error and to the will of seducers Since they will be deceived they shall be deceived since they will not obey the true Prophets they shall be seduced by false ones 1 Kings 22.21 22. Ezekiel 13.23 2 Thessalonians 2.10.11.12 Let not then Ministers be discouraged when they see many fall off to these Impostors 't is no more then what hath been long since fore-told God sets them their bounds he limits the time how long the persons deceiving and whom they shall dececeive are ordered by his wisdom both the deceiver and the deceived are his Iob 12.16 Ezek. 14.9 2. The Magistrate should restrain such workers of Iniquity if those that had but a Leprosie upon their bodies must be shut up for fear of infecting others Leviticus 13.46 Surely these deceivers that have a worse Leprosie upon them should not be connived at as they be Such evil men will not long be evil alone they endanger the good as weeds do Corn or bad humours the
Holy Exact Obedient c. But continue thou Note Gods servants must continue constant in the Truth received They must not play fast and loose be off and on but they must be still the same like well-tuned Bells which have the same Note in foul weather as they have in fair Ioh. 1.21 we must hold fast the Truth 1 Thes. 5.21 abide in it and walk in it Rev. 3.3 1 Iohn 2.19.24 and 2.6 7 9. we must part with our lives rather then part with the Truth of God Revel 6.9 no frownes or flatteries must drive or draw us from it we must lose all rather then lose it Prov. 23.23 buy it at any rate sell it at no rate To this end consider 1. This Constancy is a note of Sincerity then are we Christs disciples indeed when we abide in the Truth Iohn 8.32 Iob 2.3 when no Storms nor Tempests can remove us from it but we stand like Mount Sion which never moves and like seasoned Timber never warps nor yields As that Divine Poet sweetly sings Onely a sweet and Vertuous soule Like seasoned Timber never gives But though the whole world turne to coale Then chiefly lives 2. All the promises of Heaven and Happinesse run only to such as are faithfull to the death Rev. 2.10 endure to the end Mat. 24.13 and continue in the faith Rom. 2.7 Matth. 10.22 Colos. 1.22 23. Heb. 3.6.14 See what a cluster of precious promises are made not to such as only begin well but to such as presevere and overcome their spiritual enemies faithfully fighting the battles of the Lord against sin and Satan Revel 2.7.10 11.17.26 27 28. and 3.5.12 and 22.7 He that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still fighting by the power of Christ against the enemies of his salvation though he cannot overcome them so perfectly as Christ did by way of Equality yet if by way of conformity we resemble him we shall raign with him We must win the garland before we can wear it we must conquer before we can Triumph and strive before we can get the Crown 2 Tim. 2.5 we must run sincerely chearfully and constantly if ever we would obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 3. A damn◠1. Such loose all their labour let a man watch fast pray hear read run yet if he fall away all 's lost Ezek. 18.24 Gal. 3.3 4. 2 Iohn 8. Frustra agitur quod non peragitur as good never awhit as never the better 't is the end that crowns the work A man may go far yet for want of perseverance lose all Moses came to the fortieth year yet mist of going into Canaan A man may dig within a yard of a golden mine and yet for want of a little more pains misse of it 'T is said of King Henry the Eighth that if he had gone on as he began and as he had crakt the Popes crown so he had clean dispossest him of all as he had got the victory so if he had pursued it as 't was preacht before him and as he had unhorst the Pope and put him out of the Saddle so if he had also taken away the Trappings and Stirrups whereby the Prelates went to set him on horse-back againe he had cured all 2. Such bring an evill report and scandal on Religion they disparage the Lords Pastures as if there were no vertue sweetnesse excellency and life in them and therefore they forsake them 3. Satan will deal worse with such then with others he 'l lay more irons on you as the Jaylor doth on a fugitive prisoner He will seek to recover the time that he hath lost by making thee run more furiously in the wayes of sinne so that thy latter end will be worse then thy beginning 2 Pet. 2.22 4. God abhors thee Heb. 10.38 his soul will take no pleasure in thee i. e. he exceedingly hates thee 'T is a Meiosis if any man draw back flye from his colours and forsake God God will forsake him as he did backsliding Saul the Israelites Iudges 2.12 13. Ieremy 5.19 Zeph. 1.26 Spira and Lucian a Professor who after became a scoffer and persecutor and was tore in pieces by Dogs How sad then is the condition of those Seekers Shakers Quakers that are altogether unsetled and have no foundation that are still seeking for New-Apostles and New-Light i. e. for false Apostles and old Errors These Sceptical Atheists have a New Religion every week yea almost every day in the week 'T is said of the Northern Quakers I suppose the Southern are of the same temper that in a Moneths time they so changed their Principles that a man could not know them to be the same men but onely by their faces Lately they were for Episcopacy then for Presbytery now for Independency anon for Anabaptisme and then for any thing If this unconstancy and mutability in Religion had been a vertue then must we condemne the generation of Martyrs in all ages who chuse rather to sacrifice all they had then to part with any part of parcel of Gods truth As 't is said of Athanasius maluit mutare sedem quà m Syllabam He had rather lose his Episcopal Seat then part with a Syllable of Truth To what end are all those Precepts if this ficklenesse were lawful to stand fast in the faith to contend for it Coles 1.2.23 Philip 1.27 Iude 3. to beware of false Prophets Matth. 7.15 Gal. 1.6.8 not to be carried away with strange doctrines 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Tim. 6.13 14. As for those that have put their hands to Gods plough they must in no wise look back but break through all difficulties and discouragements Constans contraria spernit True grace breaks through all Iacob will have the blessing though he halt for it David will yet be more vile The woman of Canaan though Christ call her a dog yet can pick somewhat from that debasing term Let the wicked deride Gods people yea and kill them yet will they forget their God nor deal falsely in his Covenant Psal. 44.16 and 119.51 It was Iohn Baptists high Commendations that he was a rock not a reed shaken to and fro with the wind of every tentation Matth. 11.7 no fear nor favour could make him conceale the truth but with the hazard of his life he reproves Herod and Zachary and Elizabeth how constant were they not in talking but in walking the wayes of Gods commands Luke 1.5 6 7. They did not take a turn or two for pleasure but they walked on 2. They walked not in one or two but in all the Commandements of God 3. Though they were not without sin yet were they without blame no man could justly charge them 4. They did not onely beginne well but they persevered even to old age v. 7. when they were stricken in yeares 5. 'T was in a dangerous time when they did thus walk with God V. 5. 't was in the dayes of Herod a bloody Tyrant It 's a comely
Prophets as if it should vanish for then he should contradict himself Acts 26.27 and Christ Luke 24.27.44 and Peter Acts 10.43 but he speaks expresly of the Ceremonial Types and Sacrifices which he calls V. 5. Shadows of Heavenly things but Christ the Substance being come those shadows are gone Colos. 2.16.17 2. Objection Matthew 11.13 All the Prophets and the Law continued say they but till Iohn Answ. We must distinguish of these Terms the Law and the Prophets 1. Sometimes they are taken Generally for the whole Body and Canon of the Books of the Old Testament 2. Sometimes for those Legal Sermons and Types of the Messias to come and in this latter sense the words are hear to be taken q. d. The things which the Prophets foretold of Christ and the Types of him in the Law began to be fulfilled in the time of Iohn and therefore there needed now no more predictions but a manifestation of the Messias to Israel which was Iohns Office to doe Iohn 1.29 the Prophets shewed that Christ was to come and Iohn shews that he was now come So that here the Anabaptists run into the former fallacy which Christ speaks of the Types and part of the O. T. they apply to the whole in which are many Evangelical Sermons of the Prophets 3. Objection 2 Corinthians 3.11 The Vail is taken away by Christ. Answer By the Vail is not meant the Law of Moses as Socinus would have it but the blindness and hardness of the Jews which by their conversion should be taken away V. 16. 2. Suppose he should speak of the Ceremonial Law must therefore all the Law be abrogated 3. Suppose he should speak of all the Lawes of Moses which will not be granted shall we therefore cast off all the Old Testament as the Prophets Psalmes c. God forbid The New Testament doth not abrogate but illustrate the Old and makes things clearer Christ is the substance of both all the Sacrifices were but Types and shadows of Christ the true Sacrifice 'T is necessary therefore to read both for many things in the Old Testament help to illustrate the New and many things in the New Testament help to illustrate the Old 4. Objection Isay 54.13 All thy people shall be taught of God Ergo there is no need of the Old Testament Answer Nor of the New neither if these words should be taken Simply according to the Letter If the single teaching of Gods Spirit were sufficient as the Quakers say the Light within them is then farewell Old and New Testament both and such high attainers there are in their owne conceits that have cast off both But the words are to be taken Comparatively In Gospel times they shall not be so much taught by men as by God himself he by his Spirit will bless and water the labour of his Ministers and will teach us effectually the mysteries of salvation Now what is here to overthrow the Old Testament because in Gospel times Gods Spirit shall accompany his Ordinances and make them fruitful Ergo the Old Testament is abolished This is Anabaptists Logick 2. I answer ad Hominem Is not this an Old Testament proof and if it be abolisht why do you make such use of it against the Scriptures and the Ministery 5. Objection Christ is the End of the Law Rom. 10.4 Ergo 't is now abolished Answer Christ hath put an End to the Ceremonial Law because 't was but a shadow of him who was the Body Truth and Substance Iohn 1.17 Col. 2.17 but he hath not abolished the Moral Law Matth. 5.17 'T is still to us a Rule of Obedience Christ is Finis Legis perficiens non interficiens the perfecting and consummating end but not the destroying and abolishing end thereof 6. It may be profitable say the Socinians but 't is not necessary to read the Old Testament Answer Whom shall we believe blasphemous Socinus or our blessed Saviour 1. Christ commands us to search the Scriptures of the Old Testament so that 't is necessary to read them Necessitate praecepti 2. T is able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 and so is necessary Necessitate medii 3. Necessitate Signi 't is a sign we are Christs sheep when we hear his voice and that we are blessed indeed when we can meditate in his Law night and day Psal. 1.1 2. Object There is sufficient for our salvation revealed in the New Testament Ergo there 's no need of the Old Answ God knowes what is sufficient for man better then we he could have comprized his word in a lesser Volume then the N.T. but since in his wisdom and goodnesse he hath provided not only sufficiently but abundantly for our direction and comfort we may not quarrel at his goodnesse but do our duty and answer his bounty with obedience These are the chief Socinian Cavils if any would see more he may peruse Brochmand C C. Tom. 1. de sacra Script Q. 5. p. 77. 83. Altingius loci com Tom. 1. P. 2. p. 281. Hornbeck contra Socin l. 1. c. 4. Sect. 1 2 3. Arnoldus cont Socin cap. 1. p. 4 5 c. and Mr. Lyford Plain mans Senses exercised cap. 2. p 40 c. Vse 1. Serves for reproof to those Manichees Marcionites Valentinians Carpocratians Arminians Socinians Anabaptists and Libertines of our time who decry all arguing from Old Testament proofs as Legal antiquated and childish This is and should be matter of deep Lamentation to us Psal. 119.136 'T is time for the Lord to arise when men shall destroy all his Lawes Psal. 119 126. The Court-Bishops went about to destroy the second and the fourth Commandements in their Practice especially and God hath cast them out a Sect are now risen that go about to destroy all Gods Lawes they will certainly fall The more they oppose and disgrace it the more by an holy Antiperristasis we should love it Psal. 119.127 So shall we have Peace and nothing shall offend us Psalm 119.165 As our Saviour prayed for the persecutors of his person Father forgive them for they know not what they do so shall I pray for those that oppose his Truth revealed in the Old Testament Father forgive them for they know not or at least consider not what they do Why what do they They open a gap to abundance of sin and profanenesse for how many sins are there which are expressely condemned in the Old Testament which yet are scarcely mentioned in the New E. g. How oft is the prophanation of the Sabbath forbidden in the Old Testament and the profanenesse of it threatned with death and the due observers of it blest and encouraged Now if the Old Testament were abrogated we should be at a great losse in this respect since the New Testament speaks very little to this point and one great reason is because so much was said for it in the Old Testament which still stands unrepealed 2.
said of one that preacht before him of death this man saith he preacheth of death as if 't were at my back So Ministers should preach so powerfully of judgement as if 't were at mens backs ready to arrest them This Christ himself expresly commands us to preach unto the people Acts 10.42 As they should desire to hear of that day that so they might be kept in a continual preparedness for it so we should delight to be setting it forth in its lively colours for the comfort of the godly and for the converting if it may be of others for if this will not work nothing will if the terror of this day will not awaken thee thy case is dreadful and desperate The hearing of this day made a Felix to tremble and if thou be not past grace it will make thee to tremble When Solomon would fright young men from their sinful pleasures he tels them of a stinging But. Eccles. 11.9 but remember that for all these things he will bring thee to judgement If our heart be not harder then the Adamant the remembrance of this day will quicken us to amendment And this is the reason why Gods servants in all ages have been so careful to mind people of this day Enoch of old prophesied of it Iude 14.13 so did Moses Deut. 32. and David Psal. 96. ult and Solomon Eccles. 11.9 and Daniel 7.13 14. and Ioel 3. and Malachy 3. and 4. and Christ Matth. 24. and 25. and Paul Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 4.3 4. and Iude 6. and Iohn Rev. 1.7 and 20.12 So that this is no such Legal Doctrine as some Illegal and Lawless Atheists do imagine for Christ Paul Peter Iohn c. that were Evangelical Preachers oft treated of it yea before ever the Law was publisht by Moses this Doctrine was preacht presently after the fall by Enoch Jude 14. 3. It must quicken Iudges and these in authority to execute righteous judgement remembring that they judge not for men but for the Lord whose Vice-gerents they are and to whom they must shortly give an account He judgeth among the Gods by discerning whether their judgement be right or not 2 Chron. 19.5 6 8. He is with them in the judgement though Iehoshaphat could not ride circuit with them yet God did he is with them not onely by way of assistance and protection but also by way of observation he takes notice of every sentence that passeth and will bring it again to judgement for one special end of that great day is judicare non judicata malè judicata To punish those sinners which have escaped unpunisht here and to rectifie the unrighteous judgments of the world Let there be no partiality bribery oppressing of the fatherless and the widow but hear both sides patiently fully indifferently so acting and so judging as remembring that you your selves must ere long be judged See more in M. Clerks Mirrour cap. 74.75 M. Gataker Ser. on Psalm 82.6 7. p. 71 c. M. Henry Smiths Ser. on Psalm 82.6 p. 336. M. Sam Wards Ser. on Exod. 18.21 p. 395. M. Strong 31. Ser. p. 389. and 623. Let every one watch and prepare for this day let the thoughts of it sleep with us and wake with us rise with us and rest with us and be familiar with us think you hear that voyce sounding in your ears Come give an account of your Stewardship for thou must be no longer Steward Put not the remembrance of that day farre from your souls least you draw neer to the seat of iniquity Amos 6.3 Most certain 't is that the day of the Lord will come but when we know not 2 Pet. 3.10 Hence he 's said to come as a thief in the night 1 Thes. 5.2 1. Secretly suddenly terribly and unexpectedly blessed therefore is he that teacheth Mark 13.35 36 37. Rev. 16.15 We should shun those sins which breed security as drunkenness gluttony and. the cares of the world Matth. 24.38 39 42. Luk 21.34 God hath hid this day from us that we might be prepared every day Let 's get the Oyl of grace in our Lamps that we may be ready when ever the Bridegroom shall come Be much in works of piety and mercy get your souls cloathed with Christ and his righteousness which onely can shelter you from wrath to come and make you stand with comfort and comfidence in that day Let 's realize that day to our selves if we were sure the day of judgment should be the next week what a strange alteration would it make in the world how would men sleight these worldly things as fine houses fine apparels fine fare c. which now they doat on Then they would fast and pray weep and repent Why this day may be the day of thy particular judgement and therefore whilst 't is to day we should do these things Now let 's deny our selves follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes part with all for Christ take him on his own Termes and give him no rest till he have assured thee by his Spirit that thy sins are forgiven thee and then you may bid that day welcome and rejoyce in the thoughts of it 1 Iohn 2.28 Walk exactly and sincerely before God now live soberly righteously religiously do all as for Eternity Xeuxies being asked why he was so curious in his painting answered Quia Aeternitati pingo 't is for Eternity said he So should we be exact in our walking and working in our doing and suffering remembring 't is for eternity None can dwell with that devouring fire but he that walketh uprightly Isai. 33.14 15 16. To such as faithfully discharge the duties of their callings this will be a day of blessing Luke 12.43 and of comfort Isai. 38.3 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Iohn 3.21 We should therefore get and keep a good conscience which will be a feast to us especially at that day Acts 23.1 and 24.16 Whilst 't is called to day then let us return and cause others to return and so fly from the wrath to come preventing it by judging our selves and setting up a Judicatory in our souls examining arraigning inditing and condemning ourselves for our sins and then will Christ acquit us if we humble our selves he will exalt us if we remember our sins he will forget them if we take an holy revenge on ourselves we shall prevent his vengeance The serious remembrance of this day hath a great influence on our lives and therefore 't is good to possess our minds with the truth of it and our hearts with the terrour of it that it come not upon us unawares If this Principle were truly beleeved oh what holiness humility fear Rev. 14.7 Patience in suffering Iames 5.8 Constancy in well-doing 2 Pet. 3.11.14 and contempt of the world and weanedness from these low things which must then be consumed with fire 2 Pet. 3.10 11. Would it work in us At his Appearance and his Kingdom Hence Note That the second coming of Christ will
those that are cloathed in scarlet are tainted with this duâ—ghil disease the Oaks of Bashan and the Cedars of Lebanon are become as so many Reeds shaken with every blast of strange Doctrine and every Nâ—vel opinion is ready to transport them from the Truth to Fables 'T was Iohn Baptists glory and 't will be ours to be no such Reeds Matth. 11.7 An Itch of Popularity and applause they long to be in Print when they have been in travel with their New-notions they are even sick till they be publisht to the world They love to have it said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is he that is in Print against Infant-Baptism against Magistracy against Ministery against the Trinity c. It 's pitty but some were better physickt for this Itch. Others have an Itch to be in the Pulpit and must in all hast be Teachers of others before they have learned themselves These would have some salt throwen on their Itch. 5. An itch after smooth pleasing preaching These itching ears love flattering Prâ—â—chers Isai. 30.20 They love to be clawed They have Musical-ears the Prophet's eloquence may delight them as some pleasing song but his wholesom direction they will not follow Ezek. 33.31 32. Plain-preaching is too harsh for their dainty ears they cannot endure to have those courses contradicted which they have pitcht upon and to which they have addicted themselves Neither can they endure to hear any one man long they must have an heap of Teachers They love to hear high-flowen-notions that they may discourse above the rate of their neighbours their curious Palats disrelish common food Priviledges when preacht please them but positive duties distast them These are high in their Notions but low in their practicals like children that have the Rickets grow in the head wither in the feet 6. An Itch of disputing We have many that love to question everything but they beleeve nothing They desire rather to dispute well then to live well This is the scab blemish of our age This Itch of Disputing hath almost destroyed all the Power of Godliness When men fall to wrangling they deal but truth as I have read many Suitors did by a Virgin one would have her another would have her tell at last they had pulled her all to pieces Luthers prayer therefore shall be mine From frivolous fruitless controversies good Lord deliver us Whilst men spend their strength and time about mint and cummin the weighty matters of the Law lye unregarded Better want a disputative-knowledge then that savory sanctifying affective-knowledge which will enable to die for the Truth though we cannot dispute for it 'T is holiness and obedience not disputing and wrangling which is the way to happiness 'T is well observed by one that disputations in Religion are sometimes necessary but alwayes dangerous drawing the best spirits into the head from the heart and leaving it either empty of all or too full of fleshly zeal and passion if extraordinary care be not taken still to supply and fill it anew with pious affections towards God and loving towards men 7. A quarreling contradicting itch which like a tetter the more it is rubbed the more it spreads it self They have critical ears they come to arraign the Minister at the Bar of their own judgment to judge that word by which they must be judged These come not to practice the Sermon but to quarrel with the Preacher Salamander like they love to live in the fire of contention God loves not saith Luther such Curists and Quaerists i. Such as are alwayes to their Cur why is it thus and thus and their Vtrums whether it be so and so We must believe and obey but not reason with God about his Commands there must be a quiet resignation of our wills to Gods Will. Thologia nostra est Pythagorica God hath said it and that 's sufficient to quiet a gracious soul. Fides est quietativa non disputativa Faith quietly and readily obeyes it doth not dispute Gods Command A beleever is not quarreling when he should be doing his duty It 's a good sign we are sincere when we do all things without murmuring and quarreling Philip. 2.14 15. We should therefore cast off all wranglings about toyes and trifles about niceties and novelties about things whereof we can neither have proof nor profit The cure of this Itch is 1. To acquiesce in the pure Word of God without any hunting after Novelties and Curiosities Love the Law and then ye will neither forget nor forsake it to follow Fables The root of Apostasy is want of affection to the Word when men serve not God with gladness of heart in the aboundance of spiritual mercies but grow weary of truth loath this Heavenly Mannah then 't is just with God to give them up to strong delusions to believe lyes Iob 12.16 Ezek. 24.4 9. 2 Thes. 2.11 When men will not be servants to Truth 't is just with God that they should be slaves to sin and error and when they will not serve God in the enjoyment of Ordinances they should serve their lusts in the want of them Amos 8.11 2. Take heed 1. Whom ye hear 2. How ye hear 1. Take heed whom and what you hear Faith comes not by hearing every Self-called-speaker but by hearing sent Teachers Rom. 10.14 15. Such as have Itching-ears love to hear all men many times grow out of love with all so that they can endure to hear none long If the Devil but can set the Itch upon thee of hearing New-teachers he 'l soon draw thee to believe lyes and fables His great design is to undermine the Ministery and steal peoples hearts from them if the Wolves but can get the Sheep from the Shepheards they will soon devour them If then you love your souls love your faithful Pastors and stick to them 2. Take heed how you hear as all the senses must be guarded so must this set a Watch-man on it and take heed how see to the manner as well as to the matter of your hearing Luke 8.18 The ear is an honourable part 't is sensus disciplinae the sense which conveighs instruction into the soul. For delight 't is an excellent sense therefore the ears are called the daughters of Musick Eccles. 12.4 By it Faith which is the Grace of graces is conveyed into the soul. Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and not by seeing Labour then for an intelligent obedient circumcised mortified ears which is a choice mercy Matth. 13.16 23. Rom. 2.29 To this end we must hear the Word 1. Preparedly 2. Attentively 3. Intentively 4. Retentively 5. Understandingly 6. Discreetly 7. Beleevingly 8. Reverentially 9. Affectionally with Love Desire Joy 10. Obedientially 1. There must be preparation before we hear and that not onely habitual but an actual washing of our hearts and hands before we come to Gods Altar Psal. 26.9 Ezra 7.10 Iob 11.13 14. Eccles. 5.7
se spiritu repletos cum inani vento distenti sunt turgidi Davenant in Colos. 2.18 p. 241. How to know the Spirit of Truth from a false spirit See an excellent little Tâ—act called the True Guide by R. H. Printed 1646. Totus eorum Sermo est de Spiritu Calvin V. D. Reynolds de Lib. Apochr Praelect 214. V. August de Haeres See more against them on v. 16. See Mr. Sherlocke against Quakers p. 73. to 168. and M. Clapham against the Quakers Sect. 8. p. 44. Initia peccati sunt verecunda Progrediendum à facilioribus Sibâ— Concio ad Cleâ—um p. 49. V. Mâ— Edwards Gangreen Part. 1. Coral 13. p. 100. and Mr. Young his Câ—re of Mesprision Sect 40.44 Incipientibus morbis si quid videtur movendâ—m mâ—ve Hippocrates Sceptici Philosophi quasi quaesitores consideratores qui omnia in suspenso relinquentes nihil definiunt Aul. Gellius Noct. â—ttic l. 15. c. 5. V. Tactica S. l. 2. c. 2. S 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insano deltrans amore vel instar faeminae picâ laborantis quae neglectis sanâ— eduliâ— vel nâ—xia vel minus sana deperit They make queries and utrums of every thing See more before on v. 7. See Mr. Viner on that Text. p. 17. Diobolus in Specie non ovis non Asini sed Serpentis tentavit Adam à Lap. See Mr. Gournall on Ephes. 6.11 p. 106. a wicked cause needs a smooth Oratour and bad were a pleasing Chapman Idem ibid. Great wits and great gifts are the stock which the Devil desires more especially to graft on As Austin said of Liciniùs a young man of great abilities Cupit abs te ornari Diabolus The Devil desired to be credited by him V. â—urroughs his Irenicum Chap. 2.3 * Mr. â—lake on the Covenant cap 31. in â—â—ne V. The Assemblies Answer to the discenting Brethren p 61. in fine See more of the sleights of False Teachers in Master Wells his Preface to the rise and ruine of the Antinomians in New-England Eâ—pedit belluas adeò perniciosas nâ—tâ aliquâ insigniâ—i ut dignosci possint ab uno quoque nec quisquam non monitus damnum aliquod reciptat Calvin contra Libertin Beza epist. 1. ad Dud. p. 10. See more in Clerks Mirror cap. 63. See many Reasons against Toleration in Mr. Pryns Tract against the Quakers p. 15. Error cui non resistitur approbatur veritas cum non defenditur opprimitur V. Mr. Fords â—ssise on Psal. 75 4. p. 6 7. Nullum latrocinium adeò scelestum nec venenum adeó pernicrosum quà m haeresis Calvin See the danger of Heresies Mr. Obad. Sedgewick on Rev. 12.15 p 15. to 35. Magistâ—ates must not be like the Heathen Godâ— Patrons and Protectours of Villany He that commits sin is of the Devil bâ—t he that connives commands commâ—nd it when he 's intrusted to punish it is not onely of the Devil but is a Devil and a great one too Si Haeretici sint manifestè blasphemi in illis blasphemiis pertinaces pâ—ssunt affici supplicio capitali Ames CC. l. 4 c. 4. q. 6. See in Vines his Seâ— on 2 Pet. 22. p 64. c. Dâ— Owens Ser. on Dam. 7.15 p. 54. 'T is observed that the Authours of errors have been Church-men either grosly weak or proudly wilful who take up new methods of Language and Doctrine Dâ—câ—m annis laboratur antequam Ecclesiola rectè piè instituta paratur ubi parata est irrepit aliquis fanaticus quidem Idiota qui nihil novit nisi contumeliosè loqui contra sinceros Verbi Doctores in uno momento evertit omnia Luther Intellectus est Veritatis sponsa est quaedam castitas judicii hic major cura adhibenda est quia ubi non bene creditur non bene vivitur vitium primae concoctionis non corrigitur in secundâ Debile fundamenuum fallit opus hinc Diabolus Princips tenebrarum tenebras primè â—ffundâ—t intellectum ut cum lucem eripuerit ducat quò velit D. Sibs concio ad Clerum p. 39 Ubi Plura Mr. Obad. Sedgwick Ser. on Rev. 12.15 Error intellectu parit errorem in affectâ— V. Gelaspy's Miscelan c. 12. Digus est mun dus cui scelest nebulones illudant quandoveâ—am sanctitatem vel contemnit vel ferre non potest Calvin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dicit mittet Deus illis errorem sed efficaciem erroris Mascul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. M. L. Critic S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligenter custodite Spiritus titulo mendaâ—ia sua venum expâ—nunt See more Preâ—servatives in Mr Brinslyes spirit Vertigo p. 123. and 190. Mr. Sherlocke against the Quakers 2 P. cap. 8. and Mr. Gournall on Ephes. 6.12 p. 127. c. and Mr. Clapham against the Quakeâ—s Sect. 13. V. Tactica S. l. 2. c. 2. S. 10. V. Mr. Strong 31. Ser. Colos. 2.5 Ordinem non constituimus in illis nugatoriis pompis quae nihil habent praeter evanidum splendorem Calvin Lib. Institut 4. Cap. 10. Sect. 27.28 Omne ordinatum pulchrum V. Plura apud Piscat in Praefat ad Numeros He that hath integrity fears no Inquisition he that hath none requires it Rulers are not a Terror to good works but to evill The Interests of England by Constantine 2. P. p. 37. Non dubit amus caeteâ—is paribus majorem pleniorem mensuram communicaâ—i publicis Ecclesiae ministâ—is quà m singulâ—s privatis qui neque tâ—â— donis sunt instructi neque tot oculis vident neque privatâ simplici meditatione aequaâ—e possunt multorum collationem disquisitionem Rivet Isagog cap. 19. Animalia gregalia non sunt nâ—civa sed animalia solivaga sunt nociva Aristot. How great is their sin then that fight against Gods Ordinance V. Paget against Ainsworth cap. 2. See Mr. Cawdry against Independency cap. 3. p 97. See Mr. Paget against Ainsworth in defence of Presbytery c. 2. p. 2. See Mr. Edwards his Gangreen 1. Part. Corol. 14 p 102. That is proved before Heilyn's Geography Edit ult q. 266 in Brittaine V. The Attestation of the Cheshire Ministers p. 13. Synods have not Potestatem absolutam sed conditionalem ministerialem viz So far as their commands agree with Gods commands Spanheim V. Testimony of the London Ministers p. 24. Note There is variety of senses but no contrariety in the Scriptures See my Schools-Guard Rule 48. They shall proceed no further viz. in esteem with men to seduce them thereby although they shall increase in wickedness Dutch Annot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amentia ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens i e. sinâ— mente amentes Madness i. e. their foolish and false doctrine or their Hypocrisy and shew of holiness Butch Annot. Hypocrisis suâ sponte sese aliquando prodit non potest per omnia sui esse dissimilis deprehensa exploditur Aretius Ea est erroris natura omni licèt ex parte