Secondly and you of the last sort who have not the Spirit of Christ abiding in you and therefore have no interest in this incorporation forget not your miserable condition and let me entice and allure you to remedie the same by endeavouring to get this Spirit which is most of all and first of all to be sought Luc. 11. 13. How give his Spirit And is obtained 1. By fervent and faithfull prayer unto God Luc. 11. 13. 2. By carefull and conscionable hearing the Word of God Gal. 3. 2. Received faith preached Acts 10. 44. While Peter Holy Ghost fell c. 3. By true and unfained repentance Acts 2. 38. 4. By pious and sincere obedience Acts 5. 32. Do you therefore renounce and abdicate those loathsome deeds of darknesse wherein you have hitherto walked Do not rest contented in your hollow livelesse and spiritlesse performances of good actions and endeavour that by sincere and hearty prayer hearing repentance and obedience you may have the Spirit of God abiding in you that so you also may have fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ which will give you 1. More joy then children which barren women aske 2. More comfort then health which sicke folke desire 3. More benefit then strength desired of the weake 4. More profit then sight which the blind desire CHAP. XI Such who have fellowship with Christ be must be his sheepe braunches spouse members and stones built on him Their duties from the particulars TO these I might have joyned many other necessary duties certaine tokens of such which enjoy and availeable meanes for such to use who desire to enjoy this happy community and discoursed largely of them But purposing now to end I will onely nominate some without any large dilating upon them 1. Christ is the Shepheard these are the sheepe 2. Christ is the Vine these are the braunches 3. Christ is the Husband these are the spouse 4. Christ is the Head these are the members 5. Christ is the Foundation these are the stones Therefore such who partake of this Divine Society as they owe of duty so they testifie their incorporation into this connexion and they which desire ingredience into this peerelesse communion must seeke the same by endeavouring to paralell these resemblances so farre forth as sacred Writ doth enjoyne and warrant e. g. 1. They are sheepe therefore as sheepe are harmlesse profitable in regard of fleece fell carkasse and dung very fruitfull and increaseable notwithstanding many are killed and many die So these are innocent suffering wrongs but recompencing to none evill for evill very commodious to all about them Gen. 18. 10. And marvellous increaseable although persecuted and abused They are the sheepe of Christ therefore they heare they know they believe and follow him Ioh. 10. 3 4 5. 26. 27. 2. They are braunches of Christ the Vine Ioh. 15. 1 2 3. Therefore as 1. They grow exceedingly more then other trees 2. Have plenty of sappe within when they seeme withered and drie 3. Beare fruit which is sweet in it selfe pleasant to the user and profitable to the owner 4. Yea such which are conjoyned and well accord together both in the cluster and in the wine Even so these ought and do grow in grace from vertue to vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5 6. 2. Are replenished with the sappe of saving graces even in affliction when they seeme withered away and dried up 3. Have fruits and graces comfortable to themselves profitable to others and pleasing to God 4. Yea and are conjoyned in Christ the Vine and also among themselves one with another 3. These are the spouse of Christ therefore they ought to love reverence and feare him heare his voice and receive his instructions obey his commandements and be clad with his mariage garments sc the gifts and graces of his Spirit 4. These are the members therefore are knit to Christ the head as his members by a lively faith submitting themselves to him their head and assuring themselves that he as their head will care for their safety and well-being 5. These are the stones built upon him the foundation therefore submit themselves to the hammer of the Word and the Lords Builders to be fitted for the Lords building they are therefore knit together by the Spirit and laid upon Christ the Head-Stone to be an habitation of God and are supported by Christ Iesus their Foundation against the gates of hell CHAP. XII The Conclusion shewing the drift of all BY that which I have spoken at sundry times from this place concerning this subject of true goodfellowship shewing from sacred Writ who and what goodfellowes are wiping away many foule and filthy aspersions wherewith the world doth falsely blemish them and declaring their duties and dignity First I hope you see the errour and injustice of this erroneous world depriving Gods Saints of this their rightfull denomination and conferring it upon the most stigmaticall sonnes of Belial Is he a goodfellow truly and onely who hath fellowship with the Saints the Lord of heaven and earth and his Sonne Iesus Christ And are they which strive to imitate the Saints endeavour to please God and labour to have interest in Christ Iesus base companions insociable persons and unworthy the name of goodfellowes because they preferre this excellent communion before the beastly and Diabolicall society with the fruitlesse workes and unhappy workers if darknesse And shall such which make open profession of the Devills service are at open defiance with all manner of goodnesse be stiled and esteemed goodfellowes because with shamelesse foreheads and flinty hearts they wallow in all manner of wickednesse because they sweare and swagger roare and revell scorne and scoffe at goodnesse and good men consume wastfully their patrimonies and possessions in pipes and pots in Tavernes and Tap-houses in drunkennesse and other damnable courses Yet this is the usuall and common dealing of the most although impious and ungodly for what right have Sathans imps and agents to this holy title of goodfellow Heare our Church speake which saith If we lacke Iesus Christ that is to say the Saviour of our soules and bodies we shall not finde him in the market place or in the Guilde Hall much lesse in the Ale-house or Taverne amongst goodfellowes as they call them c. Hom. of right use of the Church Fol. 6. Let drunken beasts and pot-companions Let infatuated prodigals and riotous spend-thrifts Let swashing swaggerers who sport themselves at the godly simplicity of honest men and all other of the same kind assume to themselves and give to their companions their owne proper titles sc fooles beasts sonnes of Belial c. And not incroach upon this title which is properly due to none but such who have fellowship with the Saints the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ. Secondly I hope that you understand sufficiently by the foregoing discourses the admirable and unspeakable priviledges of all goodfellowes or true believers being combined by the most astrictive ties in
7. 38. 4. Shall wicked men who are obsequious to base Lords 4. Wicked men strive to make others bad serve with all dutifull observance first the world whose service is vaine Eccl. 2. 10. Hard bringing carking cares Eccl. 1. 14. Dangerous unfitting for the service of God 1 Ioh. 2. 16 Deceitfull offering with Iabin milke with the one hand a naile with the other exchanging for advantage copper for gold Secondly sinne whose service is base it being baser then the most fastidious creatures and exceeding tyrannicall recompencing its best and most dutifull observants with everlasting death Rom. 6. 23. Thirdly Sathan a grand enemie to mankind powerfull onely to punish promising liberty yet in hellish bondage joying at their destruction Shall these strive with tooth and naile and imploy their utmost endevors to hale and drag and use all fraudulent guiles and fawning glozes to win others to their pernicious and damnable society although hereby they aggravte their owne damnation And shall not we who serve the Lord of life whose service is as unlike to theirs as light to darknesse heaven to hell glory to shame Whose service is first most honourable in regard of our Lord who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords of whose kingdome there is no end In regard of our fellow-servants who are not the risse rabble of wicked men but those renowned Patriarchs as Abraham heroicall Kings as David magnanimous Prophets as Eliah blessed Apostles as Paul and all the company of glorious Angels and happy Saints in heaven triumphant and on earth militant Secondly most pleasant and delectable in regard of our Lord and Master who is no churlish Nabal oppressing Pharaoh or hard-dealing Laban But such whose words are full of delectation he calling us not onely servants but sonnes Exod. 4. 22 23. and friends and his deeds correspondent In regard of our taske his commandements being pleasant and not grievous And most gainefull bringing advantage by life and death sicknesse and health here and hereafter Shall not we I say imploy our utmost indeavours to conglutinate others into tâ—â—s so sweet society Seeing that by this means we do not diminish our own store as by parting with wordly substance nor keep our own without impaiâ—ing or augmenting it But hereby we increase graces here and glory hereafter 5. There is no meanes possible whereby we can benefit one another so much as by correcting our brethren as by Imparting grace to others the best benefit to them inlightening them with our knowledge imparting Gods graces to them and working grace in them For could we by our endeavours raise them to the highest pitch of honour mount them aloft into Hamans place of fauour and command So that their smiling countenances might make glad soâ—e their angry frownes strike dread into the hearts of others Could we ascertaine them of the full fruition of all the golden mountaines and fruitfull Ilands under the whole heavens Could we procure for the satisfying of their appetites the greatest satiety of all mellifluous Nectars and delicious aliments that earth ayre and water can affoord of all exquisite and resplendent garments curiously wrought and embroidered by the art of man finely perfum'd with the most odoriferous Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia and garnished with varietie of gemmes and belliments so that they are clothed in purple and fine linnen and fare deliciously every day Yet all these without grace are but so many silken manicles and golden fetters of a miserable wretch haled to wofull execution On the contrary Let a man be furnished with the last measure of those heavenly endowments of saving grace although he be the drunkards song a by-word to fooleâ— the anvile of all dunghill scorne and disdaine a monster amidst men Psal 71. 3. Zach. 3. 8. such an object of commiseration that may melt an Adamantine heart into pitifull compassion of his extreamest miseries Yet in this man the beloved of the Lord his rich inheritance peculiar portion rich jewell apple of his eye an heire of heaven a judge of the world Christs beautifull spouse never wanting a sweet comforter a never-failing friend who will not leave him untill it hath set an eternall crowne of glory upon his head Psal 84. 10. Poise these in an even ballance and we shall see grace as farre surmounting all these golden vanities as heaven doth earth the peerelesse Sunne a pinking candle and a golden mountaine a heape of dust 1. Grace is peculiar to the soule It s not the backe or belley but mans immortall soule which is the place wherein grace is resident 2. Grace is proper to the Saints Those who walke in the cursed wayes of damnation are strangers to Gods graces But those other thingâ— are common both to good and bad Absolon of an amiable beauty aswell as Ioseph Goliah matchlesse in power and prowesse aswell as Sampson Haman a Kings greatest favourite as well as Mordecaâ— Dives abounding in wealth aswell as Abraham 3. Grace of as long continuance as heaven it selfe and those crownes of immortality In regard of it selfe as love joy peace which shall extend even to eternity never ending Or in regard of its fruits the fruits of faith hope patience prayer c. being endlesse Those other are of so limber and brittle nature that there can be no assurance of their continuance Riches often mount aloft on Eagles wings leaving their owners in extreame scarcenesse Beauty is oft blasted by cares sorrowes discontents sicknesse and made disdainefull Strength many times is enfeebled by inlenesse gluttony drunkenesse adultery diseases c. Honourable advancement is often turned into scornefull contempt and hatefull obloquie Howsoever at the bed of death they must shake hands for ever 4. Grace is a most sweet refreshing comforter in all extremities This did revive David in his distresse This made Iob blesse God for taking away This made the Apostles rejoyce in afflictions And the Martyrs to contemne the utmost rage of hellish persecutors Those other have no more power to comfort in the needfull time of dread then congeal'd ice to give warmth to a starveling body tart vinegar to supple a smarting wound or smoothering smoke to comfort a tender eye Witnesse Achitophel who for all his great esteeme hangs himselfe Ahab who being but denied Naboths vineyard is sicke with griefe 6. Lastly considering that gaine is of such efficacy that it makes the martiall man to abandon all fearefull cowardise forsake the delight of his eyes and his tender children disregard his owne life and with heroicall prowesse encounter his formidable bloud-thirsty enemy What drives the ventrous mariner through so many perillous hazards and dangerous pericliations save onely hope of gaine Yea what doth edge the keene appetites of cursed and cruell inclosers oppressing landlords hellish usurers to grinde the faces of the poore purchase Gods displeasure and damne their soules save onely gaine This therefore being so prevalent let me use it as a spurre to pricke you forward to this so sacred
Pet. 2. 1. A worke of Sathan Gen. 2. 1. Of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 29. Of darknesse Rom. 13. 13. Of the flesh Gal. 5. 21. Opposite to charity â— Cor. 13. 4. And abdicated by holy men Titus 3. 3. Let him feed and foster this selfe-tormenting envy saith holy Salvian Invidia sola authorem persequitlâ—r Sa v. de Gub. Dei lib 3. pag 7â— doth onely persecute the author viper by selfe-love impatience and selfe-conceitednesse making himselfe a foole Pro. 10. 18. An unprofitable hearer 1 Pet. 2. 1. Rotting his owne bones Prov. 14. â—0 And slaying himselfe Iob. 5. 2. Like the Mountaine Aetna scorching himselfe with his owne â—â—mes What though the wrathfull man flâ—shâ—th himselfe in bloudy and barbarous cruelties acting that which is Sathans proper worke doing contrary to Gods nature he being mild and mercifull precept and practice Quid siulti propriâ—m non posse veâ—â—e nocere â—â—as 49. What and if the furious irefull revenger proceed in his uncharitable and unwarrantable wayes thereby exasperating to more hurt doubling his owne griefe losiâ—g tranquillity and peace of conscience good will with men and favour with God by usurping his regall right and robbing him of his authority Yet let every member of this concrete communion freely fully soundly and sincerely forgive each other Mot. 1 To this end consider The Divine precept of our great God Math. 5. 39. His sacred practise Gracious promise Math. 6. 4. And dreadfull judgements against all such who will not forgive Mat. 7. 1 2. 6. 15. Iam. 2. 13. Secondly our owne pronesse to offend Gal. 5. 17. Our flesh lusting against the Spirit Either against the same person which we should forgive some other and God himselfe But we offending would willingly have forgivenesse Thirdly that the person offending did it either ignorantly unawares by some inducements or through the violence of some prevailing temptation It was not the man therefore but his weakenesse which did offend Lastly consider the commodious advantages we shall reape by forgiving are many and great 1. We shall hereby become like to God Math 5. 44 45. We shall gaine comfort which while the boisterous sâ—rges of angry passions tempestuously trouble our cholericke nature we are senslesse of yet afterwards we shall find to our more then ordinary consolation witnesse 2 Sam. 25. 31. â—3 We may with a hopefull assurance sue unto God for a full remission of all our enormities and with a blessed confidence graspe and hold fast a firme perswasion that our sinnes are done away grounding upon Gods unchangeable promise Mat. 6. 14. By freely forgiving we shall make our foe our friend Rom. 12. 20. heape coales of fire on his head 1. He will repent and embrace us friendly or else if he continue in his malice he shall be fired with his owne conscience and consumed with the wrath of God And hereby we are made fitter for all pious duties 1 Pet. 2. 1. Ob. An. 1 Say not therefore I cannot forgive because the matter is so great Thou hast offended the Lord farre more yet he is willing to forgive thee But he ought not to have dealt thus and thus with me Neither oughtest thou to have wronged God But I meant him no harme Neither did the Lord thinke thee any harme yet hast thou offended him But thou art his superiour God is thine He is thy inferiour Thou art Gods But thou carest not for his favour thou livest not by his friendship The Lord our God needs none of thy helpe thou livest by him not he by thee yet he is willing to remit thee thine offences Be not we rigorous for a hundred pence lest we be bound to pay upon paine of everlasting Math. 18. damnation a thousand talents Let not us provoke the Lord to mete out to us condemnation by our not forgiving Let not us send up Vriahs letter in our prayer forgive not us because we will not forgive But let us freely forgive each other seeing we all have fellowship one with another Now before I enter upon the second braunch of our Society I intend to speake somwhat of the word Father not in the largest extent thereof as how he is Father to all creatures men Angels c. But onely how is the Father of these good-fellowes afterwards I purpose to shew how he and we have fellowship each with other OF THE SOCIETIE OF THE SAINTS the second Booke CHAP. I. GOD is the Saints Father Doct. 2 THE LORD of heaven and earth is not onely Father to men Angels creatures but also of all goodfellowes or the Saints after a speciall manner with the Father Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 8. 14 15. 1 Thes 1. 5. And a cloud of witnesses of Scriptures testifie this truth To the confirmation whereof I will use onely two Reasons it being as apparant and generally assented to as that the Sunne doth shine at noone day Reason 1 He who is Father to the Saints any some or all those wayes whereby one man is father to another he is the father of these goodfellowes But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints all some or most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another Therefore the Lord of heaven and earth is the Father of these goodfellowes He who is Father to the Saints in regard of direction paternall procuration instruction imitation image and adoption is Father to the Saints most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints in those regards viz. 1. Man is father unto man by direction Gen. 45. 8. Thus God is Father to the Saints directing them by his Word which is a light to their feet and a lanterne to their paths And his Spirit leading them thereby Rom. 8. 14. so that they walk after the Spirit 2. Man by paternall procuration is father to man thus Iob was a father to the poore Iob 29. 16. And so is God a father of our society defending us from cursed calamities plucking us out of the jawes of the Lion and providing for us necessaries at the least so that we have Sufficient for our good if not satiety to give us contentment 3. Man is father to man in regard of instruction or doctrine 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Thus is God much more pouring grace by his Spirit into the heart for Paul may plant Apollo water but God onely gives the increase 4. Man in regard of invention is father unto man who in regard of imitation is his sonne Gen. 4. 20. Iabal the father of such as dwell in tents The Divell thus is the father of all wicked ones Ioh. 8. 44. Thus is Abraham father of all godly persons who walke in the holy steps of Abraham Rom. 4. 12. Thus is God our Father we being followers of him as deare children Math. 4. 45. Eph. 5. 1. 5. Man is father to man in regard of image Gen. 5. 3. Some
images represent the shape thus pictures are images of men Some agree with the thing in nature so children are images of fathers having the same specificall essence Some the very individuum So Christ is onely the image of the Father Christ Iesus is onely the perfect and consubstantiall image of God Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. 3. The godly are the imperfect image of God Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. We having a resemblance of his nature may be called his image for although this is daily corrupted by sinne yet it is againe renewed by Christ Iesus Col. 3. 10. 6. Man is father to man in regard of adoption Moyses thus the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Mordecas thus a father to Ester Est 2. 7. Thus is the Lord our Father Rom. 8. 14 15 16. 9. 16 Gal. 3. 26. 4. 5. c. Therefore he is a Father to the Saints or these goodfellowes all or most of those wayes whereby man is father unto man He who performeth more freely and willingly then all other all offices and duties of a father to these goodfellowes must needs be their Father But the Lord of heaven and earth performeth more freely and willingly then all other fathers all offices and duties of a father to these goodfellowes Therefore he is their Father The latter proposition I thus prove He who doth beget feed cloth correct provide inheritance and mariage for these goodfellowes more freely c. doth performe all offices and duties of a father c. But the Lord of heaven and earth doth thus viz. passing by temporall respects 1. The Lord doth beget us spiritually by his Word 1 Pet. 1. The Lord Begets 23. Raising us when we were dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2. 1 2. Therefore we are said to have Gods seed abiding in us and to be borne of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. 2. Parents do not onely beget but provide for the sustentation Feeds of their child begotten Should parents forsake their children begotten and borne birth which is the greatest good they receive in the world would prove a great evill yea such that better were it not to be then being to want meanes whereby this being may be preserved The Lord in this respect is a Father feeding the soule he hath begotten so That were it possible to extract the carefull providence of all the most tender parents under the Fabrick of the heavens and replant it in one man were it possible for this more then ordinary man to provide for his so tenderly affected children the greatest varieties of all mellifluous aliments that earth aire and water could affoord Could be feed them with the marrow fatnesse and quintessence of the most delicious cates of natures simples or mixtures of skilfull artists could he satisfie their thirst and delight their appetites with the fained Nectars and Ambrosia's of those forged gods yet all this and a thousand times more if so much could be is as nothing in comparison of the Lords fatherly care in providing for his children What are these in regard of his sacred Word that sweet refreshing milke 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. Free from all mixture of errour heresie or tradition therefore called sincere That substantiall bread of the soule preserving its life health and strength Iob 23. 13. That purest wheate Ier. 23. 28. That strong refreshing meate Heb. 5. 13. Sweeter then honey and the hony combe Psal 19. 10. Those green pastures and waters of comfort Psalme 23. 2. That heavenly refreshing wine Can. 2. 4. Which Pellican calleth hony milke Nectar Ambrosia In Ezek 34. 14. the food of justice and truth alwayes fatting the soules of the faithfull What are these to the grace of Gods Spirit that necessary milke to an heavenly life Isa 55. 1. And that sweet delightfull wine What are these to that celestiall and spirituall bread Christ Iesus which came downe from heaven Iohn 6. 50. That food truly effectuall to the faithfull soule our blessed Saviour who is meate indeed Ioh. 6. 55. That rejoycing wine the bloud of the immaculate Lambe slaine from the beginning Mat. 26. 28. 3. Parents also cloath their naked children and in this respect 3. Cloaths the Lords care farre surpasseth all fathers he clothing us with the robes of Christ his righteousnesse which is such a vesture that who so wanteth is farre more yea without all comparison polluted subject to evill and unlovely then any new borne babe naked and unwasht and in the bloud And of such worth is this garment that were it possible the cunning of all skilfull Artists could concurre to the fashioning of some one garment made of the excellencies of silks precious stones resplendent pearles and costly gold Could they convey the quintessence of all odoriserous perfumes into the same Were it possible tobe clad more excellently then the Lillies of the field farre surpassing Salomon in all his glory Yea imagine a man to be as richly trim'd as that glorious runner in the firmament comming out of his Tabernacle to run his race Psal 19. Or as that transcendent canopy of the heavens deckt with innumerable varieties of resplendent stars Yet all these are as nothing in comparison of the rich robes of Christs righteousnesse wherewith the Lord doth cloath his children Which is a garment whereby the nakednesse of the soule is covered 2. Cor. 5. 2 3. Rev. 3. 18. is comforted and kept warme defended from the fiery darts of sinne and Sathan Ephes 6. 11. deck'd beautified and adorned Isa 61. 10. This garment being pleasant sweete and dainty perfum'd with odoriferous powders of Mirrh Alloes and Cassia Psal 45. 8. pretious and costly ver 9. resembled to the gold of Ophir Curious and costly compared to the needle-worke of a skilfull embroyderer ver 14. This garment ravishing the heart of Christ Iesus Cant. 4. 9. the smell of these ointments farre surpassing the savour of all spices ver 10. and the smell of this garment being like that of Lebanon ver 11. 4. Parents correct their children for their amendment 4. Correct So the Lord chasteneth his Saints Heb. 12. 7. yet in love verse 6. more tenderly then the fathers of our flesh ver 9. and more profitably they many times for their pleasure he to make us partaker of his holinesse ver 10. to prevent sinne 2 Cor. 12. to renne decaying grace Hos 5. 15. to weane from the world and to trie our graces yea and with such fatherly compassion that he is grieved as it were when he smiles Oh Ierusalem c. Oh that there had been such an heart in my people c. 5. Parents provide inheritance for children The Lords 5. Inheritance provident care in t is is imparaleld For were it possible for a father to bequeath to his child Europe Asia Affricke the incognitameta and Antarticks portion Could he leave him the full fruition of all the populous cities fertile countries earthly paradises golden mines yea all the wealth within the circle of
nil cupiat Quis pauper avarus Bias 48. Avaro quid mali optes insi ut diu vivat pub 54. Inopiae parva desunt avaritiae omnia Idem 70. Avarus ipse miseriae causa est suae 53. is poore the covetous man The covetous man himselfe is cause of his owne miserie small things are wanting to poverty all things to covetousnesse accusing God of injustice and want of providence which is against nature christianity and salvation making man injurious to God his neighbour himselfe and substance but onely from his unsatiable desire which like the leane kine ever hungred like the vast ocean receiving all waters yet never full like the earth the horse-leach barren wombe and hell never satisfied surely from want of contentment 4. In a word is not want of contentation it which occasioneth our apish fantastique fashion followers so often to metamorphise themselves sometimes being men sometimes onely like men It is therefore seasonable at all times befitting all estates and profitable for all persons to learne in all estates therewith to be content Saint Paul had well learned this lesson Acts 20. 23. Phil. 4. 11. and perswadeth all Gods people to learne the same Heb. 13. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 6. 8. And if we well consider we shall finde convenient and fitting for us to be content with our fathers allowance Contentation is when the mind of man is pleased with such things as God hath thought fit and meete for a man so that he is ready to undergoe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more hard and meane estate if God will ever judging his present condition best for him Reason 1 For without contentation of mind if a man hath never so much he hath gained nothing A man can find no gaine no not in godlinesse if it were possible to have godlinesse without contentment without contentment 1. Tim. 6. 6. The Saints those holy ones of God which are to us as glorious lights to conduct us in the holy way whom we ought to follow as they followed Christ were content with and thankfull for food and rayment O happie ones who preferred your soules before your bodies heaven before earth and were so content with necessaries yea ofttimes to wander in sheepskins and goateskins being destitute and afflicted We commend and admire Abraham leaving his country Moses forsaking an earthly paradise Iob Paul and such and shall wee not imitate them as in other graces so in this It is meete for us to be content with any estate Because whatsoever our estate is it is better then we deserve Have we food and rayment we deserve not so much Have wee not food to eat and cloathes to put on we deserve more woe misery and calamity 2. Be our estate what it will it is as good as we brought into this world for how came we hither Naked weeping poore and shiftlesse Why did God make man the principall creature of the world to be so borne whereas other creatures can make some shift for themselves but onely to teach us contentednesse All we have we found in the world Have we food wee brought none Have we cloathing we came naked Have we any comfort we came weeping Have we any waies to helpe our selves we came shiftlesse be we therefore content 3. And wee have more then we can carry away Iob 1. 21. naked shall I returne M Knols Turk Hist 1. Tim. 6. 7. we shall carry nothing away Saladine Conquerour of the East of all the greatnesse and riches he had in his life carried not with him after his death any thing more then his shirt said a Priest at his appointment it being all the funerall pompe he would have being dead 1. This contentation doth no whit impeach honest labour and industry in a sanctified calling The same God who commands contentmēt enjoyning us to labour in some lawfull calling sc such as is founded upon Gods Word profitable to mankind for soule or body this life or that to come 2. Thess 3. 10. Adam must get his bread c. Gen. 3. 19. 2. This doth not forbid us to pray unto God for temporall things for although we must be content if we have not bread yet may we lawfully pray for terrestriall supplements 1. We being commanded to pray for daily bread 2. We having a gracious promise to incourage us Mat. 7. 11. 3. And Saints examples warranting us Gen. 28. 20. Prov. 30. 7. 4. God being hereby glorified we acknowledging the receipt of temporall things yea every pittance and morsell of bread to come from him 5. And these being so necessarie that without them we cannot live sc 1. This prayer being in faith assuring us we are Gods children and that we have right to them in Christ 2 Not with an immoderate care but to sustaine present necessities 3. Not simply but conditionally praying for them so farre forth as they tend to Gods glory the good of his Church and our owne salvatin 4. Not to that end we might be rich but to enjoy necessaries not that which corrupted nature thinkes necessarie for had it millions of gold it would thinke more necessarie but necessaries truely in regard of nature and a mans particular calling 3. This condemneth not godly providence for time to come A wise provident foreseeing consideration being allowed by the practise of Ioseph Gen. 41. 48 and the Apostles Acts 11. 29. By Gods precept Prov. 6. 6. And by the end of Gods guifts Deut. 8. 18. God gives providence for its proper and peculiar end We are forbidden to care for to morrow sc with carking care distrusting Gods providence And wee are allowed to lay up sc if without covetousnesse made onely in reverence to Gods gifts to lawfull ends not trusting in any store not robbing our selves or others 4. This doth nothing priviledge our idle wandering beggars although they say they are content and that they sleepe as contentedly as we in our beds This kind of living 1. Being a disorder in a common-wealth that being hereby robbed of the labours of many able bodies 2. A shame to Magistracy not redressing it 3. A disgrace to rich men proclaiming them irreligious and unmercifull St. Iames telling us that pure Religion is to visit c. Not to be visited c. Iames 1. 25. 4. And forbidden by God But this condemneth such who are discontent with Gods allowance and commands us all walking honestly in our lawfull callings tobe content with whatsoever God in his wisdome shall give unto us Which that we may be let us consider Mot. 1 That all we have comes from God Iob 1. 21. He gives he takes What we have are meere gratuities onely at the will of our Father He gives food to all flesh Psal 136. 25. He gives meate in due season Psal 145. 16. Have we much It is Gods gift Little or nothing It is his goind and shall we be discontent with God Shall our children be content with what we give them and not we
For truly our fellowship is with the father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ CHAP. II. Doct. 3. Saints have fellowship with the Father Doct. 3 AS the Saints have fellowship one with another so have they also communion with the Lord of glory or with the father our fellowship with the Father Ioh. 14. 23. We will make our abode with him 1 Cor. 14. 25. That God is in you 1 Ioh 4. 12. 13. If we God dwelleth in us we dwell in him and he in us ver 16. dwelleth in God and God in him Reason 1 Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties and bonds of society have fellowship with the Lord of glory or the Father But all the Saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the nearest and most intimate ties of society Therefore The latter proposition I make evident thus Those who are link'd unto the Lord in the ties of servants which are the greatest favourites of friends who are best beloved are link'd to the Lord in the most intimate ties of society But al the saints of God are link'd unto the Lord in the tie of 1. Servants which are the greatest favourites The Lord is pleased to grace them with this title of being his servants Isa 44. 1 2. Iacob my servant Iob 1. 8 my servant Iob Num. 12. 7. my servant Moses is not so Let none object and say Is it any honour to be a servant for it 's a title of the greatest dignity to be stiled Gods servant Or if so is there sociall communion betwixt Master and Servant For there is intimate society betwixt Masters and beloved favourites though servants Witnesse the sociable association of Ionathan and David 1. Sam. 20. yet was David his servant ver 7 8. Witnesse the friendly fellowship twixt David and Hushai â— Sam. 15. 37. 16 17. yet was he his servant 15. â—4 16. 19. and Witnesse these servants of God who are his greatest favorites Exod. 4. 23. Let my sonne goe that he may serve mee yea so deare and tender in his sight are they that he would not have the least hurt or violence offered to them Psal 105. 15. touch not mine annointed esteeming them his speciall treasure iewels Mal. 3. 17. and the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. 2. Friends Isa 47. 8. the seed of Abraham my friend 2. Chron. 20. 7. and gav'st it to the seed of Abraham thy friend Cant. 5. 1. Eate O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved Iam 2. 23. called the friend of God Can any fellowship be more firmely cemented or intimately indeerd then that of Viservet animae dunidium meae lib. 1 Odâ— 3. friends surely no. The Poet Horace wishing a prosperous journey for his friend Virgill calleth him halfe his soule Saint Augustine bewailing the death of his friend Hebridius saith he thought his soule and the soule of his friend had bene 〈◊〉 ego sensi ani 〈◊〉 â—â— animam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in daâ—buâ— corporibâ—â— c. lib. 4. Cons cap. 6. but one For I thought that my soule and the soule of my friend had beene but one soule in two bodies he therefore being dead life was dreadfull to me because I desired to live no longer yet therefore I feared to die least he should wholly die And the sacred Scripture affirmeth that a friend is as a mans owne soule Deut. 13. 6. that he loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. and stickes closer then a brother Prov. 18 24. If all the love of Pylades and Orestes Damon and Pythias Pyramus and Thisbe Scipio and Lelius and of all other renowned heathen friends unheard of or recorded If the most melting affectionatenesâ—e of Ionathan and David David and Hushai Augustine and Hebriaius and all other the dearest friends prophane and pious could possibly inhabit within any two created beings yet might there not be so much as any comparison betwixt such an imagined friendship and this reall of Gods to his Saints For for these his friends sakes it is that there is a continued course of summer winter that the world enioyes the comfortable aspect of all his excellent creatures that the world is not wholy consumed in the twinckling of an eye 2. Cor. 10 6. yea for them he gave his owne Sonne to suffer a shamefull death to them he gives his sanctifying Spirit and for them he reserves an everlasting crowne of glory Reason 2 He who takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints hath fellowship with them But the Lord of heaven and earth takes that as done to himselfe which is done to the Saints Witnesse that sweet straine in the heavenly hymne of Moses the man of God Deut. 32. 10. He kept him as the apple of his eye Witnesse that faithfull petition of Israels sweet singer Psal 17. 8. Keepe me as the apple of thine eye Witnesse the Prophets reason of Gods heavy judgement upon the nations which spoiled his Church Zach. 2. 8. For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Witnesse that consolatory saying of our Saviour Math. 10. 40. He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Witnesse that heavenly speech of Christ Iesus to that enraged persecutor of Gods people Why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. And witnesse that irreversible and irrevocable sentence of the most upright Iudge of men and Angels at the last and dreadfull day of judgement Math. 25. 40. 45. You did it to me You did it not to me Therefore they have fellowship c. 3. Those who are joyned to the Lord with an undissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken have fellowship with God But the Saints are joyned to the Lord with an indissoluble bond of an everlasting love which can never be broken Ieremiah 31. 3. I have loved thee with an euerlasting love hence is it that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them Math. 16. 18. So he loveth them that nothing can separate them from the love of God Rom. 8. 39. So that they are sealed with the Spirit of God unto the day of redemption Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30 So that he hath purposed with an unchangeable decree to have them saved 4. Those who dwell each in other have fellowshippe one with another But the Lord of heaven and earth and the Saints dwell each in other 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 13. 15. 16. 1 Ioh. 3. 24. Ioh. 14. 23. CHAP. III. Vse 1. Comforting the Saints from this fellowship Vse 1 THis inestimable transcendent consociation affoordeth copious matter of consolation to every true-hearted Nathaniel 1. Against Bellarmines unsound and uncomfortable doctrine Consol â— Tom. 4. de ustificat lib 3. cap. 14. pag. 897. c. of finall and totall falling from grace the love and favour of God It 's possible I know for these goodfellowes to fall in part and for a time from some graces some measure of grace
66. last Then we and all they shall see they were but in a fooles paradise and a deluding dreame 4. No peace No not with Gods creatures base or glorious these being ready prest to harme and hurt them if the Lord command or permit God being against them who can have peace with them Rom. 8. 31. 5. No peace Much lesse with the Lord For as Iehâ— could have no peace with Ioram so long as the whoredomes c. 2 Reg. 9. 22. What peace can they have with God so long as their impieties are so many As out of this society there is no peace so in this there is perfect peace Isa 26. 3. Peace they have with Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 1. With glorious Angels these being their guard with good men Marc. 9. 50. Yea oft with enemies Prov. 16. 7. With heaven earth creatures crosses and their owne consciences What though they have afflictions in the world yet have they peace in Christ Ioh. 16. 33. And be it they not onely have trouble without but temptations within yet are they free from the force power and poyson of them which workes damnation in the wicked These things being so me thinkes all of you should use your best and utmost endeavours to have part and interest in this goodfellowship it being of all societies the sweetest surest most glorious most rich most joyfull and peacefull so that we may say of this as the Psalmist doth of the City of God Psal 8â— 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O blessed society Yea such glorious wealth beauty victories prophesies presence promises and performances that being advisedly apprehended are of force to instigate and induce each soule enlivened by the Spirit of Grace to applaud with an holy admiration Psal 84. 1. this blissefull association and say How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord Christ Iesus To desire with earnest ardency wish for with unsatiable longings and say Psal 84. 2. My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God and with the same sweet singing Psalmist magnifie the sumptuous magnificence of this assembly saying Blessed are they that dwell in this house Verse 4. One day in these courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a doorekeeper in this society then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Ver. 10. CHAP. V. Vse 4. Of Consolation to such who have fellowship with Christ. ALL you who are stubborne refractary and inexorable bedlam Belials who will not have this man raigne Vse 4. Consolation over you who will not be inoculated and inserted into this society of such ineffable glory unspeakable beauty and other inestimable transcendent excellencies stand by behold and view with admiration the glory and magnificence of this society and as Titus when he had seene the remainder of the Sanctum Sanctorum said Now I well perceive that this is none other then the house of God and the dwelling of the God of heaven Neither was it for nought that the Iewes stood so earnestly in the defence thereof For great is the glory of this Temple So when you have seene the splendent glory and transcendent beatitudes of this unparalel'd society do you speake out and say we well perceive that this connexion is no other then the communion with God the dwelling of the God of heaven neither is it for nought that such precise practising Protestants stand so earnestly in defence of it for great is the glory of this conjunction But do not presume to meddle with or lay hold upon it so as to apply it to your selves so long as you proceed in your exorbitant disorders This holy thing is not to be given to dogs these pearles are not to be cast before swine neither must any Cananite enter into this fellowship with the Lord Iesus But all you who already are annexed to and you who desire with unchangeable longings and laborious endeavours to conglutinate your selves to the Lord Iesus draw neare with attentive harkening That I may edge and keene your obtuse and blunt endeavours to cleave more closely to and pursue more eagerly this desireable society that I may hearten and incourage you against the many oppositions you are to encounter with in this your warring pilgrimage that I may make gladsome your soules and spirits I have words of comfort and consolation to speake unto you We have fellowship with Gods Sonne Iesus Christ and he is Wonderfull to save us Counsellour to advise us Mighty God to deliver us Everlasting Father to care and provide for us A Prince of peace to quiet our consciences and Governour for our defence Isa 9. 6. 1. Be it you are infirme and weake yet have you fellowship with Iesus Christ such a Child which will make you strong 2. Be it you are servants yet have you fellowship with Iesus Christ a Sonne to make and keepe you free 1. Are you confounded in conscience beholding the grim and ghastly lookes of your many bloudy and crimson sinnes formerly acted or intended Consolate your selves with this you have fellowship with him who is wonderfull to quiet all 2. Are you at your wits end being void of counsell Behold how you have fellowship with Christ Iesus a present Counsellour to advise and direct you 3. Are you feeble yea ready to despaire in regard of your inability and lack of strength to withstand the fierie darts and fierce assaults of Sathan that authour of evill to undergo the many great and grievous pressures of disgracefull ignominious reproches slaunderous calumniations and other malicious usages you meet with in this world animate your drooping and dismaid spirits with this you have fellowship with Christ a Mighty God so that you shal be able to do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you 4. Are you fearefull of death that dismall parter of soules and bodies Comfort your selves with this you have fellowship with Christ an everlasting Father who hath provided so graciously for you that your death is not a perishing but a parting for a time yea such that although there be a painefull parting betweene your soules and bodies yet there shal be a most gladsome and joyfull meeting 5. Are you afraid of Gods judgements Behold your fellowship with Gods Sonne the Prince of peace 6. Are you dismaid with any evill Consider how you have fellowship with him who is Governour of all for your defence Feare not therefore What Not God not his judgements not man not sinne I say not so 1. Gods judgements and threatnings are to be feared 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord such who feared Gods judgements were comforted Isa 66. 5. Yea the very Aegyptians who feared the threats escaped them Exod. 9. 20. They are to be feared therefore although not so as to think to be overwhelmed by them or that God doth not love us 2. Man is to be feared although not simply for himselfe
and goodnesse as lovely in one as in another Doubtlesse it is and therefore if I love any one because he is is indued with saving grace because he is the child of God because he is a member of Christ I cannot but love all who are indued with saving grace c. Can there be any thing vpon earth more amiable then those of this assembly 1. If birth may allure who more noble Gods Sons Christs Spouse a heavenly of-spring 2. If vertue who more wise then these who are wise unto salvation who more couragious then these that overcome the world mortifie the flesh and quell the fierie darts of Sathan 3. If alliance who more neerely allyed then children of the same parents 4. If beauty who more amiable Insomuch that although the glorious sunne euer shining with such radiant splendour although the pompe and glory of the whole world could not allure the Sonne of God yet the inward beauty of the Saints Christs Spouse doth strike as it were his heart with a vehement affection passion of love Cant. 4. 9. Thou art faire c. 1. 14. all glorious within Psal 45. 13. Love therefore all those of this fraternity Ob. An. 1 Be it that they are of another nation yet all are one in Christ Be it they are poore ignoble and thou honourable God loves them not the lesse for their basenesse But he hath beene vngratefull to me Thou also hast bene more unthankfull to God and yet thou wouldst have him love thee But he hath many frailties So hast thou and yet thou lovest thy selfe and desirest the love of the Saints These proceed not from the spirit but the flesh Canst thou beare with faults in thy selfe beare with some in thy brother Let not hatred of his sinne hinder thy love to him hate the sinne yet love thy brother God hateth thy sinnes yet loveth thee But he is mine enemy then endeavour to make him thy friend Vice is taken away by vertue hatred by love Love But how Indeed and in truth 1. Ioh. 3. 18. Without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. So as to lay downe our lives for the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. Thus renowned Hester 4. 16. If I perish c. Thus a Bishop answered a judge commanding him Firmus Pagastensis episcopus Mentiri nesâ—â—â— prodere nolo Aug. de mend pag 19. Au bros de virgin lib. 2. p. 81 82. to disclose his fellow Christians I know not how to lie I will not betray Thus Didymus to save the chastity of Theodora condemned to the stewes changed apparell safely dismissed her died for her and with her And greater cause have we thus to doe then had Pylades for Orestes or those Pythagorean Philosophers Damon and Pythias CHAP. V. Vse 3. Saints must relieve others Vse 3 WEe having fellowship each with other ought to See M. Boulton walking with God pag. 257. c. communicate such gifts and graces God hath given us to the benefiting one of another In a body all members have not the same vigour neither are the same gifts granted to all in the mysticall body Bodily members intrude not into each others office neither in the mysticall body should they thrust themselues into one anothers calling All the members of the body doe whatsoever they doe to the common good or profit So likewise should Christians referre all their actions to the utilitie of the whole body 1. The Church We should therfore relieve one another as members of the same body This duty is so perspicuous that it needs no large discourse to procure credence for not onely diverse undeniable confirmations which might be drawne from Gods sacred truth and many unanswerable reasons declare its necessity but even experience the mistresse of more wisedome then folly teacheth us that stones in a building support each other That branches of a tree doe so draw nourishment from the stocke that each hath sufficient sappe and proportionable to its necessity That members of our bodies are not onely carefull of themselves but of their fellowes Insomuch that the eye is busie to adorne the body yet not it selfe the hands to cover the whole themselves remaining naked That faithfull friends are in prosperitie a pleasure a solace in adversitie and in griefe a comfort yea such who account a mans mishap their misery the pricking of our finger the piercing of their heart And this Doctrine I have now in hand doth tell us that all comforts of this goodfellowship are stones of the same building then which there cannot be a more firme connexion Branches of the same vine then which there cannot be a more inherent inoculation Members of the same body in the which there is a most sweet concordance Are all in an inviolable league of friendship in which fellowship there ought to be no falshood where simpathy of manners should make conjunction of minds and therfore those of this consociation cannot but relieve the distresses each of other Instead therefore of proving the point which is undeniable let me perswade you to practise the duty so tragicall to many men To this end consider that 1. by relieving our fellow-members we become creditours to the worlds Creatour Prov. 19. 17. 2. By succouring Gods Saints we take the way to enrich our selues Prov. 11. 25. 3. And we do a worke acceptable to God Heb. 13. 16. 4. Which shall be rewarded Eccl. 12. 1. Psal 41. 1. Mat. 25. 35. If we come short in this duty God will not heare us Prov. 21. 13. Dives could not get a drop of cold water to coole his tongue 6. The poore Saints haue right to our substance We say not give me my bread but give us our dayly bread And therefore one of the Fathers Famelici panis est quem tu tenes nudi tunica quem in conclavi conservas discalceati calceus qui apud te marcescit indigentis argentum quod possidemus inhumatum Eslote vos divites primi in conferendo qui estu primi in discernendo estote primi in larguate rerum Salv. lib. 5. pag. 153. saith It is the starvelings bread which thou dost keepe back it is the garment of the naked which thou lockest up it is the shooe of the unshod which corrupts by thee it is the mony of the needy which we possesse unburied with us Give therefore 1. But who should give All of this society Be you rich men saith holy Salvian first in giving who are the chiefe in judging be you the chiefe in bountifulnesse of substance which are chiefe in liberalitie of words You who have this worlds good 2 Tim. 6. 17. For you are best able David sent therefore to Nabal for succour Lazarus lay at the rich mans gate 2. You have received most from the boundlesse sea of Gods mercy and therefore by distributing to the poore you must send backe most againe Eccl. 1. 7. Be not you therefore like those rich usurers Neh. 5. Nor those rich oppressours Iam. 2. 6. most cruell
creature Instance we in what we can Be it for proportion ilfavoured beyond all imagination be it more pestiferous then the eye-slaying Basilisk and hideous Gorgon Let it have all the concurring ingredients of misery and contempt being the subject of extreame wretchednesse and an object of hatred to men and other creatures Yet man not beloved of God is beyond all comparison more wretched death being a period to its calamities and an entrance to the others unsufferable and never ending torments But let a man be beloved of God although he be table talke for hypocriticall mockers at feasts a by-word to men vilâ—r then the earth the drunkards song and trampled under foot by every stigmaticall varlâ—t yet is he as honourable as an heire of heaven a member of Christ and a child of God Do we then as we do if we are in our right wits desire God to love us and shall not we love him againe Reason therefore thus with thy selfe O man Are there so many profitable advantages accomâ—dating true love to God and shall I neglect them Hath true love to God such beneficiall effects and wilt thou despise them The want thereof such dangerous execrations and wilt thou incurre them Is love to God that great and first commandement and wilt thou transgresse it Dost thou thinke to have the love of God without which thou art most miserable and thou not loving him Is it fit for children not to love their father No no if other men will hate yet I am resolved henceforth to love God Yea and expresse the same by hating what is evill Obedience to Gods commandements A conscionable discharge of the duties of my calling Conformity to God Not loving the world Entirely loving the Saints Often thinking on God as my chiefest treasure And loving the comming of Christ to judgement CHAP. III. Duty 2. Saints must shunne sinne IS God our Father Then ought we to consider advisedly Duty 2. of our noble parentage and with all circumspect consideration take heed we disgrace it not nor distaine our Fathers houshold And imploy our endeavours to the utmost to honour and glorifie our Father and grace his faithfull family by our vertuous conversations It is not seemly for a Kings son to defile himselfe with contaminating dung and such like sordid filth it 's not for them to consort with fellowes of base inordinate and immorigerous ranks How much more unfit is it for Gods sonnes children to a King truly really whose kingdome is of such large extension that heaven hell earth and all places are within his royall government and of such commanding power that all created beings whether ruling Kings or potent Emperours whether Coelestiall Angels or infernall Divels stand his subjects to do him homage and that not for a moment or some small time of continuance but through all eternity to pollute themselves with sinne and impiety more loathsome then any thing whatsoever e. g. Be it that a man from top to toe is soyled with the most noysome excrements that are imaginable to be upon the face of the earth yet with a small quantity of water and a little industry of man it 's easy to have him cleansed Suppose a man to be as it were clad with boyles and botches from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head yet it is possible that good diet wholsome ayre the helpe of skilfull Phisitians should restore him to perfect sanity But all the water in Abana Parphar Iordan nor the whole Oâ—ean is of force to wash off nor the most excellent diet wholsome ayre drugges and pearles of price hornes of Vâ—icornes stones of Bezar ordered by the exactest skill of men and Angels is availeable to purge away sinne It is onely the bloud of Christ which cleanseth from sin 1 Ioh. 1. 7. What made those forâ—orne Apostate fiends of glorious Angels to become damned Divels detested of God Angels and men Sure I am not their Creation it being excellent but their depravation their sinne Whence is it that the Lord doth hate his owne Ordinances New Moones Sabbaths and prayers Isa 1. 15 What occasioneth the Lord to turne a fruitfull land into barrennesâ—e save the iniquity of those that dwell therein Psal 107. 37. Why did the Lord drowne the whole world with an overflowing deluge overturne those pleasant and fertile cities even as the Garden of God Gen. 13. 10. with fire and brimstone save onely because of their sinnes By which particulars it is most perspicuous that nothing whatsoever so filthily polluteth as sinne and therefore such persons whose father is the great King ought not to pollute themselves therewith What els meane those Scriptures 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity 1 Ioh. 3. 8. He who commits sinne is of the Divell Ver. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not And againe Hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God 1 Ioh. 2. 1. These things have I written that you sinne not 1. Mistake me not I pray I intend not the least allowance of Donatists Pelagians Catharists and Familists who glory of perfect purity yea to be as pure as Christ in heaven of freedome from all sinne the Scriptures telling me that in many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. I seeing the Publican whose prayer was accepted saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Luke 18. 13. Saint Paul complaining to be of sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. 1. 15. And our Saviours owne Apostles commanded to pray forgive us our trespasses not for modesty sake as Pellagians affirme but of consciousnesse of humane frâ—ilty as saith Saint Hierome He who commanded to sinne no more Ioh. 5. 14. Commanded also to pray daily for forgivenesse He who said whosoever is borne of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. â— 6. Said also If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth iâ— not in us 1 Ioh. 1. 8. We make God a lyar and his word is not in us verse 10. Although we know God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9. 31. Yet we know also that Christ came to call sinners to repentance The same God who directed Balaams tongue to say God hath beheld no iniquity in Iacob nor seene perversenesse in Israel Num. 23. 21. Directed the tongâ—e of Moyses the man of God to say Thou settest our sins before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance Psal â—0 8. What then is there contradiction in the Scripture No such matter both the one and the other are the undeniable sacred truths of God God seeth no sinne in his people sc with a revenging eye as to condemne his people for their sinnes That mandate sinne no more is a comparative speech whereby the cured is exhorted to strive that his sinnes be not such nor so many as they had beene but that their force might be weakned their number lessened and occasions avoided God heareth not sinners i. such who make a trade of sinning suffering
impieties Dissw 1 would abandon those blasphemous benedictions considering that God is the only and chiefe good goodnesse it selfe the author of all good from whom nothing but good And as for evill he doth prohibit the doing detests the act and punisheth the agent which he would not do was it his owne worke That God is wisedome sin is folly How can wisedome produce folly God is justice sinne injustice How can justice produce injustice God is mercy sinne is misery whose beginning is dolefull continuance toilesome and end shamefull and therefore that God cannot be the cause or author of their sinnes 3. By speaking reverently of his divine attributes as justice mercy wisdome c. That mighty Lord on whose hand the King of Israel leaned dishonoured the Lord in doubting of or questioning the pleÌ„ty promised 2 king 7. 2. So Moses by shortning the Lords hand Num. 11. 21 22 23. diverse do no lesse daily complaining of their ill lucke bad fortune I wil for this time summarily and succinctly give a tast only in two justice and mercy For the first we honour the Lord declaring him to be as indeed he is most just and that 1. Simply and absolutely 1. Iustice as hee is of himselfe infinitely and perfectly righteous in himselfe and of himselfe 2. Respectively and relatively in regard of his office he being the most righteous judge of men and angels For 1. Knowledge and understanding of things and persons to be judged 2. Care of equity 3. Rightfull authority to determine and decide 4. Power and ability to punish offendours and free the harmelesse innocent which are in God infinitely and transcendently Abus 1 Surcease therfore O you sonnes of men to taxe God of injustice either Because he punisheth finite sinnes with infinite punishments for what though sinne as it is a transient action is finite and temporary yet in regard of the object against whom it is committed of the subject wherein it is resident mind of the sinner and law whereof it is a breach it is infinite Or because he loved Iacob and hated Esau before they had done good or euill Who art thou that darest reply against God Hath the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell to honour another to dishonour and hath not God May he not do with his owne what he will Rom. 9. 20. 21. Or thirdly by your overbold and saucy presumptiousnesse in sinning sealing to your soules a generall acquitt all from all those unutterable insufferable tortures the just judge of heaven and earth hath threatned against impenitents because he is mercifull so wholy dispoyling that glorious majesty of this divine attribute Iustice A good divine saith thus let fond presumption M. Yates I 〈◊〉 Caâ—â—r hope for parden without payment disjoyne mercy and justice in him to whom both are alike essentiall and say although I go on in sinne yet God is abundantly mercifull go on presume and perish Mercy 2 For the second we honour our heavenly father when wee rightly ascribe mercy to him The Lord is most mercifull his mercy being of such large and endlesse extent that in regard of continuance it doth equalize eternity Psal 103. 17. In regard of reach and compasse it extends it selfe to the highest hills clouds and heavenly habitations Psal 36. 5. to all persons yea created beings yet restraining it selfe in respect of spirituall and celestiall benefits to such as carefully observe the commandements of God Deut. 7. 9. Truely and intirely love him Ibid. Confesse their sinnes and forsake them Prov. 28. 13. And turne from their transgressions le 18. 8. To God Ier. 3. 12. Two sorts of people therefore as much as in them lies robbe our heavenly father of his due honour namely such Abus 1 1. Who make him lesse mercifull then he is and that 1. By rushing headlong upon that dreadfull rocke of desperation falsifying Gods promises Cayn-like crying out their sinnes are greater then can be pardoned Whereas could they but repent truly and savingly their most deepe died scarlet-like sinnes should be blotted out of Gods remembrance 2. By comparing Gods unparaleld mercy with mortall mans The Lords being everlasting constant free and rich Mens being momentany mutable mercenary and poore 3. By an overweening conceipt of their owne worth promising to themselves undeniably those blissefull joyes for their merits sake deeming their owne worthfull actions to be sufficient to purchase that matchlesse crowne of glory if not superabundant and superrogatory Secondly who make him more mercifull then he is casting the innumbred swarmes of intollerable prodigious oathes beastly drunkennesses and other their obstinate hellish enormities upon the mercy of God as if it was a common packhorse whereon to unload their willfull and unsupportable evils causing the creatures to groane and the earth to mourne and reele to and fro tottering and staggering like a drunken man little considering that as he is mercifull so is he just and those who will sinne because God is mercifull shall surely be plagued because he is just By speaking reverently of the unspeakeable workes of God both Immanent in himselfe acknowledging with the Apostle the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God and that his judgements are unsearchable and his waies past finding out and Transeunt as his wonderfull workes of creation redemption and particular workes of mercy Exod. 15. and justice 1. Sam. 3. 18. Iob 1. 21. Let these short instances in few words now suffice We honour the Lord by talking of the works of Creation after this or the like manner Who created The Lord of hostes What he made All that is made How he did it With his Word To what end His honour and glory And heere I cannot omit to reprove a most vile although vsuall kind of dishonouring the Lord in laughing to scorne persons in body deformed or in minde defective The renowned maker of the world and not the workemanship being in my shallow apprehension derided Suppose a man for instance comming into the workhouse of some skilfull artist and there beholding some piece of worke lesse curiously wrought then other should therewith sport himselfe with scoffing derision wee could not but conclude That the artificer and not the artifice is reproached Secondly we may honour the Lord by speaking reverently of the worke of the worlds redemption it declaring Who redeemed The ever blessed Sonne of God From what The curse of the Law the wrath to come the divell the hands of our enemies Wherewith His owne pretious bloud Whom his pasture sheepe And why his owne honour and glory We may honour God with our tongues by the right vse of an oath sc The person rightly qualifyed having a warrantable calling thereunto the matter being true just and of great importance the manner time and causes rightly obserued Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. For hereby we make the Lord a witnesse judge and revenger Two sorts of people I
desire to advise deserving greatly to be taxed concerning this particular they greatly dishonouring the Lord about an oath Abus 1 1. Fantasticall anabaâ—tisticall dreamers who condemne all swearing as unlawfull and would you thinke why Mat. 5. 34. Ob. 1 Sweare not at all saith our Saviour Cons 1 A weake ground for their worthlesse tenet Scripture is never repugnant to it selfe there being a most mellodious harmony and sweete concordance in all those sacred lines But other Scriptures warrant a rightfull swearing 1 by precept 2 examples of the Lord himselfe his annointed one the glorious angels and blessed Saints 3 and by a necessary vse thereof Heb. 6. 16. An end of all strife And Christ Iesus in that forenamed place gives not a new law but onely sheweth the meaning of the old His intent is not to overthrow but to rectifie the law being shamefully corrupted by those false pharisaicall glosing glossers Our Saviour onely qualifies but condemneth not an oath He debars not from a necessary confirmation of truth by an oath but onely corrects the evill custome and vse of swearing which was such that they thought it a matter of no moment to sweare in familiar talke by heaven head earth c. Abus 2 Secondly all wicked swearers who dishonour God by swearing 1. Falsely they affirming by oath that they know or thinke to be false These perjur'd persons as they maintaine lyes call God to witnesse them and pray for a curse upon themselves so they shall certainely smart for it as you may clearely see Zach. 5. 3. Mal. 3. 5. 2. Or pestiferously binding themselves by oath to doe mischiefe like cursed Iesabel 1 Kings 19. 2. Cruell Herod Mark 6. 23 26 27. And those bloudy Iewes Acts 23. 12 13. 3. Or superstitiously swearing by that which is not God Ier. 5. 7. 12. 16. Amos 8. 14. Math. 5. 35. 36. 23. 20 21 22 Or by the Lord and some thing els Zeph. 1. 5. Dissw 1 I earnestly desire you all hereafter to forbeare swearing by creatures as by bread drinke light faith or such like Considering 1. That God himselfe is hereby dishonoured He requiring this duty to be given to him alone 2. Man hereby dishonoureth himselfe making the creature being worse then himselfe his better an oath is taken of the better Heb. 6. 16. 3. I cannot see but swearing by the rood masse c. is forbidden where swearing by Malcham And the sinne of Iurare per creaturas est illicitum Origen lib. ult contra Celsum fol 239. 6. Quidam ex secta Pythagorea maluit tria talenta perdere quam jurare Idem Hom. 24. Fol. 58. Jurantes per creaturam ideò peccare dicuntur quia ignorato aut neglecto opifice religionem operibus creaturu impertiuntur Hilar. Can 4 in Math. fol 76. 6. Samaria is prohibited because the former are as the latter were idols and that Math. 5. 34 35 36. Forbidding to sweare by heaven earth Ierusalem c. Forbiddeth also in my conceipt swearing by light bread silver drinke faith and such like these being but creatures aswell as those 4. Great is also the perill of such like swearing the Lord saith such forsake him Ier. 5. 7. threatneth not to spare ibid. to overthrow them Ier. 12. 16 17. And condemnation Iam. 5. 12. 4. Or fourthly by swearing causelesly or rashly in their ordinary communication deeming it a matter of manhood to tosse and tumble in their blasphemous mouths the sacred Name of the Lord of glory Or if they abstaine from such a height of prodigious villany conceipt themselves that a now and then intermingling of oaths of a lesser ranke to be a garnishing Rhetoricall flower to adorne and beautifie their communication Say not O my brethren Ob. An. 1 It is truth which you confirme by oath For neither may we sweare to the truth but when we have a calling thereunto Neither may we confirme all truths by oath For when then must we use yea yea nay nay And usuall swearing to truths is a ready way to sweare falsely Say not it is your infirmity For swearing is a presumptuous sinne proceeding from evill Mat. 5. 37. 1. From an evill heart or evill continued custome or that evill one Say not you are urged so to doe For sure I am neither God nor grace nor godly men do compell any to wicked swearing The drunkard is urged to his more then bruitish evill by his cursed appetite and ungodly pot-mates yet is his sin damnable The filthy adulterer is urged by his hellish lusts to commit villany yet is he inexcusable So be it that the swearer is urged yet it is by the Divell whom he should resist his wicked heart which he should maister and ungodly associates whom he ought to avoid Say not you cannot bee credited except you bind your sayings by oath For whether is it better that you should be discredited or God dishonoured 2. Are you not ashamed so to live that you cannot be credited without swearing 3. Do you not know that this is a ready way to make you never credited Will not wise men thinke you reason thus He who makes no conscience of swearing makes none of lying But such men make no conscience of swearing therefore none of lying But rather reason thus with your selves and say Do evill words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33 Dissw 1 Then surely needlesse oaths for they are evill Cannot many words be without sinne Proverbes 10. 19. Certainely many oathes much lesse Must we give account for idle words Math. 12. 36. Much more for idle oaths Are idle oaths Symptomes Christ being Iudge Math. 5. 37. of an evill heart and a wicked custome Doe such according to Saint Iames 5. 12. endanger a mans salvation Doth our blessed Saviour the best expounder of his Fathers will the sole Saviour of all Gods Elect people precisely prohibite all additions of contestation protestation or execration in our ordinary communications and enjoyne us strictly to have our communication yea yea nay nay Doth that Divine Pen-man of the Holy Ghost Saint Iames the servant of the Lord Iames 5. 12. Peremptorily enjoyne us neither to sweare by heaven c. Nor by any other oth but to have our communication yea and nay least we fall into condemnation and shall we presume to sweare idly or unnecessarily We will not do it 3. Lastly we are to honour our Father by beautifying our Religion with a godly life and upright conversation Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that c. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Having your conversation c. And the contrary is a dishonouring of the Lord as it 's evidently apparent in that foule and filthy fact of David 2 Sam. 12. 14. The carriage of the Iewes Ezek. 36. 22. And of those prophane Preachers Rom. 2. 23 24. That we may thus honour the Lord we must conscionably decline from all evill and endeavour with our utmost abilities to practice what is good What though many prophane
persons pacifie their guilty consciences justly galled for their wretched and irreligious actions like those wicked justiciaries Math. 7. 23. Who perswaded themselves but they were deceived being rejected for their workes of iniquity Verse 23. that by their prophecyings and such other good duties they should make amends for their foule enormities and procure for themselves an easie passage into the blissefull possession of the Lord of glory What and if diverse others deeme themselves and are so esteem'd by their neighbours the onely men under the Sunne because they do no hurt which alas is a poore commendation for a Christian man Yet happy would it be with our Kingdome if all Christians might be said justly to do no hurt for then it would be empty of all cut-throat usurers mercilesse depopulatours and an innumbred swarme of such like devourers for was this a sufficient commendation Why was the unprofitable servant cast into utter darknesse Why was the fruitlesse fig-tree withered Might not they have pleaded aswell destroy us not we do no hurt Might not those cursed goates Mat. 25. reply aswell although we did thee no good by relieving thy distressed members yet we did thee no hurt by impoverishing afflicting grieving oppressing Yet sure I am it is the property of Gods children to depart from evill and do good Psal 34. 14. Psal 1. 1 2. Iob 1. 8. Zach. 7. 9. He being a converted man He being of God He labouring for heaven Conforming himselfe to the precept of God and godly men Follow we therefore these shining Lamps in declining all evill and endeavouring to practise all good duties there being no mediocrity betweene well doing and evill doing For he who doth not good doth evil committing a sin of omission that so doing we may glorifie and honour our Father this other way sc in our conversations I having thus briefly and concisely declared how we are to honour our father I will now propound sixe inducements to perswade you to give our Heavenly Father his due and deserved honour both with your thoughts words and actions You will as you ought to render to all their dues tribute Mot. 1. Honour due to God to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honour Rom. 12. 7. give to every one their right will you not Will you give unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and not to God the things which are Gods Shall Maisters servants husbands wives neighbours and strangers have that which is their due and shall not God Yea shall the Divell have his due for that I take it is no unwonted proverbe and must the Lord onely be patchingly dealt withall God forbid Glory and honour are the Lords through all eternity Rom. 11. 36. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Could you declare the glory of God not onely like those glittering heavens dockt with innumerable varieties of resplendent stars or that canopy-like firmament reaching all the world over and every where to be seen continuing from the creation without wearing fretting renting or tearing Or that swiftest runner whose Tabernacle is in the heavens of such swift celerity that in one day and night he whirles about the whole world 240000. Germane miles in one houre and whose glorious brightnesse is such that nothing can hide it from the heate thereof But with those foure beasts Rev 4. 8 9. whether the Angels of God which is most likely or such Ecclesiasticall persons the servants of God who have faithfully laboured to deliver to the Church the truth of Doctrine I will not stand to dispute also continually give glory and honour to him that sitteth on the Throne who liveth for ever and ever Yet could you not give to God more then his due for all honour and glory is due to him through all eternitie For what cause thinke you do you enjoy abundance of 2. We made to honour God unspeakable mercies from the bountifull hands of your mercifull Father Doe you imagine that you might spend your time in sportfull vanities seemingly delightfull as if you were placed upon the earth as Leviathan in the waters to play therein Deeme you the end of your noble creation to be to congregate heapes of droâ—â—ie dunghill and transitorie trash of earthly treasures No such matter Or doe you think you are sent into this world to devoure your poore brethren by cursed and cruell inclosure cut-throat usury or ravenous extortion Nothing lesse For the end of your creation yea of all created beings whether glorified Angels or infernall Divels whether magnificent starrie bodies or contemptible terrestriall wormes whether indued with reason or deprived of sense is the honour and glory of God The Lord hath made all things for himselfe Prov. 16. 4. I have created him for my glory Ezek. 43. 7. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4. 9. 10. Must those splendent ornaments of the world Sunne Moone and Stars of light because he commanded and they were created Psal 148. 3. 5. Must hideous Dragons a terrour to men and other creatures inhabiting solitarie desarts Must fire haile stormy wind sNow and vapours Must mountaines and hils fruitfull trees and all Cedars Must beasts and cattell creeping things and slying fowles praise and honour God for their creation Much more ought mankind whether Kings of the earth or people Princes or Iudges of the earth whether yong men or maidens old men or childreÌ„ Ps 148. 11 12. For imagine we a creature compos'd of the very excellency of all creatures graunt it the best qualities of the rarest beasts and birds which excell in feature strength gesture swiftnesse voice or otherwise Give it the quintessence of the earths fecundity as the chiefest vertues of plants trees flowers and herbes good for meat and medicine the worth and value of pearles and precious stones the richnes of all the refined'st gold and chiefest treasure Infuse into the same the most odoriserous smell of all the sweetest perfumes decke it with the glory and brightnesse of the starres yet wanting an humane soule it would come farre short of the meanest reasonable creature It having a soule capable of those peerelesse graces of Gods Spirit interest in those unvaluable merits of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus and those immortall crownes of unspeakable glory Reason therefore thus Shall all the creatures inferiour and serviceable to me honour the Lord Am I made a creature so noble and excellent for this end Then surely I will honour the Lord my mercifull maker The glory of God is the end of your redemption 1 Cor. 6. 3. Redeemed to honour God 20. For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Have you any interest in that painefull and unconceiveable redemption of Gods Elect which I hope you have then stirre up your selves after this or the
like manner Had I more then all other imaginable excellent qualities and dignities Did I excell in wisdome and understanding not onely those renowned Heathen Philosophers but even their fained Apollo and our Divine Salomon Had I the tongue of Angels and a body as beautifull as the Sunne Had I a Soveraigne command over men and all other inferiour creatures Could I enjoy the sweetest contentments of the most mellodious musicke richest robes costly cates Had I the full fruition of all the richest treasures in the whole world yet without Christ Iesus without redemption I had nothing Am I therefore partaker of that comfortable worke of redemption where justice and mercy met together whereby I am saved from the curse of the law the power of darknesse the divell the wrath to come the guilt guerdon due desert and punishment of sinne Was I redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe without blemish and without spot Was I redeemed that I might serve him in holinesse c. Luke 1. 74. 75. that I should honour him Then surely I will not be so unmindfull of such a mercy nor unthankfull to such a benefactour but will honour him who hath thus honoured mee Gods honour ought to be the end of all our actions 1. Pet. 4. The end of all 4. 11. If any man speake if any man minister that God in all things may bee glorified 1. Cor. 10. 31. whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe c. doe all to the glorie of God Doe we desire our owne advancement and benefit The 5. A meanes to be honoured way is not turke and popishlike like cruell Abimelech to build our deemed safeties upon the ruines and bloud of others or like faire tongu'd Absaloms by insinuating flatteries or like couzening Zebaâ—s by lies and falsehoods or by any such like Machivelian policies For could we such hopes such happinesses would proove like spiders webs But the onely meanes is by honouring the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 30. those that honour me will I honour saith the Lord. If none of these will prevaile yet let feare of punishment due to such which dishonour and deny honour to the Lord 6. Want dangerous perswade Why was Pharoah scourged with a tenfold plague was it not for dishonouring God Why was Herod eaten with wormes save because he gave not God his glory Acts 11. 23. Yea why was an entrance denyed to Moses and Aaron into the land of promise was it not because they sanctified him not in the midst of the children of Israel Deut. 32. 51. Wherefore did the Lord smite Davids childe with death save for dishonouring him 2. Sam. 12. 14. Were your strength as sinewes of iron your wisedome and policy as exact as is possibly attaineable by mortall men your friends and fauorites many and mighty Had you the swaying of earthly scepters yet neither these nor any such like can possibly secure you from the irefull revenging hand of God if you either dishonour or deny him honour Witnesse these forenamed who were kings or as kings Witnesse that saying of the Prophet to Ely 1. Sam. 2. 30. Those that honour mee those that despise me will I despise or shall be lightly esteemed i. e. accounted vile in Gods sight Doe not thinke to avoid the judgement if you will not be perswaded To deny the truth of Scripture is blasphemy To thinke he will not doe what he hath said he being faithfull and so to make him a lyar or that he cannot punish although hee hath threatned hee being omnipotent is much more blasphemous CHAP. VI. Duty 5. Saints must doe Gods will IF God is our Father we ought to doe his will The doing Duty 5. whereof allieth men to Christ Iesus Mat. 12. 50. Makes men like Christ Ioh 6. 38. Is a meanes for man to prosper Ioh. 9. 31. Is the direct rode and pathway to heaven and happinesse 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Many men alas looke for heaven who never shall enjoy it Ignorant men because they meane no harme although the Lord will come in flaming fire against such 2. Thess 1. 8. Civill honest men because they doe no hurt and render to all their dues although they want holinesse without which none can see God Heb. 12. 14. Pharisees because in diverse things they excell other men although they want the pith and marrow of Christianity These such like hope for heaven But they being asleepe in sinne dreame of fulnesse but will arise empty of plenty awake poore of heaven finde nothing lesse Heaven is promised but not to all 1. Ioh. 2. 25. It is reserved but not for all 1. Pet. 1. 4. There is a broad way leading to death traced by the most There is a straight and narrow way leading to heaven not knowne of all and found onely by few Mat. 7. 13. 14. even of those who doe the will of God Mat. 7. 21. would we know who shall goe to heaven Aske not the ignorant man his cloudy and darke understanding cannot tell he onely hopes well that 's the vtmost of his skill Aske not the carnall man he is not able to discerne such things 1. Cor. 1. 14. no more then the blinde can judge of colours Aske not the civill man he walkes in a way which seemes good to himselfe but it is not right enough to bring him to heaven Aske not the Pharisee his golden shewes are too too weake our righteousnesse must exceed his But aske of Christ who is the Truth and cannot deceive us the Light void of ignorance and the Way it selfe leading to heaven by his example by his merits and by his doctrine and he will tell us we must doe the will of his father which is in heaven Mat. 7. 21. Thinke not O thou painted sepulchre with thy lording tongue and divelish heart Thinke not O thou carnall christian with thy Lord Lord living in iniquity to have the prerogatives of Gods sonnes but shew thy faith by thy workes thy profession by thy practise Ioyne with Lord Lord doing of Gods will so shalt thou declare thy selfe to be the childe of God so shalt thou obtaine the proper priviledge of Gods children the kingdome of heaven 1. Let the worldling doe the will of his god Mammon therefore as moles blinded in the earth or as the horse without understanding who knowes no greater felicity then plenty of hay and provender onely tune this note who will shew us any good whereas all his wished contentments bring him no true content being never able to satiate his soule witnesse Ahab 1. King 21. 5. he had a kingdome yet still hee needs something a garden of hearbes witnesse the rich man Luke 12. 17. who had so much that he could not tell what to doe yet still hee is in a pecke of troubles for having plenty hee wants roome he knowes not what to do yet for these unprofitable things which cannot add
in me by his graces and Spirit and therefore his presence is effectuall and mighty to possesse and governe me hath dominion over me inwardly enlightening me to know and powerfully guiding me to do this knowne will of God 2. Continuall not as of a guest who lodgeth for a night in an Inne and is gone next day nor as a sojourner that flitteth but as an owner and possessour to abide for ever and graciously admits me to dwell in him so as to be joyned constantly unto him by faith as by an instrument of which society my love to God and my brethren is a witnesse 1 Iohn 4. 16. I should not onely infinitely wrong mine owne soule which I estimate more then the world for all that would advantage me no whit if it were lost bereaving it of its comfortable assurance of Gods infinite love and favor But also the Lord himselfe questioning the immutability of his unchangeable decree the power of his omnipotent almightinesse and the certainty of his promises which are yea and Amen confirmed with the hand seales and oath of truth it selfe if I did not ascertaine my selfe of my continuance to the end Perswaded therefore I wil be that I having fellowshippe with the Father shall not fall finally or totally The consideration of our society with the Father is an unmoveable proppe and pillar to uphold our wavering faith a sure anker to sustaine us in the most boysterous stormes in this raging sea of misery when the most hideous billowes of fiery trials infernall temptations ignominious reproaches or any other disasterous waves of storming calamities disquiet our passage towards the haven of endlesse happinesse Have we fellowship with the Father then with God and what is he A Lord of armies having all the hosts in heaven every one of those ministring Angels one whereof destroyed 185. thousand in one night 2 Reg. 19. 35. The innumerable multitudes of Sunne Moone and Starres of light lud 5. 20. Every one of those Elementary Bodies or Meteors ingendred of vapours in the aire above as wind raine haile storme tempest thunder and lightning having the sole soveraignty over and the onely guidance of all the variable and numberlâ—sse armies of all earthly artillery Witnesse the sea swallowing up the pursuing Aegyptians and sheltering Gods peculiar people Witnesse the earth ingurgitating or greedily devouring up those rebels in the wildernesse Witnesse the Hornets driving out the Canaanites Lice flyes and Frogs taming the haughty Aegyptians Witnesse those vermine whose contemptible intrals were the sepulchres of proud King Herod Witnesse the swords of enemies piercing through the bodies of their fellowes Iudg. 7. 23. 2. Chron. 20. 22. Yea sheathing themselves in their owners bowels 1 Sam. 31. 4. Therefore omnipotent to defend us Although therefore we be few and naked neither furniture of horses chariots Captaines or souldiers can hurt us if he be for us 2. Let Captains of enemies be as Cyrus amongst the Persians Hannibal amongst the Carthaginians Marcellus Scipio and Pompey amongst the Romanes Pyrrhus amongst the Epirots Scanderbeg against the Turkes 2. Let their soldiers be as painfull as Pismires as fierce as Tygers as swift as Eagles as strong as Lions as obedient as Scipioes 3. Let them have all things fit for warre plenty of money corne and other provision fitnesse of place helpe of friends and allies 4. Let their wals be like Babilons Forts like Ninivâ—hs 5. Let them have Tamberlanes troupe of 400000. horse and 600000. foot yet need we not feare having fellowship with God who is able to defendus Have we fellowship with the Father then with God who is good and mercifull to bestow all the treasure of grace upon us 2. With the Father who is just to protect us against Sathans cavils Rom. 8. 33. 3. With the Father who is wisdome it selfe to direct us by his Spirit in the darknesse of this world 4. With the Father who is rich to reward us in mercy 1. How should we be cast downe with poverty who have fellowship with him who is most rich whose is the earth and the fulnesse thereof who openeth his bounteous hand and filleth all with his good blessing Psal 145. Who giveth to the cattell their food and to the young Ravens when they crie Psal 14. True it is that many of these goodfellowes have need and may want bodily food But this want is supplied 1. with strength of body to beare the want thereof as in Moses and Elias forty dayes 2. With Gods rich blessings upon poore meanes of maintenance and nourishment as in Christs miraculous feeding of many thousands with a few loaves and Fishes in the widowes meale and oyle 1 Reg. 17. 14. 2 Reg. 4. 6. And in Daniels pulse 3. With contentation of mind with little as well as with much Phil. 4. 8. 11. 12. Or 4 With counterblessings of another kind as spirituall for corporall eternall for temporall 2 Cor. 6. 10. Poore and yet making many rich Iames 2. 5. Poore and rich in faith Rev. 2. 9. True it is they may want but they cannot want any thing that is good for them Psal 84. 11. Psal 34. 10. God denies them not because he is not able or willing to give but because such is his wisdome and love that he knowes and gives things most needfull for them as a carefull mother nurse and Physitian If the want of them be medicinable and profitable for us we need not regard the lacke of them Will the Lord give to ravens and lyons and not to men Will he give to wicked men sonnes of Belial and not to his owne Will he give them his Sonne his Spirit his graces his kingdome himselfe and deny them baser matters No he cannot he will not if the enjoyment of them be for our good 2. How should we be terrified with infamy of this world having fellowship with the Lord of glory For what And if S. Augustine feared the praise of the good detested that of the evill S. W. â— p. â— none are lesse gracious then the godly men Yet 1. They are gracious with some although not with all 2. They are in some favour although not in great 3. They are sometimes in favour though not alwayes 4. They are gracious with God although not with men True it is none are or ever were more base and vile then the godly men yet never in the eyes of all men onely of the wicked 2. Not altogether but in part 3. When they were most base and vile in mens eyes they were most glorious in Gods For they have fellowship with the Father 3. How should we feare exile who have a countrey in heaven we having fellowship with him whose is the earth out of whose country we can never be banished 4. How should we feare death who have our life hid in Mâ—rs time as qui ad â—â—undam 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—hic merte 〈◊〉 â—yprian de Moâ— pag 53. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tâ—mere qui ad Chri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tre Ib. pag. 49.
1. With a fore-thinking premeditation of the weightinesse of that important duty we are going about our owne weaknesse and worthinesse and the dreadfull Majesty of the Lord to whom we pray thus we are commanded to take words and turne to the Lord Hos 14. 3. Thus dealt the penitent prodigall Luke 15. 17. 8. I will go to my father and say father I have sinned c. 2. With a sincere purity of heart Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare c. I know it is impossible for man to be pure save only 1. In regard of former times of unregeneration 2. In regard of their desires and endeavours 3. In regard of other men scil sonnes of Belial 3. With a lowly and submisse humility thus did the father of the faithfull pray stiling himselfe dust and ashes Gen. 18 27. That prevailing Canaanitish woman petitioner Math. 15. 27. Truth Lord yet the dogges c. Luc. 18. 11 12. God be mercifull to me a sinner Thus are we all commanded Psal 95. 6. Let us bowe c. 4. With knowledge and understanding 1 Cor. 14. 14 15. I will pray with understanding 5. With a faithfull assurance that our prayers shal be granted What els meaneth the Apostle St. Iames 1. 6. 7. Let him aske in faith Saint Paul 1 Tim. 2. 8. Without doubting And our Saviour Christ Math. 21. 22. All things whatsoever you aske in Prayer believing 6. With zealous earnestnesse Iames 5. 16. Cold prayers lose their fruit and force 7. With hearts reconciled to God by true repentance Isa 1. 16. 8. With hearts reconciled to our brethren by brotherly love and condonation Math. 6. 14. 9. With an unwearied constancy Crying day and night Luc. 10. 7. Holding him fast till he blesse us Gen. 32. 28. And never giving over untill we prevaile Math. 15. 22 23. 28. 10. In the name and mediation of Christ Iesus the sole Saviour of mankind and the alone Mediator between God and man 1 Tim. 2. 5. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name c. Iohn 16. 23. 11. For things agreeable to Gods will 1 Iohn 5. 14. viz. For things which are good holy lawfull possible profitable and needfull Prayer thus qualified is good and acceptable in the sight of God 1 Tim. 2. 3. Is an extraordinary yea beyond imagination prevailer with the Lord in the courts of heaven bringing such who effectually use it to salvation Rom. 10. 13 14. And therefore to an happy enjoyment of fellowship with the Father CHAP. X. The fift Meanes and Duty is hearing of Gods Word DEsire we with the most earnest longings strive we amaine 5. Meanes Duty with our utmost endeavours to heare the Lord speake to us in his Word and delight we extraordinarily in such desires and endeavours This is the word of Gods grace Acts 20. 32. 1. Comming Mot. 1. from Gods grace 2. Shewing Gods grace 3. Working grace in those who believe and obey it 2. This is the Word of faith Rom. 10. 8. 1. Requiring faith to believe it 2. Teaching what faith is 3. Begetting and strengthening the same Rom. 10. 17. 3. This is the Word of life Iohn 6. 68. Thou hast the Word of eternall life 1. Begetting a Spirituall life 1 Pet. 1. 23. 2. Nourishing and strengthening our Spirituall life 1 Pet. 2. 2. And 3. Offering eternall life Iohn 5. 35. 4. This is the Word of salvation Acts 13. 26. In regard of its fruits and effects declaring to us the way of salvation 5. This is the Word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1. Shewing how men are reconciled to God 2. Instrumentally working the same reconciliation betwixt God offended and man offending And therefore a speciall meanes to obtaine fellowship with the Father Let not the examples of the world whose desires after the enjoying of transitory delights and momentany treasures are boundles and their endeavors endlesse no whit at all or very litle regarding this heavenly voice of the Lord of glory neither let the strange and preposterous practice of diverse greater persons whose use was ordinary to have Thursday meetings for bowling but not Friday for hearing thus sleighting if not contemning the Divine Ordinance of God alienate or estrange your longing desires from this saving and reconciling Word of God 1. Say not you my beloved brethren you could heare with all reverence and diligence might it please the Lord himselfe to speake to us For 1. should the Lord himselfe speake from heaven you durst not heare Exod. 20. 19. Could not they And can you 2. For the Lord doth speake by us his Ministers as Kings by Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2. Say not with your selves I could willingly heare was the Messenger this or that famous man but such and such are meane and base fellowes in mens esteeme For were not the Prophets and Apostles so accounted of Yet they were to be heard and we see it is the good pleasure of God to save them that believe by the foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 10. 21. Foolishnesse not in regard of it selfe but in the opinion of worldly men Yet is it the savour of death unto death or of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. But be it they are meane yet they being Gods mouth heare them Is gold or silver of greater weight or worth out of a parse of velvet deckt with curious imbroiderings then out of a plaine or homely pouch of leather May not meat be as pleasing to the palate as wholsome in the stomack and as nourishing to the body of an hungry man out of a clean earthen or woodden platter as out of a plate of silver Doth not a candle shine as bright and profitably from of a plain woodden candlestick as from of another made of the purest gold and framed after the most curious forme the exactest skill of the cunningest artificer could invent And shall the Lords Word better then thousands of gold or silver the most nourishing meate of each sanctified soule a light to the feet and a lanterne to the paths of godly men suffer losse or diminution of its peerlesse valuation be disabled from nourishing the new-borne Christian babes that they may grow thereby Or have its more then sun-like light for that cannot guide to heaven ecclipsed by the meannesse of the messenger 3. Say not my brethren I cannot heare such or such they being reputed naughty men It was we know the portion of Eliah Ieremie Paul Iohn Baptist and our Saviour Christ that man without sin the best Preacher that ever spake upon earth to be accounted pestilent fellowes troublers of states ring leaders of Sectaries deceivers of the people and therefore not to be heard No marvell therefore though the envious man still strives to ecclipse the brightest lights and to darken their bright shining rayes of sincere Doctrine and soundnesse of life by some hellish exhalations of slanderous imputations drawne out of the misting fogs of the dunghill dispositions of earthly worldlings by the heat
must if you desire this communion it being a meanes to obtaine fellowshippe with the Father Notwithstanding because there be many bad masters in this world which wooe and intice all allure and draw too many to forsake the Lord and to serve them I will in few words shew that of all the services in the world this of the Lords is farre the best 1. Man 's owne flesh is oft his master which he carefully doth serve 1. By too much pampering of it 2. By an over carking and caring for the things of the body And 3. By fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Saint Paul was of another mind he kept under his body and made it serve him 1 Cor. 9. 27. And forbids us to make provision for the flesh c. Rom. 13 14. As for this service it is no whit for a mans advantage Their end is destruction whose god is their belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. 2. Man serves man First having a more firme dependance upon man then God regarding more the authority of man then of God Thus Papists serve man with whom it matters not what God saith so be they have the Popes approbation and many other do so with whom the word of man is more authenticall then the Word of God Secondly reposing more confident affiance in the skill of man Asa-like 2. Chron. 16. 12. or power and valour Isa 31. 1. The contrary we see in David Psal 20. 7. Thirdly having mens persons in admiration Iude 16. Thus parasiticall Prophets like Ahabs 400. and soothing companions by flattering ostentation have men in admiration for their person riâ—hes honour nobility c. without respect of the feare of God or true vertue honouring them onely because they be rich or noble by the way great men have this miserie they are most admired least admonished Thus who in his right wits would serve man considering 1. How helplesse he is Isa 2. 22. Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills for wherein is he to be accounted of these Masters cannot redeeme a brother nor give a ransome to God for him Psal 49. 6. 7. 2. How execrable Isa 31. 1. Ier. 17. 5. 3. How base and contemptible it is for man so to submit to man made of the same materials workman manner and in that respect his equall turning to dust and rottennesse as well as he 3. Many men serve the world viz. the ambitious by his inordinate desire of honour and striving for preferment serves honour and an ambitious humour The Covetous by his love of riches and obeying the avaritious desires thereof serves Mammon the voluptuous person by being too much addicted to carnall delights serves pleasure These have a Master and a service But such which makes them much to be pittied not at all to be envied for alas First they serve vanity as Solomon concludes who had a greater experiment of them all then any other Eccl. 1. 2. the service of vanity must needs be vaine Secondly neither is it onely vaine but hardly tormenting Eccl. 1. 14. 2. 10. Vexation of spirit How doth this service abound with excruciating cares tormenting discontents ignoble jealousies disquieting feares base flatteries restlesse contrivements and an innumbred swarme of such like anxious perplexities Thirdly neither is here all this Master is a deceitfull cousener not much unlike Iacobs Master Laban giving a blearey'd Leah for a promised Rahel her best servitours often faile of their expectations or if not so they prove like Sodomes apples not worth the gathering or a wormeaten nut not worth the cracking filling the breakers mouth with filth and rottenesse Fourthly but there is a worse matter in this service then all this If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. and no man can sâ—rve both God and Mammon Matth. 6. 24. 4. There is another Master which too many men serve his name is sin Iohn 8. 34. whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin Whosoever of his own accord readily obeyeth the desires and motions of sinne is the servant of sinne Of such servants Saint Peter speakes 2. Pet. 2. 19. serving their lusts 1. Obeying the wicked motions thereof consenting to them or practising them Titus 3. 3. S. Paul forbids us of this service Rom. 6. 6. and acknowledgeth that once we were servants to this evill Master Rom. 6. 17. 19. 20. This is a service strongly bewitching men with amiable enchantments having abundance of obsequious observants But doe they know whom and what they serve I presume no for did they they could not but abandon with loathing detestation a Master 1. So base and vile then which nothing more fastidious or excrementitions 2. So abounding with such multiplicity of various impieties then which no service more tedious and troublesome wherein a man serves not two but a multitude of Masters serving sinne in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. 3. So cruell then which none more tyrannicall and bloudy paying its best observants with as bad wages as may be eternall death Rom. 6. 23. Iam. 1. 15. These are services but not like ours although worldlings now as in Iobs time say or thinke What is the Almighty that we should serve him and in Malachy 3. 17. it is in vaine to serve God Yet we know this service to be of all other 1. Most honourable For 1. Our Master is not some Kings greatest favourite nor yet some potent Prince nor yet a terrene Monarch swaying the Soveraigne Scepter for his time of the whole world But a Lord of Lords and King of Kings whose is the kingdome the power and glory then which no Master more honourable 2. Our fellow-servants are all the holy ones of God as Abraham and those pious Patriarches such as Moses and Eliah and those Divine Prophets such as David and those other godly Governours the heavenly company of glorious Angels Rev. 19. 10. Yea our blessed Saviour our fellow-servant Phil. 2. 7. Then which no fellow-servants more honourable 2. Most gainefull these servants gaine Christ Phil 3. 8. Pardon of sinnes Gods favour his blessed Spirit yea temporall favours if commodious for them shall moreover and above be added to them Mat. 6. 33. If they have not riches it is because they are not good for them If they want health Temporalia non sunt bona nisi in quantum ordinantur in coelestia it is because it is not good for them If their life is cut short they are taken away from the evill to come Yea moreover as this service gaines all things 1 Cor. 3. 21. c. And as a good friend loves at all times Prov. 17. 7. So this service brings in gaines at all seasons in sicknesse and health prosperity and adversity Rom. 8. 28. Yea in life and death Phil. 1. 22. Another man dies his gaines die with him Psal 49. 17. His treasure was laid up on earth therefore leaving this world
c. Cap. 5 pa 5. 60. faith relatively to the object Christ not for the act of it Faith justifieth not by the act believing but as the instrument in applying the object which is Christ as the hand is said to heale Ibid. pag. 80. onely by applying the medicine or to enrich by receiving a treasure or to feed by putting meate into the mouth as we say a child c. It is Christ that is the Authour and matter of our justification it is Christ who applyeth the same unto us as for faith it is but an instrument to apprehend and a hand to receive Christs benefits for ours Or as Paraeus briefly saith Faith justifieth instrumentally the blood of Christ meritoriously Feâ—es iustificat orgâ—â—cè sanguâ—â— Christi meritoriè Pataus in Rom 3. faith doth not apprehend these by power from it selfe but by vertue of the Lords covenant so that Christ and his merits are the believers not simply because he believes but because he believes upon precept and promise the Lord promising to impute the righteousnesse of his Sonne to us for our righteousnesse if we believe This faith layes hold upon Christs painefull sufferings sufficient for all the sinnes of all men and so freeth the believing sinner from the guilt and punishment of sin and from eternall damnation It layes hold upon the perfect obedience of Christ in fulfilling the Law hereby curing his owne actuall disobedience of the Law and applyeth the perfect holinesse of the humane nature of Christ whereby he is accepted as perfectly righteous of God and by this his originall corruption is healed 1. Are they happy whose sinnes are pardoned as indeed they are for when sinne is pardoned such debts and trespasses are forgiven which we could never pay nor any remit Qui solus mundus est mundare praevalet immunda Greg. Papa in Iob 14. 4. Nee homo nec Angelus Aug. Agricola non vitis efficlum Ad solam Triuitatem pertinet Idem Tom. 9 in Ioan. 15. pag. 444. save the omnipotent Iehovah Isa 43. 25. Nor any make satisfaction for and purge out except the Lord Iesus and that with his owne bloud 1 Ioh. 1. 7. When sinne is pardoned such spots and blemishes are forgiven which made us and our best actions loath some unto God Isa 1. 14. 15. And guilty of eternall damnation Rom. 6. 23. Is remission of sins such a favour that it hath for its efficient cause God only and his beloved Sonne Christ Iesus Isa 43. 25. Rom. 6. 25. Its moving cause the meere mercy truth and promise of God Eph. 1. 7. It s meritorious cause the death of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And its finall Gods glory Ier. 33. 8 9. And the sinners salvation then they must needs be happy whose sinnes are forgiven Psal 32. 1 2. Rom. 4. 7 8. 2. Are they happy who being sinners are notwithstanding accounted righteous by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed as they must needs be for by this righteousnesse of Christ we are made the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. The whole obedience of Christ with the merit thereof eternall life is made ours as if we had done the one and deserved the other yea by this we have store of supplies for all our wants We are poore Christ is our riches we are naked Christ is our garments we are blind Christ is our eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. We are deformed Christ is our beauty Rev. 19. 8. 3. Are they happy who being enemies to God by reason of sinne are made friends to the Lord they being reconciled to God by Christ having their sinnes done away and themselves arayed with the perfect righteousnesse of Christ as they needs must for what greater misery then to be at enmity with the Lord And what greater felicity then to be in league with God Rom. 8. 31. For if God be for us who can be against us 4. Is peace with God a great favour as it is it costing the bloud of Christ to make it Col. 1. 20. It passing all understanding Phil. 4. 7. And being a fore-runner of that perfect rest and joy the Elect have in heaven 2 Pet. 3. 14. 5. Is it a great favour to be Gods adopted children as it is intruth the Lord hereby taking us into his owne family and accepting us as his owne children not because he wanted an heire he living and reigning for ever not for want of children for he had a naturall Sonne not because this Sonne was unfit to inherit he being as fit as his Father But of his meere grace and bounty we being by nature children of wrath disobedience and the Devill This being such a blessing that by vertue of this we are made Christs brethren heires Gal. 3. 18. Heires of God joynt-heires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Of Gods kingdome Iam. 2. 5. By vertue of this we are Lords over all creatures save Angels we have them to guard us and all things working for our good This is such a favour then which God could not have bestowed upon us a greater * Pluâ— est cum Paulus ait heredes nos esse coheredes Christs quam si mille mundos nedum coelum terram cum omnibiâ— bonu noâ— reipsa â—â— atâ—râ—um 〈…〉 siâ— osâ—sse 〈◊〉 in Rom. 8. 17. It is more when Paul saith we are heires and co-heires with Christ then if he had affirmed that we should indeed enjoy for ever a thousand worlds not onely heaven and earth with all good things therein If it was no small preferment for David to be sonne in law to Saul 1 Sam. 18. 23. Then what preferment is it to be the Lords adopted children * Quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conserra potest An non excellentior Majestaâ— est esse 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 silium potentissina Monarchae 〈◊〉 terra Hoâ— beneficio nihil 〈◊〉 est vel excellentius â—rentius in Isa 38 What may be compared to such dignitie Is it not a more excellent prerogative to be the Sonne of the God of heaven then sonne of the most potent Monarch upon earth There is nothing more high or surmounting this benefit This is such a favour that a reverend Divine saith thus of it * M. Greeneham Aphorismes As farre as the spirit is above the flesh God above men heaven above earth eternity above time so farre is the new creation above the old This is such a blessing that Saint Iohn cals all to admire what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3. 1. 6. Is hope of the glory of God an extraordinary benefit as it is for by this with patience we looke for the accomplishment of all good things By this we undergoe afflictions with a contented mind By this we being inwardly cheared and caused outwardly to confesse the same to the glory of God encouragement of the Saints amazement of wicked ones and strengthening of our selves to continue against all discouragements and