and that proceedeth daily from vs who were able to abide it Not we Christ onely excepted so that we must flee to the promise for life and cast off the precept in this respect Besides this there is another reason rendred by the Apostle Reas 2. which is that if justification and consequently salvation had beene obtained by the Law then Christ had dyed Gal. 2. vlt. gratis in vaine for nothing Indeed the Law is able to giue life for Christ was saved by it but we are weake and not able to fulfill it And though the law be said to be of no strength it is in this respect that like a iust Iudge to an offender Rom. 8. 3. it giueth a true testimony not able to set man at libertie who is a transgressor Confutation springs from this roote of the Papists who Vse 1. tye salvation rather to the law and workes than to Christ and the Gospell Reprehension too proceeds from the same ground against Vse 2. the ignorant Protestants who being demanded how they hope to be saved Reply either by their good deeds or honest meaning this is naturall Papistrie yet good workes are in no sort to be omitted For they be the true euidences of faith as childe of a father the high way to heaven though not the principall and immediate cause of raigning these may be said to bring life as the nurse to the child faith as the mother And from hence every one that longeth after life must Vse 3. 1. deny his owne workes 2. Learne to be acquainted with the promises and to discerne them from the precepts 3. Labour for faith to apply them for knowledge except mixed with faith profits nothing Heb. 4. 2. This may also direct Ministers how to teach their people Vse 4. a principall point of Catechisme as also to worke faith in them that they may beleeue not that the law is to be omitted for that reuealeth sinnes breaketh the heart setteth before the eye of the soule Gods irresistable judgement and directs the way that leadeth to justification and salvation yet in a differing manner from the Gospell It s our Schoole-master to Christ Gal. 3. 24. Might we not hence obserue further that the principall end of Preaching is to bring men to life and salvation By the foolishnesse of Preaching it pleaseth God to saue such as 1 Cor. 1. 21. beleeue Then are they farre wide that looke for life without a Preacher Why doe they not expect children without generation a crop of corne without sowing Againe we note out of the word according that There is one method or true manner or at least matter of teaching to be practised of the Preachers for every Art is guided by its owne rule precepts obiect Which is in Christ Iesus In Christ that is from him or by him Whence let it be noted that No life or salvation is to be expected but in and through Christ Doct. 7. Iesus Whether we respect the life of motion sence reason or salvation all is conveyed to man from him he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14. 6. Ioh. 10. 10. and 17. 12. Act. 3. 15. For he created all things as he was God without him was Reas 1. made nothing that was made He is the beginning of all creatures Col. 3. 15. therefore called the Lord of life Act. 3. 15. He also as God preserveth the essence and being of the Reas 2. creature 1. In giuing nourishment fit and convenient 2. and in blessing the meanes without both which the life of man like a lampe that lacketh oyle is extinguished for man liueth not by bread onely but by every word that proceâ—deth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. Furthermore life and salvation come from Christ as he Reas 3. is our Suretie and Saviour 1. For by his death he hath destroyed death O death Where is thy sting 2. By his life he 1 Cor 15. 55. v. 22. 23. hath purchased our life as by the offence of one man came death so by the obedience of Christ came life 3. All the promises 2 Cor. 1. 20 meet in Christ and are yea and amen in him as all the lines doe in the point of a Center 4. He sends his word and spirit for to quicken vs being dead before that time in sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and trespasses In a word by his death we dye with him and through his Resurrection and Ascension we shall rise out Rom. 5. 10. of the graue and ascend and liue for ever with him From this point doe many profitable Vses spring First learne hence that the life of a Christian is no base being Vse 1. or mouing but the sweetest life of all and equalleth if not excelleth that life of Adam in the Garden because it floweth from a more pure fountaine springeth from a more honorable head and is purchased with a farre greater price Doe we not esteeme Wine by the Grape fruit by the tree Oyle by the Oliue And people by their pedigree It s called the life of God for God gaue it at the Creation Christ Ephes 4. 18. redeemed it by his Passion and it s the neerest to that life the Lord himselfe liueth and delighteth in it s a royall life for it exceedeth this life all other what ever Ther 's not a greater dissimilitude betwixt the life of a naturall man and a beast than there is betwixt this and the life of reason And it s a durable life certaine and abideth for ever and Vse 2. can it be otherwise comming from Christ Let the root liue the branches will not wither the spring flowe the rivers will be full and whilest the head is not hurt well fare the members Indeed this tree was once dead but now he is aliue Rev. 1. 18. shall dye no more death hath no longer power over him They therefore that are graffed into this stocke shall never taste of the second death For out of their branches shall flow Io. 7. 37. rivers of the waters of life And as Moses with his rod struck the rocke whence issued water to refresh the people so God with the law of his iustice strooke Christ the rocke out of whose side commeth the water of life to saue all his members Besides it also followeth from the same ground that it is Vse 3. a secret and hidden life hid in Gods bosome long before it was manifested hid in the Promise hid in the Sacrifices and Ceremonies hid from the eyes of the world hid from him that hath it for the greatest and best part of it is said to be hid with Christ in God that is in heaven Col. 3. 3. For God and heaven are often put one for the other in Scripture And it may be said truely to be a hidden life so few seeke it or find it and yet if they doe they know it not Hence
required in the seruice of God two things the one is Knowledge the other Strength for these are absolutely necessary for the doing of any action the one to direct vs the other to enable vs in this dutie The obiect of this knowledge is double 1. God 2. His will These must be rightly vnderstood For 1. If we know not God we cannot loue him 2. or trust in him 3. Feare him 4. humble our selues before him all which are needfull for that man that would make God his Master We must loue him or else we cannot serue him for loue sets a man on working as in the example of Iacob yea loue saith the Apostle constreines 2 Cor. 5. 14. vs but if we know not God wee cannot loue him the affections worke according as the eye of Reason presents her Obiects And How can we beleeue in him of whom we haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. Faith cannot be without knowledge therefore knowledge is often put for the same Who will serue a Master himselfe Ioh 17. 3. or bind his sonne apprentice to such a person whose abilitie or fidelitie he is ignorant of Againe if we feare not God we will not serue him and if we know him not we will not feare him Haue not some mis-tooke a Piece for a Pipe and so haue beene murthered in stead of mirth So men not knowing the Lord haue played so much with his mercie that they haue beene destroyed by his justice And Humilitie also must be had or man cannot serue God for God giveth grace to the humble but without vnderstanding Iam. 4. 6. Note of him no throwing of our selues downe before him for man is of an haughtie spirit loth to stoope and besides vntill he know God he knoweth nothing aboue himselfe therefore will never be humbled And a generall knowledge will not serue but we must know him truely and certainely Some may obiect that God onely knoweth himselfe Obiect dwelling in that light which none can attaine vnto 1. Tim. 6. 16. What for that Can we know nothing of him Yes we Ans How GOD may be known of vs. may with Moses see his back-partes his sufficiencie and efficiencie His sufficiencie is that whereby he is able to doe all thinges and it consisteth in his essence and subsistence His essence is that absolute first being and independent of any other thing whatsoever And from this it doth follow that He is not compounded of any matter and forme but is one most pure and meere act Now because as he is act wee cannot vnderstand him especially with one act for our vnderstanding is finite he invisible and infinite therefore he taketh to himselfe and maketh himselfe knowne vnto vs by many attributes which attributes be nothing else but that one and meere act diversly apprehended as What he is Who he is He is a spirit invisible immortall infinite omnipotent omniscient and the like And we must be able to vnderstand the subsistences which are nothing else but that one most pure essence with his relatiue properties The subsistences are the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost The relatiue propertie of the Father is to beget therefore he is the first in order The Sonnes relatiue propertie is to be begotten and not to beget and he is the second person in order because he is from the Father alone The holy Ghost is the person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and therefore the third person in order so that we must vnderstand that God is one essence in three persons thus much for his sufficiencie And for his efficiencie what is that But that whereby he worketh all thinges and all in all things either in respect of creation or providence Act. 17. 28. Rom. 11. vlt. This may suffice to haue spoken for the knowledge of God The second thing that we ought to know is What the Lord requireth of vs for how can wee doe it if wee doe not know it Or suppose wee should doe what he willes yet what comfort can we haue in this service or action If a servant shall plow sow and harrow a plot of ground without his Masters will and direction what content could he haue in working What hope of reward after he had finished his labour Would not feare rather possesse him seeing the ground might haue beene as profitable for pasture When we know our Masters will we may with boldnes chearfulnesse goe about it And this his will is conteined in the Law and the Gospell What the Law requireth and is there to be found out with searching The Law requires two things 1. That we haue no corruption inherent in our person 2. That we transgresse not or divert from it in our conversation this is the iustice and command the Law layeth on vs and exacts at our hands The Gospell also bindeth What the Gospell requireth vs to our taske 1. That we haue Faith 2. That we beleeue in God through Christ for iustification 3. That we clense our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 4. And lastly that we liue without spot and blamelesse keeping our hearts vpright with God our outward actions honest before and with man for the Gospell wils no lesse inward or outward holinesse than the Law doth For the Gospell and Christ Mat. 5. 17. came to establish the Law that is to assure vs it is still of force and to giue vs abilitie another way to keepe it Againe as we haue heard that we must haue knowledge of God and his will before we can serue him so in the next place we must haue abilitie or we cannot doe his will A sicke or weake man may know his Masters pleasure but cannot doe it for strength with health must enable him So we know many things but what of that if we want power to performe them And we must get power 1. To beleeue Wherin Power is exercised 2. To obey Againe We are to know that faith is exercised about a double Obiect God and his Word And in his Word the promise and the threate We are to giue credit that all the threats of God are true and shall be accomplished in vs in particular if wee breake the condition as well as beleeue all the promises appropriate them to our selues who are made in Christ Iesus And in both these the best man failes for want of abilitie to beleeue them Our faith may be said to be a kind of obedience not in getting but principally in living by it And as Iudgement is vsed in Invention being a distinct part of the Art of Logick yet Invention doth precede Iudgement in nature so obedience is vsed in faith and faith in obedience though faith may seeme to goe before it for He that comes to God must beleeue that he is and then a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Heb. 11. 16. So that by power to beleeue I meane that God is that his
by Christ and none other Fiftly That faith is not idle but beleeueth more or lesse And Lastly That it is not vnprofitable For the end of faith is that we might obtaine salvation In the second place according to promise wee will proceed to lay downe some proper notes of faith whereby we may the better know it and if that it dwell in vs as it did in Loïs Ennice and Timotheus 1. Let it be remembred that vnfeigned faith hath two 2. degrees of faith Luk. 17. 6. Rom. 4. 19. degrees the one is little compared to a graine of Mustard-seede the other great likened to a ship that is caried with a full gale Againe Note that there bee some things that are common to both of these degrees whether great or litle and others that are proper but to the one of them Those that be common to either be these 1. Faith whether strong or weake is seated in an humble Sixe properties of faith in generall strong or vveake hart It groweth not in any other ground it is not to be foūd in an hard and vntilled soile but in such as the Lord hath humbled and broken to pieces by the plow and harrow of the law Proud hearts and high minds possesse it not Mat. 8. 8. 10. Luk. 15. 21. 2. Againe where it is there will be prayer This tree will haue its fruit this fire will either be burning or smoking and tho a strong faith send out strong cries yet a weake in some modell will not be wanting Euery true beleever is a Prayer Act. 9. 14. 16. 16. Mark 9. 24. 3. Moreouer it will purge the heart where it inhabiteth Faith is like barme it will purifie and cleanse the person into whom it is infused by its proper nature from the filthines of the flesh and spirit or in that it assureth the soule that no vncleane thing shall inherit heauen Therefore it moueth man to be holy Acts. 15. 9. 2 Cor. 7. 1. 4. These two degrees agree in their obiect For they neuer rest vntill they come to God in Christ This is the way they both walke and the onely stay that they both rely and depend on Psal 20. 7. Io. 14. 1. 6. 5. Besides a true faith will apply the promises in particular it resteth not in an implicit or confused kind of beleeving but as the vnderstanding doth distinctly discerne them so doth faith seuerally yet distinctly apply them otherwise to doe were papisticall Iob. 19. 25. Io. 2. 28. 6. Lastly Faith neuer separates the end and the meanes Gen. 32. 28. that tend to it A strong faith will not faile in thus doing nor a weake faith either A false faith doth put iustification Col. 3. 2. 3. and Sanctification mercy and iustice Christ a Sauiour and Christ a Lord a sunder these all be common both to 1 Ioh. 3. 2. 3. the one and the other whether weake faith or strong And those that finde not these in themselues haue no true faith at all A greatfaith hath some excellent properties and effects which are not so proper to a weaker 1. One is to praise God in the greatest affliction Iob. 1. 21. Properties of a great faith 2. Another not to make hast out of troubles but with patience to stay the Lords leysure being assured that great and long afflictions shall do them more good than if they were lesser shorter Isa 28. 16. 3. To indure no deniall in praier vntill the request bee granted to aske feruently Gen. 32. 28. Mat. 15. 24. c. 4. To beleeue beyond all hope or reason in regard of naturall meanes that might produce the effect they looke for Rom. 4. 18. 5. Boldly to preach and professe the truth in the hottest 2 Cor. 4. 13. skirmish of persecution and if neede bee to resist vnto bloud 6. Finally to long and looke for the comming of Christ Phil. 1. 23. vnto iudgement and desiring to be loosed which is best of all These be some attendants that accompanie a great faith For a weake faith is often impatient in small trials forward to make hast both in respect of time and in vsing vnlawfull meanes now and then It liueth too much by sight and sence and doth not mount on high is easie and apt to take a deniall in prayer feareth death iudgment and hell therefore cryeth stay thine hand a while that I may gather Psal 39. vlt. strength before I goe hence and be no more seene They then that boast so much of the greatnes of their faith may here see if they be not deceiued Dost thou prayse the Lord in the greatest troubles with patience stay his leasure in all things admitt of no deniall of thy requests to God in prayer beleeve the promise aboue hope beyond hope and past all hope in the greatest opposition for the loue of the truth shew the most resolution and in a sound apprehension of the vanitie of this world and the excellencie of that to come wishest to be with Christ as the chiefe obiect of thy blessednesse why then it is with thee as it seemeth otherwise not The weake vnfeined faith hath these things to be found Properties of a weake faith with it 1. A true and cleere sight of the want of it Luk. 17. 5. 2. A prizing it aboue all earthly things Mat. 13. 46. 3. An earnest longing after it Acts. 16. 30. 4. A carefull and constant vse of the meanes to obtaine it Acts 10. 33. 5. A resolution to sinne no more Iohn 9. 36. 6. A great sorrow they found the want of faith no sooner Ier. 31. 19. yet mixed with some ioy that now at the last before it bee too late they haue espied it not without this resolution neither that let God doe what seemeth best to his Maiestie yet they will still sue vnto him for mercie He that findeth these things in himselfe findeth a good thing for assuredly vnfeigned faith is rooted in his heart and though for the present it be but as a seed yet before long in the daily vse of Gods ordinances it will spring spread and proue as a great and large Cedar This must comfort those that be weake in the faith that they bee not for the present vntill faith grow stronger in their owne apprehension swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines Now in the third place the lets that hinder men from obtaining Hinderances of faith in the Preacher of this vnfeigned faith are to bee discouered and they are partly to be found in the Preacher partly in the people In the preacher 1. When he doth not preach at all but lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping Of whom I may say as Christ did somtimes of the dumbe Diuell that this kind is not to be cast out but by prayer and fasting Mark 9. 29. 2. When men preach yet rarely as Papists come to Church according to the statute but more to saue their liuings than their owne soules and
others 1 Tim. 4. vlt. 3. When though they preach often yet their Sermons as Gallio said of Religion are but a matter of names and words and a scraping together of fables and vaine Phylosophie Coll. 2. 8. 4. When the preacher maketh wrong application pressing that vpon Gods people which is the portion of the reprobate This is the old custome of false Prophets who Ezek. 13. 22. grieued the harts of the Godly and hardned the wicked in so doing by promising them life Wherefore often sound powerfull and plaine preaching is the way to worke vnfeigned faith in the people Lett es in the people be many yet few here shall be mentioned Let ts of faith in the people One is a vaine perswasion that all men haue it from their birth A second is in that the people thinke it not a thing of great worth or necessitie A third is a desperate idlenes which makes men negligent in the vse of the meanes The fourth is a setled resolution to liue in sinne for a season and so if they be cut off in the meane time yet they haue made this conclusion that then they will cast themselues vpon the hidden and vnsearchable mercie of God This is to hang a mans Saluation as Iob speakes of Iob. 26. 7. the earth iust vpon nothing But if by any meanes such men might be allured we will adde some motiues in the last place to perswade them to it 1. Consider how often the Lord doth intreat vs to get faith and beleeve in him Might not this moue an heart Motiues to get faith of stone to this duty who would not out of his priuate iudgement condemne such a man that will not obey him who doth begge and beseech that might command and kill 2. And is it not the onely way to get rest to our soules and to procure peace that passeth all vnderstanding What person is he that priseth not this peace that doth not wish for so great a fauour 3. Who euer came to Christ and went away vncured the verie diuels that sought vnto him sometimes had their desires and shall wee doubt or once despaire to speede if we approach to his presence Is it possible that he will not performe his promise to his people Mat. 11. 28. 4. Call to mind how cheap wee may haue this commoditie We may buy it without gold or siluer If wee bring empty hands yet honest harts we shall not goe home without it Let vs but aske it and we shall haue it Mat. 7. 7. 5. How many are the priuiledges that accompanie it By Ioh. 1. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Eph. 6. 16. 1 Ioh. 5. 4. it we are vnited to Christ made the sonnes of God partake of the diuine nature quench the fierie darts of Sathan ouercome the world and are saued 6. And if nothing will moue thee to get faith vnfeigned Eph. 2. 8. and to beleeue in the Lord yet let the fearefull iudgements that are threatned against infidels preuaile with thee Shall not such be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone for euer which is the second death Rev. 21. 8. And let me wind vp all in a short application and exhortation I say that to all which I doe to one get faith keepe faith and increase your faith a mite of this graine is worth a million of gold a stalke of this faith a standing tree of earthly fruites a soule fraughted and filled with this treasure all the coffers of siluer in the whole world What can I more say the least true faith is of more value than large demaines stately buildings and tenne thousand riuers of oyle If the Mountaines were Pearle the huge Rocks pretious stones and the whole Globe a shining Chrisolite yet faith as much as the least droppe of water graine of sand or smallest Mustard-seed is more worth than all This will swimme with his Master hold vp his drouping head and land him safe at the shore against all winds and weather stormes and tempests striue then for this fraught For the time and tyde thereof serueth but once and not for euer Vnfeigned faith Whence we gather that Our profession is not to be in Hypocrisie but in Sinceritie Doct. 2. Paul speakes here of faith that 's not Hypocriticall but sound vpright And though hee but mention faith yet he comprehends vnder it profession and truth in our dealings Mich. 6. 6. Isa 9. 17. Mat. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 6. For if it be not thus we are vnder the curse and subiect Reas 1. to all iudgements what euer How many woes doth Christ denounce against Hypocrites and the Prophets euery where in their Sermons crying Woe be vnto you Hypocrites Luk. 11. 44. Againe the Lord loueth Sinceritie in the inward parts such Reas 2. service is a delight vnto him And will not Sathan one day or other as he did Iudas arrest vs and carie vs into the kingdome of darknes Our adversaries reproch vs and our own courses condemne vs truely if our profession be in hypocrisie we can neither please God nor profit our selues Away then with the profession that is in many in our Vse 1. dayes What forme without power of Godlines may we finde what shewes without substance and shadowes that are not accompanied with the true bodie doe these men imagine that the words of God are vttered in vaine or that his iudgements shall not befall them What heart can they haue to looke God Sathan death or iudgement in the face when as their owne hearts are a strong and crying witnesse against them what if they doe shall it profit them no verily In the second place seeing we all professe the truth let Vse 2. vs keepe our feasts with the bread of Sinceritic and truth and and mixe all our actions with sincerity and integrity Let vs shunne the practise and properties of Hypocrites which be these Sixe properties of an Hypocrite 1. To be one in the face another in heart Hypocrites be like flales that seeme to haue life window cushions glorious without yet stuffed with straw flockes or some course Rubbish within 2. They straine at a Gnat and Swallow a Camell Make Luk. 11. 39. great conscience of a humane ceremonie yet are desperately negligent in the commandements of God Tithe Annise Mint and Cummin yet transgressâ— the law for a morsell of bread 3. These persons picke quarrels for moates in others and Math. 7. 3. spy not mountaines in their owne eies Censure their brethren sharply if they stumble yet iustifie themselues though they fall and tumble in the mire and ditch 4. They are wonderfull in ostentation Giue almes with the sound of a trumpet write their good workes in the 2 King 10. 16 windowes haue the least act in record and Iehu-like cry come see what zeale we haue for the glorie of God and the Lord of hostes 5. Such be inconstant in all
neuer heard of all the daies of their life Is there not a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and is hee Isa 5. 20. not culpable of Iudgement to honour those the Lord neuer did I would haue men to iudge charitably rather then to speake too confidently yet God is wise for such praise without iust desert stirres vp men to rippe vp that whereby their names rot and so that is effected they neuer intended And may not this giue vs some glimpse what to deeme Vse 3. of them whose faith to this day was neuer heard of may not such feare their present condition and we mourne to consider their wofull estate wa st thou neuer a noted person reputed singular or entertained of the Saint surely thy faith is dead and thou art dead the Lord quicken thee Let this in the last place bee a comfort to those whose Vse 4. sound goeth through the world and whose names are famous too amongst the faithfull For it argueth some good thing to be in thee when good and bad haue some words about thee Crowes doe not flocke and houer and cry but it s about some thing nor Eagles soare and gather themselues together except there be a carkase yet take this also with thee be sure thou art such in truth as good men report of thee and contrary to what the world daily dischargeth against thee For otherwise thou maist haue a name to bee a liue and art dead and defamed but of desert And by the way take this as a note of faith vnfeigned viz. a care to Note become better when either the good commend thee or the bad condemne thee It may here be demanded how Paul came to know that these three had one and the same faith It s not to be doubted of but by the effects that flowed from these persons though he had an extraordinary gift of discerning too From the which this will arise that Faith vâ—feigned is to be iudged by the effects We cannot see Doct. 8. it in its selfe or in its cause But we omit this and collect another doctrine which is that Faith workes like effects in diuerse subiects Doct. 9. The Grandmother the mother and the mothers sonne had the same faith and the like fruits proceeded from them else Paul would neither haue called it vnfeigned or said that it dwelt in them or giuen them all three one and the same testimony All three had faith and vnfeigned faith For the likenes of actions were in them and proceeded from them by the which it was called vnfeigned and equally appropriated to each particular person And it is an vndoubted position that faith produceth the like effects in all Gods children in truth it must bee vnderstood not in degree For as faith increaseth the effectes are bettred Many Lanternes with seuerall Candles will all giue light but in proportion to their diuerse degrees and quantities Euery peece hath his report but according to the bignes and each instrument will sound but variously as they be in proportion and that for these reasons Because faith differs not in kind but in degree and like Reas 1. causes produce like effects Euery Bell hath its sound Each stone its weight and seuerall planets their diuerse influences yet not in the same measure though they may varie in kind Againe faith is diffused into subiect though seuerall yet Reas 2. they are the same in nature and consist of like principles Fire put into straw will either smoke or burne let the bundle be a thousand life in the bodie will haue motion though not in the same degree and measure and reason in euery man acteth but not so exquisitely The constitution may not be alike therefore a difference may be in operation naturall and also from the same ground in acts spirituall A darke horne in the Lanthorne dimmes the light somewhat Faith is begot and increased by the same originals the Reas 3. spirit and the word be both the principall and conseruing causes of it If one woman conceiue and bring forth a child and another nurse it varietie of foode might somewhat alter the nature and disposition of it but that spirit which begets faith doth also preserue it therefore it cannot be but that the like effects should proceed from it Here by the way we may see that those mothers if a forced necessity compell not who bring forth and bearâ— children yet haue no care to nurse them are to be blamed for so doing in that they differ from Gods manner of proceeding And in the last place if faith had not like effects in all Gods children Reas 4. then could they not attaine to one and the same ends as iustification sanctification saluation c. And so should it be in vaine the Lord failing and man too of their chiefe scope and purpose Hath not God made euery eie to see and hand to worke and shall we then iudge that faith shall not act but be idle away with that From this point we may learne how to iudge of the faith in our times which so many boast of they cry haue Vse 1. not we faith Doe not wee beleeue aswell as the best but where be the fruits of faith vnfeigned hast thou an humble and purging heart dost thou call vpon God at al times tary his leasure and rely vpon his promise art thou bold and resolute for good causes canst thou resist Sathan cleaue to God and shunne the appearances of euill will neither pouerty ouerpresse thee by despaire or prosperitie by presumption Why it s well and we beleeue that Faith is to be found in thee but if not thou hast it not rooted in thee For the tree is knowne by the fruit Will not the flower smell the candle giue light and the fire heate and shall true faith be without her effects boast not too much lest thou deceiue thy selfe taking the shadow for the body and that which is not for that which should be And this doctrine is of great comfort for them that often call the truth of faith into question But hast thou the true Vse 2. signes of it then thou hast it What if it worke not so mightily as in others will it follow that thou art without it suppose thou wert carried to the toppe of some high tower and casting thine eye vpon seuerall chimneyes of the which number thine is one and all smoking wouldst thou not conclude that fire in is thine house aswell as in thy neighbours there is the like effects therfore the same cause of certaine When men in heart and life are like the Godly let them be assured they haue the same faith It may differ in some degree yet the quantity greater or lesser alters not the kind of it Leauen is leauen though neuer so litle and if the meale bee seasoned it is to be found in the lumpe This must teach vs to take heed how we rashly
and are not our imperfect actions perfected by the Lord Iesus Wee seeke and doe not finde because Iam. 4. 3. wee seeke and aske amisse Let me exhort thee to preach and pray read and heare propound and resolue profitable questions and then if thy labours be in vaine count me a false Prophet curse me at thy death Who euer did sow good feed in its season but had a rich and plentifull croppe at haruest If Peter cast in his nette at his masters command though in former time he hath laboured hard and caught nothing yet at the last he shall encompasse many great fishes hale them to land and be sufficiently recompenced satisfied It s not a trade but the well vsing of it not a farme but the well husbandry of it that will enrich the one and the other Wherfore be stedfast immoueable and abundant in the worke of 1 Cor. 15. vlt. the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. What did Paul and the people fast pray and lay on hands without obseruing the effect of their actions No he and they saw how the gifts of Timotheus were augmented increased in so doing whence it will follow that In the vse of Gods ordinances we are to obserue how hee dealeth Doct. 8. with vs. Haue not the Prophets Apostles and all the Lords people done thus Should we make a collection of each particular wee should be exceeding large When they did offer sacrifice did they not obserue the successe Fast and pray what effects did follow reade and preach how people were conuerted comforted or hardened In administration of the Sacraments that Many were sicke and weake and slept others healed reioiced and receiued the holy Ghost Gen. 4. 3. and 10. 20. 21. Nehem. 9. 9. c. Psal 106. 23. and 107. 6. c. Mat. 7. 28. Acts 4. 31. and 28. 23. 24. 29. 2 Chro. 30. 20. c. 2 Kin. 22. 19. Io. 13. 27. 1 Cor. 11. 30. For in so doing we come to haue an experimentall knowledge Reas 1. of the truth and fidelity of Gods promises than the which nothing is better If any man will doe his will hee may be assured that the doctrine we deliuer is not sensuall earthly Ioh. 7. 17. Iam 3. 17. or diuellish but pure peaceable good and profitable For all the Lord speaketh shall come to passe Iosh 21. 45. And will it not yeeld matter of thankesgiuing Why are we so barren in blessing of God haue our mouths so empty Reas 2. of his praises doe not continually sing songs of gratefulnesse Is it not the neglect of this obseruation Could we with the Prophet register the many mercies wee receiue in the vse of Gods ordinances we should crie as he did What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Psal 1 16. 12. Would it not also constraine vs to be more frequent in Reas 3. good duties prouoke and pricke vs forward to preach and pray will not men spend much time without wearinesse in that calling that affordeth great commoditie with constancie Who euer casteth off a profitable art or waxeth dull in doing that which his owne experience makes sure hath recompence of reward Suppose we found no fruit in thus doing but all our actions Reas 4. of this kind were blasted Yet would it not cause vs to looke out the cause why God with-holdeth a blessing Should we not finde some Babilonish garment in our tent some Ionah a sleepe in the shippe one sinne or other that hinders the good successe of our spirituall indeuours and were not this worthy of our paines Hence comes to be reproued many a person who though Vse 1. they performe holy duties yet neuer haue eye to the euent Are not these worse than Cain For he obserued the successe of his sacrifice Or Balaam Did not hee perceiue how the Lord answered him Doe wee not read that hypocrites marked what fruit they reaped in fasting and afflicting themselues Isay 58 3. Are not Christians then blame worthie who come short of such in this thing True it is that in nothing the best faile more than in not ioyning watchfullnesse in the vse of Gods ordinances Want of this one thing breedeth doubting staggering in the promises with-holdeth matter of thankfulnesse causeth slownesse dulnesse in good duties and keepeth sinne close from being reuealed discouered What shal we then do Why we must imitate men in other Vse 2. vocations recreatious When the husbandman hath cast good seede into his soile will hee not haue an eye to its rooting sprowting growing Who planteth or grafteth but obserueth how the tender blades budde shoot forth and spread themselues will not the fisherman hauing cast in his net or angle into the riuer expect whether any fish be catcht by the gill or intangled in the meshes What fowler spreadeth pantels setteth his ginne dischargeth his piece but will haunt the spring view the scrap and looke with a stretched out necke to see if any bird be caught fast insnarred or wounded Shall Physitians giue pils administer potions and grow carelesse how their Physicke workes Learne then by their examples what successe accompanieth the Lords ordinances Preacher people Sow the seede of the word in season out of season and marke which doth prosper 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eccles. 11. 6. this or that In thus doing peraduenture thou maist finde some person strucke with the shot of the word who like a wounded Pigeon will single himselfe from his former companions fall in some obseure corner of a field spread the wings of his armes and with a drouping conscience call and cry to God for mercie for pardon Pray and watch what the Lord will say vnto thee Reade and heare and take notice how thy heart waxeth hot corruption is cooled and grace kindled Yea in all holy actions looke to the successe and experience will let thee see that as the shadow followeth the body the blessing of God doth accōpanie his ordinances Aboue all things thinke thou on this so shall thy faith grow strong in the promises of God thou shalt find them a sure word that neuer faileth Also thou maist haue matter of prayse to God-ward and tell thy brethren what he hath done for thy soule And how will this experimental Psal 66. 16. knowledge encourage thee to preach pray read heare and neuer grow wearie in wel-doing At the least or if I may so say at the worst this benefit will accrue how that there is some sinne in vs not repented of one corruption or other not mortified or iust circumstance in Gods service omitted which causeth our indeuours not to prosper our best fruite to be blasted From the words diuersly considered might many more doctrines be collected as that 1. There may be increase of grace in the best Christian For Timotheus was an excellent man before this time and were not his gifts now augmented 2. That a Minister hath neede
visitation to be obserued 257 3. The Church more glorious since the comming of Christ than before 258 An obiection answered 260 4. Christs appearing in the law and Gospell glorious 263 5. Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour 265 6. Death by Christ is destroyed 267 In what sense it may be said that Christ suffered the second death 268 How we may destroy death 269 How Christs death killes death in vs. 270 Whether God could or not haue saued man without a satisfaction 272 How finite man may be said to suffer infinite torments 273 7. All spirituall life is procured by Christ Iesus 273 8. To preach the same things againe is warrantable 273 Acaution 274 9. The office of Christ chiefly cònsisteth in the abolishing of death and procuring of life 274 Rules to know if death be remoued from vs. 275 Trialls if we haue life by Christ Iesus 276 Motiues to get spirituall life 277 10. Life spirituall is eternall 278 Helpes to life spirituall 280 11. Though all grace come by Christ yet not without the meanes of the Gospell 280 Doctrines Page Vers 11. 1. The Godly take delight to dwell and discourse of holy things 283 2. The Gospell principally to be preached 284 3. The dignitie of our calling to be maintained 285 4. Preachers be cryers 287 Cautions for cryers 288 Rules for auditors 289 5. The word preached a principall meanes whereby sinners are conuerted 289 How reading may be said to be preaching 290 Whether preaching is to be preferred aboue praying 291 Sundry obiections answered 291 6. When God will call a people he raiseth vp fit instruments for that purpose 293 Paul sent principally to Preach to the Gentiles 294 8. Prayers made in faith are not alwayes granted at the first 295 Vers 12. Doctrines Page 1. The goodnes of an action cannot free the doer frō affliction 299 2. Neither learning wisedome pietie or externall priuiledge can prescrue a man from persecution and affliction 302 3. Good men suffer many things 303 4. A resolute Christian is not ashamed of the Gospell 305 Helpes to endure shame 306 5. The example of others sufferings should moue vs to suffer also 306 6. As the wicked haue pretended causes to afflict the faithfull so haue they good grounds not to be ashamed of their sufferings 307 7. It is an experimentall knowledge that will make the men of God resolute in good courses 308 Rules to procure experimentall knowledge 309 8. Knowledge of God precedeth faith in him 311 How God is to be Knowne of vs. 314 Rules to know God 315 9. It is the dutie of a Christian to settle his soule in the certaintie of his salvation 316 Signes of presumption 317 Hinderances of the soules setling 318 10. The best way to secure the soule is to commit it into the hands of God 318 Helpes to commit the soule to God 319 What times especially the soule is to be committed into the hands of God 319 11. God is a God of power 321 His power defined 321 Two kinds of impossibilities that God cannot doe 321 Particulars mentioned of the first sort 321 And instances of the other kind 322 The power of God distributed 324 Differences of this power 324 A subdiuision of his externall power 325 Actuall power hath two parts 325 From all which many conclusions especiallie against our aduersaries the Papists and others 326 Rules to get experience of Gods power 327 12. As power so will may be attributed to the Lord. 328 Gods will defined and explicated 329 Gods will seuerall wayes distinguished 331 Many Corrolaries from the former propositions 333 13. Faith hath distinct degrees 335 14. The greatest faith may grow 336 How faith and infidelitie are inseperable 337 Helpes of faith to the distressed christian 337 Vers 13. Doctrines page 1. Perswasion and disswasion are to be accompanied with direction 343 2. The best way to maintaine puritie in religion is to haue a patterne 343 Adam had the law writ in his heart at the creation 343 Adam broke the morall law 344 The law was writ in Moses time 345 3. All men guided by one and the same patterne 346 An obiection answered 347 Rules to direct vs in our callings generall particular 349 Briefe notes on the Decalogue 351 When the Sabbath begins 353 Why the Sabbath was changed 355 4. The patterne of a christian is to consist of words 355 5. The words must be sound words 356 Whether words may be vsed not found in Scripture 356 6. Apostles are onely to prescribe patternes 357 7. By faith and loue the patterne of sound words is preserued 358 Properties of loue 358 What is done in faith 360 What in loue 360 Why faith is put before loue 360 Why both together 361 Seuerall doctrines collected but not prosecuted 360 Vers 14. Doctrines page 1. The graces of Gods spirit are good and worthy things 363 2. Grace being got is to be preserued 366 3. Spirituall gifts are in danger of losing 367 How far a man may fall from his former grace 369 Signes of falling from former grace 369 4. The faithfull are the temples of Gods spirit 371 How may the spirit be said to dwell in man being infinite man finite 371 In what manner the spirit may be said to dwell in the reprobate 371 Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 373 5. Where the spirit takes possession he dwels for euer 374 How Sathan may be sayd to reenter being once cast out 374 The spirit dwels in a new hart the which hath many properties 376 In what manner the heart is made new 376 6. The Spirit of God is an holy spirit 378 Why he is or may be called holy 378 How the spirit may be procured 379 7. The graces of the spirit are preserued by the spirit 379 Vers 15. Doctrines page 1. We are to put the faithfull in mind of others falling away 381 2. To fall frō our former professiō is a great sin foule offence 382 Helpes against reuolting 383 Causes of reuolting 1. inward 2. outward 385 3. Men of great note in the Church may sometimes fall away 384 4. God doth propertion mans shame according to the offence 386 5. Great wicked men vsually fall by couples 388 6. Many may fall away together 388 Whether all that fell away of Asia neuer returned 389 Vers 16. Doctrines page 1. One good mans example is to be preferred before a multitude of wicked men 392 2. In the time of persecution few haue bin found faithfull 393 3. A good gouernour may procure a blessing vpon the whole family 394 How a godly family may be knowne to be so 397 4. Loue is of a spreading nature 398. How farre loue spreadeth 400 5. The mercie of God is to be wished especially for our friends 401 6. Want may befall Gods dearest children 402 7. The faithfull are not once but often to be relieued 403 8. Gods children are a thankfull kind of people 404 9. Good men haue beene vsed like malefactors 405
portion which passeth all vnderstanding and afterward thou shalt dwell with Angels with Christ with God the Father where is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore thou shalt never die never whither no rust shall eate thee nor moth consume thee thou shalt see no sorrow thou shalt heare no complaint neither be afraid of the least evill successe Thou shalt iudge the quicke and the dead acquit the innocent condemne the guiltie and doe little lesse than a pettie God in one word thou shalt doe more and haue more than can be told by man or by Angell all that be good before God shall commend thee preserue thee or rather thou them for ever and ever And now in the last place let vs make application Then is not that life base that is led without it A miserable Vse 1. service is that which is begun continued and finished without a good conscience being accompanied with lying swearing dissembling and deceiving is it not they that thus liue are worse then beasts and no creature the devill excepted more wretched Be thou then assured that such a life is odious to God hatefull to his Saints and an vndoubted fore-runner of the second death He that layeth the foundation of his service with ignorance infidelitie and disobedience in the fiery tryall shall be blowne vp when the match of Gods vindicatiue iustice shall lay hold on this blacke powder how shall that man be able to stand Wee may muzzle the mouth of our conscience not suffer it to speake and deale with it as an vniust Land-lord with his poore tenant when he in some iust cause is to giue evidence against him put it to silence by an over ruling commaund but when Christ shall come to iudgement and take part with conscience then shall it speake freely boldly truely as ever did faithfull witnesse at the barre having the chiefe Iudge for his friend How will a Iudas looke at that day who was so pittifully deiected before the Pharisees whom he tooke for his friends and expected comfort from them How will the Drunkard stagger and reele not with wine but with the fume of a bad conscience What face can the hypocrite hold vp that hath dissembled all his life long where shall the vniust the fornicator adulterer lyer with all the wicked and vngodly appeare I am sure of this that though such and a thousand moe haue blind erroneous and cauterized consciences burned with an hot yron for the present yet at that generall assize being lanced with the sharpe edged knife of Gods revenging hand they shall all bleed freshly and to death eternall This kind of men may looke bigge set the best side out eat drinke and be merrie but I shall never beleeue that their hearts laugh with their faces O matchlesse miscreants of all mischiefe sonnes of blood and slaues of perdition you may sooner separate your soules from your bodies then conscience from your soules or damnation from either Goe then your wayes laugh and be fat play and dance sing to the Tabret and Harpe put death iudgement and hell farre from you tread vnder foot the blood of the new couenant crucifie againe the Lord of life make a mocke of sinne and shipwracke your owne consciences yet know that God one day will call you to account and dash out your braines with the heele of his vengeance In the next place seeing this is so let vs in the feare of Vse 2. God get knowledge and mixe our service to God and man with sinceritie walke according to the rule doe nothing without a precept haue a true patterne for all our proceedings and runne to the Law and to the Testimonie of the Gospell obey the one and beleeue the other so shall we haue good and pure consciences one whereof though the world may fume and chafe is worth more than ten thousands of gold and silver What can be of greater price what should we preferre aboue it O conscience whereunto shall I compare thee who or what is like vnto thee Is not knowledge good obedience better and art not thou of these two simples compounded There is no evill in thee thou art all good and very good There are foure things Pro. 30. â—9 30. comelie statelie in their going a Lyon the strongest among beasts and tunneth not away from any a Grey hound an hee Goaâ—e and a King against whom there is norising vp but he that hath a complete good conscience surmounts them all But conscience least I should ecclipse and obscure thy same when I would speake and spread it I will therefore giue thee thy charge a large commission Conscience that thou mayest execute thine office throughly Conscience his Charge speake thou in the language of Canaan be thou mighty in the Scriptures and that thou mayst not build Babel and pull downe Bethel let euery man haue thy sentence in his mothers tongue Goe to and fro through the world passe by no Citie Burrow Village Hall House nor Cottage but let them heare thy voyce sounding in their wals speake truely plainely boldly crie aloud spare no mans person of whatsoever cloth his coate be cut Be thou a good linguist make it knowne thou art a skilfull Artist and declare an exact Method in thy proceeding And Conscience first goe thou to all Christian Princes Kings and Emperours speake gently to them and intreate them to cry to God for wisedome that they may wisely goe in out before the great people committed to their charge will them yong and old to tread in the steps of Hezekiah Iosiah pull downe the high places burne the groues with fire over turne Baals Altars and cause all his Priests to fall by the sword Bid them send Levites through their Lands spread the truth of God for their subiects haue immortall soules in their mortall bodies tell them that is the way to get a good Conscience and how thou art of more worth than a golden Scepter Put them in mind how a bad one was the cause Saul his kingdome and Iâ—roboam became the subiect of Gods vengeance Let this Poesie be stamped about the borders of their Crownes that the more religious the more royall Conscience step on to the honorable Lords and because they affect breuitie not prolixitie say to them in a few sentences that Nobilitie without pietie and a good conscience is like a painted Sepulchre or blazing comet good for nought except to gaze vpon that they feare God or else they haue no curbe to bridle them that they honour the King keepe their houses well but the Church better that they exceed others as much in goodnesse as they doe in greatnesse and that without a second birth none can enter into the kingdome of heaven Bid them blaze their Armes continue their ancient Scutchions but take this for their Motto that The more holy the more honorable Conscience See that thou meet with the intelligent Counsellors and graue Iudges of the State and Nations
Calling This calling is either with the tongue or with the heart Calling distributed Whence ariseth this distinction of mentall and vocall prayer confirmed by the mouth of Christ This people honoreth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Mat. 15. 8. We are to call vpon God with the tongue 1. For we haue In calling on God we must vse the tongue and why this priviledge aboue all other creatures and shall wee not imploy it in the Lords service 2. We are to giue vp all our members as so many weapons of righteousnesse to glorifie him and is not this one of the principall And some-where David calls his tongue his glory Psal 30. 13. And it is good for vs so to doe 1. It will be a meanes to keepe our minds from wandring 2. The voyce stirres vp affections and raiseth them to an higher temper 3. In so doing we shall find the Lord putting phrases in our mouth guiding it now and then in a wonderfull manner farre beyond all naturall apprehension 4. And how can others ioyne with vs or know when to say Amen should we be silent When thou prayest alone imitate Hannah let thy lips moue not thy words 1 Sâ—m 1. 13. be heard else it may seeme a sensible signe of Pharisaicall palpable hypocrisie And the heart may not be separated in this action 1. For Also the heart and why such prayers are most acceptable to God 2. They onely haue the promise to be heard 3. Otherwise they cannot be fervent let a mans breath flow from his mouth by a narrow passage were the hands hot it would coole them but if it proceed from the heart the lips being wide open were they cold it would warme them so prayer that springs from the heart is hot from the tongue onely cold as ice 4. As the Lord is the highest obiect we looke at in Prayer so the heart is the lowest center he regards in this dutie these two in all holy actions of this nature may not be disioyned 1. Vaine then are the prayers of many who call vpon God but with the tongue onely If this be not profane babling what can be Thus pray our Papists and rude ignorant Protestants so prayed the old Pharisees Christ checkes them yet their custome continues vnto this day But let vs conioyne heart and tongue else wee doe but labour in vaine What profit can wee expect in bending the knee bowing the bodie spreading the hands and smiting of the breast when our hearts are roauing from the Lord Is this to pray Is this to call aright Is this to please God Nothing lesse What is the tongue but the hearts messenger He therefore that vseth the one and not the other is like to him that runnes before he hath his errand These men may seeme to pray in the iudgement of others but before GOD they are but vaine bablers Vpon God To him is it and to no other that wee must II. pray Obserue here how God is one in essence three in subsistence the essence is not divided but distinguished When as wee say East West and North these are not parts essentiall to the world but names onely of distinction so may we say of the former in regard of GOD for the Sonne and the holy Ghost are the same individuall essence with the Father and hence it will follow that he that prayeth to one prayeth to all but as the Apostle speaketh of another thing to every one in his owne order 1 Cor. 15. 23. Vnderstand that in this definition we speake of God the Father for teachings sake And vpon God must we call First For who but He 1 King 8. 39. discerneth the spirit of man Who but He knoweth all the hearts of the sonnes of men Iâ—â— onely he that is acquainted with all our wants and vnderstandeth what is best for vs. Secondly He is also present at all times in all places to heare vs helpe vs the Lord is alwayes neare at hand so is neither Saint nor Angell Thirdly And is not God sole Lord of all things both in earth and heaven Who made vs but He Who hath wherewith to satisfie vs but He And then vpon whom should we call but He Fourthly Is not He also the obiect of our faith Shall we then beleeue in one and pray to another Will that stand with sound reason Sith then that God is omniscient omnipresent omnipotent and the principall Obiect of our Faith it followes wee are onely bound to pray to Him 1. Whence by the way wee may confute the Romanists who pray to Saints to Angels but doe they vnderstand our wants Are they present in all places What haue they they haue not received And may wee put our confidence in creatures Were not this to seeke to a blind guide Relie on a bruised Reed And when the Sunne shineth brighteâ—â— to light a Waxe-candle It is a never-â—rring Canon thaâ— He Exod. 22. 20. who sacrificeth to any gods saue vnto the Lord onely shall vtterly be destroyed they that will doe the first let them expect the second ther is but one to God the father namely Christ but many to the sonne comparing him to a Prince that hath seuerall petitions preferred vnto him by the common subiects that passe through the hands of his neerest fauorites And they say that he is a bad sonne meaning Christ who wil doe nothing for the entreaty of his mother vnderstanding the blessed Virgin but doth not Christ bid vs come vnto Mat. 12. 28. him that he will pray to the father for vs to whom then should we goe is he not our neerest kinsman our eldest brother our head our husband But if any lust to be contentious we haue no such custom neither the Churches of God 2. Againe here is censured and condemned too the ignorant amongst vs. How many may wee heare cry God blesse me father of heauen haue mercy on me Lord forgiue me which words be good we grant but hauing no knowledge of or relation to Christ are no better then vaine babling the truth is that in all our petitions wee should haue reference to him though not alwayes expressed in words yet conceiued and retained in our minds this may be the cause why Daniel looked out of the window when he prayed towards the Temple because it was a type of Christ and thereby would teach vs that there is no going to God without Christ Iesus And as we speake to the soule of man by way and meanes of the bodie so must we to the father of all spirits through the vaile of the humanitie of Christ our mediatour 3. And by this wee may iudge what to thinke of the prayers of the Iewes and Turke and heathen who either haue not heard of Christ or deny him are not their petitions to no purpose shall they speed and preuaile before God can they expect Cornelius his answer thy prayers are Acts. 10. 4. heard thy
Kytes do on stirking carion but neuer tasted of Angels food They may eate huskes with hogges thinke and say they liue the onely iouiall royall life but they shall neuer make me beleeue that their hearts answere to their boasting for death is in the pott this red broth wrings them in the bellie and as Ioab said in another case will be bitternesse in the latter end But we will dismisse them to wallow like swine in the mire and mudde swallow each filthy vomit seeing they can relish no better food Let men by this doctrine try the truth of their profession Vse 2. whether they be sound Christians or meere rotten worldlings Art thou a Preacher and hast thou ioy of hart in studying preaching in feeding the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made thee the ouerseer is it thy meat and drinke to prune Gods tender plants strengthen the weake and comfort the feeble-minded canst thou reioyce more in winning a soule than if thou hadst lawfully obtained the office of a Bishop why then thou art a Christian indeed an Interpreter one of a thousand for these bee the branches where this ioy growes and the onely pathes where it is to be found And you that flocke to the house of God like Pigeons looke the Preacher in the face as if you would eat the word from his mouth and make publike profession doe you heare with delight pray with comfort and praise God with reioycing are you rauished in spirit on the Lords day and account it your Iubile your heauen then doubt not of your spirituall estate For these are the sparkes of far greater ioy and the vndoubted fore-runners of euerlasting pleasures But if the wayes of God dampe thy mirth cary a cold report to thine heart and like old Barzillai thou art wearie of men singing and women singing feeles no more tast in the bread of life than hee that hath an ague doth in the white of an egge thou art but a counterfeit one that hath a forme but wants the true fruits of the power of Godlinesse and therefore a stranger in the kingdome of heauen But it will be said the wicked aswell as the Godly haue A doubt resolued their ioy in the vse of the Lords ordinances where then is the difference How may it be discerned Why thus 1. The true Christian hath sorrow before solace mourning preceedes his mirth for as at the creation darknes was before light the Chaos the comelie creatures and as the ground is first broken then scattered with good seed so is it at our regeneration new creation We first see our ignorance blindnes confusion haue our harts pricked our spirits wounded by the Law and then followes beautie comfort and amendment But it is not so with the wicked for they haue light before darknesse ioy without heauines and bring forth comfort ere they haue conceiued sorrow or felt any panges or throes that accompanie the new birth The Christian comes to his ioy as an Ambassadour to a forreigne Prince or souldiers to the spoyle with preceeding crackes of canons fireworkes and garments tumbling in blood this is the road way to sound comfort 2. A good Christian fetcheth the water of ioy primarilie from the pure fountaine of iustification not the troubled spring of sanctification the old man treads the old way hauing no knowledge or experience of a better hee lookes for heauen but by his good deeds First he will deserue it and then sue for possession but the new-man is assured that God indents with no man vpon such termes onely he relies on his all-sufficient suretie Did Zaccheus purchase Christ by his almes by his fourefold restitution or by faith rather onely beleeue is the new way and the conduit that conueyes comfort into the Cisterne of the Soule 3. Moreouer the ioy of a true Christian is of another nature spirituall the worldlings is carnall or at the best but a bastardly kind of spirituall comfort for hee wants the spirit he hath no radicall grace planted in his soule that can beare and nourish true and solide reioycing Doe men gather Grapes of thornes Figs of thistles then may carnall meere naturall men haue spirituall ioy sound and vnfeigned comfort it were as easie to finde an haruest in an hedge as this fore named fruit in the heart of the vnregenerate person 4. Finallie the ioy of the sound professor is constant eternall for the cause is constant and abideth for euer but the formall hypocrites candle shall be put out his ioy shall perish For the foundation thereof is sandy the obiect mutable and abides but a season Suppose by the addition of fewell it should crackle till death yet then at the furthest the flame therof shall be put forth neuer more rekindled So that you see what a reall and broad difference is betwixt them And is there ioy to be found in the course of a christian Vse 3. what then shall be had in the kingdome of heauen did David dance before the Arke how will hee leape before the Lambe could Peter sing in prison and shall hee not chante it being set at libertie with Gods sonnes if the gleanings be so good what will the whole haruest be shall a tast so refresh the soule then doubtles a full meale must needs reuiue rauish the spirit Thinke on this you that are in this wildernesse so shall it comfort your hearts exceedingly For if to sow breed single ioy the reaping will trebble it This must perswade men to take vp the yoke of Christ Vse 4. for its easie light tast and see how good the wayes of God be Men are worse skard than hurt when they draw then hand from the worke of the Lord for great ioy is to be found in well-doing If this afford not comfort what can but the most thinke not so therefore they are strangers from the ioys of a Christian Beginne I beseech thee to auoyd sinne cast off the communion of the wicked read heare pray and be doing of good and experience shall tell thee that no ioy is like the ioy of a Christian It s hid in part from the best totally from the worst but if men would make triall they would say of it as the Queene of Shebah did of Salomons wisdome that the report is true but the halfe of it was not told them For it much exceedes the 1 King 10. same which they heard on 't Finally we obserue from these words that The strongest Christian may receiue increase of comfort from Doct. 7. his weake brethren Paul not inferiour to any of Gods seruants hoped to haue his ioy augmented by the comming of Timothie As a poore man by wisdome may deliuer a Citie so may hee that is weake comfort his stronger brethren Did not Ionathan reioyce Dauid the greatest worthy in the world and the 2 Sam. 1. vlt. poore widow of Sarephtah refresh the man of God Yea Christ himselfe was comforted by an Angell and betwixt him
Christians or particularly faith mentioned in the former verse We may be assured of this that Paul would haue his son to be diligent in his calling and that could not be except he stirred vp the speciall graces aswell as the common gifts of his particular vocation For as a peece furnished with shot yet wanting powder will neuer discharge it selfe of it so if the sauing gifts of God stirre not they ordinarie lye stil This gift is further amplified by the author of it God and in it are two things One is the thing giuen the other the freedome of it For gifts must be free Which is in thee by the putting on of my hands This Ceremonie of laying on of hands hath beene vsed of Parents in blessing their children Gen. 48. 14. In sacrifice Leuit. 1. 4. In healing of diseases Acts 28. 8. In conferring the excellent gift of the holy Ghost Acts 8. 17. And in making of Ministers to which time these words haue reference 1 Tim. 4. 14. Where Paul sayth this gift was in him by laying on of hands wee must avoyde the Papists grosse glosse on this place who hold that ordination or to vse their phrase holy orders confer grace for this action was accompanied also with prayer and the conferring of grace by the hands of the Apostle was extraordinarie and continued but for a time My sonne Timotheus I being so well perswaded that The Metaphrase thy Grandmother and thy mother were indued with faith vnfeigned and also assured that now it dwelleth in thee am therefore the more willing to put thee in minde that thou suffer not the gifts of God to decay or to be idle neither neglect the calling wherein thou wast established by the putting on of my hands but that thou preach and practise as becommeth thee who had so excellent parents such a good testimonie and so lawfull a call all which be great encouragements to these duties Therefore Let this word haue reference to Timotheus his Doctrines deduced Grandmother and mother as though Paul would incourage him from their fidelitie and brings them as a Patterne to be imitated then this will follow that Children are to tread in the steps of their religious Parents They must haue an eye to their Godly waies holy courses Doct. 1. and walke in them but if they be crooked then must they avoyd them shunne them Dan. 2. 23. Ezek. 20. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 18. For it will reioyce the hearts of religious Parents and induce Reas 1. them to blesse God Why did David mourne so bitterly for his sonne Absalom certainly one cause was he erred from his Parents holy pathes liuing a yong traitor and dying an impenitent sinner Againe if children imitate their Godly forefathers it s Reas 2. both commendable and profitable for they may expect the same recompence of reward from God in life death and in the great and last day else not This may make for the shame and confusion of some in Vse 1. our dayes who wander as birds from their nests from the wayes of their faithfull forefathers Can these expect the blessing promised to their holy Parents may they not looke for a curse rather You therefore that be sonnes and daughters cast your Vse 2. eyes on their pathes and if they bee good tread in their steps if bad turne the contrarie way The Romanists are are head-strong in thus doing yet runne the broad way Let vs then whose Parents professe the truth be as resolute in imitation of their truly religious courses I put thee in remembrance Timotheus an excellent man must be remembred and prouoked to discharge his function faithfully whence we note that Good men stand in neede of a memento Doct. 2. The best must be prouoked pricked in and to religious duties if not Paul here and his brethren else where might haue spared their paines 2 Pet. 1. 13. and 3. 1. Ezek. 33. 7. Acts 20. 28. Coll. 4. 17. For are not the best forgetfull vnmindfull of what the Reas 1. Lord requireth of them how often doe the actions to be performed by vs in our callings slippe out of our minds And are we not dull and slow to good duties though we Reas 2. haue them in remembrance the best haue more need of a spurre than a bridle Doth not Sathan also striue to steale away the heart and Reas 3. allure the mind to fixe and exercise it selfe on vnnecessarie obiects What if a man be willing to worke is this any let doth it Reas 4. not rather helpe than hinder as the wind doth the ship to make speedier passage notwithstanding it hath alreadie the tyde They are reproued who neglect this dutie or that scorne Vse 1. to be prouoked Some men are like kicking iades that fling out when they are spurred rather than amend their speed or not vnlike to the ouercharged cannons that when the match is put to them either burst or recoyle and so indanger the Gunner But let vs practise the contrarie putting the best in minde Vse 2. of theirs and be contented to heare of our owne duties I know the best haue neede of it and would be saued why then should they not willingly vndergoe a remembrance and indure a memorandum we count it a favour to bee awaked out of sleepe and shall we fret to be stirred vp from sinne That thou stir vp the gift of God that is in thee From this metaphor we collect that The graces of Gods spirit are of a fierie qualitie Doct. 3. Was not the Prophets lippes toucht with a cole from Gods altar did not fiery tongues sit on Christs Disciples are not the faithfull Baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire and all of vs forbidden to quench the spirit Isa 6. 6. Acts 2. 3. Mat. 3. 11. 1 Thes 5. 19. For grace doth enlighten the eye of the minde as fire doth Reas 1. the eye of the body What is vrim but fire and Paul saw a light when he was conuerted so did the Gentiles so doe all Christians For grace is fire and fire giues light Againe grace will heate like fire and make the Godly to Reas 2. burne in the spirit the more fire the more heat and the more grace the more zeale Thirdly fire giues life and motion so doth grace and Reas 3. faith When the sunne is in his Apogy or farthest from vs are not the creatures in a kind of death but being in his Perigy and neere vnto vs doe they not reviue and spring so when grace comes life comes if it be absent death is present Fourthly As fire doth congregate things homogeneall Reas 4. but segregate heterogeneall so doth faith and grace It will dissolue things of diuerse natures but vnite the other Grace will cast out the sinner but receiue the Saint yea make diuisions in a mans owne house and yet cause vnion with Gentile Barbarian Sythian Fiftly fire will convert other
zealous for the law and ceremonies and Paul preached the Gospell called them beggarly and impotent rudiments told that if they were circumcised Christ profited them nothing Why this so tooke downe the pride of man that he should not be iustified by his owne workes but by anothers that Paul was persecuted and hardly entreated of his owne Country men If a skilfull Taylor take measure of a crooked and mishapen person and fit the garment proportionable to the patterne a proud peece of flesh will powte swell and wrangle with the workeman so let the Ministers and men of God doe good devide the word aright high and lofty spirits will be muttering for they cannot endure the light or to be told of their deformities Thus Paul was reputed an enemy for telling them the truth A counterfeite and false glasse is the fittest for old withered and wrinckled Curtezans to view themselues in for if it should shew them their right shapes all things to nothing they split it against the wals And in the last place the goodnes of an action cannot Reas 4. exempt the weldoer from affliction for its a meanes to breake downe the walls of Babel to throw the gates of Hell off her hindges and to weaken the kingdome of Sathan God saith He will set enmity betweene the womans seed and Gen. 3 15. the Serpents and how For thou shalt bruise his head so that breake the Diuels plots and pate by doing good be thou assured he will haue thee by the heele And Paul was the worse entreated for preaching to the Gentiles for the Iewes hated them and Sathan had long held them in his custody and prison of darknes Here we are taught a rule of wisedome and that is Neuer Vse 1. to iudge the goodnes or badnes of an action by the vsage and future entertainment of the Doer for in so doing wee may commend amisse and speake good of evill and evill of good Was not Abel killed Moses forced to flee Iacob ill entreated David derided the Prophets imprisoned Stephen stoned Iames beheaded Christ crucified and many of his innocent members massacred murdered for well doing Iudge not therefore before the time condemne not least thou be condemned But rather vse your censuring in this in not laying a blocke of stumbling before your Brethren Pharaoh a wicked King may haue peace when David the annoynted of the Lord may flee for his life Ahabs foure hundred of false Prophets may haue freedome when faithfull Micaiah may kisse the stockes Christ may be crucified when Barrabas shall be deliuered And so may the guilty sometimes escape when the guiltlesse and guilelesse are in great ieopardy For he that refraineth from evill maketh Isa 59. 15. Mal. 3. 15. himselfe a prey When as they that tempt God and worke wickednes are set vp aduanced deliuered In the next place we see how impossible a thing it is for Vse 2. a good man to liue in peace for wicked men will reward evill for good Let Christ turne the Iewes water into wine he shall haue from them vinegar to drinke tell them the truth they will hire false witnesses to sweare lyes against him If he say hee hath the Spirit of God they will say No he hath a Diuell Let him remit sinne they will cry he blasphemeth If he demaund for which of his good workes they seeke to kill him they will answere that the Diuell goeth about to kill him and not they And did the world thus deale with him who had no sinne neither was any guile found in his mouth then neuer expect thou any good entertainment from the world in this world for shee loueth none but her owne Shall men burne greene boughes and spare those that neuer beare spue out the water of life and tast deepely of the muddy puddle Eclipse the Sun and not puffe at a candle Dig vp the rootes and cherish the branches pierce the head wound the heart slay the heire and shall the members not be mortified the hands nayled and the yonger brethren fouly entreated Wherefore let David arme himselfe for Saul will cast a speare at him for he is the Lords annointed If Nehemiah will repaire his fathers sepulchres build the walles of Ierusalem hee shall meete with a Sanballat a bush in a place here or there a Tobiah that will oppose dissemble write counterfeit letters to hinder him for hee seeketh the welfare of Israel and that 's their griefe Will Paul scatter the Gospell write Epistles preach to the blind and ignorant Gentiles the proud Pharisees then his owne Countrimen will proue his greatest enemies and repute him a plaguy fellow for preaching new doctrine to a new Nation Will Ames Shaphat Peter and Iames leaue their former meane callings to preach and prophecy at the commaund of the Lord shall they not be disgraced What! is Saul among the Prophets how know these the Scriptures Can any good thing come out of Nazareth Amo. 7. 13. And gâ—â— to thy fathers house some Amaziah will cry and eate thy bread and prophecy there but come not at Bethel for it is the kings court And seeing this hath beene done to the best in times past let vs in our dayes expect a part so long as the Diuell and the Pope are at liberty I suffer these things We see here two things 1. Who suffered 2. What hee suffered The Doctrines shall be pointed at and briefly passed The first from the person to bee noted is that Neither learning wisedome piety or externall priviledges Doct. 2. can preserue a man from suffering affliction Math. 23. 34. 35. For Paul was well discended of rare parts singular prudence Phil. 3. 4. 5. and great sanctity yet all these could not exempt him from persecution great tribulation Christ was the fountaine of all wisedome grace and holines yet who euer more vilely entreated then he Moses the meekest man on earth David a man according to Gods owne heart and Iob a iust and perfect man yet all scoffed derided vpbraided and the drunkards made Ballads of them Why the wicked are not respecters of persons all fish Reas 1. are alike that come to their net Nay rather the more holy any is the more be they hated of them A crabbed Kyte will seize on the tenderest carcasse so wicked and profane men make a prey of the most singular person Againe the rarer parts any hath the more doth hee build Reas 2. vp the decaied walls of Ierusalem gather the scattered Saints and repaire the body of Christ and this cannot Sathan neither his instruments tolerate with patience If the great Temple of Diana goe downe Bethel be aduanced let Paul expect the greatest spight that created Natures can complot against him If the Lords annointed call his Nobles for the welfare of our Israel then fire faggot gunpowder shall be prouided If this be thus then how doe they misse the marke and Vse 1. shoote besides the Butt
on it selfe for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father 4. Finally Loue with godly sorrow will make the man of God pine away Amnon did thus for the loue of Thamar and we must know that true Loue hath the like yea stronger operations In a word Loue will produce admirable effects of patience bountifulnesse long-suffering and passing by of great and many wrongs and iniuries So that no Loue no observation of the patterne And here we see that men without Faith and Loue can Vse 1. doe nothing that is good before God Paul desired to be kept out of the hands of men without faith for he accounted them vnreasonable and evill 2 Thes 3. 2. Would we then practise the Apostles doctrine then let Vse 2. vs striue for faith and loue these two support the estate of a Christian as the two pillars did the house of the Philistims if these be removed the foundation of our obedience and salvation faile and fall Faith and Loue include all the duties of the Conenants of grace and all the Commandements are reduced to Loue for at the beginning wee were created Note in Loue the breach of the Law set all enmity so the observation of it produceth amitie hence Loue is stiled The bond of perfection Many boast of their great faith but wee may say of their Loue as Lot did of Zoar that it is a very little one for who of Loue to God escheweth euill and doth good or of affection to man passeth by a fault and is liberall He that would soare to heauen wanting either of these may assoone see a bird mount on high and take her stand who wanteth one wing Faith like the hand taketh hold on Christ and Loue like the feete must carry vs to him And amongst many other duties What a fearfull thing is it to come to the Lords Supper without faith or affection to God and man We will not come at the earnest invitement of an enemy to his Table for feare of danger or dislike Yet when we are haters of God and our neighbours too liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another wee stay not our steppes But doe not such persons eare their owne iudgement For they want that wherewith they should feed truly on Christ or giue them an appetite to this food if they haue not affection and faith for as the mouth and stomacke be to the body so be Faith and Loue to the soule Thou wilt say How may I know when an action is Quest done in faith and loue If it be done in faith 1. Thou must be in the faith that Answ What action is done in faith is in Christ and Christ in thee 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2. It must be guided by the rule of faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. 3. It must be done with faith not doubtingly Rom. 14. 23. 4. And last of all it must be done to the obiect of our faith viz. in obedience to God in Christ and for his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. If an action be done in Loue. 1. It s done so freely that What in loue there is not the least expectation of any future recompence Gen. 23. 15. 2. So secretly that if possible none might Math. 6. 2. ever come to the knowledge thereof 3. So cheerefully as there is equall or rather greater ioy in the doing then Ruth 1. 13. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Philem. 10. receiuing of the like fauour 4. So affectionately that the more good we doe to any the more wee finde our hearts enflamed with the loue of that person These foure things accompany an action done in the truth of affection For a good heart is constreined by loue it will vpbraid no man it knoweth that its better to giue then to receiue and it neuer waxeth weary or repenteth for well-doing And there cannot be a surer signe of an heart sprinkled with loue then to reioyce that it is willing and able to doe good to God or man If we take the words in the other senses then these be the points to be collected First that The essentiall parts of a Christians patterne consist of faith Doct. 8. and loue Againe that All our actions are to be done in faith and loue Doct. 9. Quest 1. Why Faith before Loue 1. Because faith is the roote loue the branch 2. Salvation Answ is tyed to the Gospell the principall obâ—ect of faith Why both faith and loue Quest 2. Ans 1. For faith or loue alone is not sufficient 2. Because the one hath regard to the fulfilling of the Gospel by the obedience of faith but the other looketh to the Law which is perfected by Loue. Which is in Christ Iesus From the fourefold interpretation we may note so many Doctrines 1. That Faith and loue are giuen to man of God through Christ Iesus 2. That Faith and loue in Christ should stirre vs vp to keepe the patterne 3. That The obiect of faith and loue is Christ Iesus 4. That Faith and loue are comprehended in Christ Iesus And whereas our Apostle hath now brought in this phrase fiue severall times in this short Chapter we may note diuers things worthy our instruction 1. That We are hardly brought to beleeue that all grace and mercy comes through Christ Iesus Diuine truths are not easily beleeued 2. That The best things may often for good ends be mentioned 3. That When we speake of any grace or fauour receiued wee should consider through whom it is conveyed to vs. viz. Christ Iesus 4. That The often repetition of the same thing is profitable 5. That What the people most naturally are prone to doubt of that is principally and often to be Preached 6. That An holy heart is not weary in writing or speaking the same things often VERS 14. That worthy thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. IN these words Paul persisteth in the exhorting The Logicall resolution of Timothy and hauing perswaded him to keepe the patterne in the former Verse it seemeth he now would haue him to be carefull to keepe that whereby the patterne of sound words may be kept by him 1. We may here also obserue to what he is exhorted and that is to keepe 2. What he must keepe and that 's called a worthy thing committed c. 3. Whereby he is to keepe it or the meanes whereby he came by it is laid downe which is the Holy Ghost The which Holy Ghost is said 1. to dwell 2. the place is mentioned where viz. in vs. That worthy thing or that good thing By thing no doubt The Theologicall exposition is meant faith and loue and the graces of the spirit so that this Verse serueth to confirme that exposition we gaue in the former And thing is put for things as tree for trees Gen. 3. 2. worke for workes Psal 95. 9. Heb. 3. 9. Ship for Ships 1. King 10. 22. compared
may fall and lose his former gifts 2. By what signes he may try and know it How farre a man may fall from his former grace 1 Sam. 26. 14. For the first we must vnderstand that the gifts of God are either Common or speciall Common belong to all men elect reprobate The Reprobate may lose those generall graces which they haue had as we see in Saul For it s said The spirit to wit the gifts whereby he was to gouerne the Kingdome was taken from him The like may befall Ministers Againe the Elect themselues may fall thus farre 1. That they may call into question whether they euer had the grace of God or not 2. In so much as the Church for a time may suspect the same also 3. That they may neuer recouer their former estate and doe the same workes they haue in time past with that power delight constancie And this seemes to haue beene the estate of Asa But these neuer fall totally or finally from the grace of God And many times they come but by much adoe to their former condition and are more strong in the grace of God then they were before their declinings for experince hath taught them the worth of the gifts of the spirit and what a misery it is to the minde to haue her weapons weakened Now for the second we may know our estate by these Signes of falling from grace signes 1. When men begin to be idle and neglect the duties of their particular callings it s a sure symptome of the fall from grace He that hath no desire to worke or walke but to cast himselfe on his couch wrap himselfe in the wollen garments and there lyeth with his armes folden his eyes shut and his feete stretcht out is either weake or lazie so that man who is not diligent in the discharge of his duty is in a spirituall consumption or perilous lethargie 2. A man may perceiue it by his praying and by nothing better If thy prayers be cold short and seldome sure thou art in a decaying estate When men lie speechlesse or be vnwilling to speake we then feare death will befall that person 3. If the publike meanes be omitted and neglected it is dangerous also For weake natures haue the worst appetites They that eate little and deslike their diet cannot but be feeble persons 4. When a man will not endure reproofe with patience he is going backward If Ionah tell the Lord he doth well to be angry his condition is not as it hath beene 5. Seuere censuring of others is not the secretest signe of this thing For when our owne case is the worse we vsually are most forward that way Finally if we make lesse scruple of sinne now then heretofore this is fearefull When David can sheath his sword in the bowells of his brother that had in times past a smiting heart for touching of the lap of Saul's garment his strength is abated and his grace weakened Men in sleepe digest the hardest thing so those that be in a spirituall slumber concoct greater sinnes then in a day of waking Now by these markes maist thou proue thy condition wherefore if these things follow thee know that thou hast not held fast that power of the spirit thou hadst at the first so that it stands thee in hand to consider from whence thou art fallen to recouer thy former estate and to doe thy first workes and better Through the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. I haue told you that this is the meanes to keepe vs from falling and that also in these words we haue a description of the third person in the Deity 1. He is set our by his nature 2. By an effect 3. By the subiects where he inhabiteth Now we will begin with the last first then this is the doctrine that The faithfull are the Temples and habitation of the Holy Doct. 4. Ghost Where shall we find such a man in whom is the spirit of God Ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost And it s said that Steven was full of the holy Ghost Gen. 41. 38. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Act. 7. 55. For they haue the gifts of the holy Ghost and these two Reas 1. may not be separated though distinguished in a Christian for where he worketh there hee is present He forsaketh not that building no not for a season Againe he vniteth the faithfull vnto Christ and to Reas 2. speake with respect and feare as the spirit in man coupleth soule and body together so doth the holy Ghost vnite the the head Christ and all his members And this is an invincible bond But he is infinite therefore in all persons Obiect 1. Sol. True yet he is in the faithfull in a peculiar and speciall manner both by his working and presence 2. He is incomprehensible notwithstanding as wee say the Sunne is in the house though a part of the beames be but there so the Spirit is sayd to bee in man although hee be not wholy included in him Obiect 2. Sol. But wicked men haue Prophesied therefore he is in them He vseth them sometimes as instruments to tell the truth But hee neuer continueth with them neither did euer dwell in their hearts by sanctification Here all men must take heed how they wrong the faithfull Vse 1. for it were better for that man that a milstone were hanged about his necke and to be cast into the bottome of the sea then to offend any of these little ones And he that destroyeth the Temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. We account it a fearefull thing to pull downe or batter a Princes pallace it 's death to wash or clip the Kings coyne and shall we not tremble to wrong and iniury this building for such cannot escape the damnation of hell Oh that the swaggerers of our daies did but thinke on this and such as account it the greatest manhood to stab strike and destroy their Mothers sonne Would they begin continue and defend so many soule-killing quarrells For who euer waxed fierce against the faithfull and haue prospered Abel's bloud did and so shall all others cry to God for vengeance vpon every cruell and persecuting Cain And this sentence is not yet repeal'd that Whosoeuer sheddeth Gen. 96. mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed This is for the comfort of the faithfull For what greater Vse 2. honour then this To haue the high God to dwell in our hearts Should our Soueraigne but come into a poore mans cottage he would reioyce and good reason for that all his life long And shall the King of glory dwell with the sonnes of men make his chamber of presence in their hearts and they want hearts to solace themselues in the remembrance of that Lydia was glad when Paul was in her house and shall not we in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost Michah could say Now shall God be good vnto
Iudg. 17. vlt. me seeing I haue a Leuite to be my Priest And shall it not then be said of euery faithfull man and woman I am sure it will goe well with mee seeing I haue the Spirit of God in my heart And this Doctrine must teach the faithfull diuers lessons Vse 3. 1. They must take heed that they greiue not the holy spirit of God For neuer had any a better guest 2. To marry in the Lord for shall they make the Temple of the Holy Ghost the member of an harlot 3. To keepe their vessels in comelines and honour and to touch no vnholy thing For shall we defile the Temple of God 4. And finally to vse all meanes that it may be continued and preserued both from destruction and pollution Againe Let not a man disdaine to entertaine the faithfull Vse 4. When the Author of the Hebrewes would perswade the people to giue lodging to strangers he produceth this as Heb. 13. 2. an argument to moue them for saith he some in so doing haue receiued Angels into their houses Was this of force why then let the consideration of the poynt we haue in hand be powerfull to perswade to the same duty It went well with that family where Ioseph was so shall it with those that entertaine such in whom is the Spirit of God And here let man learne a lesson and wonder Is the Vse 5. Spirit of God in Paul and others where the spirit of all vncleannes not long before ruled Admire his humility that would descend so low as to dwell in so meane an habitation He that dwells in that light that none can attaine vnto now dwelleth where was a palpable darknes Salomon on this consideration broke out Is it so that the most high will dwell with the sonnes of men and shall not we doe the like from the same ground 1 King 8. 27. In the last place Let vs examine our selues whether we Vse 6. be Temples of this Spirit or not for if he dwell in the faithfull it 's reason we should proue if we our selues be not seduced And let these tryalls following decide the matter Signes if the spirit dwell in vs. 1. Where he dwelleth there is peace that passeth all vnderstanding ioy that 's vnspeakeable glorious 2. There is liberty not to sinne but to all holy actions 1. They can pray with sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed 2. Prayse God with an heart enlarged and with a willing Rom. 8. 26. minde 3. Runne all the wayes of Gods precepts chearefully and 4. Are resolute in the greatest and most desperate opposition for God his truth and their brethren 3. Where he takes vp his lodging there is holines He doth not dwell in Drunkards Epicures Vsurers fornicators or any vncleane person This fire purifieth the heart cleanseth the inward man though neuer so full of filthines in former time 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 5. 18. 4. In a word where he inhabiteth he alwaies moueth the mind to doe good refresheth the soule after the performance of any holy action with a secret content and hidden approbation opposeth all evill iniections in the first apprehension as of Atheisme merit murder c. and in Conclusion he alwaies allureth that person in whom he is to bring all his actions words gestures thoughts and intentions to the word of God reuealed for that 's his owne Rule and by that we may know if he be in vs had we no other tryall We may gather another Note of great consequence out of the word Dwell which is that Where the Spirit of God taketh true and speciall possession he Doct. 5. is not cast out for euer For the word Dewll importeth not onely possession but continuance David Abraham Iacob with all the faithfull were neuer totally and finally depriued of the Spirit or the graces of the Spirit after they once were the subiects of the same Ioh. 16. 13. Math. 28. 20. First because he delighteth in his habitation and where Reas 1. that is in the inhabitant he will not be remoued from his home Who is able to dispossesse him is there any greater then Reas 2. he he it is that hath cast out the strong man Sathan and will neuer suffer him againe to reenter But it s said that Sathan findeth the house swept bringeth Obiect seuen spirits worse them himselfe and dwelleth there Math. 12. 44. c. To omit the diuers interpretations of that place this I Sol. take to be the truest Sathan is compared to a wayfaring man or traueller who wandreth vp and downe the Moores and Marshes to find water yet when his hope is frustrate it being dry land he then returneth to home his own habitation the which is garnished to his minde So the Deuill when he cannot take possession of other persons he like a sow returnes to his former muddy poole and findeth it swept but from all goodnes therefore he resteth there with greater content then he had in his progresse He hath malice enough to seeke a dwelling in all the elect temples of Gods spirit but that fire from aboue hath dryed vp the spring of sinne he cannot finde reentry therefore he makes a regresse to that person or Nation where he shall certainly enter For if the Spirit had swept and garnished the house from the power of sinne and adorn'd it with his gifts that are peculiar to the elect the Diuell might knocke at the doore but he should neuer be admitted to entrance much lesse to dwell there This might serve to confute the Papists who hold that Vse 1. the Spirit may be lost and cast out but we haue elsewhere spoken more at large of this poynt then here we will And this may confirme the salvation of Salomon as also Vse 2. teach vs what to thinke of those that began in the spirit yet ended in the flesh assuredly their gifts were generall not speciall neither did the Holy Ghost euer in a peculiar manner dwell in their hearts This may be of good vse to all the godly for their saluation Vse 3. is sure the Spirit shall neuer leaue them vntill nor then neither he hath safely conducted them to the hauen of heauen Oh that we knew the worth of salvation then this doctrine would rauish our soules and in the greatest stormes of temptations yeeld vs boldnes Were a great Merchant assured that his pilot would and could bring his ship safe to shore oh how would it reioyce his heart and glad the soule and shall we haue no ioy in the consideration of the certainty of our saluation Sure then it is because we know not the worth of heauen or misery of shipwracke at the gates of hell Would it not haue comforted David or Iacob to haue had a Ionathan in their iourney And shall it be no matter of mirth to vs that the Spirit of truth will lead vs into all truth This made the man
of God in his greatest danger when he had almost slipâ— and beene turned out of the way to triumph that the Lord would guide him by his counsell and afterward receiue him to glory and in a good heart it will worke the like effect Psal 73. 25. And in the last place this might stirre vs vp to vse all Vse 4. good meanes that we might once entertaine and euer retaine so worthy a guest How will we inuite and entreat to haue our good friend but a day nay one meale to be with vs then shall we not vse all the skill we can to possesse the Spirit of God who will abide with vs and comfort vs at all Quest times in all conditions Thou wilt say Sir by what way may I come to this thing Why thou must get a new heart Ans for he will neuer lodge in the old for that 's naught And this heart must haue these properties 1. It must be broken and that by the Law and the Gospel Properties of a new heart Luk. 18. 13. The Law breakes the heart 2. Wayes 1. In reuealing vnto man the number and greatnes of his sinnes so great an enditement will pierce deepely 2. By declaring what fearefull Act. 2. 37 16. 27. c. iudgements we be subiect vnto For these two will humble a man to the dust He that seeth his former perfection what it was and present misery what it is cannot but be a man of sorrow and the law revealeth both But a Iudas may goe thus farre therefore the Gospell must haue its stroke in this busines and that thus when the Law like an hammer hath dashed in pieces our hard hearts then the promises must come to make them melt and relent within vs and that by a double act the one is in the consideration how our sinnes caused the onely sonne of God to become accursed for a good Nature hauing but a generall illumination cannot but be wounded at this consideration But yet we must passe another step ahd that is when the remembrance of Gods mercy in giuing vs his sonne to dye for vs and in assuring our hearts that all our sinnes are freely pardoned the many heavy iudgements that we were lyable to are for euer remoued and our saluation sealed to our soules I say when the remembrance hereof hath its strong operation and makes our hearts to melt in our bodies The Law like the mallet breaketh the flinty heart but the precious promises of the Gospell like a kind shower the earth bringeth it to a good temper For as the field that becomes fruitfull must haue the first and second raine after that it s plowed and rent asunder by the harrow so must a new heart haue this twofold worke by the Law and gracious promises contained in the Gospell We must not onely mourne that our sinnes be many and the iudgments we be lyable to heauie but also euen our bowells must yearne within vs that Christ was crucified for vs being an innocent person and the Lords fauour worke mightily with vs who hath declared vnto vs in particular such a depth of mercy 2. The new heart must be a pure and purging heart For Math 5. 8. blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this pure heart is procured by two meanes 1. By getting of faith for faith will purge like barme in beere and purifie the heart it will cause that no corruption shall lodge or abide neere it 2. A pure heart is obtained by this consideration that no vncleane heart shall inherit the kingdome of God For euery thing naturally seekes it owne preseruation and this once vnderstood it will haue its operation This new heart must be like a liuing spring 3. A new heart must be a smiting heart and that for the least sinne that 's done in secret knowne only to God and our selues aswell as for great offences committed in publike 2 Sam 24. 10. and in the view of many Dauid had a new heart and his had both these qualities and it must smite 1. For sinnes of commission 2. Of omission 4. A new heart must be an vpright heart and that is in regard of time or person for time alwaies endeavouring to be righteous for person 1. Before God And 2. With all Acts 24. 16. men And herein I doe endeauour my selfe alwayes to haue a good conscience before God and before men So that we see that new hearts must be 1. Broken hearts 2. Purging hearts 3. Smiting hearts 4. Vpright hearts and in such an heart dwelleth the Spirit of God Wherefore strive thou for such a one and be thou assured that the Spirit of God will come into thy heart and dwell with thee for euer and euer But if thine heart be not thus qualified be not deceiued the Holy Ghost shall neuer take one nightes abode in the mansion of thy soule and on the contrary thy heart will be but a Denne for that foule and vncleane spirit the Deuill who if he possesse thy heart will draw thee on into that fiery Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for all eternity I might here note another Doctrine which is that The Spirit of God is an holy Spirit Doct. 6. He is in many places so stiled in Scripture 2 Cor. 13. 13. Eph. 4. 30. c. And he may be so called for these Reasons First in that he proceedeth from the father and the Son Reas 1. the fountaine of all holines Againe he is coequall coessentiall coeternall with the 2. Father and the Son Therefore God holy yea holines it selfe And he worketh the beginning progresse and perfection 3. of all holines in the Creature And as he is opposed to Sathan that vncleane spirit he is sayd to be holy Finally he alwayes disswadeth from vncleannes and perswadeth 4. to holines as we may see in the holy Scriptures which by the holy men of God were penned as they were carried by the holy Ghost Take we heed therefore how we resist or quench the Vse 1. motions of this Spirit For this is a fearefull sinne and to be avoyded We read of some that haue grieued and despighted the holy Ghost but the end of such was neare vnto cursing and burning And this may be done in our selues and others What a lamentable thing is it when gracious words proceede from mens mouthes to heare one say O Sir I perceiue you are a Puritane and one full of the Spirit Doest thou this of ignorance Why then thou art blame-worthy to speake euill of what thou knowest not if of knowledge the greater is thy offence and seemeth to be a step vnto that sinne vnto death Therefore in the name of God despite not the Spirit of grace in thy selfe or thy brother And seeing this Spirit is holy Let those that enioy him Vse 2. be carefull to keepe him and them that want him to striue for him for he is
worth the hauing Holines is a thing much to be respected and cannot be had without the spirit And doe thou obserue these directions 1. When thou feelest and findest any secret motion stirred How the spirit may be procured vp in thy heart to holines entertaine it prayse God for it and giue willing obedience therevnto For there is almost no man but at one time or other he shall heare a still voice within him saying This is the way walke in it This must Isa 30. 21 be cherished greatly regarded For if we put this from vs peraduenture when we would with all our hearts feele such whisperings they will be wanting and not easily come by 2. Attend vpon the men of God in the Ministery of his word For it s sayd While Peter spake and the people heard the holy Ghost fell vpon them They that deny the meanes cannot expect this mercy Act. 10. 44. 3. Pray to God the Father that he would send downe his Spirit into thy heart Can they that are evill saith our Sauiour giue to their Children good things how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them that aske him Luk. 11. 13. 4. And in Conclusion Speake not evill of thy brother say not he hath a Devill This was the Pharisees fault and Mark 3. 30. in so doing it seemes they sinned vnto death For they told him that he cast out Devills by the Prince of Devills when they thought otherwise so that malice against the truth being accompained with a sound vnderstanding of the truth appeareth to be that irremissible sinne Now the last thing to be collected is this that The Graces of the Spirit are preserved by the Spirit Doct. 7. Paul hauing commanded Timotheus an hard taske giues here a notable direction how he may be able to doe the same and that is through the assistance of the holy Ghost This is also seene Phil. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 13. For Sathan is strong man but weake 2. He is subtill we Reas 1. 2. be simple so that the Spirit of all wisedome and power is he that can enable vs to preserue this worthy thing within vs. And who more fit to doe this then hee that hath wrought this good worke by his owne finger in vs Here we might controule the doctrine of our Aduersaries Vse 1. who ascribe so much power to man after grace receiued or especially that they attribute so much to man in his pure naturalls Hath Timothie neede of the speciall worke and aide of the Spirit to keepe the gifts of grace in him Let them then that will stand vpon their owne strength we dare not Vse 2. And in the next place here we learne instruction to be humble in our owne eyes to deny our owne power and to runne at all times and in all distresses to this refuge of the Spirit for assistance He that doth this doth wisely and but his duty neither the which he is commanded And he that doth not this layeth himselfe open to the fiery shot of Sathan and dangerous methods he vseth buildeth on the sand and the house of his hope the foundation of his faith is certaine to fall But let not vs so learne or teach the Doctrine of Christ Yea rather pray we with the Prophet Lord stablish me with thy free Spirit Plal. 51. 13. VERS 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes IN this Verse is contained a complaint Where foure things are to be observed The Logicall resolution I. The persons against whom it is made and they be laid downe 1. Generally and implicitely in the word all c. 2. Particulary and explicitely one is named Phygellus another Hermogenes II. These people are explicated by their place of habitation or birth which was In Asia III. Their fault was that they turned backe IV. From whom that is expressed in the word Mee And the proofe of the trueth of all this is annexed For this thou knowest This thou knowest That is thou Timotheus doest The Theologicall exposition very well know by experience that what I say is truth Thet all they which are in Asia Or which were in Asia for the time is not expressed in the Greeke neither is it much materiall whether he complained of them that followed him to Rome or that remained still in Asia or that dwelt in Rome being borne in Asia But this is most true that they were Asians I will say nothing where this place was or how farre distant from Rome or the scituation and largenes of it but leaue it those that haue skill in Geography and Topography Be turned from me That is haue not visited me refreshed me Me. Paul the Ambassadour of Christ but haue forsaken me and denied their former profession Some read are become aduersaries to me and rise vp against me I thinke that they omitted all these duties of loue and resolution in Religion the which were in Onesiphorus so that I would expound their fault by the future commendation which immediately followeth Of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Or of which sort country number and its likely these two were of the chiefe of them probably Ministers I doe not thinke it vnprofitable in vaine or all together The Metaphrase without warrant to put thee my sonne in remembrance of the many Backsliders who were in Asia forsaking of me and revolting from their former profession of the Gospell of which number Phygellus and Hermogenes were men not of the meanest rancke and note amongst them although it be very well knowne vnto thee by experience already For this thou knowest Hence it may be collected that It is warrantable and profitable to put the people in minde of others Doct. 1. backesliding and falling away For if it were not then Paul would not haue done it we may be assured This may also be seene in Act. 20. 29. c. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 13. c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. For by this meanes they may learne to beware of such Reas 1. And is it not good to be acquainted with our enemies for he that is forewarned is forearmed It will cause the people to make the more of them that Reas 2. Ioh. 6. 67. be faithfull Will ye also goe away and is not this an helpe to discerne betwixt the good and evill It will make the best to looke better to their footing least Reas 3. they themselues also fall away For good Christians are iealous of their owne estate and will draw spirituall instruction out of euery thing When one falls before vs we shall looke the more circumspectly to our footing Finally they will be the lesse discouraged or disheartened Reas 4. when they heare that some haue fallen For were there not some such examples it would goe worse with the best for hereby they see it 's no new thing to
heare of revolters From this poynt we learne a twofold lesson first to take Vse 1. 2. knowledge of the Backsliders And next to make others that be professors or Preachers of the Gospell acquainted therewith For its warrantable profitable therefore we are to put this duty in practise and the neglect of it is or may be a wrong to thy selfe hurtfull to thy faithfull Brethren as experience hath taught many a time What if others know it already Yet it must be done for Timothy we here see knew this thing full well And often admonition in this kind cannot be hurtfull for as man is too incredulous of the best so too much prone to credit the worst Are turned from me We note here that To Revolt and turne from our former profession is a foule fault Doct. 2. and great offence For Paul doth complaine against it and sets it downe for a sinne to be abandoned of all men Ioh. 6. 66. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 5. 11. 12. For in so doing we dishonour God yea no way more Reas 1. For will not prophane men iudge that there is no profit or comfort in seruing the Almighty when such forsake their profession For thus they will reason If that Religion had beene good they and they would neuer haue cast it off Againe we weaken asmuch as in vs lies the Church of Christ for cut off a member will not the body be the lesse Reas 2. powerfull And it giues the Deuill and his instrument the more encouragement to tempt and persecute the righteous for hauing prevailed with some they haue hope to doe so with all Let vs then that embrace the Gospell be carefull to hold what we haue and neuer to revolt from our Religion For Vse we can no way more dishonour God scandalize the truth giue fewell to the rage of wicked men and Devills then in so doing Better had it beene that such had neuer made profession better for them selues better for all men For none but Sathan and hell make gaine of backsliding And that thou maist neuer revolt and forsake thy Religion doe these things 1. Before thou enter into Religion lay a sure foundation Helpes against reuolting be well grounded in the truth and worth thereof for ignoance of these two is the cause of backsliding Why was our Apostle so resolute Why would not Peter and others forsake Rom. 1. 16. Ioh. 6 68. Christ They knew that he had the words of eternall life 2. Cast vp thine accounts and prepare for the worst thing that can befall thee yea expect what euill the best are subiect vnto For want of this causeth many to reuolt in the least triall or temptation 3. Withdraw thine affections from the loue of all earthly things for we cannot follow God and Mammon these be contrary Masters commanding contrary things 4. Get experience of the comforts that be in the practise of the power of Religion so shalt thou neuer leaue it in the most fiery and hottest assaults 5. Be iealous of thy selfe especially when thou growest negligent in the performance of good exercises for this doth presage a fearfull reuolt 6. Consider that without perseuerance thou canst not be saued or if thou be that thy rising againe will cost thee more toyle and torment being once fallen then to hold thee in thy present good condition Let all these and the like be well thought vpon Of which number bee Phygellus and Hermogenes From the nominating of these two who in all likelihood were some principall persons we gather that Men of high place and much respect among the people of God Doct. 3. sometimes fall away Iudas did so and Demas with others Psal 55. 13. 14. Act. 1. 17. 24. 1 Tim. 1. 20. And here it is to be considered that there be diuers kinds of falling away 1. When men fall from the profession of Religion first either in respect of the precepts and that totally or in part or secondly in regard of power in the practice of Christian duties 2. When they maintain their former profession yet separate from their brethren 3. When men fall away for a time yet recouer themselues afterward 4. And last of all When it s done by some vrgent necessity or willingly In many of these respects the best haue fallen And God would haue it so First that the world may see that the Lord can support Reas 1. and maintaine his Church by weake instruments and meane persons For his power is the more manifest in thus doing he hath chosen the foolish things to confound the wise and weake to destroy the mighty That we may see how to stand fast and that by cleauing Reas 2. vnto him and in seeking his assistance for experience of our owne and others weakenesse like a childe to the wall makes vs to run to the Lord for supportance after by a fall we haue hurt our selues And if it fall out thus with great men sometimes then Vse 1. let it be no new thing in thine eyes to see the same in our dayes For what is there that hath not beene and what hath come to passe heretofore that may not fall out hereafter Say not as some doe that if one fall away cry out They are all no better this kinde of reasoning from some to the whole company is not sound What and may such Cedars shake totter and fall then Vse 2. let the weake willowes and poplar take heed of the winde For blessed is he whom other mens harmes doe make to beware And it shall not be amisse to lay downe here some causes of falling away And they be either 1. inward or 2. outward The inward be foure especially 1. Weakenesse thus many haue fallen of infirmity Inward causes of falling away 2. Some affection not mortified for one such a Ionah in the ship will vnsettle all 3. Infidelity when men want faith they are vnstable in all their wayes 4. Want of experience of that secret comfort which the Lord infuseth into the hearts of such as stand resolutely for his truth in an euill time The outward causes are principally these 1. Persecution this hath turned millions backward Outward causes of falling away who in the daies of peace had their faces to Sion-ward 2. Some wrongs or iniuries the Israelites from this ground thinking to be reuenged fell from Rehoboam vnto Ieroboam But they were carried away captiue and neuer returned 3. Scandall or offences taken at some doctrine From that time many of his Disciples went backe and walked no more with him Ioh. 6. 66. 4. The example of great men Doth any of the Rulers or Pharisees beleeue in him This is a cord that pulleth thousands from the true path and Rule Ioh. 7. 48. 5. When men haue expected great promotion but seeing their hopes frustrate they turne aside This is a great load stone to draw an iron heart from the path to heauen 6. Too much familiarity with
giue his seruant wherewith to worke affoard time food and all things conuenient yet when he comes to see if his taske be finished he findes that the meate is wasted the time ended the Candle to the very socket burned and yet little or nothing of the worke furthered how would such a seruant excuse himselfe to his Master And is it not so with many of vs God hath giuen vs meate and drinke time and matter candle and fire But what haue we done Is not the lamp of our life almost consumed the Sunne of the Gospell about to set at the least from vs and yet we haue not finished the worke that was giuen vs to doe We are without our wedding garment polluted in our bloud and in regard of cloake or couer of grace starke naked How shall we then expect to avoyd that fearefull sentence Friend how camest thou hither without thy wedding garment Take him bind him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darkenes And is that day so great Then let vs all prepare for it Vse 2. before it come finish our worke be cloathed and not found idle or naked For blessed shall that seruant be whom his Master shall finde so and so doing Say not with the foole that there is no God Make not a league with hell and a couenant with death Beleeue not Hymeneus or Philetus that the Resurrection is past already neither cry with the scoffers and mockers Where is the promise of his comming Doubt not of the day and the certainty of its approaching For doth not the drowning of the old world declare it the deuouring of Sodom by fire and brimstone proue it the destruction of Ierusalem confirme it the curse vpon the Iew at this day ratifie it the hot plagues invndations of waters earthquakes extraordinary frosts the blazing starre and many petty iudgements that hourely haue and doe befall the wicked seale it Oh therefore as thou doest beleeue it so prepare for it Now time is present meanes at at hand the Lord allures thee But will it be shall he doe so euer No no Remember the foolish virgins get oyle in thy lampe grace in thy heart righteousnes on thy person and a good conscience to thy companion or else it had beene good for thee thou hadst neuer beene bred or borne For without these the iudge will frowne bend his browe and be a consuming fire The next instruction we gather is this that Christ the Lord shall iudge the world Act. 17. 31. 1 Cor. 1. Doct. 3. 7. Math. 28. 18. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Thes 4. 15. If we vnderstand by Lord in the second place the sonne of God then the point is plaine But howeuer its a sound position For if we expound the word to be meant of God the Father yet he will shew mercy and iudgement by his sonne For he hath committed all things to his hands For by him at first were all things made by him since Reas 1. was Man redeemed therefore it s most meete they should be iudged by him The iudgement shall be visible so that its most conuenient Reas 2. the iudge should be so too Now the Fathers invisible but the Sonne in our nature is not And shall Christ the Lord iudge the world What then Vse 1. shall become of those that haue crucified him and persecuted him in his 〈◊〉 that haue trod vnder foote the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 a mocke of the bloud of his Couenant that 〈◊〉 â—â—spighted his Spirit and disobeyed his Gospell that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were betweene their teeth his flesh by their cruell oathes and would not haue him to raigne ouer them Woâ—ull and vnutterable will their condition be fearefull lamentable shall be their portion Did Moses tremble at the Mount Iohn fall downe troubled at the sight of an Angell Felix shudder before Paul and the stubborne Iewes fall at the voice of Christ backward What will the prophane men doe when he shall come to be reuenged on them and to reward them according to the number and greatnes of their sinnes Shall a man cloathed in purple or scarlet whose throne is in the dust and his breath in his nosthrills make a guilty conscience to quake and tremble shall not then the Iudge of all the world enwrapped with glory couered with iealousie and hauing the keene sword of reuenging iustice in his strong hand make the hearts of such as neuer would obey his lawes to faile them for feare shall they not wish that the Mountaines might fall on them and the hills couer and conuey them from his presence would not they be glad if they might creepe into the crannies and close caues of the earth from his reuenging and impartiall iustice And if a Lord haue mercy vpon thee a Take him away Iailor will cause such shedding of teares folding of armes and wringing of hands what will that irreuocable sentence doe Goe ye cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels I could wish that those words were grauen with a pen of iron in the palmes and foreheads of euery impenitent sinner of euery dissolute and godlesse person And shall Christ iudge the world shall he that redeemed Vse 2. thee sit vpon thee then be of good comfort for it cannot but goe well with thee No man euer hated his owne flesh consumed his reall and royall members or put away a chast virgin Assure thy selfe then that thy head and husband Iesus shall neither leaue thee or forsake thee or euer be diuorced from thee This vse is worthy our best consideration and a ground to euery honest and vpright heart of vnspeakeable comfort Therefore when Sathan Death Iudgement and hell looke thee in the face thinke vpon this thing And shall Christ iudge thee Then Agree with thine aduersary Vse 3. quickly whiles thou art in the way with him least he deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Iailor and he cast thee into prison For verily thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou hast paid the vttermost farthing And when will that be Neuer neuer And might not this word breake thine heart and moue thee to doe it When Ioseph was to goe before Pharaoh he shaued his head and put vpon him another robe or change of raiment When Hester went vnto the King she cloathed her selfe with her royall apparell And shall we meete the King of Kings wrapped in the stinking weedes of drunkennes swearing and lying couered with the monstrous clouts of fornication adultery and all vncleannes Surely if we doe we shall neuer find fauour in his eyes Let him then that hath stolne steale no more but labour with his hands And that I say to one to all I say it Change your minds and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presance of the Lord and he shall send his sonne Iesus the which is now preached vnto you to