mens gifts or their great and glorious effects but in Gods account q Luk. 16. 10 hee that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull in much and r 2 Cor. 8. 12 if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Lord in his sacrifices accepted as well Å¿ Leu. 1. 2 14 5. 7. doues and pigeons from poore men as goats or bullocks from the rich likewise in the offerings for the tabernacle as well t Exo. 25. 3 4. brasse as gold and siluer and goats haire as wel as purple and scarlet Yea search the Scriptures and to your comfort you shall finde the u Luk. 21. 2. 3. poore widowes two mites morâ— in Christs acceptation then all the abundance of the rich and the w 2 Reg. 5. 10 c. words of Naamans seruants greater in operation then the words of that great Prophet Elisha And as Salomon speakes of x Eccl. 9. 14. 15. one poore man by his wisedome deliuering a citty beseiged by a great King so wee y 2 Sam. 20. 16 c. reade of one wise woman by her gratious words to preuaile against desperate Ioab for preseruation of another citty Arist Your mention of women mindes vs of one obiection more wherby some with great indignation would stop all womens mouthes from teaching admonishing Saith not S. Paul say they z 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection And againe I suffer not a woman to teach or to vsurpe authority ouer the man but to learne in silence Arch. Such men are as good disciples of S. Paul as a Ioh. 9. 28 29. the Pharises were of Moses whom they alleaged and magnified not for any faith or credit they gaue him but to couer their malice in vilifying the Lord Iesus For if S. Pauls meaning should be as they vrge that no women might teach in priuate he should be contrary to himselfe and the Scriptures But plainly else where doth he expound himselfe Saying b 1 Cor. 14. 34. let your women keep silence in the churches And as for womens teaching in priuate were they not willfully blinde on that side they might see the same c Tit. 2. 1. 4. Apostle charging Titus to teach it as found doctrine that the aged women should teach the younger women c. Is it not also registred to the commendation of Salomons d Pro. 31. 1 c mother how what she taught him Yea and to womens praise the Scriptures witnesse that they haue taught what inferiors or equals onely nay as neede required they haue giuen a word of exhortation to their superiors and that not onely in the family as e 2 Reg. 4. 9 c. the Shunamite did to her husband but also in the Church and common-wealth as f Act. 18. 26. Priscilla did to Apollos a preacher and g 1 Sam. 25. 24 c. Abigail to Dauid the Lords annointed For sometimes h Gen. 21. 9 c. Sarah the weaker vessel may hold staunch when Abraham may faile and then what must Abraham doe In this case Abraham himselfe though Sarahs Lord is i Vers 12. commanded by God to hearken to Sarahs voice in all that she tolde him wherefore although the world set this as a brand of iust reproach vpon k 1 Tim. 5. 11 12 13. wanton idle and light huswifes that they are tatlers and busy-bodies yet when God sets forth the l Pro. 31. 10 price of a vertuous woman one of her excellencies whereby she is valued far aboue Rubies is this that m Vers 26. she openeth her mouth with wisedome c. and who is he then that should dare to shut it Arist You haue so fully satisfied vs in your first rule of direction that laying aside all blinde excuses and friuolous pretences we shall henceforth gird vp the loynes of our mindes and be more ready to this good worke of edifying whereunto the Lord stirre vp all whom hee hath sanctified and made meete for this his seruice be they male or female Helpe vs onward therefore wee pray with your further directions Arch. The second rule of direction is to take heed to that of the Apostle n 1 Pet. 4. 17 if any man speake let him speake as the oracles of God For it is o Act 20. 32. the word of Gods grace that is able as a fit toole or instrument to build vp new men as S. Paul saith being compared sometime to a p Ier. 23. 29. hammer sometimes to an q Mat. 3. 10. axe sometimes to a r Esa 28. 10. line and some times to a Å¿ Gal. 6. 16. rule This is that wee are called to looke vnto t Esa 8. 20. to the law and to the testimony which must be carefully heeded as v Verse 16. bound vp and sealed among the Lords Disciples though cast aside of all others and if men speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Wherefore it is not humane Philosophy morality or politie though accommodated with History and adorned with Poetry not the edicts and statutes of Kings and Parliaments â—o nor the decretals and Canons of Popes and Councels that are fit and complete instruments for the edifying of soules either for conuerting or peruerting them For this is a speciall prerogatiue that God hath reserued to his Law and holy Scriptures aboue all the glorious workes of his owne hands according as it is written w Psal 19 7. The Law of God is perfect conuerting the soule and x 2 Tim. 3. 15. 17 the holy Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect and wise vnto saluation For this cause the Scriptures beare the title of y Pro. 8. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiefetaines or Leaders and of z Eccl. 12. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords of collections as the Hebrew words import because they are as Leaders and Lords paramount aboue all other words and writings of men that euer were collected into volumes which are not onely to bee made subordinate vnto them but no otherwise to be admitted for vse then as attendants and seruants vnto them And this preheminence is to be giuen to the holy Scriptures first in regard of their discent a 2 Tim. 3. 16. being all giuen by inspiration of God and b 2 Pet. 1. 21 holy men of God speaking therein as they were moued by the holy Ghost secondly in respect of their authority they being authentique of themselues and teaching c Mat. 5. 21. Mark 7. 14. like Christ of their owne inbred authority all others teaching by commission and authority from them and thirdly in regard of their vse and extent being d Psal 19. 7 perfect and e Psal 1â—9 96. exceeding large as well for
enioyned addeth a most solemne charge too high and heauy for any earthly potentate to dispense withall saying b 1 Tim. 5. 21 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preferring one before an other doing nothing by paâ—tiality And sure if publique sinnes were to haue priuate admonition before publique reproofe then would not the Prophet Elias so c 1 Reg. 18. 18 21. 20 instantly and openly haue reproued king Ahab nor our Sauiour so haue d Luk. 13. 32 taxed king Herod for a foxe nor haue said so openly to Peter e Mat. 16. 23 get behind me Satan c. nor to the ruler of the synagogue f Luk. 13. 15 thou hipocrite c. neither would S. Paul so haue g Gal. 2. 14 reproued S. Peter before all nor S. Peter himselfe haue so said to his auditors h Act. 2. 36. Iesus whom ye haue â—rucified c. and againe i Act. 4 15. this is the stone set at nought of you builders c. Now if rulers if Apostles if kings be not to be spared who men Doubtles it is a great â—ult and no lesse then an k Eze. 22. 2 abhomination to l Verse 7. set light by Father Mother to m Iud. vers 8 despise dominion and to speake euill of dignities for it is written n Act 23. 5. thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people that is by o Exo. 22. 28. any reuiling manner or cursing as the law expresseth the meaning But this is no reuiling when reuerence and honour being exhibited to dominions and dignities and that with all feare and trembling as vnto Gods vicegerents on earth the scandall of a publique flagitious offence is sought to be remoued by a publique reproofe And most famous through the Christian world is that commendation which Thedosius Vid. Theodoris hist Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 17. the Emperour gaue to S. Ambrose saving that he had hardly found a teacher of truth and that he knew onely bishop Ambrose worthy of that name because Ambrose had openly reproued him Ruffinus his fauourite for their publique scandalous faults And to the euerlasting praise of our gracious Soueraigne King Iames it is worthy to be written with the point of a Diamond how Anno Domino 1619. in detestation of the impudent whorish attire and habits of some man-like monstrous women who with a whores fore-head then out-faced Church Court his most excellent Maiesty commanded the Lord Arch-bishop of Cant and other Bishops by him to charge the preachers in his royall name publiquely in their pulpits to rebuke such women and put them to open shame And for as much as by notorious haynous offences p Rom. 2. 24 Gods name is blasphemed and many soules endangered notorious offences being as q Heb. 12. 15 powerfull to corrupt others as a r 1 Cor. 5. 6 little leauen is to leauen the whole lumpe What reason that the honour of our heauenly Father and the safety of many soules should yeeld to the vndeserued credit or respect of any one man Vnles it were good piety towards our parents to heare them capitally slaundered in publique and to dismisse the slaunderer with a reproofe in secret or good charity towards our neighbours to suffer a whole citty to be infected rather then they should heare an Alderman publiquely rebuked for going among them with the botch running on him Finally when I heare how the loue of euery naturall childe cryeth to haue the plaister as broad as the wound giuen to his Fathers honour and remember the verdict of our Sauiour saying Å¿ Mat. 10. 37 he that loueth Father more th 〈…〉 e is not worthy of me Againe when I consider that as Mr. Perkins saith t Perk. in Gal. 2. 14. liberty in reprouing is not the fruit of a rash disposition but the fruit of Gods spirit and so to be acknowledged as the Prophet u Mic. 3. 8. Micah sheweth and that S. Paul is neuer any where so witnessed to be filled with vv Act. 13. 7 8 9 10 the holy Ghost as when he set his eyes on Elymas and openly to his face said though he were a man in respect with the Deputy of the Country O full of subtilly and mischiefe thou child of the diuell thou enemy of all righteousnesse c. Last of all when I remember how in the dayes of Iohn Baptist x Mat. 11. 12 when the Kingdome of heauen suffered ruiolence and men tooke it by force men were y Mat. 3. 6. baptised of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes and how afterwards in the dayes of the Apostles preaching the z Act. 19. 18 c. word is said so mightily to grow and preuaile that many beleeuers came and confessed and shewed their deeds and many great curious artists brought their bookes together and burnt them before al men though the price of them being counted was found to be 50000 pieces of siluer about 800 English pounds and how long before these a Num. 20. 10 11 12. Moses the seruant of God b Psal 51. 1 in the title of the Psal King Dauid c Ion. 1. 3. 5 Ionas the Prophet and d Act. 22. 4. 5 26. 9. c Paul the Apostle for an example to all the w 〈…〉 d being all e 2. Pet. 2. 21 inspired by â—â—e holy Ghost that f 2 Tim. 1. 6 spirit of power and loue of a sound minde stoode forth as voluntary penitents with their publique writings accusing confessing against themselues their publique notorious offences and shaming themselues to glorifie God and edifie men When I call to minde these things and lay them to heart my belly trembleth to conceiue in what disgrace and contempt the word of publique reproofe is held being censured as the froth of a rash and giddy braine rather then the fruit of Gods spirit and how it is husht and almost buried in silence as well in pulpits as p 〈…〉 ru meetings to fulfill the prophecies written of these last and perillous times namely g Mat. â—4 12 because iniquity shall abound as Christ saith the loue of many shall waxe colde h 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 5. and men shall be louers of their owne selues as S. Paul saith hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Concerning the manner of publique reproofe I gain say not any discretion or respect to men that good is but wish all heauenly skill and humble endeauours therein to be vsed either by helpe of parables as the i 2 Sam. 12. Prophets dealt with King Dauid and k 1 Reg. 20. 39 c. â—ing Ahab or by way of intercessio◠〈◊〉 humble aduise and intrâ—aty as l Dan. 4. 19 27. Daniel delt with King Nebuchadâ—ezzâ—r and m Iere. 38. 20 c. Ieremy with King Zedekiah
Time as when a 2 â—am 14. 1 c. Ioab perceiued king Dauids heart towards banished Absolom then he put words in the wise womans mouth for his returne of Place as when the b Mat. 13. 36. Marc. 4. 10 34. 7. 17 disciples keeping silence where Christ taught the multitude respited to aske him the things they doubted of till he came into the house and was with them alone of Persons as when c 1 Cor. 9. 20 c. S. Paul became as a Iew vnto the Iewes to them that were without law as without law and all things to all men that he might by all means saue some and of Occasions as d Ios 24. 22. c. Ioshua when the people had witnessed with their owne mouthes against themselues that they had chosen the Lord to serue him he thereupon presently perswaded them to put away their strange Gods and that very day made a couenant statute and ordinance with them And so S. Paul e Act. 17. 23 c. when among the Idolaters at Athens he had espied an altar with this inscription To the vnknowne God he thence tooke occasion to declare vnto them the onely true God whom they ignorantly worshipped And because it is the property of a f Eccl. 8. 5. wise-mans heart to discerne both time and iudgement therefore by due obseruation of all circumstances wee are to discerne first whither it be a fit season for vs to speake and secondly whither the season be fit for others to heare Comcerning the first of these for as much as a g Pro. 29. 11 foole vttereth al his minde and the h Pro. 15. 2 mouth of foolesse powreth out foolishnes whereas a i Pro. 12. 23 prudent man concealeth knowledge and k Pro. 29. 11 keepeth it in till afterwards therefore as generally wee must set a watch before the doore of our lips and be sparing of our words * Pro. 15. 2 studying to answere before wee speake so especially in the presence of our betters in gifts of grace callings and yeares wee must l Iob 29. 9. refraine talke and lay our hands vpon our mouthes knowing our distance and obseruing humility in speaking as in sitting m Luk. 14. 7 c giuing the first place to the more honourable as our Sauiour taught the guests And then if they speake not at al or not fully to edification if any thing better be reuealed to vs wee may must speake for our parts Thus Elihu being young and Iob and his friends very old though he werefull of matter yet he n Iob 32. 4 c. wayted for their words and long attended vnto them till he answered his part For want of this obseruation as empty caskes sound loudest and â—ase mettals ring shrillest so many vaine talkers and tatlers powre it out when euer they come before their wiser their betters in foolish and vnlearned questions in prophane and vaine bablings no way good to the vse of edifying but to the o 2 Tim. 2. 14 subuerting or p 2 Pet. 2. 8. vexing of the hearers Wherein as they bewray the q Iam. 1. 26. vanity of their religion in not refrayning their tongues and r Pro. 10. 19. no want of sinne in the multitude of their words so Å¿ Mat. 12. 37 by their words they shall be condemned not onely because they edifie not but because they hinder those that would edifie like the t Mat. 23. 13 wofull Scribes and Pharises that shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men neither going in themselues nor suffering them that were entring to goe in Touching the second wee are to obserue that some times fooles are in a rage then u Pro. 17. 12 let a Beare robbed of her whelps meete a man rather then a foole in his folly saith Salomon and then vv Pro. 21. 23. who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles For as the x Iam. 1. 2◠〈◊〉 wrath of man euen of a man regenerate worketh not the righteousnesse of God because y Pro. 27. 4. wrath is cruell and anger is outragious so a fooles wrath is z Vers 3. heauyer then the waighty sands or heauy stones And therefore at such times either wee must keepe our mouth with a bridle and keepe the doore of our lips close shut or at least-wise our a Pro. 15. 1. answere must be soft to turne away wrath else what doe wee but as men that will be rashly opening their doores to raging beares or b Eccl. 10. â— remouing waighty stones in both which without great warines men may soone get no little hurt Againe in times of prosperity the hearts of most men are c Luk. 21. 34 surcharged with cares and pleasures of this life and drunke but not with wine as the d Esa 29. 9. Prophet speaketh as others are sometimes drunken with Naball e Hos 4. 1â— wine and new wine taking away the heart Now as wise Abigail wayted an opportunity f 1 Sâ—â— â—â— 36. till the wine was gone out of Nabal and then tolde him his owne and as God because g Ier. â—â— â—1 he speakes vnto men in their prosperity and they will not heare which is their manner from their youth vp being as hardly to be diuerted in their occasions as h Ier. 2. 24 the wilde asse vsed to the wildernesse that snuffeth vp the winde at her pleasure doth therefore i Iob 36. 8 10. binde them in fetters and hold them in cords of affliction to open their care to discipline and then in k Esa 26. 16 trouble they will visite him and powre out a prayer when his chastening is vpon them so must wee looke and wayte for the like opportunities in dealing with the like persons And as they that seeke the wilde asse will not l Ier. 2. 24 weary themselues as the Prophet saith because in her moneth they will finde her that is once a yeare comes her foaling moneth then she is tame enough to be dealt withall so when m Esa 26. Gods iudgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world saith the Lord will learne righteousnesse much more the inhabitants of Ierusalem then are mens consciences awakened as were the n Gen. 42. 21 Patriarchs to call their wayes to remembrance then are mens o Leu. 36. 41 vncircumcised hearts humbled to p 1 Reg. 8. 38 47. know euery man the plague of his owne heart and to bethinke himselfe and in affliction not onely Gods children will q Hos â— â—â— acknowledge their offences and seeke Gods face and seeke him earely and become as tame as Lambes and Kids so that a r Esa 11. 6. little child shall lead them and Å¿ Eze. 20. 37 bring them into the bond of the couenant while God causeth them to passe vnder the rod but hipocrites themselues will t