like manner Had I more then all other imaginable excellent qualities and dignities Did I excell in wisdome and understanding not onely those renowned Heathen Philosophers but even their fained Apollo and our Divine Salomon Had I the tongue of Angels and a body as beautifull as the Sunne Had I a Soveraigne command over men and all other inferiour creatures Could I enjoy the sweetest contentments of the most mellodious musicke richest robes costly cates Had I the full fruition of all the richest treasures in the whole world yet without Christ Iesus without redemption I had nothing Am I therefore partaker of that comfortable worke of redemption where justice and mercy met together whereby I am saved from the curse of the law the power of darknesse the divell the wrath to come the guilt guerdon due desert and punishment of sinne Was I redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe without blemish and without spot Was I redeemed that I might serve him in holinesse c. Luke 1. 74. 75. that I should honour him Then surely I will not be so unmindfull of such a mercy nor unthankfull to such a benefactour but will honour him who hath thus honoured mee Gods honour ought to be the end of all our actions 1. Pet. 4. The end of all 4. 11. If any man speake if any man minister that God in all things may bee glorified 1. Cor. 10. 31. whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe c. doe all to the glorie of God Doe we desire our owne advancement and benefit The 5. A meanes to be honoured way is not turke and popishlike like cruell Abimelech to build our deemed safeties upon the ruines and bloud of others or like faire tongu'd Absaloms by insinuating flatteries or like couzening Zebaâ—s by lies and falsehoods or by any such like Machivelian policies For could we such hopes such happinesses would proove like spiders webs But the onely meanes is by honouring the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 30. those that honour me will I honour saith the Lord. If none of these will prevaile yet let feare of punishment due to such which dishonour and deny honour to the Lord 6. Want dangerous perswade Why was Pharoah scourged with a tenfold plague was it not for dishonouring God Why was Herod eaten with wormes save because he gave not God his glory Acts 11. 23. Yea why was an entrance denyed to Moses and Aaron into the land of promise was it not because they sanctified him not in the midst of the children of Israel Deut. 32. 51. Wherefore did the Lord smite Davids childe with death save for dishonouring him 2. Sam. 12. 14. Were your strength as sinewes of iron your wisedome and policy as exact as is possibly attaineable by mortall men your friends and fauorites many and mighty Had you the swaying of earthly scepters yet neither these nor any such like can possibly secure you from the irefull revenging hand of God if you either dishonour or deny him honour Witnesse these forenamed who were kings or as kings Witnesse that saying of the Prophet to Ely 1. Sam. 2. 30. Those that honour mee those that despise me will I despise or shall be lightly esteemed i. e. accounted vile in Gods sight Doe not thinke to avoid the judgement if you will not be perswaded To deny the truth of Scripture is blasphemy To thinke he will not doe what he hath said he being faithfull and so to make him a lyar or that he cannot punish although hee hath threatned hee being omnipotent is much more blasphemous CHAP. VI. Duty 5. Saints must doe Gods will IF God is our Father we ought to doe his will The doing Duty 5. whereof allieth men to Christ Iesus Mat. 12. 50. Makes men like Christ Ioh 6. 38. Is a meanes for man to prosper Ioh. 9. 31. Is the direct rode and pathway to heaven and happinesse 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Many men alas looke for heaven who never shall enjoy it Ignorant men because they meane no harme although the Lord will come in flaming fire against such 2. Thess 1. 8. Civill honest men because they doe no hurt and render to all their dues although they want holinesse without which none can see God Heb. 12. 14. Pharisees because in diverse things they excell other men although they want the pith and marrow of Christianity These such like hope for heaven But they being asleepe in sinne dreame of fulnesse but will arise empty of plenty awake poore of heaven finde nothing lesse Heaven is promised but not to all 1. Ioh. 2. 25. It is reserved but not for all 1. Pet. 1. 4. There is a broad way leading to death traced by the most There is a straight and narrow way leading to heaven not knowne of all and found onely by few Mat. 7. 13. 14. even of those who doe the will of God Mat. 7. 21. would we know who shall goe to heaven Aske not the ignorant man his cloudy and darke understanding cannot tell he onely hopes well that 's the vtmost of his skill Aske not the carnall man he is not able to discerne such things 1. Cor. 1. 14. no more then the blinde can judge of colours Aske not the civill man he walkes in a way which seemes good to himselfe but it is not right enough to bring him to heaven Aske not the Pharisee his golden shewes are too too weake our righteousnesse must exceed his But aske of Christ who is the Truth and cannot deceive us the Light void of ignorance and the Way it selfe leading to heaven by his example by his merits and by his doctrine and he will tell us we must doe the will of his father which is in heaven Mat. 7. 21. Thinke not O thou painted sepulchre with thy lording tongue and divelish heart Thinke not O thou carnall christian with thy Lord Lord living in iniquity to have the prerogatives of Gods sonnes but shew thy faith by thy workes thy profession by thy practise Ioyne with Lord Lord doing of Gods will so shalt thou declare thy selfe to be the childe of God so shalt thou obtaine the proper priviledge of Gods children the kingdome of heaven 1. Let the worldling doe the will of his god Mammon therefore as moles blinded in the earth or as the horse without understanding who knowes no greater felicity then plenty of hay and provender onely tune this note who will shew us any good whereas all his wished contentments bring him no true content being never able to satiate his soule witnesse Ahab 1. King 21. 5. he had a kingdome yet still hee needs something a garden of hearbes witnesse the rich man Luke 12. 17. who had so much that he could not tell what to doe yet still hee is in a pecke of troubles for having plenty hee wants roome he knowes not what to do yet for these unprofitable things which cannot add
Pet. 2. 1. A worke of Sathan Gen. 2. 1. Of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 29. Of darknesse Rom. 13. 13. Of the flesh Gal. 5. 21. Opposite to charity â— Cor. 13. 4. And abdicated by holy men Titus 3. 3. Let him feed and foster this selfe-tormenting envy saith holy Salvian Invidia sola authorem persequitlâ—r Sa v. de Gub. Dei lib 3. pag 7â— doth onely persecute the author viper by selfe-love impatience and selfe-conceitednesse making himselfe a foole Pro. 10. 18. An unprofitable hearer 1 Pet. 2. 1. Rotting his owne bones Prov. 14. â—0 And slaying himselfe Iob. 5. 2. Like the Mountaine Aetna scorching himselfe with his owne â—â—mes What though the wrathfull man flâ—shâ—th himselfe in bloudy and barbarous cruelties acting that which is Sathans proper worke doing contrary to Gods nature he being mild and mercifull precept and practice Quid siulti propriâ—m non posse veâ—â—e nocere â—â—as 49. What and if the furious irefull revenger proceed in his uncharitable and unwarrantable wayes thereby exasperating to more hurt doubling his owne griefe losiâ—g tranquillity and peace of conscience good will with men and favour with God by usurping his regall right and robbing him of his authority Yet let every member of this concrete communion freely fully soundly and sincerely forgive each other Mot. 1 To this end consider The Divine precept of our great God Math. 5. 39. His sacred practise Gracious promise Math. 6. 4. And dreadfull judgements against all such who will not forgive Mat. 7. 1 2. 6. 15. Iam. 2. 13. Secondly our owne pronesse to offend Gal. 5. 17. Our flesh lusting against the Spirit Either against the same person which we should forgive some other and God himselfe But we offending would willingly have forgivenesse Thirdly that the person offending did it either ignorantly unawares by some inducements or through the violence of some prevailing temptation It was not the man therefore but his weakenesse which did offend Lastly consider the commodious advantages we shall reape by forgiving are many and great 1. We shall hereby become like to God Math 5. 44 45. We shall gaine comfort which while the boisterous sâ—rges of angry passions tempestuously trouble our cholericke nature we are senslesse of yet afterwards we shall find to our more then ordinary consolation witnesse 2 Sam. 25. 31. â—3 We may with a hopefull assurance sue unto God for a full remission of all our enormities and with a blessed confidence graspe and hold fast a firme perswasion that our sinnes are done away grounding upon Gods unchangeable promise Mat. 6. 14. By freely forgiving we shall make our foe our friend Rom. 12. 20. heape coales of fire on his head 1. He will repent and embrace us friendly or else if he continue in his malice he shall be fired with his owne conscience and consumed with the wrath of God And hereby we are made fitter for all pious duties 1 Pet. 2. 1. Ob. An. 1 Say not therefore I cannot forgive because the matter is so great Thou hast offended the Lord farre more yet he is willing to forgive thee But he ought not to have dealt thus and thus with me Neither oughtest thou to have wronged God But I meant him no harme Neither did the Lord thinke thee any harme yet hast thou offended him But thou art his superiour God is thine He is thy inferiour Thou art Gods But thou carest not for his favour thou livest not by his friendship The Lord our God needs none of thy helpe thou livest by him not he by thee yet he is willing to remit thee thine offences Be not we rigorous for a hundred pence lest we be bound to pay upon paine of everlasting Math. 18. damnation a thousand talents Let not us provoke the Lord to mete out to us condemnation by our not forgiving Let not us send up Vriahs letter in our prayer forgive not us because we will not forgive But let us freely forgive each other seeing we all have fellowship one with another Now before I enter upon the second braunch of our Society I intend to speake somwhat of the word Father not in the largest extent thereof as how he is Father to all creatures men Angels c. But onely how is the Father of these good-fellowes afterwards I purpose to shew how he and we have fellowship each with other OF THE SOCIETIE OF THE SAINTS the second Booke CHAP. I. GOD is the Saints Father Doct. 2 THE LORD of heaven and earth is not onely Father to men Angels creatures but also of all goodfellowes or the Saints after a speciall manner with the Father Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 8. 14 15. 1 Thes 1. 5. And a cloud of witnesses of Scriptures testifie this truth To the confirmation whereof I will use onely two Reasons it being as apparant and generally assented to as that the Sunne doth shine at noone day Reason 1 He who is Father to the Saints any some or all those wayes whereby one man is father to another he is the father of these goodfellowes But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints all some or most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another Therefore the Lord of heaven and earth is the Father of these goodfellowes He who is Father to the Saints in regard of direction paternall procuration instruction imitation image and adoption is Father to the Saints most of those wayes whereby one man is father to another But the Lord of heaven and earth is Father to the Saints in those regards viz. 1. Man is father unto man by direction Gen. 45. 8. Thus God is Father to the Saints directing them by his Word which is a light to their feet and a lanterne to their paths And his Spirit leading them thereby Rom. 8. 14. so that they walk after the Spirit 2. Man by paternall procuration is father to man thus Iob was a father to the poore Iob 29. 16. And so is God a father of our society defending us from cursed calamities plucking us out of the jawes of the Lion and providing for us necessaries at the least so that we have Sufficient for our good if not satiety to give us contentment 3. Man is father to man in regard of instruction or doctrine 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Thus is God much more pouring grace by his Spirit into the heart for Paul may plant Apollo water but God onely gives the increase 4. Man in regard of invention is father unto man who in regard of imitation is his sonne Gen. 4. 20. Iabal the father of such as dwell in tents The Divell thus is the father of all wicked ones Ioh. 8. 44. Thus is Abraham father of all godly persons who walke in the holy steps of Abraham Rom. 4. 12. Thus is God our Father we being followers of him as deare children Math. 4. 45. Eph. 5. 1. 5. Man is father to man in regard of image Gen. 5. 3. Some
the sphericall Zones Could he not onely wish for with Alexander but also obtaine other worlds as an immeasurable addition to his former inheritance yet is there no more comparison betwixt this onely imagined soveraignty and the reall inheritance of Gods children then there is betwixt corruption and incorruption pollution and perfit purity lasting eternity and a fading moment heavenly treasure and earthly trash 1. Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens 6. Parents provide marriages for theit children Even so 6. Marriage the Lord of heaven hath provided such an husbād for his children That if all the renowned excellencies of all mankind from Adam to the dreadfull day of judgement and of all angelicall beings which are and have bene were confer'd upon on men His comely feature should be hatefull deformity his amiable beauty loathsome ilfavourdnesse his quick-witted understanding blockish ignorance his angeliall eloquence rude barbarisme and his other perfections meere frailties in respect of those extraordinary transcendencies of Christ Iesus the husband of Gods children Rev. 19. 7 8 9. CHAP. II. Duty 1. Saints must love God IF God he our father we ought to love him Not onely Duty 1. doth Religion command children to love their parents but also nature it selfe requireth this duty some therefore derive Pilius of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifying a sonne of a greeke word which signifieth a lover And I verily thinke this being so much talked off and practised in conceipted ostentation few which heare me this day thinke I need tell them they ought to love God nor perswade them to put the same in practise The simplest here present beeing ready to say though they come to the Church for fashion sake as their neighbours doe although they are not very bookish although they give little eare to the Word of God preached yet they know as much as the best preacher can tell them they knowing that they must love God above all and their neighbour as themselves and this they doe or else it is pittie they should live Loath I am to have you spend time to no purpose much lesse at a Sermon for if all words should be gracious much more of a Minister in publique to a congregation as from God And therefore did I not thinke it more then needfull to perswade you to love God Did I not heare painted sepulchers satanicall lyars and other cursed impes of that damned Apostata say theylove God Did I see him lou'd in deed as well as in word in truth as in tongue in practise as in profession I would willingly have spent my paines about some filiall duty lesse thought upon then on this so much talked of yet little practised For if we but inquire at the oracle of this our father we shall find recorded in indelible characters that such who truly love God Hate that which is evill Psal 97. 10. Signes 1. 2. Keepe Gods commandements Exod. 20. 6. Ioh. 15. 10. sc sincerely although imperfectly desiring and endeavouring to performe things commanded Behave themselves conscionably in their calling Ioh. 21. 15. Conforme themselves to God 1. Ioh. 4. 17. being followers of him as deare children Love not the world 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Love truely Gods children 1. Ioh. 4. 20. Often thinke upon God as their chiefest treasure Mat. 6. 21. And love Christs appearing or comming to judgement 2. Tim 4. 8. Iam. 1. 12. And then having surveyed-with a carefull inquisitive view the carriages and conditions of most men I much feare after a diligent scrutiny 1. We having compared such who detest sinne because its a breach of Gods law and therefore eschue and flie from it as from a serpent With those who thirst after impiety as greedily as the chased deare after the water brookes or the gaping earth after the dew of heaven and solace themselues with as great delectation in silthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse as Leviathan in the restlesse Ocean 2. Such who keepe Gods commandements with sincerity of heart they to the vtmost of their power leaving undone all evill forbidden and doing all good duties commanded not for any sinister aime or by-respect but for the Lords sake because he hath commanded these and forbidden those and being universall in this their obedience neither appliable like the starre Mercury to every adjacent nor the turning weather cocke hurried about with every blast of contrary winde remaining the same in all companies places and at all times like the greene ivi◠keeping the same colour in the sharpest winter that it hath in the pleasant summer With those who no whit regard those sacred lawes written with the finger of the worlds creator and those who unequally and unjustly share their obedience betwixt the Lord and his grand enemie the devill such who have their changeable suites sometimes seeming to observe Gods commandements for sinister respects otherwhiles namely in secret and amidst their villanous complices no whit regarding those divine and more then angelicall direction 3. Compare we those who walke conscionably in their callings being carefull to have the soules of their children and servants deck'd with the invaluable robes of Christs Righteousnesse nourished and strengthened with the food of eternall life With that carelesse company which regard no more so that they be of comely feature neately trimd finely fedde of liberall education and richly provided for and those vilest of men who by their wicked examples staine their purest times with the blackest dye of hellish impieties Sathans cognisance feeding their immortall soules with the damned art of swearing lying cursing and such like venome and poyson of Aspes 4. Those who conforme themselves to the glorious example of our heavenly father doing their vtmost devoir that they may be holy pure perfect and mercifull as their father in heaven is With that degenerating company of men which will doe the lusts of the divell Could we segregate those which are crucified to the world and have it crucified to them and although they love the good creatures and gifts of God yet it is neither preposterously irreligiously nor unequally but in order sc first God then godlinesse then good men enemies then profit then pleasure 6 Those whose hearts are fast glued to the Lord Iehouah and his crownes of immortality as their only treasure 7. Those who love with all entirenesse of affection the sonnes of God And Those who love the appearing of our blessed Saviour having a comfortable assurance of his love and a sincere care to please him in all things From those which love the world servilely sensually preposterously immoderatly disorderly and undiscreetly Those whose chiefest treasure is on earth Those who are inraged with implacable malice against the children of God and their sincerity And from such who love the Lords appearing no more then villanous malefactours the comming of a just and righteous Iudge And it will manifestly appeare I much feare that few onely
creature Instance we in what we can Be it for proportion ilfavoured beyond all imagination be it more pestiferous then the eye-slaying Basilisk and hideous Gorgon Let it have all the concurring ingredients of misery and contempt being the subject of extreame wretchednesse and an object of hatred to men and other creatures Yet man not beloved of God is beyond all comparison more wretched death being a period to its calamities and an entrance to the others unsufferable and never ending torments But let a man be beloved of God although he be table talke for hypocriticall mockers at feasts a by-word to men vilâ—r then the earth the drunkards song and trampled under foot by every stigmaticall varlâ—t yet is he as honourable as an heire of heaven a member of Christ and a child of God Do we then as we do if we are in our right wits desire God to love us and shall not we love him againe Reason therefore thus with thy selfe O man Are there so many profitable advantages accomâ—dating true love to God and shall I neglect them Hath true love to God such beneficiall effects and wilt thou despise them The want thereof such dangerous execrations and wilt thou incurre them Is love to God that great and first commandement and wilt thou transgresse it Dost thou thinke to have the love of God without which thou art most miserable and thou not loving him Is it fit for children not to love their father No no if other men will hate yet I am resolved henceforth to love God Yea and expresse the same by hating what is evill Obedience to Gods commandements A conscionable discharge of the duties of my calling Conformity to God Not loving the world Entirely loving the Saints Often thinking on God as my chiefest treasure And loving the comming of Christ to judgement CHAP. III. Duty 2. Saints must shunne sinne IS God our Father Then ought we to consider advisedly Duty 2. of our noble parentage and with all circumspect consideration take heed we disgrace it not nor distaine our Fathers houshold And imploy our endeavours to the utmost to honour and glorifie our Father and grace his faithfull family by our vertuous conversations It is not seemly for a Kings son to defile himselfe with contaminating dung and such like sordid filth it 's not for them to consort with fellowes of base inordinate and immorigerous ranks How much more unfit is it for Gods sonnes children to a King truly really whose kingdome is of such large extension that heaven hell earth and all places are within his royall government and of such commanding power that all created beings whether ruling Kings or potent Emperours whether Coelestiall Angels or infernall Divels stand his subjects to do him homage and that not for a moment or some small time of continuance but through all eternity to pollute themselves with sinne and impiety more loathsome then any thing whatsoever e. g. Be it that a man from top to toe is soyled with the most noysome excrements that are imaginable to be upon the face of the earth yet with a small quantity of water and a little industry of man it 's easy to have him cleansed Suppose a man to be as it were clad with boyles and botches from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head yet it is possible that good diet wholsome ayre the helpe of skilfull Phisitians should restore him to perfect sanity But all the water in Abana Parphar Iordan nor the whole Oâ—ean is of force to wash off nor the most excellent diet wholsome ayre drugges and pearles of price hornes of Vâ—icornes stones of Bezar ordered by the exactest skill of men and Angels is availeable to purge away sinne It is onely the bloud of Christ which cleanseth from sin 1 Ioh. 1. 7. What made those forâ—orne Apostate fiends of glorious Angels to become damned Divels detested of God Angels and men Sure I am not their Creation it being excellent but their depravation their sinne Whence is it that the Lord doth hate his owne Ordinances New Moones Sabbaths and prayers Isa 1. 15 What occasioneth the Lord to turne a fruitfull land into barrennesâ—e save the iniquity of those that dwell therein Psal 107. 37. Why did the Lord drowne the whole world with an overflowing deluge overturne those pleasant and fertile cities even as the Garden of God Gen. 13. 10. with fire and brimstone save onely because of their sinnes By which particulars it is most perspicuous that nothing whatsoever so filthily polluteth as sinne and therefore such persons whose father is the great King ought not to pollute themselves therewith What els meane those Scriptures 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity 1 Ioh. 3. 8. He who commits sinne is of the Divell Ver. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not And againe Hee cannot sinne because hee is borne of God 1 Ioh. 2. 1. These things have I written that you sinne not 1. Mistake me not I pray I intend not the least allowance of Donatists Pelagians Catharists and Familists who glory of perfect purity yea to be as pure as Christ in heaven of freedome from all sinne the Scriptures telling me that in many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. I seeing the Publican whose prayer was accepted saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Luke 18. 13. Saint Paul complaining to be of sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. 1. 15. And our Saviours owne Apostles commanded to pray forgive us our trespasses not for modesty sake as Pellagians affirme but of consciousnesse of humane frâ—ilty as saith Saint Hierome He who commanded to sinne no more Ioh. 5. 14. Commanded also to pray daily for forgivenesse He who said whosoever is borne of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. â— 6. Said also If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth iâ— not in us 1 Ioh. 1. 8. We make God a lyar and his word is not in us verse 10. Although we know God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9. 31. Yet we know also that Christ came to call sinners to repentance The same God who directed Balaams tongue to say God hath beheld no iniquity in Iacob nor seene perversenesse in Israel Num. 23. 21. Directed the tongâ—e of Moyses the man of God to say Thou settest our sins before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance Psal â—0 8. What then is there contradiction in the Scripture No such matter both the one and the other are the undeniable sacred truths of God God seeth no sinne in his people sc with a revenging eye as to condemne his people for their sinnes That mandate sinne no more is a comparative speech whereby the cured is exhorted to strive that his sinnes be not such nor so many as they had beene but that their force might be weakned their number lessened and occasions avoided God heareth not sinners i. such who make a trade of sinning suffering
impieties Dissw 1 would abandon those blasphemous benedictions considering that God is the only and chiefe good goodnesse it selfe the author of all good from whom nothing but good And as for evill he doth prohibit the doing detests the act and punisheth the agent which he would not do was it his owne worke That God is wisedome sin is folly How can wisedome produce folly God is justice sinne injustice How can justice produce injustice God is mercy sinne is misery whose beginning is dolefull continuance toilesome and end shamefull and therefore that God cannot be the cause or author of their sinnes 3. By speaking reverently of his divine attributes as justice mercy wisdome c. That mighty Lord on whose hand the King of Israel leaned dishonoured the Lord in doubting of or questioning the pleÌ„ty promised 2 king 7. 2. So Moses by shortning the Lords hand Num. 11. 21 22 23. diverse do no lesse daily complaining of their ill lucke bad fortune I wil for this time summarily and succinctly give a tast only in two justice and mercy For the first we honour the Lord declaring him to be as indeed he is most just and that 1. Simply and absolutely 1. Iustice as hee is of himselfe infinitely and perfectly righteous in himselfe and of himselfe 2. Respectively and relatively in regard of his office he being the most righteous judge of men and angels For 1. Knowledge and understanding of things and persons to be judged 2. Care of equity 3. Rightfull authority to determine and decide 4. Power and ability to punish offendours and free the harmelesse innocent which are in God infinitely and transcendently Abus 1 Surcease therfore O you sonnes of men to taxe God of injustice either Because he punisheth finite sinnes with infinite punishments for what though sinne as it is a transient action is finite and temporary yet in regard of the object against whom it is committed of the subject wherein it is resident mind of the sinner and law whereof it is a breach it is infinite Or because he loved Iacob and hated Esau before they had done good or euill Who art thou that darest reply against God Hath the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell to honour another to dishonour and hath not God May he not do with his owne what he will Rom. 9. 20. 21. Or thirdly by your overbold and saucy presumptiousnesse in sinning sealing to your soules a generall acquitt all from all those unutterable insufferable tortures the just judge of heaven and earth hath threatned against impenitents because he is mercifull so wholy dispoyling that glorious majesty of this divine attribute Iustice A good divine saith thus let fond presumption M. Yates I 〈◊〉 Caâ—â—r hope for parden without payment disjoyne mercy and justice in him to whom both are alike essentiall and say although I go on in sinne yet God is abundantly mercifull go on presume and perish Mercy 2 For the second we honour our heavenly father when wee rightly ascribe mercy to him The Lord is most mercifull his mercy being of such large and endlesse extent that in regard of continuance it doth equalize eternity Psal 103. 17. In regard of reach and compasse it extends it selfe to the highest hills clouds and heavenly habitations Psal 36. 5. to all persons yea created beings yet restraining it selfe in respect of spirituall and celestiall benefits to such as carefully observe the commandements of God Deut. 7. 9. Truely and intirely love him Ibid. Confesse their sinnes and forsake them Prov. 28. 13. And turne from their transgressions le 18. 8. To God Ier. 3. 12. Two sorts of people therefore as much as in them lies robbe our heavenly father of his due honour namely such Abus 1 1. Who make him lesse mercifull then he is and that 1. By rushing headlong upon that dreadfull rocke of desperation falsifying Gods promises Cayn-like crying out their sinnes are greater then can be pardoned Whereas could they but repent truly and savingly their most deepe died scarlet-like sinnes should be blotted out of Gods remembrance 2. By comparing Gods unparaleld mercy with mortall mans The Lords being everlasting constant free and rich Mens being momentany mutable mercenary and poore 3. By an overweening conceipt of their owne worth promising to themselves undeniably those blissefull joyes for their merits sake deeming their owne worthfull actions to be sufficient to purchase that matchlesse crowne of glory if not superabundant and superrogatory Secondly who make him more mercifull then he is casting the innumbred swarmes of intollerable prodigious oathes beastly drunkennesses and other their obstinate hellish enormities upon the mercy of God as if it was a common packhorse whereon to unload their willfull and unsupportable evils causing the creatures to groane and the earth to mourne and reele to and fro tottering and staggering like a drunken man little considering that as he is mercifull so is he just and those who will sinne because God is mercifull shall surely be plagued because he is just By speaking reverently of the unspeakeable workes of God both Immanent in himselfe acknowledging with the Apostle the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God and that his judgements are unsearchable and his waies past finding out and Transeunt as his wonderfull workes of creation redemption and particular workes of mercy Exod. 15. and justice 1. Sam. 3. 18. Iob 1. 21. Let these short instances in few words now suffice We honour the Lord by talking of the works of Creation after this or the like manner Who created The Lord of hostes What he made All that is made How he did it With his Word To what end His honour and glory And heere I cannot omit to reprove a most vile although vsuall kind of dishonouring the Lord in laughing to scorne persons in body deformed or in minde defective The renowned maker of the world and not the workemanship being in my shallow apprehension derided Suppose a man for instance comming into the workhouse of some skilfull artist and there beholding some piece of worke lesse curiously wrought then other should therewith sport himselfe with scoffing derision wee could not but conclude That the artificer and not the artifice is reproached Secondly we may honour the Lord by speaking reverently of the worke of the worlds redemption it declaring Who redeemed The ever blessed Sonne of God From what The curse of the Law the wrath to come the divell the hands of our enemies Wherewith His owne pretious bloud Whom his pasture sheepe And why his owne honour and glory We may honour God with our tongues by the right vse of an oath sc The person rightly qualifyed having a warrantable calling thereunto the matter being true just and of great importance the manner time and causes rightly obserued Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. For hereby we make the Lord a witnesse judge and revenger Two sorts of people I
such Apostacie and inconstancy be not you like Nebuchadnezzars image whose head was gold breast and armes silver belly and thighes brasse legs of iron feet iron and clay Dan. 2. 32 33. Do not you turne backe againe into Egypt Have the noble resolution of M Knols Turk Hist an Earle of Sarisbury who being environed by Turks and Saracens and advised to flee said God forbid that my Fathers sonne should flee from the face of a Saracen Neither do you prove cowards you sonnes of God an armour you have and that of proofe yea invincible yet not one piece for the backe parts Be you like those kine 1 Sam. 6. Going forward untill you come to your Coelestiall Bethshemesh the house of the Sonne of God Be you like those trees Psal 92. 13 14. Which are most fruitfull in old age Be you like the naturall motions which move fastest as they come nearer their center as stones throwne upward move faster as they come nearer the earth Be we like those righteous persons who shine more and more towards the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Doe the will of God and continue doing of it unto the end for what will it availe you to begin if you hold not out to the end of the race Behold the constancy of the Lords Worthies in greatest calamities Psalme 44. Heare what sententious Tertullum saith None is truly a Christian but he who persevereth Nemo autem Chri 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 Verde haeress pag. 96. unto the end And consider that the crowne of immortall glory is promised to those who continue 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Rev. 7. 10. Be we therefore perswaded to do Gods will according to his will Will pleasure prevaile with us Mot. 1 To do Gods will is very delightsome Psal 119. 97. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Will profit We endeavouring to do Gods will labour for our owne glory 1 Pet 2. 15. Sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. And salvation Will examples Behold one which is unparalled Christ Iesus esteem'd iâ— his meate and drinke to do his Fathers will Iohn 6. 38. Would the Centurions servant go and come and do at his bidding Would Balaams asse at Gods commandement open his mouth and reprove the madnesse of his master Rauens feed Eliah at Gods appointment Frogs and lice execute judgements upon Pharaoh at Gods bidding Did the earth open rocks rend stars fight seas recule backward wildernesses tremble c. Do things by nature light ascend heavy descend yea and often crosse the course and current of nature and shall not we not senselesse creatures not bruit beasts not Gentiles but Christians who stile our selves the sonnes of God not do the will of our Father God forbid As we excell these in dignity let us excell them in duty and do the will of our Father Which that we may do 1. Pray earnestly Our Father thy will be done In which S. Cyp. de Orat. Dom. place we do not pray that God would do what he will but that we might do according unto his will 2. Take heed of selfe-will our will is commonly contrary to Gods will Ioh. 1. 13. Paul would not be buffeted and the Disciples would have fire in revenge from heaven Submit we therefore our wills which are so corrupt to that most holy will of God 3. Shunne ignorance of Gods will for how can he doe the will of God who knowes it not Luke 12. 48 Let some in the Church of Rome teach that ignorance is the mother of devotion Let the simple soule promise to it selfe an excuse by its ignorance and perswade it selfe that good meaning shall save Let the enemies of all goodnesse raile against knowledge saying it puffeth up and is fruitlesse Yet O thou Christian soule which desirest to approve thy wayes to God thy Father 1. Believe not thost Popish instructours for they are deceivers Can that be the mother of devotion of which Sathan is the Father 2 Cor. 4. 4 Is a Psal 95. 10. errour is b Acts 17. superstition is c Isa 44 19. idolatry is d Exod. 5. 1. contempt of God good devotion These these I say are the daughters brats spawnes and ofsping of this mother 2. Follow not that blind mans guiding who cannot perceive heavenly things For as a penny in the water seemes bigger then a Starre in the Firmament so heavenly graces although they infinitely surpasse these dunghill vanities are not at all or so little knowne to him that they are little or no whit regarded by him Will that excuse which occasioneth all kind of iniquitie Eph. 4. 18 19 20. Will that save which makes men accursed Iohn 7. 40 Is vengeance inflicted in flaming fire safety 2 Thess 1. 8 That reverend Bishop Dr. Vsher saith some invincible ignorance is damnable Pag. 51. If a patient and Physitian were both ignorant of an onely remedie to recover a sicke man fro his disease the sicke must perish aswell not knowing as if knowing he refused it 3. Regard not those witlesse and worthlesse arguments What though braine-knowledge pusseth up saving knowledge humbleth What though knowledge is fruitlesse in many ignorance must needs be fruitlesse in all How can man do that he knoweth not How can man do Gods will being ignorant thereof Be wise therefore and understand the will of God Eph. 5. 17. That ye may do the same CHAP. VII Duty 6. Saints must be content with Gods allowance LAstly if God be our Father learne we to put in practice Duty 6. St. Pauls Lesson one of our fellow brethren Phil. 4. 11. To be content with our Heavenly Fathers allowance The want of which Christian vertue is the cause of many monstrous evils and domineering transgressions What mooveth the insatiable inhumane depopulatours lesle mercifull then the raging Ocean as a reverend Bishop saith in these words Remember Bishop Babingâ—m Gen. 1. Ver. 9. p. 5. with your selves the rich cormorants of this world who like flouds and streams of strength too much overflow and drowne their brethren their poore and weake brethren in this world not leaving any place for them to dwellin or to inhabit neare them c. Like the hideous Gorgon suffering none or very few to live in her sight To dash themselves against those keene and fearefull judgements of God Isa 5. 8. Woe be to him c. For so saith my forenamed learned Author of whom saith he is that woe denounced Isa 5. 8 9. A fearefull thing that men for denying others place by them shall lose their owne To plunge themselves so deepe into Gods displeasure that Gods judgements pursue them so fast That if a man make diligent enquiry and search in a little after succeding ages oftentimes in their owne for these monsters of men dispeoplers of townes ruiners of common-wealths so farre as in them lyeth occasions of beggars and beggery and prey of usurers Instead of spacious and splendent houses he shall finde rumous heapes instead of good house-keepers poore shepheards
with Daniel or barley loaves with our Saviour Christ be therewith S. W. R lib. 1. cap. 7 Turks care not Sect. 3. pag. 34. how little they be stow in Private buildings saying their meane cottages are good enough for their short pilgrimage though sumptuous in their Churches M Knol content Milke and fruit were the banqueting dishes of our fore-fathers 2. Hast thou cloaths to put on with Iacob Gen. 28. A house to lie in and cloathes to keepe thee warme be therewith content Thou hast cloathing What though it is of skinnes Adam the sole Monarch of the world had no better Gen. 3. 21. What though it is of haire Iohn Baptist that Seraphicall Angelicall Teacher had no better Math. 3. 4. But thou wouldst be a little gayish and trimme yet take heed of excesse seeke not gorgeous apparell seeke not nâ—w-fangled fashions carry not all thine ability upon thy backe seeke not to have asmuch in a ruffe as would wholly cloath thee but having convenient covering fitting thy calling be content Say not thy gorgeous attire is thine owne so are thine eares and eyes yet neither to be abused Content thy selfe to weare what is fitting It is not fit for Christians to fashion themselves unto this world Rom. 12. 2. It is not fit for subjects to weare a crowne nor servants to be as their Masters But I weare mins owne And may not a man offend with his ownâ— apparell doubtlesse yes sc In regard of the occasion if thou wearest it not for necessity or decency but because it is the fashion Rom. 12. 1. In regard of its maintenance sc when to maintaine thy jollity thou robbest either Magistrate Minister Hireling or other In regard of the effects when thine apparell doth justly grieve the good give occasion of scandall to the bad or hinder good exercises And when thine apparell is 1. Immodest 1 Tim. 2. 9. Not agreeable to thy calling hats are for heads not for hands gloves for the hands not for the feet 3. Not agreeable to thy condition and meanes of maintenance gold upon a hatband or shoe-strings none or little in the purse is very ridiculous 4. Not respecting the cry of the needy it is not fit to garnish one part of the body with gems billiments and brooches and the rest go naked and bare Be content therefore with fitting attyre It is better to have a gracious mind in a leather doublet then a base fantasticall mind in golden apparell In labouring to be like a gentleman in apparell yet none in truth thou provest thy selfe a brainelesse man Seeke for enough carke for no more superfluity makes a man neither warmer nor honester But it is some credit to be gay and fine But with whom With wise men No money in homely garments can take up more on trust then diverse others who are so greatly finish With God No he more esteemes of a leatherne yea a naked yea a Lazar Saint then of a velvet Devill Luke 16. 3. Hast thou an honest calling or trade of life Be therwith content Be not like the discontented owles of our times who looking with malitious eies upon that others have grieving at their owne supposing their callings too too base for their heroicall magnificent spirits in discontent thinking to amend them by exchanging overturne all forsaking that kind of life wherto they were apted and made fit by parents choice their owne experience and masters instruction they puzzle and weary themselves in their new-found vocations untill they can live in neither Is thy kind of life unlawfull Art thou an usurer c Then leave it Is it an honest calling Walke in it with contentment 4 Art thou a poore man yet be content with thine estate for consider If thou had'st riches so much desired God can make them barren like Hannah so much beloved 1. Sam. 1. 5. Infaâ—tem nudum cum te natura creavit Paupertatis oâ—us patienter ferre memento Cato lib. 1 21. and thy poore estate fruitfull like hated Peninnah 2. They are like puddles fayling most in time of greatest need 3. They make a man no better in Gods sight The Lord may give them as Iael gave drinke to Siscra Iudg. 4. 21. or Ehud gave Eglon a present Iudg. 3. 21. as Hester gave Haman a banquet Ester 7. or as the butcher gives the slaughter cattell a good pasture The mountaines which are full of golden mines are not usually cloathed with corne nor loaden with grasse 4. They are not as they seemâ— to be and are esteemed They seeme treasure as if they were for ever They are deemed substance as if without them men were but shadowes They are called goods as if they made men good so much worth of such ability account and reckoning But alas these are stolne names for they are thornes Mat. 13. 22. deceitfull Mar. 4. 19. and often golden Virtuti modicum vitio nil satis Adrian carth pag. 98. fetters 5. Thou hast but a very little Be it so nature is content with little grace with lesse it 's onely corruption of nature which is not content One saith well a very little contenteth vertue nothing satisfieth vice 5. Art thou in captivity famine reproches c. yet herewithall be thou content 1. Why O thou Son of God should'st thou be discontent with exile for thy fathers sake since thou canst not be exil'd out of thy fathers country the earth being the Lords Since the passage to heaven is open and easy from one country as from another The Lord being graciously present with his in Ezek. 11. 16 their captivities as with Ioseph Daniel c. 2. What if God for ends best knowne to himselfe layes upon thee famine nakednesse and such like calamities be therewith content and seeke not by wicked purloyning to relieve thy necessities heare what a heathen man could say I judge thee miserable because thou wast never troubled thou hast passed over thy life without an adversary Vertue is greedy of danger military men glory in thâ—ir wounds thou maist know a governour in a tempest a souldier in battell how can I know how much courage thou hast against poverty if thou flowest with wealth Whence can I c. Moreover consider 1. That these extremities can onely hurt the body discontent soule and body 2. That God hath promised sufficient either therefore he will give cloathing to cover the body or enable it as well as the hands and face to need none heare what our Homilie saith We are never contented and therefore we Hom. against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 1â—4 prosper not he that ruffleth in his sables in his fine furred gowne corke slippers trimne buskins and warme mittens is more ready to chil for cold then the poore labouring man which can abide in the field all the day long when the north wind blowes with a few beggerly clouts about him 3. Els the Lord will supply these defects with patience and spirituall endowments 3. What if reproches disgraces
Lyon Beare Dog and Dragon give him the tormenting taile of a stinging Scorpion the venemous teeth of a gnawing Viper the virulent breath and dreadfull sight of an eye killing Cockatrice farce his bowels with the poyson of Aspes and the venime of Spiders go to an hedge of thornes briars and brambles and a bed of thistles and thence extract the hurtfull properties of these evill plants and adde them to this monster heape on the stinking loathsome and vnprofitable conditions of the most loathsome scumme canker-eaten drosse suffocating smoake sterilous dust and contaminating dirt The wicked man is this compacted monster and therefore an unmeete associate for a Saint for such a one who hath or desireth fellowship with the Father CHAP. VIII The third meanes and duty We must be like God WOuld we communicate in this community we must 3. Meanes Duty endeavour to be like the Lord. Similitude is a fastening linke to conglutinate Societies which all delight in such who are most like themselves hence it is that birds of a fâ—ather flie together like master like man If thou wilt marry marry thy like saith the Poet and that friendship is the pleasantest which likenesse of conditions hath linked together saith the hearâ—en Oratour and Saint Iohn tells us expressely there must be a congruence in this consociety 1 Iohn 1. 7. If we walke in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with anâ—ther Be we therefore followers of God as deare Children Ephes 5. 1. 1. In holinesse 1. Pet. 1. 15. as he which hath called you is holy so be you holy in all manner of conversation ver 16. Because it is written be you holy as I am holy True it is God only is holy i. e. infinitely pure and righteous yet the Saints are holy also i. e. separate from sinne and corruption unperfectly here most perfectly hereafter in heaven 2. In a godly remuneration rendering love for hatred benedictions for execrations good turnes for bad prayers for persecutions Matth. 5. 44 45. That we may be Children of our father for he makes his sunne c. 3. In a pitifull compassionatenesse easily mooved to grieve at the miseries of others and to succour them Luke 6. 6. Be you therefore mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Col. 3. 12. put you on as the c. 4. In perfection Matth. 5. 48. Be you therefore perfect as your father in heaven is perfect not as if we could be without sinne as doting fantasticke Familists averre or keepe the whole law as superstitious Antichristian Papists avowe For Scripture and each man 's enlightened conscience witnesse the contrary But 1. Comparatively in regard of the weake and wicked 2. In regard of parts being sanctified in every part and power of soule and body to every duty concerning them in some measure So that there is an upright judgement in the minde an honest heart a sincere and good conscience 5. In walking in the light 1. Iohn 1. 7. If we walke in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and this we may doe by following Gods Word as our guide in our travaile to eternall blessednesse Let Sathans hellish brood doe the workes of their father the divell walke foot by foot in those cursed paths which Sathan hath traced out unto them viz. in the darke and damned waies of swearing lying cursing c. and so demonstrate to the whole world that themselves have fellowship with the divell Let cavelling carpers deeme these sayings hard and harsh Paradoxes peremptorily concluding it to bee altogether impossible for any man to be holy mercifull perfect c. as the father in heaven is Yet let all such who already have or desire to enjoy fellowship with the Father conforme themselves unto him in the Scripture sense which speakes not of equality but similitude endeavouring to bee holy loving mercifull and perfect as a staggering childe may imitate a mighty man This sanctity perfection and such like excellencies of all the glorified Saints that are or shall be being no more in comparison of this unparalel'd holinesse and perfection of God then the dimme and duskish light of a pinking candle compared with the splendent lustre of the radiant sun enlightned moone and glistering starres CHAP. IX The fourth meanes and duty is prayer to God HAve we or desire we fellowship with the father delight 4. Meanes Duty we then to speake to him in prayer and rejoyce to heare him speake to us in the ministery of the Word What society where intercourse of speech is wanting every colleague in each community will acknowledge society and mutuall exchange of speech to be inseperable and that it is one way to connexe men firmely in a friendly fellowship A word of each 1. Should I say prayerlesse persons are gracelesse I have my warrant Zach. 12. 10. the spirit of grace and prayer being joynt companions 2. Should I terme them godlesse Atheists who can justly contradict me not to pray being one of those markes wherewith men foolish and without God are branded out Psal 14. 4. 3. May I not confidently affirme such to have cast off the feare of the Lord restraining prayers before God Iob 15. 8. 4. May I not pronounce peremptorily prayerlesse persons to be destitute of the spirit of adoption Saint Paul testifying that the Saints have received the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba father Rom. 8. 15. And can a prayerlesse person he wanting gods grace his feare the true God and his blessed Spirit have fellowship with the Father Moreover doe many people pray to no purpose asking and not receiving because they aske amisse Iam. 4. 3. their prayers being pinnioned that they cannot mount aloft into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaths 1. By grosse pollutions Isa 1. 15. I will not heare because your hands are full of bloud 2. By disobedience to the voice of God in the ministery of his Word Zach 7. 13. therefore as he cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord of hoasts 3. By impenitency Iob. 9. 31. God heareth not sinners 4. By regarding iniquity in their hearts Psal 66. 18. 5. By 〈◊〉 Prov. 23. 13. He that stops his eares at the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard 6. By crueltie Micah 3. 4. Then shall crie c. 7. By painted hypocrisie Math. 6. 5. 8. By faithlesse infidelity Iam. 1. 6. 7. 9. By pharisaicall selfe-conceitednesse Luke 18. 11. 14. 10. By blind ignorance Mat. 20. 22. You aske you c. 11. By malicious envy Math. 6. 15. If you forgive not 12. By praying for those things which are impious unjust hurtfull impossible needlesse or otherwise not to be prayed for It stands us in hand therefore if we either have or desire to have fellowship with the Father not onely to pray but so to pray as we are directed in the Word of truth viz.
and that concisely point at some of the Lords daies duties I handling them now onely by way of use to another doctrine That we may keepe the Sabbath or the Lords day we must observantly take notice of the negative and affirmative precepts Negative precisely prohibiting the doing of any manner of works 1. Servile wherein we serve our selves not God therefore all sinfull actions of body and soule for although these are strictly forbidden euery day yet it is a greater sin to do them upon this day it offering fewer vrging or alluring provocations and affording more helps and Per voceâ—â—pus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non intelliguntur directè opera hominum vitiosa quia ea nunquam conceduntur sed opera servilia a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servirâ— per qua scilicet â—â—â—squisque pro ratione vocationis suae victum exâ—rcet c. Wallaeus de 4. precep pag. 7. meanes against them 2. All workes of minde or body needlesse or unnecessary By the word Thou shalt doe no manner of worke are not understood the vitious workes of men because they are never permitted but servile workes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to serve by which every one by reason of his vocation doth pursue his living saith Wallaeus But least I should wander in so wide and spacious a field I will therefore shew you what others which I have read say and then give mine answer onely to some questions Omnis Christi amator Dominicum celebret Diem Diem resurrectioni consecratum Dominicae Reginam Principem Dierum omnium in quà vita c. Epist 3. ad Magnefianos Die vero qui Dominicus vocatur quem Hebraei primum vocant Graeci autem Soli distribuunt qui ante septimum est sancivit a judicijs alijsque causis universos habere vacationem in eo tantum orationibus occupari Honorabat sc Constantinus autem Dominicum Diem quia in eo Christus resurrexit à mortuis Sozomen Histor Eccl. Tripart lib. 1. Cap. 10. pag. 275. Dominicum ergò Diem Apostoli Apostolici viri ideò religiosâ solemnitate habendum sanxerunt quià in eodem Redemptor noster à mortuis resurrexit quique ideò Dominicus appellatur ut in eo à terrenis operibus vel mundi illecebris abstinentes tantuÌ„ Diviniâ— cultibus sErviamus ipse est primus dies seculi in ipso formatasuÌ„t elementa muÌ„di in ipso creati sunt Angeli in ipso quoque resurrexit à mortuis Christus c. Serm. 251. dâ— tempore Videâ—mus ne sed diâ—i dominici sequestrati a rurali opere ab omni negotio soli divinâ— cultui vacemus Ibid. Neque venatione se occupet diabolico mancipetur officio cirumvagando campos sylvas clamorem cachinnum ore exaltans Ibid. Tunc ipsi foris aut causas dicere aut diversis student calumnijs impugnare aut videlicet in alea vel in jocis inutilibus insidiari quatenus unus punctus diâ—i ad dei officium reliquum diurnum spatium cum nocte simul ad eorum deputetur vâ—luptates Idem Ibid. Melius vtique toto die foderent quam toto die saltarent Con. 1. part 1. in Psal 32. Melius enim arare quam saltare in Sabbato illi ab opere bono vacant opere nugatorio non vacant in titul Psal 91. Non hoc autem solum ratione aptum est tempus ad benignitatem prompto alacri animo exercendam sed quod habet quietem remissionem immunitatemque vacationem a laboribus Chrys Tom. 4. pag. 545. in 1. Cor. Homil. 45. Primo die qui dominicus appellatur celebres Magistri ac doctores Sancti patres nostri nobis canendum Psallendum centesimum decimum octanum Psalmum tradiderunt T. 1. Pag. 1055. Ignatius that ancient Bishop of Antioch in his 3. Epistle which is none of his 5. counterfeit Epistles saith Let every one that loveth Christ keep the Lords Day which is the Queene of dayes in which death is overcome and life is sprung up in Christ Renowned Constantine ordained as followeth That day which is called the Lords Day which the Hebrewes call the first day which the Grecians attribute to the Sun which is before the 7. day he ordained that all should cease from suits and other businesses and to be only occupied in prayers upon it and indeed hee did honour the Lords Day because in it Christ rose from the dead St. Augustine saith the Lords Day the Apostles and Apostolicall men have ordained with religious holinesse to be kept because in the same our Redeemer rose from the dead and therefore is called the Dominicall or Lords Day that in it we may onely attend on the Divine Service this is the first Day of the world in it were created the elements and the Angels upon this Day Christ rose and the holy Ghost was given Manna first descended from heaven upon this day And againe Being sequestred from all rusticall works and businesse wee give our selves wholly to the worship of God Neither let him busie himselfe in hunting and enthrall himself in any devillish work in wandering about the fields and woods making a loud noise and laughter c. And in the same Sermon reprooving certaine disorders on the Lords day hee saith Then scil in the time of the publique worship of God without doores they tel tales or study to fight against others by slanders or to take great paines at dice or other unprofitable sports as if one period of the day was set apart to the service of God and the rest of the day and the night to their own pleasures The same father saith thus in one place They might better digge all the day then dance all the day And in another place It is better to plow then to dance upon the Sabbath they rest from a good worke rest not from a vaine and triffing work And S. Chrysostome speaking of the fitnesse of this day for workes of mercy saith It is a fit time to practise liberality with a ready and willing mind not only in this regard but also because it hath rest ceasing freedome and vacation from labours And in another place he saith Our reverend teachers and instructers our holy fathers have given us the 118. Psalme to sing the first day which is called the Lords day Leo the first commanded Sunday to bee kept holy And that all Christians should behave themselves godly and vertuously all the day long in preaching hearing and remembring the Word of God visiting the sicke and poore and comforting the comfortlesse Leo the third at a Counsell in Ments decreed that Sundaies should be kept holy with all reverence and that all men should abstaine those daies from all servile worke and worldy businesse and that there should be no faires markets or any buying or selling on the Sundaies I have read that in a Counsell at Nice order
remission of sinnes how and by whom wherein every sincere Christian may behold clearely the unparalel'd love of Christ Iesus freeing him by his owne painefull passion from the guilt and guerdon the due desert and dominion the power and punishment of his sinnes 5. Let it be upon the inheritance which is incorruptible undefiled not fading away reserved in the heavens c. And I think it wil be granted without contradiction that such like meditations make the godly soule to leape for joy 6. Let it be upon dismall death and mouldring mortality even this will comfort the heavenly minded soule loving the appearing of Christ longing after the same with the Bride in the Revelation certifying him that these miseries are but momentany and that this miserable mortality shal be swallowed up of glorious immortality 7. Let it be of the judgements of God denounced or inflicted upon others or upon himselfe even these contemplations want not matter of consolation to that soule which considereth Gods infinite love sending no greater he deserving the extreamest enabling him to make a good use of them and to beare them christianly This I suppose is a commodious and profitable necessary and warrantable Christian not Iewish resolution to abstaine from those worldly and wanton words workes and thoughts and to be wholly imployed and that delightfully in those holy and heavenly contemplations communications and actions And that I may stirre you up to put in practice this so laudable sweet and profitable resolution to those former reasons and motives I have intermingled in my former passages give me leave to adde these following reasonings and pious arguings 1. Is the Lords Day the queene of dayes yea the Lords market day for our soules wherein we are to buy Isa 55. 2. without money or mony worth the heavenly and celestiall bread water wine and milk of Gods sacred Word and saving graces the golden gifts and precious merits of Christ to inrich our faith Rev. 3. 18. The eye-salve of true wisdome and the Spirit of light to illuminate our spirituall blindnesse and the white raiment of Christs righteousnesse that we may be clothed and that the shame of our nakednesse do not appeare and shall we passe it away in wanton delights in fruitlesse and hurtfull discourses in distrustfull and distracting musings or in needlesse and dunghill actions And not rather spend this Day in buying such peerelesse traffique not onely in the publique assemblies but also before and after the same by Divine contemplations heavenly communications fervent and faithfull prayer and other such like pious Lords Dayes practices 2. Is this the Lords Day not mine his Holy Day no common or prophane one therefore to be sanctified therefore to be kept holy and shall we shew such intolerable ingratitude as to deny so small use of time to him that gives to us so much and so large use of time 3. Is it a matter of duty and not of curtesie of charge and not of choice of allegiance and not of liberty of necessity and not of indifferency not permitted but commanded to sanctifie the Lords Day and keepe it as holy as we can and shall not wee use our utmost endeavour to doe the same 4. Do those who conscionably sanctifie the Lords Day imitate the prime and purest examples walking in those paths which have beene traced out by David Nehemiah and such like ones by Iesus Christ such a Sonne such a Saviour by the Lord Iehovah who rested the seventh Day from his worke of creation although as easie to him as to speake and cause it to be created And shall we be drawne into unwarranted courses or omit necessary pious duties upon Gods Day because many who are great Schollers good Preachers great men the wealthiest in our parish and many honest men make no bones of worldly discoursings unneedful actions nor are very forward in those other substantiall duties Learning they may have wisdome greatnesse yea goodnesse yet may their example be erroneous no sufficient patterne for imitation in many things we offend all yea and good St. Paul would be followed no otherwise then he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be it they be wise or wealthy honourable or honest who give or take liberty yet sure we are we take the surest and safest course yea the most commodious and comfortable having Gods precept for our warrant and his example for our encouragement Powerfull they may be but he is omnipotent wise they may be but he is wisdome it selfe honest they may be he goodnesse it selfe 5. Since the Lords Day is a blessed Day so called either 1. Because it is instituted to Gods service 2. Or because the Lord gave it a singular priviledge to be a Day of rest and holinesse a Day of delight and heavenly feasting to the world 3. Or because the Lord doth blesse more effectually all such who conscionably keepe it holy on that Day then any other so that then they enjoy after an extraordinary manner this transcendently sweet and lovely fellowship with the Father We for our parts will alienate and estrange our soules tongues and bodies so farre forth as in us lieth from such workes such words and thoughts which withdraw the mind from God and endeavour to spend those little parcels of time which remaine to us exempt from the publique assemblies of the Saints and the doing of some few necessary actions in Divine contemplations Christian communications such pious and holy actions that so the Lord may suppe with us and we with him Rev. 3. 20. We feasting him with the fruit of our true repentance 2. With our faith beleeving and applying the Word and promises of God 3. By serving God faithfully giving up our soules and bodies holy and acceptable sacrifices to him he feasting us in his Word and Sacraments That so he may dwell in us and we in him and to conclude that we may obtaine if still we want communion with God or get if already we have a more perfect and full assurance of our fellowship with the Father CHAP. XIII The eight Meanes and Duty Chusing the things which please God What those things be Diverse chusers Which are best HAve we or desire we fellowship with the Father Shew 8. Meanes Duty it and seeke it by chusing the thing which pleaseth the Lord This chusing being both a marke and meanes of mans communion with the Father Isa 56. 4. Where and who is he that would not be a chuser might the choice tend to his reall and seeming contentment With what greedy graspings would some possesse mountaines of gold silver pearles and precious stones and worlds of wealth With what enraged bloudy and implacable cruelty would some bathe their hands and glad their hearts in the last groanings and effusion of the most warme and in most hearts bloud of their enemies How would some ingrosse kingdome after kingdome yea one world after another How would some plunge themselves into a bottomlesse Ocean of voluptuous delights
c. Cap. 5 pa 5. 60. faith relatively to the object Christ not for the act of it Faith justifieth not by the act believing but as the instrument in applying the object which is Christ as the hand is said to heale Ibid. pag. 80. onely by applying the medicine or to enrich by receiving a treasure or to feed by putting meate into the mouth as we say a child c. It is Christ that is the Authour and matter of our justification it is Christ who applyeth the same unto us as for faith it is but an instrument to apprehend and a hand to receive Christs benefits for ours Or as Paraeus briefly saith Faith justifieth instrumentally the blood of Christ meritoriously Feâ—es iustificat orgâ—â—cè sanguâ—â— Christi meritoriè Pataus in Rom 3. faith doth not apprehend these by power from it selfe but by vertue of the Lords covenant so that Christ and his merits are the believers not simply because he believes but because he believes upon precept and promise the Lord promising to impute the righteousnesse of his Sonne to us for our righteousnesse if we believe This faith layes hold upon Christs painefull sufferings sufficient for all the sinnes of all men and so freeth the believing sinner from the guilt and punishment of sin and from eternall damnation It layes hold upon the perfect obedience of Christ in fulfilling the Law hereby curing his owne actuall disobedience of the Law and applyeth the perfect holinesse of the humane nature of Christ whereby he is accepted as perfectly righteous of God and by this his originall corruption is healed 1. Are they happy whose sinnes are pardoned as indeed they are for when sinne is pardoned such debts and trespasses are forgiven which we could never pay nor any remit Qui solus mundus est mundare praevalet immunda Greg. Papa in Iob 14. 4. Nee homo nec Angelus Aug. Agricola non vitis efficlum Ad solam Triuitatem pertinet Idem Tom. 9 in Ioan. 15. pag. 444. save the omnipotent Iehovah Isa 43. 25. Nor any make satisfaction for and purge out except the Lord Iesus and that with his owne bloud 1 Ioh. 1. 7. When sinne is pardoned such spots and blemishes are forgiven which made us and our best actions loath some unto God Isa 1. 14. 15. And guilty of eternall damnation Rom. 6. 23. Is remission of sins such a favour that it hath for its efficient cause God only and his beloved Sonne Christ Iesus Isa 43. 25. Rom. 6. 25. Its moving cause the meere mercy truth and promise of God Eph. 1. 7. It s meritorious cause the death of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And its finall Gods glory Ier. 33. 8 9. And the sinners salvation then they must needs be happy whose sinnes are forgiven Psal 32. 1 2. Rom. 4. 7 8. 2. Are they happy who being sinners are notwithstanding accounted righteous by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed as they must needs be for by this righteousnesse of Christ we are made the righteousnesse of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. The whole obedience of Christ with the merit thereof eternall life is made ours as if we had done the one and deserved the other yea by this we have store of supplies for all our wants We are poore Christ is our riches we are naked Christ is our garments we are blind Christ is our eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. We are deformed Christ is our beauty Rev. 19. 8. 3. Are they happy who being enemies to God by reason of sinne are made friends to the Lord they being reconciled to God by Christ having their sinnes done away and themselves arayed with the perfect righteousnesse of Christ as they needs must for what greater misery then to be at enmity with the Lord And what greater felicity then to be in league with God Rom. 8. 31. For if God be for us who can be against us 4. Is peace with God a great favour as it is it costing the bloud of Christ to make it Col. 1. 20. It passing all understanding Phil. 4. 7. And being a fore-runner of that perfect rest and joy the Elect have in heaven 2 Pet. 3. 14. 5. Is it a great favour to be Gods adopted children as it is intruth the Lord hereby taking us into his owne family and accepting us as his owne children not because he wanted an heire he living and reigning for ever not for want of children for he had a naturall Sonne not because this Sonne was unfit to inherit he being as fit as his Father But of his meere grace and bounty we being by nature children of wrath disobedience and the Devill This being such a blessing that by vertue of this we are made Christs brethren heires Gal. 3. 18. Heires of God joynt-heires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Of Gods kingdome Iam. 2. 5. By vertue of this we are Lords over all creatures save Angels we have them to guard us and all things working for our good This is such a favour then which God could not have bestowed upon us a greater * Pluâ— est cum Paulus ait heredes nos esse coheredes Christs quam si mille mundos nedum coelum terram cum omnibiâ— bonu noâ— reipsa â—â— atâ—râ—um 〈…〉 siâ— osâ—sse 〈◊〉 in Rom. 8. 17. It is more when Paul saith we are heires and co-heires with Christ then if he had affirmed that we should indeed enjoy for ever a thousand worlds not onely heaven and earth with all good things therein If it was no small preferment for David to be sonne in law to Saul 1 Sam. 18. 23. Then what preferment is it to be the Lords adopted children * Quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conserra potest An non excellentior Majestaâ— est esse 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 silium potentissina Monarchae 〈◊〉 terra Hoâ— beneficio nihil 〈◊〉 est vel excellentius â—rentius in Isa 38 What may be compared to such dignitie Is it not a more excellent prerogative to be the Sonne of the God of heaven then sonne of the most potent Monarch upon earth There is nothing more high or surmounting this benefit This is such a favour that a reverend Divine saith thus of it * M. Greeneham Aphorismes As farre as the spirit is above the flesh God above men heaven above earth eternity above time so farre is the new creation above the old This is such a blessing that Saint Iohn cals all to admire what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3. 1. 6. Is hope of the glory of God an extraordinary benefit as it is for by this with patience we looke for the accomplishment of all good things By this we undergoe afflictions with a contented mind By this we being inwardly cheared and caused outwardly to confesse the same to the glory of God encouragement of the Saints amazement of wicked ones and strengthening of our selves to continue against all discouragements and
must if you desire this communion it being a meanes to obtaine fellowshippe with the Father Notwithstanding because there be many bad masters in this world which wooe and intice all allure and draw too many to forsake the Lord and to serve them I will in few words shew that of all the services in the world this of the Lords is farre the best 1. Man 's owne flesh is oft his master which he carefully doth serve 1. By too much pampering of it 2. By an over carking and caring for the things of the body And 3. By fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Saint Paul was of another mind he kept under his body and made it serve him 1 Cor. 9. 27. And forbids us to make provision for the flesh c. Rom. 13 14. As for this service it is no whit for a mans advantage Their end is destruction whose god is their belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. 2. Man serves man First having a more firme dependance upon man then God regarding more the authority of man then of God Thus Papists serve man with whom it matters not what God saith so be they have the Popes approbation and many other do so with whom the word of man is more authenticall then the Word of God Secondly reposing more confident affiance in the skill of man Asa-like 2. Chron. 16. 12. or power and valour Isa 31. 1. The contrary we see in David Psal 20. 7. Thirdly having mens persons in admiration Iude 16. Thus parasiticall Prophets like Ahabs 400. and soothing companions by flattering ostentation have men in admiration for their person riâ—hes honour nobility c. without respect of the feare of God or true vertue honouring them onely because they be rich or noble by the way great men have this miserie they are most admired least admonished Thus who in his right wits would serve man considering 1. How helplesse he is Isa 2. 22. Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills for wherein is he to be accounted of these Masters cannot redeeme a brother nor give a ransome to God for him Psal 49. 6. 7. 2. How execrable Isa 31. 1. Ier. 17. 5. 3. How base and contemptible it is for man so to submit to man made of the same materials workman manner and in that respect his equall turning to dust and rottennesse as well as he 3. Many men serve the world viz. the ambitious by his inordinate desire of honour and striving for preferment serves honour and an ambitious humour The Covetous by his love of riches and obeying the avaritious desires thereof serves Mammon the voluptuous person by being too much addicted to carnall delights serves pleasure These have a Master and a service But such which makes them much to be pittied not at all to be envied for alas First they serve vanity as Solomon concludes who had a greater experiment of them all then any other Eccl. 1. 2. the service of vanity must needs be vaine Secondly neither is it onely vaine but hardly tormenting Eccl. 1. 14. 2. 10. Vexation of spirit How doth this service abound with excruciating cares tormenting discontents ignoble jealousies disquieting feares base flatteries restlesse contrivements and an innumbred swarme of such like anxious perplexities Thirdly neither is here all this Master is a deceitfull cousener not much unlike Iacobs Master Laban giving a blearey'd Leah for a promised Rahel her best servitours often faile of their expectations or if not so they prove like Sodomes apples not worth the gathering or a wormeaten nut not worth the cracking filling the breakers mouth with filth and rottenesse Fourthly but there is a worse matter in this service then all this If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. and no man can sâ—rve both God and Mammon Matth. 6. 24. 4. There is another Master which too many men serve his name is sin Iohn 8. 34. whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin Whosoever of his own accord readily obeyeth the desires and motions of sinne is the servant of sinne Of such servants Saint Peter speakes 2. Pet. 2. 19. serving their lusts 1. Obeying the wicked motions thereof consenting to them or practising them Titus 3. 3. S. Paul forbids us of this service Rom. 6. 6. and acknowledgeth that once we were servants to this evill Master Rom. 6. 17. 19. 20. This is a service strongly bewitching men with amiable enchantments having abundance of obsequious observants But doe they know whom and what they serve I presume no for did they they could not but abandon with loathing detestation a Master 1. So base and vile then which nothing more fastidious or excrementitions 2. So abounding with such multiplicity of various impieties then which no service more tedious and troublesome wherein a man serves not two but a multitude of Masters serving sinne in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. 3. So cruell then which none more tyrannicall and bloudy paying its best observants with as bad wages as may be eternall death Rom. 6. 23. Iam. 1. 15. These are services but not like ours although worldlings now as in Iobs time say or thinke What is the Almighty that we should serve him and in Malachy 3. 17. it is in vaine to serve God Yet we know this service to be of all other 1. Most honourable For 1. Our Master is not some Kings greatest favourite nor yet some potent Prince nor yet a terrene Monarch swaying the Soveraigne Scepter for his time of the whole world But a Lord of Lords and King of Kings whose is the kingdome the power and glory then which no Master more honourable 2. Our fellow-servants are all the holy ones of God as Abraham and those pious Patriarches such as Moses and Eliah and those Divine Prophets such as David and those other godly Governours the heavenly company of glorious Angels Rev. 19. 10. Yea our blessed Saviour our fellow-servant Phil. 2. 7. Then which no fellow-servants more honourable 2. Most gainefull these servants gaine Christ Phil 3. 8. Pardon of sinnes Gods favour his blessed Spirit yea temporall favours if commodious for them shall moreover and above be added to them Mat. 6. 33. If they have not riches it is because they are not good for them If they want health Temporalia non sunt bona nisi in quantum ordinantur in coelestia it is because it is not good for them If their life is cut short they are taken away from the evill to come Yea moreover as this service gaines all things 1 Cor. 3. 21. c. And as a good friend loves at all times Prov. 17. 7. So this service brings in gaines at all seasons in sicknesse and health prosperity and adversity Rom. 8. 28. Yea in life and death Phil. 1. 22. Another man dies his gaines die with him Psal 49. 17. His treasure was laid up on earth therefore leaving this world
he parts with his treasure the servant of God dies his gaines follow him Rev. 14. 13. His treasure was laid up in heaven departing hence therefore he followes his treasure goes to his gaine Perhaps he forgoes a materiall building and layes downe an earthly tabernacle but he finds a building given of God not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. He leaves behind him some worldly substance but gets in heaven a better and enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. Peradventure he may part with some corruptible inheritance to take possession of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. Where he hath so much that he is ever satisfied and so much to come that he is never glutted where there is infinite abundance of all things and yet infinite more to come 3. Most delightfull David had an honourable service ascending from keeping sheepe to be sonne in law to a King Iacob a gainefull growing from alone man and a staffe into a populous family and certaine droves but neither had much delight in his service But as there is honour and profit in this service so there is plenitude of delight and consolation For 1. Our Master is no churlish Nabal to whom a man could not speake 1 Sam. 25. 17. No unkind Laban but a God most mercifull and pitifull gracious and favourable patient and long suffering He termes his servants friends Isa 41. 8. Yea sonnes Exod. 4. 23. He layes upon us no burdensome yoke but such which is easie and light Math. 11. 28. Not grievous 1 Ioh. 5. 3. But the rejoycing of our hearts Psal 119. 111. I need not go from my Point in hand to fetch this threefold cord which is not easily broken Those who truly serve the Lord have fellowship with the Father then which what more honourable gainfull or delightfull Good servants 1. obey their Masters precepts 2. Spend the chiefe of their time in their Masters businesse 3. Delight to please them 4. Have no intimate society with their Masters professed enemies 5. Cannot endure to see or heare them abused 6. And feare to offend them Be we such good servants 1. Obeying the will and Word of God 2. Spending the day of our time in his service walking Enoch-like with God Gen. 5. 24. 3. Ioy in pleasing our so good and gracious Master 4. Avoiding intimate familiarity with his enemies 5. Not enduring to heare or see him dishonoured 6. And fearing to offend him Thus let us serve him this serving being a duty we owe if we have or meanes to obtaine if we want fellowship with the Father OF THE SOCIETIE OF THE SAINTS the fourth Booke NOW I come to the fourth and last part of the true goodfellowship consisting betwixt the Head and members And with his Sonne Iesus Christ This part of the true goodfellowship is not the least although the last For by fellowship with Christ we have fellowship with the Saints and without Christ Iesus there is no fellowship for man with God I will now forbeare to speake of these three titles his Sonne Iesus Christ It only sufficeth for the present to tell you that Christ is Gods Sonne 1. By Nature According to his Divine nature he and he onely is the Sonne of God being begotten of the same substance of the Father by an everlasting generation Math. 17. 5. 2. By Grace of personall union the manhood of Christ being unseparably united to the person of the Sonne of God Luke 1. 35. The Saints are Gods Sonnes by Adoption Rom. 8. 17. Yea all professours without practice are Gods Sonnes although by profession onely Gen. 6. 1. The creatures may be termed Gods Sonnes commonly Saints are Gods Sonnes specially But Christ is Gods Sonne singularly CHAP. I. The Saints have fellowship with Christ Doct. 4 ALL true believers Saints or faithfull Christians have societie fellowship or communion with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God With his Son Iesus Christ Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4. I am the true vine ye are the branches 17. 23. 26. 21. I in them c. Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Reason 1 All those who are Christ his fellowes have fellowship with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God But all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are Christ his fellowes for Christ hath taken them into fellowship of himselfe and his merits Psal 45. 7. Therefore all true believers Saints c. Have fellowship with Iesus Christ the Sonne of God That they are Christ his fellowes I prove thus Those who are fellow-servants of the same Master brethren of the same father fellow-members of the same body c. are fellowes But all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are 1. Fellow-servants with Christ of the same Master Phil. 2. 7. 2. Fellow-brethren of the same Father Math. 12. 50. Heb. 2. 11. 3. Fellow-members of the same body Eph. 4. 13. 15. 16. 4. Fellow-souldiers against Sathan 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. 5. Fellow-sufferers Rom. 8. 17. 6. Fellow-Conquerours Rom. 8. 17. 7. Fellow-Kings Priests and Prophets Rev. 1. 5. 8. Fellow-heires of the same Kingdome Rom. 8. 17. Fellowes they are not by nature it is of grace not by desert it is of free gift or donation not by excellency or aequality it is onely by estimation 2. Those who are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and conjugall yoke have fellowship each with other But Christ Iesus and all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and conjugall yoke therefore have fellowship each with other The first Proposition is cleare I prove the second or minor thus Those who are bride and bridegroome husband and wife are linkt and conglutinated in the firmest connexion of the Matrimoniall knot and Conjugall yoke But Christ Iesus is the Bridegroome or Husband all true belieuers Saints c. are the bride Therefore Christ and Christians are linkt and conglutinated c. That Christ is the Husband to true believers I thus prove He who doth wooe contract himselfe unto consummate the match made with and performe all duties of a husband to all true believers Saints or faithfull Christians is their husband But Christ Iesus doth all these to all true believers As for example 1. He wooeth beseeching us by his Ministers 2 Cor. 5. 20. 2. He contracts himselfe unto the Church by a firme and free promise of mariage with his Church with the consent of his Father 3. He will consummate the mariage at the end of the world Rev. 19. 7. 4. He promiseth all duties of a husband to all true believers For instance Husbands ought entirely to love their wives Col. 3. 19. Eph. 5. 22. Love them they ought for they are good things Prov. 18. 22. For they are their companions Mal. 2. 14. And their owne flesh Eph. 5. 28. Christ Iesus loved