trauailing to the place of Gods worship n Psal 84 6 10 passed throgh many dangers endured much heat and suffered many wants in the wildernes for the pleasure that they took in his seruice The profit they reaped did swallow vp the tediousnes of the paines the loue to his court◠did mittigate the greatnes of the labor This made thē say A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwel in the tabernacles of wickednes Where is this zeale to be found among vs Who sheweth this forwardnesse to Gods seruice Or whom can a man single out to say of him that no want or weather doeth hinder him from the exercises of godlinesse Wee are growne vnto that loathing of the heauenly Manna that albeit it fall in the middest of our Campe and round about our habitations yet wee will not steppe out of the doores to see it nor open our mouthes to taste it nor stretch out our handes to gather it either the blasts of winde do trouble vs or the feare of raine doth hinder vs or the heate of Summer doth burne vs or the colde of Winter doth pinch vs or a Lyon in the way doth stay vs and euery trifle stoppeth our iourney If our heart were in the house of God it would quickly moue our feet to carry vs thither But where the heart is not euery member is heauy and hardlie drawne to do their dutie The Deuils do the will of God by constraint and against their wils it must be otherwise with vs. Where the heart is there is our delight The Prophet describing the flourishing estate of the Church sayth o Psal 10 2 3 The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion bee thou Ruler in the middest of thine enemies thy people shall come willingly at the time of assembling thine Armie in holy beauty the youth of thy wombe shall bee as the Morning Dew Where he sheweth that the people of God were wont to come to the hearing of the word to the partaking of the Sacrifices to the receiuing of the Sacraments and to the exercises of Religion they assembled and gathered themselues together freely and of their owne accord to present themselues before the Lord. This duty is required of vs we must come willingly to Christ to heare him speake vnto vs. It is one vertue to come into the house of God but to come chearfully and comfortably as to a feast is a double vertue and that which giueth life vnto her comming If we come vnwillingly and be drawn to our duty on the Lords day either by shame of the world or by fear of law we come as dead men that are without working of the spirit or desire of profit or feeling of comfort or encrease of Faith or bettering of obedience If the danger of law did not more compel thē then the conscience of their duty or the loue of religion allure them many among vs would sildome or neuer keep the Lords Saboths nor attend vpon his ordinances they com to them as willingly as the Beare goeth to the stake as chearfully as the malefactor passeth to the place of execution Hence it is that some come to this place once a month others once a quarter others only vpon high daies solemne feasts more I think to shew themselus then to labor to saue their souls Such was the zeale of our brethren to the gospell in the daies of persecution that they went more willingly to the fire flame then these men in the dayes of peace com to the hearing of the word and to the house of prayer They were more chearful in suffring of death then these are in seeking the means of life Hence it is that some linger so long before they come are afraid they shall be there too soon Others when they are present giue litle attention not at al regard to profit themselues Others are ready to depart and be gone before the assembly is dismissed and think they haue learned enough These are they that think they are at liberty to do what they list to go and com when they list They make no conscience to begin end the exercises of religion together and so profit accordingly hauing litle more knoledge then brute beasts Vse 3 Thirdly this confuteth the common aduersary which ascribe al to the work done regard nothing at al either the mind of the doer or the maner of doing as their blind distinction de congruo condigno teacheth They hold that the bare presence at the sacrifice of the Masse without any good intention of the mind is meritorious in the sight of God This is their opus operatum the which is indeed the cutthroat of al true religion For admit once into the worship of God an outward resting in the worke done who wil regard the reformation of the hart But this fitteth wel enough the new Roman religion which consisteth wholy in externall obseruations in delighting the eye in pleasing the eare the other senses but requireth nothing aright which may not be performed of a Reprobat God is a spirit p Iohn 4 24. they that worship him must worship him in spirit truth so that whatsoeuer religion resteth teacheth men to rest in ceremonial and carnal obseruations is a false religion inuented by the deuil This also is the error of the ignorant people that wil not be accounted Papists yet are as ignoraunt as they in their practise and as superstitious in their deuotions and as corrupt in their opinions They neuer looke to their harts to purge them nor to their affections to order them aright when they come to the seruice of God If they can say oh we haue heard the worde we haue bin at the church we haue prayed to God they think al is well and that God can require no more at their hands They dreame the whole seruice of God to stand in outward things only as though they were the things wherein the Lord delighteth and not rather the truth and vprightnesse of the hart This is it for which the Prophet Esay reprooueth the people in his time and compareth them to the Princes of Sodom and to the people of Gomorra notwithstanding a zealous obseruation of the outwarde ordinances that they practised God commanded q Esay 1 11 12 13. What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices I am full of your burnt offerings and the fat of Rams I desire not the blood of Bullockes Goats and Lambes when you come to appeare before mee who required this at your hands Bring no oblations in vain Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your New-Moones nor Saboths nor solemne assemblies I am weary to beare them because your works are euill But wash you make you clean take away the euill of your works from
Atheisme Let not such therefore flatter themselues and deceiue their owne soules let them shew their religion if they haue any or else they shew themselues to be men of no religion The third reproofe Thirdly it reprooueth such as censure and condemne others as too pure and precise by reason of their profession These men that are colde themselues and care not whether Religion go sorward or backward cannot abide that any should be more zealous and earnest then themselues because they will not runne with them into all excesse of riot therefore they rayle at them and speake all manner of euill against them They haue borrowed many opprobrious tearmes and drawne many reuiling tauntes from the enemies of the Gospell and grace of God and apply them whete they ought not to bee bestowed When the Lord had restored the Gospell vnto vs being brought out of Superstition and Idolatry that the Romanists gnashed their teeth for anger disgorged their malice with rage and were like to breake in peeces through enuy of the worke of the Lord set vp among vs they deuised against vs and our religion most bitter reproaches then was our profession called Puritanisme and our professors branded with the names of Puritans Praecisians and vnspotted Brethren which contumelies are nowe taken out of the mouths of enemies and one Brother dooth spit them in the face of another What a shame and indignity is this that we professing one faith liuing vnder one Gospell embracing one Religion and enduring the same enimies shold borrow such venomous speeches from the scornefull and despightfull Papists and cast them as Dung in the faces of our Bretheren Let vs therefore leaue these rayling and reuiling speeches and send them backe to Rome the Mother of cruelty and of all byting and bitternesse from whence they come Let vs vpbraid no man with his zeale nor hit no man in the teeth with his profession Let vs rather be mooued in loue to follow their example bee prouoked in a godly aemulation to walke in their steps And let vs all know that we must not be like the Laodiceans h Reuel 3 15. which were neither hot nor cold for if we scorne all zeale and forwardnesse in the wayes of godlinesse if we bee luke-warme professors and neither hot nor cold it shal come to passe that the Lord will spew vs out of his mouth The fourth reproofe Fourthly it reprooueth such as thinke they may bee present at the Sacrifice of the Masse and heare and see their Idolatry so they keepe their conscience to God and themselues yea some go farther and thinke they may not only be present at Idolatry in the Idols Temple but bow downe to the Idolles offer vnto them creepe vnto them and serue them with their bodies so that they abhorre such worship in their minds and serue God in their hearts But these excuses cannot serue to iustify such manner of seruing of God When God would assure Eliah that he had his people in those ruines of the Church that he was not left alone he said i 1 Kin. 19 18 He had left seuen thousand in Israell euen all knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euerie mouth that hath not kissed him He doth not say hee had reserued such as did not beleeue in Baal but keepe their heart to God but they are noted by this marke to bee the Lords that they gaue not to Baal the bending of the knee nor any outwarde subiection vnto him In the tentations offered to Christ our Sauiour when the Deuill onely required of him to fall downe and worship him k Math. 4 10 he answered Auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord and him only shalt thou serue Nebucadnezzar required nothing of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the three Seruants of God but to bow the knee and to fall down l Dan. 3 19. to the golden Image that he should set vp and yet they did choose rather to bee cast aliue into the hot fiery furnace and to endure the extremity of the flame It is not therefore enough to worship God in heart and soule True it is he commandeth vs to m Iohn 4 24. worship him in spirit and truth but not only in spirit and truth God requireth of vs the body as well as the spirit the outward man as well as the inward the knee as well as the heart He challengeth euery part member of our body to be employed to his worship Hee that hath an eare to heare n Reuel 2 7. Must heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches Hee that hath a o 1 Pet. 4 11. Tongue to speake must speake as the words of Gad. Hee that hath handes to lift vp p 1 Tim. 2. 8 Must lift vp pure hands without wrath and without contention Hee that hath a knee to bow q Ephes 3 14. Must bow it to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath a mouth to open r Rom. 10 10 Must make confession with it to saluation He that hath feet must say Å¿ Psal 122 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gate O Ierusalem The cause why God claimeth and challengeth the whole body is because the body is his as well as the soule It is his by creation because he made it t Psal 100 3. and not wee our selues we are his people and the Sheepe of his pasture The Clay was his whereof we were formed so that we are his by the Law of Creation Hee feedeth and findeth vs of his owne costs and charges he cloatheth vs with his owne wooll u Psal 50 10 For all the Beasts of the field are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountaines If then we liue at his expenses we are his by another right euen the Booke of his prouidence We are made his by the freeing of vs from the thraldome of sinne from the tiranny of Satan from the bondage of corruption by paying a price a great price by giuing for vs a ransome a great ransome not of Siluer and Gold but by shedding his blood his precious blood for vs the Speare pierced his hart the Nayles pierced his hands and his feet the Thornes pierced his head Seeing therefore he suffered so much in his bodie for our bodies we are wholly his by the worke of our redemption who before were not his The Holy-Ghost likewise sanctifieth our bodies as well as our soules and maketh them a Temple to dwell in and lastly we look for saluation and glorification not onely in soule but in body x 1 Cor. 6 19 20. and therfore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our soules wee must offer vp our bodies an holy Sacrifice vnto him and not commit Sacriledge against him by plucking and withdrawing away any part of our bodies from him The fift reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as keepe company with open enemies to God and
forgiuen and forgotten page 243 Doct. 4. Our loue to al the Saints especialy such as haue bin conuerted by vs ought to bee deare and feruent page 254 Doct. 5. The Gospell doeth not abolish or diminish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees among men pag 262 Verse 13. and 14. Doct 1. Euery Christian is bound to serue the common good of the church by what meanes soeuer GOD hath enabled him thereunto pag 272 Doct 2. All christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and chearefully performed pa 282 Verse 15 and 16. Doct 1. All thinges euen sinne it selfe are ordred and turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect page 295 Doct 2. God oftentimes taketh from his seruants outward commodities to bestow vppon them greater page 305 Doct 3. The fals and sinnes of our brethren wherof they haue repented are not to be encreased and amplified with odious and extreame words but rather to be buried and forgotten page 311 Doct 4. The more grace apeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. page 322 Doct 5. Although christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs al equall and brethren in Christ page 330 Doct 6. The more bandes and reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more wee are bound to care for him page 337. Verse 17. Doct 1. The consideration of our communion one with another ought to moue vs to regard one another and to do all good one to another pa 348 Doct 2. Among Christian friends all things are common page 350 Verse 18 and 19. Doct. 1. The communion of Saints doth not take away any mans right interest in his priuate possessions and things of this life page 365 Doct. 2. It is lawfull for one man to become surety for another and to engage himselfe and his credit pa 373 Doct 3. Couenants in Writing for debts bargaines and sales are honest and lawfull page 385 Doct 4. Such as haue gayned vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. page 394 Verse 20 and 21. Doct 1. No man ought to be eager and extreame in exacting and requiring their debts dues and demandes from the poore and needy page 407 Doct 2. Whatsoeuer wee desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord. page 415 Doct. 3 Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their brethren in temporall eternal blessings which they see to befall them page 421 Doct 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their brethren not to suspect the worst of them page 426 Doct 5. The faithfull being moued to christian duties haue yeilded more then hath bin required at their hands page 431 Verse 22. Doct 1. Hospitality that is the ioyfull and courteous entertainment of distressed strangers for the truths sake is to be vsed and practised of al the seruants of God page 440 Doct 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auayleable for themselues and others both to obtaine blessinges to them and to remoue iudgments from them page 447 Doct 3. The guifts of God bestowed vpon his Seruants come from his free grace not from our free will or deserts page 457 Verse 23 24. Doct 1. Courteous speeches and louing Salutations are beseeming the Seruants of God page 471 Doct 2. We must not vtterly cast off the weake but shew our compassion toward them page 478 Doct 3. Many that seeme forward in the profession do afterwardes fall backe page 484 Verse 25. Doct 1. Spirituall thinges are to bee prayed for and preferred before earthly things page 500 An Exposition of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Philemon The time whē this Epistle was written THIS Epistle is short in Words low in Argument and priuate in regard of the Matter yet the manner of handling is high and heauenly and the Doctrine generall and common to the whole Church It was written as appeareth to Philemon at what time the Apostle was growne olde in yeares was drawing neere his end and was clapt vp and kept in Prison at Rome from whence also he directed sundry Epistles to diuers Churches and particular persons From thence he wrote to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians and the latter Epistle to Timothy a 2 Tim. 4. which was penned not long before his death and dissolution For albeit he were held in durance and restrained of his liberty that he could not visit the Churches where the Gospell was planted nor lay a new Foundation where as yet it had not beene preached yet he was not idle or vnfruitfull but laboured to do good to the Church by writing when he could not come to bestow some spirituall Graces among them by teaching We see heere that Paul writeth out of Prison and slacketh not to instruct both generall Churches and particular persons From hence we learne that b Doct. 1. The course of the Gospell cannot be stopped the course of the Gospell cannot be stopped but keepeth on his way and passage in the World The truth of the Gospell will haue his free libertie it can be hindred by no Chaines it can be restrained by no Bandes and Boults it can be shut vp by no barres of Iron and Gates of Brasse but breaketh forth as the light of the Sunne out of a darke Cloud We see this euidently in the example of Paul c Act 26 22 28. albeit he were in bondes and Chaines yet he pleadeth his cause with such grauitie of speech with such power of the Spirit with such piercing of the matter with such efficacy of words and with such respect of the persons before whom we spake that he had almost gained perswaded Agrippa to Christianitie The like we see in another place d Act. 28 30 31. when he was brought Prisoner to Hierusalem confined to an House and deliuered to a Souldier to be kept he receiued all that came vnto him Preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all boldnesse of speech without let This appeareth more euidently in none then in Christ himselfe who as at all times he sought all occasions and opportunity to doe good to the soules and bodies of men e Luke 23 43. so when he was vpon the Crosse he conuerted the Theefe and was ready to seeke and to saue him that was lost These consents of Scripture come directly to the former point and serue to teach vs that whatsoeuer the purposes and pretences of men be yet they shall neuer bee able to stoppe the streame of the word of God which floweth plentifully to the comforting and refreshing of the dry and barren hearts of sinfull men Reason 1. Let vs breefely consider the Reasons First the doctrine deliuered is of God not of Men from Heauen not from the Earth If man were the Authour of it it might
confession and lastly seeing the Gospell of Christ is the instrument of Gods power to woorke in vs saluation it followeth that the Religion of God and the gospel of Christ must not onely be beleeued in heart and embraced in Iudgements but also bee confessed by the mouth and professed in the practise of an holy life Obiections answered Against this truth somewhat may be obiected First if true Religion must openly bee confessed then such as are dumbe and cannot speake can haue no Religion if Confession be a fruite of faith then they must of necessitie want Faith that want the vse of the tongue Answere I answere the Doctrine must be vnderstood of such as haue the vse of the tongue giuen them to glorifie God If God haue giuen vnto vs the freedome of speech hee requireth this dutie at our hands If hee haue giuen vs no more then a sanctified and faithfull heart let vs honour him with the holy Meditations thereof he will exact no more of vs then hee hath giuen vnto vs. Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid sayeth or rather the Lorde himselfe by the Prophet Psalme 81. i Psal 81 10. Open thy Mouth wide and I will fill it In like manner it is sayde k Rom. 10 17 That Faith commeth by Hearing and Hearing by the worde of God yet can God extraordinarily giue faith to those that are deafe and haue not their hearing who is not bound to the outward sences nor tieth his graces to the outward eares but supplieth those wants by the working of his holy spirit to the endlesse comfort of such as haue those infirmities Obiection 2 Againe the Apostle sayth Rom. 14 22. Hast thou Faith Haue it with thy selfe before God Where we see hee seemeth to say that it is sufficient if we haue Faith inwardly in the heart albeit no confession followe outwardly with the mouth Answere I answere the Apostle in this place speaketh of another thing to wit of a perswasion touching Christian liberty in things indifferent as if hee shoulde say Art thou strongly perswaded and assured that all Meats are lawfull to Christians Be it so yet vse it betweene God and thine owne Conscience and hurt not thy Neighbour with it nor offend thy weake Brother by it This serueth nothing at all to maintaine a dumbe Religion without open Confession which some would willingly bring in considering as one l Tertullian sayth that he which doth dissemble faith doth deny it Obiection 3. Lastly it is Obiected that Religion is better to bee concealed that we may giue no offence vnto others and auoyde the troubles that ariseth by Confession Answere I aunswere that is no offence giuen to men but a greeuous sinne committed against God who requireth the profession of his trueth And the Apostle Paule was readie to suffer bandes and imprisonment yea euen death it selfe for the profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Thus much breefely shall suffice in answere of the Obiections that are made Vse 1. Now let vs see and marke the Vses that arise from hence First wee learne who are to bee accounted true Christians and true Beleeuers to wit such as shew soorth their Fayth by their Confession It is not left to our owne choyse whether wee will make a solemne and sound profession of the Faith or not no more then it is at our libertie whether wee will beleeue or not or whether wee will bee saued or not It is required of all that belong to God to confesse his name and maintaine his Religion All men must confesse that would be confessed before the Father Christ Iesus will neuer beare and endure that seruant which is ashamed of his seruice The Prophet prophesying of the Kingdome of Christ and shewing how they should grow and multiply as the grasse of the field maketh this as a fruite of their conuersion to the Faith l Esay 44 5. One shall say I am the Lords another shall bee called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name himselfe by the name of Israell This the Apostle m Ro. 10 9 10 also teacheth Rom. 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation So our Sauiour doth not make it proper to his disciples but common to all to confesse him and his words before men And he doth not say whosoeuer shall confesse mee in heart but with his tongue not inwardly but outwardly not secretly but openly For albeit the Faith of the heart be the principall thing and cheefely required of vs yet the confession of the mouth must not bee separated from it This reprooueth such as account this open confession of the truth to bee of no absolute necessitie but a meere thing indifferent left to our liberty to be practised or not to bee practised These are those Libertines that woulde liue as they list and make it no matter of what Religion they be For if it be indifferent whether wee professe Religion or not it is indifferent whether we beleeue or haue faith and let them hold it indifferent also vnto them whether the Lord Iesus doo professe to know them or not Againe we see that it is not enough for vs not to denie Christ but there is required of vs a farther dutie euen to confesse him before men It is required of a dutifull son to confesse his Father with a sound and vpright hart but yet he must not deny his father before men if he would haue his Father confesse him So is it the part of a true Christian to beleeue to righteousnes and to confesse to saluation Euery one would seeme willing and desirous to be saued but if we looke to be partakers thereof Christ must know vs for his seruants and he will not acknowledge vs in his kingdome vnlesse heere we make confession of him If we will not heere know him he wil say to vs heereafter I know you not depart from me n 2 Tim. 2 12. If we deny him he will deny vs If we be ashamed of him take heede least he also bee ashamed of vs. The Theefe that was vpon the Crosse made open confession of his faith reproued the blasphemy of his Companion and called vpon Christ for saluation Luke 23. he rebuked his fellow saying o Luke 23 40 42 43. Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We are indeed righteously heer for we receiue things worthy of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And he sayd vnto Iesus Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome And albeit hee were a Theefe and a Malefactor for which hee suffered death yet is not Christ ashamed of him hee doth not stoppe his eares
Pharisies they did not confesse him least they should be cast out of the Sinagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God He speaketh in this place of such as were true beleeuers as appeareth both by the phrase of speaking and the opposition made betweene these and those that beleeued not z Verse 37. mentioned before Verse 37. where it is said That though he did many miracles before them yet they beleeued not on him The Euangelist noteth two lets and impediments that hindred them from the open manifestation of their Faith to wit the shame of the Crosse and the glory of the world Thus we see that sometimes the deere Seruants of God are for a time afraid to confesse him and to bewray themselues what they holde and how they beleeue When Peter was come into the High-Priests Hall and saw himselfe in danger of death he was so farre from confessing that hee fell to open denying of his Mayster he beleeued in him no doubt in his hart but he gaue not glory vnto him as he ought with his mouth This wee haue heard to be in some of the blessed Martyrs who gaue their liues to the death they haue sometimes staggered and felt the weaknesse of the flesh before they haue beene throughly strengthned in the Inner man Nicodemus a Ruler of the Iewes and a Maister in Israell bearing a loue vnto Christ a Iohn 3 2. 7 50. 19 38 came vnto him by night and closely as it were by stealth So Ioseph of Aramathia was first a Disciple of Christ secretly for feare of the Iewes yet afterward being stirred vp with those things that they saw at the death and passion of Christ both of them shewed themselues more boldly confidently in his cause and in the end forsooke all to follow him and resolued to cleaue vnto him with the losse of all thinges that might be precious and deere vnto them Such then as our Faith is such is our confession A weake Faith a weake confession a strong Faith a strong confession no Faith no confession a staggering Faith a wauering confession Wherefore it belongeth vnto vs to call vpon God to giue vs his Spirit which is called b Esay 11 2. The spirit of strength whereby we shall bee inabled to beare the Crosse patiently and to confesse the Faith constantly For when once wee are sustained and supported by the Spirit of Christ no Crosse shall daunt vs no tentation shall ouerwhelme vs but we shall endure all thinges with a contented mind and perseuer vnto the end Vse 4. Lastly we must shew our selues ready and resolute to giue a reckoning of our faith and hope of our profession and Religion when we shall be required This is greatly to the honour of God when his Seruants prepare themselues to set forth his truth and are not afraide of the threatnings of their enimies This is it which the Apostle Peter teacheth vs c 1 Pet. 3 15. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be readie alwayes to giue an answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and reuerence This constant and Christian resolution was in Paule when he was brought before rulers for Christs sake though when he came to his answere no man assisted him but some fled from him and others were ashamed of him yet he quit himselfe like a man and shewed himselfe a faithfull witnesse of that truth which hee beleeued This vse meeteth with many corruptions and reprooueth sundry practises that raigne among vs. The first reproofe First it conuinceth such as think they are not to be blamed but excused not to be controlled but defended albeit they deny the truth of God for feare of men in time of persecution so that they cleaue to it in heart and embrace it in their soules so that they inwardly beleeue it like of it and hold it to themselues Yet we heard before that it is not enough for vs not to deny the faith but it is required of vs to confesse it It is not enough for vs to abstaine from that which is euill vnlesse we be carefull to do that which is good The Apostle Iohn teacheth d Reuel 21 8 That all the fearefull and vnbeleeuing the abhominable and murtherers the Whore-mongers and Sorcerers the Idolaters and lyars shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death Heere we see that among these wicked persons which hee nameth hee nameth in the first place fearefull persons which feare men more then God these are ouercom by Satan and led to hell and destruction Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth vs as we heard before not onely to keepe our faith e Heb. 10 23. but to keepe the profession of our faith And Paule when he came to his first answearing dooth not reprooue the Brethren because they openly denied the Faith but because they secretly forsooke him f 2 Tim. 4 16 and did not assist him and he prayeth God that this sin may not be laide to their charge So the Angell of the Church of Pergamus is commended who dwelt where Satans throne was set vp g Reuel 2 13. because hee kept the name of Christ and denied not his Faith euen in those dayes when Antipas his faithfull Martyr was slaine among them where Satan dwelleth It is not enough therefore not to deny the faith or not to abiure the Doctrine of Christ we must giue an account of a farther duty and know that God requireth of vs the confession of his truth if we wold haue him confesse vs in the resurrection of the iust The second reproofe Secondly it reprooueth such as keep their Faith and Conscience to themselues and will not bewray it to others A man shall liue many years among them and yet not know what Religion they are of These are they that hide their Religion and bury their Talent in the earth and thereby make themselues ready for euery change and alteration like the Weather-cocke which turneth with euery blast of winde These are they that thinke themselues wise and wary men by keeping them-selues close and priuate to themselues and yet euery simple man nay euery childe may plainly perceiue that they are indeede of no Religion For that faith which alwayes is kept secret is no faith at all It is required not onely that euery knee should bowe but that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Phil. 2 10 11. Such as neuer professe any thing do plainly make it manifest and as it were light a Candle to others to discouer the secrets of their hearts Sometimes they will bee Gospellers sometimes they will be Papists sometimes they will be Newters such it is to bee feared at all times are Atheists or at least in the right way and broad path that leadeth vnto
can tell thy disease open the cause of it shew thee the cure and remedy of it and restore thee to thy former state and strength so when thy soul is sick vnto the death and euen to damnation the man of God can heale the deadly wound that Satan hath giuen and apply a soueraigne plaister for thee made of the precious blood of Christ From hence all men may learne how to esteeme Gods Ministers and with what affection we are to heare them The Sheepe of Christ t Ioh. 10 27. will heare his voice and follow him This is a notable token to know the children of God by to disobey the Ministers of God is to disobey God himselfe to despise their word is to despise the word of God himselfe Is not the Embassador of an earthly Prince receiued with great honor reuerence Is not his message receiued as vndoubtedly as if the Prince himselfe were present Are not they which despise his authority as heinously punished and as vilely accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person Shall then the Messengers of the liuing God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords bee receiued lesse worthily then the other whose authority is greater who message is waightier whose place is higher It is requisite therefore that the people feare and reuerence their Minister or else they wil in no case honor and obey him For where feare is not present all honour is absent whosoeuer scorneth to performe this dutie of feare let him be well assured hee contemneth not him but the Lord that sent him This feare is to be yeelded not to his person but to his Office For as the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to u 1 Thes 5 12 13. acknowledge them that laboured among them and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake so wee ought to feare those that are set ouer vs in the Lord for their worker sake So he witnesseth that the Galathians x Gal. 4 14. receyued him as an Angel of God yea more then so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe This was not as he was a man but as the Minister of God this was not for the excellency of his person which hee acknowledgeth to be simple and testifieth to be contemptible but hee was receiued for that excellent message which he brought among them Therefore Paule writing to the Phillippians sayth y Phil. 2 12. As yee haue alwayes obeyed mee not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence so make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling This reprooueth all those that are stubborne and disobedient and wil not obey the word of exhortation deliuered vnto them such also as heare not often and constantly but seldome and carelessely as if they were perswaded that they had nothing to do with God or God with his word such as when they heare are not stricken with any feare of the presence of God or of the power of the word or of the truth that is deliuered so that they neuer can heare aright seeing GOD accounteth those only the right Hearers z Esa 66 2 5. that tremble at his Worde and are of humble and contrite hearts Lastly such as are content to heare and listen with their outward eares but it is no longer then they list and no farther then their owne fantasies are fed and their desires followed and their humors pleased They are willing to heare vntill their speciall sinnes be reprooued but when they finde themselues touched or their iniquities which they dwell in discouered they grow out of patience and begin to reuile and raile at the Ministers that seeke with a good Conscience to discharge their duties This is an euident note of a corrupt hearer and a plaine testimony of an euill heart We must be ready to heare the curses of the Law as well as the promises of the Gospel we must account it a benefit to be reproued our selues as well as to heare others reproued A sicke man would not content himselfe to haue the Physitian shew vnto others their diseases but would haue his owne disease discouered vnto him so is it profitable vnto vs to see our owne sinnes and to heare our owne corruptions reuealed and manifested vnto vs. If we once desire to come out of our sinnes and iniquities wherein wee haue liued if once they become bitter and vnpleasant vnto vs it will bee no griefe or burthen to see our selues stripped and layde open to the view and sight of the worlde Let vs therefore with meekenesse of spirit submit our selues to the stroke of Gods word and not rage when wee are reprooued as the manner of those is that purpose to perseuer and to continue in their sinnes vnto the end Verse 9. Yet for your loues sake I rather beseech thee Heere we haue the second part of the diuers reason before remembred The former Verse was a preparation or entraunce into the prayer or petition of Paule and containeth the authoritie that he had if hee would vse it to command Philemon that which was conuenient for him to do These words are a mild mittigation of the former namely that albeit he might commaund him by his office yet he would rather entreat and beseech him thorough loue The Apostle hauing to do in this place with a matter of Christian moderation and equitie wherein hee might from the Lord command with authoritie doth notwithstanding pray and beseech and when hee might lawfully vrge and require the practise thereof hee rather resolueth to vse gentle humble and louing meanes Doctrine 2. Gentle means are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to the truth The Doctrine arising from hence is this That the Seruants of God ought to vse mildnesse and meekenesse in deliuering the will and message of God to his people rather intreating them with lenitie then commanding them with authoritie albeit they haue libertie so to do Courteous and gentle meanes are first to be vsed if they may preuaile rather then checking and chiding sharpely and rigorously with Offenders We see this in Christ Iesus himselfe who did not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe hee sayth c Mat. 11 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauie laden and I will ease you for my yoake is easie and my burden is light This appeareth in sundry places of Paules Epistles Rom. 12 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of Christ that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God So 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye bee reconciled to God And in the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle d 2 Cor. 10 1. I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ which when I am present
among you am base but am bolde toward you being absent Thus the Apostle Peter speaketh e 1 Pet. 2 11. Dearly beloued I beseech you as Pilgrims and Straungers abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles Likewise the Apostle Iohn writing to a Noble woman by byrth but more noble by Faith and Religion saieth f 2 Iohn 5. I now beseech thee Ladie not as writing a newe Commaundement vnto thee but the same that wee had from the beginning that wee loue one another Whereby we see that it is a dutie required of vs that in deliuering the word of God in declaring his will we should vse mildenesse rather then sharpenesse gentlenesse rather then roughnesse beseeching rather then commanding and meekenesse of spirit rather then threatning of iudgement Reason 1. Now to confirme this doctrine sundry reasons may be rendred and produced First we are bound to vse those meanes and to take that course which is most forcible effectual But to deale with loue and lenity and to handle our brethren kindly and meekly is most likely to preuaile with most men Therefore the Apostle requireth g 2 Tim. 2 25. that the seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward al men apt to teach suffering the euil instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue thē repentance that they may acknowledge the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the deuil c. There is no way so auaileable to bring euill men out of the dangers wherin they stand who are as it were taken prisoners and made bondslaues to do the Deuils wil then to allure them by gentlenesse to draw them by long suffering and to ouercome them by patience Reason 2. Secondly this course well and duely obserued serueth to perswade them with whome wee deale of our loue and tender affection towardes them For louing and friendly dealing argueth louing and affectionate mindes and with whomsoeuer we haue to doo it is a great meanes of preuailing and the readie way to bend and encline him vnto that which is good and to turne him from that which is euill when his perswasions are perceyued to tend to the profite and benefite of him whome wee would perswade Wee shall neuer doo any good or preuayle with our Brother to bring him into the right way vnlesse hee can assure his owne heart that wee loue him and seeke his good and desire his Saluation It is Loue in the Speaker that mooueth the Hearer to embrace that which hee speaketh to like that which hee teacheth to hate that which hee reprooueth to auoyde that which hee condemneth and to practise that which hee commendeth Wee must worke this Opinion and ground this perswasion in their hearts that wee loue them and that all our Doctrines Instructions and Reproofes proceede onely from this Fountaine before wee can mooue them to Attention Reuerence and Obedience vnto that which they heare deliuered Hence it is that the Apostle in sundrie places writing to diuers Churches and moouing them to followe the examples and exhortations giuen vnto them laboureth to perswade them of his vnfaigned Loue towardes them as it appeareth Phillippians 4 1. Therefore my Bretheren beloued and longed for my ioy and my Crowne so continue in the Lorde yee beloued Reason 3. Thirdly we are to imitate our Head and Maister Christ Iesus he vsed not his Authoritie and Power that was in him he dealt not roughly and seuerely with his enemies but meekely and mercifully and most compassionately he was meeke and as a Lambe before his shearer When he might according to his mightie power in Iustice haue destroyed his Persecuters and enemies h Luke 23 34 he prayed for them he intreated pardon for them that their sinne might bee forgiuen Therefore the Apostle Peter teacheth vs that we are prouoked to a patient bearing of wrongs and suffering of trobles by the example of Christ saying i 1 Pet. 2 21. For heerunto ye are called for Christ also suffered for you leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth Seeing then that milde and mercifull dealing pulleth out of the snare of the deuill openeth the loue of the speaker and lastly maketh vs like to Christ whose example is a perfect patterne of all meeknesse and moderation it followeth that it is carefully to be vsed of vs when we speak to the people of God in the name of God Vse 1. Let vs see what Vses may bee raysed and remembered vnto vs out of this Doctrine First we learne that mercie and compassion yea all tokens and testimonies of loue are to be shewed toward Malefactors euen when Iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted and the course of Law is to proceede against them that they may know it is not malice but Iustice hath brought this fall vpon thē it is not their blood but their good that is sought and the good of others The truth heereof we see practised in Ioshua when Achan was apprehended and his sinne discouered whereby hee had offended God sinned against his expresse commandement and troubled Israell he said vnto him l Iosh 7 19. My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide it not from me Cruelty in deed or bitternesse in word euen toward euill doers that are alreadie adiudged or stand at the barre to be iudged is barbarous and inhumain To insult ouer a poore prisoner or a condemned man that is guilty of death and carried to the place of execution standeth neither with an humaine disposition nor with a Christian affection nor with Brotherly compassion Beholde the proud and insolent behauiour of the sauage and beastly minded Pharisees and Priests against our Sauiour Christ mocking spitting buffeting rayling reuiling whipping and crucifieng him betweene two theeues They were not content to seeke his life and to shed his blood but laded him with contempt and all shamefull calumniations This also is the practise of their successors the Romish Cleargy who are the followers of them in malice and cruelty when the faithfull haue beene not only conuented before them but condemned of them they haue embrued their hands and defiled their garments with their blood which cryeth to the God of Heauen for iudgement neither were they contented to feede their eyes with their torments and to satisfie their lusts with their sufferings but proceeded to all extreamities of rage and madnesse rayling at them and speaking all manner of euil against them This abuse is somtimes too vsual and common in the places of Iustice iudgment from whence all gall and bitternesse should be banished wee may heare vnseemly iests bitter taunts vncharitable reproches cast out of their mouths as a
they are done more then what is done This is it which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 8 12. If there bee first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not This layeth before vs the abundant kindnesse of God who albeit he be a spirit euery way perfect yet he accepteth our lame and defectiue seruice Our duties shall be all acceptable in his sight though they bee performed in great weakenesse and mingled with many imperfections which were sufficient to cause them to be reiected and refused if we be carefull to do them in the truth and vprightnesse of our hearts and with chearefull and ready minds All things must be done in loue and this must bee considered in all the workes of our hands This ministreth a double comfort First vnto such as are of poore and lowe degree to consider that GOD regardeth the heart more then the hand and our willingnesse more then our worke Hence it is that euen seruants whose condition is lowest in the family and which meddle not in great matters or in waighty affaires or in excellent works yet are charged with this affection and in sincerity to behaue themselues in those inferiour duties x Col 3 22 23 Ephes 6 5. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Where he sheweth that seruants must do their duties not as seruing for the penny or ayming at the filling of their belly or contenting themselues to please their maisters eie but euen as seruing God looking for a recompence from him knowing that he hath placed them in that estate requireth those things in truth and sincerity to be performed as vnto him For the Lord doth not see as man seeth he doth not look to the outward action but he beholdeth with what hart al things are done and therfore measureth according to euery mans deed whether he be high or low rich or poore Lord or Seruant The best hart hath the best recompence the worst hart hath the worst wages There is a great difference between work and work some are great some litle some beautiful some base some high some mean some low but whatsoeuer I do if I do it chearfully as seruing my master Christ that looketh vpon me albeit my calling be neuer so simple as to wash dishes to wipe shooes to scoure the spit to sweep the house I please God therein as well as he that manageth a kingdom that ministreth Iustice that preacheth the gospel True it is the work is greater to rule the affairs of State then to remain in the kitchen yet he shal be better accepted of God that performeth these smal things hartily then he that doth the greatest works grudgingly either drawn by importunity or cōpeld by necessity Thus it doth fal out that a poor seruant carrying this mark and testimony with him is more acceptable to the Lord then he that hath done greater things to the iudgment of the eie to the shew of the world and to the sight of men Secondly this serueth as a singuler comfort to euery one of vs that groane vnder the burden of sin that feele the weaknesse of our faith and are dismaied at the smalnesse of our sanctification Wee know how busie Satan is to watch his aduantage of our infirmities and imperfections to perswade vs that we haue no faith at all that we are without repentaunce without grace and without regeneration because we feele great defects and many wants in our best workes and our best gifts But this must comfort vs that God accepteth of that measure that he hath giuen vs euen according to that which we haue not according to that which we haue not A weak faith shal be as auayleable to apprehend Christ as a strong faith If we haue a desire and an hungering after grace z Psal 145 15 and 10 17. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and saue them God hath assured vs that as hee hath begun his good worke in vs so he will finish his work and in his good time bring it to perfection When we finde any dulnesse and vntowardnesse in our selues if we hate and dislike them and labor to profite and grow forward in sanctification God accepteth our willingnesse and readinesse though our strength be not answerable to our desire or the outward worke answereable to our hart For God is faithful and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue the strength that he shal giue vs and the Lord Iesus is a merciful Highpriest who will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Let vs al therefore looke that a willing and ready mind be found in vs. Againe this must be considered in all things If we come to hear the word and to exercise the duties of Gods worship if we do it for fashion sake for feare of the law for the praise of men or for custom they are nothing worth they ought to be performed in obedience to God in loue of his ordinance in delight of his worship in singlenesse of heart and in an earnest affection to the meanes of our saluation The like we might say of giuing of almes and liberality toward the poore if they be not bestowed with promptnesse of minde with compassion of heart and with feeling of the wants of those that craue our helpe they are nothing at all respected of God nor they that distribute thē rewarded of him Vse 2 Secondly seeing only that duty which is done freely and not by compulsion deserueth due commendation this reproueth al those things that are don vpon wrong grounds and euil foundations It is not enough to doe a good thing but we must do it well It is not sufficient to do those things that are godly but we must do them in a godly manner Let euery one heerein carefully examine his soule and try his owne heart whether hee do the duties of his calling vnwillingly vncomfortably and vpon necessity for feare of danger for auoyding of shame for keeping of his credit for praise of the world or such like causes which are all false motiues or whether he do them hartily and chearfully as in the sight of God before whom all things are naked open This is to be considered as well of the Minister himselfe as of the people that heare him and are partakers of his labours The calling a The Minister must preach willingly and of a readie minde of the Minister is an high and mighty calling he is the Steward of God and a watchman ouer the people for whose soules hee must giue an account in that great day of the Lord. It is not enough for vs to labour among them though wee should worke and
preaching Christ crucified and risen againe from the dead h Acts 17 5 8 9. Insomuch that the Iewes which beleeued not moued with enuy tooke vnto them certaine vitious and Vagabond Fellowes and hauing assembled the multitude they made a tumult in the Cittie It is said that Iason receiued him and other of the Brethren into his house and offered to baile them and to be bound for them putting in good assurance that they should appeare and be forth-comming And if we require an example in the same kind and condition with this that is mentioned in this Epistle Our Sauiour expresseth the like in the Parable of him that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among theeues who wounded him with their weapon and robbed him of his Raiment and left him in his trouble euen halfe dead i Luke 10 34 35. A certaine Samaritan as he iournied came neere vnto him and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his wounds and poured in Oyle and Wine and put him on his owne Beast and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him and on the morrow when he departed he tooke out two pence and gaue them to the Host and said vnto him Take care of him and whatsoeuer thou spendest more when I come againe I will recompense thee This Samaritan did shew himselfe a right Neighbour both in shewing his present charity toward him and in offering himselfe to become a surety for him All these approued and allowed examples of the faithfull do sufficiently and euidently teach vs that it is in it selfe lawfull to vndertake payment for another and to become Suretie for him Reason 1. And if we require better groundes to satisfie vs in this truth let vs enter into the strength of reason to assure vs without any wauering heerein First waigh with me the example of Christ an excellent patterne and president of the practise of this an example farre beyond all exception an example that ouershadoweth and dazeleth k Heb. 12 1 2. and darkneth all that cloud of witnesses produced by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes he became surety for his Church vnto his father to pay the debt of our sinnes and to satisfie his iustice If then any doubt or make a question of the former examples wherein we saw how Ruben offered himselfe to become as a pledge to his father Iudah to Ioseph Iason to the Gouernour and the Samaritan to his Hoast behold a most absolute and perfect example of Christ Iesus who bound himselfe for vs his body for our bodies and his soule for our soules that our sinfull bodies might be made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious bloud For the Prophet prophesieth l Isay 53 10. that he should make his soule an offering for sinne And Christ himselfe saith m Mat. 26 38. Iohn 12 27. My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death c. Thus did his loue exceed and abound toward vs that our loue might exceed and abound one toward another To this purpose the Apostle sheweth n Heb. 7 22. that Iesus is made a surety of a better Testament He stood in our places he tooke vpon him our sinnes he bare in his body the punishments due to vs he felt the wrath of God kindled against vs. Reason 2. Secondly it is a fruit of loue euen this way to releeue and helpe such as are like to suffer damage and detriment by want of outward thinges Now humane society and Christian piety requireth that one should sustaine and succour another in their necessity as we see in the former examples of Reuben Iudah Iason and the Samaritan before mentioned and remembred The life of man can hardly stand without lending and borrowing without letting and hiring without buying and selling without bargaining and trusting one of another It is a worke of mercy o Leuit. 19 18 to become surety and therefore as lawfull no doubt as to giue or lend The law of God commandeth vs to helpe our Neighboures as we are able and as they haue neede and they are to be releeued by such meanes as are in our power by giuing by forgiuing by communicating to them such things as we haue and they haue not For if we loue them and haue true Charity in vs we must not be wanting to them but be ready to profit them and do them good so farre as wee do not hurt our selues It is no vnwise sentence of a wise man p Eccle. 29 18 The wicked will not become surety and he that is of an vnthankfull mind forsaketh him that deliuered him declaring thereby that as he is a foole that is surety for euery man so is he vngodly that in no wise will be surety for any man Wee are commanded to q Exod. 23 5. helpe vp our enemies Oxe that is fallen or his Asse that is sunke downe vnder his burden how much more ought we to shew pitty and compassion to our brother himselfe vexed with the creditor terrified with the prison oppressed with his debt and dismaid and discouraged with the paiment at hand that is to be made So then whether we do consider that Christ Iesus is made our surety or that suretiship is a fruit of Christian loue one toward another in both respects we see that in it selfe it is not to be disalowed or condemned Vse 1. The vses of this Doctrine are diligently to be considered of vs. And first of all if it be lawfull and warranted to become surety one for another as we haue before plainely prooued it conuinceth and confuteth those that hold it to be euill and vnlawfull to giue their word or offer their band or tender their promise or engage themselues any way for their brethren Loue is a debt that we owe to all men r Rom. 13 8. as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 13. 8. and therefore we ought not to faile in the perfourmance thereof It is imagined and supposed by some that all or the greatest part of the controuersies betweene man and man and suites of Law betweene party and party arise from hence that things are taken vp vpon trust that there is borrowing and lending among vs and that there is crediting one of another and so would haue these quite taken away and the Names of them vtterlie abolished out of all Incorporations and Common-wealths It is reported that among the Turkes are few suites and actions commenced one against another because there is with them no bargaine or sale no buying or selling but for ready Money and for present pay But this is a plaine fallation to put that for a cause which indeede is not the cause For the corrupt conscience of men the couetous desire of Money the greedy gaping after gaine the malicious humour of reuenge the bitter roote of strife and the extreame want of loue are the true causes of
that after the Thessalonians had heard the Gospell of Christ published vnto them so many of them as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued and submitted themselues to be duided and reformed by it This dutie hath c Foure degrees of submitting our selues to the Gospell manie branches First it is required of vs to heare the worde of God with patience This is the first step and degree that leadeth vnto life and it proceedeth from the meere grace and fauour of God whensoeuer it is wrought in our hearts For how many are there that when they heare stop their eares That when they see shut their eyes That when they vnderstand doe harden their hearts When Stephen made a defence for himselfe before the chiefe Priests that sat in the Counsel d Acts 7 57. They gaue a shout with a loud voyce and stopped their eares and ran violently vpon him all at once and cast him out of the Citty and stoned him with stones When one Alexander a Iew beckned with the hand prepared himselfe to speak and would haue excused the Apostles e Acts 19 33 There arose a great shout almost for the space of two houres of all men crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Likewise when Paule made a perticuler rehearsal of the manner of his conuersion to the faith before the Iewes they heard him quietly and with silence vntill he said He was sent to the Gentiles but then thorough impatience f Acts 22 23. they cried out they cast off their cloathes and threw dust into the ayre and lift vp their voices saying Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet that he should liue We see by these examples that it is a token of Gods goodnesse when he giueth vs circumcised eares to listen and attend to the word preached vnto vs with patience and perseuerance vnto the end albeit we heare our sins reproued our secret thoughts opened vnto vs. It is our dutie to shew our selues swift to heare but slow to speake and slow to wrath We must be slow to speake against that which hath bin deliuered and we must be slow to anger and indignation against those that haue deliuered the truth vnto vs. Secondly it is required that we receiue the word that we haue heard assent vnto it as to the word of truth and acknowledge it to bee good and true euen that part of the word that containeth his iudgements his threatnings his cursses his punnishments This is to be craued of God as being a special worke of grace in those that belong to his kingdom For many there are that heare and haue their eares open to attend these are not dull hearers that marke nothing but ate ready to listen and giue care and yet they will not giue their assent to that which they haue heard The Apostle teacheth g 1 Cor. 2 14. That the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned When Paule preached at Athens in the hearing of the Stoikes and Epicures touching the resurrection from the dead they saide h Acts 17 18 What will this Babler say A great part of our ordinary hearers may be placed in this rank who are content to heare and then sit in iudgement vppon that which they haue heard and neuer giue credit vnto it but measure the truth of God by their carnall conceits and naturall reasons Thirdly it is farther required of vs to embrace the truth in our hearts carefully to apply it to our owne soules It belongeth vnto vs not onely to heare it with the eare and to assent to it with the mind but to lay it vp deeply rooted in vs and to make it our owne by a speciall application This is the right vse of the word this is peculiar to the elect and this is a work of grace in our hearts The Hystoricall faith giueth a generall consent to the truth of God but neuer goeth farther to apprehend it as we see in Simon the Sorcerer who is said to haue beleeued that is in a generall maner to haue consented to the Gospell and yet Peter telleth him i Acts 8 21. That his heart was vpright and that he remained in the gall of bitternesse Let vs not therefore approbriate the word of grace that is able to build farther vnto our owne selues otherwise we shall haue no more comfort then the Reprobates haue who come so farre as to confesse the word to be true and that God by his Sonne will saue the Vessels of mercy Lastly it is required in this speciall manner to entertaine the worde to wit as the word of God Many receiue the word and imbrace it willingly readily chearfully and ioyfully but not as the word of God I wil not stand to speake of the Church of Rome which holdeth that the word written hath not authority in it selfe vnlesse the Church approue it and therefore albeit it embraceth the word of God yet it embraceth it not as the word of God For how many are there among our selues that receiue not the word of God with that reuerence and obedience that they ought as appeareth by the euil practises of their liues These men do not receiue the word of God as the word of God who if they did in truth sincerity acknowledge this truth to be of God to haue him for the author thereof they would lead their liues in another maner then they do they would be afraid to rush forward to run headlong as it were with violence into the breach transgression thereof They would consider that God will not beare and endure the contempt of his word but reuenge the dishonor done to his name with great plagues and most grieuous iudgments These are the duties that are to be performed of vs and the foure degrees that testifie our submitting of our selues to the truth of the Gospel preached deliuered vnto vs by the Ministers of Christ Vse 4 Lastly seeing they by whose ministry we are gained to God and preserued in the state of saluation being gained ought to be most deare to vs we owing vnto them our owne selues This must teach the Ministers of God a necessary duty and lesson to be marked of them to wit to endeuor by their daily diligence and continuall preaching of the Gospel to make the people indebted vnto them For how do the people come so much in their debt but that they receiue heauenly Doctrine by their Ministry as from the mouth of God Such as haue need of admonition must be exhorted such as are weak in the faith must be strengthned such as need comfort ought to be comforted such as are ignorant must be instructed such as are willing to be taught must be beseeched and intreated and euery one must be handled according to his nature and condition according to the rule
thy gates in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hande from thy poore Brother To these Commandements remembered vnto vs in the Law let vs ioyne the practise of Nehemiah in the time of a Publicke want and out-cry of the people when they complained that they were constrained to take vp Corne vpon trust to morgage their Landes their Houses and their Vineyards thorough extreamity of the famine to borrowe Money for the Kings Tribute which must be payd and to sell their sonnes and daughters for Slaues p Nehem. 5 9. he sayde Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God for the reproach of the Heathen our enemies For euen I my Bretheren and my Seruants doe lend them Money and Corne I pray you let vs leaue off this burthen Restore I pray you wnto them this day their Lands their Vineyards their Oliues and their Houses and remit the hundereth part of the Siluer of the Corne of the Wine and of the Oyle that yee exact of them Then they sayde Wee will restore it and will not require it of them wee will doo as thou hast sayde Where wee see the wonderfull care that this Gouernour of the people had to haue the poore releeued and to cause their case to be respected and to moue the Rich to be beneficiall and bountifull vnto them So then it is a cleare point that no man ought to bee ouer-hasty in requiring such Debts as are due vnto him from poore men and such as are in great neede Reason 1. If any will yet make a doubt and question of this Trueth let him dilligently marke the Reasons whereuppon it is grounded First it is a common Prouerbe That where nothing can bee had the King looseth his right Wee must therefore consider the extreame necessitie wherein some men are and the poore estate into which they are brought Compassion and Loue are to bee extended towardes such as craue fauour and are willing albeit not able to satisfie vs according to their desire and our demaund This is the Reason which is pointed out vnto vs in the parable propounded by our Sauiour ann expressed by the Euangelist Saint Luke in the 7. Chapter and the 41. Verse A certaine Lender had two Debters the one ought fiue hundered pence and the other fifty and when they had nothing to pay hee forgaue them both The like appeareth in another Parable mentioned in Mathew Chapter 18 24. When the Seruant was brought that ought to his Maister tenne thousand Talents because he had nothing to pay hee had compassion and loosed him and forgaue him that debt Whereby wee see that the cause why his Lord had compassion vpon him was his inability and necessity he was not able to pay Reason 2. Secondly it is a meanes to bring a blessing from God that is the giuer and from them to whom wee giue and it is accepted for righteousnesse If then our dooing good to others bringeth profit to our selues it is our duty to shewe to them our Compassion in easing and mittigating such burthens as otherwise wee might lay vppon them This is the reason that Moses maketh Deut. 24 12 13. If it bee a poore bodie thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge but shalt restore him the pledge when the Sunne goeth downe that hee may sleepe in his Raiment and blesse thee and it shall bee righteousnesse vnto thee before the Lord thy God This Reason is not superfluous but verie effectuall considering what Hand-fastes and Hold-fasts wee are and how euerie one seeketh to prouide for himselfe Wee thinke the whole earth will fayle vs wee Dreame that whatsoeuer is lent is lost wee feare that GOD will forget vs and forsake vs. Hence it is that Moses doth encourage vs to Liberalitie by these two Arguments Namely that the poore shall pray for vs and GOD will heare them and accept of vs. Reason 3. Thirdly the example of God is to be set before vs he forgiueth his poore Debters that are not able to pay him We are al deepely indebted to God we are desperate debters wee owe vnto him more then tenne thousand Talents and haue nothing to satisfie the least mite of that hee may require and challenge of vs. We are in an hard case if God should deale roughly and rigorously with vs. But when we cannot restore he doth remit when we are not ably to pay he offereth pardon This reason is vrged by Moses Deut. 24 17 18. Thou shalt not peruert the right of the straunger nor of the Fatherlesse nor take a Widdowes Rayment to pledge but remember that thou wast a seruant in Egipt and how the Lord thy God deliuered thee thence In which words he mooueth them to shew mercy because they had receiued mercie they had receiued it of God they must returne it backe againe vnto their Brethren Thus Christ himselfe instructeth vs by his owne mouth u Luke 6 36. Be ye mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull We must therefore be followers of the bountifulnesse of God So then if we lay these thinges together and consider with our selues either the persons of our brethren that are in necessitie or our owne persons that receiue by it a Commoditie or the person of God that pardoneth our iniquitie wee may easilie gather the trueth of this Doctrine that it is our dutie to shew mercy toward our poore debters that â—…e not able to make satisfaction to vs as they desire and wee require Vse 1. Let vs come to the Vses First this serueth to teach vs that men are not alwayes to looke to their owne benefit and profit but likewise to the profite of others Wee see by experience that many are such great Deuourers and Sea-gulphes that they are neuer contented but seeke to swallow vp all they can lay holde vppon These will remit nothing release nothing mittigate nothing It is a woorthy precept giuen by the Apostle x Phil. 2 4. Looke not euerie man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other men This is a fruite of true faith y 1 Cor. 13 5. and a signe of true loue when we seeke to do good one to another It is a blessed and comfortable thing vnto our owne hearts to be content to leaue our owne to depart from our right and to suffer losse and damage We heard before how Nehemiah remedied the oppression of the people whereby he found as great comfort to himselfe as he brought comfort to them so that he prayed z Nehem. 5 19 Remember me O my God in goodnesse according to all that I haue done to this people If we feele the same affection in our selues wee shall finde the benefite thereof in our heartes On the other side it shall fall out to be a matter of great griefe and griping to out Consciences to remember how hard-hearted and hand-fasted wee haue beene euen when the
in Gods Mercie by the example of those that were called at the last houre of the day Marke that so soone as the theefe and Laborers were called u Math. 20. 7. by by they repented the reason why they turned from their sinnes no sooner was because grace was no sooner offered vnto them but when God spake they heard his voice when God called they answeared without delay whereas these impenitent persons haue had the meanes oftentimes offered vnto them and yet refuse the calling of the Lord. Thirdly we are to hope the best of our brethren to commend them vnto God to pray for their conuersion There cannot be a greater iniury done vnto them then to passe the sentence of condemnation vpon them and as much as lieth in vs to blot them out of the booke of Life Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 4. x 1 Cor. 4 5. Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God The secrets of God belong vnto him wee are not to search into them but to adore them Knowing that thou wilt doe euen more then I say This is a confirmation of the former conclusion drawne from a comparison of the greater to the lesse in this manner I doubt not but thou wilt receiue him because thou art ready to perfourme more then I require at thy handes which is amplified and enlarged by an humane testimony I know it well enough Heere then wee may see the good opinion that Paule had conceiued of Philemon that he was willing not onely to graunt whatsoeuer he craued of him but to yeeld more then he required Doctrine 5. The Faithfull being moued to Christian duties haue yeelded more then hath bin required of them The Doctrine arising from hence is this that righteous men being mooued to Honest Charitable Iust and necessary duties will yeeld more then men can well request and require them to doe The people of God haue from time to time shewed themselues ready not onely to do what they haue beene commanded but to practise more then hath beene charged vpon them This we see in the Children of Israell when they were required to bring their Offerings y Exod. 35 5 36 5 6. to the Lord with a willing heart they brought too much more then enough for the vse of the worke and the building of the Tabernacle They were not slacke and backward in furthering the seruice of the Sanctuary but zealous and forward in promoting the glory of God and the place of his worship so that they prepared and presented more then was looked for at their handes When Dauid saw that the plague was stayed and the hand of God remooued from him and his people he was willed to go vp and reare an Altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite where the Angell stood being commanded to stay his hand which he desired to buy with his money but Araunah said vnto Dauid z 2 Sam. 24 21 22. Let my Lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes Behold the Oxen for the burnt Offering and Chariots and the Oxen for Wood all these thinges as a King he gaue vnto the King True it is Dauid would not accept of this kindnesse nor offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord his God of that which cost him nothing so that he boght the threshing floore the Oxen of him at a price notwithstanding it sheweth the readinesse willingnesse and forwardnesse of this good man to doo more then was required at his hands And as we saw the free-heartednesse of the people at the building of the Tabernacle so we may see the same in preparing for the building of the Temple for when Dauid prouoked thē by word and example to offer freely and said a 1 Chro. 29 20 21. Who is willing to fill his hand to day vnto the Lord The Princes of the families and the Princes of the Tribes of Israell and the Captaines of thousands and of hundreths with the Rulers of the Kings worke offered willingly and they gaue for the seruice of the house of God fiue thousand Talents of Gold c. and they with whom precious stones were found gaue them to the Treasure of the house of the Lord c. So that among them they brought more to the helping forward of the building of the Temple then Dauid looked for The like we see in the practise of the Churches of Macedonia who prouided for the Saints of Ierusalem not onely as they were able but beyonde that which they were able for though themselues were brought to great misery and extreame pouerty yet they fainted not but became so forward that he saith of them b 2 Cor. 8 3 4. I beare them record that to their power yea and beyond their power they were willing and they prayed vs with great instance that we would receiue the grace and fellowspip of the Ministring which is towardes the Saints The Apostle craueth of them a little and they performe much hee beseecheth them to do according to their power and they bring vnto him beyond their power By all these examples as by a Iury of many witnesses it appeareth that the faithfull will not hang backe but be ready to performe and practise more then is required of them they will not do lesse but more then is looked for at their hands Reason 1. Though this truth be plaine in it selfe yet it will bee made much plainer by reasons First of all the obedience of the faithfull will super-abound because they set before them the example of God and delight to come neere vnto him They haue experience of his bountifull dealing toward them he is ready to graunt not onely what they aske but more then they aske They finde him not onely willing to heare them when they pray c Psal 21 3. But forwarde to preuent them with his blessings before they pray When Salomon desired a wise heart to go in and out before his people he gaue him Wisedome Riches Honour Seeing therefore the godly do feele this vnspeakable liberality of God toward them that he heareth before we call and granteth before wee aske and answereth before we request wee ought to resemble our heauenly Father and to put on his Image that we may shew our selues like vnto him in yeelding more at the suite of our brethren then can be required of vs. Reason 2 Secondly the Children of God haue a free and willing minde and seeke to walke before him with a perfect heart And what will not a willing heart do Will it not striue to attaine to perfection When Moses setteth downe the forwardnesse of the people in offering to the Lord for the worke of the Tabernacle of the Congregation he maketh this to be the cause d
himselfe was conuerted to the Faith and indued with the guifts of the Holy-Ghost so that he was chosen to be a Fellow-helper vnto them and trauailed with them into diuers partes of the Worlde True it is he did at one time forsake Paule in Pamphilia and shrunke in his shoulders from the trouble yet notwithstanding this weakenesse he ceased not afterward to labour in the preaching and propagation of the Gospell o Acts 15 38 and albeit Paule would not take him with him into their company Who went not with them to the worke yet Barnabas tooke him and sayled vnto Cyprus He was present with the Apostles at the first and famous Councell holden at Hierusalem and heard the matters debated and disputed among them We see heere in this place and other places of the Scripture that he had reconciled himselfe to Paule and blotted out the infamy of his backwardnesse and backe-sliding and therefore hee is accepted againe among them so that they gaue vnto him the right hand of fellowship Doctrine 2. We must not vtterly cast off the weake but shew our compassion toward them From hence we learne this Scripture being compared with other that it is required of vs to haue a care and compassion toward the weake not vtterly to cast off such as haue fallen and failed in any duty When we see any not so constant in the truth as they ought and we desire we must not by and by shake them off or stand aloofe from them but rather strengthen and encourage them and make much of them This practise is commaunded vnto vs in sundry places The Apostle exhorteth heereunto p Ro. 14 1 10 Him that is weake in the Faith receiue vnto you but not for Controuersies of disputations Why dost thou condemne thy Brother or why dost thou dispise thy Brother And in another place of the same Epistle q Rom. 15 1. We which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues To this purpose he writeth to the Thessalonians r Thes 5 14. We desire you Brethren admonish them that are out of order comfort the feeble-minded beare with the weake be patient toward all men To these Commaundements we may adde sundry examples of the faithfull that haue giuen vs an example to follow But first let vs see the most perfect example of all the example of Christ Iesus our Lord of whom it was prophesied thus Å¿ Math. 12 20 and 11 28. Esay 42 3. A bruised Reede shall he not breake and smoaking flax shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory This appeareth in his louing calling of all vnto him that are weary and heauy laden promising to ease them and refresh them so that hee refused not the company of Publicans and Sinners When Aquila and Priscilla had heard Apollos who was weake in knowledge t Actes 18 26 They tooke him vnto them and expounded vnto him the way of God more perfectly The like we see in Paule toward the incestuous Corinthian whom he would haue receiued againe into the bosome of the Church and admitted into the company and society of the faithfull All which commandements and examples doe euidently proue vnto vs this truth that such as are weake in the faith are not to be cast off but rather cherished and encouraged Reason 1. See the farther confirmation heere of by force of reason drawne from the nature of God from the members of the Church from the person of such as are weake First if we consider the gratious and mercifull dealing of God toward such as erre of frailty and infirmity that he is both willing and able to strengthen and confirme them we shall be put in minde thereby of our owne duty The Apostle writing to the Romanes Chap. 14. and exhorting them not to shun but to take into their company him that is weake in the faith giueth this as a reason u Rom. 14 4. He shal be established for God is able too make him stand If then God will establish them we must make much of them and if hee will make them stand we must not thrust them downe Reason 2 Secondly it is required of all the members of the Church to haue a speciall care not onely of the strong but also of the feeble partes Wee see how it standeth in the members of our body x 1 Cor. 12 21 The eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no neede of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be more feeble are necessary c. Now as it is in the naturall body that the chiefe members haue a care of the least so it ought to be in the mysticall body wherein the faithfull should haue the same care one for another Adde heerevnto that we are commanded to exhort and admonish one another according as we see them to haue neede Reason 3. Thirdly we must take heede least by our rigorous and austere dealing the weake brother be discouraged and driuen from the faith It is no wisedome to lay a great and heauy loade vpon the backe of a weake Beast least his backe be broken and the burthen miscarry and the Maister be disappointed To this purpose it is that the Apostle perswading the Corinthians to take vnto them the incestuous person whom they had put out from among them saith y 2 Cor. 2 7 8 Yee ought now to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse wherefore I pray you that you would confirme your loue toward him No man almost is so vnmercifull to his poore Beast but he considereth what he is able to beare Vnseasonable seuerity can doe no good but much harme Seeing therefore God is able to establish the weake seeing the partes of the Church must haue a care one of another and lastly seeing the feeble minded are not to be discouraged in all these respects we may conclude that the weake in knowledge in faith or in obedience are not to be despised but rather to be instructed strengthened and confirmed Vse 1. Let vs come to the vses and handle them as briefly as we can First this serueth to reproue those that doe not onely passeouer but contemne and despise such as any way come behind them If they see a man weake or feeble they are so farre from helping of him vp that they are ready to disgrace him and cast him downe These are like to them that are described in the Prophet who together with Hypocrisie nourish pride in themselues and ioyne vnto it contempt to others z Esay 65 5. Which say Stand apart come not neere to me for I am holier then thou Or like vnto the Pharisie mentioned in the Gospell a Luke 18 11. who praied thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as
The vse of it 496 Christians who they be 496. The true Christian hath faith and loue 100. He must haue more then Faith 103. He is onely a free man 114. Wherein it standeth 115. bound to serue the Church 272 Christians are not enemies to States and Common-wealthes 263. They are the onely friends of Princes 269 A good Christian a good Subiect 267 Chistian pollicy 265 Cherish good things 481 Cheerefulnesse See Willingnesse Children should not hear an euil word 45 Children of God neuer voide of the fruits of faith 122 Children deformed destroyed by the Heathen 157 Children must obey parents 343 Church meetings to be frequented 30 Church and Commonwealth compared to man 36 Church of Rome teacheth that faith may be without charity 104. It is a Tyrant 177 Our Church hath many Saints 120 Church is Christs schoole 128. it shal neuer perish 487 Church accused of sedition 264 Church of Rome no true Church 322 Ciuill honest men 97 503 Circumcision 392 Comparison betweene Idolatry olde and new 63 64 Compassion 114. it is to bee shewed to the ignorant 177 Company of euill persons 94. 123 150. of the godly to be delighted in 439 Communion ought to be among al saints 113. It standeth in two things 114. We must delight in it 123. it takes not away priuate possessions 365 A Communion among the vngodly 124 Communion is with Christ and among our selues 149 Communion one with another what it teacheth 348 357 Communion with Christ wherein it consisteth 349 All things Common among friends See friends Comfort to all that employ their guifts 140 141. Comfort to the Ministers 167 278. and to the people 279 Comfort in losses 307. not to be vexed through impaciency 310 The Colliers Faith 77 78 Confession of faith necessary 86. it hath promise of reward 87. It is a fruite of faith ibid. it is required of all 89 Confession is as our faith 91 Confession of penitents not to be reueiled See Penitents confession CoÌ„firmation in the truth necessary 131 Coniunction among the faithfull in 3. things 123 Contemners of Gods ordinances 130. and of the weake Brother 479 Conscience of our companie 350 Contentation 370. Rules seruing to worke it ibid. Conuerted must seek to conuert others 69 Course of the Gospell cannot bee stopped 1 Conuersion of a man alters him quite 227 Contempt of prayer 454 Couetousnesse 354 372 409 504. the sorts of it ibid. it is the root of all euil ibid. Couenants in writing See Obligations Cruelty toward Transgressors 174 Cursed speaking 475 Creditors not to be rigorous 383 410 Curteous speeches become the Saints 471. against them that pinch curtesie who shall beginne them 474. against such as perform them only outwardly ibid. D Daungerous to contemne preaching of the word 214. Day-laborer 410 Despise not any how vile soeuer 5 Deuils faith what it is 78 107. many com behind them 79 108. they haue no hope of mercy ibid. they knowe they are reserued to wrath ibid. they teach the reprobate a lesson which theÌ„selus could neuer learne 80. they do Gods will by constraint 288. what are their baits 489. they corrupt Gods worship 499 Deuil signifieth a false accuser 144 Degrees of faith 81 Defence of the godly wee must vndertake 94 Desire the best gifts 149 464 Description of the iniquitie of our times 150 151 178 Deputies cannot discharge vs. 200 Departers out of the Church 220 Delight must be in Gods seruice 287 Death of the godly sudden ofttimes 308 Dead faith 258 259 Deare they must be to vs that haue gained vs to the faith 394 Deformed haue comfort 311 Delight not in the vngodly 318 Debts to be paid 389. such as do not are theeues ibid. they are not to be eagerly exacted from the poore 407. they are of two sorts 246 Degrees in submitting our selues to the word 401 Despaire not of any mans saluation 430 three Meditations about it 431 Deserts See Merits Demas 484 Disgrace it is not to be cast in prison for the Gospels sake 12 Difference betweene the godly and vngodly 24. between Pastors and hyrelings 72. between Gods loue of the elect and of the reprobat 86. between beleeuing God and in God 107. between Heathnish and christian religion 156. between that which penitent persons haue bin and are 318. between sinner sinner 480 between the godly and hipocrites 486 Dislike of our selues is the first steppe to grace 52 Discretion required in the minister 175 Diuision of parishes hath footing in the word 198 Diligent teaching required 200 No Disgrace to do seruice to the Saints 276 Disorder in the world ouerturns not gods prouidence 298. God ordereth it 299 Doubts must bee remoued by the minister 362 Doubtfull things must bee taken in the best part 429 Duties are better done by help of others then alone 21 Duties to be performed willingly 285 Duties of godlines chiefly to bee regarded 503. E Earthly things must be set after heauenly 500 Education of children in godlines 43 Elect shal in Gods good time be called 7 Elect called Saints and why 86 Enuy not the proceeding of others 75. 153. who are most giuen to it Ib. reason why we should not enuie others 76 Enuie what it is 133. most hurtful to him that hath it ibid. Enemies to a good name 98. Enimies of the Church prosper not 278 280 Enimies to the Ministers are enimies to God 398 Encrease in good things is required 226 324 483. seeing we are in the way to the kingdome 127 Entising to euill 152 153 Enquire out such as want 161 Enquire which way to do good 281 423 Entrance of sin into the world 302 Epistle to Philemon when written 466 Epicures 299 Equality in christ among beleeuers 331 Esteem of penitent persons as they are 314. Euil cannot bee defended by Gods prouidence 300 Execution for treason not religioÌ„ 19 20 Exhorting one another required 39 152 260. Examine our selues whether sanctified 122 Examples corrupt not to be folowd 189 Exacting our own not alwaies warrantable 412. F Faith is the hand of the soul 53. it stands in particular application 66 76 80. no comfort without this 77. particular faith required of euerie one 77 Faith of the Church of Rome what it is 77. it is grounded vpon ignorance 78 No faith where no knowledge 78 Faith hath sundry degrees 8â— 110. it must not be kept to our selues 92 Faith and Loue commend a man to god 95. they perfect a Christian ibid. they are marks of election ibid. they go together 99. they are as the tree and fruit ibid being seuerd they lose their names natures 100. he is no true Christian that separates them 100 Faith is prooued and tryed by our loue and loue by our Faith 101. How it dooth iustifie 103. It is not built on men 487 What true faith is 106 Faith in the Saints Popish Doctrin 208 Faith is wrought by the preaching of the word â—09 It is ioyned with repentance Ibid. It teacheth to depend vpon God
be extended to all 86 A fruit of loue to admonish 27 We must loue most where God loueth most 112. Not the vngodly most 115 Loue betweene Pastour and people 192 193 Loue those that haue conuerted vs 261 Loue one another 332 355. It is a Christians badge 356 355 Loue God aboue all 340 Loue to the Saints must be feruent 254 257. What it is 256. The manner how we must loue 257 258 Long life a punishment to the vngodlie 308 Losses See comfort in losses Lowest member in the Church must bee respected 184 329 The low estate comforted 1â—0 Luke-warme 433 M A Magistrate sustaines two persons 247 Man by Nature sociable 22 A Martyr who is 19 20 Markes of Christ what 18 Marriage must be in the Lord. 32 English Martirs canonized by the Pope were deuillish Traytors 121 Mankind stand in neede one of another 83 Masse 93 Maintenance of the Minister 400 Maner of doing God accepts more then the deede 284 Maisters must pray for their Families 241. They haue comfort in teaching them 242. they are Ministers in their owne houses 45 Meditations to mooue vs to Prayer 462 Necessary after hearing 220. For Patrons 222 A meane to be kept 76 Meanes must be vsed to bring vs to faith 108 109. To further his guifts in vs 129 Members we are one of another 173 Mercilesse men 276 Mercifull men 280 Meritorious workes 458 Merits taught in the Church of Rome 463 Ministers calling painfull 33. they must not entangle themselues in worldlie things 37. They must seeke cheefely the profit of their people 70. It is a greefe to see them go backward 71 Ministers must preach willingly 286. They are Gods Instruments to conuert Soules 165. They must be maintained 287. Giuen to Hospitality 444. Being idle their guiftes are diminished 136 they haue no right to be maintained 137 Ministers must loue the people as Children 194 They must be faithful 216 They shall giue an account for soules 216. They haue comfort in labouring 242 Ministry a worthy calling 165 Ministers are Gods Ambassadours 171 How to be esteemed 171. They must vse mildenesse and gentlenesse 172 173 Mitigation of offences required 363 Three rules belonging thereto Ibid. Mishapen Children See Children deformed Monkish life See Solitary Mocking the Ministers 204 Multitude no rule to try truth 90 N Name that is good onely the godly haue 96 It hath many enemies 427. Euill men haue an euill Name 96. Against such as take away the good Name of the godly 96 Vngodlinesse brings a blot to mens names 97. ciuil men are ignorant of a good Name Ibid Seeke aster a good name 97. how many waies men are deceiued in it Ibid Wherein a good name consisteth 98 The enemies to it Ibid Naturall condition what 299 Negligence in Religion 11 Neglect of Prayer 456 Neighbour who is 256 Nicodemus 481 Niggardlinesse See Couetousnesse Non proficients 128 324 Non residency what it is 194 Notes to proue men voide of Faith 108 Nouatians 317 O Obiections answered pretending that ministers liue idely 35. that they need not heare that haue faith already 130 Obiections against instructing families 40. of them that say they spend nothing but their owne 115. Of miserable men against liberality 158 190. of Non residents 197 Obiections brought to prooue preaching not the ordinary meanes of regeneration 207 Obiections of Anabaptists 265. 367 Obiections made against forgiuing offenders 246. against vsing salutations 247 Obligations lawfull 385 Occasions of doing good must be sought 31. of contention must be cut off 251 Odious tearmes not to be vsed against the penitent 311 Offences of penitents not to be aggrauated 293. they are to be forgiuen 243 Offences forgiuen two wayes 247. they will arise many wayes 487 Old age honourable 178 Old men instead of Fathers 18. their Duties and sins 181 491. their long life is a testimony of Gods mercy 182 Oppression 393 Opportunity 444 Order in praying for blessings 505 Ouer-seers of the Church 221 Outward blessings recompenced with inward 305 P Painims religion what 156. they regard not the poore Ibid Papists no friends to Princes 266. falsely called Catholicks 322. they seuer faith and loue 102 104. they slander vs about Good-workes 105 Parents of deformed children comforted 311 316. they must not reproue their children for good thinges 328. they must pray for their families 241 Pardon open for penitents 217 Pastors ioy 69 Pastors and people are as Father and son 189. they are tied to a particular charge 199. not to discourage people that are forward 329 Pastors of meane guifts must bee heard 203 Patrons admonished 221. whence they had their names Peace giuen to the faithfull 55 58 The three Persons in Trinity worke our saluation 61. the distinction betweene them must be knowne 62 Peace is brought by the Gospel 264 Penitent persons not to be reproached 317. their confession not to be reueiled 321. abuse of the church of Rom therein Ibid. â—alse perswasion of Faith set downe by certaine notes 108. Peters being at Rome vncertaine 46â— disagreement of Popish writers about it 471 Persecutions of Christians are the persecutions of Christ 15 Popish Idolatry like the Gentiles 63 Popishe assertions touching the Scriptures 78 Pope held to bee the Saint-maker 121. he is enemy to Princes 266 Popish deuotion 288. Martyrs 10. Religion which giues liberty to sin 105 Church what it is 470. The Popes Supremacy 470. his Saints 120 Poore Saints to be relieued 154. What those poore are 161. Poorest beleeuer is rich 189. the godly are specially to be respected 1â—1 Pray for the free passage of the gosp 3â—… Praier necessary 63. 437. it must bee made to God for others 82. it is a part of spirituall armour 83. the vse of it ibid. other mens to be intreated 84. We must pray for spirituall strength 91. and for spirituall things 505 Praier what it is 447. it is a medicine against all diseases 83. how made vnprofitable 461. what is required in it 449. why God defers to heare 453. Popish prayers Idolatrous 452 Prayer heard two waies 453 Prayer contemned 454 Prayer to Saints 454. It robbeth God of his honor 155. It cannot merit People must maintaine their Ministers 38. They must delight the heartes of their Teachers 73. They must not thinke it enough not to hurt them 74. They come to entrap them Ibid Howe many waies they grieue their Pastors 75 People must employ their guifts 139. They must not despise the Ministry of the word 170. They must honor their Pastors 202. They must attend theyr owne Pastors 203. they are in the ministers debt 402 Poore vnthankfull 412 Precisenesse not to bee obiected against Professors 93 Presence of the Pastour necessary 190 191. Preaching of the word the meanes of regeneration 205. A token of Gods loue 215 Preachers preach to themselues as well as to others 210 Preaching Ministery necessary to saluation 213 Preparation before hearing 219 Priuiledges of the godly 58 Profession of Faith See Confession