an excellent meanes to enflame our hearts also with a loue to him The last helpe is Praier For z Iam. 1.17 Euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue Aske it therefore at Gods hands for a Vers 5. he giueth liberally to all men and vpbraideth no man These are some helps for the attainment of this grace which if we conscionably practise I doubt not but we shall soone finde kindled in our bosomes to our endlesse comfort And that is our second vse A third we now inferre but briefly and that for Vse 3 Consolation of such as loue the Lord esteeming him as their best beloued setting their whole hearts and soules vpon him In so doing they haue performed a worthy worke and such a worke as in the end brings peace Oh the priuileges the superexcellent priuileges that belong to such a one b Iob. 14.21 He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him and manifest my selfe vnto him saith our Sauiour So that we see here is no loue lost Christ will respect them most graciously for euermore and alwaies doe them good Yea euery thing shall further their good and welfare and so saith the Apostle c Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for good to them that loue God Euery thing the least ens and being any thing that can be named or conceiued shall worke thy good thy good of grace here and glory hereafter so that the Deuill in the end shall get nothing by tempting thee to sinne but the greater ouerthrow of his owne kingdome and thou thereby shalt grow the better it shall make thee more humble lowly watchfull carefull c. Thus blow what winde can blow the illest winde shall blow thee good hap what happen may it cannot make thee miserable Thou standest in a Center the Circumference is mercie whatsoeuer commeth to thee be it losse crosse paine sicknesse death it must first come through the circumference of mercy and so taste and relish of mercy before it come at thee or touch thee Oh! what a priuilege is this how excellent how admirable This is thy priuilege who louest God for to thee it is made and to none else besides Can we maruell now at the Apostles words e 1 Cor. 2.9 Eie hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Many excellent and beautifull obiects hath the eie beheld and the eare hath heard relation made of things farre surpassing those which the eie hath seene but the heart is able to conceiue of things more excellent than either eie hath seene or eare hath heard yet neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor yet can the heart conceiue saith he the things that God hath prepared for such as are louers of him He hath promised saith S. Iames f Iam. 2.5 a kingdome vnto such and g Cap. 1.12 a crowne of life which they shall receiue Let then the loue-sicke hearts of the godly be cheared vp for God doth not forget their labour and loue but he will recompence it with an euerlasting loue Let it serue likewise to enkindle our loue so that where it is now but in the sparke it may breake out into the flame louing him with all our soule strength and might desiring nothing aboue him equally with him or without him louing him for himselfe and all things else for him And so to end the point and vse with that sweet meditation of Austine h August 4. Confess Blessed is he O Lord who thus loueth thee and his friend in thee and his enemie for thee for onely that man cannot lose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in thee who cannot be lost And thus much for the first reason that is giuen for this Title or Appellation come we now to the second and see whether we can be briefer there In a more particular respect also might the Prophet call the Lord his welbeloued viz. in respect of his office and calling as he was a Prophet to whom the charge of Christs Queene the Church was committed And in regard of this Ministers are called Christs friends according to that saying of S. Iohn i John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome but the friend of the Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him reioyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voyce where by friend he vnderstands himselfe and in himselfe all other Ministers both Prophets and Apostles and that both because they labour to make the mariage betweene the Church and Christ as also endeuour to hold fast the Church vnto Christ being iealous ouer her for his sake lest shee should be seduced Calu. Vrsin Moller Trem. Iun. Taking this as a reason which indeed is the vsuall reason rendred by our Expositors for this Appellation by good consequence it will follow that Ministers are Christs Paranymphs Doctr. Ministers are Christs Paranymphs In a speciall manner they are his friends to wooe the Church and winne the Church vnto himselfe to fit it and prepare it for himselfe So witnesseth the Apostle when he saith k Coloss 1.28 29. We warne euery man and teach euery man in all wisdome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus whereunto faith he I also labour And writing to the Corinthians he thus speaketh l 2 Cor. 11.2 3. I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin vnto Christ By whose practise we see the Ministers dutie dignitie and office both to fit and prepare the Church for Christ as also to hold fast the Church vnto Christ that shee breake not her mariage-couenant with him I hasten to the Vses for in this I haue promised breuitie Vse 1 Let vs Ministers hence learne our duties And seeing we haue the Church committed to our care and are so farre honoured as to be betrusted with Christs Queene let vs vse all possible meanes that we may deliuer vnto the Bridegroome a pure and chaste virgin When m Gen. 24. Abraham sent his seruant to fetch a wife for his sonne Isaac he brought him godly and beautifull Rebeccah We are the Lords seruants sent to fetch a wife for Iesus Christ the Sonne of God O let vs be as faithfull to God the Father and to Iesus Christ his Sonne as that good seruant was to Abraham and Isaac Let vs doe our message with diligence and execute our charge with faithfulnesse and prayer Let vs speake of Christ and only of Christ making him the scope and subiect of all our preaching And as is the old Embleme of S. Christopher vnder which our ancient Mythologists haue described the good Pastor wade through the sea of this world staying on the staffe of faith and lifting vp Christ aloft to be seene of men n Iohn 3.14 as the brazen
a smaller one would doe Let the wicked storme and fret and breathe out threatnings against Gods Church and people this we know assuredly they may doe what they can but they cannot doe what they would And thus much for the first circumstance which concerneth the Author or inflicter of the iudgement Now followeth the second which concernes the punished or the parties on whom it is inflicted and they are Gods owne people a people whom hee chose for his peculiar before any other people in the world beside it was his Vineyard his owne enclosure as these words thereof and it doe note vnto vs. Let this then be our obseruation hence Doct. God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him That God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him but will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes The Scriptures propose many examples our eares haue heard many reports our eyes behold daily many presidents which may confirme this Doctrine What dolefull complaints doe we reade that the Church maketh euery where in the Lamentations x Lament 1.18.20 2.1 c. Behold oh Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse The sword spoileth abroad as death doth as home c. How lamentably doe the godly bemoane themselues and the estate of the Church in the Prophesie of Isay y Isay 64.9 10 11. Be not angry O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer behold see we beseeth thee we are thy people Thy holy cities are a wildernesse Zion is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautifull house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste And how doth the Prophet Dauid expresse the burden of his afflictions wherewith he was afflicted in the z Psal 6.3 32.4 Booke of the Psalmes a Psal 38.2 3. Thine arrowes saith he sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne And againe thus b Psal 116.3 The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of hell gat hold vpon me I found trouble and sorrow and many such like patheticall complaints he makes The whole Booke of the Iudges may be a proofe for this truth wherein wee see how the people of Israel proceeding to doe euill in the sight of the Lord he sold them into the hand of his and their enemies We might further instance in Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and others all which make this good that God spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 Two Reasons may be giuen hereof First That the Lord might declare himselfe to be an aduersary to sinne in all men c Psal 51.4 and that the wicked may see he is not partiall to any when his commandements are not regarded Reason 2 Secondly That he may reduce his seruants from running on headlong with the wicked to perdition For were wee altogether exempted from the rod how wanton and froward would we grow and into how many perils would wee cast our selues And so saith Saint Paul d 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world Obiect But did not Christ giue himselfe for his Church and shed his bloud for their redemption was not their sins punished in him How comes it then to passe they are still subiect to Gods heauie vâ—sitations Resp. True it is that Christ did beare away all our punishments but he hath not freed vs from fatherly corrections Now when God afflâ—cteth his in this world it is more for medicine than for punishment more for a correction than for a penaltie Losses crosses pouertie imprisonmeent sicknesse yea death it selfe are not to vs punishments nor curses properly but fatherly chastisements being inflicted as furtherances of sanctification not as meanes of satisfaction And thus you haue this obiection answered and my doctrine confirmed viz. God will not spare any no not his owne people when they sin against him Vse 1 Which being so this may terrifie wicked and vngodly ones who make a trade of sinne driuing after it as it was said of Iehu in another case as if they were mad and yet imagine because God for a time e Psal 50.21 holdeth his peace and keepes silence that hee is such a one as themselues a louer and approuer of their wicked waies But oh you fooles how long will you loue folly and when will you grow wise Doth God correct the flock of his owne pasture the children of his owne houshold and shall you goe scot-free Doth the Lord chastise them so heauily the burden of whose sins Christ hath borne in his bodie on the crosse and shall such as Christ neuer died for no nor yet f Iohn 17.9 prayed for escape shall not many prayers and teares sighes and groanes petitions of Gods Saints requests of the Spirit together with the daily intercession of Iesus Christ Gods only and welbeloued in whom he is well pleased keepe off such bitter things from them who but now and then breake out Woe and alas then what shall become of you who neuer pray sigh nor shed teare for sinne for whom Gods blessed Spirit makes no request and who haue no interest in the mediation and intercession of that iust and righteous Aduocate who sinne not of infirmitie and weaknesse but boldly and presumptuously with a high hand against the Lord Thinke of an answer to those interrogatories which the Spirit of God propoundeth to thee in holy Writ g Ier. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the Citie which is called by my name and shal you goe vtterly vnpunished And againe h Cap. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt escape And againe i Luke 23.31 If these things be done to the greene tree to them who haue in them the sap of grace what shall be done to the drie to them who haue no moisture of goodnesse And againe k 1 Pet. 4.17 18 If iudgement first beginne at vs who are the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare What answerest thou to these why speakest thou not And now O my God behold how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I heare an answer true but terrible l Psal 11.5 6. The Lord indeed will trie the righteous in his furnace but the wicked and such as loue iniquitie doth his soule hate vpon the wicked shall he raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest
Treatise would be as vaine and idle as to hope to meet with puft paste at a Plow-mans table As for those who driue their flockes vpon the mountain tops for euery speare of grasse they there spie growing I neither enuie them Qui sua metitur pondera ferre potest Martial nor dare follow them for I confesse ingenuously my abilitie and gifts will not suffer me Or if they would yet I would forbeare and rather chuse to feed my sheep in the valleyes where is grasse enough handling the Doctrine of Faith and Good life than to trauell in the controuerted points of Predestination Free-will Church-gouernments c. for hee is blinde who sees not that mens braines are full but their hearts are emptie Our tongues runne ouer but for twentie good words we haue not one good work which is our shame If then thou louest not plainnesse lay this booke by for such as loue it for though such diet be not for thy tooth yet there are thousands of good soules who like better with such pulse than with daintier fare growing faster in knowledge and stronger in the Faith with such plaine Instructions than by more learned Treatises But if thou be such a one as desirest rather to haue thy conscience than thy curiositie satisfied thy heart seasoned and soule profited than thy eares tickled with pleasingnesse of words thou art hee for whom this was penned And thou art welcome I haue said doe thou reade God blesse thy reading And doe thou remaine mine as I am Thine in Christ N. ROGERS A TABLE OF THE DOCTRINES collected out of the seuerall Verses of this Parabolicall Song of the BELOVED VERSE 1. Doctrine 1GOD seeketh to draw vs to himselfe with such baits as wee most affect pag. 4 Doctrine 2 Gods Ministers both for matter and method must fit themselues vnto their hearers pag. 10 Doctrine 3 It is no disparagement to greatnesse to be the Lords Prophet pag. 17 Doctrine 4 Poetry is an Art antient and praise-worthy pag. 23 Doctrine 5 Songs and Poems artificially modulated may lawfully be sung for the setting forth of Gods praise pag. 26 Doctrine 6 All our labours should bee dedicated to the Lord. pag. 32 Doctrine 7 Euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely pag 40 Doctrine 8 Ministers are Christs Paranymphs pag. 57 Doctrine 9 Ministers should deliuer nothing for Doctrine but what they are able to shew warrant for the deliuerie of pag. 63 Doctrine 10 Ministers should spend their paines especially for the Churches good pag. 66 Doctrine 11 It is lawfull to make resemblances betwixt things earthly and things heauenly pag. 82 Doctrine 12 There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace pag. 83 Doctrine 13 God is the Husbandman of his Church pag. 89 Doctrine 14 The Church is Gods inheritance pag. 93 Doctrine 15 A true Church may be corrupted with error and idolatrie pag. 95 Doctrine 16 The Church of God is but one pag. 99 Doctrine 17 God is no way wanting in any point of good husbandry for his Churches profit pag. 103 Doctrine 18 The fat of the earth is sometimes giuen by God to his people for a possession pag. 108 VERSE 2. Doctrine 1 GOds Church hath a strong fence about it whereby it is preserued from the furie of their enemies pag. 111 Doctrine 2 It is not safe for the Church to suffer Idolaters or other obstinate sinners to remaine within her pag. 113 Doctrine 3 The godly and their seed are the choisest plants and noblest persons pag. 119 Doctrine 4 The beauty and bulwarke of a place is the seruice and worship of God in that place pag. 127 Doctrine 5 God hath his Wine-presse for the pressing and discouering of his Vineyards fruit pag. 131 Doctrine 6 Where God hath taken paines in husbanding there he expects fruit somewhat answerable to his paines pag. 135 Doctrine 7 The wicked make an vngratefull returne to God for all his fauours pag. 162 Doctrine 8 The wicked diuert the meanes of their saluation to their confusion pag. 164 Doctrine 9 The fruit of sinne and disobedience is a stinking fruit pag. 168 VERSE 3. Doctrine 1 GOd doth proceed against sinners in much meeknesse pag. 174 Doctrine 2 God is content to submit his courses vnto scanning pag. 179 Doctrine 3 God will fetch witnesse from the consciences of his enemies for the iustifying of his proceedings pag. 181 Doctrine 4 Sinne is the make-bate betweene God and his people pag. 186 VERSE 4. Doctrine 1 GOd cannot any way be charged with the sinfulnesse and barrennesse of mens hearts and liuer pag. 192 Doctrine 2 Though God vse all meanes to make the wicked good yet notwithstanding they will still continue wicked pag. 197 Doctrine 3 God grieues when man contemnes the meanes of his saluation pag. 200 VERSE 5. Doctrine 1 GOd doth warne before he smite pag. 209 Doctrine 2 He is of a patient and forbearing nature pag. 217 Doctrine 3 Gods holy hand hath a speciall stroke in all those afflictions which are laid vpon his Church pag. 223 Doctrine 4 God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him pag. 231 Doctrine 5 The vngratefull abuse of Gods blessings causeth the Lord to depriue vs of them and to bring vpon vs the contrary wants pag. 238 Doctrine 6 Sinne depriueth man of Gods protection pag. 240 Doctrine 7 The wicked cannot hurt vs vntill God leaue vs. pag. 246 Doctrine 8 The enemies of Gods Church are more raging and rauenous than the very beasts pag. 254 VERSE 6. Doctrine 1 WArre is the fore-runner of desolation pag. 258 Doctrine 2 Such as neglect the meanes shall be in the end depriued of the meanes pag. 266 Doctrine 3 Ministers haue no power nor abilitie of themselues to performe their ministeriall function pag. 271 VERSE 7. Doctrine 1 GEnerall Doctrines must haue particular applications pag. 278 Doctrine 2 God is an absolute Lord ouer all creatures pag. 282 Doctrine 3 God is a God of power and hath all creatures for his hoasts pag. 286 Doctrine 4 Good Progenitors may haue a degenerate off-spring pag. 288 Doctrine 5 Good names and titles are nothing worth without grace pag. 291 Doctrine 6 Good Parents are great ornaments to their posteritie pag. 293 Doctrine 7 Rhetoricke is an Art sanctified by Gods Spirit and may lawfully be vsed in the handling of Gods word pag. 296 Doctrine 8 The duties of the second Table God especially respects pag. 297 Doctrine 9 Oppression of the poore especially by such as should be defenders of the poore is a hainous sinne pag. 300 Doctrine 10 The cries of the oppressed ascend vp into the eares of the Almighty pag. 315 ESAY 5. vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1 Now will I sing to my welbeloued a song of my beloued touching his Vineyard my welbeloued hath a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill 2 And he fenced it and gathered out the
consonantia voluntatū quà m vocum Bernard Dauid before thou speakest For when the mouth singeth man hath musicke but when the heart sings we make God melodie that is the best Organ tune that and all is well God heares not words without it Non vox sed votum non Chordula Musica sed cor Non cantans sed amans cantat in aure Dei Not voice but will he brings no Harp but Heart prepares No songs but Loue he sings whom the Almighty heares As it must be with the heart so secondly with grace in the heart i. we must exercise the graces of Gods holy spirit in singing as well as in praying or in performing any other of Gods ordinances The disposition of the heart must be suited to the nature and qualitie of the song If it be a Psalme of praise then are our affections to be sutable our spirits must be cheerefull If of promises then must we stirre vp our faith and trust in Gods mercies If of threatnings then must our hearts be strucke with an awe and feare of Gods greatnesse If of petition then must our affections be feruent If of confession then the Soule must be humbled And this doth the Apostle meane by Grace in the heart Thus for the Manner The End is now to be considered which is 1. Gods glory 2. The edification of our selues and others First we must direct our Songs to God for singing Psalmes is a part of his worship and his glory he will not giue vnto another The Papists then are much to blame who rob God of this his right and giue it to the Virgin Mary in singing songs of praise to her And as much to blame are they who sing to their owne glory delighting most in sweet voyce cleare throat c. This is singing to our owne selues and senses not to our Makers praise Secondly in our singing our owne and others edification and profit is to be respected r 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is profitable for our instruction and whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning The booke of Psalmes then must needs be profitable for this purpose Thus edifie thy selfe by applying the matter sung to thy owne heart and examine thy selfe after the Psalme is ended what thou hast thereby profited as well as after thy hearing of the word preached Here likewise that manner of singing vsed amongst the Papists in a strange and vnknowne tongue as also that kinde of singing Psalmes wherein the words and sentences are broken and diuided which hinders the edification of the hearers is not iustifiable Thus we haue seene the rules propounded to vs What now remaines but that a watchfull care be had that they be put in practise by vs and the rather for that amongst all the exercises belonging to a Christian God is most dishonoured by this For few sing but as it may well be feared take Gods name in vaine in singing because they doe not so performe it as Gods word enioynes The more subiect then this dutie is to be performed amisse the more cause haue we of care for the right performance of it when euer we set vpon this holy exercise Text. To my well-beloued Here is the Dedication of the Prophets Poem From whose practise learne we our dutie Doctr. All our labours are to be dedicated to the Lord. viz. To consecrate all our labours vnto God Thus Moses and the children of Israel write a song and sing it ſ Exod. 15.1 vnto the Lord. And in that sweet Swan-like song which that man of God sang a little before his death t Deut. 32.3 He will publish the name of the Lord So Dauid spake vnto the Lord in that same Psalme of Thanks-giuing u 2 Sam. 22.1 which he made for Gods powerfull deliuerance of him out of the hands of all his enemies The like did Solomon Hannah Hezekiah Mary Zachary Simeon with other of Gods Saints dedicate their labours in this kinde to Gods eternall praise And so the Apostles as euidently appeares by that doxologie or forme of praise which they continually vse in their Epistles * Rom. 16.27 Ephes 3.21 1 Tim. 1.17 6.16 Iude 25. To God only wise be glory c. Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus Vnto the King immortall inuisible the only wise God be honour and glory To God only wise our Sauiour be all glory c. And hereunto tend those generall exhortations x 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eat or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God And againe y Coloss 3.17 Whatsoeuer you doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus And thus this truth is strengthned Reason Besides there is good Reason for it For the first thing in Gods intention should be the first in ours But this is the first in his He predestinated vs saith the z Ephes 1.5 6. Apostle to the praise of the glory of his grace a Prou. 16.4 He hath made all things for himselfe saith the Wise-man yea euen the wicked for the day of iudgement b Isay 43.6 7. Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth euen euery one that is called by my name for I haue created him for my glory And againe we reade c Coloss 1.16 All things were created by him and for him Seeing then God himselfe proposeth his owne glory to himselfe for the end of all his works man should make the glory of God the end of all he doth But ah Lord God how little is thy glory thought Vse vpon How few make it the supreme end of all their labours Shouldst thou d Psal 14.2 looke downe from heauen vpon the sonnes of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke after thee to honour thee wouldst thou finde one amongst a thousand that did truly doe it We all can say with Saul e 1 Sam. 15.30 Honour me I pray thee before the Elders of my people when notwithstanding we turne thy glory into shame f Psal 4. louing vanitie seeking after lyes Oh that we could once be brought to learne this Vse 2. lesson That we would not suffer any part of the repute or honour of any of our acts or labours to rest vpon our owne heads but repell it forcibly from our selues and reflect it carefully vpon our Lord and Master It is the g Matth. 6.9 first grace which Christ teacheth vs to begge of God and it ought to be the chiefest ayme of our whole liues yea we should prefer it before our liues or the saluation of our soules wherefore it is made the first petition and set before the desire of daily bread and the petition that is made for remission of our sinnes Now at length then learne to prefer it before all the world and promote it by our best meanes Consider we for this end
by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches well-beloued shee being his spouse and he her husband In which respect as he was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of the Church he so termeth him for he did loue him well So then Doctr. Euery one ought to loue the Lord. The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded m Deut. 6.5 10.12 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might n Psal 31.13 Loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer If any man loue not the Lord Iesus o 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints p Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe q 16.1 I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter r Iohn 21.25 Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her Å¿ Luke 7.47 for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully t Cani 1.7 Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe u â— 1.3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And what word more common in that song than Loue and welbeloued I must bring Ignatius also to be of the Quorum * Epist 12. quae est ad Romanos My Loue Christ saith he was crucified And thus hath this truth beene proued That the Church and euery true member thereof both doth and ought to loue the Lord entirely Reason Dilexit enim non â—xistentes iâ—o â—â—sistentes Bernard And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For x Rom. 5.8 1 Iohn 4.19 while we were yet sinners he loued vs. This Reason is giuen by S. Iohn We loue him because he loued vs first And surely if God preuent vs with loue we can doe no lesse than answer him in the same nature though not for that is impossible in the same measure Doe not Publicanes y Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Si taerdi sumus ad amandum non tardi simus ad redamandum loue those that loue them Sinners doe the same Though then we haue not beene forward to loue first yet let vs not be backward to returne loue at last Againe we are tyed to him by all the bonds of loue and duty we are his creatures z Psal 100.3 he our maker we his Reas 2 Seruants he a Mal. 1.6 our Lord we his Children b 2 Cor. 6.18 he our Father we his c Hos 2.19 Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs as that he is said to bee the Foundation d Ephes 2.20 we the building He the e Iohn 15.1 root we the branches He the f Ephes 5.23 Head we the body c. Being bound by so many and so neere bonds how can wee but acknowledge it is our duty intirely to loue him Besides he only is loue-worthy being g Cant. 5.10 Splendor summi illius boni pulchria Coelnin pulchra terra fed pulchrior quifecit illa the chiefest amongst Reas 3 ten thousands What is there to be compared with him The most excellentest creatures are but as the beames of his beauty That glory or goodnesse which is in any of them is but as a shadow in respect of that infinite good which is in him who is the maker of them Thus this threefold cord may hold vs h Eccles 4.12 it will not easily bee broken as speakes wise King Solomon And now Triplex ex arbore fructus A three-fold vse this point affords For triall And indeed what better vse can we make Vse 1 of it There was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God and who boasts more they loue him than the prophanest wretch that daily doth contemne him It is a thing counted both common and easie to performe this duty and no man doubts hee is herein to seeke when notwithstanding this is as true as God is true who is Truth it selfe that no more doe truly loue God than are from all eternity elected by God to saluation And wee know or may know for Scripture saies it that the number of them is small i Esay 1.9 Luke 12.32 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made k Rom. 9.28 it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered Rules of triall for the discouery of our loue to God Seeing then it is as narrow as Gods election and that is very narrow let each one search narrowly his bosome for this grace A rule of three 1. our Affections 2. our Words 3. our Actions will sufficiently discouer it By our Affections By our affections will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke Desire It is the strongest affection and to it doe all the rest giue place where that goes before Desire followes after What I loue I desire to enioy and it is not where it begets not a desire of society l 2 Sam. 13.2 Ammon was very sicke through loue his flesh did pine and waste away because he could not enioy his sister Thamar Dauid and Ionathan did loue intirely m 1 Sam. 18.1 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other n Cap. 20.18 19 41 42. the story shewes what shifts they made to meet what weeping and heart-sorrow there was when they were to part and all because they loued Thus hee that loues the Lord must needs desire to haue society with the Lord A ioy it is to his soule to meet him and nothing doth he desire so much as to enioy him And so Dauid was affected as appeares by those many patheticall desires of his o Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee p Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God q Psal 146.6 My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land r Psal 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning These and many other such like sayings shew the affection of his soule And whereas in some places God is pleased graciously to manifest his presence after a speciall manner and in some exercises there is an
stone wall thereof was broken downe Thy heart is this field examine now what growes in it Doe thistles grow in stead of wheat and f Iob 31.40 cockle in stead of barley as Iob speaketh Doe the thornes and nettles of hard-heartednesse and hypocrisie pride and blasphemie profanenesse and impietie doth beastly drunkennesse filthy whoring and vncleannesse chambering and wantonnesse or the like to these couer the face thereof why then be thou assured an ill husbandman owes this ground it is the enuious man the deuill that sowes these seeds and husbands such plats as these But on the contrary is the fallow ground of thy heart turned vp and is the stoninesse thereof taken away Are those brambles and bryars noysome lusts and strong corruptions which formerly grew therein now weeded vp and cast out And art thou fenced in with good purposes and resolutions for time to come and doth this wall stand firme and sure why then assure thy selfe thou art one of Gods chosen closes a true member of that Church whereof he is the husbandman for he husbands it and only it And in that his tillage and husbandry is so effectuall in thee questionlesse thou art not only in it as many are but of it as few are Sticke this as a nosegay in thy bosome Thirdly this may admonish euery one that liues in Vse 3 the Church and professe themselues to be members of the Church patiently to suffer themselues to be husbanded by the Lord enduring all things with much meeknesse and quietnesse which 〈◊〉 his wisdome hath ordained to breake vs vp withall and to make vs faire and fruitfull The earth we see is cut and wounded with shares and cultures and therefore called earth yet is patient to suffer it and returnes fruit to those that plowed it Let Earth teach Earth Terra quam terimus Terra quia teritur the Earth we teare may instruct terram quam gerimus the Earth we beare this lesson of contentednesse And let none thinke it is better to haue their hearts lie waste than to be thus broken vp for a barren estate is a wofull and cursed estate and there can be no comfort in it Doth God then come vnto thee himselfe with his pruning hooke in his hand and cut thee neere yea so neere that in thy sense and iudgement there is no hope of euer after flourishing well yet be content for thus deales the Vinitor with the most generous plant he oftentimes prunes it so close as that in sense and reason it were vtterly dead and cleane kild yet it reuiues againe and after this is more richly laden than euer it was before And so albeit m Heb. 12.11 no chastisement seemeth ioyous for the present but grieuous yet it afterwards bringeth with it the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse Or doth he send his deputies the Prophets to thee with the plow and harrow of the Law to breake vp that heathy ground of thy heart and turne vp the weeds of sinne by the very roots that they may neuer more reuiue why then subiect your selues to be directed by their care and paines without repining remembring still your hearts as of themselues will neuer yeeld any other fruit than weeds or grasse at the best needs then must they be accursed if you refuse to haue them by these husbanded that they may grow fruitfull Vse 4 Lastly this may serue for a direction to vs to whom to goe and make complaint when the Vineyard is wasted or any way annoyed by the Boare of the forest or wilde beasts of the field Make God acquainted with it and tell the Vine-dressers Gods Ministers thereof and will them tell their Masâ—â—â— that he may take some order for his Vineyards safeâ—â— Yea dost thou or any other member of the Church need husbanding Then goe to God and tell him of the barrennesse of thy heart and with a holy boldnesse vrge him with his care and paines Say thus or in this manner to him Ah Lord how barren is my soule of what is good How fruitfull is it in what is bad and naught What ignorance pride senselesnesse securitie growes there where knowledge humilitie zeale patience and other such like graces ought to grow Now since thou hast taken the charge vpon thee to be the Husbandman of thy Church and people husband thou this heart of mine and be mindfull of me oh my God Let it not be thought an ill husband owes it or one that is negligent and slothfull in his businesse but let thy care appeare in dressing of it that the fruits of all heauenly graces may abundantly spring forth and grow to the praise and glory of thy name And so much of the Husbandman A word or two of his Possession Hath a Vineyard This Vineyard is the Church Text. as we haue seene before together with the reasons of the similitude The obseruation is The Church is Gods heritage Doct. The Church is Gods inheritance For the further proofe thus we reade n Deut. 9.26 29. Destroy not thy people and thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out o Cap. 32.9 The Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance p 1 Sam. 10.1 The Lord hath anointed thee to be Captaine of his inheritance said Samuel to Saul q 1 Sam. 26.19 They haue driuen me this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saith Dauid r 2 Sam. 20.19 Why wilt thou swallow vp the inheritance of the Lord said that same wise woman vnto Ioab when he battered the walls of Abel Å¿ Psal 74.2 Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance this Mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt saith the Psalmist And againe t Psal 28.9 Saue thy people and blesse thine inheritance feed them also and lift them vp for euer Yea the Lord of Hoasts shall blesse saying u Jsai 19.25 Reade Psal 33.12 78 70 71. 79.1 13. 94.5 106.5 40. Is 47.6 Ier. 2.7 3.19 12.7 1 Pet. 5.3 Blessed be Aegypt my people and Israel my inheritance Now for Vse let vs hence take notice whence it is Vse 1 that the deuill doth so molest the Church and see the reason why the wicked doe so afflict her It is not so properly for their owne sake as for the owners They maligne and spight it because God doth countenance and grace it as being the Lord and possessor of it An enuious man we know will mischiefe the bruit beast of him he beares a spleene vnto and will not sticke to wrong his very dogge and all to despight the owner Dost thou then persecute the Church or any member of the Church The more wretch thou for let me tell thee thy hate is not originally and properly to them pretend what thou wilt pretend but to God himselfe whose inheritance they are Vse 2 And
of man without glorifying his Maker is but dung and wormes but this dung and wormes by glorifying God shall be made glorious Now the only way to bring glorie to his name is by bringing forth the fruit of our planting Againe he saith By this we shall be his Disciples that is know and haue a testimony that we are so and indeed without fruit none can haue his vocation adoption or engrafting into Christ sealed vp vnto his soule He then that is vnfruitfull wants this testimony which euery one desires to haue and none to be without Againe he telleth them this was the end of their election before time and speciall vocation in time i Vers 16. Yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit Besides if a man endeuour to bring forth fruit he is sure to speed when he hath any suit to God and therefore in the same verse he addeth this as a reason to his exhortation That whatsoeuer they should aske of his Father in his name he might giue it them If all this will not serue to make vs fruitfull that which our Sauiour saith in the beginning of that chapter me thinks should awaken vs Vers 2. for Euery branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away and presently after If a man abide not in me viz. to bring forth fruit he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Much more might be said for the pressing of this so necessarie a dutie My desire is to say enough and but enough now what hath beene spoken is enough if God shall please to accompanie it with his grace and operation of his blessed Spirit without which neither this nor all that can be said will be enough to worke vs hereunto By this time haply thy heart may smite thee for thy barrennesse and the Spirit may begin to worke within thee a desire after the fruits of holy life insomuch that out of the longing desire of thy soule which thou hast of fruitfulnesse thou wilt now come to me as those Publicans and souldiers came to Iohn saying k Luke 3.10 Cap. 10.25 What shall we doe Or as that Lawyer came to Christ with Master what shall I doe If this be thy next question what thou shouldst doe to become fruitfull I would aduise thee to follow these directions See thou be remoued out of thy naturall soile Directions how to grow fruitfull and be engrafted into another stocke For that thou maist be fruitfull thou must be as it is said of the godly man in the first Psalme l Psal 1.3 A tree planted because by nature the best of vs are but as wilde Oliues and if euer we become fruitfull trees we must of necessitie be transplanted from the first Adam into the second The tree must be good before the fruit can be m Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree euill and the fruit euill saith our Sauiour for men n Cap. 7.16 gather not grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles Vers 18. As a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit so neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Vntill thou be a plant planted in the house of the Lord and engrafted into Christ by a true faith and made a new creature by Regeneration hauing a beleeuing heart and a good conscience thy fruit can neuer be good all thy workes are as so many sinnes yea thy best works are but as rotten weeds Thornes and Thistles thou bringest forth and therefore art o Heb. 6.8 nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned but being once engrafted into this stocke Iesus Christ thou canst not but bring forth fruit incontinent though not such plenty and store of fruit as afterwards for such a liuely power of life is in it that wert thou as dry as Aarons withered rod yet thou shalt presently be changed into a flourishing and fruitfull tree As the Theefe vpon the Crosse p Luke 23.39 who no sooner was set into it but he beares fruit in an instant 1. Reprouing his fellow theefe for his sinne in railing vpon Christ 2. Iustifying Christ and pleading his innocencie giuing a good testimonie of him 3. Condemning himselfe acknowledging Gods righteousnesse in laying that punishment vpon him 4. Crauing mercy and forgiuenesse from his Sauiour desiring him to remember him when he came into his kingdome so thou being ioyned vnto him that is raised from the dead q Rom. 7.4 shalt bring forth fruit vnto God Labour therefore to be engrafted The ordinarie meanes is the word preached for as in grafting so here God is the husbandman Christ the stocke Beleeuers the imps the Spirit the sap the word the sawe the Sacraments the ligatures As therefore without a knife or sawe to open and riue the stocke and let in the imps no man can graft so without the word no hope of this benefit And this that hath beene said ouerthrowes a point of naturall and Popish religion viz. That a man may be iustified and saued by his good workes when by this that hath beene said we see that good workes can only be the fruits of persons already iustified Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum August and that which followes cannot be the cause of that which went before The fruit cannot make the tree to be good it doth only declare and manifest that it is good according to that speech of our Sauiour r Matth. 7. The tree is knowne by his fruit In the second place that thou maist be fruitfull see thou plant thy selfe by the running brookes Seat thy selfe vnder a powerfull Ministerie that so thou maist be partaker of those waters Å¿ Ezek. 47.12 which flow from vnder the threshold of the Sanctuarie Water we know causeth fruitfulnesse as drought doth famine The inundations of the riuer Nilus caused Aegypt to be so fruitfull So these spirituall waters will cause vs mightily to fructifie and increase and make vs t Isay 44.4 spring vp as amongst the grasse and as willow by the water courses Thus the Church as it was planted in a fruitfull field so was it likewise placed by u Ezek. 17.5 great waters insomuch that it grew and became a spreading vine And the godly man being planted by the riuers of waters * Psal 1.3 brought forth his fruit in due season Is it then the true desire of thy soule to fructifie and bring forth fruit See then that thou frequent the Sanctuarie of the Lord. x Iob 8.11 Can the rush grow vp without mire or can the flag grow vp without water Is it possible that thou shouldst increase in grace and goodnesse and yet neuer drinke of the waters of Shiloah It cannot be If therefore thou hast not in thy owne fountaine seeke to thy neighbours and carry
thy pitcher with thee for nothing can more dangerously or vncomfortably be wanting to thy soule Besides see thou labour for humilitie and tendernesse of heart The ground which is hard and stonie is vnfit for fruit as our Sauiour hath manifested in that parable of the seed y Luke 8 6. For neither can the seed sowen take any root neither will it drinke in the raine that the heart of it might be moistned It may be the outside may be a little washie but it gets not in to prepare it to fruitfulnesse Thus hardnesse of heart keeps the soule dry and barren And surely here is the reason why after so long time of preaching there doth so little fruit appeare Much water hath beene powred on vs many a gratious Sermon hath beene preached to vs but what are we the better The inuincible hardnesse of our hearts will not suffer one drop of these heauenly deawes to sinke into our soules How many handfuls of good seed doe Gods Seeds-men daily cast amongst vs and can they say with Isaac that they haue reaped an hundred fold as he did in the land Alas So farre are they from seeing such an increase as that they would be heart-glad of thirty nay of ten Yea let me tell you many Ministers would be glad if they could see their seed againe and what is the reason but this that mens hearts are so stonie flintie Labour then for greater tendernesse of heart if thou wouldst bring forth more fruit in thy life and see thou retaine the waters z Heb. 6.7 and drinke in the raine hold fast what thou hearest by conscionable meditation Fourthly thou must beware of ouershadowing thy heart by any sinfull lust whereby the warme beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse is kept from it Husbandmen haue euermore a great care of this and will not by any meanes endure to haue their young nurseries ouershadowed by any bough or tree but so plant them as that they may enioy the benefit of the Sunne-beames for no ground or plant will euer proue good which hath not a fauourable aspect from the heauens And thus our hearts are made fruitfull by the heauens answering the earth a Hos 2.21 as Hosea speaketh though in another sense I meane when Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse darteth the beames of his gratious countenance and fauour vpon our soules warming and cherishing Pauls planting and Apolloes watering with the influence of his grace for without him we can doe nothing b Iohn 15.5 nor haue any life in vs. And therefore beware lest through superfluitie of lusts or inordinate desires through worldlinesse and couetousnesse or any other such like sinne thy soule be so shaded as that this Sunne of righteousnesse cannot shine vpon it if thou wouldst grow fruitfull Fiftly a speciall care must be had to the root that that grow well if we would bring forth fruit abundantly Now faith is that same radicall grace which must especially be regarded if that thriue not no other grace can prosper Foolish then and preposterous is their care who seeke and studie how to be laden with the other fruits of Gods blessed Spirit as with Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Meeknesse Temperance and the like and yet neglect the looking to this grace of faith This is no otherwise saith one c Wards Life of Faith than if a man should water all the branches of a tree and not the root Sixtly and lastly we must be earnest with the Lord that he would make vs fruitfull and giue vs wisdome from aboue which wisdome saith S. Iames d Iames 1.5.3.17 is full of good fruits Call vpon him earnestly and frequently for grace and not only so but withall seeke the prayers of Gods Vine-dressers his Ministers and desire them to be earnest with God for you that you may be fruitfull for how euer this vngratefull world contemneth and despiseth these yet the truth is they can preuaile much with God e Luke 13.6 7. and if they should not oftentimes rise vp and stand in the gap woe would be to thousands for the barrennesse of their liues And thus I haue shewed you the way how of barren you may become fruitfull If then any amongst you that heare me this day doe hereafter continue barren and fruitlesse it must needs be because they are wilfull or slothfull or both for put in practise what now you haue been taught and I dare passe my word and pawne my credit that in a short time the barrennest professor in this congregation will bud and blossome and bring forth fruit abundantly For what should hinder Is there any fault in the Husbandman to be found Surely no for we haue heard it before proued that he is no way wanting nor defectiue and therefore cannot iustly be charged with the barrennesse of any mans heart or life as hereafter shall be cleared Where then lies the fault Is it in the stocke or root No neither for we haue lately heard how liuely and full of iuyce it is insomuch that whosoeuer is set into it doth incontinently fructifie and bring forth fruit If then there be any want it must be in thy selfe in not vsing the meanes that hath beene now prescribed Oh that men would now at length be brought to looke about them and suffer themselues to be so farre preuailed with as to make tryall of these meanes in vprightnesse and sinceritie of heart Consider I beseech thee with thy selfe how exceedingly hitherto thou hast frustrated the Lords hopes and expectations as likewise in what a wofull estate and condition thou hast liued and still liuest in whilst thou art vnder that same curse that heauy curse which is neuer farre from thee f Luke 13. Cut it downe why cumbers it the ground Vrge therefore and presse thy soule vnto this fruitfulnesse and in some good measure answer the Lords hopes hereafter and content not thy selfe with shewes and leaues but as a tree of righteousnesse do thou shew forth thy grapes and figs and sweet fruits for that is it which God expects Obiect But we are fruitfull members of the Church we heare the word receiue the Sacraments and delight therein we keepe good orders in our families speake against common abuses and reforme euils in our selues and ours what would you more Answ Yet something may be wanting The fig tree had leaues enow and by the flourishing greenenesse seemed to promise great store of fruit no wonder then if such faire greene leaues as these cause many a soule to deceiue himselfe and others also when alas all this and more than this may be and is in many who are like to haue the doome that figge-tree had g Matth. 21.19 Neuer fruit grow on thee more And therefore before thou boastest see thy fruits haue these properties First Properties of good fruit looke that the fruit thou boastest of be proper fruit It must be thy owne done by thy selfe not
say more We haue fallen and God caused it Wicked and fearefull thoughts When Adam sinned f Gen. 3.12 he blamed his wife and shee God himselfe and we haue sucked the same milke but as it would not serue Adams turne no more will it serue ours Cease then thou foolish one from charging God or drawing him in as an accessarie to thy prophanenesse God would haue thee saued but thou wilt not He labours to make thee good and darest thou lay to his charge thy owne voluntarie badnesse Behold God is so farre from being guilty of thy miserie as that he giueth thee his Word his Sacraments and affordeth thee all good helps to mollifie thy heart iustifying himselfe by these proferd meanes of thy saluation that he hath no desire nor delight in thy destruction and darest thou charge him with thy damnation Thou saist If God would it should be otherwise if he Obiect 1 please he could saue without these meanes True Resp if we speake of his absolute power as was before shewed but it is his actuall power that thou must looke vnto and so he hauing tied the end and the meanes together cannot because he will not bring thee to the end without thy vsing of those meanes which tend vnto the end for that is the ordinarie course which he hath decreed to vse and which he will not alter but vpon speciall occasion as our Sauiour noteth g Luke 4.26 27. in the cure of Naaman and in the feeding of the widow of Sarepta God hath ordained that a mans bodie should liue by the meanes of meat drinke sleep c. shouldst thou now neglect these meanes for the preseruation thereof and yet accuse God if thou growest sicke and weake c. because if he would he could continue health and strength vnto thee without these helps I am sure that all men would condemne thee nay that thou wouldst condemne thy selfe of folly and presumption Obiect 2 Thou pleadest further Gods decree for albeit thou vse the meanes yet the end is already decreed and who can alter it Resp. But secret things belong vnto the Lord leaue them to him It is not for thee to pry into that Arke which is couered with a curtaine of holy secrecie not to be drawne aside vntill that day comes wherein we shall know as we are knowne That signed and reuealed will written in Tables published with trumpets is it to which thou standest bound Neither doth the necessitie of this Decree excuse for God doth not by his Decree force thee vnto euill but he findes thee euill and prone only vnto it of thy selfe He decrees that thou shalt be so or so and knoweth that thou wouldst be so had he neuer decreed it but seeing thou knowest not what this his decree is vse the meanes and condemne not God Thus learne to chamber thy tongue vaine man for God cannot be charged nor any way blamed with thy sinfulnesse and barrennesse Lay thy hand vpon thy mouth and condemne thy selfe for h Hos 13. Thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israel Say not what can I remedie it if God will not saue me for what can God doe more than he hath done for thee God raines vpon thee his holy deawes and is not wanting in his purging and pruning thee with his corrections He hath giuen thee strange and excellent meanes so that it is only thou that art wanting to thy selfe Heauen is good but thy ground is naught A cunning Caruer can cut the similitude of any creature yet not on a rotten sticke where lies the fault Surely in the rottennesse of the wood and not in the Caruers cunning that thou art not wrought vpon the fault is thy owne and not the Lords Thy case is that of Ierusalem How often would I haue gathered thee and thou wouldst not If then thou smartest for thy sinfull and barren life thanke thy selfe for thou art the cause God only the auenger thy bloud then be vpon thy owne head that which will die let it die And thus much for the first point A second followes and I propound it thus The wicked will still continue wicked Doct. The wicked will still continue wicked notwithstanding all means to the contrarie although God vse all good meanes that can be vsed to bring them vnto good and make them better God had done what might be done and yet his Vineyard is as bad nay worse than euer A pregnant proofe this our Prophet giues vs when he saith i Isay 26.10 Let fauour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnesse in the land of vprightnesse will he deale vniustly and will not behold the Maiestie of the Lord. Such is the vile and cursed nature of them as that no mercy nor fauour can worke with them to doe well nay in the land of vprightnesse amongst many occasions and meanes of good they will doe wickedly And thus Ieremiah to the same purpose k Ier. 2.30 31. In vain I haue smitten your children they receiued no correction c. O Generation see ye the word of the Lord haue I been a wildernesse vnto Israel a land of darknesse wherefore say my people We are Lords we will come no more vnto thee And againe l Cap. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eies vpon the truth thou hast stricken them but they haue not grieued thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction they haue made their faces harder than a rocke they haue refused to returne And so Amos m Amos 4.6 sheweth how incorrigible the wicked of his time were no correction that the Lord could vse would better them Many are the examples likewise that might be brought for the further strengthening of this truth as of Pharaoh Ahaz and others but I purposely forbeare inasmuch as something hath formerly beene spoken to this purpose Now briefly for the vse which is For Admonition Vse that we beware of this sinne which hath an aggrauating circumstance with it for then is sinne most vile and filthie when it breakes out against those meanes that should haue kept it in Meanes that should keepe vs from sinne Amongst many of which meanes these are some which let vs all take especiall notice of 1. Vowes First our Vowes and promises which we haue often made vnto the Lord both in health and sicknesse that we would doe such or such a holy dutie and refraine from such or such an euill action let vs beware of sinning against these our vowes are Gods debts and they must be paid and therefore saith Solomon n Eccles 5.4 5. When thou vowest a vow to God deferre not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fooles pay that which thou hast vowed Better is it that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay And indeed o Iuste exigitur ad soluendum qui non cogitur ad vouendum Bern. he is iustly required to pay
permission 246 How he is the God of this world 282 Authors of Diuision in the Church sinne fearefully 102 We must receiue nothing for Doctrine but what is grounded on Scripture 165 Dowry great giuen by Christ to his Spouse 62 Diuersity of gifts giuen by God for the good of the Church 16 E EArthly things afford heauenly instructions 83 Wee may make resemblances betwixt things Earthly and heauenly 82 What Errors make a Church to bee no Church 98 Enuy a sinne vnnaturall 101 The way how to become Excellent 125 The wicked Excuselesse 194 Excommunication a grieuous censure 115 Not to passe for small trifles 116 F FAith is the root of other graces 147 Personality of Faith needfull 149 Families to be purged of prophane persons 119 Famine how grieuous at the destruction of Ierusalem 259 Our owne Faults propounded in anothers person soone espied 6 Nothing to be attributed vnto Fortune 227 Fruit bring forth to God 94 By bearing Fruit we glorifie God 104 142 Such as are Fruitfull shall grow more fruitfull 106 Gods cost on vs should moue to Fruitfulnesse 136 Euery creature is in it kind Fruitfull 138 Fruitfulnesse of a Christian the ground-worke of prosperity 139 If we be Fruitfull there is no Law against vs. 140 It is high time we should bring forth Fruit. 141 We must first be transplanted and set into Christ before we can beare Fruit. 143 Such as are in Christ bring forth Fruit incontinent 144 The properties of good Fruit. 149 G GArison strong about the godly 112 The Godly are runne to in the day of trouble 80 God is the Protector of his people 111 He is the husbandman of his Church 89 God is not the Author of sinne 194 The Godly to bee esteemed aboue others 124 They exceed all others in growth in grace 77 God hath little Glory in the world 34 Gods Glory should be our aime in all our actions 32 The Godly preferre it before their owne saluation 35 By Glorifying God we bring glory to our selues 36 Iudgements fearefull on such as rob God of his Glory 36 We ought to Grow in grace 105 H HOw God Hardens 194 The godly Hated and why 93 Hearers must be carefull what they receiue for Gospell 65 They may not rashly censure their Teachers for some disabilities 271 They must pray for them 272 Hearers must suffer the word of application as well as of doctrine 280 They may not finde fault with their teachers for their plainnesse 83 Heauens are diligent learned and Catholike Pastors 34 Humane testimonies may lawfully be alledged in Sermons 14 God Husbands his people 89 Husbandry a commendable vocation ibid. Submit our selues to Gods Husbandry 91 How to know whether God hath Husbanded the heart 90 Hypocrisie in the end shal be discouered 133 Humility and tendernesse of heart to bee laboured for 145 I IDolaters not to be familiar withall 118 Ignorance no good plea. 86 Impropriations held by an improper title where some obiections answered 304 Ingrossers are oppressors 311 Irreligious persons enemies to King and State 128 Isaiah a noble Prophet and eloquent together with his death 2 He fainted not in his function 3 He was of Christs kindred 9 Iudgements of God diuers waies foretold 212 The way to preuent Gods Iudgements is to Iudge our selues 184 Iustice in our dealings the touchstone of true Religion 298 K KIndred of the godly noble 120 Kingdome weakned by sinne 242 Knowledge of God a meanes to loue God 53 Sinnes against Knowledge fearefull 199 L LAndlords many are oppressors 310 Law-suits are durable 309 No Law against the godly 140 Leaues of profession not enough 146 Loue God before all 53 Christ only deserues our Loue. 61 How our Loue to God may be discouered 42 The way to bring our hearts to Loue the Lord. 53 We may not answer God in any thing except in Loue. 54 Lewd Life of a Professor dishonours God 37 Sinfull Lusts ouershadow the soule 146 God is the absolute Lord ouer all 282 M MAgistrates as the head should gouerne wisely 100 Priuate persons may not meddle with the office of Magistrates 101 Magistrates should back the Ministers of the Word with the vse of the temporall sword 116 Meeknesse to be shewed in our dealing with sinners 175 Sinnes against the Meanes fearefull 197 The more Meanes the more obedience doth God expect 270 To contemne the Meanes grieues the Lord. 200 No Meanes can reclaime the wicked 201 Meanes contemned causeth the Lord to depriue vs of them 267 Meanes to bring our hearts to loue God 53 Meanes to make vs fruitfull 143 It is fearefull to make our selues Merry with others sinnes 202 Ministers are builders stewards 279 Wherein they must shew themselues faithfull ibid. They must bee painfull in their function 109 They must wooe for Christ 58 They must deliuer nothing but by warrant from God 64 They must attend their callings 67 They should be well prouided for 68 They are the subordinate Husbandmen of the Church 89 Idle Ministers like Harlots 108 Ministers must seeke to God for ability to discharge their function 273 They may not be discouraged so as to surcease their paines 11 Their life is a spirituall piscation 11 They are not to bee blamed though they sometimes alter their method 13 They serue the greatest Master and are imploied in the greatest worke and shall haue the greatest wages 18 Motiues to fruitfulnesse 138 Motiues to singing 28 Motiues to seeke after Gods glory 33 N A Good Name how to get 125 Good Names profit not without grace 292 They should be a spur to goodnesse ibid. Vnder a holy Name to lead an vnholy life is a kind of sacriledge 293 Negatiue diuinitie not enough 159 No goodnesse comes from Nature 289 O OBedience is to be giuen to all Gods precepts 156 Particulars wherein wee are to shew our Obedience vnto God 284 Omission of good duties damnable 159 Oppression a sinne against Race Grace and Place 301 Oppressors how heretofore punished 314 God heares the grones of the Oppressed 315 P PArents to giue thankes at meat and not their children for them 151 Good Parents may haue lewd children 288 Their duties towards their children 290 Parents are not too rashly to be censured for the loose cariage of children 291 Wicked Parents disgrace their children 294 Papists their positions dissolue all bands of humane fellowship 117 Their practises agreeable to their positions 118 Their bloudy crueltie 255 A fearefull sinne to abuse Gods Patience 220 Gods Patience should teach vs Patience 222 Our Peace so long enioyed a great blessing 262 Our workes are to be brought to Perfection 154 Perseuerance in good needfull 157 Presence of God still to be remembred 54 Gods Proceedings are all iust 180 No Priuiledge will be are vs out if we take libertie to sinne 189 235 Priuiledges of those who loue God 56 Poesie is a commendable Art 23 Professors outward cariage if holy doth much good 80 The lewd life of a Professor doth highly dishonour