generall defection of Ezraes time how powerfully was worthy Ezra himselfe x Ezr. 10. 2. c. exhorted and encouraged by Shecaniah So in the Prophet Malachies time when religion was downe the wind and men y Mal. 3. 14. said it is vaine to serue God it is registred that z Verse 16. then they that feared the Lord spake euery man to his neighbour or spake often one to another as the kings translators render it And what spake they no doubt that which was good to the vse of edifying as many their fellowes did before them saying a Hos 6. 1. come let vs retuâ— to the Lord b Ier. 50. 5. come let ioyne to the Lord and 〈◊〉 c Psal â—22 1 vs goe into the house God And as for this â—â— speech come and let â— goe vp into the house â— the Lord c. the Prophet foreseeing that the Gentiles should receiue the spirit of faith and d 2 Cor. 4. 13 beleeue and therefore speake dâ—â— e Esa 2. 2 3. Mich. 4. 1 2. testifie before that thâ— speech of mutuall exhortâ—on should bee the commoâ— language of all beleeuiâ—â— nations when in the laâ— dayes the mountaine â—â— the Lords house should beâ— exalted aboue the hils anâ— people should flow vnto iâ— And accordingly wee hauâ— it recorded that in the daieâ— of the Gospell not onely the f Mark 5. 20 Demoniacke and g Luk. 2. 17. 8 Shepheards among the Iewes performed this duty to the admiration of their hearers but h Act. 10. 45. 46. Cornelius also with others of the Gentiles to the astonishment of the Iewes that heard them Yea i Ioh. 4. 28. c. the woman of Samaria though she were but a poore Tankard-bearer as it should seeme by her water-pot which for hast shee left behinde her yet she no sooner in her heart receiued the Messias but out of the abundance of her heart her mouth so spake and ministred such grace to those that heard her that she was a blessed instrument to bring many Samaritans to the faith of Christ Hereunto may be added Tryphena Tryphosa and Persis women among the Romans and other women among the Philippians of whom the Apostle giues this commendation that they k Rom. 16. 12. laboured yea much laboured yea and l Phil. â— 3. laboured some of them with himselfe in the Gospell which they could not doe but by priuate exhortation as m Acts 18. 26. Priscilla did seeing by the Apostolicall Canon n 1 Cor. 14. 34 women were silenced from speaking in the Churches And memorable aboue all others is that example of the g Luk 23. 40 41 42 43. theefe vpon the crosse who then at last cast as we say beleeuing did so speake to the rebuking oâ— his fellow theefe and to the iustifying and magnifying of the Lord Iesus that immediately Iesus himselfe p Heb. 12. 2. â— despisâ—ng the shame and all contradiction of sinners did with his q Psal 45. 2. owne lips full of grace as r Psal 24. 8. king of glory crowne him as it were on the crosse and there Å¿ Col. 2. 15. triumphing ouer all Principalities and powers of darkenesse euen in t Luk. â—â— 53 the very houre and power of darkenesse hee proclaimed him an heire of Paradise and promised him seizin and possession thereof together with himselfe that very day as a present reward for the fruit of his lips whereby he had so manifested his faith and honoured his Sauiour So that â—t fareth with euery beleeuer who hath found hiâ— lost soule as with u Luk. 15. 8. c. that woman in the parable who haâ— found her lost peece of siâ—uer who as shee fate noâ— moaping in a corner with fullennesse when shee haâ— lost her piece but vv Verse 8. lighted a candle and swept the house and looked diligently till shee found it so hauing found it she could noâ— sit smiling in her sleeue buâ— x Verse 9. shee called together hâ— friends and neighbours saying reioyce with meâ— for I haue found the peecâ— which I had lost And â— Christ applied that to thâ— y Verse 10. ioy of the Angels ouer onâ— sinner that repenteth so may as truely here apply â—â— to the z Rom. 14. 17. ioy of the holâ— Ghost that accompanietâ— righteousnesse and peace in all vnfained beleeuers And I likewise say vnto you that such ioy there is among beleeuers ouer any one sinner whose repentance may be by their meanes either begun or perfected that a 2 Cor. 4. 13 according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken so they beleeuing b Acts 4. 20. cannot but speak for the c Iude ver 3 common saluation of others with themselues And let this suffice for the first generall point Aqu. Mr. Archippus you haue set such a a Iam. 1. 23. glasse before vs and b Heb. 12. 1. compassed vs with such a cloude of witnesses that when we behold our faces in the one and cast our eyes to the other wee may c Ier. 3â— 10. strike on our thighes and be ashamed of our backwardnes in a duty so necessary wherein the primitiue beleeuers were so forward I pray therefore proceede and wheâ—â—e and rowze vs throughly dullards and drowzy headed as we are by your forcible reasons Arch. For your better remembrance you shall haue all included in 4. generall motiues concerning 1. God and our Sauiour 2. our neighbours 3. our selues 4. our enemies First therfore you know the d Mat. 2â—â—â—7 â—â— first and great commandement which is e Mare 12â— 30 33. more then all whole burnt offerings sacrifices thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength And from the f Psal 119. 5 8 20 c. vnfaigned hearty desire and endeauour of keeping this commandement no gospeller can pleade immunity because being freed from the g Rom. 6. 14 10. 4. rigour and h Gaâ—â— 10 13. curse of the Law by the grace that i Ioh 1. 17. came by Iesus Christ we are euen by the bonde of grace so bound to k Ep. 6 〈◊〉 loue the Lord Iesus in sincerity that if l 1 Cor. â—6 2â— any man thus loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha saith S. Paul Signifying heereby that such a man is excluded from grace and therby left to a curse more m Heb. 10. 29 heauy then all the Law could haue imposed on him being n 2. Pet. 2. 9. reserued to the day of iudgment the o Reu. 6. 16. wrath of the lambe heauier then the rocks and mountaynes to be punished euen by the p 2 Tess 1 7 8. Lord Iesus himselfe when he shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
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
they â— chanted to the sound of Amos 6. 5. the viol and inuented to themselues instruments of musick like Dauid Like I say in forme and sound of the instruments but most vnlike in the intention of the hearts that vsed them For whereas Dauid vsed them to make melody to â—â—e Lord with grace in his heart they vsed them to make melody to the diuell in w Vers 3 4 6. sacrificing to their belly-god Let men therefore with x Iob 32. 22 Elihâ— tremble to giue flattering titles and y Rom. 16. 18 goodly words and faire speaches to serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies z Esa 32. 5. in calling the vile person liberall and the churle bountifull and euill good which is a Esa 5. 20. wofull For all such flattering rhetorick being excluded from all those in whom b Esa 32. 1 5 Christ raigneth is nothing else but a c Eph. 4. 14. cogging sleight of men cunning craftinesse of methodicall guile which the diuell vseth to d Rom 16. 18 deceaue e Pro. 29. 5 insnare and f Pro. 26. 28 ruinate many a simple soule And such flatterers may be compared to faithlesse stewards who bestowe the choise prouision of foode and rayment prepared for their Lords owne children and faithfull seruants vpon deboshed rogues and idle vagabonds which how much it may vexe and prouoke to anger the children and seruants and strengthen the others in their roguery I leaue to others to iudge Arist But saith not the Scripture say some â— why iudgest thou thy Rom 14. 10 â—bother And h Mat. 7. 1. iudge not that ye be not iudged and againe i 1 Cor. 4. 5. iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come Arch. The first place now alleaged is against the erroneous iudgement of such men as would iudge others in k Rom. 14. 3 4. meates dayes things that were then indifferent and so iudging and speaking euill of others without warrant of the Law they did therein l Iam. 4. 11 speake euill of the law and iudge the law as if they had bin wiser then the Law-giuer to finde out euill a shamefull presumption The second place is against the rash malicious iudgement of hipocrites who would be m Mat. 7. 3 4 pulling out moates of their brothers eye and not consider beames in their owne The third is against the vntimely iudging of such secrets as are reserued to the Lords iudgement to be manifested as appeareth in the same place Now as this last place may not hinder the iudging of n 2 Tim. 5. 23 some mens sinnes which are open before hand going before to iudgement so neither may the second place restraine the o 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Saints who shall iudge the world and Angels how much more things that pertaine to this life And least of all may the first place stop righteous iudgement in iudging the trees by their fruits which Christ himselfe not onely p Mat. 7. 16 c. warranteth but also q Ioh. 7. 24 inioyneth and was effectually r 1 Cor. 5. 12 put in 2 Cor. 2. 6. practise in the primitiue Churches Arist Yea but yet say they S. Paul saith that wee should be Å¿ Tit. 3. 2. gentle shewing all meekenesse vnto all men and that t 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. the seruant of the Lord must be gentle vnto all men apt to teach patient and in meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselues If to all meekenesse and gentlenesse must be shewed then to the vnregenerate also and where then will be roome say they for terror and sharpnesse Arch. I confesse those places may haue relation to men vnregenerate but looke to them both and they will shew you that by meekenesse gentlenesse patience the Apostle excludeth all u 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. foolish vnlearned questions and strifes and all w Tit. 3. 2. euill speaking and brawling which make Ministers and people vnfit to teach and help others out of the diuels snare and not terrour and sharpnesse which S. Paul and S. Iude prescribe as the means to saue some and to make them sound in faith Yea search the Scriptures and ye shall finde that regenerate men themselues haue sometimes neede of them is the best bodies may be â—icke of repletion and plu 〈…〉 es sometimes and then â—eede purging and bloud-â—etting as well as others as Mat. 16. 23 â— S. Peter y â— Cor. 6. 1 7. c. 2 Cor. 13. 2 10. the Corinthians and the z Gal. 3. 1 c Galatians And therefore a reproofe vpon an obedient eare is compared not onely to a Pro. 25. 12 an eareâ—ng and ornament of gold but also to an b Psal 141. 5 excellent â—yle and soueraigne meane of c Pro. 29. 1. cure implying that without these the Saints themselues might sometimes loose not onely their grace and beauty but also their life and safety How much more then doe the lawlesse and disobedient neede sharpe rebuke and terror for their recouery For d 1 Tim. 1. 8 9. the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawles and disobedient that is to such principally and properly belongeth the â—â—gour and curse of the law which the Apostle calleth the lawfull vsing or the law And yet our sharpest rebukes and terrors may not be ministred no not to the worst without gentlenesse meekenesse patience First that with a e 2 Cor. 2. 4 7. 8. pittifull resenting heart wee apply them euer expressing most f Iere. 4. 19 20 9. 1. griefe and lamentation when we are Luk. 19. 41 42 c. most vrged to proclaime desolation Secondly that thereby we may patiently g Gal. 4. 12. put vp all iniuries of enuyings swellings euill-speakings and â—rutish out-rages that our 〈…〉 st reproofes may meete withall and that wee may Rom. 12 21. ouercome all those euills â—ith good Thirdly that 〈…〉 ng-sufferance wee may exhort dayly whiles it is Heb. 3. 13. called to day wayting iâ— peraduenture k 2 Tim. 2. 25 26 God will giue them repentance that they may recouer themselues out of the diuels â—hare who are taken capâ—â—ue by him at his will And 〈◊〉 all this will not yeelde â—â—em satisfaction to whom â—â—all I liken them but to â—owzy or festered froward children who hauing their â—eads crawling with flitches of lice their soares â—anckling would yet neuer acknowledge any gentlenesse meekenesse and patience in their most tender harted tending nurse-mothers except they will cast away all combes with their sharpe teeth thâ—t must fetch out the vermine and all mundifying waters or playsters that by their smarting must draw forth the corruption that may otherwise kill them Aqu. Wee haue but one doubt more in this which wee pray you to resolue which is this that when Christ sent forth his Apostles to preach they
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
and opportunity can permit that wee might by all meanâ— saue some yea and those that are g Vers 19. free from all men should make themselues seruants vnto all men h Gal. 5. 13 by loue seruing one another that they might gaine the more But say others i 1 Cor. 5. 12 what haue wee to doe to iudge them that are without Reproofe therefore is to be â—estrayned onely to brethren in religion at least in outward profession And others obiect that all who â—re not truly religious are dead in sinnes and tresâ—asses â— Eph. 2. 1. and therefore in exhortation we haue nothing to doe with them what say they must wee speake to carkases and dead men Archip. First I answere that S. Paul in the former place speakes of iudging by publique censure of the Church which can reach to none but to those that are within the Church which may not restrayne priuate l 2 Thess 3. 14. 15. admonition no not from such disorderly disobedient persons from whose company the brethren themselues are restrayned by the Apostle Nay by how much the lesse the censure of the Church can reach to those that arâ— without so much the morâ— must wee admonish them priuately as wee haue opportunity if wee intend the doing of any good vnto them as wee are bound to doe euen m Gal. 6. 10 to all though they be not of the houshold of faith Secondly they who are dead in sinnes trespasses according to the Apostles meaning are yet n 1 Tim. 5 6 liuing in the flesh though dead in regard of spirituall vegetation and may be quickned as o Eph. 2. 1. those were of whom the Apostle speaketh Nay wee al that now p Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith were dead as they by nature and may not they then as wel as we be quickned by grace As the Apostle pleading for the Iewes that were cut off saith to the beleeuing gentile q Rom. â—â— 18. 23. Boast not against them for God is able to graffe them in so say I to thee despayre not of these for God who quickned you in their case is able also soone to quicken them together with you Should a man that hath escaped danger of drowning by fauour of a draw-bridge afforded him pluck vp the bridge from his indangered fellowes following after him Behold r Ioh. â— 24 thou hast passed from death to life by the grace of him who is Å¿ Iâ—h 14 6 the way the truth and the life and wilt thou stop this passage of graâ—e from thy fellowes behinde thee Mayest thou not so prouoke the Father of mercies who t Exo. â—4 keepeth mercy for thousands to speake to thee in his wrath as the Lord saith in the parable u Mat. â—8 32 33 O thou wicked seruant c. shouldst not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow as I had pitty on thee Doth thy soule abhorre those enuious vv Gen. 26. â—8 Philistins that stopped Abrahams wels wherewith cattell were watered and refreshed and wilt thou stop the x Ier. 2. 1â— fountaine of liuing waters the y Zac. â—3 â— fountaine that is opened for sinne and for vncleannesse to refresh thousands of mens weary soules O how are they branded that z Psal â—8 41 limited the holy one of Israell in his power and art not thou blame-worthy if in thy thought thou limit him in his rich mercy who is a Rom 10. 12 the same Lord ouer all rich vnto all that call vpon him who hath b Rom 11. 32 concluded all vnder sinne that he might haue mercy of all gentile as well as Iew and of the elect yet vn-called without aswel as of those within For this purpose must not c Maâ— 15. 15 the gospell be preached to euery creature in all the world and that d Mat. 28. 20 euen vnto the end of the world Now therefore as well as in the dayes of the Apostle e 2 Cor. 6. 1. is the accepted time behold now is the day of saluation and the houre is not yet expired whereof the Lord of life saith f Ioh. 5. 25 verily verily I say vnto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue And if by hearing they that are dead in sinnes and trespasses shall liue then you see the dead must be spoken vnto that they mâ—y heare and liue Thou wilt say perhaps true and were I a preacher g 1 Cor. 9. 16 woe were to me if I should not preach the gospell to the dead h Act. 20. 28 of whom I am made an ouer-seer But say I thou art a neighbour though no preacher and if they that be dead in sinne be thy neighbours the royall law chargeth thee to loue them as thy selfe if their bodies which none will deny how much more then their soules Yea were it but thy neighbours nay thine i Exo. 23. 4. 5 enimies oxe straying or asse lying vnder a burden thou must in pitty help him What doth God take care for oxen and asses as the Apostle k 1 Cor. 9. 9 10. saith No doubt for our sakes this is written that he that seeth his neighbourâ— soule lying vnder the burden of sin l Leu. 19. 17 must not as the Law saith hatâ— his brother in his heart but he shall in any wise rebuke his neighbour not suffer sinne vpon him Whereto cut off all such cauils as if onely brethren in religion or profession were to be rebuked the Lord himselfe makes brother and neighbour termes conuentible or of equall extent and in this case euery soule that thou seest to haue neede is thy neighbour though he be the man whose face thou neuer sawest before as m Luk. 10. 29 c. Christ sheweth at large in that parable where he tels the perâ— Lawyer who is his neighbour And heere n Deu. 15. 9 beware there be not a thought in thy wicked heart to o Zac. 7. 10. imagine euill against thy brother in thy heart saying he may be for ought thou knowest a vessell of wrath fitted to destruction and neuer to be quickned For p Deu. 29. 29 the secret things belong vnto the Lord our God but those things that are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may doe all the words of this Law Whither God will quicken this or that particular mâ—n or no is a secret yet known onely to him q â— Tim 2. 19 who hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are is thou seest thy duty of loue reuealed which thou must doe to helpe quicken him and it is thy want of r 1 Cor. 13 7 charity not to hope that he may be quickned till thou see God reueale the contrary for what knowest thou whither thou shalt quicken and saue him when the