conceiue that the Preacher speaketh out of spleene not of affection and therefore they regard not their words And they are wise for the world to come and louing to their children therefore they doe this For herein consisteth Reas 4. true affection and the principall dutie of good Parents to their children What then be those Parents that neuer practise this Vse 1. point Nay who neuer so much as once minde it may we not from the rule of contraries conclude that they are profane and impious they will prune their plants breake their horses and traine their hawkes to the lure yet neuer dresse the plants of the Sanctuary instruct their Sonnes or take the least toyle to make them faithful of the Lords family Doe they not rather by rotten speech lewde example and wicked courses make them two-fold worse than children of the Devill If they procure them a competent portion a profitable calling which be good we grant they thinke they haue done their dutie but what haue they done all the while for their soules and to make them the Lords sonnes the vnreasonable creatures will feed their yong till they can prey of their own wing so that thus farre they are equall to them Let them then that would bee accounted religions shew Vse 2. it in the imitation of these Godly parents Prouide food raiment for the body but especially a spirituall portion for their soules Worke faith in their hearts grace in their persons and in thus doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and thy children Let their eares heare not thy trickes of youth but what God hath done for thy soule in the daies of old Let thy practise be a Patterne worthy their imitation say to thy sonne doe thus aswell as this that it may be said of thee a Godly father a Godly childe And doe not deferre the time but take the season teach them while they are yong and let these reasons moue thee 1. For then they will remember it when they are old Pro. Children to be taught yong why 23. 13. dye cloth in the wooll not in the webbe and the colour will be the better the more durable 2. To deferre this dutie is dangerous For thou maist bee tooke from them Who then shall teach them after thy departure or what if they dye in that condition must not thou answere for their bloud 2. Kin. 2. 24. 3. Besides what if they come to faith will it not be with the more difficulty fallow ground must haue the stronger teame great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left and a better come by If their memories bee stufft with vanity as a table-booke the old must bee washt out before new can be writ in 4. What shall I more say God workes strangely in children 1 Kin. 14. 13. and rare things haue beene found in them and what a comfort will it be for parents in their life to heare their children speake of good things and at the last day when they can say to Christ here am I and the children thou hast giuen Heb. 2. 13. me And here children must attend to their fathers instruction Vse 3. and not despise their mothers counsaile least the Rauen of the valley plucke out their eies and the yong Eagles eate it Pro. 30. 17. Some care not for the instruction of their Parents other can out-runne them but can they escape the hand of God and hee that obeyeth not his Parents speech shall certainely be destroyed 1 Sam. 2. 25. We reade here of good women but there is no mention made of their yoke-fellowes the mothers bee commended not the fathers whence let be noted that Faithfull wiues may haue faithlesse husbands Good women Doct. 6. may be vnequally yoked 1 Sam. 25. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 13. And this comes to passe through beauty for that being Reas 1. in a man may much preuaile with the weaker sex For why did the sonnes of God take the daughters of men to their wiues Was it not because they were faire So might it fall out with the daughters of God Gen. 6. 2. beauty preuailes much in this matter Gen. 12. 12. Couetousnes also may be a cause Honest maides be often Reas 2. poore haue but small portions wicked men sometimes rich and mighty and that may worke mightily Hester 2. 16. And if there be but such a motion how will carnal Parents presse their daughters to it Sometimes men affecting and knowing the person to be Reas 3. religious will like the Shechemites serue the true God to gaine fauour By this diuellish dealing many haue beene deceiued Iosh 9. 4. Gen. 34. 9. 14. It often falleth out that when persons marry they are Reas 4. both faithlesse and so the Lord calling the wife and passing by the husband that woman becomes vnequally yoked 1 Cor. 7. Whence we are taught not to iudge wiues by the cariage Vse 1. of their husbands neither husbands by their wiues For in so doing wee may commend or condemne without cause or reason Nabal the foole may haue a wise Abigail and Hester a good Queene an vnbeleeuer All wiues that haue good husbands must first praise God Vse 2. for such Secondly Make much of such Thirdly Pitty and pray for those that haue not such and fourthly In their liues endeuour to walke worthy of such else they may receiue the greater condemnation in being yoked to such And good wiues that haue bad husbands are 1. to seeke Vse 3. out the true cause if some carnall respect did not make them to marry such if it did they must acknowledge their sinne with great sorrow if not be patient For it is but a fatherly correction and God may worke great good out of it aiming at another end they are not aware of Hester 4. 14. for the present 2. They must be subiect to their husbands that though they obey not the word yet they may without the word by their good conuersation be wonne to the word 1. Pet. 3. 1. The wiues good actions must be their husbands instructions 3. Let this teach them to loue Christ their first husband the more perfectly For by the badnes of the one you may iudge the better of the goodnes of the other This is to draw good out of euill and worthy to be remembred 4. Such must admire the mercy of God to them that they had not themselues beene bad their husbands good and liue in hope that through the blessing of the Almighty they may proue instruments to saue their soules And if this fall out how would that man affect then his wife more than euer he disliked her From this doctrine the women maids or widowes that Vse 4. intend to marry may learne a lesson to beware in their election least they fall into the like condition And the better to direct thee let these rules be obserued in the choyce of an husband In the choyce
a man to be put into possession of an house but no assurance to enioy it had hee a good lease and could read it then hearing it he reioyceth otherwise not Now the sonnes of God may be glad For they haue a lease in their hands and by the eye of faith reade it continually So that they neuer feare dispossession 3. When is faith made perfect in earth or heauen What then becomes of it is it annihilated by whom either by vs or he that wrought it But shall we conceiue that when so excellent a worke is perfected that on the sudden it shall be turned to nothing by its owne author and if it be not so then it abides for euer 4. I would demaund from what our good actions proceede as from their proper cause is it not from faith why are we no more holy is it not want of faith let this then be granted and faith must of necessitie continue For else holinesse would cease also And if we hold as some doe that faith is the essentiall forme of a Christian and that euerie good act comes from it as naturall acts from their proper formes then who can deny the proposition But against this it will be obiected that now abideth faith Obiect 1 Cor. 13. l. hope and loue but of these the chiefest is loue 1. The scope of the Apostle is not to declare the continuance Resp of loue but the excellency of it 2. Loue is commended aboue faith and hope but wherein why they two worke inwardly and their effects are more secret according to that saying hast thou faith haue it with thy selfe Rom. 14. 22. before God Loue doth declare her selfe outwardly and manifesteth by her effects that wee are Christians indeed otherwise faith is the cause of true loue and therefore more prayse worthy For that which produceth such a thing must needes be better than that it effecteth because it cannot communicate its whole nature to its effect or what it hath not in it self This is that excellent way to demonstrate to the Church that I am a true member of it when I am louing and charitable to my brethren 3. Many boasted of faith yet wanted workes if they had workes yet they did them out of sinister respect and not in loue therefore Paul commends it 4. The word now doth not denotate alwayes an adiunct period or any part of time but a kind of asseueration or affirmation and the like and when it doth yet the Greekes vse it sometimes for time future and not for the present And so much for this obiection But it will be further obiected that wee haue no neede of Obiect 2. faith hauing all things in perfect vision It is true we haue not for the beleeuing of any further Sol. degree of glory yet it is necessary to assure vs for the continuance of what we haue And though the blessednes wee possesse be present yet eternity is not Wherefore faith runneth on holding the promise by the end to eternitie It beleeueth no more but keepeth fast what it hath A man going vp many steps when he commeth to the highest seat of his wished desire hath neede of somewhat to hold him there so faith hauing passed all the promises now onely secureth the soule of what it hath in possession Some may yet obiect that hope than abideth also but Obiect 3. that cannot be seeing we enioy the things we hoped for We haue the things yet time and eternitie is not in vision Sol. Againe God gaue man hope to sustaine faith being weake and the promises being afarre off but now faith being perfect needs no supporter But is it not said that wee receiue the end of our faith Obiect 4. 1. Pet. 19. True but by end is ment that for the which faith was Sol. giuen vs to obtaine viz. saluation Moreouer saluation hath in it two things possession and continuance If this seeme a paradox to any I would haue him know that it is not without authority and besides were there the least danger in holding this as I see not any then by me it should neuer haue beene mentioned Wherefore receiue it or reiect it so you once haue faith it skills not Which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Loïs Here is faith laid out by its subiect in whom it dwelt from the which we gather that Weakenes of sex hinders not soundnes of faith Doct. 4. Reas 1. Doe we not read that women are the weaker Vessels and are not here two mentioned who had vnfeigned faith so that the point is plaine the weaker sex may haue soundnesse of faith Iudg. 5. 21. Mat. 15. 28. Heb. 11. 35. Rom. 16. 1. c. 1. For they are capable of it hauing vnderstanding affection Reasons will memory c. 2. All the ordinances of God are as freely offred to them as to the other sex and they haue asmuch priuiledge to vse them 3. They knowing their owne weaknes and Sathans malice are moued and stirred vp thereby the more carefully to seeke it 4. And is not the spirit of God the author of it doth he respect any persons may hee not doe what and worke faith where hee pleaseth This may comfort the weaker sex and encourage them Vse 1. to vse the meanes for the enioying of this precious treasure It should also make them thankfull to God that hee doth vouchsafe so great grace vnto them Many doe reioyce that they in somethings resemble man but let this not be counted a small thing in that thou art like to him in this thing For faith is the first foundation that God layeth within vs of our felicitie This also should teach the man to haue the woman Vse 2. though the weaker vessel in honour and not too basely to esteeme of her For hath not the Lord looked on her Wee must whom it concernes indeauour to make them by calling on them sound in the faith Sowe the seede of the word in this soule for there is hope that it may prosper Where we read that faith was first in the mother then in the child it may be noted that Faithfull Parents will endeuour to make faithfull children Doct. 5. Who doubteth but that these mothers here practised this dutie and might be instruments for the begetting faith in their children Gen. 18. 19. 1 Chro. 28. 9. Psal 44. 1. For they know they haue giuen them but a miserable being Reas 1. made them by nature the sonnes of wrath and therefore they striue to make them through grace the children of Eph. 2. 3. blessing Againe this is the way for them and their seede to escape Reas 2. the reuenging hand of God and to receiue all good things from him For make thy sonne the sonne of God and hee can want no manner of thing that good is Godly Parents know by experience that children will take instruction better at their hands than from others They wil
would haue redemption and sanctification to precede election as if the Sons worke and the holy Ghosts in order went before the Fathers According I take it that in this sentence is declared the end of Pauls Apostleship to wit to preach the Gospell and that not in any newly invented or opposite manner but proportionable iust after the forme and effigies of that good true and warrantable patterne for he who did reach otherwise was to be accursed Gal. 1. 9. Promise Here the Apostle opposeth the Gospell and the Law not that the observation of the Law would not haue given life or was without a promise but because that man since his fall is dead and cannot keepe it therefore he is to fetch life from another fountaine viz. the gospell which is in briefe called the Promise of life Of life There is a fourefold life at the least to be found in the creatures 1. a life of vegetation as in herbes plants 2. a life of sence as in birds and beasts 3. of reason as in man and Angels 4. a life of grace called the life of God Eph. 4. 8. onely to be found in good Angels and such men as are borne againe and this is that life which is here promised by the Apostle preached and principally to be desired Which is in Christ Iesus Christ is the fountaine of this spring the roote of this tree and the very first beginner of this spirituall life and motion For without him we are dead can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. I Paul also called Saul because I was a Citizen of two The Metaphrase Provinces of the Iewes by birth and Romanes by prerogatiue yet being principally sent to be a Preacher to the Gentiles haue reserved the one cast off the other as being more familiar to them better accepted of them an Apostle and legate not of any private person but of Christ Iesus the holy one and anointed of the Lord sole Saviour of the faithfull having a true and lawfull calling not of man nor by man but of by and for the Lord being sent to no other end but to preach the lifâ— of grace and glory which is onely through the free promise of God in Christ to be obtained I I say doe ingenuously confesse without all mentall reservation or subtle evâ—sion my selfe to be the Author Pen-man of this Epistle being chiefely induced to prefixe my name declare my office shew the ground of my calling and the obiect and end of my function to silence such as might carpe at my Doctrine that the Church in all succeeding ages aswell as for the present season might receiue it as free from all error and the truth of God and that my person preaching and writing might not be contemned but as they ought esteemed regarded And now let vs proceede to gather such Doctrines as arise Doctrines deduced out of these words thus resolved plainly expounded Seeing the Pen-man reserues that name which is most accepted and best received of the people as also annexeth that title whereby the excellency of his office is demonstrated we note that Preachers are to maintaine the dignitie of their Doct. 1. persons This hath beene the care of all the Prophets in old time and Apostles in these latter dayes If it were not so what meaneth all this Am not I an Apostle am not I free haue not 1 Cor. 9. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 20. I seene Iesus Christ our Lord Are not you my worke in the Lord Because a good name is as a precious ointment aboue great Reas 1. Eccles 7. 1. Prov. 22. 1. riches and more than the choicest silver and gold to be regarded It will reioyce the heart cheere the dead spirit and prolong a mans dayes whereas the contrary is a curse and to be auoyded Otherwise if Ministers be ill reported of their doctrine Reas 2. be it never so sound or soveraigne for the soule it will be despised reiected If the vessell be counted vnsweet who will with alacritie taste of the liquor And men iudge the fruit according to the trees report Let Ministers then haue an eye to this dutie Too too many Vse 1. are carelesse in this thing and that 's the cause why they Preach so much and profit little and who ever saw good done by such a man as was contemned in his name person The Word will not speed if the Preacher be despised And for procuring a good report 1. be diligent in the discharge How a good name may be got of thy duty avoyd idlenes in thy calling 2. Againe take heed thou be not iustly accused of that which thou hast severely censured in others 3. Speake not evill of others for with what measure we meete it shall be measured to vs againe Could we cover others infirmities they would doe the like for vs. 4. And in conclusion seeke the glory of God 1 Sam. 2. 30. Prov. 10. 7. in thy proceedings for they who honour God shall be honored of him whereas they who seeke themselues shall be abased The people also must take heed how they detract from Vse 2. the credit of their Pastours It s a foule fault of some and to be reformed who are alwayes prying into and raking vp the infirmities of their Preachers cover thou their faults passe by their wants and seeke their dignitie for thine owne good and thy brethrens Nature by a secret instinct will defend the head with the losse of the hand and will we not cover our baldnesse with a Periwigge Why the Preacher is the head of the people and therefore to be respected and it s an old Axiome Doe my-Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. Againe where Paul is called an Apostle who in former times was a persecuter of the Lords people we obserue that Yong sinners may proue olde Saints great offenders godly persons Doct. 2. persecutors of the truth and people zealous Preachers Church-founders For is not Saul now among the Apostles who sometime made havocke of the Saints Did he not doe many things against the name of Iesus of Nazaret and persecute this way and word which he now maintaineth vnto the death Others who haue done the same yet haue prooved the same godly livers excellent persons 2. Chron. 33. 12. c. Luk. 8. 2. Tit. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 11. And this commeth to passe by the finger of God Hee knoweth how to doe it hath power to doe it and if hee Reas 1. will who can resist him He who made the instrument cannot he amend it so he who first formed man shall hee want abilitie to reforme him no he is in heaven and doth whatsoever hee will Sathan may resist but all in vaine Isa 46. 10. mans will may oppose but all to no purpose for his power is infinite their 's finite And is there not a possibilitie for such a subiect to be reformed Man is capable of grace if
Ministeriall function was counted a great grace in the Parents honor to the person but in all contempt and bitter derision let the Minister and true Christian know that his Master thought it no shame to become a Preacher Heb. 2. 3. And Salomon higher esteemed the dignitie of a Preacher than a King Eccles 1. 1. By the will of God The Apostle in this phrase declareth the ground way and lawfulnesse of his calling as if he had saâ—d I ran not before I was moued I came not of mine own mind by men or by money in at the window or the like but the prime and chiefe cause was the will and good pleasure of God whence ariseth this instruction that 〈◊〉 It is necessary for such as preach the Word to iustifie theiâ— lawfull Doct. 4. calling there vnto from God What Paul did as a Preacher we ought to doe also Timotheus knew from whom Paul received his calling and he addâ—th this for the respect he had to future times and persons Iohn the Baptist did this and Christ himselfe having Mar. 2. 19. Matth. 3 3. to deale with the Pharisees and Reason will confirme it Otherwise they can haue no assurance of protection from Reas 1. God by his Angels they must keepe their limits and but preserue vs in our wayes they dare not attend vs if we runne Psal 91. 11. Mat. 4. 6. a crooked path Sathan vnderstood this well therefore falsely alledged the Scripture leauing out in all thy waies And what became of the young Prophet that wandred Was he not destroyed 1 King 13. 22. And the certaintie of our calling from God will make Reas 2. vs bold in the execution of our function and in the hottest opposition to say with Nehemiah Shall such a man as I flee Nehem. 6 11. Luk. 13. 32. Or with our Master Goe tell that Foxe that I will heale to dâ—y and tomorrow and the next day I shall be perfected Absalom bids his servants sinite kill feare not but be bold and 2 Sam. 13. 28. play the men Why For he had commanded them This needs no application Againe then may we expect a blessing of our indevours Reas 3. 1 Sam. 1. 2. 15. otherwise not He that will runne before the Lord bids him goe may speede like him that brought tydings to David that his sonne was slaine and his Sermons proue to himselfe like the Letters that Vriah caried What if Israel be not 2 Sam. 11. 14. gathered yet thy reward is with the Lord. If the Master bid the servant cast seed in a barren soyle what if he haue no Isa 49. 4. good crop at harvest It s not the servants fault he did his dutie and would haue beene glad the ground had beene better the crop greater but he relyeth on the command of his Master not the successe in vsing the meanes so must Ministers also And last of all assurance that a man is sent of God will Reas 4. giue him to beleeue that he shall never want a word to comfort others in due season such a man may certainly expect a supply of gifts from the Lord. Wee haue some that like Ruth after Boos reapers gleane here and there and pull an eare from the sheaues of others yet much adoe to make one loafe in many dayes to feed the flocke of God And what 's the cause Sure God never sent them to sow for if he had they should haue beene supplyed with seed Doth not this doctrine reproue those that take vpon them Vse 1. this high calling without any assurance they be sent of God Some Preach that are neither sent of God nor man as the Anabaptists others of man but not of God these are Ieroboams Apostles a third pretend they are sent of God but not of man like some new vpstart spirits I passe to nominate which if it were true their calling were Apostolicall but who shall one day pay these their wages The Lord but in wrath Let Ministers then looke to this it stands them in hand Vse 2. so shall they haue protection by the good Angels boldnes to reproue sinne and not to be scared like boyes with the humming of Bees and Flies a supply of grace on each new occasion and their labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15. vlt. And men may know by these markes 1. If in some measure Trials if we be truely called to Preach the Gospell Isa 6. 8. Rom. 9. 2. 3. Eph. 4. 12. Ier. 23. 32 they be fitted with gifts 2. If they finde in themselues a readie and willing mind 3. If they be approued thrust forth by graue learned and religious persons of great note and government in the Church 4. When they ayme at the gathering of the Saints the edification of the bodie of Christ the glory of him that sent them and not at some sinister and private ends as prayse promotion or the like 5. If the Lord in some measure blesse their endevours This 1 Cor. 9. 2. last is not the least but as a Signet to seale the truth of their calling And I could note further from these words that Promotion to high places commeth from the Lord. Note Doct. 5. Preferment comes not from the East nor from the West Little did Paul thinke either of his sudden conversion or advancement to this honorable function a few houres before he was called this is the worke of God and ought to be marveilous in our eyes Psal 75. 6. Mat. 21. 42. Learne hence to envie no man that is advanced for that Vses 1. were to resist the will of God And let this direct thee to 2. prayse God if aboue many thou be promoted And it must 3. teach all men to be content with their present condition and not to repine for the will of God depends on no other and is the Rule of all truth and goodnesse To Preach according to the promise of life I adde to Preach and that I trust without wrong to the Text for the end of his Apostleship was to Preach the promise of life the glad tydings of salvation out of these words I gather this Conclusion that Eternall life is not to be had in the precepts of the Law but Doct. 6. from the promises of the Gospell The life of grace and glory is since Adams fall derived Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 2. vlt. And 3. 21. to man by another meane the old way in this respect is not the best way we must find out and walke too in the new way which is the everlasting way And thus it comes to passe Because the precepts of the Law exacts a perfect righteousnesse Reas 1. both in regard of mans entire nature and the whole conversation for cursed is every one that continueth Gal. 3. 10. not in all things of the law to doe them now if the Lord should marke what is amisse within vs
if in any of their flocke much more in those that are of the houshold of faith This must direct Preachers to haue an â—ye how the Vse 2. word workes who are called or edified that they may know how to put a difference betwixt them of their flock whom to encourage respect and imbrace in a peculiar manner for one of these is worth a thousand of the other if a minister make these sory who shall make him glad and if he disaffect them who are to be beloved of him Grace mercie and peace Heere is to be noted the salutation in forme of a prayer and the order in it from the words in generall we collect this Doctrine that Salutations are not for complement but pietie Doct. 4. They are to be vsed in a religious manner and not cursorilie and they be of two kinds first with a kisse Rom. 16. 16. secondly or by word and that either spoken The Lord be with you Ruth 2. 4. or written the salutation of me Paul 2 Thes 3. 7. with mine owne hand For be they not testimonies of our loue and affection Reas 1. doe wee not thereby declare the disposition of our mind yea the very Heathen to this ende haue vsed them And againe are they not in forme of a prayer doe we Reas 2. not wish well to our friends in the vse of them and may not the Lord adde a blessing to our friends in the right performance of them who dares denie it Two sorts of persons by this point are reproved First Vse 1. such as never vse them Secondly those that onely take them vp for complement or villanie as the great that I say not gracelesse gallants of our times or like Iudas that in pretence of friendship make it a cover to doe mischiefe Mat. 26. 48. But let vs put this in practise according to the example Vse 2 and patterne of our Apostle and say with the Angell to Gedeon the Lord is with thee thou valiant man Iudg. 6. 12. But may we salute all men Quest Ans There is a two-fold limitation the one in regard of time the other of person for time we may omit them in matters that require expedition 2 King 4. 29. When we be in hast Luk. 10. 4. For person if there come any to vs that brings not the doctrine of Christ We may not bid him God speed 2 Ioh. 10. Rom. 16. 17. What if we doe not know them may we then salute Quest them Yes and if they be not worthy the blessing shall returne Ans to our selues Mat. 10. 13. Make we then more conscience of this dutie for assuredly if it be vsed in an holy and reverend manner if we haue an eye to the Lord and speake affectionately from our hearts and wish a blessing to those we salute the Lord will grant our desires for the good of vs that salute and of them that be saluted as experience doth manifestly declare and thus come we to the matter of the salutation Grace mercie peace Grace being placed first in order we gather thence that The grace of God aboue all things is to be wished for Doct. 5. Hence it is that the Apostles vsually beginne and conclude their Epistles with wishing of them grace and mercie and all good Ministers their Sermons in the same manner For he that is assured of Gods favour may then thinke Reas 1. vpon all his attributes as his omnipresence omniscience omnipotence yea of his justice with comfort Then may we conclude that all things shall worke together Reas 2. for our good Rom. 8. 28. For if grace be within vs who or what can be against vs This condemnes the custome of many who seldome Vse 1. if ever wish and desire the grace of God for themselues and others yet of all things it is the most excellent necessary For what are goods without grace but fewell to burne vp thy soule What would a stately building a faire possession Heards of Cattell or heapes of gold and silver profit thee or thine and in the meane time want the free favour of God He that hath much for many yeares but is not rich in God shall dye a foole Luk. 1â— 12. Aboue all things then let vs seeke the grace and favour Vse 2. Psal 4. of God Pray we with the Prophet Lord lift vp thy countenance vpon me for the gaine thereof is better than gold and all that thou canst desire is not to be compared vnto it grace giveth life pacifies the heart conquers the world quencheth the darts of the deuill of weake it makes strong driues away despayre cheareth the minde provokes to all good it bringeth comfortable tydings and is never proud or weary of well-doing What shall I more say It iustifies saveth raiseth the dead and carieth the soule and bodie into the presence of God and the spirits of iust and perfect men Wherein differs man from beasts or man from man yea Angell from Angell but in the qualitie of grace For grace is the very essentiall forme of a creature And that thou maist partake of it doe as followeth How grace may be got First Heare the Word search the Scriptures reade good 1. Bookes receiue the Sacraments pray conferre for these be as so many Conduits wherby the Creator conveyeth grace into the soule of the creature Secondly avoyde pride for God giueth grace to the humble 2. sends the rich in their owne conceit emptie away full vessels cannot receiue this precious liquor Iam. 4. 6. Thirdly the spirit must not be quenched despighted grieued 3. nor resisted good motions are to be entertained cherished so like a little sparke they will increase to a great flame Heb. 10. 28. Isaiah 30. 21. Finally get into the covenant of grace for as the Mercy-seat 4. was no larger than the Arke so the grace of God extends no further than the covenant Exod. 25. 10. 17. To neglect these helpes is to sinne that grace may abound or at the least to turne the good meanes of grace into wantonnesse Iud. 4. Mercie Hence collect wee that As grace so mercie is a speciall thing to be desired Doct. 6. Vnderstand by mercie a sensible apprehension of Gods sacred affection or a loving inclination flowing from his free grace and favour than which what more desirable For by mercie we are allured to performe euery good dutie Reas 1. towards God and towards man For he who hath tasted of mercy will loue God beleeue in him and mourne that he hath offended him and be mercifull to others as God hath beene mercifull to him And is it not mercie that frees from all misery Never was 2. man miserable who had it blessed without it Hence may we checke the great carelesnesse and worldly Vse 1. mindednesse of many who wish and seeke for any thing soever than the mercy of God Some desire pleasure others profit the
to him for therein we acknowledge euery good perfect gift to come from him and so glorifie his name Psal 91. 1. Iam. 1. 17. Also it s the best time spent that is spent in this dutie for Reas 3. therein we resemble the Saints and Angels in heaven who continually say Glory be to God and prayse to the Lambe that sitteth on the throne for evermore and hence it followeth that the more gratefull the more gracious is the person Rev. 19. Moreover is it not a meane to receiue more and greater Reas 4. favours What lost the Leper in returning backe to Christ Or the blind man in acknowledging his kindnesse And who will not be liberall to a gratefull person Ioh. 9. Luk. 17. Thankefulnesse is a voluntarie retribution of one good thing Thankfulnes defined for another First I say it is a retribution what shall I render or retribute to the Lord Psal 116. 12. for first it alwayes presupposeth a benefit receiued secondly or else it were a giving rather then a thanksgiving Secondly And it must bee voluntary not coacted it must be a free will-offering Ezra 2. 68. first for the giver and receiver in this are to be like minded freely ye haue Mat. 10. 8. received freely giue againe God respects the affection of the action more then the thing given for a wicked man may doe the one but not the other he loues a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. Thirdly The matter or thing rendred must bee good first we may not render evill for evill much lesse evill for good secondly againe iustice requires it and the very law of nature to doe as we would be done vnto Who is he that would bee content to receiue evill for good or what proportion is there betwixt them are they not the greatest opposites Fourthly The last thing in this definition is that wee must render good things for good things for though we may doe good for evill yet wee must not giue thankes for evill first for it is naught in it owne nature secondly and that were follie in vs and might moue the authour of it either to scoffe at vs or harden him in a course of evill doing But it may be obiected that Gods children haue given Obiect thankes for afflictions and they are evill True they haue done so yet not simply for afflictions Resol but first as they bee tokens of Gods loue for if wee were without corrections whereof all are partakers then were we bastards and not sonnes Heb. 12. 8. Secondly the Lord will cause them to worke for the good of his and in that they are to thanke him for them else not Rom. 8. 28. Psal 119. 21. Obserue further that good things are either exhibited or promised so that we are to prayse God for his promises as for performances first for they are good things secondly they shall all be accomplished in a convenient season and this duty haue the Saints also practised Luk 1. 46. Tim 4 8. Thankefulnesse is either conceived or manifested conceived Thankfulnes distributed in will and resolution manifested in word or deede The first kind is hid from man yet knowne to God and is the cause of the other that followes and in some sence the least degree of thankefulnesse for what is in the heart will vpon iust occasion breake forth into speech yea if there be abilitie into action also as in erecting of schooles hospitals building of churches colledges maintaining of ministers receiving of the poore and the like Againe thankefulnesse is either sincere or hypocriticall what one doth in truth another may in appearance as we reade of the Pharisee who stopped into the Temple with a Lord I thanke thee c. Luke 18. 11. This checkes the current of our times which is alwaies Vse 1. craving but never restoring many pray yet doe not pay For what are thankes but pence God sels his favour for we haue not onely nine but nintie times nine who never Luk. 17. 17. returne praise for their cleansing many and it s good intreat others to pray for them yet which were better never find time to desire men to giue thankes for them How many favours haue we received how many pretious promises are vnto vs exhibited whereof wee take no knowledge Is not this the signe of an vngratefull minde I had almost said of a gracelesse heart But to leaue such let vs studie and practise this dutie Vse 2. and say with that good man What shall we render to the Lord Psal 116. 12. Psal 148. 1. c. for all his benefits He would call vpon all creatures to praise him in their kinde No surer signe of sound grace than to be frequent in this action doubtlesse a gratefull heart hath set times to praise God as to pray vnto him they thinke no houres better spent than in thus doing O how will such reioyce when they finde their hearts enlarged and their lips opened to prayse God Such a day to them is of more worth than a thousand others but because to doe this is no easie matter remoue we the impediments that hinder vse the helpes that further this action and they be such as these following 1. When as we thinke that our owne handes haue procured Impediments of thankfulnesse vs our abundance Is not this Babell which I built by the might of my power When as except the Lord build the house man labours in vaine When men doe not know that all comes from God they will sacrifice to their owne nets Deut. 8. 17. Dan. 4. 30. Psal 127. 1. Hab. 1. 16. 2. A second is vnmindfulnesse of Gods mercies he that forgetteth a kindnesse done it is all one for the present as if he never received any whence springs these speeches truely I had thanked you but it was out of my minde I had quite forgot I pray you pardon me 3. A third is discontent when this rules in the heart no thankes is to be had a contented minde is alwayes a thankfull minde Whence it commeth to passe that proud men covetous men or ambitious men are vngratefull men The bird will not prune sing till she haue tooke a stand that giues her full content When wee can say with Iacob Gen. 33. 11. We haue all things then we will giue thankes for all things 4. And not to mention any more ignorance of our misery were we deprived of present favours is a great blocke in the way what were a man if he were stript of his clothes and turned without food but a day or two into the fields Should we but lodge one night in Egypt England would be a good Countrey were we in such a famine as was in Samaria that the Mother must famish or eat the fruit of her 2 King 6. 28. owne wombe then food would be worth thankesgiving But we haue lost our tast and that 's the reason we cry giue me my will as
Rachell did sonnes or else we die being still Gen. 30. 1. petitioning never repaying We are like the earth that receiues many bodies but without a miracle wrought will not yeeld vp one so must God pull thankes by violence out of our hearts if he will haue any Helpes to true thankefulnesse To consider that the Lord hath chosen thee whereas he 1. hath reiected thousands before the world was and to what to inherit a Kingdome David though no small thing to be sonne-in-law to a King 1 Sam. 18. 23. Secondly take knowledge of the Lords dealing with thee 2. in giving thee a being of nothing and that in a comely maner are all creatures men and women Haue all at their birth that be eyes to see tongues to speake c Why wast thou not borne dumbe or blind Thirdly Looke backe and see what the Lord hath done for 3. thee since thy birth how comes it to passe that thou art now aliue Why was not thy bodie long agoe turned into small dust Art thou not made of the same mould Dost thou not feed on the same food and breath in the same ayre The consideration of these things like a loadstone should moue vs to lift vp our hearts to God Fourthly Thinke of thy present condition hast thou food 4. and rayment in abundance Why doe others want it who feeds thee with this Mannah that so many of thy brethren never tasted of Who brought thee into these large pastures causeth thy cup to flow over But let me come nearer thee Psal 23. 5. yet art thou in the libertie of Gods sonnes Hast thou the saving graces peculiar to the Lords chosen Hath the spirit sealed thee a Quittance for the pardon of all thy sinnes and assured thee of salvation Why Is this the lot of all the seed of Adam Doth every man enioy the like portion And are these common favours Wast thou ever wounded in spirit Then who healed and helped thee Did sin ever presse thee to the pit of hell How or by what meanes wast thou eased Beloved I haue but given you a tast of the vnsearchable and vnvaluable gifts the Lord hath imparted vpon you wherefore take words of thankfulnesse to your Hosea 14. 2. selues and say with the Prophet My soule prayse the Lord Psal 103. 1. and all that is within me magnifie his holy name yea let this alway be thy vow I will prayse the Lord while I liue for he hath done wonderfull things for my soule but if all this will not moue vs to be more mindfull of and carefull to discharge this duty I can say no more saue this I pray God that the time may not come when want shall cause thee to promise any thing and yet the Lord in mercy will giue thee nothing Whom I serue from mine elders with pure Conscience These words are inserted by the Apostle to maintaine his dignity against the scandall of such as reputed him to be an Apostata and fallen from his profession whence ariseth this Doctrine that Carnall friends will become foes if a man embrace the Gospell Doct. 2. He that in sinceritie will set himselfe to serue God shall haue his former friends to be his greatest enemies so long as Paul was a proud Pharisee his brethren and acquaintance highly esteemed him but after he became an Apostle they reputed him a plaguy fellow one not worthy to liue thus Actâ— 22. 22. did the Papists deale with Luther so true is the speech of Christ That a mans enemies shall be they of his owne house Luk. 12. 53. Acts. â—3 14. and 26. 5. c. For in so doing he condemneth his former courses and Reas 1. consequently them that professe them this is to giue testimony that their estate is miserable and that cannot of wicked men be indured Ioh. 7. 7. This hath made the Papists cry out What are all our forefathers damned because wee tread not in their footsteps of errour ignorance Because then they will cast off their societie and take part Reas 2. with the pious and that stirreth and worketh strangely when men will not runne with them to the same excesse of ryot 1 Pet. 4. 4. or be in league as in times past Learne then you that haue embraced the Gospell not to Vse 1. â—â—aâ—vaile if carnall friends be now your greatest adversaries for so it hath beene and will continue in future ages for you are not of the world therefore the world hateth you as she lulleth her owne in her lappe so she casteth out them the Lord receiveth Let such also as resolue to be truely religious and to cast Vse 2. off their former courses and companions prepare to vndergoe many taunts and iniuries he that feares the tongues of such shall never be a resolute Christian souldier whilest the bird is in the egge the Kite cares not for her but if once she be disclosed grow fledged and fly abroad beware of devouring And where Paul maintaines his owne cause from his example we may learne that The truth of our profession is to be maintained against all opposition Doct. 3. Did not Elijah this against Ahab and his foure hundred false Prophets This did the Apostles in many places and Christ himselfe when as was given iust occasion see 1 King 18. 18. Act. 5. 29. Mark 2. 10. Gal. 1. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 2. 3 4. c. Why It s the best thing we haue and what of greater Reas 1. worth in all the world It s our bread and meat life and living And so doing we approue of the truth of our profession Reas 2. and the vprightnesse of our hearts yea it may be of force either to convert or abate the rigour of our carping adversaries Acts. 16. 39. Let this condemne the timorousnesse and imbecillitie of Vse 1. the most in our dayes who haue no hearts to maintaine what they professe What would such doe if it came to fire and fagot that are dumbe in these dayes at the truths opposition Fie fie Never was this dutie lesse regarded I wonder for whom or for what men keepe their resolution Is not this worthy of it Take we then knowledge of this and let purse speech Vse 2. and person defend the truth in all contrary opposition Buy the truth and through covetousnesse or fearefulnesse sell it not for this is to set thy soule to sale to thine enemie Sathan for he that loseth the one cannot soue the other Let not the devils old scandals skare thee who more opposed than the best from the beginning was Christ free wouldst thou then These words are also a commendation to the Apostle and vttered to maintaine his reputation and dignitie whence it may be observed that It s an honour for man to be the servant of God Doct. 4. What matter of more moment Worke of greater worth or thing equall to it Moses the Lords servant is a
Word is truth both in the threatnings and promises and shall be accomplished accordingly as we keepe the conditions And by obedience I doe vnderstand a conscionable care to beleeue threat and promise aswell as to obey the precept for to beleeue is to obey and to liue by faith may be called the obedience of the Gospell 2 Thes 1. 8. Many haue some care in somethings to obey the Precept but never regard to liue by faith and if they can say they beleeue in Christ Iesus then they thinke all is sure and their dutie discharged as though a man must never vse his hand but in holding fruit in it and not in applying it to the mouth assuredly faith hath a worke in every action that we performe and that not onely in assuring vs the thing is lawfull we doe but in perswading the Lord will performe his promise to vs when wee haue kept the covenant with him And vnderstand this that if we could beleeue more wee should obey more for all life motion and spirituall action comes from faith as all naturall acts are said to proceede from the forme If then these things were looked into who dares deâ—ie that a Christians course is leborious painefull and requires great diligence on their parts that will serue the Lord For knowledge of God and of his will must be had and faith and obedience too in him and his word both in the threats and promises as well as in the Precepts else no good servants From mine elders It may here be demanded if Paul served God with a pure Conscience before his Conversion I thinke it may be vnderstood of both for so farre forth as the Letter of the Law directed he was obedient liuing after Acts. 26. 4. 5. the most strict sect of a Pharisee and what he did against the 2 Tim. 1. 13. Saints was through ignorance wherefore the Lord had the rather mercie on him but it is principally meant after his Conversion For the Pharisees of which number he himselfe was vnderstood the Law according to the Letter neither could he away with the Gospell till the Lord in a wonderfull manner had compassion Acts 9. on him The Doctrine that we gather hence vnderstanding by Elders the auncient Patriarches and beleeving Iewes is that The Church before Christ had the same faith which now it hath Doct. 6. after his comming Did they not all eate the same spirituall meate And all drinke of the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that rocke which followed them and that rocke was Christ It differed nothing in truth but in degree as a childe and an aged person 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. Else God should be changeable but there is no variablenes Reas â— nor shadow of turning with him Iam. 1. 17. And were it not thus man should be saved after a divers Reas 2. manner which may not be admitted And did not Christ and his Apostles confirme their Reas 3. doctrine by Moses and the Prophets This confuteth the Maniches who hold that an evill Vse 1. God writ the old Testament and a good the New but one God was the Author of them both and what was darkely included in the former is more clearely manifested in the latter And this may confirme the salvation of our forefathers Vse 2. who kept the faith and to doubt no more of them than of our selues The Papists bring in this place for their Parents wherevnto we reply 1. That they were not beleevers 2. They are degenerate and fallen from the ancient faith 3. There was a Prophecie of a generall Apostasie and so their Elders are by the streame of time corrupted 4. And the antiquitie of a few or 500. yeares is not sufficient From mine Elders That Abraham Isaac Iacob whence it ariseth that The name of the righteous shall be had in remembrance Doct. 7. What though the names of the wicked rot Shall not the memory of the iust be blessed Yes it shall grow vp and flourish from generation to generation Prov. 10. 7. Psal 112. 6. For God will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Reas 1. Reas 2. Also one good man will perpetuate the name of another vnto their succeeding posteritie and tell it to his children Furthermore such leaue noble and worthy Monuments Reas 3. behind them either by doing or suffering which spread their fame into all quarters and future generations And the wicked may haue an hand in this action for Reas 4. some of them may thinke well of such and register their names others as Pilate by Gods over-ruling-hand may write the truth which shall stand for ever Doe they not then labour in vaine who seeke to blot out Vse 1. the memoriall of the iust with taunts scoffes and reproaches as men doe the engraving vpon Tombes with their foule shoes Let them doe their worst spet their venome weaue a deceitfull webbe yet shall they never effect their purpose for What is written shall be written maugre all their malice the names of the wicked are written in the earth each foot shall scatter them but for the righteous they are engraven in stone with a pen of yron and for ever shall flourish Here may a man take direction that will lead him to true Vse 2. honor eternall doe iustice loue mercie walke vprightly serue in truth of heart the Lord God of thy Fathers and thy same shall ever remaine build Bethel pull downe Babel and thy name shall be everlasting Who would haue his name to rot His memoriall perish Not any then serue God from thy elders with a pure Conscience Many like Nimrod seeke a name but they in not taking the right way lose both it and themselues What person so poore if religious but is had in everlasting remembrance And who so great if vngodly but are either forgot or their names continued to their everlasting shame For when men by indirect meanes seeke prayse they lose it and purchase perpetuall reproach With pure Conscience Here is laid downe the manner how Paul served God whence the collection is that The service of God is then commendable when it is accompanied Doct. 8. with a pure Conscience These two like Naomi and Ruth must run together What tast without salt in the white of an egge What praise in that service that wanteth sinceritie And who ever in merchandizing lost so much credit as Himeneus and Philetus that made shipwracke of faith and a good Conscience The Hebrewes still put heart for conscience having no particular word for it and so doth the Evangelist so that a pure heart and a pure conscience are equivalent termes Prov. 15. 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 20. Isa 38. 3. Iob. 27. 4. 5. Acts. 24. 16. Heb. 13. 18. For otherwise the life were led either in close hypocrisie Reas 1. or open profanenesse and can that deserue praise which hath no similitude with God Nay he condemnes that which hath not
Christ is supreme head of the Church vniversall Bishop and that the Lords annointed is aboue any Prelate what-ever assure him that all profane Popes shall perish their Chaplaines the Iesuites Priests and all the orders of their disordered Monkes and Fryers shall fall will them all to get knowledge of the truth to denie their owne workes put their confidence in Gods mercie through Christ or they must perish every mothers sonne Admonish the poore pur blind seduced multitude that they receiue not the beasts marke neither in hand nor forehead but renounce their erroneous doctrine else they shall dye the second death Conscience exhort the Iew to beleeue in Christ certifie them the Messiâ—h is come and that they watch for him in vaine if they denie this aske them where the tribe of Iuda is and Davids familie When Daniels sevens shall be accomplished what 's become of Ierusalem and the second Temple wherein Christ was to be seene Bid them tell thee what nation is without a King a Prince a sacrifice an image Hos 3. 4. an Ephod a Teraphim and dispersed through the earth besides themselues and if they doe not as indeed they cannot informe thee of these things assure them their estate is fearefull and their end shall be destruction And Conscience terrifie all wicked persons of what nation tongue or profession soever tell the swearer that the flying Booke full of curses within and without shall ceaze vpon him the Sabbath breaker that there is no rest prepared for him in the world to come the rebels who will not haue God and the King to raigâ—e over them that they must be bond-slaues to the Prince of the infernall pit that the Adulterers and Whore-mongers thou and the Lord will iudge to death the Murtherers quarrellers and stabbers how that the sting of a bad Conscience shall slay them at the last day the thiefe robber and pilferer that such may not inherit heaven The Rimers Iesters scoffers flatterers Players and lyars shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever the drunkard glutton and Epicure that they shall be drunke surfeit spew vp their draughts morsels and carowses to their eternall torment In a word gall and gaster strike and wound terrifie and hunt to destruction all that striue not to learne the Word of God and keepe it with faith and a good conscience But Conscience if in this thy Pilgrimage thou meet with as thou shalt with many an honest person poore or rich salute him friendly and bid him good-speed be his comforter in life in death and in the evill day when thou entrest into an hall house or cottage if they be worthie leaue a blessing behind thee if not shake off the dust from thy feete and be gone Conscience blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and so wishing thou maist returne to him that sent thee for the present I dismisse thee That without ceasing I haue remembrance of thee in my Prayers night and day We haue stayd long vpon the precedent doctrine but not without reason because a good Conscience is little knowne lesse regarded In this clause wee haue many things observable the which admits a double reading but first we will begin with the principall point that offers it selfe vnto vs which is that Faithfull men are frequent in Prayer Doct. 9. For Paul saith in my Prayers without ceasing night and day What should I tell you of Abraham of David of Iacob of Hannah and others Each page of the holy Papers confirmes the point How often shall you finde them in Gods Register honored with that title commended for Praying and the wicked branded with the contrary marke the direct opposite thing Read the Psalmes Luk. 2. 37. Acts. 9. 14. 10. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ier. 10. vlt. They haue the spirit of God and where he dwels there Reas 1. is libertie This fire will if once builded on the heart kindle and smoake and flame and ascend continually Rom. 8. 26. And haue they not a promise to be heard Aske and yee Reas 2. shall haue Hope to prevaile sets the tongue on worke where feare of speeding makes faint speaking Mat. 7. 7. Doe they not also apprehend their misery Are they not Reas 3. sensible of the want and worth of spirituall things And is not Prayer a present helpe to remoue evill and purchase what is best Rom. 7. 23. Psal 50. 15. Iam. 1. 5. Besides Is not God their Father Shall not children take Reas 4. delight to talke with him And what is Prayer but a kinde of conference with him a mutuall questioning and answering This being true whose children then be such or what Vse 1. faith haue they who never pray never call vpon GOD night nor day Continue they cannot for yet they haue made no entrance no beginning It s a wonder to see how many wee haue tong-tyed when they should talke with God and notwithstanding haue words at will to discourse with men Canst thou not or didst thou never pray Then thou art none of Gods sonnes but of Sathan thy Father for all the faithfull haue their tongues loosed and their hearts enlarged that they both can doe and will pray The Sunne shall sooner stand still and the earth moue round yea ascend vpward than a good Christian shall neglect altogether this dutie and not call vpon his heavenly Father Wouldest thou then be accounted faithfull registred amongst Vse 2. the sonnes of the most high Thou must learne to pray and when thou hast done so exercise thy selfe in that dutie and seeing it is so needfull so honorable so profitable an action for the better performance of it we will first shew what it is and the kindes of it Secondly giue some directions how to pray aright Thirdly declare why it is so difficult a dutie to discharge and finally bring in some motiues as inducements therevnto For the first Prayer is a calling vpon God in the name of Christ Iesus being Prayer described inabled by the spirit for all things necessary In this Description are fiue particulars to be considered of all which we will speake and proue in order Prayer is a calling In Scripture it is sometimes said to be I. Math. 7. 7. Mark 11. 24. Psal 25. 1. 1 Sam. 1. 15. a request an intreatie a lifting vp of the soule a powring out of the spirit and the like but most commonly both in the Old and new Testament it s noted by this name Calling When Abraham prayed it s said he called vpon God Gen. 12. 8. 21. 33. We may see the like of David both commanded and practised Psal 50. 5. 4. 1. Of Iob Iob. 9. 16. Paul is said to persecute them that call vpon God Act. 9. 14. And he writ to such as called vpon his name 1 Cor. 1. 2. By all which and many moe places its plaine that Prayer is a
Christians or particularly faith mentioned in the former verse We may be assured of this that Paul would haue his son to be diligent in his calling and that could not be except he stirred vp the speciall graces aswell as the common gifts of his particular vocation For as a peece furnished with shot yet wanting powder will neuer discharge it selfe of it so if the sauing gifts of God stirre not they ordinarie lye stil This gift is further amplified by the author of it God and in it are two things One is the thing giuen the other the freedome of it For gifts must be free Which is in thee by the putting on of my hands This Ceremonie of laying on of hands hath beene vsed of Parents in blessing their children Gen. 48. 14. In sacrifice Leuit. 1. 4. In healing of diseases Acts 28. 8. In conferring the excellent gift of the holy Ghost Acts 8. 17. And in making of Ministers to which time these words haue reference 1 Tim. 4. 14. Where Paul sayth this gift was in him by laying on of hands wee must avoyde the Papists grosse glosse on this place who hold that ordination or to vse their phrase holy orders confer grace for this action was accompanied also with prayer and the conferring of grace by the hands of the Apostle was extraordinarie and continued but for a time My sonne Timotheus I being so well perswaded that The Metaphrase thy Grandmother and thy mother were indued with faith vnfeigned and also assured that now it dwelleth in thee am therefore the more willing to put thee in minde that thou suffer not the gifts of God to decay or to be idle neither neglect the calling wherein thou wast established by the putting on of my hands but that thou preach and practise as becommeth thee who had so excellent parents such a good testimonie and so lawfull a call all which be great encouragements to these duties Therefore Let this word haue reference to Timotheus his Doctrines deduced Grandmother and mother as though Paul would incourage him from their fidelitie and brings them as a Patterne to be imitated then this will follow that Children are to tread in the steps of their religious Parents They must haue an eye to their Godly waies holy courses Doct. 1. and walke in them but if they be crooked then must they avoyd them shunne them Dan. 2. 23. Ezek. 20. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 18. For it will reioyce the hearts of religious Parents and induce Reas 1. them to blesse God Why did David mourne so bitterly for his sonne Absalom certainly one cause was he erred from his Parents holy pathes liuing a yong traitor and dying an impenitent sinner Againe if children imitate their Godly forefathers it s Reas 2. both commendable and profitable for they may expect the same recompence of reward from God in life death and in the great and last day else not This may make for the shame and confusion of some in Vse 1. our dayes who wander as birds from their nests from the wayes of their faithfull forefathers Can these expect the blessing promised to their holy Parents may they not looke for a curse rather You therefore that be sonnes and daughters cast your Vse 2. eyes on their pathes and if they bee good tread in their steps if bad turne the contrarie way The Romanists are are head-strong in thus doing yet runne the broad way Let vs then whose Parents professe the truth be as resolute in imitation of their truly religious courses I put thee in remembrance Timotheus an excellent man must be remembred and prouoked to discharge his function faithfully whence we note that Good men stand in neede of a memento Doct. 2. The best must be prouoked pricked in and to religious duties if not Paul here and his brethren else where might haue spared their paines 2 Pet. 1. 13. and 3. 1. Ezek. 33. 7. Acts 20. 28. Coll. 4. 17. For are not the best forgetfull vnmindfull of what the Reas 1. Lord requireth of them how often doe the actions to be performed by vs in our callings slippe out of our minds And are we not dull and slow to good duties though we Reas 2. haue them in remembrance the best haue more need of a spurre than a bridle Doth not Sathan also striue to steale away the heart and Reas 3. allure the mind to fixe and exercise it selfe on vnnecessarie obiects What if a man be willing to worke is this any let doth it Reas 4. not rather helpe than hinder as the wind doth the ship to make speedier passage notwithstanding it hath alreadie the tyde They are reproued who neglect this dutie or that scorne Vse 1. to be prouoked Some men are like kicking iades that fling out when they are spurred rather than amend their speed or not vnlike to the ouercharged cannons that when the match is put to them either burst or recoyle and so indanger the Gunner But let vs practise the contrarie putting the best in minde Vse 2. of theirs and be contented to heare of our owne duties I know the best haue neede of it and would be saued why then should they not willingly vndergoe a remembrance and indure a memorandum we count it a favour to bee awaked out of sleepe and shall we fret to be stirred vp from sinne That thou stir vp the gift of God that is in thee From this metaphor we collect that The graces of Gods spirit are of a fierie qualitie Doct. 3. Was not the Prophets lippes toucht with a cole from Gods altar did not fiery tongues sit on Christs Disciples are not the faithfull Baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire and all of vs forbidden to quench the spirit Isa 6. 6. Acts 2. 3. Mat. 3. 11. 1 Thes 5. 19. For grace doth enlighten the eye of the minde as fire doth Reas 1. the eye of the body What is vrim but fire and Paul saw a light when he was conuerted so did the Gentiles so doe all Christians For grace is fire and fire giues light Againe grace will heate like fire and make the Godly to Reas 2. burne in the spirit the more fire the more heat and the more grace the more zeale Thirdly fire giues life and motion so doth grace and Reas 3. faith When the sunne is in his Apogy or farthest from vs are not the creatures in a kind of death but being in his Perigy and neere vnto vs doe they not reviue and spring so when grace comes life comes if it be absent death is present Fourthly As fire doth congregate things homogeneall Reas 4. but segregate heterogeneall so doth faith and grace It will dissolue things of diuerse natures but vnite the other Grace will cast out the sinner but receiue the Saint yea make diuisions in a mans owne house and yet cause vnion with Gentile Barbarian Sythian Fiftly fire will convert other
and are not our imperfect actions perfected by the Lord Iesus Wee seeke and doe not finde because Iam. 4. 3. wee seeke and aske amisse Let me exhort thee to preach and pray read and heare propound and resolue profitable questions and then if thy labours be in vaine count me a false Prophet curse me at thy death Who euer did sow good feed in its season but had a rich and plentifull croppe at haruest If Peter cast in his nette at his masters command though in former time he hath laboured hard and caught nothing yet at the last he shall encompasse many great fishes hale them to land and be sufficiently recompenced satisfied It s not a trade but the well vsing of it not a farme but the well husbandry of it that will enrich the one and the other Wherfore be stedfast immoueable and abundant in the worke of 1 Cor. 15. vlt. the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. What did Paul and the people fast pray and lay on hands without obseruing the effect of their actions No he and they saw how the gifts of Timotheus were augmented increased in so doing whence it will follow that In the vse of Gods ordinances we are to obserue how hee dealeth Doct. 8. with vs. Haue not the Prophets Apostles and all the Lords people done thus Should we make a collection of each particular wee should be exceeding large When they did offer sacrifice did they not obserue the successe Fast and pray what effects did follow reade and preach how people were conuerted comforted or hardened In administration of the Sacraments that Many were sicke and weake and slept others healed reioiced and receiued the holy Ghost Gen. 4. 3. and 10. 20. 21. Nehem. 9. 9. c. Psal 106. 23. and 107. 6. c. Mat. 7. 28. Acts 4. 31. and 28. 23. 24. 29. 2 Chro. 30. 20. c. 2 Kin. 22. 19. Io. 13. 27. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For in so doing we come to haue an experimentall knowledge Reas 1. of the truth and fidelity of Gods promises than the which nothing is better If any man will doe his will hee may be assured that the doctrine we deliuer is not sensuall earthly Ioh. 7. 17. Iam 3. 17. or diuellish but pure peaceable good and profitable For all the Lord speaketh shall come to passe Iosh 21. 45. And will it not yeeld matter of thankesgiuing Why are we so barren in blessing of God haue our mouths so empty Reas 2. of his praises doe not continually sing songs of gratefulnesse Is it not the neglect of this obseruation Could we with the Prophet register the many mercies wee receiue in the vse of Gods ordinances we should crie as he did What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Psal 1 16. 12. Would it not also constraine vs to be more frequent in Reas 3. good duties prouoke and pricke vs forward to preach and pray will not men spend much time without wearinesse in that calling that affordeth great commoditie with constancie Who euer casteth off a profitable art or waxeth dull in doing that which his owne experience makes sure hath recompence of reward Suppose we found no fruit in thus doing but all our actions Reas 4. of this kind were blasted Yet would it not cause vs to looke out the cause why God with-holdeth a blessing Should we not finde some Babilonish garment in our tent some Ionah a sleepe in the shippe one sinne or other that hinders the good successe of our spirituall indeuours and were not this worthy of our paines Hence comes to be reproued many a person who though Vse 1. they performe holy duties yet neuer haue eye to the euent Are not these worse than Cain For he obserued the successe of his sacrifice Or Balaam Did not hee perceiue how the Lord answered him Doe wee not read that hypocrites marked what fruit they reaped in fasting and afflicting themselues Isay 58 3. Are not Christians then blame worthie who come short of such in this thing True it is that in nothing the best faile more than in not ioyning watchfullnesse in the vse of Gods ordinances Want of this one thing breedeth doubting staggering in the promises with-holdeth matter of thankfulnesse causeth slownesse dulnesse in good duties and keepeth sinne close from being reuealed discouered What shal we then do Why we must imitate men in other Vse 2. vocations recreatious When the husbandman hath cast good seede into his soile will hee not haue an eye to its rooting sprowting growing Who planteth or grafteth but obserueth how the tender blades budde shoot forth and spread themselues will not the fisherman hauing cast in his net or angle into the riuer expect whether any fish be catcht by the gill or intangled in the meshes What fowler spreadeth pantels setteth his ginne dischargeth his piece but will haunt the spring view the scrap and looke with a stretched out necke to see if any bird be caught fast insnarred or wounded Shall Physitians giue pils administer potions and grow carelesse how their Physicke workes Learne then by their examples what successe accompanieth the Lords ordinances Preacher people Sow the seede of the word in season out of season and marke which doth prosper 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eccles. 11. 6. this or that In thus doing peraduenture thou maist finde some person strucke with the shot of the word who like a wounded Pigeon will single himselfe from his former companions fall in some obseure corner of a field spread the wings of his armes and with a drouping conscience call and cry to God for mercie for pardon Pray and watch what the Lord will say vnto thee Reade and heare and take notice how thy heart waxeth hot corruption is cooled and grace kindled Yea in all holy actions looke to the successe and experience will let thee see that as the shadow followeth the body the blessing of God doth accōpanie his ordinances Aboue all things thinke thou on this so shall thy faith grow strong in the promises of God thou shalt find them a sure word that neuer faileth Also thou maist haue matter of prayse to God-ward and tell thy brethren what he hath done for thy soule And how will this experimental Psal 66. 16. knowledge encourage thee to preach pray read heare and neuer grow wearie in wel-doing At the least or if I may so say at the worst this benefit will accrue how that there is some sinne in vs not repented of one corruption or other not mortified or iust circumstance in Gods service omitted which causeth our indeuours not to prosper our best fruite to be blasted From the words diuersly considered might many more doctrines be collected as that 1. There may be increase of grace in the best Christian For Timotheus was an excellent man before this time and were not his gifts now augmented 2. That a Minister hath neede
of more grace than a common Christian This is the reason his gifts were increased 3. That the more worthie calling God sets vs in the greater portion of his spirit will he powre vpon vs. He did so by Timotheus 4. That preachers may aboue others depend vpon God for a blessing For are they not consecrated with great care and solemnity enriched with extraordinarie gifts and graces Think on this O ye men of God and in contempt of the world let the honour of your calling and hope of good successe in the faithfull execution comfort your soules and breed an vndaunted resolution in you VERS 7. For God hath not giuen vs the Spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind THis verse may either be applied to the verse The Logicall resolution going before or that which followeth in the which is contained a Reason why Timothy should stirre vp the gift of God in him or not be ashamed of the Gospel And thus the Argument stands Whosoeuer is freed from the spirit of feare and is endued with the spirit of power loue and a sound minde must stirre vp the gifts of God in him be resolute in his calling and not ashamed of the testimony of Christ the Lord But thou my sonne art free from the Spirit c. Therefore thou must stirre vp the gift of God c. In the verse we may obserue two things First what the children of God haue not viz. The Spirit of feare Secondly What they haue viz. a threefold gift 1. Power 2. Loue. 3. A sound mind The Author of all which is said to be God For God That is God the Father the first person in the The Theologicall exposition deity though we exclude not the other For as all the three persons consented to and cooperated at mans Creation so doe they at his Recreation Gen. 1. 26. Hath not giuen In a Gift is 1. A giuer 2. A thing giuen 3. The freedome of the thing giuen 4. An act by which it is giuen And lastly some person that is made partaker of the gift giuen Vs. To me Paul thee Timotheus and it may extend to other grounded and strong Christians vnder the Gospell The Spirit This word Spirit is sometimes tooke in a bad Spirit taken in a bad sense Math 8. Luk. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 1 King 16. sometime a good sense In a bad 1. For Sathan 2. For a Ghost that wandereth 3. For false doctrine Or. 4. For some evill motion stirred vp by the Devill or some other cause c. In a good sense 1. For God in generall 2. For the subsistences Spirit in a good sense Ioh. 4. Esa 48. 1 Ioh 4. Gal. 5. 17. Eph. 3. Rom 8. Acts 23. 1 Thes 5. in particular 3. For the word of God 4. For the worke of grace 5. For the very act or motion that proceedeth and floweth from the worke of the Spirit And it is applyed to the whole soule and the faculties of it with the naturall animall and vitall parts the which we omit But in this place it is to be vnderstood I take it both of the ill motions that proceed from Sathan and his cursed worke within vs Or the good motions of the Holy Ghost and his blessed worke that is wrought within vs. For Sathan like the Spider is seldome separated from his wicked webbe neither may we put a sunder the Spirit and the worke or gifts of the spirit For so good a cause will not bee absent from his effect Feare We reade of a feare commended and commanded Psal 2. Prou. 1. Isa 33. Iam. 2. 19. the which some stile a filiall or childlike feare and it was in Adam by Creation and is restored to man at his Regeneration And we read of a feare in Divells and wicked men condemned and to be abandoned the which Divines call a servile or slauish feare Paul in Rom. 8. 15. Makes it an effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of bondage or servitude and opposeth it to the Spirit of adoption or filiation the which feare is here meant and it befell man for sinne and came not by creation For before Adam had transgressed there was no evill obiect in the world and this feare is a punishment of sinne therefore it may be called the gift of God but giuen in reuenge as we giue blowes to the peccant person Others by feare in this place vnderstand that feare which is at a mans first conversion Or comparatiuely For they say they vnder the Gospell had lesse feare then those that were vnder the Law and because the Scripture calleth that often nothing which is not in that measure But I rather hold the first interpretation making carnall men the proper subiect of it But of power By power is not to bee vnderstood any distinct grace but rather a strength of all other graces For every grace hath some enmity that must be overcome by this power And as in the naturall body there is a power or strength in every member so in the Spirituall body an ability of each part to the welbeing of it And of loue Naturall affection is not here ment but that which is Spirituall and seeing our Apostle sets it downe indefinitly and without its obiect we may expound it of Loue to God and man And of a sound minde Some turne the word Sobriety As if the Apostle had meant it or meates and drinkes But I vnderstand it of a spirituall sobriety the which hath in it two things 1. Soundnes of iudgement 2. Moderation of affection It stands thee in hand my Sonne to stirre vp the grace The Metaphrase of God that is in thee to looke diligently to the worke of thy Ministery and not to be idle or ashamed of the testimony of our Lord the Gospell of Christ Inasmuch that the Spirit of bondage which the vnregenerate are possest withall is tooke from thee and the Spirit of power and loue and of a sound minde to aide thee to moue thee and to direct thee the which are by God conferred and onely giuen to vs his peculiar and adopted children be imparted vpon thee And now if we consider the words as they be a Reason The Deduction of Doctrines and haue relation to the precedent and consequent verses then this is the first poynt that we obserue that The duties of our callings are not to be neglected Doct. 1. Io. 11. 9. c. 1 Cor. 16. 13. We must goe through good report and evil report And not feare any contrary opposition but quit vs like men and be resolute For to doe otherwise is to bring the evill vpon vs that Reas 1. wee are afraid of The Iewes would not confesse Christ because of the Romanes who if they did feared would spoile their Temple Yet was it spared No it was razed downe Math. 16. 25. to the ground notwithstanding And more then this they that be fearefull
he would haue his graces in vs excercised to the vttermost He that buildes a ship fitteth the burden answerable to her bignes else in part his labour and charge were in vaine For a lesser barke would haue fitted his purpose serued his turne And if our afflictions did exceed our ability then it were Reas 2. not for probation but destruction No man will ouerburden his beast for that would bruise him breake him Christ would not haue new wine put into old vessells for the vessels would burst and the wine be spilt his Disciples Math. 10. 14. had too much of the old man in them they were not renewed so much as to be able to vndergoe for the present extraordinary duties of Religion therefore for a time hee would spare and exempt them This reproues such as accuse the Lord of iniustice crying Vse 1. out like Caine My punishment is greater than I can beare for God is iust and equall in all his proceedings And heere we see the goodnes of God that in iudgement Vse 2. remembreth mercy he looketh at the ability of his children and maketh their power the rule of his proceedings his will is not but their weakenesse the ground and sole cause of their greater or lesser afflictions Yea he fits them for sufferings before he try them and then makes the burden proportionable to the measure of strength receiued By this poynt we may also be informed why one Christian Vse 3. suffereth much another lesse because of their inequalâ—ty of strength exhibited He that hath much grace shall â—eare much little suffer the lesse And itâ— plaine from this ground that to suffer many and great afflictions argueth â—â—e â—ore grace the greater ability This is for the comfort of the weake Christian for he hauing Vse 4. receiued a little strength shall endure the lesâ—e â—â—iâ—ll for God is merciful to the beasts much more to his deâ—re children What man will sâ—â—ke his vesâ—â—ll with overbuâ—dening of it breake his beast with overlading oâ— him or pâ—â—tle his servant or sonne to death by casting too great a load on their shoulders And then shall God burst his golden vessels with filling them too full of this liquor Moreouer we must learne hence that as wee grow in Vse 5. grace so to prepare for greater sufferings Christ will haue his chiefest Champions to fight the greatest combates weake souldiers shall come in the Rereward and not in the forefront or in the heate of the battell And be sure of this that if thy strength be encreased thy troubles shall be also augmented Note for all our graces in truth and in degree too shall be employed If Christ be infinite in power hee must vndergoe the infinite wrath of his father being made a sinner by imputation Furthermore if God dealeth thus with vs let vs haue the Vse 6. like hand one towards another A minister must hauean eye to discerne the state of his flocke and put a difference in his commands he must not tyre the Lambes with driving them too fast or too farre with the elder Sheepe Choyse must be made to fast and pray and to performe extraordinary duties at extraordinary times lawfully coÌ„manded lawfully to be executed Parents too and Masters must not like the taske-masters of Egypt enioyne their children and seruants a greater worke then they are able to discharge And would to God that all men would remember this in all things for its iust and equall Finally we must take knowledge of our owne power and Vse 7. neuer presse our selues beyond our might Christ would not haue some to speake of him and to tell of his workes why for they were not for the present either able to defend the truth suffer for it or those with whom they were to deale fitted to receiue it We haue many but too forward in these times except their ability were better yong Christians will be now a dayes in the heate of the skirmish without a calling casting Cannons off their carriages that neuer gaue fire to a double Muskert controll the Captaines when as they themselues neuer fought on foote Yet beare fight quarell but know thy standing thy strength and presume not like Peter aboue thy power For our direction we must know that ability is either Power distributed inward or outward Inward 1. Spirituall 2. Corporall Outward is in our head Christ or our riches And according to all this power we must beare and suffer Some Christians like great bony beggars are able to beare much but in the time of trouble they either run away or shrinke when the burden is to be put vnder their shoulders others as wee haue heard thinke nothing too heauy for them so that these are extremities on both hands and to be as dangerous avoyded The last thing we note is this that It is the power of God receiued which will support a Christian Doct. 10. in affliction This is as wine to the spirit the spirit to the soule as wind to the sayles and the sayles to the ship But in regard we haue touched it before we omit it here and proceed to the verse which followeth VERS 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was IN this verse the Apostle declareth what the Lord The Logicall resolution hath done for him and his sonne Timotheus 1. He hath saued them 2. Called them 3. Wherwith with an holy calling 4. Why hee hath done this First Paul remoues a false ground in these words Not according to our workes and Secondly hee layeth downe the true cause in these words But according to his purpose and grace c. Who. That is God for this word hath relation vnto the The Theologicall exposition last word in the foregoing verse Hath saued 1. Saluation is either corporall or spirituall 2. It is either partiall or totall Spirituall and totall is here meant and it containes 3. things 1. A freedome from some evill wee are fallen into or subiect to fall into 2. A position setting of vs in a good condition And 3. A perpetuall preservation of vs from all dangers for future time This is totally and perfectly to be saued And called Calling may be distinguished 1. By the meanes and 2. By the subiects of it The instruments are either principall or secondary God is the chiefe efficient of our calling and the Minister word and creatures are but as instruments in the workemans hand The subiect is man onely and that either generall or particular Generall as whole Nations Gentiles Iewes Particular as persons Paul Timotheus the latter here meant Moreouer calling is either effectuall or not effectuall for we may distinguish of it according to the successe And finally it s either ordinary or extraordinary ordinary effectuall calling is by the worâ— and
Gods purpose and promise But we haue need of Heb. 10. 36. patience that after we haue endured wee might receiue the promise Art thou in bondage with Ioseph there is a time to set thee free in a strange country Why Hâ—rod is yet aliue that would seeke the childes life what if thou be in want cannot the Lord feede thee in the wildernesse Art thou persecuted why one day thou shalt be blessed if it be for well doing Doe men condemne thee without cause Are the wicked set vp and they that tempt God deliuered Do Mal. 3. 15. Isai 59. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 14. such as refraine from evill make themselues a prey And because they run not to the same excesse of ryot as others are they badly reported of what of all this the day of tryall is at hand and euery secret thing that God hath in his secret counsell purposed or in his word revealed promised shall be accomplished Truly this must support thee comfort thee and create patience in thee for yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry and reward euery man Heb. 10. â—7 according to the works he hath done in his flesh good or evill Thinke thinke thinke on this thou shalt soone see 2 Cor. 5. 10. an end of all thy troubles and thy desire accomplished vpon all the Lords enemies But is now made manifest Where let it be obserued that We are to take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation Doct. 2. The faithfull haue obserued the distinct acts of Gods prouidence from the beginning of the world vnto this day We are sent to the Crane and the swallow and the Hawke that flieth in the South shee flieth from the pinching cold of the North for the heate of the Sunne in the South or when she is in casting her feathers they doe pricke and tickle her therefore she spreadeth her wings on the South that the Sunne might ripen and further them the more in growing so she should be heated Ier. 8. 7. Iob. 12. 7. Prou. 6. 6. Gen. 32. 10. c. For in so doing it will yeeld vs matter of thanksgiuing Reas 1. why are we so barren in the praise of God we doe not consider what great things the Lord hath done for vs. David from this ground cryed out What shall I render vnto Psal 116. 12. the Lord for all his benefits It would strengthen our faith for future time worke in Reas 2. vs patience contentedly to waite the Lords leysure as we see in the Prophet Manoahs wife and many others Psal 42. 5. Iudg. 13. 1 Sam. 17. This iustly taxeth many in our times who neuer thinke Vse 1. on the dayes of old neither take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation How few dreame of this duty and rare be those men that minde it We are worse then the vnreasonable creatures who sing in the spring bathe in the summer and praise God in their kind by a secret instinct of nature yet man endued with reason the Prince of all created things for whom all other creatures were made mindeth not this duty And if this be our duty Why let vs doe it Cast thy eye Vse 2. backe as farre as the Creation take a view how often the Lord visited his people how he hath from time to time performed his promise and effected his purpose for this is worth thy labour why are we so ingratefull vnfaithfull distrustfull and alwayes repining Alas we consider not the distinct acts of Gods prouidence ouer vs. I haue woundered at Iob for he began with God and went hand in hand from his Conception with him vnto that very day obserue his words Lord thou hast powred me Iob. 10. 10. c. out like milke thickened me like curdes clothed me with skin and flesh fenced me with bones and sinewes thou hast giuen me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserued my spirit Be thou this iust mans scholler for neuer canst thou learne and practise a more comfortable and profitable poynt of doctrine For it will humble thee breed admiration in thy heart strengthen thy weake faith worke in thee loue to God and cause thee to prayse him with delight all thy life long We take a view how the beast moue vpon the earth birds flie in the ayre fishes play in the waters and the Sun and Moone run their course in the firmament and shall we haue no eye to him that created all these moveth all these and is present at and worketh daily in all these by all these Surely surely this is not well done therefore to be speedily amended and the rather in that we haue failed so long so often David forgot not that some time he kept ewes with yong Moses that he had beene a sheepheard Amos a fig-gatherer and Shaphat that he had followed the plough and shall wee forget from what pouerty we by God are advanced to great promotion All your progenitors haue not worne gownes of purple and scarlet beene Rulers in Cities and Corporations neither tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore let the gracious visitation of Gods good hand neuer depart out of your mindes The time of this appearing is to be vnderstood vnder the law but cheifly in the dayes of the Gospell whence we doe deduce this doctrine that The estate of the Church is more glorious since the comming Doct. 3. of Christ then before him And for many Reasons First in respect of the Iewes Reas 1. For first Circumcision was removed which was full of torment it made Zipporah to call Moses bloudy husband yet many Exod. 4. 25. be so ignorant that they know not this priviledge Secondly The Ceremonies and sacrifices which were chargeable were abolished we haue the body in stead of the shadow the substance for the circumstance Hence Paul stiled Gal. 4. 9. them beggerly and impotent rudiments And if we must not come into the Temples but bring our Lambs and Rams we then would see the priviledge we enioy Thirdly The Iewes before his comming were in great slauery the Romans gouerned by 70. Elders the Scepter was departed from Iudah and the Pharisees had corrupted their doctrine Herod sought the babes life for feare a King should rise vp to the Iewes of the family of David and they had heauie burdens imposed vpon them the which they were not able to beare Fourthly Christ came of their flesh and was not that an honour For many desired children and esteemed it a curse to be barren vnder the law because each one hoped to haue beene the Mother of our Lord. And did he not first preach to that Nation wrought miracles amongst them and doe many great workes there Now his first fruits were to be respected Reas 2. Math. 15. 26. Rom. 11. 17. and 3. 29. And secondly in respect of the Gentiles it was more glorious for First They were dogs before but now God
Iudg. 17. vlt. me seeing I haue a Leuite to be my Priest And shall it not then be said of euery faithfull man and woman I am sure it will goe well with mee seeing I haue the Spirit of God in my heart And this Doctrine must teach the faithfull diuers lessons Vse 3. 1. They must take heed that they greiue not the holy spirit of God For neuer had any a better guest 2. To marry in the Lord for shall they make the Temple of the Holy Ghost the member of an harlot 3. To keepe their vessels in comelines and honour and to touch no vnholy thing For shall we defile the Temple of God 4. And finally to vse all meanes that it may be continued and preserued both from destruction and pollution Againe Let not a man disdaine to entertaine the faithfull Vse 4. When the Author of the Hebrewes would perswade the people to giue lodging to strangers he produceth this as Heb. 13. 2. an argument to moue them for saith he some in so doing haue receiued Angels into their houses Was this of force why then let the consideration of the poynt we haue in hand be powerfull to perswade to the same duty It went well with that family where Ioseph was so shall it with those that entertaine such in whom is the Spirit of God And here let man learne a lesson and wonder Is the Vse 5. Spirit of God in Paul and others where the spirit of all vncleannes not long before ruled Admire his humility that would descend so low as to dwell in so meane an habitation He that dwells in that light that none can attaine vnto now dwelleth where was a palpable darknes Salomon on this consideration broke out Is it so that the most high will dwell with the sonnes of men and shall not we doe the like from the same ground 1 King 8. 27. In the last place Let vs examine our selues whether we Vse 6. be Temples of this Spirit or not for if he dwell in the faithfull it 's reason we should proue if we our selues be not seduced And let these tryalls following decide the matter Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 1. Where he dwelleth there is peace that passeth all vnderstanding ioy that 's vnspeakeable glorious 2. There is liberty not to sinne but to all holy actions 1. They can pray with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed 2. Prayse God with an heart enlarged and with a willing Rom. 8. 26. minde 3. Runne all the wayes of Gods precepts chearefully and 4. Are resolute in the greatest and most desperate opposition for God his truth and their brethren 3. Where he takes vp his lodging there is holines He doth not dwell in Drunkards Epicures Vsurers fornicators or any vncleane person This fire purifieth the heart cleanseth the inward man though neuer so full of filthines in former time 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 5. 18. 4. In a word where he inhabiteth he alwaies moueth the mind to doe good refresheth the soule after the performance of any holy action with a secret content and hidden approbation opposeth all evill iniections in the first apprehension as of Atheisme merit murder c. and in Conclusion he alwaies allureth that person in whom he is to bring all his actions words gestures thoughts and intentions to the word of God reuealed for that 's his owne Rule and by that we may know if he be in vs had we no other tryall We may gather another Note of great consequence out of the word Dwell which is that Where the Spirit of God taketh true and speciall possession he Doct. 5. is not cast out for euer For the word Dewll importeth not onely possession but continuance David Abraham Iacob with all the faithfull were neuer totally and finally depriued of the Spirit or the graces of the Spirit after they once were the subiects of the same Ioh. 16. 13. Math. 28. 20. First because he delighteth in his habitation and where Reas 1. that is in the inhabitant he will not be remoued from his home Who is able to dispossesse him is there any greater then Reas 2. he he it is that hath cast out the strong man Sathan and will neuer suffer him againe to reenter But it s said that Sathan findeth the house swept bringeth Obiect seuen spirits worse them himselfe and dwelleth there Math. 12. 44. c. To omit the diuers interpretations of that place this I Sol. take to be the truest Sathan is compared to a wayfaring man or traueller who wandreth vp and downe the Moores and Marshes to find water yet when his hope is frustrate it being dry land he then returneth to home his own habitation the which is garnished to his minde So the Deuill when he cannot take possession of other persons he like a sow returnes to his former muddy poole and findeth it swept but from all goodnes therefore he resteth there with greater content then he had in his progresse He hath malice enough to seeke a dwelling in all the elect temples of Gods spirit but that fire from aboue hath dryed vp the spring of sinne he cannot finde reentry therefore he makes a regresse to that person or Nation where he shall certainly enter For if the Spirit had swept and garnished the house from the power of sinne and adorn'd it with his gifts that are peculiar to the elect the Diuell might knocke at the doore but he should neuer be admitted to entrance much lesse to dwell there This might serve to confute the Papists who hold that Vse 1. the Spirit may be lost and cast out but we haue elsewhere spoken more at large of this poynt then here we will And this may confirme the salvation of Salomon as also Vse 2. teach vs what to thinke of those that began in the spirit yet ended in the flesh assuredly their gifts were generall not speciall neither did the Holy Ghost euer in a peculiar manner dwell in their hearts This may be of good vse to all the godly for their saluation Vse 3. is sure the Spirit shall neuer leaue them vntill nor then neither he hath safely conducted them to the hauen of heauen Oh that we knew the worth of salvation then this doctrine would rauish our soules and in the greatest stormes of temptations yeeld vs boldnes Were a great Merchant assured that his pilot would and could bring his ship safe to shore oh how would it reioyce his heart and glad the soule and shall we haue no ioy in the consideration of the certainty of our saluation Sure then it is because we know not the worth of heauen or misery of shipwracke at the gates of hell Would it not haue comforted David or Iacob to haue had a Ionathan in their iourney And shall it be no matter of mirth to vs that the Spirit of truth will lead vs into all truth This made the man
worth the hauing Holines is a thing much to be respected and cannot be had without the spirit And doe thou obserue these directions 1. When thou feelest and findest any secret motion stirred How the spirit may be procured vp in thy heart to holines entertaine it prayse God for it and giue willing obedience therevnto For there is almost no man but at one time or other he shall heare a still voice within him saying This is the way walke in it This must Isa 30. 21 be cherished greatly regarded For if we put this from vs peraduenture when we would with all our hearts feele such whisperings they will be wanting and not easily come by 2. Attend vpon the men of God in the Ministery of his word For it s sayd While Peter spake and the people heard the holy Ghost fell vpon them They that deny the meanes cannot expect this mercy Act. 10. 44. 3. Pray to God the Father that he would send downe his Spirit into thy heart Can they that are evill saith our Sauiour giue to their Children good things how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Luk. 11. 13. 4. And in Conclusion Speake not evill of thy brother say not he hath a Devill This was the Pharisees fault and Mark 3. 30. in so doing it seemes they sinned vnto death For they told him that he cast out Devills by the Prince of Devills when they thought otherwise so that malice against the truth being accompained with a sound vnderstanding of the truth appeareth to be that irremissible sinne Now the last thing to be collected is this that The Graces of the Spirit are preserved by the Spirit Doct. 7. Paul hauing commanded Timotheus an hard taske giues here a notable direction how he may be able to doe the same and that is through the assistance of the holy Ghost This is also seene Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 13. For Sathan is strong man but weake 2. He is subtill we Reas 1. 2. be simple so that the Spirit of all wisedome and power is he that can enable vs to preserue this worthy thing within vs. And who more fit to doe this then hee that hath wrought this good worke by his owne finger in vs Here we might controule the doctrine of our Aduersaries Vse 1. who ascribe so much power to man after grace receiued or especially that they attribute so much to man in his pure naturalls Hath Timothie neede of the speciall worke and aide of the Spirit to keepe the gifts of grace in him Let them then that will stand vpon their owne strength we dare not Vse 2. And in the next place here we learne instruction to be humble in our owne eyes to deny our owne power and to runne at all times and in all distresses to this refuge of the Spirit for assistance He that doth this doth wisely and but his duty neither the which he is commanded And he that doth not this layeth himselfe open to the fiery shot of Sathan and dangerous methods he vseth buildeth on the sand and the house of his hope the foundation of his faith is certaine to fall But let not vs so learne or teach the Doctrine of Christ Yea rather pray we with the Prophet Lord stablish me with thy free Spirit Plal. 51. 13. VERS 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes IN this Verse is contained a complaint Where foure things are to be observed The Logicall resolution I. The persons against whom it is made and they be laid downe 1. Generally and implicitely in the word all c. 2. Particulary and explicitely one is named Phygellus another Hermogenes II. These people are explicated by their place of habitation or birth which was In Asia III. Their fault was that they turned backe IV. From whom that is expressed in the word Mee And the proofe of the trueth of all this is annexed For this thou knowest This thou knowest That is thou Timotheus doest The Theologicall exposition very well know by experience that what I say is truth Thet all they which are in Asia Or which were in Asia for the time is not expressed in the Greeke neither is it much materiall whether he complained of them that followed him to Rome or that remained still in Asia or that dwelt in Rome being borne in Asia But this is most true that they were Asians I will say nothing where this place was or how farre distant from Rome or the scituation and largenes of it but leaue it those that haue skill in Geography and Topography Be turned from me That is haue not visited me refreshed me Me. Paul the Ambassadour of Christ but haue forsaken me and denied their former profession Some read are become aduersaries to me and rise vp against me I thinke that they omitted all these duties of loue and resolution in Religion the which were in Onesiphorus so that I would expound their fault by the future commendation which immediately followeth Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Or of which sort country number and its likely these two were of the chiefe of them probably Ministers I doe not thinke it vnprofitable in vaine or all together The Metaphrase without warrant to put thee my sonne in remembrance of the many Backsliders who were in Asia forsaking of me and revolting from their former profession of the Gospell of which number Phygellus and Hermogenes were men not of the meanest rancke and note amongst them although it be very well knowne vnto thee by experience already For this thou knowest Hence it may be collected that It is warrantable and profitable to put the people in minde of others Doct. 1. backesliding and falling away For if it were not then Paul would not haue done it we may be assured This may also be seene in Act. 20. 29. c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 13. c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. For by this meanes they may learne to beware of such Reas 1. And is it not good to be acquainted with our enemies for he that is forewarned is forearmed It will cause the people to make the more of them that Reas 2. Ioh. 6. 67. be faithfull Will ye also goe away and is not this an helpe to discerne betwixt the good and evill It will make the best to looke better to their footing least Reas 3. they themselues also fall away For good Christians are iealous of their owne estate and will draw spirituall instruction out of euery thing When one falls before vs we shall looke the more circumspectly to our footing Finally they will be the lesse discouraged or disheartened Reas 4. when they heare that some haue fallen For were there not some such examples it would goe worse with the best for hereby they see it 's no new thing to
Papist and ignorant Protestant in their inuocations It may be obiected that Moses desired to haue his name Obiect blotted out of the booke of life Paul to be accursed and separated from Christ both of which are impossible 1. I answere that these wishes proceeded from great sorrow Sol. of heart for the sinne of the people from the zeale they had for Gods glory and loue of their brethren and kinred in the flesh yet might be mixed with some imperfection as the act was in breaking the two Tables 2. Moses dealt as a Mediator betweene God and man and was a figure of our Mediator Christ who became accursed that we might be blessed Gal. 3. 13. 3. The intent of Paul and Moses might be that they might die a temporall death in stead of the people and so beare their punishment For the death of the iust maketh reconciliation Isa 53. 5. And one of their deathes was worthten thousand of them all 4. It must be vnderstood conditionally and with its limitation for so Christ prayed Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not my will will but thy will be done Math. 26. 39. 5. They might haue this reseruation as that it might so appeare in the iudgment of the people not otherwise for David desired that the names of some might be blotted out of the booke of life whose names were neuer written there Psal 69. 27. 28. 6. Finally these examples are extraordinary if we either respect the persons the occasion or the end therefore not to be attained to or imitated of euery common and priuate man in his vsuall and set deuotions The Obiection I haue to my power resolued Now consider what I haue said and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in these things And this doctrine will giue vs a sound direction and a Vse 2. right rule to guide our selues in praying Learne the number of Gods promises know them as it were by name and then aske what the Lord hath promised and he will giue it thee Care not how many they be for multitude how great for substance and worth for they bee all true and but the rule of faith and prayer and the more excellent fauours the Lord shall giue thee the greater glory shall he haue and his children good As thou maist not dare to aske what he hath not promised so neuer feare to pray for what he hath promised but open thy mouth wide and he shall fill it Come not short neither goe beyond the rule and thou canst not erre A Logician Grammarian Rhetorician and every Artist must know all his precepts and practise them So must a good Christian be acquainted with euery promise and pray as they shall direct him I would haue this lesson Directions for prayer well learned of euery person And take these helpes for thy direction 1. Consider that the promises are of this life or the life to come temporall things craue conditionaly eternall absolutely 2. All that the Lord hath promised or that is contained in his promises is either the remotion of euill or the fruition of good And euill is either the euill of sinne or of punishment Good is either carnall things or spirituall And in these heads or within these particulars are all things comprehended that thou art to pray for or against Now thou art to petition for thy selfe or thy brethren for blessings to fall on thy selfe or the elect or cursings on the reprobate For that which is a threat to the wicked is a promise to the faithfull because when iudgments befall the prophane it is good some way for Gods glory or to his children But let these things be wisely vnderstood warily practised Moreouer from this example of the Apostle who receiued many fauours yet hauing not in the same kind to make requitall but prayeth for his friend we note that When we want wherewith to requite our friends then we are to Doct. 7. pray vnto God for them This hath beene the practice of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 9. 14. For by prayer we may preuaile with God so that they may Reas 1. receiue greater favours we in so doing may procure them spirituall blessings or an increase of the same substance wherewith we by them haue beene releeued refreshed Againe what if we should not yet in the performance of Reas 2. it we shall haue comfort for we haue done our duty and what the Lord requireth of vs. Let none then say that he wanteth meanes to repay or pay Vse 1. his debts for this helpe can neuer be taken from thee Prayer hath a large extent pouerty doth not depriue a man of this priuiledge neither take away the presence of Gods Spirit or the vertue of his promises Truly this cannot but comfort an honest and thankfull heart and pricke him forward to this way of requitall And this should teach those that haue contributed to the Vse 2. necessity of the poore Saints not to repine or repent for so doing But rather to proceed therein neuer to grow weary in this kind of weldoing Little doest thou know for whose sake at whose request thou art sâ— rich prosperest For the praiers of the poore are not vaine in the Lord. Then comfort the feeble minded visit the sicke cloath the naked and feed the hungry for it may nay it shall proue profitable to thee and thy posterity Resides all that we haue said diuers doctrines notwithstanding remaine behind they shall be pointed out and briefly passed one is this viz. that Our principall friends in a particular and peculiar mannâ—r are Doct. 8. to be praied for Paul had beene often refreshed by this his friend therfore praieth for him in particular so he did for others who haue vsed him kindly See to this purpose Luk. 22. 32. Eph. 6. 19. c. For the law of God and Nature warrant it As much is to Reas 1. be required where much is giuen so much is to be restored where much hath bin receiued And is not prayer a speciall meanes to returne fauours into the bosome of our friends Againe such friends haue by many kindnesses manifested Reas 2. the truth of their affection supported vs in our weaknesse And shall not we then by all meanes we can declare our reciprocall amity and striue to vphold them Mary loued much the reason was because Christ forgaue her many sinnes so must we in regard many things are giuen vs And no surer signe of sincere affection or stronger meanes to procure welfare to a friend then earnest often and particular prayer for him This Doctrine semeth to discouer a fault in them that alwaies Vse 1. pray in generals and haue defended too that wee are not bound to remember particular persons grounding their position on the Lords Prayer where wee be taught say they to say Our Father But Christ practised and his Apostles the contrary The one must be done and the