creature Instance we in what we can Be it for proportion ilfavoured beyond all imagination be it more pestiferous then the eye-slaying Basilisk and hideous Gorgon Let it have all the concurring ingredients of misery and contempt being the subject of extreame wretchednesse and an object of hatred to men and other creatures Yet man not beloved of God is beyond all comparison more wretched death being a period to its calamities and an entrance to the others unsufferable and never ending torments But let a man be beloved of God although he be table talke for hypocriticall mockers at feasts a by-word to men vilâ—r then the earth the drunkards song and trampled under foot by every stigmaticall varlâ—t yet is he as honourable as an heire of heaven a member of Christ and a child of God Do we then as we do if we are in our right wits desire God to love us and shall not we love him againe Reason therefore thus with thy selfe O man Are there so many profitable advantages accomâ—dating true love to God and shall I neglect them Hath true love to God such beneficiall effects and wilt thou despise them The want thereof such dangerous execrations and wilt thou incurre them Is love to God that great and first commandement and wilt thou transgresse it Dost thou thinke to have the love of God without which thou art most miserable and thou not loving him Is it fit for children not to love their father No no if other men will hate yet I am resolved henceforth to love God Yea and expresse the same by hating what is evill Obedience to Gods commandements A conscionable discharge of the duties of my calling Conformity to God Not loving the world Entirely loving the Saints Often thinking on God as my chiefest treasure And loving the comming of Christ to judgement CHAP. III. Duty 2. Saints must shunne sinne IS God our Father Then ought we to consider advisedly Duty 2. of our noble parentage and with all circumspect consideration take heed we disgrace it not nor distaine our Fathers houshold And imploy our endeavours to the utmost to honour and glorifie our Father and grace his faithfull family by our vertuous conversations It is not seemly for a Kings son to defile himselfe with contaminating dung and such like sordid filth it 's not for them to consort with fellowes of base inordinate and immorigerous ranks How much more unfit is it for Gods sonnes children to a King truly really whose kingdome is of such large extension that heaven hell earth and all places are within his royall government and of such commanding power that all created beings whether ruling Kings or potent Emperours whether Coelestiall Angels or infernall Divels stand his subjects to do him homage and that not for a moment or some small time of continuance but through all eternity to pollute themselves with sinne and impiety more loathsome then any thing whatsoever e. g. Be it that a man from top to toe is soyled with the most noysome excrements that are imaginable to be upon the face of the earth yet with a small quantity of water and a little industry of man it 's easy to have him cleansed Suppose a man to be as it were clad with boyles and botches from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head yet it is possible that good diet wholsome ayre the helpe of skilfull Phisitians should restore him to perfect sanity But all the water in Abana Parphar Iordan nor the whole Oâ—ean is of force to wash off nor the most excellent diet wholsome ayre drugges and pearles of price hornes of Vâ—icornes stones of Bezar ordered by the exactest skill of men and Angels is availeable to purge away sinne It is onely the bloud of Christ which cleanseth from sin 1 Ioh. 1. 7. What made those forâ—orne Apostate fiends of glorious Angels to become damned Divels detested of God Angels and men Sure I am not their Creation it being excellent but their depravation their sinne Whence is it that the Lord doth hate his owne Ordinances New Moones Sabbaths and prayers Isa 1. 15 What occasioneth the Lord to turne a fruitfull land into barrennesâ—e save the iniquity of those that dwell therein Psal 107. 37. Why did the Lord drowne the whole world with an overflowing deluge overturne those pleasant and fertile cities even as the Garden of God Gen. 13. 10. with fire and brimstone save onely because of their sinnes By which particulars it is most perspicuous that nothing whatsoever so filthily polluteth as sinne and therefore such persons whose father is the great King ought not to pollute themselves therewith What els meane those Scriptures 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity 1 Ioh. 3. 8. He who commits sinne is of the Divell Ver. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not And againe Hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God 1 Ioh. 2. 1. These things have I written that you sinne not 1. Mistake me not I pray I intend not the least allowance of Donatists Pelagians Catharists and Familists who glory of perfect purity yea to be as pure as Christ in heaven of freedome from all sinne the Scriptures telling me that in many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. I seeing the Publican whose prayer was accepted saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Luke 18. 13. Saint Paul complaining to be of sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. 1. 15. And our Saviours owne Apostles commanded to pray forgive us our trespasses not for modesty sake as Pellagians affirme but of consciousnesse of humane frâ—ilty as saith Saint Hierome He who commanded to sinne no more Ioh. 5. 14. Commanded also to pray daily for forgivenesse He who said whosoever is borne of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. â— 6. Said also If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth iâ— not in us 1 Ioh. 1. 8. We make God a lyar and his word is not in us verse 10. Although we know God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9. 31. Yet we know also that Christ came to call sinners to repentance The same God who directed Balaams tongue to say God hath beheld no iniquity in Iacob nor seene perversenesse in Israel Num. 23. 21. Directed the tongâ—e of Moyses the man of God to say Thou settest our sins before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance Psal â—0 8. What then is there contradiction in the Scripture No such matter both the one and the other are the undeniable sacred truths of God God seeth no sinne in his people sc with a revenging eye as to condemne his people for their sinnes That mandate sinne no more is a comparative speech whereby the cured is exhorted to strive that his sinnes be not such nor so many as they had beene but that their force might be weakned their number lessened and occasions avoided God heareth not sinners i. such who make a trade of sinning suffering
conversion which being true will alter both the condition and conversation of you and we do heartily wish that all who know us were both almost and altogether such as we are except our frailties and afflictions We would meet you more then halfe way to joyne our selves in intimate society with you and give you the right hand of fellowship could you be intreated to have no fellowship with the fruitlesse Eph. 5. 11. workes of darknesse and to have fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ. I therefore an Ambassadour for Christ as though 2 Cor. 5. 20. God did beseech you by me I pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God and be joyned in fellowship with his Sonne Iesus Christ Me thinkes if you are but pliant or flexible I should allure Motives you to this unconceiveable conjunction I supposing your former thwart detractions unjust depravations and unadvised detestations of and your not thirsting after and endeavouring to associate your selves to this mâ—st lovely society to accrew from the misleading calumniâ—tions of malignant spirits and your owne ignorant unacquaintednesse of the radiant resplendency and reâ—ulgent royalty of this more then Angelicall conjunction That I may therefore induce and draw you to a love and liking of inflame and set on fire your never satisfied appetites after this incomparable and ineffable incorporation I will propose sixe following Propositions to your considerations First this fellowship with Christ Iesus or the union betwixt Christ and Christians is the sweetest and most odoriferous Cantic â— 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He seâ—deth among the Lillies i. Christ Iesus is among those persons and places where his graces grow which graces make those in whom they dwell Lilly-like 1. In regard of their dignity and excellency compared with unbelievers 2. In regard of their spirituall beauty Christs purity and Christians piety compared with carnall Hypocrites Epicures and Atheists 3. In regard of their sweet savour or smell compared with lewd livers Christ Iesus the Head of this Society Cant. 2. 1. And all the body of this conjunction 2. 2. are Lilly-like both in favour and smell therefore most beautifull lovely and pleasant Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia are sweet incense and perfuming powders affoording pleasurefull delectation all the garments of all this goodfellowship smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia Psal 45. 8. 1. Christ Iesus the head of this society is a bunch or bundle of myrrhe or pleasant nosegay continually refreshing those which are joyned to him with his delectable sweetnesse Cantic 1. 13. Yea his excellent sweetnesse to every Christian soule is like Calamus and Camphire which be sweet and delightfull things Cantic 1. 14. 4. 1â— Yea all things in him are rich and shining beautifull and precious his hands being as rings of gold set with the Chrysolite Cant. 5. 14. yea his words are sweet and delectable his lips being like lillies dropping downe pure mirrh 5. 13. And in regard of his spirituall fairenesse comlinesse and beautifull sweetnesse he is called the rose of Sharon Cant. 2. 1. 2. All this society is a garden inclosed whose plants are an Orchard of Pomgranats i. e. the faithfull members of Christ as plants beare all sweet delectable fruits as Camphire Spiknard and Saffron c. 4. 12 13. Yea to whom the singing of birds is come i. e. the time which followeth effectuall vocation when the sharpe winter of an unregenerate estate being over the soule is refreshed with most comfortable graces Cant. 2. 12. yea so delightfull that Christ Iesus saith of them and to them 7. 6. how faire and how pleasant art thou O love for delights And can there be a sweeter or more lovely society then this Secondly this is the most honourable and glorious communion that is 1. The builder of it is most glorious for he is a King of glory Psal 24. 7. and Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 8. 2. The foundations of it as glorious as may be Isa 54. 11. Saphires Rev. 21. 19. Iasper Saphir Chalcedonye Emerald Sardonix Sardius Chrysolite Beryl Topaze Chrysophrasus Iacinth Amethist The decree of Election is one foundation 2. Tim. 2. 10. The summe of Christian doctrine is another foundation Heb. 6. 1. The doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. 20. Christ is the foundation of foundations 1. Cor. 3. 11. of this society glorious therefore are the foundations 3. The gates are glorious Isa 54. 12. Carbuncles Rev 21. 22. twelve gates twelve pearles the Ministery of the Word and faith make entrance for Christ to come into the hearts of the Elect and for them to flocke freely into the Lords assemblie 4. The wals are glorious Isa 26. 1. Salvation will God appoint for wals 60. 8. call thy wals salvation Zach. 2. 5. I saith the Lord will be a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her 5. The persons are all of them exceeding glorious which will cleerely appeare if wee seriously consider and take notice 1. What glorious ornaments they are invested withall sc the many rich and costly sweet and comfortable graces of Christ Iesus called their garments Psal 45. 8. Because 1. the nakednesse of their soules is hereby covered 2. they are comforted and kept warme 3. defended from the fiery darts of sinne and Sathan 4. decked beautified and adorned 2. What glorious names and titles they have Not onely is the Church of God nominated the city of God the mountaine of Gods holinesse Psal 48. 1. the joy of the whole earth the city of the great King the city of the Lord of hosts the city of our God the perfection of beauty Psal 50. 2. and the holy mountaine Zach. 8. 3. But also all the persons of this society are Christs brethren sisters and mothers Marc. 2. 33. Kings and Priests Rev. 1. 6. a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2. 9. the daughter and queene of Christ Psal 45. 9 10. Saints jewels the Dove and Spouse of Christ 3. What glorious priviledges they have viz. 1. They are guarded from the dominion of sinne Satan death and damnation by the good spirit grace and mercy power and presence word truth promise and providence of God and by the power of his sons death 2. The Lord is a hearer of their prayers Deut. 4. 8. which have free accesse into the Court of heaven 3. They are cleansed from their sinnes by the bloud of Christ 1. Iohn 1. 7. he having washed them from their sinnes in his owne bloud Rev. 1. 5. 4. They have the saving knowledge of God and his Son Christ Iesus 1. Iohn 2. 20. which is life eternall Ioh. 17. 3. and a true cause of glorifying 5. They have the holy Ghost given them Rom. 5. 5. whereby they cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. which beares witnesse with their spirits that they are the children of God whereby they are ascertained that God dwels in them and they in him 1.
unanimous consent of heart and mind 〈◊〉 headlong into it as the enraged horse into the â—attell drawâ—s iniquity with cords of vâ—nâ—ty Isa 5. 18. Drinks it downe with as thirsting appetite and delighting pleasantnesse as fishes do water And therefore although he is oft times curbed by the feare of punishment and dread of shame whereas the rich furniture of Gods peerlesse graces his entire love to God tendernesse of conscience restraines the good from many foule enormites seeketh diligently occasion to commit sinne and rejoyceth greatly finding opportunity thereunto The oftner a Godly man sinneth although his vse is not 5. By sinning learne more carefully to avoid sin to sinne willingly neither doth oft fall into the same sinne the greater is his sorrow Contrition humiliation strife c. Witnesse David Peter and the incestuous person A good traveller minding his way is made more watchfull of his footsteps by his many slips and fallings An approved souldier disdaining base cowardise and miserable slavery and thirsting after wished conquest doth rouse up and vivifie his dismayed spirits with addition of new supplies of vigour guâ—rdeth himselfe with more heedfull watchfulnesse buckles his neglected armour faster to his body yea doubles his diligence in all particulars after the receipt of some shamefull foiles from the hand of his formidable foe The wicked is more obdurate by often sinning growes worse and worse seekes it more greedily every day then other Prov. 23. His custome in sinning takes away the sense of sin his ordinary feeding upon those grapes of gall and swallowing downe such deadly poyson makes it as welcome to his appetite as his daily repast and as luscious to his palate as the sweetest Ambrosia his long grounded acquaintance with those hellish brats links him with such indeerd intimatenesse to those infernall fiends that it s as possible to unspotte the party-coloured Leopard and whiten the tawny Negro as to disjoyne his fast glued affections by accustoming to doe evill from his sinne Ier. 13. 23. The godly man advisedly considering what he hath done 6. Riseth by repentance after falling into sinne flyes with all speed to the Lord Iesus his soules physitian uncovers his wound to the bottome humbly sâ—ing to have his siâ—ke soule bathed in and balmed with the bloud of the Lambe Hee fals downe at the throne of grace accusing judging condemning himselfe and sending forth flouds of tears from his wounded heart or grieving that he can grieve no more for his shamefull faylings He beggeth pardon for his iniquity with as much earnestnes as a condemned malefactor He loaths his sin now more then ever for disquieting his soule and hindering his peace with his God He becomes more nobly resolute against sin and its devilish occasions then he was before so raising himself by true repentance The wicked although sometimes consideration of the righteous judge the dreadfull day of judgement those unutterable torments prepared for the damned works in them some melancholy fits of dumpishnes yet they never rise by true repentance for eyther they are sick not perceiving it rushing upon the wrath of God like blind BalaaÌ„â—or although they leave some evil waies they take other as bad only exchanging sin for sin or if they do confes their sins it s not intire universal wanting either sorrowfull contrition or true faith or a godly purpos'd resolution to joyne with confession the confusion of their sins Thus I hope it is as cleare as the shining of the sunne in a M. Yates 16. ad câ— pag 97. summers day that although all men are sinners yet there are apparent differences betwixt the good and bad in sinning A good divine saith well Their sinnes are not the same in purpose which may be the same in performance Is there not great disagreement twixt grieving Gods spirit and despighting the same Is there not great difference betwixt touching sinne and tumbling in it sipping of it and swallowing it up twixt suddaine fallings into sinne and carelesly lying in it sure I am there is a manifest dissimilitude betweene a mad mans drunkards and swines willing greedy and delightfull wallowing in the myre and the falling of a man in his right wits And I verily thinke all men will acknowledge that its one thing to pursue with all greedinesse and overtake sinne another to flee amaine from it as from a serpent and unwillingly be overtaken 1. Let all such who hate to be reformed animate themselves and encourage others to persist in all dissolute and disorbitant courses Because the boundlesse sea of Gods mercy is bottomelesse and infinite little considering that although a Psal 10â— 17. Gods mercie is everlasting b Exod. 20. 6. Great c Exod. 33 15. Free d Psal 109. 2. Sweet yet it is appropriated only to such who e Deut. 5 10. observe Gods commandements f Deut. 5. 3. Love God g Psal 102. 18. Keepe his Covenant h Prov. 28. 13. Confesse and forsake their sins i Ier. 3. 12. Returne to God k Amos â— 15. Hate evill do good establish judgement c. l Gal. â— 15. 16. and such who are new creatures And not to such who make it a packhorse to cary their hellish enormities Or 2. Because they may repent at the last aswell as the penitent theefe upon the Crosse many other of their own fraternity who although they ran riot with them in their prosperity yet dyed like lambes calling upon God Little considering that they for ought I know might aswel neglect al means to provide food and raiment because God fed cloathed the Israelites his ancient people in a barren wildernesse so many yeares miraculously Smite their dumbe beasts to make them speake because God once did wondrously open the mouth of Balaams Asse to reprove the madnesse of the Prophet Cast away all care and expect flesh and bread to be brought from heaven extraordinarily by ravens because Eliah was once so strangely preserved Presume to live forty daies without bread or water because Moses and Eliah fasted so miraculously As well as thinke to repent at their last gaspe because once one thiefe did so miraculously And as for the repentance of their owne boone companions its probable that it is not sound but counterfet For can we imagine that those who will not heare Moses and the Prophets so as to be drawne to repentance and amendment it being the meanes the Lord hath sanctified to mans conversion will be drawne to sound and sincere repentance and a through reformation of their lives by a fit of sicknesse And doth not daily experience demonstrate Ficta citò ad naturam redâ—erâ—nt suam Simulata non diâ— durans pab pag. 64. to the eyes of all such who will open them to the truth that such people if God spareth them vsually like Pharoah and Ieroboam runne greedily with the dogge to their old vomit A learned Knight saith What shall we call a
like manner Had I more then all other imaginable excellent qualities and dignities Did I excell in wisdome and understanding not onely those renowned Heathen Philosophers but even their fained Apollo and our Divine Salomon Had I the tongue of Angels and a body as beautifull as the Sunne Had I a Soveraigne command over men and all other inferiour creatures Could I enjoy the sweetest contentments of the most mellodious musicke richest robes costly cates Had I the full fruition of all the richest treasures in the whole world yet without Christ Iesus without redemption I had nothing Am I therefore partaker of that comfortable worke of redemption where justice and mercy met together whereby I am saved from the curse of the law the power of darknesse the divell the wrath to come the guilt guerdon due desert and punishment of sinne Was I redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe without blemish and without spot Was I redeemed that I might serve him in holinesse c. Luke 1. 74. 75. that I should honour him Then surely I will not be so unmindfull of such a mercy nor unthankfull to such a benefactour but will honour him who hath thus honoured mee Gods honour ought to be the end of all our actions 1. Pet. 4. The end of all 4. 11. If any man speake if any man minister that God in all things may bee glorified 1. Cor. 10. 31. whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe c. doe all to the glorie of God Doe we desire our owne advancement and benefit The 5. A meanes to be honoured way is not turke and popishlike like cruell Abimelech to build our deemed safeties upon the ruines and bloud of others or like faire tongu'd Absaloms by insinuating flatteries or like couzening Zebaâ—s by lies and falsehoods or by any such like Machivelian policies For could we such hopes such happinesses would proove like spiders webs But the onely meanes is by honouring the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 30. those that honour me will I honour saith the Lord. If none of these will prevaile yet let feare of punishment due to such which dishonour and deny honour to the Lord 6. Want dangerous perswade Why was Pharoah scourged with a tenfold plague was it not for dishonouring God Why was Herod eaten with wormes save because he gave not God his glory Acts 11. 23. Yea why was an entrance denyed to Moses and Aaron into the land of promise was it not because they sanctified him not in the midst of the children of Israel Deut. 32. 51. Wherefore did the Lord smite Davids childe with death save for dishonouring him 2. Sam. 12. 14. Were your strength as sinewes of iron your wisedome and policy as exact as is possibly attaineable by mortall men your friends and fauorites many and mighty Had you the swaying of earthly scepters yet neither these nor any such like can possibly secure you from the irefull revenging hand of God if you either dishonour or deny him honour Witnesse these forenamed who were kings or as kings Witnesse that saying of the Prophet to Ely 1. Sam. 2. 30. Those that honour mee those that despise me will I despise or shall be lightly esteemed i. e. accounted vile in Gods sight Doe not thinke to avoid the judgement if you will not be perswaded To deny the truth of Scripture is blasphemy To thinke he will not doe what he hath said he being faithfull and so to make him a lyar or that he cannot punish although hee hath threatned hee being omnipotent is much more blasphemous CHAP. VI. Duty 5. Saints must doe Gods will IF God is our Father we ought to doe his will The doing Duty 5. whereof allieth men to Christ Iesus Mat. 12. 50. Makes men like Christ Ioh 6. 38. Is a meanes for man to prosper Ioh. 9. 31. Is the direct rode and pathway to heaven and happinesse 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Many men alas looke for heaven who never shall enjoy it Ignorant men because they meane no harme although the Lord will come in flaming fire against such 2. Thess 1. 8. Civill honest men because they doe no hurt and render to all their dues although they want holinesse without which none can see God Heb. 12. 14. Pharisees because in diverse things they excell other men although they want the pith and marrow of Christianity These such like hope for heaven But they being asleepe in sinne dreame of fulnesse but will arise empty of plenty awake poore of heaven finde nothing lesse Heaven is promised but not to all 1. Ioh. 2. 25. It is reserved but not for all 1. Pet. 1. 4. There is a broad way leading to death traced by the most There is a straight and narrow way leading to heaven not knowne of all and found onely by few Mat. 7. 13. 14. even of those who doe the will of God Mat. 7. 21. would we know who shall goe to heaven Aske not the ignorant man his cloudy and darke understanding cannot tell he onely hopes well that 's the vtmost of his skill Aske not the carnall man he is not able to discerne such things 1. Cor. 1. 14. no more then the blinde can judge of colours Aske not the civill man he walkes in a way which seemes good to himselfe but it is not right enough to bring him to heaven Aske not the Pharisee his golden shewes are too too weake our righteousnesse must exceed his But aske of Christ who is the Truth and cannot deceive us the Light void of ignorance and the Way it selfe leading to heaven by his example by his merits and by his doctrine and he will tell us we must doe the will of his father which is in heaven Mat. 7. 21. Thinke not O thou painted sepulchre with thy lording tongue and divelish heart Thinke not O thou carnall christian with thy Lord Lord living in iniquity to have the prerogatives of Gods sonnes but shew thy faith by thy workes thy profession by thy practise Ioyne with Lord Lord doing of Gods will so shalt thou declare thy selfe to be the childe of God so shalt thou obtaine the proper priviledge of Gods children the kingdome of heaven 1. Let the worldling doe the will of his god Mammon therefore as moles blinded in the earth or as the horse without understanding who knowes no greater felicity then plenty of hay and provender onely tune this note who will shew us any good whereas all his wished contentments bring him no true content being never able to satiate his soule witnesse Ahab 1. King 21. 5. he had a kingdome yet still hee needs something a garden of hearbes witnesse the rich man Luke 12. 17. who had so much that he could not tell what to doe yet still hee is in a pecke of troubles for having plenty hee wants roome he knowes not what to do yet for these unprofitable things which cannot add
a minute to his time nor a cubit to his stature he makes Esaus bargaine exchanging a birth-right for pottage or Glaucus exchange gold for copper all his paines having beene as to breake a wormeaten nut which filleth his mouth with myry dirt and for these his gettings which are but like Sodomes fruit he neglecteth to do the will of God which is that he should seeke Gods kingdome with his chiefest desires and endeavours whereas he regards it not at all or too sleightly Which is that he should instruct his family after the examples of Abraham Iosuah and David Deut. 6. whereas he as if all soule care lay upon the Pastor yet the Iewes having Priests Prophets and Levites were enjoyned this Deut. 6. thinkes he hath done his duty if he feedes and cloaths his family little considering that if hee doth no more he doth not so much for his children bone of his bones and servants members of his oiconomicall body as for his cattell to which he gives fodder and lodging For these having such things have all things to them necessarie and whereof they are capable Whereas those having food rayment and lodging have not all necessaries saving grace being needfull to them nor whereof they are capable they being capable of grace and glory of which those bruitish creatures are not 2. Let the wretched sinner do the will of sinne crouching downe and becomming servile to such base commanders Rom. 6. 12. more loathsome then a toad worse then the divell it making him of a glorious angell to become an apostate divell 3. Let all the heires of wrath and children of the divell doe the will of Sathan the god of this world as one saith of the Irish they will be Irish like Iupiters cat so these they M. Morison Irish hist will be wicked yet let every one who wisheth well to his soule who desireth to be saved who longeth for the kingdome of heaven and would be esteem'd the childe of God doe the will of God our father and that 1. In all things after the example of David who had respect to all Gods commandements Psal 119. 6. after the example of Christ who fulfilled all righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. and of Zachary and Elizabeth who walked in all the ordinances of the Lord Luke 1. 6. Thinke not O foolish Herodians that your doing somethings is sufficient you shun drunkennes but care not whom you devoure Idolatry yet live in filthy adultery c. Saul did in part Herod somethings neither sufficient Thinke not O you unjust sharers who divide twixt God and the divell not much unlike the traveller who offered to his Apollo the shels but ate himselfe the kernels giving to God your bodies in the temple your hearts to Sathan for you 'l doe Gods worke with your tongues the devils in your lives professing piety you practise iniquity that God is well pleas'd with such unjust divisions God will not part with him who is his foe he will not be content with part all being his due What and if the wanton worldling pleaseth himselfe with his windy words and thoughts so free pleading for them as Lot for Zoar that they are but little ones or as the Pharisee not so bad as other men yet shall hee know they are not free from Gods tribunall seat where his lust will be found adultery anger murder and his little ones infinite What and if the ungodly Papist perswades his seduced disciples that some sinnes are pretergressions not transgressions not against onely beside the law and will of God no waies offending God for which God cannot in justice punish with hell fire everlastingly yet let all such who would be esteem'd the children of God doe the whole will of our father 1. Omitting no good duty hee hath commanded wee being faulty by omission as well as by commission Saul for not killing as Ioab for murder Dives for not giving as the Iewes for oppressing 2. Committing no one thing forbidden 1. Shunne those little ones many sands are as weighty as some great stones many moates as blemishing as one beame little lice and flies destroyed the Egyptians These egges will prove devouring and empoysoning Cockatrices These twigs will prove thorny bushes except they are timely stubbed 2. Avoid all Dalilahs pleasant sinnes those delightfull eyes and profitable hands for Are they not loathsome and incurable Did they not cost Christs bloud to redeeme from them 1. Pet. 1. 18 Will you doe that so unworthy your calling Dare you draw such burdens upon your soules What though they please you they displease God Thinkest thou O man that they will not be bitternesse in the end These are Dalilahs of those hellish Philistimes to destroy These are sweet but deadly poyson These like the Scorpions Rev. 9 7. 10. have amiable countenances yet stings in their tailes They have lovely embracings yet sting like Serpents Rom. 6. 23. These make the sinner jolly and pleasant as the hearbe Sardonia the eater who eating dies Dash â—isus Sardonius moritur ridet Salâ—de gub de lib. 7. pag. 217. therefore these little ones against the stones crush these Serpents egges especially leave off and slee from them more then from a Serpent those great and crying evils Oh forsake all vsury too uncharitable unnaturall gainefull to be good There is nothing more filthy nothing more cruell then the present Niâ—â—â—â—nim present 〈…〉 a â—â—rpius 〈…〉 siquidem â—â—â—â—smodi â—â—â—nerator negotiatur aliena diâ—â—rimina 〈…〉 cres ut putat quisiâ—â— de aâ—â—â—â—ius in â—lâ—â—itate consâ—quitio 〈…〉 quisipicâ—atis me 〈…〉 reposeâ—â— velut metuenâ— ne immâ—sâ—ricorâ—forte videatur cum pâ—â—â—â—cto 〈…〉 â—aiorem misero â—oveam crudeâ—â—tati 〈…〉 Chrys Tom. 2. Hom. 6. in Matth. 2. vsury because a lender of this sort doth gaine other mens perils and as he thinketh doth purchase more plentifull gaines by the adversitie of another and moreover he doth demand of duty and with authority as if it were the hire of piety fearing least he should seeme unmercifull whereas truely he hath digged out a great pitfall to the miserable man under the colour of pittying and bringing helpe saith Saint Chrysostome Drunkennesse too fordid for Saints I perswading you thus to doe exhort you to no more then what is just and equall If you consider 1. That God hath not abridged you of any action onely of the naughty manner of doing he doth not forbid to get goods onely by unlawfull meanes He prohibiteth not drinking onely drunkennesse or excesse 2. That all Gods commandements whether negative or affirmative are divine holy just heavenly and perfect binding the conscience tending to life or death 3. That if servants must doe the will of their masters in all things Tit. 2. 9. sc which are lawfull and not gainsaid by higher authority how much more then are we bound to doe the will of God in all things hee being our Creator Redeemer King c. 2. Faithfully he who serves God with seeming devotion must looke
out-cries against all such who question their society with God they having ever in a readinesse Lord Lord. At what time soever c. They are men of good meaning although they are not bookish They have a sure beliefe in God They love God above all and their neighbour as themselves God they hope did not make them to damne them all men are sinners as well as themselves They hope to be saved before or as soone as the strictest Saint-seeming Puritanes of them all These and such like traditionary conceipts being in their shallow apprehensions sufficient to quiet their guilty consciences from ever accusing them to put to silence and make mute those cutting conclusions and peremptory propositions of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Neither fornicators c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. An Antidote sufficient to counterpoyse against the poysonfull venome of their infectious impieties A paimeâ—t equivalent to countervaile the numberlesse debts of their hainous enormities And graces availeable to equalize them with the Saints and annexe them firmely to this Divine Society which is with the Father Yet I humbly intreate and beseech yea I charge and command in the name of the Lord Iehouah all you who either hope for have or hunger after this Coelestiall Society to have no fellowship with the fruitlesse works of darknesse to forsake and flee from sinne and iniquity Sinne is darknesse Rom. 13. 12. Cast off the workes of Mot. 1. darknesse Eph. 5. 11. Fruitlesse workes of darknesse 1 Thes 5. 4. Not in darknesse Darknesse it is in respect of its author who is the Prince of darknesse 2. Of its fountaine the darke heart of man 3. Of the nature of the nature of its author he hates the light 4. Of the time wherein done the night 1 Thes 5. 7. Of its fruits eternall darknesse Wicked men are walkers in darknesse 1 Ioh. 1. 6. Yea such wayes of darknesse that I am altogether ignorant whereunto to resemble it Should I paralell it with Cimerean darknesse that no whit comparable it being occasioned by the farre distance of the Sunne from that place and people and so but naturall an absence of light naturall this by the absence of the splendent rayes of the rich and radiant graces of the Sunne of righteousnesse therefore a spirituall darknesse containing the fearefull estate of unbeleevers in this world Or with that Aegyptian plague of darknesse which was palpable There is no comparison by that their bodily eyes were blinded by this of the soule 2 Cor. 4. 4. That was but for a short time of continuance this otherwise That kept them from mooving this hoodwinks and infatuates them so that although they go yet whither they know not 1 Ioh. 2. 11. But in God is no darknesse at all 1 Ioh. 1. 5. Sinne is death Math. 8. 22. Let the dead burie their dead Eph. 2. 12. Dead in trespasses and sinnes 5. 14. Arise from the dead 1 Tim 5. 6. Dead while she lives 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Passed from death Well may sinne be called death 1. It deserving death 2. Causing death Rom. 5. 12. 3. Being odious to a living soule as death to a living man 4. Bitter as death 5. It disabling the soule from well-doing And 6. destroying as death But God is life 1 Ioh. 1. 2. Is it a grounded axiome Omne dissimile est in sociabile That every dissimilitude is insociable Do we all know that light and darknesse can never accord but the one is ever a privation of the other Doth experience daily declare unto us that there is not the least society betwixt living and dead bodies although of the most intimate confederates Although the one a most compassionate mother the other an entirely affected child Yea although of the lovingest mates that ever were linked in the sacred bonds of conjugall society But the living as disjoyned from the dead parts them away by a speedy interring them in the earth And is it possible think for God and sin twixt whom there is the greatest repugnancy to accord Can any so much as dreame of yet dreames are but dreames having fellowship with those fruitlesse workes of darknesse which are dead works yea death it selfe and with the Lord of light and life Sinne doth inkindle the wrathfull indignation of the irefull sinne-revenging God making him so sore displeased that he threw downe Angels from his heavenly habitations into that infernall lake of endlesse woe exil'd our first parents out of Eden that Paradise of God brake up the fountaines of the great deepe and opened the floud-gates of heaven and destroyed all flesh wherein was the breath of life those few excepted which were in the Arke Destroyed utterly Sodome The Lake Sodome 180 furlongs which is 22. miles of ours in length â—50 in bredth which is 18. of our miles as some say some more Ios Weissenbig It hath no out-let or disburdening Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim with fire and brimstone from heaven In a word sinne is that which provokes the Lord to send upon a people or person his numberlesse and insupportable plagues and punishments hence come noysome beasts hence dolefull captivities hence destroying pestilences hence famine so tragicall yea all other greater or lesser temporall tortures Hence blindnesse of mind hardnesse of heart pertinacious obstinacy finall impenitency yea all those endlesse easelesse hopelesse helplesse torments of eternall damnation where their worme never dyeth and their fire is not quenched of which those other are but vaunt-courers or fore-runners And can we have fellowship with God except we abandon iniquity thinke we Sinne is that traiterous Iudas corrupt Pilate perfidious perjurers bloud-thirsty Iewes and torturing executioners yea as the thornes whips nailes mockings buffettings spittings and speare wherewith the head backe and cheekes so tender and lovely were bloudily and barbarously gored the harmelesse innocency derided and calumniated yea the hearts bloud of the Sonne of God more worth then millions of worlds spilt upon the earth This is that which grieves despights and quencheth the Spirit of God And can we perswade our selves of having fellowship with the Father if we delight in sinne which crucifies the Sonne and grieves if not wholly quencheth and despighteth the Holy Ghost Sinne transformes men into monsters making them Scorpions Ezek. 2. 6. Vipers Math. 3. 7. Cokatrices and Spiders Isa 59. 5. Dogges swine and such like foule and filthy creatures Ignatius saith I sight valiantly with beasts in Assyria even 〈…〉 to Rome not that I am devoured by bruit beasts For these as you know God willing â—â—ared Daniel But of beasts bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom that cruell beast doth 〈◊〉 which doth daily sting and wound me St. Chrysostome saith Sometimes he calleth them 〈◊〉 for their sawâ—inesse and violence sometimes horses for their lust sometimes asses for their sottishnesse and ignorance sometimes lions and libards for their ravening end covetousnesse of having sometimes also aspes for their guile oftentimes serpents and vâ—pers for their secret
yokes and interessed to haue right and part in many priuiledges and prerogatives even so in this your spirituall supernaturall and heavenly liberty 1. By meanes of your justification you have freedome 1. From sinne Rom. 6. 7. 22. from sinne i. e. the dominion and reigne of sinne ver 14. the guilt of sin 8. 33. and the condemnation or punishment due unto it Rom. 8. 1. 2. From the unsupportable yoke of the whole ceremoniall law Col. 2. 16 17 c. 3. From the thraldome of the divell Luke 1. 71. 74. Col. 1. 13. 4 From the morall law viz. in regard of 1. the curse it denounced there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. 2. the justification it proposeth Rom. 3. 28. and 3. the rigour of obedience it requireth so that you are not under the law Rom. 6. 14. or the rigorous exaction of the law you are delivered from the law 7. 6. or that perfect obedience the law in rigour requires to salvation 2. By meanes of your sanctification you have freedome from the power and dominion of sinne although not perfectly and wholy yet in part and in all the powers and faculties of your soules senses and members So that your minds have freedome from the power of darknesse your wills from the power of disobedience your hearts from the power of deadnesse your affections from the power of pollution and corruption and your bodies from that power of sinne whereby they were made weapons of unrighteousnesse Rom. 8. 2. You are priviledged by this your liberty 1. To serve the Lord of glory in righteousnesse and holinesse Luk. 1. 74. 2. To use Gods creatures these not being uncleane of themselves Rom. 14. 14. and being pure to the pure Titus 1. 15. 3. To use or not to use things indifferent keeping our selves within the bounds of charity and edification Rom. 14. 19. 4. To come to God by Christ in prayer Rom. 5. 2. Ephes 3. 12. 5 And you shall have a full and perfect deliverance from the very corruption of sinne and of the grave too and from all misery Rom. 8. 21. Ephes 1. 14. and a free entrance into those heavenly habitations when you die Heb. 10. 19. This is that liberty which Christ Iesus procured you by his precious merit and the efficacie of his spirit This is a liberty of such extraordinarie worthinesse that men and Angels are unable to conceive or expresse the transcendent dignity of the same Are naturall civill and corporall liberties so much doted on and desired that men will purchase them with long and hard service and bondage yea with great summes of money Acts 22. 28. and of such consequence that they freed Paul from the whip Acts 22. 29. exempt from diverse and sundry taxations and give right to many large and rich immunities Then how lovely and amiable how honourable and unconceavably excellent is this Christian liberty twixt which and that is no comparison For 1. What is freedome from the tormenting stone noysome plague or destroying pestilence in regard of freedome from sinne of all sicknesses the most dangerous because damnable if not cured most infectious polluting and stayning soules most odious to God Angels and good men and most difficult to cure onely Christs bloud being of force to heale this malady 2. What is freedome from the Turkish slavish bondage the Spanish miserably oppressing gallies and hellish tormenting inquisition and the Egyptian house of bondage in regard of freedome from the divell of all enemies the most cruell his bondage most uncomfortable and his torments most dreadfull being extreame painefull and horrible altogether helplesse and hopelesse easelesse and endlesse 3. What are the franchises of the most priviledg'd fraternities cities and incorporations the liberties of friends and Favourites of Kings and mighty Monarchs in comparison of this liberty of true Christians they being priviledg'd to have free accesse into the courts of heaven to the throne of grace to use Gods creatures to call God father to bee his friends and favourites and to passe from this vale of teares into those everlasting mansions of blissefull felicities Give me leave to suppose a poore forlorne contemned strumpet borne of the most vile and wretched parents in the whole world having nothing lovely or desireable in her but odious and abominable in all respects having a soule full of darknesse folly and madnesse a body altogether mis-shapen with blemishes and deformities and tortured with all kind of sicknesses and diseases from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head being to live all her time in the greatest bondage that may be imagined worse then the Turkish Spanish or Aegyptian thraldome and at the end of her life to be tormented with the most lingring and excruciating death did not the onely Sonne of the worlds supreme Monarch rescue and ransome her with the effusion of his owne hearts bloud who of his free favour and bounty towards this abject caitiffe without her desire or desert condescended to cast off his Princely robes and ornaments and vouchsafed to court and wooe this despised creature to joyne her selfe with him in the nearest tie of the matrimoniall knot and he for her sake will confront and confound all her enemies who so miserably oppresse her heale all her maladies which so cruelly vexe her with his owne bloud and give her instead of her shamefull deformities starre-like beauty instead of her deformed nakednesse Princely apparell instead of her aches dolours tumours and other dreadfull diseases health and sanity instead of her extreame beggery the riches of the whole world mirth instead of mourning and instead of her bondage to tyrants diseases and direfull death liberty and freedome from all enemies to come boldly to the Kings Court and to solace her selfe in the enjoyment of all his honours delights and profits yea to be married to the Kings Sonne and Heire and to be interessed in himselfe and whatsoever is his would not all conclude that the liberty of this imagined wretch was unparalel'd and unspeakable Behold more then I have imagined verified in all you who have fellowship with Christ Iesus Once you were more forlorne then this supposed creature being children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. And the Devill Ioh. 8. 44 Having nothing in you save sinne and wickednesse being dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2. â— Slaves and bondmen to the Devill 2 Tim. 2. 16. Wearying your selves in his cruell and irksome service to be repayed with eternall death Rom. 6. 23. and everlasting torments had not the onely Sonne of the worlds Creatour taken pitie upon you who of his free favour and bounty left that heavenly habitation tooke upon him the forme of a servant vanquished the Devill death and hell delivered you from the dominion and raigne of sinne and the wrath of God due to your sinnes and everlasting damnation clothing your deformed soules with the rich and lovely robes of his owne righteousnesse healed your sicke soules
with his owne bloud and conjoyned you to himselfe in the fastest ligaments of the firmest societies by meanes whereof the creatures are your servants the Angels are your guard Gods Word is your guide his Spirit your Comforter his Sonne your Head and Husband and himselfe your Father by meanes whereof your wants and wealth are sanctified your blemishes are covered your sinnes are pardoned your soules are comforted and your selves shal be crowned or in a word enjoy the priviledges and liberties of the Sonnes of God being liberties which are glorious Rom. 8. 21. And purchased onely by Christ Iesus Gal. 5. 1. And will not this Christian liberty and all its gracious and glorious priviledges freeing from the justification of the morall Law the curse and condemnation of the Law the rigour of the Law exacting perfect obedience and condemning all imperfection and from the observation of the Ceremoniall Law satisfie and content you O you heedlesse and heady equivocating Antinomists but you will incroach upon the forbidden fruit and exempt your selves from being bound to obey the Morall Law 2. Have these goodfellowes such liberty and will you not O you sonnes of men enfranchise your selves into their society You 'le ride and runne crave and crouch buy and begge toyle and travaile for liberties of favoured Courtiers of free Denisons of famous Corporations and other like of lesse availe and will you neglect this liberty so amiable so great and glorious so unspeakable and unparalel'd 3. Have you such liberty you purchased possession and peculiar people of Christ Iesus and shall crossing calamities unsavoury afflictions or any disasterous occurrents you meet withall in this your pilgrimage dead and dampen your joyfull performances of Christian duties Or should not rather this your liberty and freedome animate and encourage you to wade over and passe through comfortably and couragiously all distastfull lets and difficult impediments objected and set against you by the Devill or his malicious complices CHAP. VII Vse 5. Of Exhortation Exhorting to this Societie Vse 5 GIve me leave in the last place to make some use for our instruction There being such communion it concernes us all to trie whether we are partners in this society and what our duty is we being planted in this goodfellowship As in the former so in this part of true goodfellowship I will couple together the true trials necessary duties and infallible markes of those who have fellowship with Christ. In handling which particulars I will keepe my selfe close to the sacred truth it being the tryall of truth and * Cuneo virtutis omnis extruditur haeresis Tertul. adversus Marcion Lib. 1. pag. 160. the wedge wherewith all heresie is driven out For as learned Tertullian once said * Ego meum dico verum Marcion suum Ego Marcionis affirmo adulteratum Marcion meum Lib. 4. pag. 225. Faciunt savâ—â— vespae faciunt Ecclesias Marcionitâ— pag 226. I say mine is the truth Marcion his I affirme Marcions doctrine to be corrupted Marcion mine Even Wasps make combs and Marcionites make Churches even so now we say ours is truth others theirs we affirme their Doctrine to be adulterate they ours and as Waspes have combes even so have Papists Anabaptists Familists and Antinomists Churches We say Christ is ours and we have fellowship with him Papists affirme that Christ is theirs and that we are Heretickes and the giddy Antinomists that Christ is theirs and that we are legall walkers bewitched Galathians a generation of men full of blindnesse and ignorance for say they times were never more blind darke and ignorant then now which speech cannot be true in their owne conceipt except because there are so few of their fraternity I do bewaile but excuse no whit the sinnes of our times yet I dare avow that sinne abounded in former ages as much as now it doth In the dayes of upright Noah Gen. 6. 5. Of faithfull Abraham 13. 13. Of meek Moses Exod. 36. 6 7. Of the Iudges Iud. 19. Ely 1 Sam. 2. 12. 17. Of Eliah 1 Reg. 19. 14. Of the Zealous Prophets Isa 1. 2 3 4. Ier. 2. 10 11. Ezek. 16. 47 48 49. Of Hos 4. 1 2 3. Ioel 3. 13. Amos 2. 4 6 7. Micah 3. 8. 11. 7. 1 2 3. Zephan 3. 1 2. Zach. 7. 11 12. Mal. 2. 10 11 17. Of Iohn Baptist Math. 3. 7. Of Christ Iesus 11. 21 22 23. 12. 34. 15. 3. 21. 12 13. 22. 5. 6. 27. 22. 25. Of Steven Acts 6. 9. Amongst the Romanes 16. 17 18. Corinthians 1. 3. 1. 5. 1. 6. 6. 8. 12. 11. 15. 12. 34. Galathians 3. 1. 3. 6. 12. Philippians 3. 18. Colossians 2. 20. Thessalonians 1. 2. 14. 15. Hebrewes 5. 12. The Asian Churches Rev. 2. 3. Descend we to Primitive times and there we shall find grosse corruptions a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius ad Trallâ—anos pag. 9. They are not Christians but covetous men seeking gaines by all manner of meanes saith Ignatius of many Christians in his dayes Saint Cyprian complaines of his time b Râ—rus â—odâ— â—â—inees qui perâ—â—liat â—mpudiâ—os Fâ—â—rus Moses qui occidat saâ—rilegoâ— Raâ—â—s Samuel qui â—â—obedâ—â—ntes lugâ—â—t 〈◊〉 Iob qui pro sâ—â—â—orum negligentiâ— sacrifi◠〈◊〉 offâ—rat Rarus Aâ—on qui â—orâ—m Phaâ—â—one 〈◊〉 Diâ—â—as edicat Rarus Noâ— qui his quibus immersio 〈◊〉 Arcaâ— bitumine litam provideâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostol◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—rrâ—na 〈◊〉 Magâ—â—tratus quorum Deus venter est qui in his quae dicere neâ—â—s est impudentes lâ—tantur gloriantur c Cyprian de â—eâ—un Tentat About 248. Lib. De Lapsis pag. 82. 83. In these dayes Phinees is seldome seene who will gore through the unchast A Moses is rare which will destroy the sacrilegious A Samuel is rare which will bewaile the disobedient A Iob is rare which will sacrifice for the negligence of his children an Aron is rare which will denounce Divine comminations before Pharaoh A Noah is rare which will provide an Arke for those to whom the floud doth threaten I speake weeping with the Apostle the Magistrates are enemies to the Crosse savouring earthly things whose God is their belly who delight and glory in those things which are dishonest to name c. And in another place he nominates diverse grosse and grievous sinnes in the Church whereof he complaines After him St. Ambrose c Sunt nonnulli inter vos fratres quorum licet vultâ—â— in Ecclesiâ— videamuâ— cor tamen in agris esse cognâ—sâ—iâ—â—â—s praesâ—ntiam quidem eorum consideramus â—â— plebâ— sed conversâ—tionem â—orum invenimus inâ—urâ— de terrâ enim semper cogitant de terrâ tractant quae terrena sunt sapiuâ—t Amb de quadrages Sâ—r â—9 de â—ejunio Elemosynis There are many my brethen About 370. among you whose heart we know is in the fields although we see their countenances in the Church and by their presence we consider them in the multitude but we find them by their conversation in the