for his wastes and secretly for his good by his heauenly Father to bring him to repentance and by repentance home to himselfe Where wee are to consider the kinde of punishment and effects thereof verse 15. the kinde of punishment was the straites of hunger such as the Land endured and he vvas in For the Lord set pouertie before him and sent miserie into him that inwardly and outwardly hee might draw him to himselfe vvith strong cordes of loue Hose 2.8 9. before no doubt he had knocked at the dore of his heart by the word that is by exhortations admonitions threatnings promises and there was no opening Apocal. 3.20 Now hee knocketh by his iudgements as before by his word saying to such seruants Compell him to come in Luke 14.23 The Doctrine is when the word cannot reclaime vs God will vse other meanes to make vs to looke home God doth seeke vs by his Word if hee cannot finde vs by it hee will make vs to seeke him by his iudgements Hee will beate vs gently vpon our coates and if yet vvee continue in sinne hee will vvhip our naked consciences GOD would not cast away his people which hee knew before Roman 11.2 and whom hee deliuered from the hand of the enemie with signes and great wonders in Egipt and in the terrible wildernesse Therefore vvhen they left off to serue him in righteousnesse as they did after the dayes of Iosua and after the dayes of the Elders that ouer-liued Iosua doing wickedly in his sight seruing Baalim Iudg. 2.11 Hee taught them in mercy by his word and with great signes by the Iudges whom hee raised vp as Sauiours to deliuer them verse 16. but vvhen they would not obey their Iudges and vvhen they went a whoring after their Gods verse 17. hee made them to crie for the affliction Iudg. 3.9 that is when hee could not by gentlenesse reduce them he tried other meanes and those of some sharpenesse to winne them Iudg. 3.12.15 and 4.2.3 Of this people further it is said that when they had their desire they were not turned from their lust Moses and Aaron could doe no good vpon them Psal. 78.29.30 what did the Lord then hee strooke some vvith sickenesse and slewe some with death and when he slew them they sought him verse 34. that is when hee layd affliction vpon them and sent death among them they would stand out no longer but returned earely that is presently though more in shew then in heart And thus whom he could not reforme by his word hee reformeth or seemeth to haue reformed with strokes Ephraim and the Princes of Iudah would not giue their mindes to turne vnto God Hose 5.4 and though the Lord sent Hosea Amos Ioel and other Prophets vnto them to turne them from that spirit of vanitie and whoredomes that was in the middes of them and among them yet would they not know IEHOVA therefore hee spoiled and wounded them that is spoiled them in their estate and wounded them in their persons Hose 5.14 that they might acknowledge their faults and seeke him verse 15. Hee hid himselfe to weet in his louing countenance verse 6. that they might seeke him in affliction verse 15. and went and returned to his place ibid. that is seemed as Christ to goe further Luke 24.28 that they might constraine him saying one to another Come let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoiled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and hee will binde vs vp Hos. 6.1 When Ionah would not come backe without a storme God sent out a storme or winde of commaundement to fetch him Iona. 1.4 As therefore the needle maketh way for the threed so GOD boareth the eare by piercing troubles that his word may enter that word which is the threed and twist of Euangelicall Saluation The reasons are First God loueth all his children and as many as he loueth he chasteneth Apoc. 3.19 that is breaketh them as Colts of their vnhappy touches with his rod of nurture Pro. 3.12 and here he dealeth with his children as earthly Parents doe with theirs they passe from words to blowes when words can doe nothing Secondly God will loose none of his children and therefore if they wander like strayes from their Fathers house hee will call them home by his word or vvhippe them home with chastisements Psal. 23.4 Thirdly God doth and euer will put difference betweene Sonnes Bastards Now if wee be vvithout correction wee are Bastards and not Sonnes Hebr. 12.8 and vvho can better tell how to reforme the heart then hee that made it Vses This teacheth vs when wee finde the Lords hand to be waightie vpon vs in any crosse to remember that God doth it to make vs to remoue nearer to him out of our farre Country Hee sometimes sendeth want it is that wee should sue to him for our store by repentance When vvee depart from him by sinne hee crosseth vs as he sometime did Balaam in his wayâ— Numb 22.22 it is to make vs to leaue sinne or to turne from sin to righteousnesse God roundeth vs in the eare it is to open our eares by his corrections Hee sendeth a storme after Ionah it is as if hee had said Ionah come back He breâ—keth the staffe of our bread it is to breake the stoâ—â— of our hearts Hee striketh vs with sicknesse it is to strike vs to amendment Hee maketh vs poore in our Trades it is to make vs rich in well-doing Finally he plagueth our bodies it is to preuent a greater plague in our soules Ezek. 20.37 1 Cor. 11.32 A terrour to those who despise the Word and will not heare the Rod nor for what it commeth nor from whom Mic. 6.9 For to such what meanes remaine to reclaime them from their vaine conuersation and how neare are they to hardning Let them consider who will not open to the Lord for any knocking 's at their hearts When hee reproueth their sinnes by affliction they open their eyes to blasphemie but open no dore of the heart to God they murmure against the rod but profit not by it to goodnesse or they despise and set light by it but it toucheth them to no care of amendment Esay 1.5 Amos 4.6.8.9.10.11 Ezek. 21.13 God hath long knocked at our hearts by the amiable voyce of his Gospell and lately by the loud voyce of his windes and marueilously by the glorious voyce of his Thunder But what opening by vnfained repentance Doe vve not open presently to a great man that knocketh And shall wee put off to open to him who is greater then man or all men Shall a stranger be receiued and shall hee that oweth the house stand without Shall strange affections finde no deniall and will wee not returne to the Lord of our hearts that his louing correction may make vs whole An instruction not to faint when God rebuketh vs with roddes Heb. 12.5 Prouerb 3.11 for his chastisementâ— are not tokens of desertion but
all who loue and looke for the comming of Iesus Christ to whose grace most humbly I commend your Honour now and euer At your Honours commandements most humbly in the Lord. ROBERT HORN To the Christian READER GOod READER I confesse ingeniously that in some part of my way through this Psalme I haue walked by the light and in the steppes of some before â—e whose names are of account and prayâ—e in the Church And this I haue done for thy sake that fauourest good intents to helpe thee and thy Family by helping thee if thou haue a charge in the point of their direction to godlinesse For by these gatherings thou mâ—ist read in one little Booke what is otherwayes done in many and I trust to thy commoditie My drift herein may the better be borne with when it shall be considered that for this labour thus offered to thy Christian acceptance no returne is expected but what shall be made to GOD by thankefulnesse for those good helpes wherewith I my selfe was first benefited and desire in Christ to bâ—nefit thee And let no man say that I might haue filled my hands in this my Masters great Haruest rather then followed others for I am priuy to my weake estate in such matters and the gleanings are for the poore Leuit. 19.9.10 All that I craue and hope to receiue is thy good for thy selfe and thy good Prayers for mee that in our seuerall charges wee may so well behaue our selues that the Master of the House may bee glorified by our seruice and may glorifie vs in his Kingdome when hee shall say It is well done good seruant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer muchâ— enter into thy Masters ioy Matth. 25.23 That wee may be partakers of this hope with the Saints in light let vs endeauour to nurture our charges with the knowledge of that truth which is according to godlinesse Tit. 1.1 And where worldly Masters of Families and carnall Ministers of Congregations doe little respect and fauour this dutie or the doers thereof let vs as the Word hath taught vs both doe and continue to doe according to this rule So shall wee reape in due season if wee faint not Gal. 6.9 The neglect hereof in you Masters and vs Ministers is cause that this large House of the Common-wealth so aboundeth with persons so highly disobedient to God and so shamefully disloyall to their Soueraigne Lord King IAMES whose happy and long life the God of our liues sanctifie and blesse euer to his great ioy here and euerlasting saluation in the Heauens AMEN Thine vnfainedly in the Lord Iesus ROBERT HORN THE CHRISTIAN GOVERNOVR Psalme 101. expounded A Psalme of DAVID I will sing Mercie and Iudgement vnto thee O Lord will I sing THis Psalme is Dauids For in the title which it hath it is called Dauids Psalme and beareth Dauids name In which He declareth how he will behaue himselfe in the Kingdome after he is inuested in it both for the affaires of his Crowne and for the more priuate matters of his Court. For the time when he wrote this most excellent Psalme as it is not named so the certaine houre day or yeere of it is not materiall and it is probable that it was made some short time after the report of Sauls death or not long before he came to the Kingdome by the common voice of all the Tribes who came to Hebron to make him King 2 Sam. 5.3.1 The Psalme itselfe consisteth of the title and bodie of the Psalme the title is in these words A Psalme of Dauid Where the Kingly Prophet writeth his name in the beginning of the Psalme as Princes doe in their Letters and Commandements to giue further matter vnto it and saith A Psalme of Dauid as if he should say if any shall doubt who made so large a promise to God of bringing himselfe vnder him in obedience and faithfulnesse yea and bound himselfe by a religious Psalme as by his bond and pawne so solemnely to performe the same let that person know that it was Dauid Gods King that entred thus into couenants with the Lord for the good gouernment of his owne house and the whole Kingdome This is the meaning Where we learne that none can be so great as to be ouer great and good for the good ordring and holy instruction of the charge that God hath put him in trust with therefore this Princely Prophet as he placed his greatest delight in the Arke of the Couenant because it was the presence of God to Gods people so to bring it into Ierusalem was the ioy of his heart 2 Sam. 6.12.14.15 This made Solomon his Sonne the mightiest and wisest King that euer raigned in Israell Christ excepted of whose eternall wisedome and greatnes his wisdome and greatnes mortal were types shadowes to cal himselfe a Preacher Eccl. 1.12 Iosua ruled his house as a Bishop Ios. 24.15 Abraham who had a great family catechised it Gen. 14.14 After God himselfe is Abrahams witnesse that he would keepe none in his house Sonne or Seruant whom he would not traine vp in Religion therfore saith I know Abraham Gen. 18.19 or I dare giue my word for Abraham that he will command his sonne and houshold after him that is as he feareth God so hee will make them to feare him and to keepe the way of the Lord as he keepeth it doing righteousnesse as he is righteous So Câ—rnelius was a denout man and deuout Cornelius had a good house For of him it is written that he feared God with all his house Act. 10.2 These all were great men and in their times famous yet did they looke straightly to the waies of their people and diligently teach them in the wayes of the Lord. The Reasons First In doing this we are Gods seruants and is any too good or great to doe him seruice Secondly we may saue a soule from Hell and who can doe too much or be too good to deliuer his brother from perdition Againe Christ died for the poorest soule did Christ die for him and doest thou despise thy brother for whom Christ died Thirdly none can bee too good to keepe hiâ— house from infection and those whom he hath in house from the plague of ill counsell Not to reforme a wicked person or not to remoue him if he will not be reformed is to cast an infection and plague of euill example vpon those that be good and promiseth no better successe then they can looke for who bring a leprous person among the whole and a contagious person among the sound and can any be so proud and mercilesse as not to preuent a spoile and losse of Christian soules so certaine and neare Lastly He that will not see the persons vnder him well ordered doth giue way to them to runne into disorder and to breake out into wickednesse and what is this but to communicate with their euill and to be if not
wise where they that walke otherwaiesâ— walke as fooles and see not their dangerous way till they enter into deaths house and with follies guests receiue such recompence of their errour as is meete death waiâ—ing on follie to take them at her hands and hell following death to receiue them presently at his hands Prouer. 9.18 Thirdly they that walke prudently in good wayes following the word haue God for their Leader for they that are ruled by his word are ruled by him and what hee is that his word is and they must needes bee wise and doe wisely that are lead by him This is the wisedome from aboue many fruits of the spirit are enclosed in it and issue from it for it is pure and peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercie and good works without iudging and without hypocrisie Iam. 3.17 Vses An instruction to all men chiefely to such as haue the charge of others committed to their care and trust and namelie to Rulers to get the word into their houses and store of knowledge by it into their hearts that they may doe wisely in the perfect way for this is their wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the people Deut. 4.6 and this vnderstanding and wisedome commeth from the word that giueth vnderstanding and maketh wise If therefore they bee wise they are wise by it and if they bee learned they haue their learning from it and in this sense Kings are exhorted to be wise and Iudges to be learned Psal. 2.10 For to be wise is not to haue a politicke head but a sanctified heart and to be learned is not to be able to discourse but being able to discourse of points matters in Religion to labour for faith to beleeue for a good conscience to performe obedience as we haue belieued Deu. 4.6 Some esteeme those to be the onely wise men who can goe beyond others in wit and fetches but what was Achitophel was not he counted wise that is as I vnderstand it craftie and deepe and yet did euer man more play the foole then he who hauing no meanes to helpe himselfe straight went home to hang himselfe 2 Sam. 17.23 Also who can compare with Sathan for craft and subtletie and yet the Scripture that calleth him craftie neuer calleth him wise He is more subtle then all subtle men in the world and yet more foolish to worke his owne woe then euer was creature that God made in the world The rich man in the Gospell was worldly wise hee could get and saue and keepe and thriue and feather his nest and increase his substance while he liued but God called him foole when he dyed Luk. 12.20.21 And so is euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God It is true wisedome then that is heere commended to all Rulers and men vnder rule and not a craftie head And of this God saith by Salomon that the wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse Eccles. 2.14 His meaning is The prudent man forecasteth perils which the vnwise fall into by the darknes that is in them Pro. 22.3 There is a wisdome in States inferiour to heauenly wisedome yet necessarie for the managing of businesses and doing of acts about the same for common or particular benefit Rebekah had this wisedome by the spirit that was in her when shee sent away Iacob from his death-threatning brother Esaâ— Gen. 24.42.43 And Dauid was wise and had his eyes in his head when hee would giue Saul no aduantage though he put him in great trust for the text saith that Dauid behaued himselfe wisely in all his wayes but will you know the reason the same text further saith The Lord was with him 1 Sam. 18.14 And was not Salomon wise when hee gaue the liuing childe to her whom by the pulse of a mothers affection he discerned to bee true mother to the liuing childe 1 King 3.26.27 So when my Lord Shebna would hew out for himselfe a Sepulcher in Ierusalem at that time when the King of Ashur threatned it with his great hoast Hezekiah by the wisdome that was in him gathered that he was but a temporizing States-man one that was readie to entertaine friendship with the Kings enemie and did cast to liue safely in all changes of Church Common-wealth Esâ— 22.16 therefore he had an eye vnto him This wisedome is a blessing and gift of God good for all Gouernours and necessarie for those whose offices are to stand Sentinell ouer the life of Kings and safetie of States yet that true wisedome which is here said to be a walking in the perfect way and a causing of others to walke in the same way is much greater then it and much more necessarie for how shall hee direct others that knoweth not the way himselfe nor will learne it For this cause it is necessary that hee that will be a good Magistrate should first be a good Man Philosophie saith otherwaies but true Diuinitie saith so and the want hereof in the Magistrates of our time hath turned the grape of iustice into such a sowre wine and bitter drink of oppression that good and bad in the Countrey complaine much and cannot away with iudgements which in some Courts of iustice are now deliuered Abraham said to Abimelech I thought the feare of God was not in this place and that they would slay mee for my Wiues sake Gen. 20.11 His meaning was that nothing can bee safe where God is not feared as where God is reuerenced all things are in peace So when they that minister in the affaires of state doe so little feare God or know what belongeth to his true feare by the wisedome which he hath put in his word how can iustice goe forward and mercie take effect as on the contrary where such are men of courage fearing God they will deale truely hating Couetousnes the banâ— of all good iudgement Exod. 18.21 As therefore a shrewd boy is but ill timber to make a good man of so an euill man is no fit matter out of it to make a good Magistrate looke Deut. 17.18.19 But this which is spoken of Magistrates in the Common-wealth must be considered also and is necessarie for Maisters of families who if they will doe wisely must walke likewise in this good way A reproofe to those Magistrates and Ouer-seers who let goe Religion and cast the word behinde them in their places of gouernment and priuate houses and yet thinke to doe wisely enough ill enough I may well say so long as they neyther gouerne their owne persons wisely nor the persons vnder them prudently by the word for if they goe out of the way who â—hall doe wisely in the perfect way if they cast off Religion who shall care for it and who shall punish the abhominable â—wearer if they sweare and liue chastlie â—f they breake wedlocke and sanctifie Gods Sabbaths if they prophane them â—f Noah be drunken who
good report for it brandeth those who fauour the slanderer with the marke of wicked men Prou. 17.4 making them false as he is and liars like to him Therefore a curst tongue and carnall eare are well met The former rubbeth where the latter itcheth and the latter is chapman for that which the former vttereth Lastly neither hee that telleth lies nor he that hearkeneth to him can be good for if the tongue of the one be slanderous the eare of the other is gracelesse A reproofe to those who drinke in with greater thirst of hearing and more eagerly a false and vncharitable tale against their neighbour then the foule conduit of the slanderer can deliuer it and who in true reports regard altogether the matter and not the good manner of vttering them neither abhorring in themselues nor reproouing in others the discouering of a secret to the touch of their absent neighbour in his name when their complaint can no way edifie For we Christians should follow after things that be of good report Philip. 4.8 Salomon saith As the North-winde driâ—eth away the raine so doth the angrie countenance a slandering tongue Prouer. 25.23 His meaning is that the countenance of a man and woman in great place should be set as the North-winde against the raine of slander and that their frowning browes should shut vp and silence all clamorous lips For it is the ouer-good entertainement that the slanderous tongue findeth that cherisheth it and it is the sterne countenance that driueth such guests away But some loue to clawe these hissing Serpents till they haue spent their poison and left their sting in the good name of those who are simple in heart Such digge a pit for the innocent and fall into it themselues Therefore men and women in credit should with no better will entertaine these Deuils in flesh then they would the Deuill in person if they could be aware of his comming Heere also they are reproued who proclaime their Neighbours secret faults to the wide world and who because their speech is true though their end in speaking be euill and wicked say they are farre from slander For what is it to slander in a true report but to speake against our Neighbour and to blaze his weakenesse at all times and before all companies The ordinarie defence of such is when they are reproued I speake truely and tell no lie and I will neuer be ashamed of the truth But a wise man will be ashamed to speake the truth foolishly when his words may doe much harme and no good and it is sinne to speake slanderously though truely in a matter Yea a man may more sinne by speaking some truth with an ill minde then when through infirmitie he shall speake an vntruth with a purpose to doe good the Midwiues lie being more tolerable Exod. 1 then Doegs intolerable true report Psal. 53. That wee may therefore keepe the mid-way of charitie in our reports and neither speake the truth foolishly nor speak lewdly against it let vs well obserue these rules which follow And first let vs make a couenant with our mouth not to giue our tongue libertie to be busied ouer-much about other mens faults For he that speaketh too often of other mens infirmities cannot at all times keepe himselfe from speaking too-much of them and from slipping too farre into them Secondly when wee haue a good calling and iust cause to speake let vs speake discreetly in time and place that good may come of our speech to the amending of him that is faultie and to the bettering of them that heare vs. Thirdly in good affection with good discretion let vs so reproue another that we forget not our selues to be faultie and that it is a brother that hath offended So shall wee make him to confesse that that which is then vttered and spoken commeth in tender bowels from vs and not from wrath or humour Fourthly what wee would haue others to doe to vs let vs doe to them We would not our selues be reproued with bitternesse so let vs reproue others mildely we would not haue our owne priuate infirmities published so let vs conceale our brothers we would not our selues be made a Table talke so let not our brother Fiftly to discourage the backe-biter and to defend the innocent if the report that is made be of things doubtfull let vs admonish him who is the reporter in charitie to interpret things to the best if of things true when the fault is priuate priuately to reproue it when it is manifest and publike not to enforce it too-much nor too busily if it be little and if it be great to consider if â—e had not great prouocations to it Thus doing if the slandereâ— be firâ— wee shall be water to quench him Lastly let vs remember the Law that putteth the slanderer to that same punishment that the fault he spake of had deserued and the person he accused should haue suffered if the thing had beene true For he that wrongfully accused another of theft should haue beene dealt with as if he himselfe had plaid the thiefe He that falsely should say another committed adulterie should himselfe haue beene punished as an Adulterer For what can be more indifferent then that hee who prepareth a pit for another should fall himselfe into it and hee that seekes to take away his neighbours name and life by a lie should himselfe loose his owne credit and life for a lie Deuter. 19.19 So much for the qualitie of the offence the obiect followeth His Neighbour THe obiect of the Slanderers tongue is his Neighbour And it aggrauateth his sinne because it is against a neighbour that is a Christian his nearest neighbour A Neighbour properly is he that dwelleth neere vs or next vnto vs or in the same streete Commonly by participation of Nature in the image of God all men are neighbours By a figure and strictly they are our neighbours who are of one houshold of faith with vs in the loue and profession of the same Gospell And heere hee is called our neighbour whatsoeuer he be with whom wee haue any dealings in our fellowship and trade of life Luc. 10.36.37 Hee that slandereth such an one and consequently any one is worthie to be punished Dauid saith by death his meaning is if he offend vnto death But some thing may be gathered from the word which here the Prophets vseth to the conuiction of the Slanderer For whom will he slander euen his neighbour one who is neerest to him in societie and common vse of life one that dwelleth before him or at the next dore to him Then whom will he not slander The Doctrine from hence is a slanderer is false to all men So the Prouerbâ— saith that speaketh of the slanderer Prou. 11.13 for it maketh him a geer about with tales and a discouerer of secrets that is one that will be as readie to defame them whom he speaketh vnto as whom hee speaketh
friendship and seruice and things that they can doe about vs Shall they take heart in a great persons liuery as by a protection to doe euill who doe so much euill and take such boldnes to offend daily because they doubt not to be borne out by the credit of their great Master in any disorder I speake not this with any suspition of you my LORD in place for I can testifie truly before the Lord that your Honour hath great care to purge both your owne Familie and the whole Prouince from such loathsome spots In your owne priuate charge be it spoken to Gods glory and your true iustification against all tongues specially such as oppose vnto quicke but necessary and sober gouernment you haue giuen and still giue good proofe of a good minde and will in you to bring your whole charge to the discipline of the Gospell in things appertayning to saluation when time shall serue for you will keepe none in your house that hath not at least who pretendeth not to haue a care to serue God and your Honour in the way of Religion and obedience to lawes which I speake not to giue titles fearing my Makers reproofe if I should so doe but to stirre you vp farther and the grace in you to continue as you haue begun as I doubt not but you will and to prouoke others by so faire a precedent to begin and continue as you haue done hauing in your worthy selfe so cleere a Piller of fire to goe before them So much for that which the Prophet speaketh against dissemblers that which is spoken against those who tell lyes followeth He that telleth Lyes shall not remaine c. THe second sort of Offenders are Tellers of Lyes or common Lyers persons so deceitfull and false that one cannot trust them Such hee promiseth to put out of his house and to throw out of the Kingdome Before hee spake of the sinne of Slander which is by the tongue vers 5. and of dissembling which requireth the tongue Now hee speaketh of Lying or of telling of Lyes which is a worke of the tongue and doth lesse or more increase as the tongue is better or worse directed From whence the poynt to be learned is As the tongue is gouerned well or ill so wickednes breaketh out or is restrayned in the body Salomon sayth He that keepeth his mouth by ordering aright the tongue in his mouth keepeth his life and who would lose his life that may keepe it or liue vnquietly who may liue in peace but hee that openeth his lippes or prostituteth them in his talke by much babling shall come to destruction that is such an one shall neuer want woe and at last be destroyed Pro. 13.3 The same Salomon sayth that death and life are in the power of the tongue Pro. 18.21 that is the abuse or good gouernment of the same is effectuall for destruction or saluation Christ our Sauiour hauing sayd that men shall giue an account of their idle words addeth this for a reason because by our words we shall be iustified and by our words we shall be condemned Mat. 12.24 And Iames sayth If a man will seeme religâ—ous that is would be iudged godly and cannot refraine his tongue or if hee haue an vnruly tongue his hope is vaine that any man will take him to be a vertuous and good man for a good man is a good tongued man but he that cannot command himselfe in that member can commaund himselfe in nothing The Reasons Saint Iames compareth the tongue to fire Iam. 3.6 Now fire well gouerned will warme vs but misguided vndoe vs and who will not looke to his fire So the â—â—ngue well ordered will comfort vs but set at large shame vs who then will giue such a member libertie Secondly a good tongue is the meanes by which our actions are well mannaged therefore Saint Iames calleth it the rudder of the Man Iam. 3.4 then as the Shippe is directed by the rudder so are mens deedes by the tongue and he who wanteth a good tonguâ— is in as great perill as a Shippe in the roughest Sea that wanteth both Sterue and Pilot. Vses An instruction to set a guard of attendance before the doores of our lippes for no Malefactors are more ready to breake out of Prison nor waters to flow out of their Fountaines then lewd or foolish or fruitlesse words are to proceede out of our mouthes And how quickly shall euen the best forget themselues this way if they be carelesse what passeth from them for how many vnfit and idle speeches come from men otherwayes not euill because they bound not their talke with the law of grace when they speake in matters Therefore hath Nature not without cause shut in the tongue with a double wall of lippes and teeth which proueth that it is no easie thing thus as hath beene sayde to gouerne the tongue and therefore Dauid prayeth the Lord to set this watch before it Psal. 141.3 And where the Apostle Iames calleth it an vnruly euill Iam. 3.8 hee would haue vs to giue great diligence to master it that we may so doe we must first speake considerately and not without some premeditation for hee who answereth a matter before he heare it that is he that will open his heart before hee open his eares shall haue shame Pro. 18.13 Iam. 1.19 The minde should be the tongues guide as the tongue is the mindes messenger And therefore so oft as wee speake not minding what vvee say the messenger runneth without his errand Secondly wee must speake wisely or as the Apostle speaketh gratiously to edâ—fication and within bounds of truth Colos. 4.6 Eph. 4.29 Our speach must be poudred with grace to those that heare vs else as fresh meate long kept without salt doth putrifie so our talke if it be not salted with wisedome will proue rotten talke This wisedome is shewed when a man speaketh with iudgement which a foole cannot who poureth out all his mind where the wise keepeth something for hereafter Pro. 19.11 Thirdly wee must not be too full of talke and when we speake wee must speake little and soberly for in many words there is iniquitie Pro 10.19 and hee that speaketh much shall speake falsely or idlely or both God therefore hath giuen vs two eares and but one tongue to the end wee might be more ready to heare then to speake or to teach vs to heare much and to speake little And as when a Riuer ouer-floweth it leaueth much slime so much talke much corruption and wee cannot runne ouer in our talke but we shall offend with our tongue A reproofe therefore to those who turne their tongues loose and giue them libertie in their mouthes leauing them without a Rudder or Steers-man Now this libertie of speech is in respect of God or man as when we speake not reuerently of God nor soberly to Man We speake not reuerently of God when out of an Oath we speake idlely of
Wee wander through many a vale and ouer many a mountaine after we haue broken from him by our Coltish liues and would runne into hell if he did not stay vs. Therefore and seeing his loue to wilfull sinners is so great that hee vvill not loose one whom he hath chosen but will seeke him and that with great patience by his Word and Iudgements tenne twenty thirty forty yeeres or longer till hee finde him Let vs consider wisely how long hee hath sought vs and euery particular man how louingly hee hath sought him by his Messengers whom hee hath sent vnto him by vvhat Messengers and by how many and finding himselfe in his stray-life more ready euery day then other to loose himselfe in the Vales of Baca and Mountaines of Sin let him cry vnto God with his heart and say with the Prophet O seeke thy Seruant Psal. 119.176 Some dreame and it is but as a dreame when one awaketh that they can repent when they will Or why doe they with so lost a conscience put off repentance as if that were in their gift which is not theirs but Gods to giue Acts 5.31 2 Tim. 2.25 But suppose it were in our power and hands to repent when wee would were it not great madnesse to sinne wilfully and presumingly because of that One saith well would any man that is sober and in his right minde surfet of his meate because hee hath a Pill in his Closet or cruelly hacke his flesh with a sword because he hath in his power and keeping that which will cure the sore of those desperate gashes And is hee a sober Christian or Christian of any sound or sober iudgement that will by sinning wilfully expose himselfe to the strokes of God and gashes of a wounded and tormented conscience because hee hath that in his power that is the remedy of sinne Repentance But Repentance is not in our custodie nor vnder our key as some thinke And therefore wanting this Oyle of Repentance to turne from sinne and to God what folly and madnesse is it to deferre it with the foolish Virgins till there be no opening and till wee would be glad to buy it with a thousand repentances and tenne thousand worlds if wee had them Mat. 25.11.12 A confutation of that Popish Pelagian errour which is that wee bring some helpes with vs in Nature to our conuersion But what furtherance doth the stray-sheepe giue to the Shepheard of finding and bringing him backe vpon his shoulders with ioy Luke 15.5 What had Christ from that scornefull woman of Samaria toward her saluation Ioh 4.7 he had not so much from her as the assistance of a good nature to help him with For besides that shee gaue no gentle answere to the Sauiour of her soule by her mal-apart talke she gaue him to vnderstand plainely that a light-Huswife was in place And if we consider our first birth are wee not borne of fornication but doe Children of fornication any thing that can please God doe they or can they in any thing helpe forward their second and new birth or are they not desperate enemies to it Further God hateth and that iustly the whole vncleane bed of nature and whatsoeuer lyeth in it begotten with the seede of Adam And shall that that God abhorreth be able to ioyne purchaser with the most holy finger of God in the frame of mans Redemption Also the Apostle saith speaking of all and of the best of all Yee are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes. 2.1 Now can a dead man raise his owne body or performe the dueties of him that liueth the life of Nature and of this world or can he not then how can wee who are dead in sinnes and trespasses bring any matter to our spirituall life raising it vp by Free-will from the graues of the dead and sepulchers of sinne But our Aduersaries tell vs that wee were but wounded in Adam and cured by CHIRST where the Scripture tels vs that wee were dead in sinne and therefore raised by Christ not from sicknesse to health but from death to life But our Aduersaries compare the naturall man to a man in bolts that hath power to runne if his bolts were off For say they sinne hath laid â—etters on those faculties which are left in nature toward our redemption which being remoued by grace men are able of themselues to runne the way of their saluation But the Scripture sayth We are not sufficient to thinke any thing to vvit that good is of our selues as if our selues 2 Cor. 3.5 A man in bolts can vvish for libertie and thinke of going out but our condition in the state of corruption before grace is as the condition of a dead man that can neither thinke of life nor desire to liue But the same men tell vs that as hee that is sicke hath not all health taken from him and as the Phisition that restoreth him doth it by adding to that which is left and not by an entire supply so wee bring something in the point of conuersion and CHRIST the Phisitian of our soules addeth to our small store his great encrease but the Scripture sayth plainely it is Hee that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 without whom wee can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 For this cause our conuersion is called our new birth to teach vs that as it is in the case of the olde birth so it is of the new and regeneration And therefore as no Childe can beget himselfe in the olde birth so no more is hee borne by his owne will the childe of God in the new Iohn 3.3 But some may say are wee drawne as stockes and as things without life I answere no for God sanctifieth our reason giueth vs sanctified will and then vve say Draw mee and we will runne Cant. 1.4 Iohn 6.44 that is as a Father sayth Giue vs to doe what thou biddest and bid vs to doe what thou wilt A terrour to the olde man liuing in vnregeneration and vnconuertednesse for euery step forward is downe to hell the further wee wander from God the further wee goe from the path of life And vvhat hope is there that wee shall bee saued so erring in our wayes till GOD bring vs to our right way vvhich he doth by meanes these are the Word Iohn 17.3 Prayer Luke 18.1 and Sacraments Cant. 2.4.5 For these three are our Pillar of Cloud to Paradise Exodus 13.21 and the steps of our vvay to blessednesse And as possible it is for men to make staires vp to the skie as without these ordinarily to come to Heauen The Word is the Key that must shut Hell gates and set vs at libertie from sinne and death armed with sinne and open Heauen-gates to set vs in the libertie of the Sonnes of God Matth. 16.19 The Sacraments rightly discerned and reuerently delt with are seales hanging at the Word of the Couenant which assure and possesse vs of our part