love Prov. 27. 5. He who rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he who flattereth with the tongue Prov. 28. 23. If thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone c. If he will not hear thee then take one or two more c. Matth. 18. 15 16 17. Luke 17. 3 4. Ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledg able to admonish one another Rom. 15. 4. Paul rebuked Peter for not walking uprightly Gal. 2 11 12 13 14. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly c. teaching and admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. Comfort or exhort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do c. Warn them who are unruly or disorderly comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thes. 5. 11 14. If any man obey not c. have no company with him c. but admonish him as a brother 2 Thes. 3. 14 15. Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters c. Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear 1 Tim. 5. 1 2 20. Exhort one another daily c. lest any of you be hardned through the decitsulness of sin Heb. 3. 12 13. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works not forsaking the assemblings of your selves c. but exhorting one another Heb. 10. 24 25. Brethren if any one of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he c. shall save a soul from death and shall hide c. James 5. 19 20. Of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh Jude verse 20. 22 23. See Discipline Chap. 27. To take rebuke admonition c. well from each other When David had rashly resolved to cut off all Nabals family and Abigail had met him and humbly and wisely admonished him David accepts of the advice and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from shedding of blood c. I have hearkned to thy voice 1 Sam. 25. 22 23 24 25 to the 35. When Nathan had told David his sin in the matter of Uriah David said I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12. 7 13. When Joab had told the King of his errour in mourning so for Absalom as to discourage his subjects who had fought for him David hearkned and arose and sate in the gate as Joab advised 2 Sam. 19. 5 6 7 8. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be as excellent oyl which shall not break my head Psal. 141. 5. A wise man will hear and will increase learning Prov. 1. 5. Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee rebuke a wise man and he will love thee give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser c. Prov. 9. 8 9. He is in the way of life who keepeth instruction but he who refuseth reproof erreth or causeth to err Prov. 10. 17. Whosoever loveth instruction loveth knowledg but he who hateth reproof is brutish c. he who hearkneth unto counsel is wise Prov. 12. 1 15. A wise son heareth his fathers instruction but a scorner heareth not rebuke c. Poverty and shame to him who refuseth instruction but he who regardeth reproof shall be honoured Prov. 13. 1 18. A fool despiseth his fathers instruction but he who regardeth reproof is prudent c. He who hateth reproof shall die c. A scorner loveth not one who reproveth c. The ear which heareth reproof of life abideth among the wise He who refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul c. Prov. 15. 5 10 12 31 32. A reproof entreth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool Prov. 17. 10. As an ear-ring of gold c. so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear Prov. 25. 12. He who being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy c. The rod and reproof gives wisdom Prov. 29. 1 15. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4. 16. Submit your selves one to another in the fear of God Ephes. 5. 21. Ye younger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. 7thly To confess sin to and pray each for other When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit to do a trespass against the Lord c. then they shall confess their sin which they have done and he shall recompence his trespass c. and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed Numb 5. 6 7. And many who believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds c. Acts 19. 18 19. Paul confesseth that beyond measure he persecuted the Church of God and wasted it c. Gal. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 12 13. Confess your fault one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed Jam. 5. 16. If a man see his brother sin a sin not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them who sin not unto death 1 John 5. 16. 8thly To be of one mind Behold how good and how pleasant is it for brethren to dwell together in Unity like the precious ointment upon the head c. Psal. 133. 1 2. Christ prays that they may be kept that they may be one as we are c. Joh. 19. 11 12. And the multitude of them who believed were of one heart and of one soul c. Acts 4. 32. We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another c. Be of the same mind one towards another Rom. 12. 5 16. Now the God c. grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the father Rom. 15. 5 6. I beseech you brethren c. that ye all speak the same things and that there be no division but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1. 10 12. Whereas there is among you c. divisions Are ye not carnal c One faith I am of Paul c. 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. When ye come together in the Church I hear there be divisions among you c. 1 Cor. 11. 18 23. Finally brethren c. be of one mind 2 Cor. 13. 11. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace c. one body and one spirit Ephes. 4. 3 4 5. That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving
c come out from among them and touch no unclean thing c. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17 18. When Paul had written to the Galatians about some who troubled them and would pervert the Gospel of Christ c. had preached the circumcision c. he said to them Ye did run well who did hinder you that that ye should not obey the truth this perswasion cometh not from him who calleth you a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded but he who troubleth you shall bear his judgment whosoever he be c. I would they were even cut off who trouble you for brethren ye have been called to liberty Gal. 1. 6 7 8. Gal. 5. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. If any man be overtaken in a fault ye who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Have no fellwoship with unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them for it is a shame even to speak of such things c. Ephes. 5. 11 12. Now we exhort or beseech you brethren warn them who are unruly 1 Thess. 5. 14. Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus that ye withdraw your selves from every brother who walketh disorderly and not after the traditions which he received of us for your selves know how ye ought to follow us c. If any man obey not our word by this Epistle note or signifie that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 2 Thess. 3. 6 7 14 15. Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters with all purity c. Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before or under two or three witnesses them who sin rebuke before all that others also may fear 1 Tim. 5. 1 2 19 20. Men of corrupt minds c. from such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 5. A man who is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he who is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Tit. 3. 10 11. Follow peace with all men and holiness c. looking diligently lest any man fail or fall from the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau who for one morsel c. Heb. 12. 14 15 16. I know thy works c. and how thou canst not bear them who are evil and thou hast tryed them who say they are Apostles and are not and thou hast found them lyars c. The Church in Pergamus c. I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them who hold the doctrine of Balaam c. So also hast thou them who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate c. The Church of Thyatira c. I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel who calleth her self a prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols c. All the Churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the heart c. Revel 2. 2 14 15 20 23. See Rebuke and Reproof Chap. 17. CHAP. XXVIII Of Hypocrites and Hypocrisie The spirits and practises of such who are very formal and earnest in the external part of worship and profession and in a shew for God yet high in their opposition of Christ the truth of the Gospel and power of Godliness in others THE hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him God is a spirit and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth John 4. 23 24. They are not all Israel who are of Israel neither because they are the seed of Abraham are all children c. Rom. 9. 6 7. Abel offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain Cain was therefore angry and slew his brother Gen. 4. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Heb. 11. 4. Absolom pretended to justice and to pay a vow which he had vowed to the Lord in Hebron but he purposed to steal away the hearts of the people and to rebel against the king and advance himself into the throne 2 Sam. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Ahaziah the king when rebuked by Elijah for departing from God and sending to an idol gives order to his soldiers to fetch Elijah and though one company and another were consumed with fire yet he sent again 2 Kings 1. 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 13. Jehu met Jehonadab and said unto him Is thine heart right as my heart c and he said Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord c. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam c. 2 Kings 10. 15 16 25 26 27 29 31. What is the hope of the hypocrite c will he delight himself in the Almighty will he always call upon God Job 27. 8 10. The hypocrites in heart c. they cry not when he bindeth them Job 36. 13. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Psal. 12. 2. When he slew them then they sought him early and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant Psal. 78 34 35 36 37. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes Prov. 12. 15. There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness Prov. 30. 12. This people draw near to me with their mouth and with their lips they honour me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men Isa. 29. 13. chap. 48. 1 2. Shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins yet they seek me daly and delight to know my ways as a nation who did righteousness and forsook not the ordinances of their God they ask of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God Wherefore
14. 1 5 6. When Paul was in danger the brethren often sent him and others away from the place Acts 17. 5 10 13. The Captain commanded that Paul should be examined by scourging c. Paul said Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned which prevented his being scourged Acts 22. 24 25 26 29. chap. 16. 37 38. Paul said to Ananias Sittest thou to judg me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law c But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadduces and the other Pharisees he cryed out in the Council Men and brethren I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question whereupon the Council divided and broke to pieces When Paul understood that there was a conspiracy to kill him he gave notice thereof to the Captain who conveyed him away from them Acts 23. 3 6 7 8 9 14 15 16 17 c. Paul pleaded in his defence before Felix and after appealed to Cesar Acts 24. 10 11 c. ch 25. 8 9. ch 26. 1 2 3 c. Paul perswaded those in the ship to eat meat when they were in danger he said This is for your health c. Acts 27. 33 34 35. I beseech you c. that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from them who do not believe in Judea Rom. 15. 30 31. Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil c. of whom be thou ware also for he hath greatly withstood our words 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. 5thly To look to the cause of our sufferings that it be for well-doing for Christ and a good conscience and not as busie-bodies in things unnecessary They also who render me evil for good are mine adversaries because I follow the thing which is good Psal. 38. 20. Do not ye serve my gods nor worship the golden image c But if ye worship not ye shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace Dan. 3. 14 15 18. Daniel cast into the lions den for praying to God contrary to the kings decrees Dan. 6. 7 8 9 10 c. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you c. falsly for my sake e. for righteousness fake Matth. 50. 10 11. When they charged the Apostles not to preach in Christ name they said Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judg ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Acts 4. 17 18 19 20. The high Priest asked them saying Did not we straitly command you that you should not teach in this name c Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said We ought to obey God rather than men Acts 5. 27 28 29. But in all things approving our selves c. as deceivers and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 4 8. If I do preach Circumcision Why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the cross ceafed Gal. 5. 11. ch 6. 12. Having your conversation honest c. that whereas they speak against you as evil doers c. It is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men c. this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully 1 Pet. 2. 12 15 19. If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye be not afraid c. It is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing 1 Pet. 3. 13. 14 17. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye c. but let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil-doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters yet if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 1 Pet. 4. 14 15 16. Amos 5. 13. The Duties of others and how they ought to behave themselves towards such who are afflicted and persecuted To sympathize with them visit help comfort and pray for them take heed they add not to their trouble When Abram heard that his brother Lot was taken captive he armed or led forth his trained or instructed servants c. and pursued those who took Lot and he smote them c. and he brought back all the goods and also brought again his brother Lot and his goods and the women also Gen. 14. 12 13 14 15 16. When Nehemiah had heard that the Jews were in great affliction and reproach though he were then a servant to the king he sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven c. Nehem. 1. 2 3 4 5 c. Thou shalt not vex a stranger c. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless-child Exod. 22. 21 22. When Jobs three friends heard of the evil which was come upon him they came every one from his own place c. for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him c. They wept Job 2. 11 12 13. Thou hast strengthned the weak hands thy words have upholden him who was falling and thou hast strengthned the feeble knees But c. Job 4. 3 4. To him who is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend Job 6. 14. Job said to his friends Ye are forgers of lyes ye are all Physicians of no value O that you would altogether hold your peace c. Will you speak wickedly for God c Job 13. 4 5 7. Job answered and said I have heard many such things miserable comforters are ye all or trouble some comforters are ye all shall vain words have an end c I also could speak as ye do if your souls were in my souls stead I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you but I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief Job 16. 1 2 3 4 5. He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me my kinsfolk have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me they who dwell in my house and my maidens count me for a stranger I am an alien in their sight Job 19. 13 14 15 16. Because he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me they have also let loose the bridle before me c. Did not I weep for him who is in trouble was not my soul grieved for the poor Job 30. 11 25. God is said to be afflicted in the afflictions of his people Isa. 63. 9. Wo to them who are at ease in Zion c. Ye that put far away the evil day c. that lie upon beds of ivory c. but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6. 1 3 4 5 6 7. I am very sore displeased with the
Eccles. 7. 13 14. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccles. 12. 1. The ox knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinful nation Isa. 1. 3 4. They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hand therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledg Isa. 5. 11 12 13. Psal. 28. 5. That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the holy one of Israel hath created it Isa. 41. 20. Remember ye not the former things neither consider the things of old Isa. 43. 18. God complaining of the sottishness of the makers and worshippers of idols saith None considereth in his heart neither is there knowledg or undrstanding to say I have burned part of it in the fire c. and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination shall I fall down to the stock of a tree Isa. 44. 17 18 19. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away and none considereth that the righteous are taken from the evil to come Isa. 57. 1. They shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carryed captive Ezek. 6. 9. Son of man prepare thy stuff for removing and remove by day in their sight c. it may be they will consider though they be a rebellious house Ezek. 12. 3. And lo if he beget a son who seeth all his fathers sins and considereth and doth not such like c. he shall not dye for the iniquity of his fathers Ezek. 18. 14 15 16 17 28. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered c. and they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness now their own doings have beset them about c. Hosea 7. 1 2 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider or set your heart upon your ways Haggai 1. 5 7. Take no thought for your life what you shall eat c. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not c. And why take ye thought for rayment consider the Lillies of the field how they grow they toyl not c. yet Solomon c. Matth. 6. 25 26 28 29 30. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Matth. 7. 3. The disciples for want of consideration said For what purpose is this waste for this oyntment might have been sold c. Jesus said Why trouble ye the woman for she hath wrought a good work upon me Matth. 26. 7 8 9 10 11. The wind ceased and they were sore amazed c. for they considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardned Mark 6. 51 52. All they who heard wondred c. but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Luke 2. 17 18 19. Which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he have sufficient to finish it c Luke 14. 28 29 30 31. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate before what you shall answer for I will give you a mouth c. Luke 21. 14. Peter rashly said to Jesus Thou shalt never wash my feet but when Jesus had said If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Peter said c. Not my feet only but also my hands and my head John 13. 8 9. They of the Circumcision contended with Peter for going to the Gentiles till they had considered the grounds which Peter rehearsed to them Acts 11. 1 2 3 c. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them c. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 1 Tim. 4. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 7. Wherefore holy brethren c. consider the Apostle and High-priest of our profession Jesus Christ who was faithful c. Heb. 3. 1 2. Now consider how great this man was unto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoil Heb. 7. 4. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Heb. 10. 24. Let us run with patience c. looking unto Jesus c. for consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind Heb. 12. 1 2 3. Remember them who have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith sollow considering the end of their conversation Heb. 13. 7. Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Jude verse 17. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works c. Rev. 2. 5. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent Rev. 3. 3. CHAP. XXXII Of the Thoughts Mind and Affections AND God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. chap. 8. 21. The Lord c. understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts c. 1 Chron. 28. 9. I have made a covenant with my eyes why then should I think of a maid Job 31. 1. The wicked c. will not seek God God is not in all his thoughts or all his thoughts are there is no God Psal. 10. 4. Their inward thought is that their house shall continue for ever and their dwellings c. Psal. 49. 11. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow c. when I remember thee Psal. 63. 5 6. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity c. in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psal. 94. 11 19. I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies c. I hate vain thoughts c. Psal. 119. 59 113. Thou knowest my down-sitting c. thou understandest my thoughts afar off c. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Psal. 139. 2 23. The thoughts of the righteous are right but the counsels of the wicked c. Prov. 12. 5. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15. 26. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Prov. 16. 3. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness but of every one who is hasty only to want Prov. 21. 5. Eat thou not the bread of him who hath an evil eye for as he thinketh in his heart so is he Eat c. saith he but his heart is not with thee Prov. 23. 6 7. The