them should answere I neuer baned them with meate nor poysoned them with liquor for they had none at all from mee But all the world knoweth bodies may bee murthered as well by want of meate and drinke that should bee giuen them as by bane or poyson in lieu thereof ministred vnto them And so may soules likewise be d Hos 4. 6. destroyed for lacke of knowledge and c Pro. 5. 23. 10. 21. dye for want of instruction and wisedome wherein f Mat. 12. 30 he that is not with Christ for sauing soules is against him and he that gathereth not scattereth And therefore g 2 Tim. 2. 7. the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things whereby wee may h 1 Tim. 3. 9. haue the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience that so wee may bee i Acts 20. 26 pure from the bloud of all men And thus you haue my second generall motiue Aqu. Brother Aristarchus how truely may wee with the two Disciples say one to another k Luk. 24. 32 did not our hearts burne within vs whiles the Scriptures haue bin thus opened vnto vs The Lord bee mercifull to our former luke-warmenesse and grant that our affections thus now kindled may bee for the time to come l Cant. â— 6 7 like those coales of loue which many waters may neuer quench And to this end we pray you Mr. Archippus to proceede and m 2 Cor. 13. 2. spare not though the word of GOD in your mouth be n Ier. 23. 29. like a fire and your lips as o Ier. 6. 29. bellowes to make the flame vehement that you may not leaue vs as the p Verse the same Founder that melteth in vaine How much better is it seeing the hardest frost must sooner or later haue a thaw that our frozen hard hearts should melt here that we may bee q 1 Cor. 3. 15 saued though so as by fire then to bee r Iob 21. 30 reserued vnto the day of wrath to bee thawed with Å¿ Esa 33. 14. euerlasting burnings hereafter which t Mat. 24 51. is the portion of hypocrites Arch. Blessed bee God that by v Esa 4. 3. the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning doth purge the bloud of Ierusalem and thus vv 1 Pet. 4. 17 begins iudgement at his owne house here that they may not be x 1 Cor. 11. 31. condemned with the world And to your comfort be it spoken this tender y Esa 66. 2. contrite heart of yours thus trembling at the word is a powerfull blessed z Iob 33. 23 27. effect of Gods gratious aspect towards you as a Heb. 12. 23 his first borne that b Esa 4. 3. are written among the liuing in Ierusalem O my brethren how should you c Luk. 10. 20. reioyce in this as our Sauiour saith that your names are written in heauen â— And as I haue spoken these things vnto you that this our d Ioh. 15. 12. Saurours ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy may be full so whatsoever I shall adde is intended as e 2 Cor. 1. 24. a furtherance of this your ioy though by the way any thing should f 2 Cor. 9. 8. make you sorry for a season And so I proceede My third generall motiue deriued from the consideration of our selues is this that wee all professors being here in the militant Church g Can. 6. 10. terrible as an army with banners and hauing our h 2 Cor. 10. 3 life for a warfare and the i 1 Tim. 6 12 good fight of faith for our combat as euer wee looke to k Eph. 6. 13 stand in the euill day so must wee put on the whole armour of God especially the l 1 Thes 5. 9 brest-plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet And passing here by loue as already dispatched I say Faith is compared to a brest-plate because as this is the safeguard of the heart wherein the naturall life consisteth so Faith is the safeguard of m Rom. 2. 29 1 Pet. 3. 4. the hid man of the heart wherein spirituall life consisteth And therefore as wee are said to n Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith of the Sonne of God so Faith is said to be o 1 Ioh. 5. 4. the victory that ouercommeth the world and we know the teâ—or of the Gospell is plaine and peremptory p Mar. 16. 16 hee that beleeueth shall bee saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned Vpon this ground I inferre that I must either make good proofe of my faith or quit clayme to the sauing-state of grace Now wee know what euidence S. Iames cals for q Iam 2. 17. 18. c. shew me thy faith by thy workes Aske yee what workes Search the Scriptures and among all outward ordinary works they produce that in the prime place as the prime-rose and fairest euidence of Faith which is in least esteeme with worldlings I meane the fruit of our lips whereby we blesse God and edifie our neighbours r â— Cor. 4. 13 Wee hauing the same spirit oâ— Faith saith S. Paul according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therfore speake Agâ—ine Å¿ Rom. 10. 9 if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy heart c. thou shalt bee saued Anâ— this he doubleth again witâ— a reason annexed saying t Verse 10. For with the heart maâ— beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the moutâ— confession is made vntâ— saluation Thou wilt saâ— then that the fruit of thâ— lips being as I auouch the prime-rose of outward workes belike the Apostle teacheth men to bee saued according to their workes In no wise but this I say that the confession of the mouth being the chiefe euidence of true Faith in the heart whereby wee are iustified as by Gods priuy seale in the reuelation of Gods righteous iudgement wee shall bee admitted by confession as by Gods broad-seale to passe from iustification to saluation And search the Scriptures and you shall finde that both before and in the time of the Law as well as in the dayes of the Gospell the fruit of the lips is not onely culled out as the choise but made as the epitome of all outward works being alleadged in stead of all the rest and produced as Gods broad-seale to distinguish v Gen. 4. 26. 6 â— the Sonnes of God from the Sonnes of men w Ier. 10. 25 Psal 14. 4. the beleeeuers from Infidels and x Ioel 2. 32. Act. 2. 17. 21. Rom. 10. 13 the saued from the damned And for this cause the Scriptures attribute to the tongue aboue all other members of the body the title y Psal 5â— 7. 108. 1. of our glory because though it bee for matter a small member yet in vertue and power
of edifying especially will proue be other to him that is a great waster Heerein albeit some may say of me as of the Prophet t Eze. 20. 39 Doth he not speake parables Yet this I aâ—de that our soules may weepe in secret places to fore-thinke how wee prâ—fessors euen euery one of vs that hath v Reu. 2. 4. 5 left his first loue and zeale in whetting vp each other to loue and good workes vnlesse wee remember from whence wee are fallen and repent will be found among those great wasters and night-walkers that prouoke and hasten God to remoue our candlesticke out of his place and to lay waste his goodly vineyard amongst vs. Wherefore w for Sions sake hold not your peace and for Ierusalems sake rest not till the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as brightnesse and the saluation thereof as a lampe that burneth For he must x loue Ierusalem whosoeuer he be that loues to prosper and as in word wee pray Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy pallaces so not onely for our brethren and companions sake but chiefly because of the house of the Lord our God wee must indeede and in truth seeke her good And there being not y 1 Cor. 12. 3. cap. 13 14. a more excellent way to be shewed for this then by charity to speake to the edifying each of other I say to euery one that loueth and prayeth for the peace of Ierusalem as z Ezr. 10. 4. Shecaniah said to Ezra Arise for this matter belongeth vnto thee wee also will be with thee as many as loue Sion be of good courage and doe it And if therein thou râ—ceiue any helpe from this treatise following remember the vnworthy Authour when thou art in thy feruent prayers that vtterance may be giuen vnto him with the tongue of the learned to speake forth the words of truth and sobernesse as he oughâ— to speake Farewell A DIALOGVE Prouing and enforcing the necessary vse of mutuall exhortation and the orderly performance thereof Archippus a Minister Aristarchus Aquila two priuatmen Aristarchus NEighbour Aquila as I wish you may prosper euen as your soule prospereth so I cannot but aske what meaneâ— those cheekes of yours so bedewed with teares Aquila Alas brother is not this the time euen of Iacobs trouble you heare how great the affliction of Ioseph is abroad and you know the reproach that lyeth on vs at home and how inâ—quity getting the vppeâ— hand doth with a Esay 48. 4. the iron sinew brow of brasse so out-face beare down the b Heb. 13. 22 word of exhortation thaâ— now as in the Prophet Hoâ— sea his time c Hos 4. 4. no man may striue nor reproue an other for this people are as theâ— that striue with the Priest yea they d 〈◊〉 5. 10. hate him thaâ— rebuketh in the gate anâ— abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Hauing therefore so great cause to feare that e Amos 8. 10. the end hereof may be as a bitter day euen the f Hos 4. 5. destruction of our Mother as the Prophet speaks is it not better to weepe in Sion for keeping out of Babel then in sitting downe by Babels riuers to weepe for Sion Arist I confesse that as this is a g Esa 22. 1â— day wherein the Lord God of hoast cals to weeping and mourning and wherein hee that h Psal 122. 6. 9. loueth Sion and seekes her good should with good i Neh. 1. 4. Nehemiah and k Psal 109. 136. Dauid weepe and mourne so if men will not bee l Amos 6. 6. grieued for the affliction of Ioseph nor m Eze. 9. 4. mourne for the abhominations of Ierusalem the Scripture marketh them out as with a blacke cole or a n Amos 7. 8. plumbe-line for o Amos 6. 7. slauery or for p Eze. 9. 5. 6. the slaughter But shall tel you how in this very day they that loue to play the good fellowes saying q 1 Cor. 15. 32. lot vs eate and drinke for tomorrow wee dye talke of vs r Esa 61. 3. mourners in Sion Oh say they let them according to the Scriptures s Iam. 4. 8. cleanse their hands and purge their hearts as well as mourn weepe and so t Iool 2. 13. turne to the Lord as well as rent theit hearts else what is all their mourning better then v Heb. 12. 17 Esaus blubbering or their hearts-renting then vv Mat. 27. 3 Iudas his repenting Let x Luke 4. 23 the Physitians therfore heale themselues say they and let them y Mat. 3. 8. bring forth fruits worthy of repentance in dealing their bread to the hungry and couering the naked c. or else the z Esa 58. 5. 6 7 Prophet tels them that all this afflicting of their soules for a day with their heads bowed downe like bul-rushes and sackecloath and ashes spred vnder them euen all their fasting and mourning is as plaine a mockery as our merriment and fast-eating Aqu. Though a Pro. 26. 18 19 mad men make sport in casting firebrands and arrowes and death and the b Psal 11. 2. vpright in heart be the speciall marke such mad fooles priuily shoote at out of the very c Esa 26. 11 enuy they haue against Gods people whereof they shall one day be ashamed yet this reproach stickes as a d Psal 42. 10 sword in my bones and it may e Psal 69. 20 breake our hearts to thinke how many of vs that are large in shewes of humiliation are too strait laced in workes of mercy and f 2 Sam. 12. 14 giue great occasion to the enemies of the Lord thus to blaspheme Arist And for my own part when I consider what g Hos 10. 1. empty vines many professors are in these respects and how much fruit they beare to themselues as the Prophet speakes and how according to the goodnesse of our Land they make goodly idols of backe and belly of purchases and buildings whereunto they sacrifice the first fruits the fat and bloud of all their substance and increase in excessiue superfluities when in the meane time the Lord Jesus to whose h Proâ— 3. 9. honour these should be dedicated in more i Heb. 13. 10 pleasing sacrifices is suffered to lye in his poore members harbourlesse here hungry and there naked yea sicke and imprisoned and yet vnfrequented and vnuisited when I thinke on these things I say my k Hab. 3. â— belly trembleth to conceiue how speechlesse many a professor will be found in that great day of reckoning when l Math. 25. 35 account wil be exacted of these very particulars Aqu. The Lord therfore graunt that in the meane time the reproches of those that m Ier. 20. 1â— watch for our haltings may serue vs as n Tit. 1. 13. cutting rebukes to make vs sound in the Faith the o
themselues with information of mens iudgements by teaâ—â—ing striue not to worke on mens affections by admonishing or exhorting wherein like carelesse husâ—andmen and planters â—ey haue suffered much good seede to be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre for â—ant of couering and many a good graffe to rot and come to nothing for â—ant of close binding For â—is with the word as with â—â—eede and b Iam. 1. 21. a graffe if it â— Mat. â—3 3. 19 â—e not c Psa 119. 11 hâ—d in the heart and there rooted if it be â—ot set in and close bound as a graffe in the stock it will neuer prosper to the sauing of mens soules Now because naturally men are so farre from setting their hearts to Gods word as God d Deu. 32. 46 commandeth that they are all naturally prone e Act. 13. 46. to put it from them therefore as we loue their soules wee may not content our selues with bare instruction but by application we must help put the word to their hearts that it may f Ioâ— 5. 37 38 abide in them else it will neuer doe them good howsoeuer g Vers 3â— for a season they may seeme to reioyce in the light of it And let no man heere say that if mens vnderstandings be once opened euery man can then apply to himselfe For naturall men how euer they may be wise to doe euill yet h Iere. 4. 22. to doe good to others or to their owne â— Sam. 24. 5. soules they haue no knowledge but are as foolish as sottish children saith the Prophet Now Phisick and Surgery were like to doe much good were they not if pils and corrasiues were left to children to apply them Nay children of wisedome themselues howsoeuer they be sensible of sinnes as of i 2 Sam. 24. 10 blowes or wounds and of reproofes as of k Psal 141. 5 balmes or excellent oyles yet in long pursuite of any sinne their l Esa 63. 1â— hearts come to be hardened as the water with long frost and in great sinnes they m Hos 4. 11. loose their sence as men that swoune in great wounds and in these cases they haue neede as others to be plyed and wel-heated with sound application as wee see by the n 2 Sam. 12. 1 c example of Dauid and the disciples till they come to themselues Luk. 24. 25 32 and recouer their spirituall sence and â—eeling Secondly in respect of those whom wee are to exhort wee are to e Iud. put a difference as S. Iude saith and that in regard both of their inside and of their outside In regard of their inside and state of their soules we must carefully obserue that difference of f Pro. 29. 9 anger and laughter that Salomon sets downe of g Luk. 7. 32 piping and mourning whereof our Sauiour speaketh and of h 1 Cor. 4. 21 the rod and spirit of meekenesse the choise of either of which is to be made not as wee would iâ— our voluntary inclination but as the state of our neighbours soule requireth And this the i Verse the same Apostle maketh euident saying what will yee Shall I come vnto you with a rod or in loue or in the spirit of meekenesse Intimating heereby that the choise heereof lay rather in their condition then in his owne disposition For besides all the former particular differences of mens inward estates * Page 27 28 which I at first expressed in explaning the meaning of the word exhorting by the word edifyng and * Page 90 91. c afterward againe in my second generall motiue all which being long to be repeâ—ted I pray you heere to inserte as in their proper place besides all those I say there is one maine difference oâ— men vnregenerate and of men regenerate which I am now further to insist vpon First therefore some men namely all the vnregenerate haue not onely k Eze. 1â— 19 stony hearts naturally but by continuance in that naturall estate and custome of sinne they l Zach. 7. 12 make their hearts as adamant stones making them harder by actuall transgression which were hard enough by naturall corruption By which augmentation they grow to be a generation of m Esa 48. 4 iron sinewes and browes of brasse without n â—ere 6. 15 shame or o Iere. 2. 19 feare and men of p 1 Tim. 4. 2 feared consciences and q Mat. 13. 15 Psal 119. 70 hearts fatte as grease without sence or feeling Now if euer wee looke to worke good on such men wee must as the Apostle saith * Tit. 1. 13. rebuke them sharply and saue them with feare pulling x Iude 23. them out of the fire For as it were extreme cruelty towards a man fallen into the fire vnder pretence of soft and gingerly handling to suffer him there to burne when it were mercy rather to pull him out by head and eares though we made him black and blew in pulling so is it in this case of mens soules mercy and not cruelty to stick in such mens Å¿ Psal 45. 5 harts the sharpe arrowes of Christs quiâ—er to t Act 2. 37 prick and u Heb. 4. 12 pierce them through with the sword of the spirit sharper then any two-edged-sword and to rub their seared crusty consciences with the w Mat. 5. 13 salt of Gods word till they begin to smart and bleede and become sensible of the x 2 Cor. 5. 11 terror of God that so they may be fit patients for Christs cure whereby y Mat. 13. 15 they may be conuerted and he heale them when they thus stand forth in the ranke of those that feare his name z Deut. 5. 29 O that there were such a heart in men thus to feare God that it might be well with them for euer And in the name of the Lord looke wee to it for if any man by â— closing his eyes and eares Mat. 13. 15 â—ill be wilfully deafe and blinde on this side and â—â—artle fling away when in the feare of God he should b Mal. 3. 2. stand and abide the day of the Lord his phisitians comming though he belike a refiners fire and like fullers sope let him tremble lest while he harâ—en his heart and withstand and out-stand the way and day of his cure â—e Lord for a c Rom. 11. 9 recompence vnto them giue them the d Vers 8. spirit of slumber that they may neuer be conuerted nor healed e Mal. 4. 2. But vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord â—â—eauing f Vers 1. all the proud and all that doe wickedly to the burning ouen of his fiery wrath and indignation shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his winges And why onely to them that feare his name But because as Christ himselfe saith g Luk. 5. 31 the whole haue no
reforming the will and affections as for informing the vnderstanding and iudgement in f Pro. 2. 9. euery good path so that in all things concerning either faith or manners they are g 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17 profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of GOD may bee perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes Arist Is there then I pray no vse to be made of mens workes and writings and of the great Booke of the Creatures in edifying soules Arch. As the Prophets and Christ himselfe vsed h Hos 12. 10. similitudes and i Mat. 13. 34 35. parables for illustration to make heauenly things sensible by earthly resemblances and examples of k Ier. 35. 24. men l Ier. 8. 7. birds m Esa 1. 3. beasts and of n Esa 1. 2. Ier. 5. 22. sencelesse creatures for prouocation and conuiction and as S. Paul dealing with Pagans disputeth with them o Acts 14. 13 17 24. c. by the principles of Nature and p Acts 17. 23 their own inscriptions and Poets and elsewhere against q 1 Cor. 15. 33. euill-speakers and r Tit. 1. 12. slow-bellies alledgeth the testimonies of their owne prophane writers to leaue them the more inexcusable so in like cases to the same ends may wee vse the same meanes prouided alwaies that it bee done respectiuely and sparingly Arist What meane you by that respectiue and sparing vse I pray tell vs fully your meaning for wee doubt too little respect is had of that Arch. First that for the conuerting directing and perfecting of soules wee carefully obserue and reuerently preferre the prerogatiue of the word of God For that is the hammer that Å¿ Ier. 23. 29. breaketh the rocke the stony heart in pieces the mighty engine to t 2 Cor. 10. 4. cast downe the strong holds of Sathan the quicke and powerfull sword of the spirit v Heb. 4. 12. sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit of ioynts and marrow for crucifying the old man in a word it is not onely the Lauer that w Ioh. 15 3 cleanseth vs the immortall seed that x 1 Pet. 1. 23 regenerateth vs and the heauenly Charter that y Ioh. 8. 32. freeth vs from the power of darkenesse but it is the z Esa 11. 4. Psal 110. 2. rod and scepter of Christs mouth strength to conduct vs in the kingdome of grace and the a Psal 11 9. 105 lampe of our feete and the light of our pathes to leade vs in the narrow way to the kingdome of glory The more to blame are they who without the word and with speech vnseasoned with salt will bee forward to giue aduise and direction in matters of faith and manners and haue nothing to alledge but their me thinkes and me seemes as they vse to say and the opinion of the learned the precedency of great ones the example of multitudes such as are the ordinary intelligencers of their consciences wherein there is often as much rellish and good sauour as in the white of an egge As if such men had neuer read nor heard that b Psal 94. â—â— God knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity that c Pro. 14. 12 there is a way that seemeth right vnto man but the end thereof are the waies of death that d Iob 32. 9. great men are not alway wise and the e Mat. 7. 13. way of the multitude is the broad way â—â—ading to perdition Thesâ— are like foolish and presumptuous builders that will goe to work and leaue their tooles behinde them or set to build and lay aside line plummet rule and square or hang them at their backes trusting only to their own ayme and discretion Thou foole wilt thou offer that folly and presumption in edifying the Temple of the f Mal. 1. 14. great King and Lord of hosts whose name is dreadfull among the heathen which thou wouldest shame to g Verse 8. offer in building the Pallaâ—e of thy gouernour or the cottage of thy neighbour And yet how many otheâ—s are there who being ouer-hasty in rebuking lay aside the holy Scriptures profitable for reproofe and correction and all words of h Pro. 8. 6 righteousnesse i Act. 26. 25. truth and sobernesse and haue little else in their mouthes but that which is k Pro. 8. 8. froward and peruerse pouring out of their distempered stomackes and vnaduised anger those sayings of Racha foole and other such corrupt speeches and carnall threatnings such as l Iude veâ— 9 Michael the Archangell durst not bring forth against the Diuell contending with him such as God will not allow m Eph. 6. 9. in Masters dealing with their Seruants yea such as the Lord threatneth with n Mat. 5. 22 danger of the councell yea and with danger of hell too as a meete recompence for o Pro. 16. 27. the burning fire in their lips Secondly in our exhortations wee 〈◊〉 beware how we preferre p 1 Cor. 2. 4 the entising words of mans wisedome and q Verse 13. words which the wisedome of man teacheth before r 〈◊〉 1. 13 the forme of sound words and Å¿ 1 Cor. 2. 13 words which the holy Ghost teacheth as some loue to fill their moutheâ— with filed phrases and pomp of humane authors as if some raigning Iust of t Ioh. 5. 44 seeking honour one of an other by pleasing itchiâ—g eares had compelled them togather vp broken pieces of brasse into the Lords treasury to helpe forward the Lords building and to leaue so many golden plates which beare for credence the stampe of Gods spirit sleeping in the deck Must v Gen. 21. â—9 â—0 c. the bond woman and her sonne be cast out rather then the sonne of the free-woman should receiue scorne and disparagement from the sonne of the bond-woman And was it in Salomons time an eye-soare w Eccl. 10. 5. 7. to see seruants aduanced in Princes saddles And seemeth it a small thing in our eyes that in this worthy worke of Edifying the Lords Temple Vnderlings should be preferred before the Chiefetaines and Seruants before the Lords the holy Scriptures I meane which are called the Lords of Collections Can this be acceptable to God who is x 1 Cor. 14. 33. not the author of confusion but chargeth y Verse 40. all things to be done decently and in order And if in priuate exhortation this be not tollerable God graunt it may be duely considered of those who in Moses chaire aduance such things as should bee taught to know their distance though not by an vtter exclusion yet by a sparing admission z Ier. 23. 28. He that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord Or what is a Cor. 3. 12 wood
these least commandements and â—hall teach men so he shall bee called the least in the Kingdome of heauen Aqu. Mr. Archippus as it is your duty k Tit. 1. 9. by sound doctrine not onely to exhort but also to conuince the gaine-sayers so we pray you bee not weary of this good worke in the full conuiction of the remnants they haue yet to say No doubt say they but yee are the people and wisedome shall dye with you wee also haue reading and learning as well as others yet cannot wee possibly comprehend what perfect direction the law containes for all humane affaires What must husband-men learne out of the Scripture how to plough a furrow well or huswiues how to grinde their meale and kneade their dough well Finally to what perplexed horrors and despaire will this driue all sorts of men to tye them in all their endeauours to such a direction the perfection whereof they cannot reach vnto Arch. As I looke to reape so I must not be weary of my worke though it make mee cry out by the way who is sufficient for these things Now concerning Deut 28. 66. 67. their last obiection first I answere that horrors and despaire are the proper concomitants of the l Esa 51. 20. wicked because they m Ioh. 12. 35 walk in darkenesse and know not whether they goe which must needes be ghastly and dreadfull Howsoeuer many of them being as the Apostle saith n 1 Thes 5 7 a-sleepe and drunken in the night are o Pro. 23. 34. as he that lyeth downe in the midst of the sea or vpon the top of a Mast hauing no more sence of their horrors till with Foelix and Iudas their consciences be awakened then drunken men of their dangers or men a-sleepe of broken bones But p Gal. 6. 16 as many as walke according to the rule of the word peace bee on them saith the Apostle and he that makes Gods q Psal 119. 24. testimonies his Councellors shall finde them his delight and the r Verse 11 1. reioycing of his heart For the Å¿ Pro. 3. 17. waies of wisedome are the waies of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace Secondly I answere that the t Esa 28. 24. 26. c. discretion and faculties of ploughing as of grinding and all other lawfull Trades Mysteries Arts and Sciences are naturall endowments which God bestoweth on the reasonable soule of man as he doth the sensible faculties â— Psal 94. 9. Pro. 1â— 12. Iam. 2. 19. of hearing seeing tasting c. on the body And as it is not the Scripture but the sence of seeing and tasting that teacheth men to iudge of colours which is white and which blacke and of sauours which is sauory and which tainted so it is the discretion and faculties of all manuary Trades and Arts and Sciences that teach men how to plough grinde write or speake well well I mean not according to w that good that acceptable and perfect will of God which it may-be they intend not nor vnderstand but well according to the rules and methode of each seuerall Trade Art or Science and so men may be said to doe well as S. Iames saith and be no better all while then children of the diuell Yet the Scriptures being not ordained to such ends are x 2 Tim. 3. 16 perfect vnto all such supernaturall ends for which they are ordained I grant therefore that the word doth not exclude the helpe and vse of naturall reason in the former instances yea I adde that in matters morall politique and domesticall there is such a worke of the law written in mens hearts that y Rom. 2. 14 Gentiles which had not the law haue done by nature that is by naturall light of reason the things contained in the law that is many things materially good which the law requires yea that in some of them and Trades Arts and Sciences many naturall men haue out-stript and excelled many children of light as z Gen. 4. 20. 21 22. cursed Caines posterity were the first great Trades-masters Arts-masters of the world What then may we hence conclude that naturall reason being now corrupt can without the word giue sufficient direction to doe any thing well and acceptable vnto God â—ccording to his perfect will Then was the Apostle farre wide in point of discretion to teach that a T it 1. 15 to the vncleane all things are vncleane and b Rom. 8. 8. they that are in the flesh cannot please God Indeed naturall reason as it is corrupt is of it selfe sufficient to c Rom. 1. 20 make men without excuse and to d Rom. â— 6. leade them to death but that it should afford sufficient direction to doe any thing well and acceptably vnto God in ploughing grinding or any other voluntary action indifferent or morall is vtterly impossible because as e Rom. 8. 7. the carnall minde is enmity against God so f Heb. 11. 6. without faith it is impossible to please God and faith teacheth vs g 1 Pet. 4 2. to liue not to the lusts of men but to the will of God And therefore as Salomon saith that h Pro. 21. 4. the ploughing of the wicked is sinne so Christ saith i Mat. 24. 41. 〈…〉 o women shall be grinding at the Mill one shall be taken and the other shal be left Thirdly concerning that argument of theirs that they with all their reading and learning cannot conceiue what perfect direction the Law containeth for all humane affaires and therefore it doth not I answere what meane they Would they bee set to schoole with that Rusticall of whom the Roman Orator writes that hee could not possibly see how the Moone did containe greater quantity then his wiues Cheese-fat Must it therefore be so concluded Tell me O thou vaine man was Dauid a man of no reach nor learning hee that was wiser k Psal 119. 98. 99. 100. then his enemies and had more vnderstanding then the ancient and all his teachers To what end then saith hee I pray that the l Verse 129. testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull and that m Verse 96. he hath seene an end of all perfection but Gods commandement is exceeding broad if there were no more therin contained then our crazed vnderstanding can comprehend why prayeth hee n Verse 18. open thou mine eyes that I may see wondrous things out of thy law why complaineth hee o Psal 40. 12 of innumerable euils compassing him and his sinnes moe then the haires of his head why cryeth he out p Psal 19. 12 who can vnderstand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults But that he espied in the law of God an height aboue his ken a depth beyond his reach a great inquest greater then his heart able to finde out more sins then his q 1 Cor. 4. 4. owne conscience could be priuy vnto and to r
is not of this faith is sinne euen in things indifferent sinne I say to any that doubtingly and vnnecessary shall aduenture thereon Thirdly being in Christ and hauing knowledge of the lawfulnesse of the particular matters wee must trie whether the doing of them bee g 1 Cor. 6. 12 10. 23. expedient that is helpe to the maine end of the Law which is h 1 Tim. 1. 5. loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfaigned For God commanding i 1 Cor. 16. â—4 all our things to be done in loue k 1 Cor. 10. 3 all to his glory and l 1 Cor. 14. 26 all to edifying that is so as all may helpe and further our selues and our neighbours in holines and righteousnesse whatsoeuer choise or vse bee made of things indifferent â—f it bee not expedient to these ends m 1 Cor. 10. 23 24 expedient I say for our selues and n 1 Cor. 6. 12 expedient for our neighbors it must needes be sinne because it o 1 Ioh. 3. 4. transgresseth the Law in these respects howsoeuer the thing chosen vsed bee of it selfe lawfull So that that rule of our Sauiour p Mat. 12 30 he that is not with me is against mee must of necessity holde as well in the vse of things indifferent as of things necessary Fourthly when being in Christ wee know our warrant for the lawfulnesse of the matter and see the expediency of it to the foresaid ends then that which before was indifferent in nature become now * Roâ— 19. 21. good and * Acts 15. 18. necessary in vse and we must set about it as thus in the right manner and end so with obseruation of all due circumstances namely that we do it q Rom. 13. 4. 5. conscionably and r Eph. 6. 6 â—7 Col. 3. 22. 23 willingly as to the Lord who commandeth the doing of it as it is expedient Å¿ Eccl. 8. 5. 6 seasonably â— decently and t 1 Cor. 10. 30. circumspectly according to all other â— Eph. 5. 15 knowne rules of the Word not conformed to v. Rom. 12. 2 this world but transformed by the renewing of our minde that we may prooue what is that good â—â—at aâ—ceptable aâ—d perfect will â—f God And heere let no man say that 〈◊〉 destroy the whole nature of all indifferent things câ—â—ctions for schoolemâ—n themselues confesse that x Gâ—rsâ—â— in â—ogul mor. no action though it be indifferent as it is considered in it's naked nature can be indifferent as it is â—â—ad with it's particular circumstances in doing And y Tho. Aquisum paâ—t 1. q. 18. â— 9. no particular morall action or no action of the reasonable soule proceeding from reason can possibly be so indifferent but it must of necessity be good or euill and either conformable to the rules of Gods holy Word or disconformable thereunto Now if any man notwithstanding all that hath beene said shall loue to range where he list after the sight of his own eyes z Eccl. 11. 9. with the young man or to bee turned loose to the wayes of his owne heart with the a Luk. 15 12 13. prodigall Sonne and say the indifferent things wee meddle withall are for the most part sports and trifles or petty matters and in such light matters at least men haue sufficient warrant to make choise and vse according to their own discretion so that nothing bee done against the generall rules of Gods Word or else men shall be left in perpetual suspence and amazements First I answere that b Psal 119. 168. all our wayes being before God wee cannot play out of Gods presence no more then pray and if in play or other wayes any man draw backe sequestring himselfe from Gods presence as c Heb. 10. 38 Gods soule shall haue no pleasure in him so hee may looke to haue the diuell for his play-fellow And when God hath branded such for d Psal 106. 13 14 exceeding lust that waited not for his counsell must not we set God alwayes before vs as did e Psal 16. 7 8 Dauid that hee may giue vs counsell whereby we may be directed as well to play as to f 1 Cor. 10. â—0 eate and drinke and to doe whatsoeuer wee doe to the glory of God as hee commaundeth vs. And when we reade that g 1 Sam. 13. 14 23. rebellion in not obeying the voyce of the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft though in a light matter as Saul esteemed it as the sparing of a few cattell Nay when we heare of such wrath reueiled from heauen against petty matters as mâ—n would deeme as h 2 Sam. 6. 6 â— touching and i 1 Sam 6. 19 looking into the Arke k Num. 15. 32 36. gathering a few sticks oâ— the Sabbath and l Gen. 3. 6. c. eating of an Apple alas what meane men yet thus to talk of things so fearefull as but of trifles and petty matters Wee know him who saith He that breaketh the least Commandement c. For the authority of the commander is violated in the wilfull breach of the least tittle as of the waightier matters and one m Iam. 2. 10. poynt wilfully offended makes a man guilty of the whole Law as one little leake let alone may sinke the whole shippe one little hole in a shooe may make the whole foote watershod and one little claw held fast in the sâ—are brings the whole bird into the Fowlers hands And why doth the Scripture tell vs of n 1 Tim. 1. 19 shipwracke of faith of o Eph. 6. 15. feet shâ—d with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and of p 2 Tim. 2. 22 men taken captiue in the snare of the diuell but that men should fore see if happily they might feele those spirituall dangers by such earthly similitudes Secondly concerning mens owne discretion iâ— choise and vse so that nothing bee done against the generall rules of the Word I answere that if herein they intend to lean to their owne wisedome and not to acknowledge God in all their ways they haue already broken the pale of the Lords q Pro. 3. 5. 6. direction r Hos 5 10. like them that remooue the bound and are Å¿ 1 Tim. 6. 9. fallen into temptation and a snare whereby they may fall into many foolish and noâ—some lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction But if herein they intend to take heed according to the Word as that which must be bound continually t Pro. 6. 21. vpon their heart to bee their u Psal 19. 1 1 admonitor their â— counseller and their w Psal 119. 24. â— leader Then they must x Pro. 6. 22. acknowledge with reueâ—â—nd â— Caluin that seeing the Calu. inst lib 3. cap. 10. sect 1. Scripture giues generall rules for the lawfull vse of actions and things indifferent
were first to tender peace vnto euery house whereinto they should enter yea though the house were vnworthy thereof which Christ himselfe also supposeth and answereth by way of preuention saying l Mat. 10. 13. if the house be not worthy let your peace returne to you Arch. Though Christ there speake of m Mat. 10. 12 saluting the house and not of teaâ—â—ing yet I must confesse that in this salutation Christ would haue his Apostles to intend the peace of the Gospell to be conferred on â—e houses whereinto they entred But shall any man â—â—inke that he that was greater then Salomon was either ignorant or forgetâ—ull of what Salomon foretolde That n Pro. 27. 14 a man may be earely vp to blesse his friend with a loud voice when all shall be counted a â—urse to him God forbid And therefore Christ Iesus the o Esa 9. 6. Prince of peace would not haue his Ambassâ—dours hand-ouer-head 〈◊〉 cast their peace as Princes aâ—mneâ—s doe their almes because a p Psal 112. 4 5 good man guideth his affaires euen of compassion and fauour with diseretion Looke therefore to the same place and there may you finde if you wel-heede it thâ—t Christ before-hand charged his Apostles q Mat. 10. 11 12. into whatsoeuer citty or towne they shoul◠〈…〉 ter 〈◊〉 to eaquire who in it was worthy and there to abide saluting â—uch a house witâ— peace as they entred And where r Psal 150. 1â— 11. righteousnesse looking downe from heauen may meete with truth springing out of the earth can any man forbid that righteousnesse and peace should kisse each other where mâ—rcy and truth meete together â—et because iudgement of charity which vpon probable grounds hopeth the best may be deceaued and report as the heathen man teâ—s vs is prodigall of her fauours bestowed sometimes vpon most vnworthy persons therefore Christ was so iealours of his loue-tokens to be prostituted to any adulteresâ—e any Å¿ Iam. 4. 2. friend of the world I meane that he would not haue his Ambassadours to conclude their peace simply vpon their first enquiry But if for want of faith in t Mat. 10. 13 14. hearing their words which should worke by loue in u Verse the same receiuing their persons they found any house not worthy their peace was not to come vpon it but vv Verse 13. return to them to bee bestowed vpon the right owners and the x Verse 14. dust of their feete was to be shaken off for a testimony against them that not peace but vengeance belonged vnto them and that more y Verse 15 intollerable then that of Sodome and Gomorah Aqu. You haue giuen so full satisfaction in this point that you may say with the Apostle z 1 Cor. â—â—â—â— if any man bee ignorant let him be ignorant Proceed now we pray and briefly shew vs how in exhortation we must deale with men regenerate Arch. In this and all directions ensuing I must â—e so much the briefer by â—ow much the longer I â—aue beene in the former Concerning therfore men regenerate we are to know that they hauing past vnder the a Ier. 23. 29 hammer of Gods word haue had their stony â—earts broken and contrite â—ea b Eze. 1â— 19 God hath taken the â—tony heart out of their â—â—esh and giuen them an â—eart of flesh wherby they â—o c â—sa â—6 2. tremble at the Word â—nd d Psal 119. â—6â— stand in such awe of â—t with their e Psal 40. 6. eares so boaâ—ed to receiue it that a f Pro 1â— 10 reproofe entreth more into a â—ise man then an hundred stripes into a foole On such therfore wee must generally g Iude verse 22. haue compaâ—sion as S. Iude directeth vs and learne of our meeke Sauiour h Mat. 12. 20 not to breake â— bruised reed nor quench smoaking flaxe but as wee see anâ— such i Gal. 6. 1. ouer-taken with a fault we that are spirituall must restore such in the spirit of meekenesse dealing as gently and tenderly with them as if we were handling bones vn-ioynted as the k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 originall word importeth which the Apostle there vseth And generally I say must we thus handle them because in some cases if Gods children stagger in faith and by Satans buffets swoune and loose the sence of their saith they must be fetcâ—t againe with smiting reproofes and heated with the word as fire till they l Luk. 24. 21 25. 32 feele their hearts â—uen to burn within them â—nd if they play the fooles with m Hos 13. 13 Ephraim and stay â—ong in the place of the â—reaking forth of the chilâ—ren and bee so n Gal. 3. 1. 3 foolish â—at hauing begun in the â—pirit they will bee made perfect by the flesh they must bee handled accordingly and befooled and â—e sorrowes of a trauailing â—oman must needes come â—pon them seeing they put â— others againe to trauaile o Gal. 4. 19. â—â— birth of them And as I â—â—ewed before if their â—earts bee oppressed with â—â—rfetting or cares of this â—â—e or sâ—rcharged with fulnesse what else should wee â—oe for them but bloud 〈◊〉 and purge them vnlesse wounds that should bee bound vp and healed and by their cruelty making the rent worse that should be repaired What is it a small matter for these men to a Eâ—e 13. 22 make sad the heart of the righteous whom God hath not made sad but they must also b Deâ—t â—â— 18. with Amalek smite the feeble among them when they are â—â—int and weary in the way of their pâ—lgrimage Let men looke to it for as c Zac. 1. 14. God is iealous 〈…〉 Sioâ— with a great iealousâ—e so saith our â—â—auiour d 〈◊〉 18. 7. shall not God a â—engâ—â—is own elect which cry day and night though he beare long with them It for this e Iob 42. 7. 8 Gods anger were so kindled against Iobs friends that he would not put it vp nor beare it at their hands vnlesse they would put themselues to â—â—ame and humble themselues vnto his seruant Iob whom they had vnaduiâ—edly grieued in the day of â—is calamity let men tremâ—le that arrogantly maliciously doe this lest the Lord s 〈…〉 are in his wrath against theÌ„ as he did against Amalek that he will neuer put it vp but f Exo. 17. 16 haue â—aâ—re with them as with Amalek from generation to generation Aqu. As you haue now giuen vs full direction for the difference we are to put in respect of mens in-side so now wee pray shew vs what difference our exhortations are to put in regard of mens out-sides Arch. In regard of mens outward condition some are our elders and superiours some our inferiours and some our equals If superiours we are to obserue that rule of the Apostle g 1 Tim. 5. 1 rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father
enioyned addeth a most solemne charge too high and heauy for any earthly potentate to dispense withall saying b 1 Tim. 5. 21 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preferring one before an other doing nothing by paâ—tiality And sure if publique sinnes were to haue priuate admonition before publique reproofe then would not the Prophet Elias so c 1 Reg. 18. 18 21. 20 instantly and openly haue reproued king Ahab nor our Sauiour so haue d Luk. 13. 32 taxed king Herod for a foxe nor haue said so openly to Peter e Mat. 16. 23 get behind me Satan c. nor to the ruler of the synagogue f Luk. 13. 15 thou hipocrite c. neither would S. Paul so haue g Gal. 2. 14 reproued S. Peter before all nor S. Peter himselfe haue so said to his auditors h Act. 2. 36. Iesus whom ye haue â—rucified c. and againe i Act. 4 15. this is the stone set at nought of you builders c. Now if rulers if Apostles if kings be not to be spared who men Doubtles it is a great â—ult and no lesse then an k Eze. 22. 2 abhomination to l Verse 7. set light by Father Mother to m Iud. vers 8 despise dominion and to speake euill of dignities for it is written n Act 23. 5. thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people that is by o Exo. 22. 28. any reuiling manner or cursing as the law expresseth the meaning But this is no reuiling when reuerence and honour being exhibited to dominions and dignities and that with all feare and trembling as vnto Gods vicegerents on earth the scandall of a publique flagitious offence is sought to be remoued by a publique reproofe And most famous through the Christian world is that commendation which Thedosius Vid. Theodoris hist Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 17. the Emperour gaue to S. Ambrose saving that he had hardly found a teacher of truth and that he knew onely bishop Ambrose worthy of that name because Ambrose had openly reproued him Ruffinus his fauourite for their publique scandalous faults And to the euerlasting praise of our gracious Soueraigne King Iames it is worthy to be written with the point of a Diamond how Anno Domino 1619. in detestation of the impudent whorish attire and habits of some man-like monstrous women who with a whores fore-head then out-faced Church Court his most excellent Maiesty commanded the Lord Arch-bishop of Cant and other Bishops by him to charge the preachers in his royall name publiquely in their pulpits to rebuke such women and put them to open shame And for as much as by notorious haynous offences p Rom. 2. 24 Gods name is blasphemed and many soules endangered notorious offences being as q Heb. 12. 15 powerfull to corrupt others as a r 1 Cor. 5. 6 little leauen is to leauen the whole lumpe What reason that the honour of our heauenly Father and the safety of many soules should yeeld to the vndeserued credit or respect of any one man Vnles it were good piety towards our parents to heare them capitally slaundered in publique and to dismisse the slaunderer with a reproofe in secret or good charity towards our neighbours to suffer a whole citty to be infected rather then they should heare an Alderman publiquely rebuked for going among them with the botch running on him Finally when I heare how the loue of euery naturall childe cryeth to haue the plaister as broad as the wound giuen to his Fathers honour and remember the verdict of our Sauiour saying Å¿ Mat. 10. 37 he that loueth Father more th 〈…〉 e is not worthy of me Againe when I consider that as Mr. Perkins saith t Perk. in Gal. 2. 14. liberty in reprouing is not the fruit of a rash disposition but the fruit of Gods spirit and so to be acknowledged as the Prophet u Mic. 3. 8. Micah sheweth and that S. Paul is neuer any where so witnessed to be filled with vv Act. 13. 7 8 9 10 the holy Ghost as when he set his eyes on Elymas and openly to his face said though he were a man in respect with the Deputy of the Country O full of subtilly and mischiefe thou child of the diuell thou enemy of all righteousnesse c. Last of all when I remember how in the dayes of Iohn Baptist x Mat. 11. 12 when the Kingdome of heauen suffered ruiolence and men tooke it by force men were y Mat. 3. 6. baptised of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes and how afterwards in the dayes of the Apostles preaching the z Act. 19. 18 c. word is said so mightily to grow and preuaile that many beleeuers came and confessed and shewed their deeds and many great curious artists brought their bookes together and burnt them before al men though the price of them being counted was found to be 50000 pieces of siluer about 800 English pounds and how long before these a Num. 20. 10 11 12. Moses the seruant of God b Psal 51. 1 in the title of the Psal King Dauid c Ion. 1. 3. 5 Ionas the Prophet and d Act. 22. 4. 5 26. 9. c Paul the Apostle for an example to all the w 〈…〉 d being all e 2. Pet. 2. 21 inspired by â—â—e holy Ghost that f 2 Tim. 1. 6 spirit of power and loue of a sound minde stoode forth as voluntary penitents with their publique writings accusing confessing against themselues their publique notorious offences and shaming themselues to glorifie God and edifie men When I call to minde these things and lay them to heart my belly trembleth to conceiue in what disgrace and contempt the word of publique reproofe is held being censured as the froth of a rash and giddy braine rather then the fruit of Gods spirit and how it is husht and almost buried in silence as well in pulpits as p 〈…〉 ru meetings to fulfill the prophecies written of these last and perillous times namely g Mat. â—4 12 because iniquity shall abound as Christ saith the loue of many shall waxe colde h 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 5. and men shall be louers of their owne selues as S. Paul saith hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Concerning the manner of publique reproofe I gain say not any discretion or respect to men that good is but wish all heauenly skill and humble endeauours therein to be vsed either by helpe of parables as the i 2 Sam. 12. Prophets dealt with King Dauid and k 1 Reg. 20. 39 c. â—ing Ahab or by way of intercessio◠〈◊〉 humble aduise and intrâ—aty as l Dan. 4. 19 27. Daniel delt with King Nebuchadâ—ezzâ—r and m Iere. 38. 20 c. Ieremy with King Zedekiah
shuttle and no man m Eccl. 8. 8. hauing power ouer the spirit to retaine the spirit or power in the day of death to n Iob 14. 5 passe his appointed bounds may not the day of thy life be short and o Psal 140. 4 1â—4 29. thy breath sodainly goe forth and thou returne to thy dust And then p Psal 30. 9. the dust being not able to praise God nor declare his truth that other day of the Gospell is thine no longer for performance of exhortation Nay if q Heb. 3. 7. 8 13. while it is called to day thou harden thy heart from hearing Gods voice that chargeth vs to exhort one another dayly may it not r Zac. 7. 13. come to passe that as God cryed and thou wouldst not heare so thou mayst cry and he will not heare and he that Å¿ Reu. 3. 7. hath the key of Dauid and shutteth and no man openeth may not he shut thee vp in vnbeliefe and an impenitent heart and then what good will the day of thy life yea and the Gospell it selfe doe thee vnles it be the more to t Ioh. 12. 39 40. blind and harden thee that thou mayst waxe worse worse fulfil thy sin alway that the wrath may come vpon thee to the vttermost u Eccl. 8. 6. Because to euery purpose there is time and iudgement therefore the misery of man is great vpon him that is vpon euery man w Luk 19. 44 that knoweth not the time of his visitation Men may out-stand the acceptable time of grace and the opportunity of doing good as foolish chapmen doe their faires and markets and then they may sit long enough till the like be offered them againe yea the season being slipt men may crye and yellow as with the voice of dragons x Mat. 25. 21 c. Lord Lord open vnto vs and all too late when the doore is Luk. 13. 24 25. c. once shut y Eze. 24. 13 Because I haue purged thee saith the Lord to Ierusalem of old time and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthines any more till I haue caused my fury to rest vpon thee And for this cause the Lord Iesus z Luk. 19 41 42. wept ouer Ierusalem at last saying if thou hadst knowne euen thou at least in this thy day the things that belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And we know he told the disciples a Luk. 17. 22 the dayes will come when yee shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man and ye shall not see it And surely if the Lord had nothing else against as but this that we * Reu. 2. 4 5 haue left our first loue in whetting vp each other to loue good workes wee euen we professors except wee repent of this may be the men will cause God to remoue our candlestick out of his place or to * Iob 2â— 20 21. hurle vs out of our places as a storme or as a tempest stealing vs away in the night Arist But though many are called and few chosen yet I hope you speake not this as if any of the elect could either fall short of grace or euer fall from grace Arch. No but those terrible threats and iudgements are like thunder-claps though they strike but some yet they should feare vs all from security and make vs b Heb. 12. 15 looke diligently least any man faile of the grace of God and c Heb. 3. 12 13. take heede and exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of vs be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne And this I adde that though d Heb. 10. 38 39. the iust shall liue by the faith of Gods elect when hipocrites draw back vnto perdition yet concerning euery righteous soule that either being cumbred with many things neglecteth the golden opportunity of edifying others in the faith or leaning to his owne discretion pursueth not the right means and manner of edifying though himselfe shall be saued yet it wil be e 1 Pet. 4. 18 scarcely as S. Peter saith and f 1 Cor. 3. 15 so as by fire as S. Paul saith He shall not onely g Vers 14. 15 suffer losse of the reward which otherwise he might haue receiued but through much h Ier. 10. 9. Luk. 24. heart-burning must he enter into the kingdome For though the righteous cannot loose the being and habit of faith vnfaigned and sauing grace till they i 1 Pet. 1. 9. receiue the end of their faith euen the saluation of their soules because k Rom. 11. 29 the gifts and calling of God are without repentance yet by negligence and security l Psal 51. 10. c. may they loose the degrees acts of sauing grace in that measure of the strength of the spirit of the ioy of saluation of peace of conscience of sweete communion with God and of well being in the state of grace which once they enioyed which may cost them heauily the recouery yea the losse of some part of them to their dying day And therefore as Christ in an other case said m Luk. 17. 32 Remember Lots wife so heere remember n Iud. 16. 28. c. Sampson say I lest wee see the day wherein wee may count it our happinesse in this world if with the losse of our liues we may redeeme the shame and griefe of such spirituall losses Wherefore as wee haue opportunity let vs doe good and euery day as the Scripture saith while it is called to day let vs exhort one another and as o Eph. 5. 15 16. Wise men redeeme the time because the dayes are euill especially euery Sabbath let vs double our exhortations as the Iewes did their p Num. 28. 9 sacrifices for then aboue all dayes wee may not be q Esa 58. 13 speaking our owne words And at all times pray wee God so to r Psal 141. 3. keepe the doore of our lips and so to Å¿ Psal 51. 15 open our lips that our mouth may shew forth his praise by that t Esa 50. 4. tongue of the learned whereby wee may know how to Minister a word in season that is how to n Verse the same time a word as the Prophet Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh to w Pro. 25. 11. set a word vpon his wheeles as Salomon speaketh that our words may be like apples of gold in pictures of siluer not onely precious for matter being x Eccl. 12. 10 words of truth but delectable for order and then y Pro. â—5 23 a word spoken in due season how good is it To this end wee must with the z Eccl. 12. 9. Preacher giue good heede and seeke out and order our words according to the circumstances of Time Place Persons Occasions I say of
Time as when a 2 â—am 14. 1 c. Ioab perceiued king Dauids heart towards banished Absolom then he put words in the wise womans mouth for his returne of Place as when the b Mat. 13. 36. Marc. 4. 10 34. 7. 17 disciples keeping silence where Christ taught the multitude respited to aske him the things they doubted of till he came into the house and was with them alone of Persons as when c 1 Cor. 9. 20 c. S. Paul became as a Iew vnto the Iewes to them that were without law as without law and all things to all men that he might by all means saue some and of Occasions as d Ios 24. 22. c. Ioshua when the people had witnessed with their owne mouthes against themselues that they had chosen the Lord to serue him he thereupon presently perswaded them to put away their strange Gods and that very day made a couenant statute and ordinance with them And so S. Paul e Act. 17. 23 c. when among the Idolaters at Athens he had espied an altar with this inscription To the vnknowne God he thence tooke occasion to declare vnto them the onely true God whom they ignorantly worshipped And because it is the property of a f Eccl. 8. 5. wise-mans heart to discerne both time and iudgement therefore by due obseruation of all circumstances wee are to discerne first whither it be a fit season for vs to speake and secondly whither the season be fit for others to heare Comcerning the first of these for as much as a g Pro. 29. 11 foole vttereth al his minde and the h Pro. 15. 2 mouth of foolesse powreth out foolishnes whereas a i Pro. 12. 23 prudent man concealeth knowledge and k Pro. 29. 11 keepeth it in till afterwards therefore as generally wee must set a watch before the doore of our lips and be sparing of our words * Pro. 15. 2 studying to answere before wee speake so especially in the presence of our betters in gifts of grace callings and yeares wee must l Iob 29. 9. refraine talke and lay our hands vpon our mouthes knowing our distance and obseruing humility in speaking as in sitting m Luk. 14. 7 c giuing the first place to the more honourable as our Sauiour taught the guests And then if they speake not at al or not fully to edification if any thing better be reuealed to vs wee may must speake for our parts Thus Elihu being young and Iob and his friends very old though he werefull of matter yet he n Iob 32. 4 c. wayted for their words and long attended vnto them till he answered his part For want of this obseruation as empty caskes sound loudest and â—ase mettals ring shrillest so many vaine talkers and tatlers powre it out when euer they come before their wiser their betters in foolish and vnlearned questions in prophane and vaine bablings no way good to the vse of edifying but to the o 2 Tim. 2. 14 subuerting or p 2 Pet. 2. 8. vexing of the hearers Wherein as they bewray the q Iam. 1. 26. vanity of their religion in not refrayning their tongues and r Pro. 10. 19. no want of sinne in the multitude of their words so Å¿ Mat. 12. 37 by their words they shall be condemned not onely because they edifie not but because they hinder those that would edifie like the t Mat. 23. 13 wofull Scribes and Pharises that shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men neither going in themselues nor suffering them that were entring to goe in Touching the second wee are to obserue that some times fooles are in a rage then u Pro. 17. 12 let a Beare robbed of her whelps meete a man rather then a foole in his folly saith Salomon and then vv Pro. 21. 23. who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles For as the x Iam. 1. 2◠〈◊〉 wrath of man euen of a man regenerate worketh not the righteousnesse of God because y Pro. 27. 4. wrath is cruell and anger is outragious so a fooles wrath is z Vers 3. heauyer then the waighty sands or heauy stones And therefore at such times either wee must keepe our mouth with a bridle and keepe the doore of our lips close shut or at least-wise our a Pro. 15. 1. answere must be soft to turne away wrath else what doe wee but as men that will be rashly opening their doores to raging beares or b Eccl. 10. â— remouing waighty stones in both which without great warines men may soone get no little hurt Againe in times of prosperity the hearts of most men are c Luk. 21. 34 surcharged with cares and pleasures of this life and drunke but not with wine as the d Esa 29. 9. Prophet speaketh as others are sometimes drunken with Naball e Hos 4. 1â— wine and new wine taking away the heart Now as wise Abigail wayted an opportunity f 1 Sâ—â— â—â— 36. till the wine was gone out of Nabal and then tolde him his owne and as God because g Ier. â—â— â—1 he speakes vnto men in their prosperity and they will not heare which is their manner from their youth vp being as hardly to be diuerted in their occasions as h Ier. 2. 24 the wilde asse vsed to the wildernesse that snuffeth vp the winde at her pleasure doth therefore i Iob 36. 8 10. binde them in fetters and hold them in cords of affliction to open their care to discipline and then in k Esa 26. 16 trouble they will visite him and powre out a prayer when his chastening is vpon them so must wee looke and wayte for the like opportunities in dealing with the like persons And as they that seeke the wilde asse will not l Ier. 2. 24 weary themselues as the Prophet saith because in her moneth they will finde her that is once a yeare comes her foaling moneth then she is tame enough to be dealt withall so when m Esa 26. Gods iudgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world saith the Lord will learne righteousnesse much more the inhabitants of Ierusalem then are mens consciences awakened as were the n Gen. 42. 21 Patriarchs to call their wayes to remembrance then are mens o Leu. 36. 41 vncircumcised hearts humbled to p 1 Reg. 8. 38 47. know euery man the plague of his owne heart and to bethinke himselfe and in affliction not onely Gods children will q Hos â— â—â— acknowledge their offences and seeke Gods face and seeke him earely and become as tame as Lambes and Kids so that a r Esa 11. 6. little child shall lead them and Å¿ Eze. 20. 37 bring them into the bond of the couenant while God causeth them to passe vnder the rod but hipocrites themselues will t