them should answere I neuer baned them with meate nor poysoned them with liquor for they had none at all from mee But all the world knoweth bodies may bee murthered as well by want of meate and drinke that should bee giuen them as by bane or poyson in lieu thereof ministred vnto them And so may soules likewise be d Hos 4. 6. destroyed for lacke of knowledge and c Pro. 5. 23. 10. 21. dye for want of instruction and wisedome wherein f Mat. 12. 30 he that is not with Christ for sauing soules is against him and he that gathereth not scattereth And therefore g 2 Tim. 2. 7. the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things whereby wee may h 1 Tim. 3. 9. haue the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience that so wee may bee i Acts 20. 26 pure from the bloud of all men And thus you haue my second generall motiue Aqu. Brother Aristarchus how truely may wee with the two Disciples say one to another k Luk. 24. 32 did not our hearts burne within vs whiles the Scriptures haue bin thus opened vnto vs The Lord bee mercifull to our former luke-warmenesse and grant that our affections thus now kindled may bee for the time to come l Cant. â— 6 7 like those coales of loue which many waters may neuer quench And to this end we pray you Mr. Archippus to proceede and m 2 Cor. 13. 2. spare not though the word of GOD in your mouth be n Ier. 23. 29. like a fire and your lips as o Ier. 6. 29. bellowes to make the flame vehement that you may not leaue vs as the p Verse the same Founder that melteth in vaine How much better is it seeing the hardest frost must sooner or later haue a thaw that our frozen hard hearts should melt here that we may bee q 1 Cor. 3. 15 saued though so as by fire then to bee r Iob 21. 30 reserued vnto the day of wrath to bee thawed with Å¿ Esa 33. 14. euerlasting burnings hereafter which t Mat. 24 51. is the portion of hypocrites Arch. Blessed bee God that by v Esa 4. 3. the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning doth purge the bloud of Ierusalem and thus vv 1 Pet. 4. 17 begins iudgement at his owne house here that they may not be x 1 Cor. 11. 31. condemned with the world And to your comfort be it spoken this tender y Esa 66. 2. contrite heart of yours thus trembling at the word is a powerfull blessed z Iob 33. 23 27. effect of Gods gratious aspect towards you as a Heb. 12. 23 his first borne that b Esa 4. 3. are written among the liuing in Ierusalem O my brethren how should you c Luk. 10. 20. reioyce in this as our Sauiour saith that your names are written in heauen â— And as I haue spoken these things vnto you that this our d Ioh. 15. 12. Saurours ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy may be full so whatsoever I shall adde is intended as e 2 Cor. 1. 24. a furtherance of this your ioy though by the way any thing should f 2 Cor. 9. 8. make you sorry for a season And so I proceede My third generall motiue deriued from the consideration of our selues is this that wee all professors being here in the militant Church g Can. 6. 10. terrible as an army with banners and hauing our h 2 Cor. 10. 3 life for a warfare and the i 1 Tim. 6 12 good fight of faith for our combat as euer wee looke to k Eph. 6. 13 stand in the euill day so must wee put on the whole armour of God especially the l 1 Thes 5. 9 brest-plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet And passing here by loue as already dispatched I say Faith is compared to a brest-plate because as this is the safeguard of the heart wherein the naturall life consisteth so Faith is the safeguard of m Rom. 2. 29 1 Pet. 3. 4. the hid man of the heart wherein spirituall life consisteth And therefore as wee are said to n Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith of the Sonne of God so Faith is said to be o 1 Ioh. 5. 4. the victory that ouercommeth the world and we know the teâ—or of the Gospell is plaine and peremptory p Mar. 16. 16 hee that beleeueth shall bee saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned Vpon this ground I inferre that I must either make good proofe of my faith or quit clayme to the sauing-state of grace Now wee know what euidence S. Iames cals for q Iam 2. 17. 18. c. shew me thy faith by thy workes Aske yee what workes Search the Scriptures and among all outward ordinary works they produce that in the prime place as the prime-rose and fairest euidence of Faith which is in least esteeme with worldlings I meane the fruit of our lips whereby we blesse God and edifie our neighbours r â— Cor. 4. 13 Wee hauing the same spirit oâ— Faith saith S. Paul according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therfore speake Agâ—ine Å¿ Rom. 10. 9 if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy heart c. thou shalt bee saued Anâ— this he doubleth again witâ— a reason annexed saying t Verse 10. For with the heart maâ— beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the moutâ— confession is made vntâ— saluation Thou wilt saâ— then that the fruit of thâ— lips being as I auouch the prime-rose of outward workes belike the Apostle teacheth men to bee saued according to their workes In no wise but this I say that the confession of the mouth being the chiefe euidence of true Faith in the heart whereby wee are iustified as by Gods priuy seale in the reuelation of Gods righteous iudgement wee shall bee admitted by confession as by Gods broad-seale to passe from iustification to saluation And search the Scriptures and you shall finde that both before and in the time of the Law as well as in the dayes of the Gospell the fruit of the lips is not onely culled out as the choise but made as the epitome of all outward works being alleadged in stead of all the rest and produced as Gods broad-seale to distinguish v Gen. 4. 26. 6 â— the Sonnes of God from the Sonnes of men w Ier. 10. 25 Psal 14. 4. the beleeeuers from Infidels and x Ioel 2. 32. Act. 2. 17. 21. Rom. 10. 13 the saued from the damned And for this cause the Scriptures attribute to the tongue aboue all other members of the body the title y Psal 5â— 7. 108. 1. of our glory because though it bee for matter a small member yet in vertue and power
generall defection of Ezraes time how powerfully was worthy Ezra himselfe x Ezr. 10. 2. c. exhorted and encouraged by Shecaniah So in the Prophet Malachies time when religion was downe the wind and men y Mal. 3. 14. said it is vaine to serue God it is registred that z Verse 16. then they that feared the Lord spake euery man to his neighbour or spake often one to another as the kings translators render it And what spake they no doubt that which was good to the vse of edifying as many their fellowes did before them saying a Hos 6. 1. come let vs retuâ— to the Lord b Ier. 50. 5. come let ioyne to the Lord and 〈◊〉 c Psal â—22 1 vs goe into the house God And as for this â—â— speech come and let â— goe vp into the house â— the Lord c. the Prophet foreseeing that the Gentiles should receiue the spirit of faith and d 2 Cor. 4. 13 beleeue and therefore speake dâ—â— e Esa 2. 2 3. Mich. 4. 1 2. testifie before that thâ— speech of mutuall exhortâ—on should bee the commoâ— language of all beleeuiâ—â— nations when in the laâ— dayes the mountaine â—â— the Lords house should beâ— exalted aboue the hils anâ— people should flow vnto iâ— And accordingly wee hauâ— it recorded that in the daieâ— of the Gospell not onely the f Mark 5. 20 Demoniacke and g Luk. 2. 17. 8 Shepheards among the Iewes performed this duty to the admiration of their hearers but h Act. 10. 45. 46. Cornelius also with others of the Gentiles to the astonishment of the Iewes that heard them Yea i Ioh. 4. 28. c. the woman of Samaria though she were but a poore Tankard-bearer as it should seeme by her water-pot which for hast shee left behinde her yet she no sooner in her heart receiued the Messias but out of the abundance of her heart her mouth so spake and ministred such grace to those that heard her that she was a blessed instrument to bring many Samaritans to the faith of Christ Hereunto may be added Tryphena Tryphosa and Persis women among the Romans and other women among the Philippians of whom the Apostle giues this commendation that they k Rom. 16. 12. laboured yea much laboured yea and l Phil. â— 3. laboured some of them with himselfe in the Gospell which they could not doe but by priuate exhortation as m Acts 18. 26. Priscilla did seeing by the Apostolicall Canon n 1 Cor. 14. 34 women were silenced from speaking in the Churches And memorable aboue all others is that example of the g Luk 23. 40 41 42 43. theefe vpon the crosse who then at last cast as we say beleeuing did so speake to the rebuking oâ— his fellow theefe and to the iustifying and magnifying of the Lord Iesus that immediately Iesus himselfe p Heb. 12. 2. â— despisâ—ng the shame and all contradiction of sinners did with his q Psal 45. 2. owne lips full of grace as r Psal 24. 8. king of glory crowne him as it were on the crosse and there Å¿ Col. 2. 15. triumphing ouer all Principalities and powers of darkenesse euen in t Luk. â—â— 53 the very houre and power of darkenesse hee proclaimed him an heire of Paradise and promised him seizin and possession thereof together with himselfe that very day as a present reward for the fruit of his lips whereby he had so manifested his faith and honoured his Sauiour So that â—t fareth with euery beleeuer who hath found hiâ— lost soule as with u Luk. 15. 8. c. that woman in the parable who haâ— found her lost peece of siâ—uer who as shee fate noâ— moaping in a corner with fullennesse when shee haâ— lost her piece but vv Verse 8. lighted a candle and swept the house and looked diligently till shee found it so hauing found it she could noâ— sit smiling in her sleeue buâ— x Verse 9. shee called together hâ— friends and neighbours saying reioyce with meâ— for I haue found the peecâ— which I had lost And â— Christ applied that to thâ— y Verse 10. ioy of the Angels ouer onâ— sinner that repenteth so may as truely here apply â—â— to the z Rom. 14. 17. ioy of the holâ— Ghost that accompanietâ— righteousnesse and peace in all vnfained beleeuers And I likewise say vnto you that such ioy there is among beleeuers ouer any one sinner whose repentance may be by their meanes either begun or perfected that a 2 Cor. 4. 13 according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken so they beleeuing b Acts 4. 20. cannot but speak for the c Iude ver 3 common saluation of others with themselues And let this suffice for the first generall point Aqu. Mr. Archippus you haue set such a a Iam. 1. 23. glasse before vs and b Heb. 12. 1. compassed vs with such a cloude of witnesses that when we behold our faces in the one and cast our eyes to the other wee may c Ier. 3â— 10. strike on our thighes and be ashamed of our backwardnes in a duty so necessary wherein the primitiue beleeuers were so forward I pray therefore proceede and wheâ—â—e and rowze vs throughly dullards and drowzy headed as we are by your forcible reasons Arch. For your better remembrance you shall haue all included in 4. generall motiues concerning 1. God and our Sauiour 2. our neighbours 3. our selues 4. our enemies First therfore you know the d Mat. 2â—â—â—7 â—â— first and great commandement which is e Mare 12â— 30 33. more then all whole burnt offerings sacrifices thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength And from the f Psal 119. 5 8 20 c. vnfaigned hearty desire and endeauour of keeping this commandement no gospeller can pleade immunity because being freed from the g Rom. 6. 14 10. 4. rigour and h Gaâ—â— 10 13. curse of the Law by the grace that i Ioh 1. 17. came by Iesus Christ we are euen by the bonde of grace so bound to k Ep. 6 〈◊〉 loue the Lord Iesus in sincerity that if l 1 Cor. â—6 2â— any man thus loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha saith S. Paul Signifying heereby that such a man is excluded from grace and therby left to a curse more m Heb. 10. 29 heauy then all the Law could haue imposed on him being n 2. Pet. 2. 9. reserued to the day of iudgment the o Reu. 6. 16. wrath of the lambe heauier then the rocks and mountaynes to be punished euen by the p 2 Tess 1 7 8. Lord Iesus himselfe when he shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
obey not his gospell Now q Ioh. 14. 15 if ye loue me saith Christ keepe my commandements and againe r Ioh. 15. 14. ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaund you and againe he saith Å¿ Ioh. 14. 23 if a man loue me he will keepe my words And therefore the word of exhortation and dutie of lip-feeding being one of his especiall commandements so frequently inculcated as wee haue heard He that saith he loueth him though he say it againe and againe and call the Lord to witnes for it as t Ioh. 21. 17 Peter did yet if he keepe not this his commaundement v 1 Ioh. 2. 4. he is a lyar and the truth is not in him as S. Iohn saith Secondly whatsoeuer sticketh deepest in the loue of the heart wil soonest bewray it selfe in the vtterance of the tongue for out of the vv Mat 12. 34 abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Why doth the x Psal 37. 30 tongue of the righteous man so talk of iudgmeÌ„t but because the y Vers 31 Law of God is in his heart What made the Prophet Dauid to z Psal 34. 1. 35. 28. blesse the Lord at al times to haue his praise continually in his mouth euen all the day long Why did his a Psal 34. 2 3 soule so make her boast of the Lord and so stirre vp others to magnifie the Lord with him to exalt his name together to b Psal 105. 1 2 3. thanke him to call vpon his name to make knowne his deeds among the people to sing Psalmes vnto him to talke of all his wondrous workes to glory in him Why the Lord was the c Psal 16. 5 portion of his inheritance his d Psal 42. 1. heart panted after him his e Psal 63. 1. soule thirsted for him and his flesh longed for him yea he cals God to witnes to his soule saying f Psal 73. 25 26. Whom haue I in heauen but thee there is none in earth that I desire besides thee my flesh my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart my portion for euer So looke to the spouse in Canticâ—es if Christ be he whom her g Cant. 1. 7. soule loueth if he be the h Cant. 5. 10 cheifest among ten thousand vnto her how frequently doth she i Cant. 1. 12 2. 3. c. talke of him how passionately doth she k Cant. 3. 9 5. 8. aske after him how eloquent is she to discourse of him how potent to l Cant. 5. 9 6. 1. perswade others to enquire after him All the excellencies of Art and Nature the m Cant. 5. 10 13. c. white and â—uddy orient colours the sweete flowers and odoriferous beds of spices gould rings set with berill and pillars of marble set vpon sockets of fine golâ— and the like such as would seeme to others like wonders of nyne dayes to talke of they are not heare of out of her lips but as they may serue her either for resemblances to set forth or as Organes to sound out the beauty and sauour the worth and excellency of her beloued friend whom her souleâ— loueth And if the tongues â— righteous men of the maâ— after Gods heart and of thâ— spouse of Christ be not enough to schoole n Psal 71. 15 or mouthes to shew forth anâ— our o Verâ—â— tongues to talke oâ— the righteousnes and saluâ—tion of our great God anâ— Sauiour euen all the daâ— long as Christ in an otheâ— case p Luk. 16. 8 9 puts vs to learne â— the vniust steward so heere say I learne for shame le ts learne of wordlings of Mammonists of Belly Gods whose q Psal 17. 14 portion is in this life Consider the men of these perillous times that are as S. Paul saith r 2. Tim. 3. 4. louers of pleasures or of riches and of the glory of the world more then louers of God How doth proud Haman crake and vaunte of the Å¿ Hest 5. 11 12 glory of his riches and the height of his promotions and the preheminence he had aboue all others in the Kings fauours and the Queenes banquets How doth the rich foole talke and boast of his t Luk. 12. 17 18 19. plentifull crops of his pulling downe barnes and building greater of disposing all hâ— fruits of his much gooâ— layed vp for many yeareâ— c Yea euery voluptuoâ— faulkener and huntfmaâ—nay euery base pot coâ—panion how doe they in aâ— companies prate and braâ— of the sport the game thâ— good fellowship they thuâ— and thus met withall as â— they had no sweeter nâ— worthier no louelier God to consecrate the fruit â—â— their lips vnto Shall the thus talke and fill theâ— mouthes with discourses euery man of his Idoll hâ—uing nothing else buâ— u Pro. 15. 14 foolishnesse for their mouths to feede on and wâ— hauing for our portion theâ— vv Ioh. 17. 3 only true God and Iesuâ— Christ whom he hath sentâ— the x Tit. 2. 13. great God and our Sauiour whose y Esa 9. 6. name is wonderfull the prince of peace the z Heb. 2. 20. Captaine of our saluation the a 1. Tim 6. 15 blessed and only potentate who hath b Reu. 1. 5. loued and washed vs in his owne bloud and so c 1 Tim. 1. 10 abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the great and glorious mistery of the gospell shall not we d Psal 106. 5 glory with his inheritance and e Psal 105. 2 talke of all his wondrous workes Therefore they shall be f Mat. 12. 27. our iudges and accordingly as our Sauiour foreteils euery man of vs saying g Vers 37. by thy words thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned so shall they who haue so many words to witnesse their loue to their idols h Vers 41. rise vp in iudgment and condemne many a professor for his louelesse silence Thirdly as the glorious and gracious workes of our great God and Sauiour should set our tongues on worke so the reproches indignities blasphemies which wee see and heare daily whereby men i Esa 3. 8. prouoke the eyes of his glory should force vs to break silence and for his names sake wee should not hold our peace if there be any sparke of the loue of his name abiding in vs. Wee know what our Lord saith k Mat. 10. 37 he that loueth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me that is not to be l 2 Thess 1. 5 counted worthy no not by the m Iac. 2. 12. Law of liberty or by the n Rom. 3. 27 Law of faith And accordingly elsewhere he explanes his meaning saying o Luk. 14. 26 if any man come to me
and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children c. so farre forth as they p Psa 139. 21 hate Christ he meaneth he can not be my disciple Now what one of vs that is not q Rom. 1. 3â— without natural affection can keepe silence in seeing and hearing Father or Mother Wife or Child pearced to the heart or trampled vnder feete O how passionately how powerfully r Gen. 44. 17 18 c. pleaded Iudah against the bondage of young Beniamin when he fore-saw how that would euen pearce the heart of his old Father his life being bound vp in the lads life and bring downe the gray haires of his Father with sorrow to the graue How affectionately thinke wee said Dauid Å¿ Sam. 1â— 5 Deale gently for my sake with the young man euen with Absolom when all the people saith the Text heard the King giue all the Captains charge concerning Absolom Was not this young man now an old traytour Yea but he was his Sonne though most vnnaturall and because hee is a childe Dauid cannot cast off the naturall affection of a Father he is perplexed with care with feare of the blow before it fall on him he is sensible of his wounds before they bleede and when he once heareth that he was pearced to death he mournes he weepes he cryeth as if he could speake no other language t Vers 33. O my Sonne Absalom my Sonne my Sonne Absalom would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my Sonne my Sonne So the Mother of that Child which by Kings Salomons sentence was presently to be diuided in two by a sword brought before the King â— a v 1. Reg. 3. 16 c. harlot though she were yet being the true Mother of the liuing child as soone as she saw the sword and heard the sentence pronounced out of her bowels yerning vpon her Sonne how did she presently powre it out with her lips saying vv Vers 23. O my Lord giue her the liuing childe and in no wise stay it What shall naturall loue thus pleade and cry against blowes and strokes and pearcing griefes but yet approching towards our Fathers or children And caâ— wee see and heare our heauenly Father blasphemed yea x â—eu 24. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pearced and striken through as the y 2. King 18 21. Hab. 3. 14. Hebrew word signifieth with blasphemies and curses and our louing Sauiour z Heb. 10. 28 29. troden vnder foote and a Heb. 6. 6 crucified afresh by wilfull sins and apostacies and shall not our spiritual loue make his case ours as he made ours his shal not our hearts rise our bowels yerne and our tongues powre out and speake in the behalfe of our mercifull redeemer and his Father and ours Wee see how affectionately righteous Lot spake in the behalfe of the two Angels of the Lord whom hee had entertained and how for preuenting the foule indignity tendered to them hee boldly aduentured not only the b Gen. 19. 5 6 7. safety of his owne person but also the c Verse 8. Virginity of his two daughters Likewise young Elibu was so full of d Iob 32. 5. kindled wrath in his makers quarrell that his e Vers 18 19 belly was as wine without vent ready to burst like new bottles and speake he would he saith that hee might be refreshed as if his soule had fainted within him at his long forbearance So Ieremy the Prophet full weary though he were of speaking in the name of the Lord f Ier. 20. 7. 8 because the word of the Lord was made a reproach vnto him and a derision daily so that hee had resolued to make mention of him no more yet he found himself g Verse 9. more weary with forbearing for his word was in his heart as a burning fire shut vp in his bones and hee could not stay And so Dauid the Prophet albeit for h Psal 69. 7. Gods sake he had born such reproach that shame had couered his face yet i Psal 119. 46 would he speake of Gods testimonies before Kings and would not bee ashamed yea so did the k Psal 69. 9. zeale of Gods house eate him vp and the reproaches of them that reproached God were so fallen on him that when his tongue could not preuaile for the honour of Gods name l Psal 119. 136. riuers of waters ranne downe his eyes because men kept not his law Whereunto then shall wee liken the men of this generation whose lips are sealed vp from any such testimonies of the loue and zeale of God They are like a sort of gracelesse children and faithlesse friends who hauing tasted some sweetnesse of profit or pleasure in the society of their friends and parents enemies they can familiarly and ioâ—undly talke and walke conuerse and commerce yea feast and sport with them and in the midst of all this see and heare their friends and Parents spitefully disgraced among them yea trampled vnder feete or stricken through and swallow vp al in sencelesse silence Fourthly and finally let vs heare the Lord pleading his owne quarrell by the Prophet saying m Mal. 1. 6. a sonne honoureth his Father and a seruant his Master if â— then bee a Father where iâ— my honour c. saith the Lord of hosts Now where in shal it be known that we honour God our Father oâ— Christ our Master Shall we come as the n Micha 6. 6. hypocrite saith before the Lord and bow our selues before the high God o Verse 7. will the Lord bee pleased with offerings and such formall complements of religious seruices wherein the hypocrite if he might be beleeued would not spare to p Verse the same giue the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and wherein he will be glorified euen in this that wee q Ioh. 15. 8. beare much fruit and r Dan. 12. 3. Act. 11. 18. 13. 48. turne many to righteousnesse For as Å¿ Pro. 14. 28. in the multitude of the people is the Kings honour so this is as the t Cant. 3. 11. setting of the crowne on the head of the Lord Iesus when now in the day of his espousals euery priuate Christian u 1 Cor. 16 16. Rom. 16. 3 9 men and w Rom. 16. 12. Phil. 3. 3. women labour much in the Gospell and be helpers together with the Preachers that many may bee x 2 Cor. 11. 3. presented as a chast Virgin vnto Christ Now then priuate Exhortation being a helpe to y Iam. 3. 19 20. conuert and z Ioh. 1. 43 44 45. bring others to Christ yea and a meane whereby a a Prou. 9. 9. wise man may bee yet wiser and each b Heb. 10. 23 24 prouoke other to loue and good workes this therefore is a speciall duty whereto al beleeuers must
mercies of the wicked are cruell Againe if wee looke to the rest of our neighbours not only those that haue a c Rom. 2. 20 forme of knowledge and d 1 Tim. 3. 5. shew of godlinesse but them also that haue e 1 Tim. 3. 13 purchased to them-selues a good degree great boldnesse in the saith euen among these see wee noâ— some f 2 Thes 2. 2 shaken in minde anâ— g Esa 1. 6. reuolting more more in a fearfull manner as I at first shewed out of Heb. 3. And these must be fetcht onward and stablished with the h Eccl 12. 11 words of the wise as with goads and nayles fastened by the Masters of the assemblies Others are i Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 12. 3. weary and fainting in well-doing and they must be k Pro. 27. 9. refreshed with the oyntment and perfume of hearty counsayle Sundry are l Cant. 2. 15 sicke of loue and m Pro. 12. 25. stooping vnder heauâ—nesse of heart they must be stayed with flagons and cheared with good words and words fitly spoken n Pro. 25. 11 like apples of gold in pictures of siluer Finally some are bruised by the o 2 Cor. 12. 7 buffets of Satan and pearced with p Ep. 6. 16. his fiery darts so that their q Iob 11. 20 hope is as the giuing vp of the ghost in this case our r Cant. 4. 11 lips must drop as an hony-combe and hony milke must be vnder our tongue that wee may giue them Å¿ Zac. 1. 13. good words and comfortable words and t Pro. 16. 24 pleasant words such as may be sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones and more to be u Iob 23. 12. esteemed then our necessary foode Noâ— it being a vv Luk. 10. 3â— c. neighbourâ— duty not to passe by on theâ— other side with the Prieâ—â— and Leuite when we seâ— men stript and wounded but with the Samaritane to binde vp their wounds powring in wine and oyle and supplying their wanâ— with our store shall Christians x 1 Ioh. 2 20 who haue an vnction from the holy one and knowing all things should know how y Gal. 6. 2. to beare one an others burden and so fulfill 〈◊〉 Law of Christ shall they I say in the midst of all this passe-by on the other side not powring out z 1 Ioh. 2. 27 the anoynting which they haue receaued and so a Mat. 25. 18. hide their Lords treasure with the b Vers 26. wicked and sloathfull seruant Howsoeuer vnder c Vers 24. 25 pretence of difficulties and d Pro. 24. 12. blinde excuses they may for a while quietly e Gen. 49. 14. couch downe betweene two burthens their brethrens faylings I meane and their owne conniuence because looking through such false spâ—ctacles and not through the glasse of the word they may f Vers 15. see that rest is good Yet as surely as they g Num. 32. 6 c. sinnâ— against the Lord in thiâ— neglect of their brethren so h Vers 23. let them â—e sure their sinne will finde them out and then themselues will be â—ound little better then as mercilesse stewards anâ— Surgeons who being senâ— into the haruest and into the battaile with store oâ— foode and balme and witâ— strict charge therewith to refresh and reuiue the hungry labourers and wounded souldiors they goe and giue the gaze vpon them beholding some faynting in their hunger and others languishing iâ— their wounds and so passe-by them onely with thâ— courtesie oâ— thâ— day 〈◊〉 good wishes giuen them neuer bestowing either their foode or balme for the relieuing of any oâ— them Now if a man should aske the bordering neighbours that see and heare all this what they say anâ— deeme of such stewards and Surgeons happily they being not priuy to the store and charge committed to them may commend them as courteous quiet passengers that disturbed or abused no man but if ye aske the Lord of the haruest and the generall of the field when he heares of this will not he cry out and that iustly fie vpon such murderers And heere if ye recall to minde what before ye heard from the mouth of the Lord namely thâ—â— he who rebuking rebuketh not this neighbour hateth him in his heart in suffering sinne vpon him and thereto adde what he hath told vs by his Apostle viz i 1 Ioh. 3. 13 whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer see yeâ— not how the former sentence k Zac. 1. 6. takes holde on all silent Christians as a l Eccl. 12. 11 nayle fastened and riueted to the m Psal 24. 9. doores of their hearts and consciences where the Lord yet n Reu. 3 20. stands and knocks o Zeph. 2. 2. before the decree bring forth execution that by p Mat. 5. 7. shewing mercy they may obtaine mercy and that their q Iam 2. 13. mercy may reioyce against iudgment r Deut. 32. 29 O that they were wise that they vnderstoode this that they would consider their latter end yea s 2 Cor. 5 20. in Christs steede I beseech such a one whosoeuer thou art not to t Rom 2. 4. despise the riches of Gods goodnes and forbearance and long suffering leading thee to repentance but that thou wilt be reconciled to God For if thou shouldest â— harden thy heart in imâ—enitency â— Vers 5. thou treasurest â—p to thy selfe wrath against â—e day of wrath when his soule-murdering sinne â—hat now lyeth lighter on â—y conscience then corke â— feathers will in that day â—eme heauier then the â—eight of vv Reu. 6. 16. the rocks and â—ountaynes O therefore that my x Dan. 4. 27. councell might be acceptable vnto thee and that thou wouldest imagine that the iustice of GOD should euen now meete thee while y Mat. 5. 2â— thou art in the way with such a greeting as he gaue z Gen. 4. 9. Cain saying Where are thy neighbours and brethren wilt thou answere am I my Brothers keeper Eye on it it was the speech of a a Verse the same murthering Cain and if thou b Amos 4. 12 prepare not to meete thâ— Lord with a better answere he will proceede saying c Gen. 4. 10. what hast thou done the voyce of thy neighbours bloud cryeth vntâ— mee from the earth Wâ— thou reply thou didst nâ—uer giue wound or deablow among them with sword or fist But thy neighbours haue soules as well as bodies and they may bee slaughtered without sword or fist Yea but for their soules thou wilt say thou didst neuer seduce them with error nor poyson them with heresie for thou didst seldome or neuer exchange a word with them about soule-matters A goodly answere as if a steward being called to reckoning for murthering his Masters seruants by detaining the meat and drink which hee should minister vnto
n Pro. 23. 9. despise the words of wisedome and o Mat. 7. 6. â— trample them vnder feete but also p Pro. 9. 8. hate q Verse â— scorne and r Mat. 7. 7. â— rent vs for tendring such vnto them For Å¿ Eccl. 7. 22. often-times also our own hearts knoweth that wee haue not spoken the best of others that haue reproued vs t Esa 63. 17. hardened our hearts from Gods feare Now considering our selues this should make vs pause in respect of our neighbours u Ier. 31. 20. since we spake against them wee should remember them still as God did vs and as Gods bowels were troubled for vs so let ours for them and let the pitteous case of their soules pleade with vs as ours did with the Lord saying t Esa 63. 15 Where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards mee are they restrained And in imitation of our mercifull Father who cryed out x Hos 12. 8. how shall I giue thee vp Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee Israell how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together c. â—o should we say How shall I giue thee vp brother how shall I deliuer thee O my neighbour how shall I make thee as a swine how shall I set thee as a dogge my heart is turned within me and my repentings so kindled together that I wil neuer execute the fearefulnesse of this doome vpon thee till in feare of our iealous God who forbids the giuing of holy things to dogs I dare no more cast pearles before thee Remember I pray that the Apostle would haue no y Tit. 3. 10. Heretique reiected till after the first and second admonition Yea our mercifull Sauiour in priuate personall iniuries requireth z Mat. 18. 15 c. a threefold distinct admonition if neede bee and each of the two latter more solemne then the former for the recouery of our brother till he should be vnto vs a Heathen and a Publican Nay if he a Luk. 17. 4. trespasse against thee seauen times a day and seauen times in a day turne vnto thee saying I repent thou shalt forgiue him And if thou wonder at this and say with b Mat. 18. 21 22. Peter Lord vnto seauen times remember Christs answere I say not vnto thee vntill seauen times but vntill seauenty times seauen And who among vs hereupon feeleth not cause to cry with the c Luk. 17. 5. Apostles Lord increase our faith and to remember our Sauiours caueat giuen vs in respect of brotherly admonition d Verse 3. Take heede to your selue For who almost heeds this that if our brother offeÌ„ding vs come not to reconcile himselfe vnto vs as our Saâ—iour vpon fearefull tearms chargeth him to doe yet e Mat. 5. 24. wee should f Mat. 18. 15 goe and tell him and why If he heare thee saith Christ thou hast gained thy brother Now who among many takes â—eed to himselfe in this For as the good Father hereupon saith If in doing this thou gainest him then he had beene lost if thou hadst not done it and so with the losse of thy brother thou hadst also lost the gaine thou hast in recouery of thy brother whereby thou maist g Dan. 12. 3. shine as a starre for euer Men are sensible of worldly losses but who almost takes to heart these losses Is it a small losse to loose a brother when the sonne of man yea the Son of God himself came down from heauen h Mat. 10. 21 to saue that which was lost Or by thy vncharitable negligence wilt thou suffer a i 1 Cor. 8. 11 weake brother to perish nay wilt thou k Rom. 14. 15. destroy him for whom Christ dyed For in this case l Mark 3. 4. not to saue is to kill wilt thou say thou art sure that m Ioh. â—7 1â— none of those for whom Christ dyed can bee lost or euer perish True and thankes be vnto Christ that n Ioh. 1â— 28 29. none shall be able to plucke them out of his hands but that is no thanke to thee who in doing that which tendeth to his destruction art iustly charged by the Apostle with destroying him And neuer tell me that thy brother may see thy charity patience in forgiuing him and letting him alone without rebuke whereas he would perhaps impute thy rebuke to anger and hatred For * Pro. 27. 5 better is open rebuke then such secret loue that appeareth not in deed And take the answere of that good Father that saith that because thou art not angry enough to hate and smite with reproofe the sinne which would destroy his soule in this thou art conuinced of so much the more hatred against his person whom thou shouldest o Iam. 5. 20. saue by turning â—im from his euill way For as the Father saith suppose a boy swimming and sporting in a floud by the violence whereof he may be carried and cast away thou if thou seest it and patiently sufferest it thou hatest him and thy patience is his destruction And neuer tell mee that thy brother hauing trespassed against thee ought to come to thee for reconciliation Should hee 〈◊〉 Yes and so ought thy 〈◊〉 away child to come to â—â—ee too but if hee be so â—â—unded that hee cannot â—â—me to thee for weakeâ—esse wouldest thou in this â—â—se stand vpon thy tearmes of prâ—cedency nay woulâ—est thou not hasten to him as soone as thou hearest of â—it O remember then the â—ffence giuen to thee is a â—ound giuen to his owne â—oule else God would neâ—er haue said p Hos 14. 4. I will heale â—â—eir backe-sliding and lest that which is halting q Heb. 12. 13 bee turned out of the way let it rather be healed And if Sathan hath conspired â—ith carnall feare shame to with-hold him from thee as by r Gen. 3. 10. these he withheld Adam from God shouldest not thou goe to him as our Sauiour chargeth theeâ— to rescue hiâ— soule out of the hand oâ— such enemies Yea knowing him in such a case shouldest thou not euen whiles he is afarre off haue compassion on him as the Å¿ Luk. 15. 20. Father had on his Proâ—igall sonne yea runne and imbrace him and receiue him into thy fauour As t Rom. 15. 7. Christ also receiued vs to the glory of God and u Cant. 2. 8. came leaping vpon the mountaines and skipping vpon the hils passing ouer all obstacles and difficulties and pauing his way w Heb. 9. 12 by his owne bloud entered into the holy place and hauing obtained eternall redemption for vs x Eph. 2. 17. came and preached peace to vs â—â—suing and as it were y 2 Cor. 11. 2 wooing vs as his spouse by his Ambassadours who z 2
Time as when a 2 â—am 14. 1 c. Ioab perceiued king Dauids heart towards banished Absolom then he put words in the wise womans mouth for his returne of Place as when the b Mat. 13. 36. Marc. 4. 10 34. 7. 17 disciples keeping silence where Christ taught the multitude respited to aske him the things they doubted of till he came into the house and was with them alone of Persons as when c 1 Cor. 9. 20 c. S. Paul became as a Iew vnto the Iewes to them that were without law as without law and all things to all men that he might by all means saue some and of Occasions as d Ios 24. 22. c. Ioshua when the people had witnessed with their owne mouthes against themselues that they had chosen the Lord to serue him he thereupon presently perswaded them to put away their strange Gods and that very day made a couenant statute and ordinance with them And so S. Paul e Act. 17. 23 c. when among the Idolaters at Athens he had espied an altar with this inscription To the vnknowne God he thence tooke occasion to declare vnto them the onely true God whom they ignorantly worshipped And because it is the property of a f Eccl. 8. 5. wise-mans heart to discerne both time and iudgement therefore by due obseruation of all circumstances wee are to discerne first whither it be a fit season for vs to speake and secondly whither the season be fit for others to heare Comcerning the first of these for as much as a g Pro. 29. 11 foole vttereth al his minde and the h Pro. 15. 2 mouth of foolesse powreth out foolishnes whereas a i Pro. 12. 23 prudent man concealeth knowledge and k Pro. 29. 11 keepeth it in till afterwards therefore as generally wee must set a watch before the doore of our lips and be sparing of our words * Pro. 15. 2 studying to answere before wee speake so especially in the presence of our betters in gifts of grace callings and yeares wee must l Iob 29. 9. refraine talke and lay our hands vpon our mouthes knowing our distance and obseruing humility in speaking as in sitting m Luk. 14. 7 c giuing the first place to the more honourable as our Sauiour taught the guests And then if they speake not at al or not fully to edification if any thing better be reuealed to vs wee may must speake for our parts Thus Elihu being young and Iob and his friends very old though he werefull of matter yet he n Iob 32. 4 c. wayted for their words and long attended vnto them till he answered his part For want of this obseruation as empty caskes sound loudest and â—ase mettals ring shrillest so many vaine talkers and tatlers powre it out when euer they come before their wiser their betters in foolish and vnlearned questions in prophane and vaine bablings no way good to the vse of edifying but to the o 2 Tim. 2. 14 subuerting or p 2 Pet. 2. 8. vexing of the hearers Wherein as they bewray the q Iam. 1. 26. vanity of their religion in not refrayning their tongues and r Pro. 10. 19. no want of sinne in the multitude of their words so Å¿ Mat. 12. 37 by their words they shall be condemned not onely because they edifie not but because they hinder those that would edifie like the t Mat. 23. 13 wofull Scribes and Pharises that shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men neither going in themselues nor suffering them that were entring to goe in Touching the second wee are to obserue that some times fooles are in a rage then u Pro. 17. 12 let a Beare robbed of her whelps meete a man rather then a foole in his folly saith Salomon and then vv Pro. 21. 23. who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles For as the x Iam. 1. 2◠〈◊〉 wrath of man euen of a man regenerate worketh not the righteousnesse of God because y Pro. 27. 4. wrath is cruell and anger is outragious so a fooles wrath is z Vers 3. heauyer then the waighty sands or heauy stones And therefore at such times either wee must keepe our mouth with a bridle and keepe the doore of our lips close shut or at least-wise our a Pro. 15. 1. answere must be soft to turne away wrath else what doe wee but as men that will be rashly opening their doores to raging beares or b Eccl. 10. â— remouing waighty stones in both which without great warines men may soone get no little hurt Againe in times of prosperity the hearts of most men are c Luk. 21. 34 surcharged with cares and pleasures of this life and drunke but not with wine as the d Esa 29. 9. Prophet speaketh as others are sometimes drunken with Naball e Hos 4. 1â— wine and new wine taking away the heart Now as wise Abigail wayted an opportunity f 1 Sâ—â— â—â— 36. till the wine was gone out of Nabal and then tolde him his owne and as God because g Ier. â—â— â—1 he speakes vnto men in their prosperity and they will not heare which is their manner from their youth vp being as hardly to be diuerted in their occasions as h Ier. 2. 24 the wilde asse vsed to the wildernesse that snuffeth vp the winde at her pleasure doth therefore i Iob 36. 8 10. binde them in fetters and hold them in cords of affliction to open their care to discipline and then in k Esa 26. 16 trouble they will visite him and powre out a prayer when his chastening is vpon them so must wee looke and wayte for the like opportunities in dealing with the like persons And as they that seeke the wilde asse will not l Ier. 2. 24 weary themselues as the Prophet saith because in her moneth they will finde her that is once a yeare comes her foaling moneth then she is tame enough to be dealt withall so when m Esa 26. Gods iudgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world saith the Lord will learne righteousnesse much more the inhabitants of Ierusalem then are mens consciences awakened as were the n Gen. 42. 21 Patriarchs to call their wayes to remembrance then are mens o Leu. 36. 41 vncircumcised hearts humbled to p 1 Reg. 8. 38 47. know euery man the plague of his owne heart and to bethinke himselfe and in affliction not onely Gods children will q Hos â— â—â— acknowledge their offences and seeke Gods face and seeke him earely and become as tame as Lambes and Kids so that a r Esa 11. 6. little child shall lead them and Å¿ Eze. 20. 37 bring them into the bond of the couenant while God causeth them to passe vnder the rod but hipocrites themselues will t