SPIRITVALL ALMES A Treatise wherein is set forth the Necessity the Enforcements and Directions of the duty of Exhortation PRO. 10. 21. The lips of the righteous feede many but fooles dye for want of wisedome By A. L. LONDON Printed by T. S. for Samuel Man dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1625. TO The Right Honourable William Earle of Pembroke Lord Herbert of Cardiffe Marmion and S. Quintin Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter Lord Chamberlaine of his Maiesties Houshold Lord Warden of the Stanneries of Deuon and Cornwall one of his Highnesse most Honourable priâ—y Councell my very good Lord. â—ight Honourable IN liew of thankes I am now become your remembrancer for Almes but those spirituall to bee distributed only by such on whom the spirit of glory resteth and to be conferred chiefly on the glorious rest of the king of glory the Church militant I meane all glorious within Was it not the glory of the Rulers and Princes of the Tribes of Israell to offer willingly among Gods people for the frame of the Tabernacle and fabrique of the T 〈…〉 ple And as the heart of Deborah was towards the Gouernours of Israel that offered themselues willingly among the people so did the pen of Nehemiah brand the Nobles of the Tekoites that put not their neckes to the worke of the Lord. Surely as this is a day of rebuke wherein the word of mutuall Exhorration the treasure of spirituall Almes for edification of the Temples of the holy Ghost is made a reproach of most men neglected delighted in of few and of many derided so in this day the Lord seekes for a man among vs to stand in the gap for the Land that the glory thereof become not as a fading flower and the light thereof as the shadow of death Is not this therefore a time for Nicodemus to stand forth among Rulers Ioseph of Arimathea among Councellors and Theophilus among Nobles to giue witnesse to the truth and to hold forth the word of life yea and with so much more shouting to cry grace grace vnto it by how much the more it is any way disgraced Wherfore if any mans eye should be now euill because among Nobles and Councellors mine eyes are thus hopefully fixed on your Honour for this gracious acclamation this wrong if any should be may easily bee forgiuen mee because meere conscience not onely long agoe procured mee such vndeserued respect in your Noble heart but sithence also many such compassion are fauours as I therby rest Your Honours most obliged seruant A. I. The Authour to the Reader CHristian Reader thou hast here proposed to thy veiw out of the glasse of Gods word the Necessity the Enforcements and Directions of that most necessary duty of Exhortation much pressed in the holy Scriptures not purposely treated that I know of by any other writer ambiguously trauersed by some and generally neglected of vs all My hearts desire and prayer is that all may be as profitable to theâ— and to the Church of God as it hath bin painfull to me a man of polluted lipâ— not onely in vndergoing the censure of mans iudgment which is a very small thing to him that knoweth the terrour of God and seeth him who is inuisible but in dissoluing doubts remouing obstacles discouering depths of Satan and conuincing gainsayers as well as proposing the truth all vttered as neare as I could reach with words which the holy Ghost teacheth that by manifestation of the truth I might comâ—â—nd my selfe to euery mans conscience in the â—ight of God a Pro. 17. 36 Why saith Salomon is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome he hath no heart to it And why say I should there be in the â—ands of professors such treasures of wisedome and knowledge and men noâ— b Pro. 9. 12. be wise for themselues to imploy them but keepe them as c Eccl. 3. 13. riches are kept to the owners thereof for their hurt Which the wise man saw to be a sore euill vnder the sunne In the Turkes winning of Constantinople it is recorded of many Historians that they ransacking that city at first wondered to see what little treasure they found therein Whereupon Mahomet the second suspecting the treasures to be hid vnder the ground commanded the earth to be digged vp and the foundations of the houses to be searched Where finding treasures incredible what quoth he how could this place lack mâ—nition and fortification which abounded with such great riches as heere And indeed had they bin so wise to haue imployed the one halfe or lesser part of these in their defence neuer had Mahomet shared any part of them at all Now God forbid that by our folly in hiding our talents our aduersary the diuel should euer haue iust cause either to make vs such a hissing and by-word among men or to d Reu. 12. 1â— accuse vs as e Mat. 25. 26 wicked sloathfull seruants before God Behold I who am lesse then the least of all the Saints for Sions sake could not hold my peace but haue produced my mite which by Gods grace is giuen me if by any means I may prouoke the rest of my brethren especially the great Rabbies of our Church to supply rectifie and perfect whatsoeuer they may finde defectiue amisse or imperfect in mee For who is sufficient for these things That the abundance of grace powred on them may be f Psal 133. like the precious ointment vpon the head that ran downe vpon the beard euen Aarons heard that went downe to the skirts of his garments O g Verse 1. how good and pleasant might be our brotherly co-habitation by this spirituall vnion and communion and how heereby might our Church become not onely h Cant. 6. 4. comely as Ierusalem but terrible as an army with banners Whereas now for want hereof it lyeth in many places as i Pro. 24. 30 31. the field of the sloathfull all growne ouer with thornes and nettles couering the face thereof k Pro. 20. 6 Most men will proclaime euery one his owne goodnesse and l Pro. 26. 16 the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seauen men that can render a reason but the treatise ensuing not onely proueth him to be the onely m Pro. 11. 30 wise and n Pro. 10. 21 righteous man in Gods account that by lips dispersing knowledge winneth soules and feedeth many with his lips but also rips vp the o Mat. 23. 27 filthy nasty inside of many whited sepulchers and grubs vp the p Pro. 15. 19 hedge of thornes that standeth in the way of many a sluggard q 1 Cor. 8. 1 Knowledge puffeth vp but Charity edifieth as they are best zealous of spirituall gifts that r 1 Cor. 14. 12. seeke most to excell to the edifying of the Church so Å¿ Pro. 18. 9. he that is slauthfull in this worke
and opportunity can permit that wee might by all meanâ— saue some yea and those that are g Vers 19. free from all men should make themselues seruants vnto all men h Gal. 5. 13 by loue seruing one another that they might gaine the more But say others i 1 Cor. 5. 12 what haue wee to doe to iudge them that are without Reproofe therefore is to be â—estrayned onely to brethren in religion at least in outward profession And others obiect that all who â—re not truly religious are dead in sinnes and tresâ—asses â— Eph. 2. 1. and therefore in exhortation we haue nothing to doe with them what say they must wee speake to carkases and dead men Archip. First I answere that S. Paul in the former place speakes of iudging by publique censure of the Church which can reach to none but to those that are within the Church which may not restrayne priuate l 2 Thess 3. 14. 15. admonition no not from such disorderly disobedient persons from whose company the brethren themselues are restrayned by the Apostle Nay by how much the lesse the censure of the Church can reach to those that arâ— without so much the morâ— must wee admonish them priuately as wee haue opportunity if wee intend the doing of any good vnto them as wee are bound to doe euen m Gal. 6. 10 to all though they be not of the houshold of faith Secondly they who are dead in sinnes trespasses according to the Apostles meaning are yet n 1 Tim. 5 6 liuing in the flesh though dead in regard of spirituall vegetation and may be quickned as o Eph. 2. 1. those were of whom the Apostle speaketh Nay wee al that now p Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith were dead as they by nature and may not they then as wel as we be quickned by grace As the Apostle pleading for the Iewes that were cut off saith to the beleeuing gentile q Rom. â—â— 18. 23. Boast not against them for God is able to graffe them in so say I to thee despayre not of these for God who quickned you in their case is able also soone to quicken them together with you Should a man that hath escaped danger of drowning by fauour of a draw-bridge afforded him pluck vp the bridge from his indangered fellowes following after him Behold r Ioh. â— 24 thou hast passed from death to life by the grace of him who is Å¿ Iâ—h 14 6 the way the truth and the life and wilt thou stop this passage of graâ—e from thy fellowes behinde thee Mayest thou not so prouoke the Father of mercies who t Exo. â—4 keepeth mercy for thousands to speake to thee in his wrath as the Lord saith in the parable u Mat. â—8 32 33 O thou wicked seruant c. shouldst not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow as I had pitty on thee Doth thy soule abhorre those enuious vv Gen. 26. â—8 Philistins that stopped Abrahams wels wherewith cattell were watered and refreshed and wilt thou stop the x Ier. 2. 1â— fountaine of liuing waters the y Zac. â—3 â— fountaine that is opened for sinne and for vncleannesse to refresh thousands of mens weary soules O how are they branded that z Psal â—8 41 limited the holy one of Israell in his power and art not thou blame-worthy if in thy thought thou limit him in his rich mercy who is a Rom 10. 12 the same Lord ouer all rich vnto all that call vpon him who hath b Rom 11. 32 concluded all vnder sinne that he might haue mercy of all gentile as well as Iew and of the elect yet vn-called without aswel as of those within For this purpose must not c Maâ— 15. 15 the gospell be preached to euery creature in all the world and that d Mat. 28. 20 euen vnto the end of the world Now therefore as well as in the dayes of the Apostle e 2 Cor. 6. 1. is the accepted time behold now is the day of saluation and the houre is not yet expired whereof the Lord of life saith f Ioh. 5. 25 verily verily I say vnto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue And if by hearing they that are dead in sinnes and trespasses shall liue then you see the dead must be spoken vnto that they mâ—y heare and liue Thou wilt say perhaps true and were I a preacher g 1 Cor. 9. 16 woe were to me if I should not preach the gospell to the dead h Act. 20. 28 of whom I am made an ouer-seer But say I thou art a neighbour though no preacher and if they that be dead in sinne be thy neighbours the royall law chargeth thee to loue them as thy selfe if their bodies which none will deny how much more then their soules Yea were it but thy neighbours nay thine i Exo. 23. 4. 5 enimies oxe straying or asse lying vnder a burden thou must in pitty help him What doth God take care for oxen and asses as the Apostle k 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. saith No doubt for our sakes this is written that he that seeth his neighbourâ— soule lying vnder the burden of sin l Leu. 19. 17 must not as the Law saith hatâ— his brother in his heart but he shall in any wise rebuke his neighbour not suffer sinne vpon him Whereto cut off all such cauils as if onely brethren in religion or profession were to be rebuked the Lord himselfe makes brother and neighbour termes conuentible or of equall extent and in this case euery soule that thou seest to haue neede is thy neighbour though he be the man whose face thou neuer sawest before as m Luk. 10. 29 c. Christ sheweth at large in that parable where he tels the perâ— Lawyer who is his neighbour And heere n Deu. 15. 9 beware there be not a thought in thy wicked heart to o Zac. 7. 10. imagine euill against thy brother in thy heart saying he may be for ought thou knowest a vessell of wrath fitted to destruction and neuer to be quickned For p Deu. 29. 29 the secret things belong vnto the Lord our God but those things that are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may doe all the words of this Law Whither God will quicken this or that particular mâ—n or no is a secret yet known onely to him q â— Tim 2. 19 who hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are is thou seest thy duty of loue reuealed which thou must doe to helpe quicken him and it is thy want of r 1 Cor. 13 7 charity not to hope that he may be quickned till thou see God reueale the contrary for what knowest thou whither thou shalt quicken and saue him when the
shuttle and no man m Eccl. 8. 8. hauing power ouer the spirit to retaine the spirit or power in the day of death to n Iob 14. 5 passe his appointed bounds may not the day of thy life be short and o Psal 140. 4 1â—4 29. thy breath sodainly goe forth and thou returne to thy dust And then p Psal 30. 9. the dust being not able to praise God nor declare his truth that other day of the Gospell is thine no longer for performance of exhortation Nay if q Heb. 3. 7. 8 13. while it is called to day thou harden thy heart from hearing Gods voice that chargeth vs to exhort one another dayly may it not r Zac. 7. 13. come to passe that as God cryed and thou wouldst not heare so thou mayst cry and he will not heare and he that Å¿ Reu. 3. 7. hath the key of Dauid and shutteth and no man openeth may not he shut thee vp in vnbeliefe and an impenitent heart and then what good will the day of thy life yea and the Gospell it selfe doe thee vnles it be the more to t Ioh. 12. 39 40. blind and harden thee that thou mayst waxe worse worse fulfil thy sin alway that the wrath may come vpon thee to the vttermost u Eccl. 8. 6. Because to euery purpose there is time and iudgement therefore the misery of man is great vpon him that is vpon euery man w Luk 19. 44 that knoweth not the time of his visitation Men may out-stand the acceptable time of grace and the opportunity of doing good as foolish chapmen doe their faires and markets and then they may sit long enough till the like be offered them againe yea the season being slipt men may crye and yellow as with the voice of dragons x Mat. 25. 21 c. Lord Lord open vnto vs and all too late when the doore is Luk. 13. 24 25. c. once shut y Eze. 24. 13 Because I haue purged thee saith the Lord to Ierusalem of old time and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthines any more till I haue caused my fury to rest vpon thee And for this cause the Lord Iesus z Luk. 19 41 42. wept ouer Ierusalem at last saying if thou hadst knowne euen thou at least in this thy day the things that belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And we know he told the disciples a Luk. 17. 22 the dayes will come when yee shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man and ye shall not see it And surely if the Lord had nothing else against as but this that we * Reu. 2. 4 5 haue left our first loue in whetting vp each other to loue good workes wee euen we professors except wee repent of this may be the men will cause God to remoue our candlestick out of his place or to * Iob 2â— 20 21. hurle vs out of our places as a storme or as a tempest stealing vs away in the night Arist But though many are called and few chosen yet I hope you speake not this as if any of the elect could either fall short of grace or euer fall from grace Arch. No but those terrible threats and iudgements are like thunder-claps though they strike but some yet they should feare vs all from security and make vs b Heb. 12. 15 looke diligently least any man faile of the grace of God and c Heb. 3. 12 13. take heede and exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of vs be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne And this I adde that though d Heb. 10. 38 39. the iust shall liue by the faith of Gods elect when hipocrites draw back vnto perdition yet concerning euery righteous soule that either being cumbred with many things neglecteth the golden opportunity of edifying others in the faith or leaning to his owne discretion pursueth not the right means and manner of edifying though himselfe shall be saued yet it wil be e 1 Pet. 4. 18 scarcely as S. Peter saith and f 1 Cor. 3. 15 so as by fire as S. Paul saith He shall not onely g Vers 14. 15 suffer losse of the reward which otherwise he might haue receiued but through much h Ier. 10. 9. Luk. 24. heart-burning must he enter into the kingdome For though the righteous cannot loose the being and habit of faith vnfaigned and sauing grace till they i 1 Pet. 1. 9. receiue the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules because k Rom. 11. 29 the gifts and calling of God are without repentance yet by negligence and security l Psal 51. 10. c. may they loose the degrees acts of sauing grace in that measure of the strength of the spirit of the ioy of saluation of peace of conscience of sweete communion with God and of well being in the state of grace which once they enioyed which may cost them heauily the recouery yea the losse of some part of them to their dying day And therefore as Christ in an other case said m Luk. 17. 32 Remember Lots wife so heere remember n Iud. 16. 28. c. Sampson say I lest wee see the day wherein wee may count it our happinesse in this world if with the losse of our liues we may redeeme the shame and griefe of such spirituall losses Wherefore as wee haue opportunity let vs doe good and euery day as the Scripture saith while it is called to day let vs exhort one another and as o Eph. 5. 15 16. Wise men redeeme the time because the dayes are euill especially euery Sabbath let vs double our exhortations as the Iewes did their p Num. 28. 9 sacrifices for then aboue all dayes wee may not be q Esa 58. 13 speaking our owne words And at all times pray wee God so to r Psal 141. 3. keepe the doore of our lips and so to Å¿ Psal 51. 15 open our lips that our mouth may shew forth his praise by that t Esa 50. 4. tongue of the learned whereby wee may know how to Minister a word in season that is how to n Verse the same time a word as the Prophet Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh to w Pro. 25. 11. set a word vpon his wheeles as Salomon speaketh that our words may be like apples of gold in pictures of siluer not onely precious for matter being x Eccl. 12. 10 words of truth but delectable for order and then y Pro. â—5 23 a word spoken in due season how good is it To this end wee must with the z Eccl. 12. 9. Preacher giue good heede and seeke out and order our words according to the circumstances of Time Place Persons Occasions I say of
thinke to answere Goâ— with a cold assaye wheâ— God chargeth thee saying h Exo. 23. 4 5. Bringing thou shaâ— bring backe the one anâ— helping thou shalt helâ— the other that is as mucâ— as in thee lyeth if it be poâ—sible thou shalt bring baâ— the one and helpe vp the other Wherefore if there â—â— any bowels and mercieâ— any meekenesse and patience when thou seest soulâ— straying in the i Mat. 7. 13 wide waâ— of perdition or k 1 Ioh. 5. 19. lying witâ— the world in mischiefe heâ— is matter for them all tâ— set on worke namely l 2 Tim. 2. 24 c. tâ— be gentle vnto all of them apt to teach and patient in meekenesse instructinâ— those that oppose themselues if God peraduenturâ— will giue them repentance â— the acknowledging of â—e truth and they may 〈…〉 ouer themselues out of â—esnare of the diuell who â—e taken captiue by him at â— will Aqu. But say they the â—cripture it selfe saith m Pro. 9. 8. Reâ—roue not a scorner lest he â—â—e thee and n Pro 23. 9. speake not â— the eares of a foole for â—e will despise the wiseâ—ome of thy words And aâ—ine o Mar. 7. 6. giue not that which â—holy vnto dogs neither â—st ye your pearles before â—ine lest they trample â—em vnder their feete and â—ne againe and rent you Arch. I answere that â—ere are two sorts of dogs â—d swine of fooles and â—orners First some are such by in-bred corruption of nature and such were wee all by nature p Tit. 3. 3. noâ— onely vnwise and disobedient deceiued and seruing diuers lusts and pleasures but also liuing in malice and enuy hatefull and hating one another Such was the q Acts 2. 13. woman of Samaria who could checke and quip and taunt our blessed Sauiour such were those scorners who said the Apostles were full of new wine and such was Paul when in his ignorance he was r 1 Tim. â— â— 3 a blasphemer and a persecutor and so iniurious that hee was Å¿ Acts. 9. 11. exceedingly mad against the Saints And yet none ofâ— these was such but that as God would haue pearles and holy things tendered and giuen them so they after they were soundly conuinced and pricked to the heart and humbled most penitently imbraced them Secondly some are fooles and scorners by acquired wilfull blindenesse and scornefull obstinacy who after the light reuealed t Mat. 13. 13. winke with their eyes lest they should see and are â— the more blinde for the u Ioh. 9. 39. light not onely despising the words of wisedome and trampling pearles vnder their feete but will so much the more maliciously hate scorne and persecute all that shall offer to giue holy things vnto them These are not onely naturally dead in sinnes and trees without fruit but vv Iud. vers 12. trees whose fruit withereth twise dead pluckt vp by the rootes not onely dogs and swine by nature but such as to whom x 2 Pet. 20. after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world it is happened according to the true Prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Such were y Luk. 23. 8 9. Herod and z Ioh. 18. 19 20 21. Caiaphas and a Ioh. 19. 9. Pilate when Iesus vouchsafed not to answere them and such were those b Marke 11. 27. c. chiefe Priests and Scribes and Elders to whose question Christ gaue an answere answerelesse stopping their mouthes with another question It is not therfore euery rude and bruitish entertainment nor once or twice refusing of rebuke no nor scorne or inâ—â—rrection against the rebuker that may conclude men to bee such dogs and scorners for c 2 Chr. 15. 8. c. Asa himselfe a couragious zealous king whose heart was said to be perfect all his dayes did yet d 2 Chr. 16. 7. c. in wrath and rage kicke â—nd spurne against Hanani the Seer that reproued him and good King e 1 Reg. 22. 14. c. Iehoshaâ—hat when hee could sit-by with wicked Ahab and heare see the Lords Proâ—â—et Micaiah to be so snibbed and smitten on the â—heeke and committed to prison for speaking the â—â—uth in the name of the Lord and he all while sitting like f Acts 18. 17 Gallio cared for none of those things so much as to put forth a word for iustifying wisedome or deliuering the Prophet was not he also as * Obad. Ver. 11 12 one of them that scorned and persecuted him Nay and King Dauid g 2 Sam. 6. 8 c. when God himself by a sodain strange iudgement had actually reproued him for carting the Arke of the Lord which should haue beene h 1 Chr. 15. 2 carried on the Leuites shoulders how was he displeased and how vntowardly spake he as if the fault were more in God then in himselfe thaâ— there was such a breacâ— made in Vzzah Wherefore vnlesse wee would vnaduisedly condemne the generation oâ— Gods children we must be wary how wee condemne men for dogs and swine in the latter sence O consider I pray what terrible thunder-bolts from heauen are those threats when the Lord saith i Hos 4. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit whoredome nor your Spouses when tâ—ey commit adultery and againe k Micah 2. 6 they shall not proâ—â—ecy vnto them that they shall not take shame For * Pro. 6. 23. reproofes of instruction being the way of life needs must this iudgement bee most fearefull for a man to be in the way of damnation to haue all reproofes â—ept from him whereby he should bee reduced into the way of life What for a man to bee poysoned or deadly wounded and to haue all physicke chirurgerie kept from him For a man to be blinde and to haue all guides restrained from him and yet to walke there where the treading awry is the tumbling into hell O how wonderfull is this case If in capitall offences where mens liues were to pay for it GOD charged the Israelites to l Deut. 13. 14. 17. 4. make search and to aske diligently and to see that it were truth and the things certaine before they should proceede to any execution how much more in this case where mens soules lye at stake without meanes of recouery to bee ministred vnto them should wee by all diligent means of inquisition see it to be truth and the thing certaine that men are dogs and swine and such fooles and scorners to whom our pearles and holy things are not to be giuen till euer wee execute this fearefull sentence on any man God forbid therefore that wee should yeeld vp our brethren vnto such a dreadfull case of m Pro. 29. 1. destruction and that without remedy before they harden their neckes against often reproofes and that in such manner that they not onely
neede of the phâ—sitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous that is h Luk. 16. 15 thoâ—â— that iustifiâ— themselues before men but sinners to repentance that is such as i Mat. 11. 28 labour and are heauy laden with the k Psal 38. 4. burden of their sinnes The l Gal. 3. 24 Law therefore must be the Schoole-master to bring men to Christ from mount Sinai they must come to mount Sion from m Heb. 12. 21 feare and quaking to n Vers 24. that speaketh better things then that of Abel and neuer any receaued the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father but they first â— receaued the spirit of bondage o Rom. â— 1â— to feare For vnlesse men come to Christ with aâ—hes and mourning and the spirit of heauinesse how â—â—all he p Esa 61. 3. giue them beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse Arist This is that which is euery where spoken against as the q Act. 28. 22 doctrine of the Apostles was and say men this is to begin at the wrong end For say they you must first begin with faire and soft words to winne the loue of men or else you will neuer doe other good then stirre the world about your eares and make variance and combustion as some crackt-brained preachers doe where â—re they come And in common discretion say tâ—ey how should men expect the quiet fruite of righteousnesse from others if they gash and cut them to the heart with such terrors and sharpe rebukes Arch. First I answeare this sounds as if some young conceited scholler not knowing what belongs to husbandry should tell a ploughman whom he seeth breaking vp his fallow grounds and ploughing and grubbing vp his thistles and thornes alas â—â—r what meane you can â—ou looke your ground â—hould euer yeelde you good crop if you vse it â—us hardly Or like as if â—ome Shepeards swaine beâ—olding a wise builder pulâ—ing down ruinous towers and digging vp and casting out the rubbish that he may lay a sure foundation should blame him for making such heapes ruines where in his conceipt there needed not but a few plaâ—tering or dawbing reparaâ—ons And when we heare the Lord r Iere. 1. 10. setting the Prophet to roote out and to pull downe to destroy and throw downe and then to build and plant and when accordingly the Prophet chargeth the men of Iudah and Ierusalem to Å¿ Iere 4. 3. breake vp their fallow ground and not to sow among thornes who is so simple but he that will not learne that may not heereby be instructed how to begin spirituall husbandry and building This is not therefore to begin at the wrong end for thus began God himselfe with Adam and Eue after their transgression by t Gen. 3. 7 8 c. shame and feare and iudging them to lay a ground in their hearts for the Lord Iesus the corner stone that so they might be fitted to receaue the promise of the blessed seede And as all the Prophets held the same course so Iohn Baptist greater then all the Prophets began his u â—uk 3. 3. preaching with the baptisme of repentance for the â—emission of sinnes and â— so did the Lord Iesus vv Mat. 4. 17 himselfe and x Luk. 24. 47 directed also his Apostles to the same course which not 〈◊〉 they obserued in y Heb. 6. â—â— Act. 20. 21. laying the foundation first of repentance from dead workes and then of faith towards God but all that in the primitiue times preached with Apostolicall approbation as S. Paul z 1 Cor. 14. â—4 26 witnesseth so conuinced and iudged all vnbeleeuers that they fell downe on their faces worshipping God and reporting that God was in them of a truth Secondly concerning the combustion and variance that accompanieth the a Zac. 7. 5. ministery of the spirit and the b 1 Thes 1. 5. 6. Gospel where euer it comes not in word onely but in power and in the holy Ghost which is a c Esa 4. 4. spirit of iudgement and of burning let me intreate men to stay themselues and seriously to consider of what spirit such men are who now dare to cast that as a reproach against Preachers wherein our Sauiour gloried professing that he d Mat. 10. 34 came not to send peace on earth but e Luk. 12. 49 fire sword and for which hee so highly magnified the Preaching of Iohn Baptist saying f Mat. 11. 12 From the dayes of Iohn Baptist vntill now the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force What will â—â—ey indite afresh the Lord 〈…〉 us as the chiefe Priests 〈…〉 d who when they had â—othing else to say layed it â—eauily to his charge sayâ—â—g g Luk. 23. 5. Hee stirreth vp the people teaching throughout all Iury c Or shall â—ae spirit of Festus or any wiâ—e temporizer stand vp againe against those fiery-tongued men that h 1 Pet. 1. 12. Preaâ—hed the Gospell with the â—oly Ghost sent downe â—rom heauen and iudge â—hem to bee i Acts 26. 24. madde with â—uch learning or at least as â— men besides themselues k 2 Cor. 5. 13 because l Verse 11. knowing the terâ—or of God they so powerâ—â—lly perswaded men that â—â—ey turned many from iâ—â—ls and turned out diuels and ouerthrew idolatrous and diuellish crafts and gaines whereby they m Act. 16. 19 c 19. 24. c. exceedingly troubled as some cryed out their city and n Acts 17. 6. turned the world vpside downe as others said Or must wee now at last cast yeelâ— vp that chosen vessell S. Paul to be a o Acts 24. 3. pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition through the world as hee was accused because he was p 2 Tim. 3. 11 persecuted at Antioch and Lystra pelted and q Acts 14. 19 driuen away with stones from Iconium r Acts 16. 22 c. openly whipt and stockt in Philippi Å¿ Act. 17. 5. 6 forced to hide his head at Thessalonica and his ministery generally opposed and blasphemed with t Acts 18. 6. â— insurrections v Acts 19. 28 20. 1 vproares w Acts 21. 30. 34 tumults and x Acts 22. 22 23. out-cryes following him and â— bands y Act. 20. 22. 〈◊〉 afflictions in euery ci 〈…〉 abiding him I confesse that the wiseâ—â—me from aboue is peaceâ—ie as pure and neither â—eacher nor Professor â—ay either carry in his own â—eart or kindle among oâ—â—ers any z Iam. â— 14. c. bitter enuying and strife which is earthly sensuall and diuellish the â— seruants of God must not â— 2 Tim. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 striue but rather as blesâ—ed peace-makers they must raw water out of the wels â—â—saluation to quench all 〈◊〉 fiery passions that are 〈…〉 on fire of â—ell But the