spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began By all which places and many more the point is and might be proued Reason And the Prophets and Apostles are fitly termed holy men first because they were sanctified of God and set apart to this holy calling of prophecie and Apostleship Rom. 1.1 where it is said that Paul was separated to the Gospel of God Secondly because they were holy and deuout men they were not profane Esaus but true sanctified persons as Dauid acknowledgeth concerning himself Preserue thou my soule for I am holy Psal 86.2 Vse This should teach vs the more to delight in the word it is the writing of holy men Secondly it should teach those that are in authority in the Church of God what kinde of men they should especially admit for ministers namely holy men Thirdly it teacheth people what kind of men they ought to make choise of for their ministers if they haue the choice committed vnto them They ought to make choice especially of holy men alwayes prouided that those holy men whom they make choice of be also men of knowledge and duly gifted Fourthly it teacheth vs Ministers aswell to endeuour to be holy in our conuersation as to be sound in our doctrine We ought aswell to be holy men as to be good teachers Be cleane ye that beare the vessels of the Lord Esay 52.11 As they were moued by the holy Ghost Whence note that Doctrine The bookes of canonicall Scripture were giuen by inspiration They came not by the will of man but by the motion of the Spirit For the proofe of this I referre the Reader to that in 2. Tim. 3.16 All scripture is giuen by the inspiration of God and to that in Mat. 10.28 It is not you that speake but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you If any shall here demand what is meant by the inspiration of God the answer is By the inspiration of God we are to vnderstand the worke of Gods Spirit whereby he did suggest and dictate whatsoeuer the Prophets Apostles deliuered for doctrine in their preaching and writing Quest But how proue you that the holy Ghost did prompt the Prophets and Apostles in preaching Answer Surely this may be proued out of Acts 2.4 They beganne to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance Quest And how may it appeare that the Spirit did indite or dictate that which the Prophets and Apostles did write Answ This appeareth by that in Acts 15.28 It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs c. Obiection If anie shall obiect that in 1 Cor. 7.12 But to the rest speake I not the Lord Answ The answer is Paul indeed had no expresse place of the olde Testament to prooue that which he did deliuer in that particular and therefore he saith To the rest speake I not the Lord But yet in giuing his aduice he had the assistance of Gods Spirit as is manifest in 1. Corint 7.40 But she is happier in my iudgement I think also that I haue the Spirit of God Vse This serues to put difference betweene hereticall writings and Scripture Hereticall writings are by the suggestion of the diuell but Canonicall scriptures are by the inspiration of God Secondly betweene other diuine writings and Scripture for other diuine writings are not without the assistance of Gods holy Spirit but the Scripture was giuen by extraordinarie immediate reuelation Vse It must teach vs to beware of reproaching the holy Scriptures in casting reproaches vpon the word we cast reproches vpon the holy Ghost himselfe who is the Author thereof Secondly it must teach vs to reuerence the Scripture aboue all other bookes in the world This is the onelie booke giuen by immediate inspiration Herein we must especially delight to reade and meditate all the dayes of our liues Vse This may serue also for comfort for if the Scripture came by the inspiration of God then certainly there is some extraordinarie vertue and power in it nothing can thus immediatly flow from God but it must be of some extraordinarie vigour As they were moued Or as it is in the Greeke As they were carried Whence we are to note that Doctrine The holy Ghost did strongly reigne in the Prophets and Apostles It did not onely moue them but as it were carry them with an holy violence This is manifest out of Acts 4.20 We can not but speake the things which we haue seene and heard and out of Acts 21.14 where Paul was so violently moued to go vp to Hierusalem that all the perswasion of his friends nor the hazard of his life could not turne him from his purpose And out of 2. Corinth 13.8 We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth for so the Text is to be rendred according to the Originall And out of Acts 16.7 After they were come to Mysta they assayed to go into Bythinia but the Spirit suffered them not Whence it is manifest that the holy Ghost did strongly order the very iournies of the men of God causing them to alter their owne intentions oftentimes and to go another way at his appointment It was with the Prophets and Apostles in this respect as it was with Christ himselfe For as Christ himselfe was not moued but driuen of the Spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell for so are the words in the original Lu. 4.1 Euen so it was with the Prophets Apostles they were acted or driuen by an holy violence of the Spirit The holy Ghost is compared to a winde Iohn 3.8 yea to a great rushing winde Acts 2.3 because as it bloweth where it lists so he bloweth or worketh mightily where he listeth No ship is more violently caried by the winds then the Prophets and Apostles were by the Spirit Obiection But then it might seeme that the Prophets and Apostles did nothing willingly but as it were compulsiuely Answ Not so for there is difference betweene compulsion and holy Violence These holy men were carried with an holy violence but they were not compelled the holy Spirit finding vnwillingnesse in these men of God he subdued that vnwillingnes and of vnwilling made them willing This must needes be granted for if they had done that which they did absolutely against their will and by meere compulsion they had lost their reward as appeareth in 1. Cor. 9.17 If I do this thing willingly I haue a reward c. Vse This may serue to cause vs to bewaile our coldnesse of zeale at these daies where is this holy violence of the spirit which should vrge vs to Christian duties How often do we resist good motions withstand them which shewes what a poore measure of the spirit we haue as yet attained O my beloued shal the Prophets and Apostles be carried by the Spirit and shall not we be led by him shall they be vrged by holy motions and shall not we so much as be perswaded by them The Lord that is able to bow the heauens bow our mindes to good and perswade vs to that which is well-pleasing in his sight FINIS
50.16.17 I will not name it I leaue it to your owne reading But by both these places you may plainly discerne that if we will be professours of the Gospell or true godly persons we must forsake sinne I conclude this point with that speech of the Apostle 2. Timothie chapter 2. verse 19. Let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie Secondly if we desire to be truly godly we must be carefull to keepe the Sabbath it is a sure marke of an vngodly person to be a Sabbath-breaker as on the contrarie it is an euidence of godlinesse conscionably to celebrate it to Gods glorie he that is an Eunuch to God keepeth Gods Sabbath as it is in Esay 56.4 The holy keeping of the Sabbath is a means to hallow vs the better for all the weeke after whereas the profaning of the Sabbath is the cause of profanenesse vngodlinesse if God be not more mercifull all our life after Thirdly if we desire to be truly godly we must be carefull of priuate duties of Religion we must pray continually 1. Thessalonians 5. We must meditate in the law of the Lord day and night Psalme 1. We must beate downe our bodies and keepe them vnder 1. Corinthians 9. the last We must daily examine our selues and daily repent Psalme 4.4 The way to be truly godly is throughly to exercise our selues in these and the like duties Fourthly if we desire to be truly godly we must associate our selues with such as are godly We must not inhaunt our selues with vngodly persons for that is the way to be made vngodly but with Saints and holy persons So long as Peter kept company with Christ he was religious and holie but when he came amongst the high Priests seruants how profane was he in denying his Maister in swearing and forswearing and the like Matth. 26. And by these same rules we may also trie whether we be truly godly or no he that obserueth these rules is godly he that obserues them not is certainly vngodly Brotherly kindnesse Or as the word may signifie brotherly loue I agree vnto their iudgement which referre this vnto the inward affection and the next namely charity to the practise the first is to teach vs to loue the second is to teach vs to be kinde Brotherly kindnesse That is loue to the brethren By brethren we are to vnderstand such as truly feare God vnto whom of all other men our loue and best affections are due Brotherly Hence obserue we that Doctrine all such as truly feare God are brethren And they are so called in Ephesians 6.23 Peace be to the brethren with loue and faith from God And in Coloss 1.2 To the Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ And iustly are they so called first because they are adopted of one and the same Father Ephes 1.5 Secondly because they are borne I meane new-borne of one and the same mother Galat 4.26 Thirdly because they are brought vp in the same family Ephesians 2.19 Fourthly because they shall be partakers of the same inheritance Rom. 8.17 Vse This serues to condemne the practise of such which do scoffe at this terme Brethren saying He is one of the holy brethren and the like Oh thou wretch Doth God himselfe giue this title to his people and darest thou mocke and scoffe at it Doth God giue this name in holinesse and dost thou vse it in derision Secondly this should teach rich Christians humility they must know that the poorest Christian is their brother or sister and therefore they must carry themselues accordingly towards them they must not be ashamed of them for if Christ himselfe be not ashamed to call vs Brethren as it is in Hebr. 2.10 then we must not be ashamed to owne one another Thirdly this should teach poore Christians thankfulnesse God hath made them by vertue of regeneration akinne to the greatest Nobles and Potentates in the world I meane to such Potentates as are true fearers of God All Gods people come of a great house and are of a great kindred both in respect of God and man they are all brethren Fourthly this should teach vs to auoid diuers things as first contention with any that feare God we may say as Abraham said to Lot Genesis 13.8 Let there be no strife betweene vs we are brethren Secondly euill speaking or slandering It is the diuels property to traduce or falsly to accuse the brethren Reuel 12.10 Thirdly we must auoid tyrannizing ouer Gods seruants we must remember they are our brethren Fiftly considering that all that feare God are brethren therefore this must teach vs diuers things it must teach vs indeed to carry our selues towards our fellow-Christians as towards brethren therefore as one brother will stand by another so one Christian must defend another we must not suffer any Christian to be wronged if it be in our power to helpe him Secondly one brother will haue a fellow-feeling with another they will reioyce to see any good to befall one another and they will grieue to see hurt Euen so we must reioyce to heare of the prosperity of Zion and we must grieue to heare or to see the desolation thereof Thirdly one brother will do for another according to abilitie euen so we must euery one according to his abilitie do for the Church of God If a brother or sister be naked or destitute of daily food as Iames speaketh Iames 2.15 we must relieue them Brotherly kindnesse or brotherly loue In the next place we are to obserue that Doctrine There ought to be loue amongst Christians yea brotherly loue This is proued by 1. Pet. 3.8 Loue as brethren and out of Hebr. 13.1 Let brotherly loue continue And there be especiall motiues to stirre vs vp to this loue first because it is a signe that we are translated from death to life 1. Iohn 3.14 Secondly that we are borne of God 1. Iohn 4.7 Thirdly that we are of the truth 1. Iohn 3.19 Fourthly that God dwelleth in vs 1. Iohn 4.16 Questi But how should I know a true Christian that I may loue him as a brother Answ Thou mayest know him first by his faith he lookes for saluation by Christ alone Secondly by his humility he thinketh basely of himselfe Thirdly by his loue to Gods house the place where Gods honour dwelleth Fourthly by his language for he speakes the holie language of Canaan Fiftly by his practise and life for he liueth holily righteously and soberly in this present world Sixtly by his fruitfulnesse for he is no barren fig-tree but he bringeth forth fruit in due season Seuenthly by his opposition in this world for his sect is euill spoken of in euery place Acts 28.22 Thus thou mayest know a Christian Vse Now is it so that true Christians and true fearers of the Lord are to be beloued with brotherly loue Then this serues iustly to rebuke the world for want of this brotherly loue The world is
so farre from louing the godly as that they hate no people in the world more A fearefull signe of a bad estate Secondly it may serue to reproue euen Christians themselues for where is that loue which should be amongst vs Surely it is either growne cold or else which is worse it s turned into preiudice and enuy but I will say with the Apostle in another case My brethren these things ought not so to be Thirdly this must teach vs to be thankfull to God in that he hath commanded all to loue vs and to encourage vs. We may iustly say with Dauid Lord what is man that thou thus regardest him The truth is we deserue to be hated both of God and man Therefore it is the greater mercy of God not only to loue vs himselfe but also to command others to loue vs. Fourthly let this teach vs to examine our selues whether we loue the brethren or no. And that will appeare by these signes First if we loue poore Christians aswell as rich if our loue be towards all the Saints Ephes 1.15 Secondly if we loue not in tongue onely but in deed and in truth if we loue sincerely from the heart and fruitfully doing them all the good we can Thirdly if we thinke our seruice for the Church to be easie as Iacob thought his seuen yeares seruice for Rachel it is a signe we loue Fourthly if we continue in our loue towards Gods Saints The continuance proues our loue to be true the not continuing argueth hypocrisie in our loue Charitie By this we are to vnderstand the practise or expression of brotherly loue In the former grace we are taught affection in this grace we are taught action The point is that It is the part and dutie of euery Christian amongst the rest of his gifts and graces to labour for Charity The Apostle Paul presseth this duty with great feruencie in 1. Corinth 13.1.2.3 shewing that if one do neuer so great things yet if he haue not Charitie it auaileth him nothing Now there is a two-fold charitie to be exercised by vs towards our brethren the first is a charitie towards their soules the second is a charitie towards their bodies The Charitie towards the soules of our brethren is seene in these particulars First in pitying their spirituall estate if we see them out of the way according to that in Iude 22. Haue compassion of some in putting differēce Or if we see them destitute of the meanes of saluation if they be as sheep without a shepheard Matth. 9 36. or if they be proud and obstinate Ieremy 13.17 But if yee will not heare it my soule shall weepe in secret places for your pride Secondly Charitie towards the soules of others is seene in the instructing of them The Centurion shewed himselfe a true charitable person in building a Synagogue Luke 7.5 Yea in this he was more charitable then if he had built them an Almes-house or Hospitall by how much the soule is more excellent then the bodie Thirdly spirituall charitie is seene in forgiuing our brethren if they haue offended vs and now come and say It repenteth me according to that in Matth. 18.33 Shouldst not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant as I had compassion on thee He that can forgiue without reuenge is charitable Fourthly spirituall charitie is seene in reprouing and admonishing such as are out of the way and seeking their reformation Leu. 19.17 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him And indeed what greater charitie can there be then to labour to saue a soule from hell Fiftly spirituall charitie is seene in praying for the saluation of others Thus Paul shewed himselfe a charitable person in Romans 10.1 in that his hearts desire and praier to God for Israel was that they might be saued Vse This may serue to reprooue the world of want of this spirituall charitie For who amongst a thousand is charitable spiritually Some will shew themselues charitable in matters concerning the body but what is become of spirituall charity Now the charitie towards the bodies of our neighbours is seene in these things 1. In commiserating their estate to wit in grieuing for the affliction of Ioseph Amos 6.6 2. In visiting them in their distresse Iames 1.27 Mat. 25.36 3. In feeding the hungrie and cloathing the naked Iob 31.17.19 4. In lending them sufficient for their need Deuteronomy 15.8 5. In forgiuing them their debts if they be not able to repay Luke 6.35 6. In standing in the gap to turne away Gods iudgements from them as Moses did Psalme 106.23 Vse This serues iustly to reproue such as will reproue and exhort and say God helpe you and the like but they exercise no charitie toward the bodies of their brethren these are hypocrites For if these things be in you In the former verses the holy Ghost hath exhorteth vs to labour for those forenamed graces viz. faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and charitie Now in the verses following from the beginning of this eight verse to the end of the eleuenth he presseth the said exhortation with diuers arguments First by an argument taken from the effects in the eighth verse Secondly by an argument taken from the contraries in the ninth verse Thirdly by an argument from vtilitie or profit in the tenth and eleuenth verses Now in that the holy Ghost doth vse so many arguments for the enforcing of the exhortation to grace it doth imply that Doctrine Whosoeuer desire to perswade others to grace and godlinesse they had neede to vse a great many arguments With how many arguments doth the Spirit of God vse to presse duties in the Scripture To instance in one duty for many this duty of Almes How is it pressed in how many bookes in how many chapters in how many verses with how many forcible perswasions Vse Which may serue iustly to condemne our backwardnesse to that which is good especially considering how little perswasion will preuaile with vs vnto that which is euill We are soone tempted to sinne yea oftentimes we tempt the Diuell to tempt vs by running into places of temptation we are more ready to sinne if it be possible then the Diuell can be to sollicite vs thereunto If these things be in you The words in the originall are very significant they may be read thus if you haue these things or if these things be present with you Where we are to note that it is not said If you can talke of these things or if you can purpose to labour for these things or if you can wish these things but If you haue these things Whence obserue that Doctrine it is not sufficient to talke of grace or to professe grace but wee must haue grace in possession according to that in Marke 9.50 Haue salt in your selues and peace one with another Thus Elihu was full of matter Iob. 32.18 And Stephen was full of faith