the sphericall Zones Could he not onely wish for with Alexander but also obtaine other worlds as an immeasurable addition to his former inheritance yet is there no more comparison betwixt this onely imagined soveraignty and the reall inheritance of Gods children then there is betwixt corruption and incorruption pollution and perfit purity lasting eternity and a fading moment heavenly treasure and earthly trash 1. Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens 6. Parents provide marriages for theit children Even so 6. Marriage the Lord of heaven hath provided such an husbād for his children That if all the renowned excellencies of all mankind from Adam to the dreadfull day of judgement and of all angelicall beings which are and have bene were confer'd upon on men His comely feature should be hatefull deformity his amiable beauty loathsome ilfavourdnesse his quick-witted understanding blockish ignorance his angeliall eloquence rude barbarisme and his other perfections meere frailties in respect of those extraordinary transcendencies of Christ Iesus the husband of Gods children Rev. 19. 7 8 9. CHAP. II. Duty 1. Saints must love God IF God he our father we ought to love him Not onely Duty 1. doth Religion command children to love their parents but also nature it selfe requireth this duty some therefore derive Pilius of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifying a sonne of a greeke word which signifieth a lover And I verily thinke this being so much talked off and practised in conceipted ostentation few which heare me this day thinke I need tell them they ought to love God nor perswade them to put the same in practise The simplest here present beeing ready to say though they come to the Church for fashion sake as their neighbours doe although they are not very bookish although they give little eare to the Word of God preached yet they know as much as the best preacher can tell them they knowing that they must love God above all and their neighbour as themselves and this they doe or else it is pittie they should live Loath I am to have you spend time to no purpose much lesse at a Sermon for if all words should be gracious much more of a Minister in publique to a congregation as from God And therefore did I not thinke it more then needfull to perswade you to love God Did I not heare painted sepulchers satanicall lyars and other cursed impes of that damned Apostata say theylove God Did I see him lou'd in deed as well as in word in truth as in tongue in practise as in profession I would willingly have spent my paines about some filiall duty lesse thought upon then on this so much talked of yet little practised For if we but inquire at the oracle of this our father we shall find recorded in indelible characters that such who truly love God Hate that which is evill Psal 97. 10. Signes 1. 2. Keepe Gods commandements Exod. 20. 6. Ioh. 15. 10. sc sincerely although imperfectly desiring and endeavouring to performe things commanded Behave themselves conscionably in their calling Ioh. 21. 15. Conforme themselves to God 1. Ioh. 4. 17. being followers of him as deare children Love not the world 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Love truely Gods children 1. Ioh. 4. 20. Often thinke upon God as their chiefest treasure Mat. 6. 21. And love Christs appearing or comming to judgement 2. Tim 4. 8. Iam. 1. 12. And then having surveyed-with a carefull inquisitive view the carriages and conditions of most men I much feare after a diligent scrutiny 1. We having compared such who detest sinne because its a breach of Gods law and therefore eschue and flie from it as from a serpent With those who thirst after impiety as greedily as the chased deare after the water brookes or the gaping earth after the dew of heaven and solace themselues with as great delectation in silthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse as Leviathan in the restlesse Ocean 2. Such who keepe Gods commandements with sincerity of heart they to the vtmost of their power leaving undone all evill forbidden and doing all good duties commanded not for any sinister aime or by-respect but for the Lords sake because he hath commanded these and forbidden those and being universall in this their obedience neither appliable like the starre Mercury to every adjacent nor the turning weather cocke hurried about with every blast of contrary winde remaining the same in all companies places and at all times like the greene ivi◠keeping the same colour in the sharpest winter that it hath in the pleasant summer With those who no whit regard those sacred lawes written with the finger of the worlds creator and those who unequally and unjustly share their obedience betwixt the Lord and his grand enemie the devill such who have their changeable suites sometimes seeming to observe Gods commandements for sinister respects otherwhiles namely in secret and amidst their villanous complices no whit regarding those divine and more then angelicall direction 3. Compare we those who walke conscionably in their callings being carefull to have the soules of their children and servants deck'd with the invaluable robes of Christs Righteousnesse nourished and strengthened with the food of eternall life With that carelesse company which regard no more so that they be of comely feature neately trimd finely fedde of liberall education and richly provided for and those vilest of men who by their wicked examples staine their purest times with the blackest dye of hellish impieties Sathans cognisance feeding their immortall soules with the damned art of swearing lying cursing and such like venome and poyson of Aspes 4. Those who conforme themselves to the glorious example of our heavenly father doing their vtmost devoir that they may be holy pure perfect and mercifull as their father in heaven is With that degenerating company of men which will doe the lusts of the divell Could we segregate those which are crucified to the world and have it crucified to them and although they love the good creatures and gifts of God yet it is neither preposterously irreligiously nor unequally but in order sc first God then godlinesse then good men enemies then profit then pleasure 6 Those whose hearts are fast glued to the Lord Iehouah and his crownes of immortality as their only treasure 7. Those who love with all entirenesse of affection the sonnes of God And Those who love the appearing of our blessed Saviour having a comfortable assurance of his love and a sincere care to please him in all things From those which love the world servilely sensually preposterously immoderatly disorderly and undiscreetly Those whose chiefest treasure is on earth Those who are inraged with implacable malice against the children of God and their sincerity And from such who love the Lords appearing no more then villanous malefactours the comming of a just and righteous Iudge And it will manifestly appeare I much feare that few onely
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
he parts with his treasure the servant of God dies his gaines follow him Rev. 14. 13. His treasure was laid up in heaven departing hence therefore he followes his treasure goes to his gaine Perhaps he forgoes a materiall building and layes downe an earthly tabernacle but he finds a building given of God not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. He leaves behind him some worldly substance but gets in heaven a better and enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. Peradventure he may part with some corruptible inheritance to take possession of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. Where he hath so much that he is ever satisfied and so much to come that he is never glutted where there is infinite abundance of all things and yet infinite more to come 3. Most delightfull David had an honourable service ascending from keeping sheepe to be sonne in law to a King Iacob a gainefull growing from alone man and a staffe into a populous family and certaine droves but neither had much delight in his service But as there is honour and profit in this service so there is plenitude of delight and consolation For 1. Our Master is no churlish Nabal to whom a man could not speake 1 Sam. 25. 17. No unkind Laban but a God most mercifull and pitifull gracious and favourable patient and long suffering He termes his servants friends Isa 41. 8. Yea sonnes Exod. 4. 23. He layes upon us no burdensome yoke but such which is easie and light Math. 11. 28. Not grievous 1 Ioh. 5. 3. But the rejoycing of our hearts Psal 119. 111. I need not go from my Point in hand to fetch this threefold cord which is not easily broken Those who truly serve the Lord have fellowship with the Father then which what more honourable gainfull or delightfull Good servants 1. obey their Masters precepts 2. Spend the chiefe of their time in their Masters businesse 3. Delight to please them 4. Have no intimate society with their Masters professed enemies 5. Cannot endure to see or heare them abused 6. And feare to offend them Be we such good servants 1. Obeying the will and Word of God 2. Spending the day of our time in his service walking Enoch-like with God Gen. 5. 24. 3. Ioy in pleasing our so good and gracious Master 4. Avoiding intimate familiarity with his enemies 5. Not enduring to heare or see him dishonoured 6. And fearing to offend him Thus let us serve him this serving being a duty we owe if we have or meanes to obtaine if we want fellowship with the Father OF THE SOCIETIE OF THE SAINTS the fourth Booke NOW I come to the fourth and last part of the true goodfellowship consisting betwixt the Head and members And with his Sonne Iesus Christ This part of the true goodfellowship is not the least although the last For by fellowship with Christ we have fellowship with the Saints and without Christ Iesus there is no fellowship for man with God I will now forbeare to speake of these three titles his Sonne Iesus Christ It only sufficeth for the present to tell you that Christ is Gods Sonne 1. By Nature According to his Divine nature he and he onely is the Sonne of God being begotten of the same substance of the Father by an everlasting generation Math. 17. 5. 2. By Grace of personall union the manhood of Christ being unseparably united to the person of the Sonne of God Luke 1. 35. The Saints are Gods Sonnes by Adoption Rom. 8. 17. Yea all professours without practice are Gods Sonnes although by profession onely Gen. 6. 1. The creatures may be termed Gods Sonnes commonly Saints are Gods Sonnes specially But Christ is Gods Sonne singularly CHAP. I. The Saints have fellowship with Christ Doct. 4 ALL true believers Saints or faithfull Christians have societie fellowship or communion with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God With his Son Iesus Christ Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4. I am the true vine ye are the branches 17. 23. 26. 21. I in them c. Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Reason 1 All those who are Christ his fellowes have fellowship with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God But all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are Christ his fellowes for Christ hath taken them into fellowship of himselfe and his merits Psal 45. 7. Therefore all true believers Saints c. Have fellowship with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God That they are Christ his fellowes I prove thus Those who are fellow-servants of the same Master brethren of the same father fellow-members of the same body c. are fellowes But all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are 1. Fellow-servants with Christ of the same Master Phil. 2. 7. 2. Fellow-brethren of the same Father Math. 12. 50. Heb. 2. 11. 3. Fellow-members of the same body Eph. 4. 13. 15. 16. 4. Fellow-souldiers against Sathan 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. 5. Fellow-sufferers Rom. 8. 17. 6. Fellow-Conquerours Rom. 8. 17. 7. Fellow-Kings Priests and Prophets Rev. 1. 5. 8. Fellow-heires of the same Kingdome Rom. 8. 17. Fellowes they are not by nature it is of grace not by desert it is of free gift or donation not by excellency or aequality it is onely by estimation 2. Those who are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and conjugall yoke have fellowship each with other But Christ Iesus and all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and conjugall yoke therefore have fellowship each with other The first Proposition is cleare I prove the second or minor thus Those who are bride and bridegroome husband and wife are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and Conjugall yoke But Christ Iesus is the Bridegroome or Husband all true belieuers Saints c. are the bride Therefore Christ and Christians are linkt and conglutinated c. That Christ is the Husband to true believers I thus prove He who doth wooe contract himselfe unto consummate the match made with and performe all duties of a husband to all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians is their husband But Christ Iesus doth all these to all true believers As for example 1. He wooeth beseeching us by his Ministers 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2. He contracts himselfe unto the Church by a firme and free promise of mariage with his Church with the consent of his Father 3. He will consummate the mariage at the end of the world Rev. 19. 7. 4. He promiseth all duties of a husband to all true believers For instance Husbands ought entirely to love their wives Col. 3. 19. Eph. 5. 22. Love them they ought for they are good things Prov. 18. 22. For they are their companions Mal. 2. 14. And their owne flesh Eph. 5. 28. Christ Iesus loved
resolutely August Epist 137. concludes All these professours and puritans are starke naught None so cruell none so unconscionable as they whereas no men breathing have more tender consciences yea such that they dread as much to adde riches of iniquity unto their substance as to cast wild fire amidst their thacâ—e Mistake me not I pray I do not by naming puritans apologize for that damned hereticall sect denying repentance to such as fell although through infirmity condemning second August Tom. 6. lib ad quod vult deum Heres 38. pag. 18. marriages glorying in their workes and deeming themselves without sinne which sprung up in the third hundreth yeare after Christ Neither do I justifie fanaticall Separatists So were the Albigentes called 55. Christopher Sibthorp pag. 340. Nor pleade for factious fellowes whose aime is contention not sanctification But by puritans I meane practising Protestants such men who daily reade the Scriptures pray with their families teach them the way to heaven eschue lying swearing vsury oppression time-selling defrauding and all knowne sinnes spend the Lords daies holily in hearing Gods Word prayer meditation conference singing of Psalmes meditation of the creatures are mercifull to the poore deligent in their particular Callings frame their lives according to Gods will revealed in his Word c. And what Protestant will condemne any of these actions although many doe the men tearming them Saints on Sunday divels all the weeke after Saint-seeming bible-bearing hypocriticall puritans Seeing therefore by spreading abroad any fault of any of Gods children thou wrongest thy selfe and all thy fellowes be intreated to practise this so vrgent duty And give not the world the least occasion to blaspheme the sweet society of Saints but shew thy selfe a friend whose property as one saith well is to carry his heart on the backe of his hand to disclose his mind his tongue in the palme to close-his mouth to true good fellowes Before I leave this duty give me leave to digresse a little to examine and answer the worldlings argument which sillogistically must runne thus Some professours are cruell covetous hypocriticall starke naught c. But all such fellowes are some professours Therefore they all are covetous cruell hypocriticall starke naught Answ 1 This is in substance your common kind of reasoning O you worldlings against the people of God 1. Take notice of your fond arguing from particulars in the like Something which glisters is brasse copper tinne and such sordid metall But all gold is something which doth glister Therefore all gold is brasse copper c. Something which shines is called foolish fire a vanishing meteor But the Sunne Moone and Starres are some things which do shine Therefore they are foolish fire and vanishing meteors 2. O you censorious judges how dare you take upon you Gods royall Prerogative to enter into the secrets of mens hearts in accusing them of hypocrisie covetousnesse and such like for no other cause but because some who make profession as they doe are so and so In thus doing you exceed the wickednesse of your forefathers the Pharisees they not burdening Peter and the rest with Iudas his treason nor the Disciples with Ananias his sacriledge nor Saint Paul with Demas his earthly-mindednesse 3. Learne hence forward to argue from generals as thus Whosoever are unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven they so continuing 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. But I that am a fornicator adulterâ—r effeminate person a theefe covetous drunkard c. am an unrighteous person 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. Therfore I so continuing cannot inherit the Kingdome of heaven Or thus Whosoever wants holinesse shall not see God Heb. 12. 14. But I who am onely a civill honest man at the best want holinesse Therefore I shall not see God Or thus Whosoever goes to heaven must be a doer of Gods will Mat. 7. 22. But I who live in swearing lying scorning of goodnesse c. am not a doer of the will God Therefore I shall not goe to heaven 4. If your reasoning be good see into what a gulfe of misery inevitably it would throw you Some who are no professors are common drunkards whoremongers swearers yea die impenitent persons and are damned But all such who are not of this society as yet are some persons who are no professours Therefore all such are common swearers c. die impenitently and are damned This kind of reasoning is false and uncharitable 5. Whosoever professe themselves not to be Pagans Papists c. To forsake the divell and all his workes therefore swearing lying drunkennesse and all other damnable deeds of darknesse To beleeve in God and serve him consequently to repent obey his will pray and performe other such services he doth enioyne To heare Sermons and call upon others to do the same to follow the example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him in all things to die from sinne and rise againe to righteousnesse to mortifie continually all their evill and carnall affections to proceed daily in all vertue and godlinesse of living to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the world and the divell and continue Christs faithfull souldiers and servants to their lives end professe as much as the forwardest professour in England But all these blattering beasts and brawling Belials who bawle and bark against professours and profession professe all this is is evident not openly by their owne confident confession but also by the latter end of the rubricke of Baptisme Baptisme doth represent unto us our profession which is c. From which premises I may soundly and certainely inferre 1. Therefore if all who make profession of Religion are naught themselves so doing are likewise naught 2. Therefore profession and shew of Religion are onely colâ—urable and pretended practise of that which themselves professe to practise the prime and principall if not the sole cause of their implacable and inveterate hatred and of their immoderate and impetuous bitter taunts and reprochfull railings against professours and profession CHAP. VIII Vse 6. The Saints must reprove and be reproved Vse 6 COnceale not onely but with the heavenly balme of Christian reproofe bind up the sores of thy fâ—llow members In performing of this important duty be carefull 1. To beginne at home Mat. 7. 3. Bee not like Lamia eagle ey'd abroad starke blind at home least it be said to thee out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee Rom. 2. 21. least like fullers earth thou purge others and be a cast-away thy selfe Zeale is best which begins at home Be thine owne physition A man faulty may reprove first least thou quench fire upon other mens houses and suffer thine owne to perish I do not thinke that a man may not reprove another himselfe being faulty For if none should reprove but those who themselves are in-offensive none must reprove Iam. 5. 17. But if that a man be faulty by
not reproving he addes other mens sinnes unto his owne by assenting A good mans reproofe smites backward and forward he never reprooves another but withall himselfe if faulty 2. Reproove with the spirit of meekenesse Gal. 6. 1. 2. Cor. 2. 4. In the application of a playster to a wounded part what sighes from the heart teares from the eyes trembling in the ioynts sympathy in the members and tendernesse in the hands And shall any in this Society with domineering insolency impetuous rage and implacable malice launch the smarting sores of his enfeebled brother Deale therefore as Physitians with patients who wrap their bitter pills in sweet sugar Or mothers who cover bitter wormeseed under pleasant raysings Pricke not therefore the heart which asks a playster 3. Salve his sicke soule with Christian counsell and godly reprehension with as much secrecy as thou canst possibly tell it betwixt thee and him naturally man abhorres disgraces and therefore easier allured by secret advertisements then open disgraces 4. And let it be apparent to his understanding that God is the reprover man only an instrument Let therefore Laodicean Gospellers suffer our glorious God and his divine truth to be blasphemed so sitting themselves to be spued out of Gods mouth Revel 3. 16. Because they neither leave Religion nor defend it Let them say they love God well but they love not to be brawlers and yet they will be moved for their owne causes Let them argue after this or the like manner If I reprove a friend I offer him great discurtesie If a stranger I shall be too insolent If an Atheist I lose mine endeavour If an enemy I incurre inevitable danger Therefore I see not why I should reprove any For these reasons want validity They should consider against the danger of an enemie that it is a greater danger to fall into the hands of the Lord by dishonouring him That it is not vaine to reprove an Atheist Gods word will have its savour it will not be in vaine we should do our dutie and leave the successe to God Neither is it a matter of insolency to reprove a stranger being subject to Gods Law as well as we If a stranger wrong us in our good name if he cut a purse ro boâ—r neighbour we think it no insolency to reprove him And to pleasure a friend by silence is most abominable He is a friend Be it so and is not God a dearer friend Must we not preferre him before father mother friend He is a friend And doest thou become his enemy in suffering sinne upon him If this be thy dealing towards thy friends God preserve me from such friends He is thy friend Deale therefore friendly with him It s not a friendly part to suffer a man to runne headlong to destruction but to restraine from ruine I desire such friends who may be as glasses whereby to see my staines What though many do much hurt by unseasonable and unworthy reproofes shall we therfore neglect them Because some come to markets to cut purses lye cousen Shall not therefore honest men frequent such places for their commodities Because some who heare Sermons are naught shall not Gods children therefore desire the sincere miâ—ke of the Word Let these short inducements following perswade you to this Christian duty 1. The expresse câ—mmand of Mot. 1 ouâ— gracious God Lev. â—9 â—7 Gal. 6. 1. 2. The profit accruâ—â—g â—hence It is a meanes to prevent a double sinne Lev. â—9 â— To winne a brother To save soules Iudâ— 2â— And to procure love Prov. 9. 8. Although brutish persons Prov. 12. â— and sâ—â—rners hate reproofe Prov. 9. 1. Yet such who are wise aâ—â— lovâ—rs of knowledge will love you better 3. The huâ—t which followes â—lence in this kind is hidâ—oâ—s and dreadfull man herebâ— â—â—ting his brother Lev. 19 17. thereby murdering 1 Ioh. â— â—5 and haling upon himselfe the others offences in the judgâ—ment not only of Divine but of meere moâ—all men ouâ— whereof saith If you do not admonish your friend of hâ—â— faults you make them your owne and as it argues hatrâ—â— so it cauleth another to sinne Lev. 19. 17. It oftâ—â— slaâ—es two soules Ezek. 3. 17. And causeth to erre Proverb 10. 17. CHAP. IX Vse 7. Saints must he peaceable Vse 7 IMploy our utmost endeavours for the peace of this more then Angelicall societie There is no jarring on the body betwixt fellow-members no disagreement betweene braunches of the same tree There should be none amongst brethren of the same family and souldiers of the same band And sure I am as there is unity in religion Eph. 4. 4 5 6. So there should be sympathy in affection Rom. 12. 10 15. 16. Neither indeed can there be contrary judgements amongst us in 〈◊〉 pâ—tâ—rat Spiritâ—â— Cvp. ad teph de Mattino Aâ—elatense pag. 238. whom there is one spirit saith St. Cyprian Labour we therefore for that perfect peace perfect in regard of its author procâ—rer perswader possessour parts continuance and reach the royall prerogative of this heavenly company promised by the Lord Isa 26. 3. Performed by Christs merits perswaded by his Spirit and preached by his Ministers Whereby we have peace with the blessed Trinity Rom. 5. 1. glorious Angels good men our owne consciences yea with sinne in regard of the strength though not the staine with Sathan in regard of his deadly blowes although not his buffetings with death in regard of the sting though not the strokes with the gâ—â—ue in regard of the chaines though not the chopâ— Strive we therefore mightily for the peace of Sion the com 〈…〉 ion of Saints For thus doing we do no more then what is our duty God commanding us by the mouth of the Pâ—aâ—mist Psal 122. To pray for the peace of Ierusalem By Saint Paul to pray for Kings that under them we may lead a peaâ—eable life 1 Tim. 2. 2. Yea we being urged hereunto by the practise of Gods servants Peace be within thy wals was the Psalmists prayer Psal 122. 7. What though wicked wights by their impieties hinder their owne and others peace there being no peace to the wicked as saith my God Isa 57. 22. For what peace so long as their wickednesse remaines 2 Reg. 9. 22. What though Antichristian papisme un-christian paganisme and false-christian prophanesse will admit of peace with none but such as fit their own humor So that whosoever will have peace with them must looke for such usage as the travellers found at the hands of Scyron and Procrustes famous robbers in Attica who by cutting shorter the taller and stretching out the lesser brought all to an even length with their bed of brasse What though all peace and unity is not good there being great peace betwixt the wicked Exod. 32. 4. Betwixt Herod and Pilate What though there may be discord in Gods Church aswell as betweene the Apostle of the Iewes and Gentiles betweene Paul and Barnabas for small matters aswell as amongst Primitive
145. 16. and the Lyons seeke their meate of God Psal 104. 21. and thou must of necessity confesse That all sustenance is his gift That all are meere gratuities That he doth continually supply the wants of all creatures And that he is a liberall giver feeding millions of millons every day And then rouse up and animate thy drooping and dismayed Spirits as Christ did comfort his distrustfull Disciples Math. 6. 26. c. Doe all the innumbred swarmes and troupes of birds beasts and fishes depend upon my Father Doth he afford them such sufficient supplyes and contented satisfactions that although they have nothing beforehand to glut and satiate the eye they chirp and sing leape and skippe and shall I distrust who am a man a child by adoption God forbid will not the Lord much more provide for me who am better then they Doubtlesse he will Be it therefore that I am poore yet my Father hath more then enough to supply my wants Be it that I see no meanes in humane reason how to live yet will I depend on him who can preserve me with or by small meanes Be it that my charge is great yet will not I distrust I see the little Wren a poore and weake bird having her nest stored with a multitude of little helplesse creatures to skippe as livelily to live as merrily and sing as pleasantly as at other times I have nothing beforehand no more hath she I have a great charge She as great I have small meanes to get She hath lesse It is my gracious Father who provides for her and hers He will also for me and mine To this I may fitly adde the saying of a devout Writer Thy children are thy riches children are not a trouble Filâ—â— tui divitiae tue sunt silij non labor sed requies parentunt sunt levamen laborum ac omna fortunae so latium si boni sunt si mali non de numero sed de moribus querela est Qua pascet omnes Qui pisâ—es maru pascit quadrupedes c. Quis vestet qui agros herbis ac floribus vestit atque frondibus silvas Adrian Caâ—th pag. 126 but an ease of parents a solace of calamities and a consolation of every estate if they be good if they be evill the complaint is not of their number but their vices Who shall feed them all He that feedeth the fishes of the sea the foure footed beasts c. Who shall cloath them He who doth cloath the fields with herbs and flowers and the woods with leaves CHAP. V. Duty 4. Saints must honour God FOurthly we are to honour our Heavenly Father Mal. 1. 6. Duty 4. A sonne honoureth his Father If I be a Father where is mine honour Our Father hallowed be thy Name is the continuall cry of Gods children and it 's a necessary inference If we ought to honor our fathers by nature precedency of time age and office much more the Lord our Heavenly Father In prosecuting this filiall duty I intend to have the judgement rightly informed how God must be honoured and to perswade by certaine motives the affections to practice this fourth siliall duty God may be honoured or despised many wayes but these three especially 1. In himselfe or his owne person diverse wayes 1. By obeying him and submitting our selves to him 2. Beleeving in him and trusting to him 3. By calling upon him and praying to him 4. In loving him above all 5. In fearing him above all 6. In confessing of his truth 7. In confessing of our sinnes 2. In his servants either Prophets or people Ministers or members of Christ when they are honoured for his sake or his gifts and graces are honoured in them God is honoured in his Ministers when those branches of honour are given to them which the Word of God requires As 1. Reverence in thought word and gesture 2. Obedience to their Doctrine 3. Imitation of their good example 4. Maintenance 3. In his sacred and holy Ordinances Word Sacraments prayer or other parts of his Service when they are reverently rightly used So men may dishonor God by the same means or after the same manner sc when any of the aforesaid duties are denied or wanting he is dishonoured in regard of himselfe or servants and in regard of his Ordinances when any of them are refused or abused Wee are to honour our Heavenly Father with soule and body both for he created them both Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour Ver. 9. Spirit to God who gave it Hee redeemed them both 1 Cor. 6. 20. He sanctifieth them both 1 Thess 5. 23. He preserves them both Psal 97. 10. And he will glorifie both 1 Cor. 15. 49. But first with the soule Psal 103. 1 2. Blesse the Lord O my soule And that 1. Because the Lord requires it most Deut. 6. 4. Ioh. 4. 24. 2. Because it is the seat of sanctification the beginning and efficient cause of every action Math. 12. 35. Prov. 4. 23. 3. Because the Lord observeth tryeth and searcheth it most 1 Ioh. 3. 19 20. 21. 4. Because the Lord regards it most And 5. Because if the soule once truly honour God it will draw the whole body Let hollow-hearted dissemblers and tombe-like Pharisees as Alexander in another case scattred in India at his departure speares shields swords and other warlike furniture fitter for men of gyant-like then ordinary stature that he and his might be thought to be men of extraordinary greatnesse seeme to glorifie God more then other men being in the meane time as full of dregs and filth as a loathsome caske and as empty of worth as a drumme having in it nothing but windy ayre although its sound is great and clamorous Yet let every adopted child of the Lords be exhorted to honour our heavenly Father 1. Inwardly and that first in his understanding 1. By an effectuall spirituall distinct speciall lively experimentall and consequently saving knowledge of God the want thereof causing a denyall of honour to the Lord Exod. 5. 1. I know not God c. Rom. 1. 21. 2. By a true faith unbeliefe hindring from sanctifying the glorious name of God Num. 20. 12. Secondly in his affections 1. By a spirituall child like or siliall feare whose fruit and force is to restraine from vice and constraine to well-doing for desire to glorifie God 2. By a Christian love a fruit and signe of a justified perion causing us to delight in God for his goodnesse sake and in our neighbour for Gods sake 2. With our tongues given us by our sole Creatour for this end Iam. 3. 9. Therewith blesse we God even the Father Phil. 2. 11. that every tong should confesse to the glory of God the Father Psal 51. 15. And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise We are to honour our heavenly Father in word by speaking reverently of all those things whereby God and his holy will is made better knowne unto us e. g.
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
signe of mans society with the Lord ibid. 3. And demonstrate that we desire the same this being a meanes of mans communion with God This Covenant is laid hold upon and kept 1. Outwardly 1. By hearing the Word of God that Booke of the Covenant containing the conditions and articles of the Covenant with an open Psal 40. 6. Wakened Isa 50. 4. And hearing eare Marke 4. 9. Such as joynes to hearing attention to it a desire to be changed to it a care to believe and conscience to obey 2. By receiving aright the Sacraments which are signes of holy things which are holy tokens visible signes of invisible graces where we see one thing believe another which are seales of the promises of God in Christ whose use is to strengthen us in the promises of salvation which God hath not onely made to us in word but confirmed them by writing and lest we should doubt set to his seales according to the manner of men that nothing should lacke that might increase and strengthen us Signes they are not onely figuring admonishing and signifying what is promised but also exhibiting that which is promised to the faithfull yea sealing and confirming the exhibiting of them These are called by Master Calvin Gen. 17. 18. Testimonies Seales and Pledges of Spirituall Graces and benefits which spring thereof the Gates of Heaven c. They are Signes to present Seales to confirme and Instruments to conveigh Christ and all his benefits to them that do believe in him In the right use of these Ordinances the partakers have assurance of their being in the Covenant of grace Saint Paul speaking of Circumcision which was a signe of the Covenant Gen. 17. 11. Cals it the seale of the righteousnes of the faith c Rom. 4. 11. 3. By pious prayer prevailing extraordinarily with God Luke 11. 13. The Lord giving his Holy Ghost to those which aske him 2. Inwardly we take hold upon and keepe Covenant with God 1. By Faith believing the Promises This shewes us the Lord Heb. 11. 27. Brings us to God Verse 6. Begets to God Iohn 1. 12. This justifieth Rom. 5. 1. Perswades of Gods peace and assures us of joy 5. 2. This purifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. Overcommeth the Divell 1 Pet. 5. 9. And the World 1 Iohn 5. 4 5. This is that which stayes us in grace 2 Cor. 1. 20. Which is our seale Iohn 3. 33. Which we set to that God is true and therefore a meanes whereby we take hold of and keepe this Covenant inwardly 2. By obeying the precepts of God this is that which allyeth and affianceth man to Christ Ma. 12. 50. Crownes with eternall blisse Math. 7. 21. Vpholds man and supports the world 2 Corinth 10. 6. Surmounteth farre sacrifices 1 Sam. 15. 22. This is the substance of mans covenant with God Neh. 10. 29. What intoxicated madnesse or giddy vertigiousnesse hath possessed your-hearts and heads What shall I tearme you Cerdoniani Cainitae Marcionists Apellitae Severiani Manichees Architae Patricij You I meane who fence and hedge out the regenerate from without the Old Testament so farre forth as you may or can For prove unto you that God doth afflict his Children for their sinnes that sorrow for sinne is necessary to the regenerate points which you deny the former by Davids suffering for his sinne with Bathsheba the latter by his watering his couch with his teares you reply they were under the Law in the time of the Old Testament You I meane who crie out against the Morall Law as once the Babylonians did against Ierusalem downe with it downe with it even to the ground away with the law it belongs not to the regenerate man It binds not the conscience of him that is in Christ You equivocating Pretteians Antinomists I doe not say you are Marcionists Manichees or the like in all particulars but in this you walke cheeke by joale hand in hand with those forenamed heretikes They condemned the morall law so doe you They denied the resurrection of the body and I much suspect that this is one of those other deeper doctrines you were promised to be indoctrinated in Had you knowne how learnedly and orthodoxally Probemus extructionem potius legis prophetarâ—o inveniri in Christo quam destructionem Lib. 1. Contra Marcionem pag. 260. Magis extruens quam destruens substantiam legis prophetarum Ibid pag. 228. Tertullian scourged your great Grandfather Marcion shewing the law to be fulfilled and built up in Christ not abolished by Christ b Onera legis usque ad Ioannem non remedia operum iuga reiecta sunt non disciplinarum De oratione pag. 788. That we are freed from the burden of the law not obedience c In hoc venturil ut legis prophetarum ordo exinde cessaret per adimpletionem non per destructionem Lib. 4. Contra Marcionem pag. 273. Aug. qu. 69 Veter noâ— testam pag. 745. Non dissolvis aliquid sed confirmavit nunquid haec cessasse dicenda sunt absit Contra Adimantum Manichai discipulum contra faustum Manichaeum Lib. 6. pag. 231. Non concupisces preceptum est agendae vitae Circumcides omne viasculum octavo die preceptum est significanda vitae Ep. 49. ad Deograt That the law and Prophets were till Iohn So that they ceased by fulfilling not by destruction Had you knowne the mind of Saint Augustine that terrible hammer of heretiques who tells you that the ceremoniall law is wholly vanished as a shadow because the body is exhibited abolished as a tipe because the truth Christ Iesus is come The Iudaicall law is abrogated so farre as peculiar to Iewish policie But as the Covenant of Grace made betwixt God and man in Christ Iesus was ever since the fall one and the same in the dayes of Adam Abraham and of Christ and his Apostles although the administration thereof was diverse according to the different estate of Gods children So the Morall law of God was ever the rule of obedience for all duties of love to God and man and shall so continue with the Gospell to the end of the world Had you consulted with Saint Chrysostome who saith * Dei igitur iustitia lex veritas est in aeternum Tom. 1. Hom. in 118. Psal pag 1085 Legis non est translatio transmutatio etenim hic habemus legem Legem destruiâ—â—â— per fidem Absit sed legeÌ„ statuimus Tom. 4. Hom. in Heb. 6. pag. 148 â—â— Therfore the justice law of God is truth for ever i. e. There is not removing and change of the law for here we have the law Do we destroy the law by faith God forbid but we establish the law Had you bene acquainted with the doctrine of the Church of England which saith The law is immutable an ordinance of God in no time or age to be altered or of any persons of any nations or age to be disobeyed Homily 1. of Idol
he is well pleased 7. By this imitation we the members shall please our Head we the subjects shall content our King we the sheepe shall delight our shepheard 8. By this conformity we are assured that we are predestinated Rom. 8 29. 9. And ascertained that we shall be glorified for if we beare the image of the earthly we shall beare the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. 10. Be we followers of Christ who if we hunger is our Celestiall bread if we thirst is the water of life Be we as he was in this world this imitation being a forcible meanes to obtaine an infallible demonstration that we have and a necessary duty which we owe for this lovely and desireable fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ. CHAP. IX The second Marke and Duty Such must have faith who have fellowship with Christ DEsire we fellowship with Christ Iesus We must have 2. Marke Duty faith Not the worldlings fancied faith which he suckt from his mothers brest believing ever since he was borne Nor his painted fruitlesse faith he believing as well as the best yet abhorring or not loving or little or no whit regarding the Word preached prayer and other sanctified meanes whereby faith is begotten and increased He believing yet living prophanely or at the least onely civilly Which is not a true faith That faith which brings forth evill Hom. of sal E. 1. workes or no good workes is not a right pure and lively faith but a dead divellish counterfeit and fained faith They that Ibid. E. 1. continue in evill living have not true faith Lively faith is not without hope and trust in God nor without the love of God and of our neighbors nor without the feare of God nor without desire to heare Gods Word and to follow the same in eschewing evill Hom. of faith A 1. and doing gladly all good works But the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ Iam. 2. 1. The faith of the Elect Titus 1. 1. That faith of which Salvian speakes Quid est igitur Fides opinor fideliter hominem Christo credere 1. fidelem esse hoc est fideliter Dei maiâ—data servare Salv. lib. 3. p. 60. saying What is faith therfore I think for a man faithfully to believe in Christ i. to be faithfull i. to observe Gods Commandements faithfully That faith 1. Which is of a growing and thriving nature from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. 2. That two-handed faith which by confidence the one holdeth the Lord and receiveth good and by love the other imbraceth the brethren and doth good Gal. 5. 6. 3. That faith which yeelds obedience to Gods Commandements even the most repugnant to flesh and bloud by this Abraham left his country and offered Isaac Heb. 11. 4. That faith which doth instrumentally justifie Rom. 5. 1. And sanctifie Acts 15. 9. This is the faith we must have if we would have interest in this happy association 1. By this faith we are built upon the foundation and coupled to the Corner-Stone Christ 2. By this faith we are married to our Husband 3. By this faith we are ingrafted into the Vine Christ Iesus Eph. â— 17. 4. 13. So that 1. As by the mortar the stones cleave to the foundation so by this faith which is like a strictive mortar we are cemented and united to Christ 2. As by the nerves or sinewes the parts receive sense motion yea and life from the head so by this faith we receive quickening and vitality from Christ as the members from the Head Ioh. 1. 16. Gal. 2. 20. 3. As by the true love-knot the husband and wife are made one flesh so by this faith we have spirituall familiarity with Christ as the wife with the husband Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 11. 6. Faith is the hand of the soule which applyeth the sacrifice M. Burton Truths triumph over Trent cap 7. pag 99. of Christ for sinne it is the hand which puts on the robes of the righteousnesse of Christ our elder Brother upon us Faith is the ligament or sinew which fasteneth and uniteth every faithfull member to the Head Christ Iesus Faith is the life of our lives Pag. 100. and the strength of our soules 1. This is that prevailing Champion which quencheth the fiery darts of Sathan Eph. 6. 16. Overcommeth the world 1 Ioh. 5. 4 5. Prevaileth with God and is overcome of nothing not by carnall sense not by humane reasons not by bitter tortures Heb. 11. 35 36 37. 2. This is the mother and fountaine of all good gifts the originall of justice beginning of devotion the head of sanctitie Fidet est origo institiae sanctitates caput devotionis principium Religionis fundamentum Chrysost Ser. de fide Tom. 4. pag. 574. A. M. Burton pag. 198. cap. 12. Pag. 201. and foundation of Religion Prayer is the proper worke of faith Rom. 10. 14. Confession to salvation is the speech of faith Rom. 10. 10. Good works of all sorts are the fruits of faith Faith gives life and being to every grace forasmuch as every grace is radically in faith because where faith is Christ is Holy faith is the foundation whereon all graces are built the ground whereon they grow 3. This is that so necessary grace that whosoever wants it 1. Hath no spirituall life with Christ the just living by faith Rom. 1. 17. And by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. Neither is he a true Christian he wanting that whereby Christ dwels in the heart Eph. 3. 17. Neither can he do any good thing without this all being sinne Rom. 14. 23. And unpleasing to God Heb. 11. 6. 4. This is that which mounts and elevates a man into so high and honourable holy and happy condition that he hath such heavenly priviledges and transcendent prerogatives as to be Gods Sonne Iob. 1. 12. Christs and his Fathers friend to be a free Denison of heaven as to come to Christ to go to God to hasten to heaven to be inseparably inserted and indissolubly compacted into this incorporation with Iesus Christ of incomparable value and ineffable excellencies Is faith so preciously excellent 1. Why O you sonnes of men do you so much sleight it and neglect it 1. As not to labour at all for it 2. Or lesse then for temporary fading favours you 'le ride and run farre and neare toyle and travaile early and late for health and sanity of your bodies for increase and augmentation of your substance for food to eate and clothes to put on but so carelesly and negligently for this that were your endeavours no more earnest for bodily health death so dismall would soone smite you for food and rayment your tender backs and pampered bellies would quickly beshrow you for worldly wealth beggery so base would out of hand overtake you 3. Or more regardlesly then for any thing of base esteem in regard of it you take not cattell for your use at a venture but