with and accusing of his Father which accusation is amplified per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had beene obedient Loe these many yeares doe I serue thee neither at any time transgressed I thy commandement verse 29. But his Brother had beene disobedient Assoone as this thy Sonne was come which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calfe verse 30. Thirdly How this is anger is qualified and that is done two waies First by his Fathers kinde entreaty of him verse 28. Secondly by an Apollogie which his Father makes vnto him vers 31.32 Wherein we haue a Proposition verse 31. which hath in it a Concession of the former particulars For the Father would not now exasperate him but seemeth thus to reason Graunt is bee so as thou doest say of thy selfe yet thou doest not well to bee offended for all that I haue is thine And secondly a Confirmation verse 32. where hee doth both iustifie his owne proceedings ab aequo for what he did was equity and right And also secretly defend his younger Sonne against his elder Brothers former accusation For though he were dead yet he is now aliue though he were lost he is new found He is not what he hath been the case is altered And thus wee see the limbes of this latter part My purpose is onely to obserue some generall poynt from each of these specialls and so draw to a conclusion And first in that this elder Sonne vpon the vnderstanding of his Fathers loue and gracious dealing with his younger Brother who came home humbled and penitent doth thus repine and grudge waxe angry and d scontent This giueth vs to vnderstand that Doctr. The wicked repine at the preferments of others in Gods fauours Math 20.1 verse 2. verse 3.4 verse 5.6 The blessings of God vpon others are great eye-sores vnto the wicked They grudge and repine at the preferments of others in the fauours of God This our Sauiour teacheth vs by another parable A certaine housholder went our early in the morning to hyre labourers into his vineyard And when hee had agreed with them for a pennie a day bee sent them into his vineyard to worke And he went out about the third houre and seeing others idle sent them in also Thus did he also about the sixt ninth and eleauenth houre Now when Euen was come verse 8.9 the Lord called the labourers to giue them their hyre and gaue euery man his pennâ—e to them that came in last he gaue as much as to theÌ„ that came in first vers 11.12 Therfore the labourers murmured against the Master of the vineyard saying these last haue wrought but one houre thou hast made them equall vnto vs which haue borne the burden and heate of it Thus did they enuie the seruants and repine against the Masters dealing Many are the examples that might bee alleaged for confirmation of this truth But take one for all God hee hath respect to Abel Gen 4.45 and to his offering but vnto Kain and to his offering he had no regard Wherefore Kain was exceeding wrath and his countenance fell downe And afterwards hee slew his Brother and why was this 1 Iohn 3 12. but because his owne workes were euill and his Brothers good God regarded Abels sacrifice and had respect vnto it for this cause doth his brother enuie him and at last doth murder him The reason is because they are of that same euill one 1 Iohn 3.12 as S. Iohn speaketh They are a hellish brood and are transformed into the image of the deuil who enuied the happinesse of our first Parents in the Garden Gen. 3.5 of his nature doe they participate his workes they doe and cannot otherwise chuse Secondly as the tree is such must be the fruit they Reason 2 are flesh and therefore must needs bring forth the fruits of the flesh whereof this is one as the Apostle doth manifestly declare Gal. 5.21 This then serueth to reprooue many who Caine-like Vse 1 fret at the preferments of others in the fauours of the Lord And inwardly repine at the good estate and happie condition of their brethren the knowledge zeale and obedience of others and the fruits of these and such like graces viz. a good name and estimation doe inwardly vexe and torment them and are as daggers at their hearts The hearing seeing or thinking of any other to haue more or so much as they themselues haue is as a quotidian ague to their bones it paines them day and night Psal 112.10 it causeth them to gnash their teeth and melt away So that as Iosephs brethren could not endure that their Father should loue him better then he loued them And as the Princes of Babell could not abide that Daniell should be fauoured of the King aboue themselues so cannot these men endure that the God of heauen should respect any before themselues though they continually blaspheme his holy name and no day will giue obedience vnto him Oh the cursed nature of this same monster Enuie which filleth men to the eyes and there it sitteth and wheresoeuer through those windowes it espies a blessing it is sicknesse and death vnto it Honor wealth prosperitie and whatsoeuer is good in any it repineth at Men are not well if they see others better and in a manner Parum est si ipse sit felix nisi alter fuerit in faelix 1. Cor. 15.42 they doe hate to be happie with any company Should God send these to heauen how would they brooke it for there one starre excels another in glory as the Apostle speakes surely hell is the fittest place for such without repentance for there they shall see no matter of enuie but all obiects of extreame misery And yet there also so enuious are they it may be they will desire to sit in the chayre and haue superiority though they receiue the more torments Vse 2 Secondly let this serue for our instruction to fence and fortifie our selues against this diueilish enuie Who is there that had not need be watchfull are not the best and most sanctified amongst Gods children apt to enuie and repine at others excelling in the graces of God doth not this cursed weed sprout forth of the best ground oftentimes to our shame Hath not this euill had a hand in those many broyles and contentions which haue bin amongst the faithfull from time to time This cannot be denyed it is too too apparent striue therefore against this sinne let all carnall emulation be restrained by euery one of vs Motiues to shun enuie First it is the vnprofitablest of all vices we need not want for Reasons to mooue vs hereunto for First consider of all vices this is most vnprofitable hauing in it neither profit nor yet pleasure insomuch that one saith and that truly an enuious man hath a great deale of lesse wit in his malice then a very bruite for whereas neither foule nor fish
if thou dost thus then thy estate is blessed yea thrice happy is it for thou shalt neuer repent of this thy sorrow Yet let me tell thee thou mayst deceiue thy selfe and think it is thus when it is not for the heart is full of guile and deceit and will cry peace peace when there is none And therefore for thy further establishment Signes of true sorrow for sinn know if thou dost thus grieue these things shalt thou finde in thee First thou wilt grieue for sinnes of all sorts 1 A greife â—o all kinds of sin originall actuall of ignorance and of knowledge of commission and of omission secret and open for lesser as well as for bigger whatsoeuer is sinne thou wilt mourne for because Gods law is by it broken and so his Maiesty is offended Psa 51.5 Thus was it with Dauid in sinn I was conceiued he mourneth as well for his sinne originall as actuall for sins of nature as of life And againe Psal 19.12 who can know the errors of his life Oh cleanse thou me from secret faults He as well mournes and desires to haue pardon for his sinnes vnknowne and secret as for them that were open and apparant to himselfe or others 2. If we grieue for the sinnes of others Secondly If thou grieuest because God is offended then wilt thou grieue also for the sinnes of others aswell as for thy owne because God is dishonoured by the one as well as by the other 2 Pet. 2.8 Thus was it with righteous Lot For the righteous man dwelling amongst the wicked in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes Thus also was it with holy Dauid His eyes gushed out with riuers of teares Psal 119.136 because men kept not Gods law So did those mourners marked for Gods own people EZek. 9.4 mourne for the abhominations done in Ierusalem 3. A greater desire t◠〈…〉 of sinne◠〈◊〉 of any other 〈◊〉 crosse 2 Tim. 2.19 Thirdly If thy sorrow be godly and is for sinne as it is an offence against God thou wilt then bee more desirous to be aid of sinne then of any other crosse whatsoeuer yea as heartily desirous neuer to commit it as thou art desirous that God would neuer impute it The foundation of God standeth sure hauing this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his And let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Many other signes and markes might be brought but these are enough to manifest the soundnesse or vnsoundnesse of thy sorrow Thou that formerly wast well perswaded of thy selfe aske thy selfe now once againe whether these things bee in thee yea or no thinke it not labour lost the second time to put thy selfe vnto the tryall the better assurance the sounder will be thy comfort Dost thou grieue for euery sinne as well as for any sinne for the corruptions of thy heart thy secret and vnknowne sinnes Doest thou acknowledge and bewaile thy hidden corruptions and lesse-grieuous crimes Doest thou condemne thy selfe before God for such sinnes as the world knowes not of as haue beene done in secret God and thy own conscience onely seeing thee And doest thou not grieue as well for thy omission of good duties as prayer reading meditating relieuing others in their necessities and the like as well as for commission of euill And dost thou blame thy selfe as well for the euill that cleaues to thy best works as pride vaine glorie hypocrisie dulnesse deadnesse c. as for thy euill workes If it bee thus with thee it is an euident signe that sinne as it is sin and a breach of Gods law doth wound thy soule But in the second place I demaund of thee whether thou grieuest in secret for the corruptions of the times for the pride drunkenesse blasphemie contempt of Gods word prophanation of the Sabboths that doth euerie where abound doe these and the like sins fetch groanes from thy soule and teares from thy eies bring thee on thy knees cause thee to wring thy hands to see God so dishonoured is it thus with thee But is it so indeed oh then well is it with thee thy case is happie And yet lastly answere me is it thy greatest desire to be ridde of sin yea of euery sinne be it neuer so gainefull or profitable And dost thou as earnestly desire to leaue it as thou dost to haue God forgiue Why this is an excellent signe a neuer-failing signe of thy sound sorrow this is a certaine testimonie to thy soule that thy griefe is vnto life and that thou art a childe of God Oh! let these things bee well thought on and often remembred and let vs often search our hearts by them that wee may know what wee are and what sorrow we haue whether godly or worldly Without question many of Gods children want that sound comfort which they might and should haue for want of this search and triall for without it it cannot bee but wee must remaine either in errour or in doubtfulnesse Vse 3 Now in the third place this may serue for the reproofe yea for the terrour of many who rest in a counterfeit and vnsound repentance For doth a true penitent grieue more for Gods cause then for his owne is he more grieued for the offence against God then for any manner of respect vnto himselfe Then surely such are farre from true repentance who were it not for feare or shame could be content to liue in sinne and tumble in it all their daies A kind of sorrow indeed many haue but it is onely worldly slauish diuellish their respect is wholly to themselues to God nothing They loath sin but not because God abhorres it they grieue but not because God is displeased by it but because they cannot make their parties good enough against him in keeping of their sinnes and preuenting of his iudgements Who almost makes conscience of secret sinnes Where is he that grieues for lesse euils that mournes grieues for his omission of good and neglect of duties God hath required for fewe are there that sigh and crie for the abhominations committed in our shops and streetes should God send his Angell through this Citie to marke those that thus mourne Ezek 9.4 how small would be the number of those that receiue the marke How many of vs haue this desire rather to be freed from sinne then any other crosse are as willing not to commit it as to haue the Lord not to impute it Can we then thinke that repentance is so common as the world takes it to be Surely surely these things doe testifie to our faces that wee are farre from it Be it knowne therefore vnto thee thou that mournest not for thy secret corruptions who abstainest not from secret sinnes that grieuest not for other mens sinne aswell as for thy own thou that hast not this earnest desire to be ridde from all sinne whatsoeuer be it
chuse good strong to euill yea altogether auerse and rebellious no good so truely good but it abhorres it no euill so extreamely wicked but it hath an enclineablenes to embrace it no seruant so readie to do his masters will as it is to doe the workes of the Deuill no rebell so desperately set against his lawfull soueraigne as it against the Lord. And all our affections are vnruly and disordered As for the members of our bodies they are instruments to execute sinne conceiued as the Apostle doth euidently declare Our throat it is an open sepulcher our tongues are giuen to deceit the poyson of Asps is vnder our lips our mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse our feete are swift for the shedding of bloud Destruction and misery are in all our wayes and there is no feare of God before our eyes behold thy naturall estate and condition see what matter that will affoord of boasting What though thou hast many excellent parts gifts and graces bestowed vpon thee yet take heed thou beest not puffed vp with pride or vaine glory looke thou vnto the rocke whence thou wert hewne and that will afford matter enough for thy humiliation and of being vile in thy owne iudgement Vse 5 And now in the last place seeing wicked men are dead men being cold sencelesse heauie and as stinking carion let vs then auoid their companies Take no pleasure in conuersing with them He that keepes company with these may fitly be compared to those spirits that haunted the graues What hath the liuing to doe amongst the dead As thou therefore hopest to be separated from them at the day of Iudgement see thou now separatest from them in this world if not in conuersation for this cannot be yet in regard of loue and affection for that may yea must be And is now aliue That is Text. he is quickened by Gods blessed spirit and enabled in some measure to liue the life of grace The obseruation hence may be this He onely may be said to liue that liues the life of grace Doctr. He onely liues that liues the life of grace and no other They onely are liuing men that haue their soules quickned by Gods blessed spirit As for life of any other kind it is but a shadow of life and not worthie the name of life indeed Were this life to grow well waxe strong then would the trees of the field excell man which from little plants grow at last to be strong excellent Okes Or were this the onely life to see heare smell or the like In this the very beasts of the field would excell man who goe beyond him in these naturall faculties as the Dog in smelling the Hart in hearing the Ape in tasting the Eagle in seeing with many more Or if we glory in this that we liue the life of reason then how many Philosophers haue excelled man herein So then it is not the vegetatine life wherin trees excell men nor the sensitiue which beasts haue better then we nor yet the reasonable life which reprobates haue as well as we but it is the life of grace which is the life of a Christian which deserues to be counted life all other are not worthy of the name This life is that onely that makes vs liue without which our whole life is but a death hence is it that the Apostle sayth we are quickned so soone as grace doth appeare before which time we were but dead as formerly we haue heard and speaking of himselfe Ephes 2.1.5 Rom. 6 13. Gal. 2.20 hee sayth I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me he esteemeth this a life and no other Let this then teach vs throughly to examine our selues Vse 1 whether as yet we liue this life of grace Would we know whether we be aliue or dead then make a tryall whether thy soule be quickned by Gods blessed spirit yea or no and whether thou liuest the life of God Ephes 4 18. Spirituall life how discerned First propertie of life Life is actiue and stirring 2. Tim 4.18 Psal 123.2 Now this may be discerned by the properties of life and they are these First life is stirring it is not without some motion it is actiue and euer doing So where there is any life of grace there will be spirituall action and a practise of godlinesse in the life and conuersation The eyes will be directed towards the holy one of Israell And as the eyes of a seruant looke to the hands of his master so will thy eyes looke vp vnto the Lord till hee haue mercie vpon thee Thou wilt cause thine eare also to heare Wisedome Pro. 2.2 Pro. 19.20 yea thou wilt encline them to heare her counsell that thou mayst be wise in the latter end Psal 79.13 With thy mouth thou wilt declare the praises of the Lord from generation to generation and wilt not conceale his truth from the great Congregation Psal 40.10 Pro. 15.7 Eccle. 10.12 Pro. 10.21 Psal 26.6 Iob 31.7 Lamen 3.41 Psal 134.2 Nehe. 2.18 But with thy tongue thou wilt spread abroad knowledge and vtter the words of grace and cause thy lips to feed many Thy hands thou wilt wash in innocencie and suffer no blot to cleaue vnto them Then wilt thou lift them vp with thy heart vnto God in the heauens thou wilt lift them vp in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord Thou wilt also strengthen them to doe good and by them minister to the necessities of the Saints Act. 20.34 Ephe. 3.14 Thy knees thou wilt bow vnto God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And thy feet shall delight to stand within the gates of Ierusalem Psal 122.2 Heb. 12.13 Straight steppes wilt thou make with them lest that which is halting be turned out of the way In a word euery member will be made as a weapon of righteousnesse Rom. 6.12 to serue the liuing God Eyes eares tongue hands feete all will be in motion and not idle Try then your selues by this first propertie is it thus with thee Art thou employed in Gods seruice dost thou find grace actiue and stirring in thee surely then it is a good signe of life but if it be so that there is no spirituall motion it is an euident signe of the want hereof An image made by mans art may liuely represent a man hauing eyes and eares nose and mouth as man hath yet I know for all that it hath no life in it because it stands still and stirs not So if I see a professor without practise in his life I must needs thinke he is an Idoll And assuredly what euer they seeme in the eyes of men they are in the eyes of God but as the carkases of Christians Without this spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises pretend what thou wilt thou art but the Image of a Christian looking somewhat like him but not quickned by his life A second propertie of life is this Second
weaknesse yeelding thereunto I came to some second thoughts and began to consider First what good might redound hereby to the Church of God for albeit Preaching be the cheife yet writing is not without it vse and profit Some are lame and sicke and weake and cannot come to the hearing of the word preached now for such to haue some plaine Exposition or Sermon vpon some part of Scripture must needs be very comfortable and vsefull Yea and in some respect writing may seeme to claime the priuiledge Quo liceat libris non licet â—re mihi for this reacheth far and neere My bookes may be admitted where I cannot come And further this tendeth for the good not onely of the liuing as Preaching doth but also for the good of such as are yet vnborne In which respect saith one He that speaketh profiteth for an houre but he that writeth profiteth for euer Secondly I considered what an excellent helpe it was both for the Vnderstanding as also for the Memorie Alas I how dull are we of conceiuing in the things of God so that a thing once spoken is as good as neuer spoken such is our corruption But this giueth a man leaue to pawse vpon and ponder on the things we haue heard deliuered So that though Preaching moueth the Affections and worketh more vpon them yet Printing may be said to teach more and better to informe the iudgment And so for our Memories who findes not how leaking siue-like they are in reteyning of diuine truth strawes haires indeed will these sieues hold some odd conceit or broken phrase shall be remembred when the pure water shall runne out Sound solid matter shall be quite forgotten But now by our often reading things are brought againe into our mindes and a long time reteyned in our memories and what formerly wee haue heard deliuered is as it were still sounding in our eares Thirdly I remembred what neuer can sufficiently be bewailed my time mis-spent and lost which caused me to redeeme some time with the losse of my owne case and pleasure that I might doe good this way to Gods Church and people And lastly the euill reports that some malignant spirits made of me when I preached them viz. that I taught noueltie and false Doctrine and what I did proceeded from a spirit of gall and bitternes and the like hath much moued me to this worke All these things being well weighed did darken my former thoughts and caused me to pervse my Notes and as I had time to fit them for the Presse which now I send into the world desiring the blessing of heauen to accompanie them that they may be profitable As for the Matter I doubt not but it is sound and good and how euer Eccles 1.9 There is no new thing vnder the Sunne And that there can be nothing sayd but what hath beene said before as the Heathen man could say Nihil est iam dictum quod non sit dictum prius yet there may be a more full opening and a more perspicuous deliuering of poynts yea and daily is to the great benefit of the Church of God though happily in regard of the summe and substance of matters the former saying may be true I cannot then here promise thee Christian Reader any new thing which thou hast not before heard of but this I can promise thee though nothing els Thou hast here this Parable handled more amply and fully then to my knowledge thou euer hast had it heretofore for I know not any that haue trauailed throughout in the opening of it I doe confesse I with the little Bee haue flowne ouer many a Garden and sucked many a flower for this little and haue beene beholding to many an Author both old and new for some matter and stuffe towards the erecting of this building But blame me not for this seeing I haue done no other then all other Expositors haue done before me and withall haue laboured by enlargement to make those things as vsefull to thee as I could As for the style it is plaine and homely though I trust not ouerhomely I haue euer desired and I hope for euer shall so to speake as that the simplest might vnderstand ayming in all my teaching at that to which the whole Scripture driues viz Humilitie Comfort and Conscience of obedience Rom. 3.27 First at the humbling of the obstinate and impenitent and abasing of their pride Secondly at the comforting of the distressed soule Rom. 5.1 and setling of his conscience in true solid peace through the assurance of Gods loue Thirdly at the framing of mens hearts to a constant desire and care of pleasing God and to the prouoking and stirring vp of the penitent to more obedience 1. Cor. 2.1.4 Now this I know cannot be performed with excellencie of speech nor with the enticing words of mans wisedome If then the style dislike thee as too homely harsh or ragged being neither round nor fluent know that matter was more regarded then Rhetoricall termes And the Author desires rather to work vpon the conscience then to tickle the eare with affected eloquence And to be plaine he hath no skill in crooked conceits which if he had yet he would be loath to spend his time so idly as to feed that itching humour of many which hath more need to be purged then to be nourished But to be briefe seeing that this booke is come into thy hands let me desire thee first to read it through begin not onely but make an end thou knowest not the best wine may be reserued vntill the last Iohn 2.10 To read by snatches and by peece-meales here a little and there a little or els by fits as it were vpon rainie dayes seldome proueth profitable read constantly and read it ouer and when thou hast so done ouer with it againe vpon thy second reading what formerly seemed difficult will appeare more plaine Secondly I desire thee before thou readest to amend those faults which are escaped in the Printing and where so euer thou findest words falsyfied sentences dismembred or confounded by false poynting or the like couer them with thy loue Besides literall and punctuall faults which are too too many there are many materiall faults which doe much peruert and obscure the sence especially in the former part of this booke for a more heedfull regard was had for the remainder after it was perceiuied as page 1.1 line 23. it is thus sayd It speakes against the Deuils Diana this Idoll of vice with so many worshippers when it should haue beene thus printed That speakes against the Diuels Diana this Idoll vice which so many worship And so againe page 29. line 16. you shall finde it thus printed I confesse this affection in worldly mens iudgements is a strange Paradoxe when it should haue bin thus I confesse this assertion c. And in the 45. page and the last line you haue it thus God is immediately the first
you see the day approaching Amend whom thou canst tollerate whom thou canst not amend but in any case run not from thy fathers house because a bad sonne or seruant is in it And so I come to a second vse Which is for tryall are there both good and bad mingled in the Church visible then examine thy selfe what a one thou art There Vse 2 are many hypocrites in the Church why maist not thou be one Many goats are amongst the sheepe so maist thou rest not then in this that thou liuest in the church for so false Israelites doe hypocrites wicked men doe but make diligent search and inquirie whether thou be a sound member of the Church inuisible or Catholike whether thou be of the number of those faithfull ones whom Christ redeemed with his bloud Quest Answere But how shall I know whether I am such a one or no There are many signes whereby it may be knowne I will giue thee one which shall be instar omnium all in all and it is this Holinesse a marke of a true member of the Church Perk on the Creed Reuel 11.2 Ephe. 5.29 a constant practise of holinesse By this maist thou know whether thou art a sound member of it for euery true member of the Church Catholicke is answerable to the qualitie and condition of it now that is holy and so are they so S. Peter termes them a holy Nation And in other places so are they styled art thou then holy Dost thou seeke after it and follow it Art thou sanctified and clensed from the filth of sinne 1. Pet. 2.9 Dost thou expresse holinesse in thy conuersation hauing respect to euery commaundement of God Art thou holy at all times in all places about all actions Hast thou it written in thy forehead as it was in the breast of the high Priests robes If it be so thy estate is good be thou assured thou art a true member of the Church Catholike shalt neuer perish but yet againe let me admonish thee not to deceiue thy selfe but looke that it be so see that thy holinesse be true and vnfained for I tell thee there are thousands that deceiue themselues about this matter of holinesse contenting themselues with a crackt groat pleasing themselues with a counterfeit and why mayst not thou doe so What I said before I therefore say againe and againe be well aduised bring thy holinesse to the touch try it well and examine it throughly thou hast great need because there are things so like and so neere of kinne vnto it which indeed are not it Two things especially like holinesse but not it Cognatae sanctitati Differences betwixt true sanctitie and ciuilitie 1. Difference Mat. 23.25 Mat. 5.21.27 1. Thes 5.23 Ephe. 4.23 Two things there are especially very like it which thousands in the world take for it but are fouly deceiued And these they are Ciuill honestie and Restraning grace these two are cousens to it they are nigh a kinne but not the same be not then deceiued by these which that thou mayst not I will shew thee some difference betweene them and this And first Ciuilitie reacheth onely to the outward man as for the inward it is not regarded thus was it with the Scribes and Pharisies their greatest care was for the outside of the cup and to keepe themselues from the outward act and to be free from reproachfull crimes but now sanctification like leauen spreades ouer the whole lump no part or power of soule or body but is leauened it clenseth the mind from grosse ignorance and vanitie it maketh vs to be carefull about the euils of the heart and maketh vs to be watchfull ouer the thoughts and affections Secondly Ciuilitie respects principally duties of the Difference 2 second Table little or no regard is had of the first but true holinesse respects both Tit. 2.12 and if any difference hath more respect to the first Table then to the second duties of pietie as well as of Iustice and charitie shal be conscionably obserued Third difference Thirdly the workes of Pietie which Ciuilitie performes are but ceremoniously obserued to preserue credite or for fashion sake it resteth contented with the bare act doing neuer regarding the inward power of godlinesse but true sanctitie performeth them euen for conscience sake and is much offended if he feele not the power of godlinesse in them it is still complaining of dullnesse and deadnesse and is grieued at the heart for seruing God so drowsliy Fourth difference Fourthly Ciuilitie for the most part contenteth it selfe in abstaining from euill it does no man wrong it pays euery man his owne none can say it hath stolne eyther oxe or asse 1. Sam. 12.3 this it thinketh to be enough though it neuer doth any worke of mercie or charitie and so for the first table it thinketh it sufficient to be no Idolater prophane swearer or the like albeit they be ignorant of the true God in the grounds of his worship though they neuer honour him with their tongue but true holinesse teacheth both to eschew euill and doe good knowing that abstaining from euill Esa 1.16 1. Pet. 3.11 is but one of the steps to heauen doing well is the other both which a man must take if euer he would come thither And these are some differences betwixt true sanctitie and that same mock-grace Ciuilitie which so couzens many Now for that other counterfeit viz. Restraining grace it may be discerned from true holinesse by these ensuing signes Difference betwixt true holinesse and restraining grace 1. Difference First Restraining grace doth not hate the euill it abstaineth from it is the Maiestrates sword shame of the world or feare or sence of Gods wrath that doth curb them in and make them to abstaine or else it may be the want of a mind disposed or of an occasion proposed doth keepe them within compasse as for the sinne it selfe they loue and would commit it had they abilitie or occasion offered but true holinesse doth eschew euill because it is euill and hateth the euill is escheweth yea it hateth it with an vnfained hatred Psa 119. so that were there no law or magistrate yet it would be a law vnto it selfe it needs not to be bridled by the terrours of the law No it is the loue of God that constraines to doe good and the same loue restraines from euill Secondly Restraining grace doth not willingly obey 2. Difference but like a stomackfull Horse doth champ the bitt within the teeth it is inwardly discontented at Gods commaunds yea it is great paine to be curbed and crossed of it will nothing is more painefull then to leaue sinne nothing is so grieuous as to be in subiection to Gods law these they count as bands and cord Psal 2 3. this yoake is esteemed as the heauiest burthen but the heart truely sanctified desires to be curbed it is inwardly grieued when
haue bread enough Math. 6. By hyred seruants are meant principally the Scribes Pharisces and vnder them all others who serue God mercenarily onely for the reward sake and not of loue Paniâ— est doctrinalis Sacramentalis victualis Ludolph Iohn 6.51 Panem à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multitudinem salutum magnitudinem solâ—minum plenitudineÌ„ omnium bonoruÌ„ These had Bread enough Bread hath a large extent in Scripture for vnder it is contained a sufficieÌ„cy of food and nourishment both for soule and body and therefore some would deriue the Latine word from a Greeke which reacheth farre and wide and so make it a comprehensiue word signifying all things needfull whether to corporall or animall sustenance It implies then saith one much health great comforts fulnesse of all necessary good things but as I take it in this place that exposition is too large for by bread is especially meant that bread which Christ brake amongst them I meane his doctrine miracles of this bread they had enough for they often heard the one and saw the other Now to the instructions The Prodigall was miserable and in great distresse hunger had already consumed his flesh and almost brought him to rottennesse and wormes I perish with hunger this he had a sence of which driue him home to his Father Here then obserue what excellent meanes crosses and afflictions are to chase men to the Lord and make them looke home The Scriptures are full of proofes for the confirming of this truth in the 26. of Isay and the 16. verse Doctr. Crosses and afflictions are excellent meanes to make men looke home Esay 26.16 Psa 107.10.13 Hosea 5.15 the Prophet saith thus Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured forth a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So in the 107. Psalme verse 10-14 They being bound in affliction and yron c. cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and distresse This the Lord himselfe doth further witnesse in the 5. of Hosea 14.15 I will bee to Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Iudah I euen I will teare and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face Chap. 6.1 for in their affliction they will seeke me earely And so indeed they did as doth appeare in words following Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord Esay 17.6.7 for he hath torne and he will heale vs he hath smitten and he will binde vs vp So also in the 17. of Esay 6.7 the Lord telling the people of the common destruction that hee would bring vpon theÌ„ for their sins saith that then they should looke vp to their Maker and their eyes should haue respect to the holy one of Israel And hence it was as it may seeme that the Prophet Dauid preferring the saluation of his enemies out of a holy loue and spirituall charity before their outward estate prayeth thus Psal 83.16 Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord. Many examples I could bring for the proofe of this poynt if it were as needfull as easie so to doe as of Manasses 2 Cron. 33.11.12.13 Ier. 31.18 Acts 16. Reason Ephraim the Iaylor the danger of whose outward man was a meanes to saue both the outward and inward man besides many others but these are sufficient And it is no maruaile they should be so auaileable for hereby we are fitted and prepared for the hearing of Gods voyce true it is the spirit of God is the principall cause of our sauing hearing for he openeth the heart and beareth the eare that wee may attend to it and receiue it as hee did the heart of Lidia Acts 16.14 but yet affliction and tribulation is a speciall meanes Iob 33.16 36.15 which he vseth for the fitting and preparing of vs hereunto as Elihu declareth in the 33. of Iob verse 16.17 and also in the 36.15 he deliuereth the poore in affliction and openeth their eares in oppression when therfore with Eliah we haue had our share in this stormie tempest 1 Kâ—n. 19.11.12 and haue beene well shaken with these earthquakes then are wee well prepared to heare the still and soft voyce of the Lord speaking vnto vs in the ministry of the Gospell Thus then you see they further our conuersion as they fit vs and prepare vs for the hearing of the word which is the ordinary meanes of our saluation Reason 2 A second reason may be this because afflictions are excellent meanes to worke in vs contrition and humiliation which are other meanes of true conuersion our hearts are melted and mollified in this fiery furnace these humble vs and cast vs lowe and plucke downe our lofty hearts which in our prosperity we did so exalt these like a hammer breake our rockie hearts and brings vs to a sence of our owne miserie Obiect But if this be so may some say how commeth it then to passe that so many haue beene afflicted yet are not bettered 2 Cor. 28.22.23 as the Lord himselfe hath shewed Esay 1.5 Amos 4. and as we see in the example of Ahaz who in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more against the Lord. And also by the example of Pharaoh Saul Ieroboam with others Answ Esay 45.7 Amos 3 6. Sim Poyson of it selfe is hurtfull but by the skilfull tempering of the Physitian becomes profitableâ— We must know that it is not affliction in it owne nature that worketh this repentance for in their owne nature they are euill and teach rather auersion from then conuersion vnto the Lord but by the secret operation of Gods spirit these fruits are brought forth Now this working of the spirit is wanting in the wicked neither are afflictions sanctified vnto them but are still curses bee they neuer so many and not crosses and make for their further hardening not mollifying This therefore is to be vnderstood onely of the elect and no other True it is they may make the reprobate for a time to be humbled as was Pharoah and Ahab with others But this is worldly sorrow which bringeth death Now for the vses And first it may serue for the reprehension of such as Vse 1 iudge of Gods fauour and loue towardes themselues or others by outward afflictions this is a false measure and will soone deceiue vs and yet how are Gods children counted as cursed and plagued because they are afflicted and corrected and the proud esteemed blessed because they are not in trouble as others but could such a conclusion be drawne from these premises Psal 73.15 Mat. 3. Esay 53.3.4 then must we needs condemne the generation of Gods children yea Christ himselfe that well-beloued of his Father who was a man full of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe smitten of God and afflicted such a conclusion then cannot be drawne from