of a very large extent yet it hath pleased the Holy-Ghost to reduce them under three heads 2 Tit. 12. Sobriety towards our selves Honesty towards our neighbour and Godliness towards God So that when it is said Dorcas was full of good works the meaning is this She was very Sober Honest and Godly in respect of her disposition and full of Acts of sobriety honesty and godlinesse in her conversation Only take notice of this before I come to the Doctrine Though Dorcas be here commended for her good works yet the Scripture speaketh sometimes of good works by way of Diminution and debasing of them which in what respect it is done is very necessary for us to observe Take notice therefore when good works are compared with the righteousness of Christ in relation to justification then they are rejected as unable for any such use and called menstruous rags 64 Is 6. dross and dung 3 Phil. 8. when the best works we do are considered in the Court of Justification there they are damnable and have so much dross in them that God doth reject them as wholy insufficient but look on them as fruits of Faith done out of obedience to Gods command and with respect to his Glory and so the Scripture doth highly commend them Thus then the Scripture commends good works against the Antinomian who holds them unnecessary but condemns good works yea the best works against the Papist who holds them to be meritorious whereas when we have done all Nisi Deus per misericordiam pareret non haberet quos per justitiam coronaret in Ps 100. we must say that we are unprofitable and acknowledge with Augustine that unless God did spare in mercy he should find none whom he might Crown in justice surely he that relyes upon his works doth like a man that on a moon-shinie night mistakes his own shadow for a bridge and so falls into the River and is drowned Now let the observation be this All that make profession of the Gospel should accompany their profession with fruitfullness in good works So Paul gave in charge to Titus These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have beleeved in God be carefull to maintain good works 3 Tit. 8. two greek words are observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it be their care and study the bent of their minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or rather to be examples and presidents going before others in good works these are the richest and most usuall styles of commendation in Scripture Moses a man mighty in words and deeds Cornelius 7 Act. 22. 10 Act 2. 7 Luk 4.5 9 Act. 39. 16 Rom. 23. 2 Tim. 1.16 a man fearing God and giving much Alms. The Centurion worthy of favour for He hath built us a Synagogue Dorcas made so many Coats for the poor Gaius the Host of the Church Onesiphorus hath Paul his earnest Prayers for mercy because he often refreshed him and as one observes wittily the Scripture speaks but little of the learning of the Apostles but much of their Acts. The reasons why Professours of the Gospel should be full of good works are these 1 because true Christian Religion doth not consist meerly in Negatives It is not sufficient to abstain from evil except we do good cease to do evil learn to do well 1 Isa 27. That Tree which bears not good Fruit 13 Luk. 7. is a Cumberer of the ground and shall be cut down for the Fire as well as that which boars ill fruit and poysons the ground We must not only put off Wrath Malice Blasphemy 3 Colos 8. c. filthy Communication and Lying but put on also bowels of Mercie Kindnesse Humblenesse of mind Meeknesse Long-suffering and above all Charity which is the bond of Perfection 18 Luk 11. Thou sayst that thou art no Extortioner unjust or Adulterer but this is not sufficient thou tellest of the evil works which thou dost not but where are the good works thou dost though he be usually accounted a good man that doth no evil yet he is rather an evil man saith Chrysostome that doth no good And we read that at the day of Judgement men shall be condemned not only for the evil that they have done 25 Matth. but for the good that they have left undone Many there are that seem to be Religious when they deceive their own hearts For pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Father-lesse and the Widow and to keep our selves unspotted from the world 1 Jam. 27. Hereby we give testimony of the truth of our Profession when we are fruitfull in good works For he that professeth himself to be a Christian and is barren in good works is like a painted Tree that stands only for shew like Zeuxes Vine painted so lively that the Birds came to pick at it thinking to have filled their bellies but went away hungry as they came or like the Fig-tree in the Gospel of which Christ thought to have eaten 21 Mat. 18 19. Ruffin Eccles Hist. lib. 2. c. 10. but when he came near it had nothing but leaves as one Moses renowned for piety said to Lucius reputed an Arrian Bishop tendring the confession of his Faith to clear himself Tush saith he what tellest thou me of the Faith of the Ears let me have the Faith of the Hands So thou tellest me that thou art a constant hearer of the word thou art able to discourse out of it but Oh man what tellest thou me of the Faith of the Ears or the Faith of the Tongue let me see the Faith of the Hands Few I confesse troubled with the deaf and dumb Spirits in these times Ubi bona opera non apparent ad extra ibi fides non est ad intra Mr. Burgesse but most having withered Hands It was a saying of Iohn Husse that where good works are not without there Faith is not within and so some learned men say that good works are necessary to preserve a man in the State of Justification though they do not immediately concurr to the Act as in a man although his Shoulders and Breast do not immediately concurr to the Act of Seeing yet if a mans Eyes and Head were not knit to those parts he could not see and though the Fire do not burn as it is light yet it could not burn unlesse it were so The chief scope of St. Iames his Epistle is to urge hearers to be doers and vain boasters of justifiing Faith to justifie their Faith by their works 2. God is gloryfied by good works therefore saith our Master 5 Mat. 16. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and gloryfie your Father which is in Heaven The men 31 Job 20. 29 Job 15. 1 Jam. 25. for whom our Heavenly Father is Gloryfied are such whose works shine before men who warm the Loins of the Poor and
DORCAS REVIVED THE SECOND TIME OR A Sermon preached at the Funerals of M rs Anne Mickle-thwait the one and twentieth of March 1658. By JOS. HUNTER Master of Arts and Minister of Ousburne A gracious Woman retaineth honour Prov. 11.16 Sensus pravae voluntatis mulieribus non auteâ— sexus in vitio est Greg. lib. 3. moral ca. 7. LONDON Printed by Tho. Leach for Thomas Firby at Grayes-Inn gate 1660 TO THE Right Worshipfull and my Honoured friends John Mickle-thwait Esq Joseph Mickle-thwait Gent. the Lady Anna Dickinson and Mrs. Dorothy Stillington the surviving Issue of the Worshipful Mrs. Anne Mickle-thwait late deceased IT hath ever been the custom partly to give partly to gain respect to commit nothing to the Press but under the inscription of some persons name to whom their work might be acceptable and by whom it might be rendred more acceptable unto others Now whilst I thought on the Dedication of the ensuing Sermon my thoughts never strayed farther than one of you to whom I concluded that all men for the argument of it set aside other respects would adjudge it due but to which of you I had none to direct me and therefore followed mine own fancy which was this not to dis-joyn you who were so nearly joyned in the same common relation and have already approved your selves to be the genuine children of the same mother It is not my purpose to commend you but to commend your mother to you the fruits of your religious education do to the credit of your family and the observation of the world in a great measure shew themselves but let me tell you you lye under a greater engagement than ordinary many eyes are upon you that expect you should bring forth fruit answerable to the stock that bare you though you be vertuous yet you will not be thought worthy of commendation except you excell Paul tells us how he might boast that he was an Hebrew of the Hebrews 3 Phil. 5. that is an Hebrew both by the father and the mothers side this it seems was esteemed a great priviledge among the Jews it was deemed a privilege to be a Proselite a greater privilege to be an Hebrew but the greatest priviledge to be an Hebrew of the Hebrew so may every one of you boast that you are a Christian of the Christians descended on both sides from believing and religious parents such as did so professe themselves to be and were accounted really so by all that knew them this is your priviledge it will be your praise if your practise arise to the height of it Valer. Max. lib. 3. cap. 7. The Romans forced the lewd son of Scipio Africanus to pluck off from his finger a signet-ring whereon the face of his father was engraven accounting him unworthy to wear his picture that would not resemble his vertue and if you should degenerate you will be thought unworthy the name of your parents This I tell you not so much because I fear you but because I would not be thought to flatter you as you have therefore begun well gone on worthily so continue and abound knowing 〈…〉 have for an example let the fruits 〈…〉 more that the name of Mickle-thwait may be greater and yield a sweet and fresh perfume in the Churches of Christ to succeedings generations To this end it is that I present this Sermon to you desiring that you would accept of it and take in good part my freenesse with you Now for the Sermon it self I expect to meet with Censures from two sorts of persons They that knew her better than I will think that I have said too little and they that knew her not so well will think that I have said too much In answer to the former I confesse I have said too little When a Painter is about to paint a man he first draweth some rude lines and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then he addeth the black colours this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lastly the vive colours and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now I acknowledge that toward the resemblance of your mother I have only given some rude draughts the most that I have done is the adding of black colours the perfecting of the work which consists in super-adding the vive and lively colours I leave to a more skilful hand and learned pen who will lay his foundation lower than I have done and therefore raise his superstructure higher For those that think I have said too much I will only say as the Fathers of old to them that doubted of the Trinity Go with John to Jordan and there thou shalt see Comitare Johannem ad Jordanem videbis so go but to York and there you shall be assured repair to those that were her intimate acquaintance enquire of them concerning the truth of what I have said and you will say as the queen of Sheba concerning Solomon it is a true report that you have heard of me yea the half was not told you 1 Kin. 10.6 7. I have but one thing more to adde I acknowledge that I have here and there made addâ—tions and alterations in the Sermon from what I preach'd and though I had never so much time exactly to pen any thing yet I should alwayes judge it necessary before it come to publick view lambere foetum to look and lick it over again which when I have done it will be still unpolished and my best homily nought a kin to Chrysostome Yet if some persons reputedable enough to judge had not thought it fit to be printed and were earnest to have it so it had been buried within the same walls where is your mothers grave Now the Lord make you to abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and prai of God thus prayeth Octob. 13. 1659 Your Worships obliged and affectionate Servant JOSIAH HUNTER DORCAS REVIVED The Second Time 9 ACT. 36 37. Now there was at Joppa a certain Disciple named Tabitha which by Interpretation is called Dorcas This Woman was full of good Works and Almes-Deeds which She did And it came to passe in those days that She was Sick and Dyed WEE are now met to celebrate the Funerals of a most grave and Religious Matron to whose worth while She was alive Flattery it self could add nothing and from whose worth being now Dead Malice and Envy it self cannot detract any thing Set aside the Name of the Person mentioned in the Text and the place of her Habitation and what the Holy Ghost affirms of Dorcas may be as confidently asserted of her She was a Disciple full of good Works and Almes-deeds which She did and it is come to passe in these days that She hath been Sick and is now Dead
he that is barren in good works and yet bears high and broad the sail of Profession seems to be afraid lest the World should not take notice of him for an Hypocrite Good works likewise without a knowledge and profession of Christian Religion Splendida peccain are no better than glorious Sins as Augustine calls them no better than the virtues of Heathens Quid vobis ethnici cum virtutibus qui christum dei virtutem ignoratis unto which though we give the name yet they want the nature of virtue For as Bernard said What have you Heathens to do with virtues who are ignorant of Christ the virtue and power of God unto Salvation But where a profession of Religion and a practice of good works are in conjunction they make integrum sanctum an entire sincere compleat Saint Such an one was Dorcas in those days such an one was the Dorcas of our days First in general Full of good works then more particularly and Almes-deeds which she did In general She was full of good works When it is said that Dorcas was full of good works it is not meant that she was perfect 3 Jam. 2. for in many things we offend all and every Sin is a defect Much lesse may we think that She did works of supererrogation They are super-arrogant that think themselves righteous above the Rule As full as Dorcas was I dare say for her blessed Soul that She thought her self empty and barren Ears that are most laden with Corn hang lowest down to the ground and holiest Persons have alwayes the humblest thoughts of themselves Hereby therefore I conceive are meant three things 1. She was full of that is abundant in good works as when it is said 2 Chro. 24 25 that Jehojada waxed old and was full of days the meaning is he grew very old and when it is said of wicked worldly men that they are full of Children 17 Psal 14. the meaning is they have many Children So Dorcas was full of good works that is she was a very good woman and did abound in good works To be full of good works is as much as to be fruitful Dorcas her good works were not few as the gleaning Grapes 24 Isa 13. when the Vintage is done or as the shaking of an Olive Tree two or three Berries in the top of the uttermost bough four or five in the most fruitful branches thereof 17 Isa 5 but she was full of good works like the Vine before it is gathered and the Olive Tree before it be shaken 2. She was full of good works that is She did not only abound but in some sort super-abound considering her condition She did very many good works even beyond the expectation of those that knew her when they compared what She did as they imagined with what She had they would not have thought that She had so rich a Treasury that would have furnished her to expend so liberally They could not but think that her fulnesse of good works abroad would bring her to want at home Yet so it was She did many good works nor did they draw her dry but some way or other She was supplyed that She still did more it is very probable that Dorcas was not a woman of great worldly Estate and if she had not been notable for her good works She might in other respects have lived obscurely enough But whatever her estate was She had a free heart and did not for fear of wanting her self hold back her hand from supplying the necessities of others The Widow that cast her two Mites into the Treasury is said to have cast in more than they that cast in greater gifts 21 Luk. 1 2 3. because what they gave was out of their abundance but she cast in all that she had So Dorcas was full of good works that is She did abound yea she did super-abound comparing her abilities with her expence She did more than she was supposed able to do 3. She was full of good works that is her works were not only abounding but abiding She did not satisfie her self with what good she had done 3 Phil. 13.11 Eccles 6. but still she did more with the Apostle she forgot that which was behind and though shee had done very much good yet still she with-held not her hand according to the injunction 6 Gal. 9 10. Let us not be weary in wel-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not as we have therefore opportunity let us do good Out of the good Treasure of her heart She was still bringing forth good things 12 Math. 35 She was like the Orange-tree of which they write that it is bringing forth fruit all the year long as some are ripe so others are still budding And as it is said of the Church of Thyatira 2 Rev. 19. her works were more at the last than at the first Hereby She made it appear that she was no Hypocrite who is moved by an external principle and doth his good works only for particular ends and therefore continues not always to do good But She was a sincere Christian whose good works flowed from an inward Principle of grace and were directed to an universal end Gods glory So then Dorcas was full of good works that is She did very much good more than could be expected from such a Woman and thus she continued to her death 24 Mat. 46. and so was one of those blessed servants whom her Lord when he came sound well-doing Good works are sometime strictly taken for works of Charity because that Love is the fullfilling of the Law Aug. lib. 10. de civ Dei ca. 1. hac sibi Deus vel pro sacrificiis vel prae sacrificiis placere testatur God accepts of works of Charity for sacrifices with such sacrifices God is well-pleased 13 Hebr. 16. Yea he accepts them before sacrifices I will have mercy and not sacrifice 9 Math. 13. But oftentimes good works are taken more largely for the whole obedience of a Christian so we are said to be Gods workman-ship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Sure it is 2 Eph. 10. the Law is the Rule of good works and therefore obedience to any branch 1 Joh. 3.4 of the Law is a good work as the breach of any part of the Law is an evil work and as the Logicians say there is no created being but it is reduced into one of the ten predicaments so there is no duty or good work commanded of us but it is contained in one of those ten words 10 Deut. 4. as Moses calls them that is Commandments These good works in other places of Scripture are called good Fruits 3 Jam. 17. Fruits of righteousnesse 1 Phil. 11. Fruits of the Spirit 5 Gal. 2. Fruits worthy of Repentance 3 Luk. 8. and amongst many other expressions they are called armour of light 13 Rom. 12. Good works therefore are
by their knowledge are an Eye to the blind For such men God is blessed of men and such men shall be blessed of God in their Deeds The Sun it self if it did not shine and give warmth unto the Creatures were the glorious Face thereof ten times more glorious than it is none would half so much blesse God for it 3. Good works were one end of Christs death 2 Tit. 14. there the Apostle saith that Christ dyed to purchase unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works not only followers but zealous and lest men should think that we should only preach free-grace these things speak saith he and exhort So it is said that he suffered for Sin 1 Pet. 1.21 leaving us an example that we should follow his steps Now he went about doing good 10 Act. 38. And himself bare our Sins in his own body on the Tree that we being dead unto Sin should live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 4. Good works are an ornament to our profession 1 Phil. 27. 2 Tit. 10 When we are full of good works we walk as becommeth the Gospel and adorn the Doctrine of God and our Saviour A Christian though like Leah tender-ey'd and cannot see farr into the mysteries of Religion yet if fruitful is more honourable than barren Rachel though fair and beautiful for parts and knowledge The credit of the Gospel should be dear to the Professours of it and woe to him who maketh that worthy name by which he is named to be evil spoken off 2 Jam. 7. Hence flows another Good works being an honour to our profession they will put to shame and silence prophane persons 1 Pet. 2.15 1 Pet. 3.16 1 Pet. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are ready to take all occasions to Blaspheme yea through our good conversation we may be instrumental for the gaining of those that are without Chrysostome calls good works unanswerable syllogismes invincible demonstrations to confute and convert Pagans 1. Then if this be our Doctrine Appl. it is manifest that the Papists do most falsly charge us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despisers yea condemners of good works We condemn them in no other sense than the Scripture condemnes them otherwise we commend them as the best signs of a living Faith and the expressions of thankfulnesse to God for redeeming us by his Son And therefore we think Ursine hath very fitly entituled his tractate of good works de gratitudine We say that God commands good works is well pleased with them and glorified by them and though they cannot merit eternal life for that is the gift of God yet there is in them an ordinability to eternal life 6 Roâ— 23. which is not in evil works And they do render the Subject capable of Heaven whereas evil works do wholly unfit him Therefore we are ever pressing upon our Auditors to learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful 3 Tit. 14. And we teach them that good works are necessary in a fourfold respect 1. Necessitate praecepti by the necessity of precept this is the will of God 1 Pet. 2.15 2. Necessitate ordinis by the necessity of an inviolable order whereby a rational Creature is obliged to yield all obedience to his Creator 3. Necessitate consequentiae by a necessity of consequence because good works do flow from the very essence and being of Faith Lastly Necesitâ—â—e medâ—i sive hypotheseos by a necessity of the means or a conditional necessity for though no man can be saved for his works yet without good works he shall not be saved for if yee live after the flesh â— Rom. 13. 6 Galat. 7. yee shall dye and whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap therefore good works are according to Bernard Via ad regnum though not causa regnandi 2. It reproves such as make profession of the Gospel and yet instead of being full of good works are full of evil works concerning whom it may be said 32 Deut. 32. that their Vine is the Vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrha their Grapes are Grapes of Gall their clusters are bitter Their works are works of the flesh Adultery Fornication Uncleannesse Lasciviousness Idolatry 5 Gal. 19. Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like Of some one or more of these they are full These men are the scandal of the Gospel and by how much Christian Religion is the best of Religions by so much are these the worst of men and no man so vile in the eyes of God 10 Luk. 33. and Men as a debauched Christian he doth not only bring shame 4 Joh. 22. but also suspicion upon his profession for however the Samaritan not the Jew relieved the distressed Traveller yet the Jews Religion was true not the Samaritans So in other cases truth of causes must not be judged by Acts of Persons Yet as he said it must needs be good that Nero persecutes so many are ready to say it cannot be good surely it cannot but be evil that such a wicked wretch professeth What shall I say to such do yee think it enough to say that you have Abraham to your Father 3 Mat. 9 10. Will you Steal Murder commit Adultry Swear falsly and come and stand before God in the House called by his name 7 Jer 9 10. 8 Joh. 4â— and say we are delivered to do all these abominations shall I tell you that yee are of your Father the Devil and his works you doe take it how you will the Scripture saith expresly that the Devil worketh in Children of Disobedience 2 Eph. 2. such as thou art Or Lastly Shall I tell thee that for such works comes the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience 5 Eph. 6. Thou art full of evill workâ— God is full of patience that doth not as yet pour out of the Vials of his wrath upon thee but take heed what thou dost God is prest under thee as a Cart 2 Am. 3. that is full of sheavs if the Axeltree of his Patience break the burthen will fall on thee a burthen so heavy 6 Rev. 57. that thou wouldst be glad to change it for Rocks and Mountains 3. Let us all be exhorted in this to make Dorcas our pattern She was neither Idle Evil nor Unfruitful Not Idle for we read of her works nor Evil for her works were good nor Unfruitful for she was full of them 1. Dorcas was not Idle 1 Tim. 5.13 for we read of her works She was none of those women that learn to be idle and wander about from House to House Good works saith Gerrhard in Scripture are taken In Loc. Com. not only for external actions but for inward affections to good but it pleased the Holy Ghost to use the name of works rather than habits or affections because the praise of