instruction First yee must bee extraordinary persons As it is with a batte or flindermouse it is a kinde of bird but an extraordinary one It flies 1 Be extraordinary persons like a bird and so is among the fowles of the aire but it brings not forth young like a bird nor feedes them like a bird nor feedes it selfe like a bird so be you singular among Mat. 5. 47. men one of a city and two of a tribe Ordinary men do love the world to a miracle They forget they are the generation of God and so to the dishonour of their race the world and worldly things doe blot out this law of justice But as wee read of Hercules when hee wrestled with the mighty Mauritanian Antheus so often as hee threw him to the earth his mother hee soone recovered his strength againe but when beyond ordinary course he lifted him up above the ground and so held him at armes end till he was breathlesse hee soone vanquished him So when yee wrestle with your owne hearts for justice which are earth earth earth and throw Ier 22. 29. them to the ground ye never goe away conquerours for they are where they would bee Therefore lift them up extraordinarily into another element and have your conversations in heaven and yee shall soone gaine the victory to doe this law of justice The prudent searchers of nature consider the soule of man according to the three powers of it and speake though not so accurately as others of three parts of it The reasonable angry and 1 Rationalis 1 Irascibilis 3 Concupiscibilis lustfull part From the reasonable part proceeds reason itselfe judgment discretion and wisedome and this they seat in the head From the angry part issue the hot motions of fortitude and courage and this they seate in the heart From the lustfull part come desires and appetites after meate drinke and other pleasures and this they seate in the ventricle These three may represent unto us the three ages of the world In the first they Melanch post were wise then wisedome flourished arts and sciences were invented and if wee seeme to be more in this then they it is because we are Pigmies upon those Giants shoulders In the second they were valorous From Ninus to Iulius was the age of warrious Then David Sampson Achilles and Hercules were in prime But in this third and last age most are given to appetite The understanding and heart have had their times but now the Belly is the great God and as hunger after pleasure profit or honour prevailes so all lawes of God and nature are more or lesse neglected Had yee not neede then to be singular now if you would doe as you would be done unto Secondly being singular 2 Let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you extraordinary let the spirit of Christ dwell in you as well as the law of nature even that spirit wherewith hee did revive this Nature is a good mistresse if Christ be our master Nature shall well direct us in our workes of justice when by Christs spirit we are created to good works Therfore bee sure that you bee in Christ by faith that Christ be in you by the life of justification sanctification comfort and then as Christ teacheth this law of nature so you through Christ shall grow more and more abounding in the practise of it so long as you are Experience teacheth that a tree lives longer then a man or fowle or beast and wee aske the reason of it It is resolved S. Fr. Bac. Nat. Hist thus Other creatures grow to their full stature and then grow no more but in excrements as haires nailes feathers and the like but a tree live it never so long growes in proper parts and so drawes juice and sap from the roote thorough the whole body to quicken it So if you inquire why a man in Christ doth keepe all lawes better then another man I answer because he is never at his height so long as hee is heere He dayly sucks in and drawes in his growing parts of greatnesse or goodnesse the heavenly oyle and liquor of Christs spirit which Phil. 4. inables him to doe all things thorough him that helpeth him Be it in the name of Iesus Christ thus with you and ye shall not faile to doe as you would be done unto in minds mouthes and members I le Motives to observe this law give you but two incentives and so an end The not doing this will much discomfort you in the day of death In many cases betwixt you and others you have seene or heard variety of opinions and for want of judgement or goodnesse by witty evasions have beene swayed this way and that way But then let conscience have her perfect work and when it spies that by these means ye have not done as ye would be done unto it cries prickes and wounds and yee know not what to doe especially when death comes to draw you to the barie of God Therefore as Pythagoras gave a precept to his schollars not to taste of any thing that had blacke tailes so doe I advise you here and I pray God you may follow it in my christian sense The king saith according to the old picture I rule you all the souldier saith I fight for you all the husbandman saith I feede you all the priest saith I pray for you all but death saith I devoure you all And then if notwithstanding your pretence of faith in Christ you have impenitently not done as you would be done unto hell will say I will torment you all Lastly consider that the doing of this will comfort you when that day comes Put case yee have not had braines to search into every particular case to reach to the depth of every wise law to untie every knot in things to bee done or forborne yet if in indighting witnessing pleading answering judging and recording yee have done as yee would bee done unto then shall your memories blesse your understandings for seeing your understandings blesse your memories for recording your understandings and memories blesse your wills for decreeing your wills blesse your affections for maintaining the whole soule blesse the body for practising and God shall blesse all for cleaving unto his law of justice from Christ and nature And if with this you have also the law of faith and piety and follow them according to the rule of Christ then shall you heare well done good and faithfull servants enter into your masters joy To which joy our good God bring us all in his good time thorough his way of piety and justice without holinesse no man shall see thee O Lord therefore bring us thither thorough the way of piety Hee that doth not righteousnesse is not of thee O God therefore bring us thither by the way of righteousnesse also Oh let us serve thee heere in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our
Ninevites who were presently Ion. 3. 2 Chro. 34. 27. in sackcloth and Iosiah who rent his cloathes with weeping eies and melting heart Thus Davids flesh trembled for fear of God and Psal 119. 120. he was affraid of his judgments yee must looke to the promises of God as David who hid Psal 119. 11 them in his heart that he might not sinne against him Whatsoever is in the word ye must have an eie unto For though they doe not so immediately concerne you in the way of life and death as many Genealogies Chronologies Histories and Prophecies yet you must bee ready to understand Praeparatione animi them and their uses as God shall offer them yet yee must principally hold precepts to direct threatnings to humble and promises to allure and comfort ye must hold them by understanding what the will Eph. 5. 17 of the Lord is till if ye can yee come to all riches of the ful Col. 2. 2. assurance of understanding Yee must hold them by assenting to them yeelding to all the truth of them as Saint Luke to the storie of Christ whereof he was fully perswaded Yee Luâ—e 1. 1. must hold them by bringing your bodies and soules into subjection unto them For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith working Gal. 5. 6. by love This is the object of faith The act of faith is to say 3 The act of faith this is mine to adjudge and appropriate father sonne and holy Ghost unto your selves without this yee cannot feele any comfort of what you believe Therefore as David and Christ said My God My Psal 22. 1. Ioh. 20. 28 God as Thomas said My Lord and my God and as the Luke 1. 47 Blessed Virgine said my spirit that is the quintessence of my soule acted by the spirit of God rejoyceth in God my Saviour so by way of adherence when most times ye have no evidence yee must take God in Christ as your owne as hee offers himselfe I am the Lord Ex. 20. Ier. 31. thy God I will bee thy God This is the act of faith The power of faith is to make use of the riches of it The power of faith Psal 32. Psal 45. Rom. 4. Act. 15. Mal. 4. Eph. 3. Heb. 6. 2 Cor. 4. 13. for thy owne proper good Great is the power of faith and it prevaileth It covereth our sinnes by the garments of Christ our elder brother and so is imputed to us for righteousnesse It cureth our sinnes bringing Christ who hath healing under his wings to dwell in our hearts by faith It brings forth a world of the labour of love wee having the same spirit of faith believe speak and thinke and doe For by Eph. 2. 10. faith we are Gods workemanship created in Christ to good workes to walke in them And this affirme constantly that they that have believed in Tit. 3. 8. GOD be carefull to maintaine good workes This is the power of faith Now this ground of faith 2 Why yee must hold faith this object of faith this act of faith this power of faith you must hold upon these five Grounds First faith is our life wee live by faith not by sight and 1 Faith our life 2 Cor. 5. Hab. 2. every just man must live by his faith Not efficiently for so in GOD we live move and Act. 17. have our being Nor meritoriously for so saith Christ I am the way the truth and the life Nor by way of immediate Ioh. 14. application for so the holy ghost is a quickening spirit as Adams soule was the 1 Pet. 3 18. Gen. 2. breath of life But as a prime instrument of our life in Christ without this wee cannot have life either before God or in this miserable world This Rom. 1. 17 Heb. 10. 38 unites us to Christ and receives a quickning spirit as the vertue of Christ from the spirit of Christ in the meanes of salvation As men say of their trades and hands under God they are my living take away these and take away my life so say wee of faith it is your life therfore hold it Secondly faith is our power 2 Faith is our power of working of working to doe us our best good In a naturall man his reason is his power Hee is borne naked with abundance of bodily weaknesse a beast hath a great deale of bodily strength and if a lyon rationally knew how to use his pawes a dog his teeth a bullock or buck his hornes or an horse his hoofes how few men would there bee in the world But let man come in with his reason and hee subdues them all But in a believer his faith is his power and what is the power of reason to this As Christ said of miraculous faith it pulls up trees by the rootes and removes mountaines it makes sunne stand still and go backward so much more of this saving christian faith in another kinde It covers more sinnes then heaven and earth can cover Get the heavens to cover them our sinnes are more then the starres and are come up above the heavens Get the sea to cover them the sea can cover the sands at a full tide but our sins are more then the sandes of the sea Get the earth and all the creatures to cover them our sinnes over-top them all and make Rom. 8. the whole creation groane under the burthen But get faith and as love covers a multitude of sinnes in others so faith covers all sinnes in our selves It brings the garments of Christ and then wee cannot Apoc. 16. Phil. 3. Dan. 9. bee naked It brings the righteousnes of God the everlasting righteousnesse to dwel amongst men and then God cannot but be there where his righteousnesse is to give grace and Psal 84 16 glorie and every perfect gift It is your power to doe your best good and therefore hold it Thirdly faith is your workman 3 Faith is our workman Set faith about any work and what can it not doe Art thou at Gods Gen. 12. word to goe a great journey thou knowest not whither Faith did it for Abraham Art thou to fight against lyons Heb. 11. Gen. 22. beares Philistims and other puissant enemies Faith did it for David Sampson Gideon Barach and their fellowes Art thou to doe what nature abhorres Faith did it for Abraham in the sacrifice of his son Art thou to cleanse the uncleane stables of sinne Faith will take Christs spirit and arguments and doe it It cries out shall I that am dead to sinne yet live Rom. 6 therein Shall I sinne that grace may abound God forbid I will mortifie the deedes of the Rom. 8. flesh by the spirit Art thou to suffer persecution Faith will suffer it for thee in goates-skinnes and sheepes-skinnes Heb. 11. in the craggie wildernesse Art thou to overcome Death
there goes that Leviathan and creeping things innumerable so is it with the land there are too many master sinnes and untellable other sinnes which wound single but oppresse by heapes A King wee have by Gods blessing never better lawes never wiser and provisions never more wary but to make all right as the oratour magnified pronunciation so doe I execution Many hands make light worke and your hearts will set them on worke up and be doing I neede not provoke your willing mindes yet may I shew you what you do or should though I presse you not to what you doe not A poore oppressed Surius in vita S. Basil woman did observe Saint Basil to have some credit with the governour of his place Shee solicits him to write to the govenour in her behalfe The good Bishop presently tooke pen inke and paper and wrote to this effect This poore woman came unto me saying that my letters have great weight with thee If it be so heare her and shew it The woman carried it the governour read it and writes backe this againe Holy father for thy sake I would have had pitty upon this poore woman but I could not except shee pay all that is required of her The good Bishop writes againe once more thus Seeing thy will is ready but thy power is wanting it is a tolerable excuse but if thou couldest and wouldest not Christ will make thee so poore that where thou wouldest thou shalt not be able These words were propheticall to this unjust governour for not long after he fell into the Emperours displeasure was cast into prison and expected punishment But then he remembred Saint Basil whose intercession he sought and obtained and by that meanes his liberty Hee then came to Saint Basil called to minde the poore woman sent for her and restored to her the goods hee wrongfully withheld twofold Hee would not hazard a second punishment for an act of Injustice unrepented of My observations upon this story are these It is a great honour to be in authority it makes the Saints of God on earth to sue unto them It is a miserable place to bee upon earth oppressions may bee done to Gods poore servants It is a fearefull thing not to relieve the oppressed when it is in our power it casts the mighty from the throne and brings them to shame It is a brave thing to doe Iustice at first but better late then never better of love then when it is whipt outwith strokes It is glorious too not to refuse to doe right at last when at first wee have done wrong as hee for not one of a thousand meets with such a day You will bee pleased ever to bee better presidents of Iustice then that Iusticer and not to stand in neede of his best part his late repentance whereof you are not sure And thus the eyes of the Lord will bee upon the just and his eares will bee open to their prayers His eyes will bee upon the iust As hee that hath made a goodly picture looks upon it againe and againe that hee may supply to every defect at last so God deales with the godly that are just His eares are open to their prayers When they call he will heare when they cry he will say Ecce adsum behold here am I nor behold I wil come because hee is hard at hand to comfort them with blessings who comfort others with upright Iustice I cannot teach the meanest amongst you in your way onely I have presumed to present this story and withall to offer to your eyes if you please what you have heard with your eares The Assize of God and The Assize of Nature If these may stand you in the least stead to shew you what you are and doe and put you in minde what you must continue it is all the hearty wishes humble prayers upon this occasion of him that is and will be Your worthinesses to use in possible services ROBERT ABBOT THE CONTENTS OF THESE SERMONS in short 1 The Lords Assize from Iudg. 11. 27. 1 Which is fitted to the time or setting down a triall of 1 The life 2 The liberty 3 The goods 4 The goodname Of Israel Of AmoÌ„n 2 And propounded to perswade all trials by the Lord the Iudge Where both 1 What keepes the Lord from judging 1 When truth is witheld in unrighteousnesse 1 By deniall 2 By false accusation 3 By profit 4 By lingring delaies 5 By flattery feare hope c. 2 Wher if truth appeare judgment doe not attend upon it in full glory 2 What brings the Lord to judging 1 When such persons sit to judge as God would have 2 When the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth 1 By an holy heart 2 By an holy hand 3 By an holy eie 4 By an holy mouth THE CONTENTS OF THE Second SERMON 2 Natures Assize from Math. 7. 12. 1 Where for introduction 2 knots are cleaâ—ed 1 What it is inferred upon How it is the law and the prophets 1 Whether in the law there beÌ„e more then one precept 2 Whether there bee a connexion of all vertues where one 2 Where for tractation 1 Are examined 1 Lawes of nature 2 Principles 2 of nature Are shewed 1 The praises of this law 2 The power of it 1 Briefe from Christ 2 Plaine Nature 1 In sense layed downe 1 Negatively 1 Not what we list 2 Nor what others doe to us 3 Nor what others do to others 4 Nor what themselves would 5 Nor what we have bin accustomed 6 Nor what profit honour pleasure perswades 7 Nor as the lawes of the land permit 2 Positively As would others doe to us 1 Whence this rule ariseth 2 When selfe-love is right charity 3 How this rule of justice must be carried 2 In application To all To the occasion 1 With 2 meanes to doe it 2 With 2 motives to further it THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD and fourth SERMONS 3 The Christians Thrift in keeping from 1 Tim. 1. 19. 1 Where we are taught 1 To keepe faith where 1 How we must keep it By holding 1 The ground of faith 2 The object of faith 3 The act of faith 4 The power of faith 2 Why we must keep it 1 Faith is our life 2 Faith is our power of working 3 Faith is our workeman 4 Faith is our best light here 5 Faith makes earth heaven 2 To keep our keeping of it and to use meanes ro keep it 2 Where also we are taught 1 To keep a good conscience where 1 How we must keep it By keeping 1 The light of conscience 2 The love of conscience 3 The worke of conscience 4 The charge of conscience 2 Why we must keepe it 1 If it be gone God wil be against us 2 Without it nothing wil do us good 3 Without it nothing can do us hurt 4 It carries with it more then the whole world 2 To try our keeping of it and to use
meanes to keepe it THE LORDS ASSIZE OR A SERMON ON JVDGES 11. 27. The Lord the Iudge bee Iudge this day betwixt the children of Israel and the children of Ammon RIght Honorable Right Worshipfull and Beloved Be pleased to heare these words out of the Judges by Gods assistance driven to an issue before the Judges Object Verbum diei in diesuo It may bee you will say they are not fit they yeeld not a word in due season they speake of the Lord the Iudge and these here are men It is true they are men by Answer Psal 82. 6. 2 Chron. 19. 6. nature but they are Gods by Communion of office I have said yee are Gods and their Judgements are the Iudgements of God for God saith Iehosaphat But you will Object say this day will bring forth a Judgement by ordinarie Justice not by warre as that is heere This is true too yet by the Answer Rom. 13. Distantia 1 Perfectionis 2 Oppositionis sword for the Magistrate beares not the sword for nonght As all sinners fight against God for they stand at a double distance from him a distance of perfection and of opposition therefore God hath a controversie with his people proclaymeth warr So criminall offenders fight against the face of government the just lawes of the kingdom This is the controversie whether the lawes shall be kept or broken And as God in case of rebellion doth provide famine beasts pestilence and the sword so Magistrates come against such not with the sword of the mouth as Preachers but with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 34. mouthes of the sword to bee edged by the lawes for correction or confusion The greatest difficulty will be to fit the persons and causes to be tryed and Judged It is confessed that there wil heere be some difference Heere a pretended title of land is that which drawes on the whole quarrell but this day will bring forth other controversies Heere the proper sword of warre decides the doubt but this day drawes the borrowed sword of peace for peace Heere Israel is against uncircumcised Ammonites but this day will unvaile christians by profession not by practise in those particular acts they must fall in and for Yet looke more narrowly into the present businesse betwixt Israel and Ammon and yee shall see all the causes of this day intertwisted Ammon charges Israel with unjust possession of land held from them to a long succession Iphtah the now Judge being loath to fall upon such a desperate Phlebotomy as Ammon was prepared for would first pleade out Iuridically the cause by embassies to cleare the justice of his sword Hee confesseth that they have that land in question and hee pleades a threefold right unto it The right of a 1 Jus belli justi just warre it was gotten by the sword The right of Gods gift God whose is the earth 2 Donatio Dei gave it us and cast out the old owners as forfeiters The 3 Praescriptio right of prescription we have had it foure hundred yeares without clayme or charge of wrong But for the ancient possessors of it that he might crosse Ammons charge he pleadeth two things First that it was the land of the Amorites who fought against them under Sehon their then King and of the Moabites who were justly ejected by God But secondly for the Amorites the now plaintifes they had none of their land that was a false charge a picking of an unjust quarrell And that this plea was good is manifest in the Records of the law those old reports of God himselfe God said Deut. 2. 29 thou shalt not distresse or meddle with the children of Ammon for I will not give thee their land which I have given Deut. 2. 37 to the children of Lot There is Gods edict with the reason of it And Moses said to the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not nor unto any place of the river Iabbock the land now in question There is their obedience to Gods charge which they kept to that day Thus Israels case is cleare yet this prevailes not with Ammon Lyes would have dominion over truth and Ammon would fight though the cause were cleared against him He joynes issue takes out his nisi priùs appoints the day of Assize and he will have a triall for life whether Ammon or Israel must live For liberty whether Ammon or Israel must bee homagers for Goods whether Ammon or Israel shal have the spoyle for name whether Ammon or Israel is of better credit And thus the text comes up to the whole businesse of the day Now when all things were thus prepared betwixt guilty and innocent plaintife defendant the wretched Ammonites were like prisoners in Acts 8. Pro. 5. 22. Rom. 11. the bonds of iniquity holden in the cords of their sins shut up in the prison of unbeliefe and could not see the Judge set to be the avenger of his people But Iephtah was at more liberty He sees with fuller eye the Glory and presence of the just Judge Hee like a man confident in his cause appeales unto him calles for these prisoners and plaintifes to the barre prepares for hearing judgement execution and because hee would not have the glory of the day himselfe but would give it to the Judge of right wrong therefore as Ioab before Rabbah when hee was ready to take it sent for David saying Come thou and take it least the 2 Sam. 12. victory be attributed to me and the city bee called by my name so doth Iphtah invite God to the day for all honour the Lord the Iudge Iudge betwixt the children of Israel and Ammon But still you may say that Object they were Ammonites that were to be judged there and of these there were none here It is true personally individually Answer it is so but for the cause under pretence of land they would have life liberty goods and good name of Israel at their mercy for spoyle and prey and so there are too many here and every where Israel had all their life in and from the God of mercy all their liberty from the God of freedom all their goods and lands from the God of bounty all their credit and renowne from Gods protection and cohabitation yet Ammon unjustly seekes to dispossesse them of all these Hee puts them in feare of life and seeks it Hee presents death and pursues it Hee hunts after their liberty and would have it Hee desires their goods for a rich booty Hee basely takes away their good name as usurpers not worthy to live therfore I appeale to the God of Caesar saith Iphtah the Lord the Iudge bee Iudge c. By this time I hope you see Israels and Ammons case brought to the full worke of an Assize wherein yee have presented three particulars 1. The Judge set for the trial of guilty and not guilty plaintife and defendant the
the world Therefore privates meddle not with these things that last is too large for their shooe Secondly to provide by 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawes edicts and proclamations to keepe every man under them in good order And thirdly to give judgement 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his lawes and ordinances for the punishment of evill doers and praise of them Rom. 13. 4. that doe well And Judges know their duties under them that is according to lawes edicts orders helped forth by the God of truth to waite upon truth and passe judgement for it with an equall ballance of causes a blinde eye to persons and a sharpe sword of offence and defence as neede requires Now if this bee away God judgeth not He is kept from judgements seates because his truth is not honored and his 2 What brings the Lord to judgement seates kingdome of truth advanced These two keepe the Lord the Judge from judging amongst men There are two things also which bring God to judge First when such persons sit to judge as God would have They should be shepheards to defend and keepe their flocks Psal 77. 70. Ezek. 28. 12. Gen. 50. 20. 2 Sam. 14. 17. signets upon Gods right hand to seale no rescripts and warrants but his saviours to preserve and save much people and Angels to guard the good and inflict punishment upon the wicked God hath made them images of his excellencie 1. When such persons sit to judge as God would have in being set aloft of his wisedome in making and applying lawes of his Iustice in punishing malefactors of his mercy in passing by and pardoning if neede require and of his goodnes in fostering and cherishing his people Therfore he maketh glorious Emblems of them in the Scriptures we reade of one in the image of an hee Goate Dan. 8. 5. with a notable horne betwixt his eies There is an horne for glory and strength to offend and defend A notable one visible to all his subjects that stand in neede An horne betweene the eyes because it is used with circumspection and wisedome such must bee a Judge And let it not grieve them that they are set out by a beast when Christ himselfe is called the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah We reade of another in the image of a goodly spreading Dan. 4 19 tree A beautifull tree because of majestie A spreading tree because he offers accesse to others A fruitfull tree because of his doing of good A shadowing tree because of his mercy And a tree having branches for birds because he extendeth favours to others according to qualities Such must be a Judge But above all wee reade of 1 Kings 10. 18 19 20. Salomons goodly throne which was thus set out On each side were sixe Lyons because all the twelve tribes were subject unto him not Levie excepted Two Lyons before the stayres because two tribes in after-defection should not depart from his house The assent unto it was by six steps whereon when the King ascended as the Rabbines say the cryer proclaymed thus when hee was upon the first wrest not judgement when he was upon the second accept no mans person when hee was upon the third take no bribe when hee was upon the fourth plant no groves for Idols when hee was upon the fift erect no piller to honour them and when he was upon the sixt kill not an oxe to sacrifice unto them And all this to put him in minde of religion and justice If they be such as God hath thus resembled this brings the Lord to judge now Gods are come downe unto Acts 14. 11. us in the likenesse of men Not as if God did not judge though the persons are faulty for if sentence passe according to Gods truth though it bee by Antiochus a wicked person Herod that Foxe or Ananias that painted wall yet these sit in Moses Chaire heare them But when their persons qualities and judgements center and meete in holinesse then then are they the fuller image of the Lord the Judge and hee bowes the heavens and 2 When the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth comes downe among them Secondly this also brings the Lord to judge when the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth When truth in witnesses Oathes Allegations Evidences Judgements and Records meete then Christs kingdome is advanced and God is Judge indeede For here is a conformity betwixt truth and the things that are to honour God If now you shall aske mee Quest how this may be I answer By an holy heart hand eye and mouth in the whole worke of the Assize There must be an holy heart Answer By an holy heart Iohn 6. when all persons are faithfull to the rruth Christ distributed bread and fish by the hands of his Disciples to the hungry people they kept none for themselves but gave for Christ and gathered for Christ Here was faithfulnesse Iosua divided the land of promise to the Israelites and as if hee had forgot himselfe hee reserved not a part nor would have any to hinder his office Here was faithfulnesse too Ioseph might have amassed up a world of wealth to himselfe in the time of famine but hee was content with the portion from the King and here was faithfulnesse also When all you shall receive from the Lord the King and the law distribute faithfully without seeking your selves this is an holy heart God judgeth There must bee holy hands 2 By holy hands Hos 4. 18. Gen. 14. 21. when all persons are not guilty of shamefull Give Give Higher powers will hate it but may they not bee abused by some inferiours who love it too well The King of Sodome when hee was rescued said to valiant Abraham give me the soules take the goods to thy selfe but just Abraham would have none from a thread to a shooe latchet least he should say he had made Abraham rich Here were holy hands Ye know how it was with Balaam hee would for a reward have said good of evill and evill of good in cursing Numb 22. Esa 5. Israel An Angel meets him his Asse speakes and Balaam wonders not but speakes to his Asse againe thou hast mocked mee Saint August lib. quaest V. Augustine wonders at that and layes the fault upon the love of money which blockt him up so as he could not see miracles to keepe him in a right course his were not holy hands Take heede let Israel be Israel and remember Balaam There must bee holy eyes 3 By holy eyes which may be two waies first when all are looked upon without any respect of persons The Judge and the Altar are all one said an heathen of old all appeale unto 1 King 1. 50. 2. 29. them As Adonijah runnes to the hornes of the Altar so Absalom in his case referres himselfe to the King the Judge
Timothie commends unto us is when wee have a good conscience to hold that also Yee must hold a good conscience As faith is of a flying nature in it selfe so is a good conscience too it hath many wings to flie away from us the weake owners of it It flies A good conscience is of a flying nature 1 By feares away first by feare Abraham was afraid of the court of Abimelech and Pharaoh and therfore weakely taught his wife Sarah to tell a lye and Peter was afraid in the high-priests hall and he denied his master with cursing Daniel and the three worthies banished feare from their soules and would worship God alone and pray unto him what ever came and so kept a good conscience whereas Abraham and Peter lost it Secondly by unmercifulnesse Adonibezeck 2 By unmercifulnesse Iudg. 1. Luke 16. was cruell and what a wicked conscience had hee in cutting off the thumbes of seaventie Kings and using them like dogges Dives was so too and what a conscience had he in denying the crumbes of his table Thirdly By the love of 2 By the love of the world Gal. 6. 12. the world the false Apostles making a faire shew in the flesh constrained christians to be circumcised onely least they should suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ and thus a good conscience did fly away Fourthly by the love 4 By love of sinne of sinne David loved the sweete sinne of Bathshebah therefore hee contrived the death of Vriah and so conscience fled Fiftly by the love 5 By love of honour of honour Achitophel was not honoured above Hushai the Archite and hee hanged himselfe Adonijah was not honoured above Salomon and hee ended in rebellion Bigthan and Teresh had not honour answerable to their minds and they proved treacherous Haman could not have Mardocaies knee and all the Jewes if hee can helpe it must die for it And thus a good conscience fled from them Sixtly by the guilt and 6 By the guilt and horrour of sinne horrour of great sinnes Iudas was pressed sore with what hee had done and hee went out and hanged himself and thus a good conscience did flie from him Lastly by 7 By profit Psal 73. Ier. 12. Iob. 21. 2 Tim. 4 10. the profits of the world David Ieremy and Iob had not the prosperitie of wicked men and in a passion they fel to grumbling against God Demas had it cast upon him and forsooke Paul and imbraced the present world and thus good conscience was almost in the first altogether in the last chased What shall I say There are some sins of daily incursion which are lamented Peccata quotidianae incursionis et vastantia conscientias groaned under and fought against which may bee lived with though not lived in and yet a good conscience may stay by us but if any sinne lay waste the conscience by selfe-libertie and presumption good conscience flies and therefore hold it To helpe you in this also I 1 How to hold a good conscience shall labour to shew you two things how you may hold a good conscience and why you must doe it If yee would hold a good conscience yee must hold foure things 1 The light of conscience 2 The love of conscience 3 The works of conscience 4 The charge of conscience 1 The light of conscience must 1 Hold the light of conscience be held Be a workeman never so good hee cannot shew it if hee want light to doe his worke by so is it with conscience Now conscience hath a double light 1 the light 1 The light of nature of nature which light still presents some principles to frame our life by as that there is a God that hee is to bee worshipped that we must doe to others as wee would bee done unto and if these bee not followed conscience checks 2 The light of the 2 The light of nature word which fully presents the particulars of those generalls and shewes with what how and when God is to bee worshipped together with that honour life honestie goods truth and quietnesse of nature wherein wee must so doe to others as wee would they should doe to us If yee keepe not both these lights conscience can never be good Three eies view all 1 of God Heb. 4. Ier. 9. There are three eies that look upon all things done first the eye of God who hath all things naked before him Hee sees and writes with a penne of iron and point of a diamond and either hee censures heere or heereafter Secondly the 2 Of the world eye of the world this sees all things manifested and would make you believe thorough squinteyed jealousie and suspition that it sees more then it doth and so passeth censures accordingly Thirdly 3 The eye of conscience the eye of conscience This sees all that it is enlightened to see but if it have not light it sees not and censures not therefore hold the light of conscience The love of conscience 2 Hold the love of conscience Gen. 31. must be held If ye love it not it will away As Iacob when hee saw Labans countenance changed and his wages too and that ten times away he goes so doth conscience As David when he saw himselfe not loved in the court of Saul away hee goes to the Philistines Achish wildernesse any whither where hee could finde entertainement so will conscience deale with you As therefore yee say of that you love I thanke God for this I would not bee without it so say of conscience I thanke God for conscience I would not bee without it for a thousand worlds thus hold the love of conscience The worke of conscience must bee held too It is an officer under God to determine upon 3 Hold the worke of conscience information of all our actions for excusation accusation conviction or conversion and can Gods officers bee idle The officers of men may bee idle yea foundations may be out of course The out-ward Psal 83. officers of God may bee idle too magistrates and ministers may too often be found to bee idol shepheards but this privie counsellour and immediate internall officer Zach. 11. 17 conscience cannot bee idle God sits on the throne with it and though it seemes to sleepe yet in still silence it registers all acts and neglects omissions and commissions and when a man would think that all is forgotten then In an evill day it brings forth all and layes it in order before us Eccles 12. to our shame and confusion Hold therefore the worke of Psal 50. conscience and what is that It is threefold First to propound unto you from the light of nature and The work of conscience is threefold 1 To propound the word what yee ought to bee and doe in the whole frame of life and course of living It layes the rule of GODS Image and will before you and sayes thus you