vnyoked and free though by Satan sorcery and all vnlawfull meanes but that is not Gods time of thy release but thy owne thou hast not staied but preuented the proper and due time of thy deliuerance And what is the issue of it surely thou hast escaped a beare but a lion meetes thee thou art leaped out of the panne but into the coales thy very breaking of prison hath made thy case more hopeles and desperate then euer it was before thy durance had beene farre lesse miserable then thy escape Standest thou in feare of any euill or hard measure from Satan or men moderate also hence that feare seeing there is an houre for the power of darkenesse to worke in and till that houre come an haire shall not fall from thine head Let the Iewes take vp neuer so many stones against Christ yet he shall escape out of their hands let them seeke to take him yet shall none dare to lay hands vpon him if his houre be not yet come Let Herod seeke to kill him he will not sticke to send that foxe word that he must worke so many dayes in despight of him to day and to morrowe that is now for the present and afterwards vntill his consummation Againe standest thou in neede of any present good whether any spirituall mercie or temporall fauour lift vp thy heart and hands vnto God in invocation but prescribe no time leaue that to him who alone knoweth the proper time of making his blessing seasonable and wholesome Thirty yeares after the promise notwithstanding many prayers in the meane time is the proper time when Isaac must be obtained The Cananitish woman was not heard till after three sore repulses Lazarus must not be raised by Christ till the fourth day no nor Christ himselfe till the third Thou must haue a time to sowe thy praiers and water them with teares of repentance and then in due season thou shalt reape if thou faintest not 2. Hence we haue a ground of strength in temptation Doe we see the daies wherein iniquitie aboundeth the wicked flourish the godly perish and eaten vp of the wicked as bread well waite a while God hath a due time to conuert so many of them as belong vnto him and to make of them of persecuting Sauls preaching Pauls or otherwise a set season to ouertake them as birds in an euill net Both the daies of the Lord are set the day of refreshing and the day of retribution The former is the day when Iosephs head shall be lifted vp the latter is that conuenient time of the Lord when he shall execute iudgement against the wicked ones of the world The same night which expired the 400. yeares the armies of the Lord were deliuered out of Egypt and Pharaoh and his armies drowned The same night that dated the 70. yeares appointed for the Iewes captiuitie was Baltazer slaine Dan. 5.30 compared with Ier. 25.12 The time is set how long the rod shall be in wicked hands or rather how long the Lord will hold the wicked as rods of his wrath in his owne hands but it shall not be long before he will throwe them into the fire Vse 3. We are taught further wisedome in entertaining the seasons which God hath allotted to euery purpose some of which he hath hid with himselfe and some he hath made knowne to vs I speake not of the former for it belongeth not to vs to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power such secret things belong not vnto vs as to inquire of the time and day of iudgement which the very Angels in heauen are ignorant of But things reuealed belong to vs and our children to enquire into and make our best benefit of Let vs therefore imitate the wisedome of God in performing all our duties in that proper time which the Lord hath made their due seasons especially seeing he hath so clearly manifested to vs our day of grace time of our visitation it is our dutie to betake our selues to seasonable conuersion and repentance the due time of which is the present time because God this day calleth and if to day we heare his voice let vs not harden our hearts There is a time when God is neere and may be sound and that is the fit time to seek him and then is he nearer and then must we seeke him when he seeketh vs by his gratious inuiting of vs to repentance There is a time when with the wise virgins we may enter into the wedding chamber and no sooner is it past but the doore is shut and all the foolish virgins excluded A time there is when the blessing may be obtained and a time when Esau shal not get the blessing although he seeke it with tears Now is the fit season for all these duties Now learne to know God in Christ or neuer now become a beleeuer or eueâ— an Infidel Enter fellowship with God now or neuer partake with him hereafter Loue the communion of Saints here or neuer shalt thou enioy it hereafter begin to liue eternall life here or thou shalt neuer see life hereafter but abide in death Men are wise inough in outward things to strike while the iron is hote to watch their best windes which blow them profit to foreslow no time in striking vp gainfull bargaines but here as though the wisdome of men were not in them are without all prouidence and haue cast care away and yet how hath the Lord a long time manured vs that like good trees of righteousnesse we should be laden with fruits of righteousnesse and repentance in our due seasons yea how hath his pruning knife of correction followed vs for the same purpose hath not he taken many from the meanes and doth he not many waies threaten to take away the meanes from those that are left doth not the time of his mercie seeme to be dated and full expired vpon vs in that though he hath most fearefully smitten vs with durable and lasting iudgements yet he cannot satisfie his iustice but his arme is stretched out still and seeing that as his hand is against vs our hands are still against him may it not be thought that the period of his vengeance is vpon vs and that the vision of wrath and burden of England cannot long be deferred It is high time then to meete the Lord if after such prouocations yet his wrath may be turned away Wisedome yet crieth in our streetes Gods word in the mouthes of his messengers his workes of mercie and iudgement which runne into our owne eyes all of them call vs to be wise hearted to know the season of our fruitfulnesse Let vs presently answer the Lords present call Say not with thy selfe when I haue dispatched this or that businesse or purchased this or that pleasure or profit or haue ouergrowne such a trouble and distraction as though repentance stood in the change of the outward estate and
the God of heauen For either Satan by his suggestion or his instruments or which is more to be feared we shall heare the whisperings and mutterings of our owne flesh saying Where is the God in whom ye trusted let not thy God deceiue thee any longer and with Iehoram Is not this euill from the Lord and shall I waite on him any longer to all which let vs be bold to answer with the Apostle I know whom I haue beleeued euen him whose bare word is aboue all bonds who neuer promised more then he was able to performe and neuer performed lesse then he promised faithfull is he that hath promised and no vnfaithfulnes of man can make him vnfaithfull The like truth and steadfastnesse carie all his denunciations and threats for neither when his messengers threaten wrath against the impenitent shall that be found a lying word but the sentence of the Iudge which cannot faile of execution True it is that the Lyon hath often roared but the beasts of the feild haue not trembled The Lord hath vttered his terrible voice against the vnrighteousnesse of men but his threatnings haue met with mockers who say euery vision is deferred and where is the promise of his comming with swarmes of Atheists who say there is no God but denie heauen hell and immortalitie of the soule in the meane time making leagues and couenants with hell and death with beastly Epicures who liue vnmooueably from their carnall delights and sensuall pleasures with heauie and dead hearted professours with whome they haue beene but as a blast all which sorts of men promise to themselues life although the Lord hath said of them they shall die and is not this to charge God expressely with a lie and as much as to say that he is not God But these shall know that the words the Lord hath spoken shall be done Ezek. 12.28 And as the Lord letteth his children see for the present that it is not in vaine to worship him so he letteth his enemies often feele euen before their death that all his words fall not to the ground when he meeteth them at euery corner with sundrie plagues and iudgements in their soules bodies estate name or freinds all which are the accomplishment of his word which shall not passe away when heauen and earth shall be dissolued Vse 2. Seeing God cannot lie let euery one of vs labour to expresse this vertue of God first and especially the minister in his place seeing he speaketh from God nay God speaketh by him he must therefore deliuer true sayings worthie of all men to be receiued that he may be able to say in his owne heart that which Paul spake of himselfe I speake the truth in Christ I lie not and iustifie that of his doctrine which Paul did of his writings the things which now I write vnto you behold I witnes before God that I lie not Now then is a minister a liar when he either speaketh false things as euery where the false Prophets are charged an example whereof we may see in Hananiah the sonne of Azur and Abab the sonne of Roliah and Zedekiah the sonne of Maaseiah who are said to prophesie lies in the name of the Lord in that when the Lords Prophets were commanded to carrie yokes about their neckes these would breake them and so caused the people to trust in a lie or else true things falsely misapplying that truth which they could not but vtter for this was euer the note of a false Prophet to make their hearts sad who should haue beene cheared and to speak peace to them against whom the Lord had proclaimed open warre so falsifying the word of the great God which iniurie no earthly King would suffer vnreuenged If a king should signe and send out his letters of death and execution against some archtraytor and the officer betrusted with them should serue them vpon some faithfull counseller who is neare and deare to his Prince so as the innocent and well-deseruing shal be put to death and the traytor suffered to liue in honour should not the life of this man so betrusted goe for the life of the other In like sort doth be who in Gods place whetteth his tongue against the righteous of the land and disgraceth the most forward in the wayes of God let him discourse against them in Scripture phrase and speak things in themselues neuer so true yet is he a lowde liar in the false applying of them and wresting them against them vpon whom the eyes of the Lord are for good and with liars shall be kept without the gates of the â—oly citie and that most iustly in that he hath not lied of men but of God himselfe whom so farre as his malice could extend he hath endeauoured to drawe into his sinne in making him a liar also like vnto himselfe 2. Euery priuate man must take vp that exhortation to cast off lying and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour and that because it is a peece and sparkle of Gods image and a part of the newe man which is to be put on Which reason the Apostle vrgeth sundrie times in the epistles And indeede no man can more liuely resemble the image of his heauenly father then by the practise of truth in which one word is included that whole image of God which standeth in righteousnesse and holines as Ioh. 8.44 the angels stood not in the truth As on the contrarie no man can more liuely resemble the deuil then by lying for he is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lies True it is there be many defences made for sundrie sorts of lies which we shall haue better occasion to scan in the processe of this Epistle but let all such as would haue themselues marked with the stampe of Gods children knowe that they onely can haue assurance of the pardon of sinnes in whose spirit is no guile and those onely shall rest in the holy mountaine that speake the truth from their hearts and they alone shall stand with the lambe on mount Sion and sing the newe song before the throne who haue no guile found in their monthes Doctr. 3. The last generall obseruation out of the former words teacheth what an infinite and free loue the Lord embraceth his elect withall in that be decreeth from euerlasting whatsoeuer he doth for them in the due season of it Hence it is that not onely in this place but thorough the Scriptures we may read that all the stayres whereby we climbe to heauen were laid by God before the world began If we looke at Gods predestination and election the names are written in the book of life from euerlasting Iacob was loued not onely before he had done good but before he was to doe it If to the ende which is the kingdome that is prepared from the foundations of the world If to the meanes which is Christ he is the
Neither of these two were simply lawfull nor by the law approoued to be done but after it was done the Lord prouideth a law to auoid the greatest confusion by tolerating and not dissoluing it neither is the law vnrighteous herein seeing it neither approoueth it nor simply permitteth the fact but supposing such a disorder may be done sheweth what is best in such a confusion so the Lord tolerated the bill of diuorce but neuer as agreeable to his will but as obseruing a wise rule of lawgiuers that in publike corruptions speciall euills are then to be tolerated when they cannot be cured without a more grieuous publike euill If it be here said that the wisedome and power of God might haue amended or cut off such disorders if he had so conceiued of them I answer it is a vaine allegation of men not considering that the Lord then susteined the person of a lawgiuer to a people whom he chose aboue all the nations of the earth and not of a Iudge Obiect Deut. 25.5 The law was that a brother dying without issue the next brother who perhaps was married must marrie his brothers wife Ans. We shall not neede to answer with some of the learned that the widow was not to become the wife of the brother suruiuing but that he was to goe in to her and doe the dutie of a husband in raising seede to his brother but that it was a speciall commandement for those times for certaine persons and causes For it was not so generall as some may take it seeing 1. it must be meant of brethren dwelling together that is such as had not planted themselues in some other familie 2. and not if any brother should die but if the eldest or first borne whose name and family must be preserued and reared both in type and signification of the prerogatiue of Christ the first borne of many brethren as also for the preservation of inheritances to families and by families the politie and ordinances of God amongst his people Now these speciall considerations cut off all pleas for polygamie and the rather seeing Christ hath since put an end to all ceremonies and shadows and called vs vnto his first institution Vse 1. In that this practise was euer condemned in the word and yet come to such an height euen in Gods deare seruants that scarse they reteined any sence of the sinne learne to breake off euery sinne in the beginning a crooked custome quickly groweth to a rule the instance sheweth that not only beleeuers of old but euen Ministers who should haue hindred the sinne in others were themselues intangled in it There are two great mischeifs in the admission of sinne the first is the treasuring vp of Gods wrath against the soule of the sinner who while he hatcheth sinne the Lord hatcheth iudgement the second is the sencelesnes of sinne through the repetition or custome of it for the heart is by little and little stolen away and the sinner becommeth like Ephraim as a doue without heart that is without vnderstanding of the sence and danger of sinne through too neere acquaintance with it he that liueth in a mill we say hardly discerneth of sounds and he that hath beene in a noysome place is stuffed euen so many a one we see who a while will straine curtesie with some sinne as drunkennes swearing riot wantonnes gaming but after the second or third greeting grow so familiar as they seeme in their eies to be vertues at the least necessarie vices Thus by Gods iudgement the heart is hardned and sinne riseth to his regiment men are of too good nature too soft and gentle in the case of this acquaintance and too loth to offer it the least discourtesie which is a maine cause why the Prince of the aire the patron of it worketh so mightily in the sonnes of disobedience Let vs therefore apply our hearts to learne the Apostles exhortation Let no roote of bitternes spring vp to trouble you Let vs beware of rooted sinnes shut the doore of the heart that Satan may finde no entrance whose manner is where he finds the least welcome to bring in seauen spirits worse then himselfe and if he can sow a seed if it be no bigger then a graine of mustard seed he hopeth the next haruest for a great tree of it sinne seemeth verie reasonable in the beginning and the tempter saith is it not a small one But if the Lords Samsons suffer themselues to be bound with small cords at the first which they may thinke to breake from at their pleasure the enemie will ere they be aware bring on them the two new ropes which will hold them fast inough till they be made a pray for the spoyler Vse 2. Neuer let examples of men preiudice the truth of God If we see a good man fall we are readie to thinke that vice no longer a sinne espcially if we see not the sinne required vpon the commission We see Abraham himselfe led into a sinne and ouercome 1. by common custome 2. by the motion of Sarah enticing him through infidelitie to take Hagar so in other Patriarkes we see how readie the children were to take the colour die of their parents And therfore from hence let the blinded Papist say their fathers worshipped in the mount with the Samaritans or before such and such altars and images and so will they also Let the profane swine of the world say Noah was drunke Sarah lyed Iacob had many wiues and why may not we and so thinke they haue a sufficient couer As for all the Israel of God they walke by another rule then that of the world the guise of which is to lie in wickednesse and giueth none but crooked directions nor by the naked examples of the best men who haue their wandrings but that of the word which is as the cloud and pillar to guide them in all their iourneys Quest. But how shall we profitably behold the examples of the Saints Ans. By obseruing two rules 1. If we make their falls and infirmities a glasse to behold the same in our selues either for the present or else suspect them in our selues for time to come 2. If with iudgement we waigh examples by the word I say not number them but waigh them in the ballance of the sanctuarie and trie them by the touchstone of the Temple It is verie liable to exception to say others that are learneder wiser greater grauer doe so and so and teach thus and thus but what if the author be blinded as euerie man may become a lyar or what if he will not speake the truth because he will not be a meddler or beare the times displeasure this is such an argument as whereby Christ himselfe should haue beene denyed for did any of the rulers beleeue in him Salomon saith that he that beleeueth hastily is light in his heart and the reason why examples ouercarrie
himselfe with sackcloath all his life fast fortie daies if he can or rather neuer eate meate neuer touch mony neuer marrie wife he shall neuer find the kingdome of God in these beeing things which God neuer required at his hands and yet these precepts of mans braine are the rules of all his religion But yet here is a goodly shew of wisedome what is it not profitable to abstaine from flesh euery fryday and all lent that by the one the flesh may be tamed and by the other our Lords sufferings remembred and must not the Minister who is to deliuer the blessed bodie of the Lord be vnlike other men yea farre more holy then they and therefore must not he liue single at home and be seene in hallowed garments abroad But where is the word of the Lord to free these from beeing fables The Lord looketh not to what we are bent or can pretend for our owne deuises but requireth that his will should be our rule Oh that we could acknowledge the truth in accounting our deliuerance from this Popish Egypt and Romish blindnes the next blessing of God to the gift of his Sonne seeing in the body of their religion there can be no soundnes of faith if any faith at all the best of it beeing a disease and rotennes if we may not more truly say it hath a name to liue but indeed is starke dead Doctr. 2. It is a grieuous sinne and iudgement to be turned away from the truth and yet this is the fearefull fruit of humane deuises For the Apostle would here note a iudgement of God vpon such persons as were addicted vnto fables and humane precepts the which iudgement is a wofull and heauie stroake of Gods wrath whether a man estrange himselfe from it before or after he haue receiued it much more For what a plague is it for a man to hate the truth and in it God the author of it who is truth it selfe the light of comfort and direction of it as also the happie fruit of it which is saluation seeing all they are damned that rereceiue not the loue of the truth whereby they might be saued What a wofull delusion were it that a condemned person for high treason going to execution should refuse a pardon offered nay be so farre from accepting it as that he abhorres to heare of it will not turne his eies to behold it yea treadeth it vnder his feete and yet such a spirituall frenzie possesseth all such as turne away from the word of truth and when God calleth them runne another away For seeing if the Sonne set vs not free Ioh. 8.32 we remaine in bondage vnder sinne and damnation and are euery day drawing to execution in the meane time as condemned persons beeing reserued in bolts and chaines till the time of execution Now in these bands of death the Prince of peace our Lord Iesus offreth a gratious pardon the partie offended seeketh to the delinquent entreateth and wooeth him to accept of a pardon procured by his own blood and sealed by his death Now wretched men cannot abide neither the message nor the messengers but in contempt tread vnder their feet that blood wherewith they should be sanctified and scorne the Princes clemency shall not the very consciences of these men in the Lords iudgement accuse themselues as worthy of ten thousand deaths yes surely and shall iustifie the Lords righteousnes when he shall bring vpon them that great condemnation of a great part of the world who the light being come and shining on their faces yet loued darknes rather then light But much more miserable is it after the embracing and knowledge of the truth to turne away from it a great witcherie it is to beginne in the spirit and end in the flesh an vnworthy man is he of Gods kingdome that setting his hand to the plow looketh backe after washing to returne to the filthines of the world and to waxe weary of weldoing is farre worse then neuer to haue known to do well this is properly called a reuolt when men depart from the gratious calling of Christ the relaps we say is farre more dangerous then the first disease and the end of the Apostate is farre worse then his beginning the deuil that hath bin once cast out and entertained againe bringeth seauen spirits worse then himselfe so as better were it for a man neuer to haue knowne the way of truth then after the knowledge of it to depart from the holy commandement Vse If men were perswaded of the greatnes of this sinne it could not be they could be so indifferent in such a maine matter so nearely concerning their finall and euerlasting estate of whom many receiue not the truth at all others turne away and fall from their first loue after they haue once receiued it Did euer the world abound as at this day with Worldlings Libertines Atheists Newters and Epicures and was yet the truth euer more glorious and shining then at this day Was there euer such coldnes loosenes deadnes heauines drowsines and earthlines in professors and if that added to the equitie of Pauls reproofe of the Galatians reuolt that Christ was described plainely and crucified before their eyes Gal. 3.1 may it not much more gall vs among whom notwithstanding the cleare euidence and brightnes of the truth it is yet refused of the most and slenderly entertained of the best The which what argueth it either in one or other but that the former would herein hold their wonte which hath beene generally to change and turne their religion with the times as though the truth to saluation were not the same but variable and alterable as the times are and that the latter haue in no small measure turned themselues from that truth in the which they haue formerly found much more sweetnes then now they do that delusion hath possessed both the one in whole the other in great part Obiect But it is not thus with vs we come to heare the truth and loue it and hope to hold it vnto the end Ans. Yet this detracteth not from that truth laid downe For 1. how many will not grant the Gospel their presence their bodies their eares no man will gainsay but that these are turned away or if any should the pitifull ignorance and the fruits of it would conuince it 2. How many be there which heare and yet in their iudgements intertaine not the truth and these are thus farre worse then the Iewes themselues who could acknowledge that Christ taught the way of God truly Men will not beleeue that the way to heauen is so straite as we out of the word of God describe it nor that God is so rigorously iust as to cast away those that meane well nor so straite laced as to exact the forfeyt of euery offence neither that can be the truth to saluation which so few embrace and so many contemne what doe none know or go the way to
rules 1. So to exhort as that the consciences of men may conclude that euen there where he perswadeth and entreateth he hath power to command and terrifie though in his loue he lay downe that power for the present 2. That he doe not there exercise lenitie where the case requireth seueritie nor mildnesse when the case requireth the worke of seruent zeale As first where sinne waxeth bold the Minister must put on boldnesse If a calfe stand before Moses it is a case wherein the mildest man vpon the earth must forget his meekenesse and cloath himselfe with zeale for the glorie of God Sometimes the Minister is to deliuer the word as it were in a soft and still voice and sometimes he must change his coppie and lift vp his voice like a trumpet to shewe Iudah his sinne and the people of God their transgression Secondly when admonition and exhortation will not serue to cut off sinne but there is rather a reioycing in it Here Paul himselfe will put on his authoritie 1. Cor. 5.2 13. put away from you that wicked man Thirdly when the ministerie is or is like to be drawne into contempt then especially must it put on power and authoritie This was the practise of the Apostles who were forced often partly by the low estimation of the simple and ignorant who esteemed of the preaching of the Gospel but as foolishnes and partly by the malitious oppositions of the false Apostles who depraued their ministerie as weake and vnlearned to be long in the challenging of their calling power and authoritie see 2. Cor. 10.2.8 c. Vse 1. Ministers must labour wisely to discerne betweene persons and actions as Ioseph did betweene the persons and causes of Pharaohs butler and baker and speake differently to the tractable and stubborne children and seruants must not be dealt with alike Christ spake not to the Priests and people alike nor Iohn Baptist to the Iewes and Scribes alike nor Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians alike but Gods mouth must separate the pretious from the vile Compassion must be had vpon some but not all others must with feare be pulled out of the fire neither may the Publican and Pharisie looke for the same sentence and iudgement 2. Whereas men cannot endure preachers who leaue exhortation to thunder out damnation let them know that if their sinnes be growne bold as an harlot and the word of meeknes cannot preuaile against them we must then come with a rodde and not the spirit of meeknes otherwise as Christ was most meek in his life and doctrine so should his Ministers be also The third point in the verse is the vertue commended to the practise of young men and that is the grace of sobrieeie which moderateth the minde in the lusts and affections in generall and is not to be restrained to that outward sobrietie which is opposed to intemperance in meat and drinke for it is taken for graunted that intemperance must be nipt in the head and broken in the shell before it be hatched and outwardly produced into the life This appeareth 2. Tim. 2.22 where Paul in other words prescribeth the same dutie vnto Timothie flie the lusts of youth not meaning thereby such vncleannes and lasciuious filthinesse wherewith gracelesse young men were carried away for Timothie was now of such grauitie as befitted an Euangelist but he would preuent in him all that violent course and carriage of affections vnto which that hotter age is more propense not fearing that Timothie would breake out into filthy vncleannes of lusts so much as least his youth should carrie him to rashnesse pride selfe conceit and so cause him to fall through too much confidence Now how fitly is this precept directed to young men the sinne of whome is the strength of lusts Salomon himselfe ascribeth this to their age to carrie much indignation wrath griefe in the heart and much euill in their flesh that is many noysome and troublesome lusts wherewith through their heate they are assayled Of their presumption and ouerweening themselues wee haue instance in the young man All these haue I kept from my youth Of their want of consideration and experience in another young man who heedlessely went on to destruction as an oxe to the slaughter or a foole to the stocks euen so went he Of their rage and heat with vnadvised rashnes in Rehoboams yonger counsellers stirring vp their master to needles terrors and threats Of their prodigalitie and vncleannes in the younger brother called the prodigall sonne who spent all vpon harlots all which things are not spoken to free other ages from such inordinate lusts for naturall corruption is not idle in any age but incessantly is hatching euill motions and actions but of all ages youth is most fertill and abounding as the fattest grounds with weedes with all wicked inclinations vicious and raging affections and there is no vice vnder the sunne vnto which it is not after a speciall sort subiect that it is a singular fauour of God for a youth so innocently to passe ouer his younger yeares as that some notable blot or inconuenience cleaue not to him which perhaps long after craues his seruice or addeth vnto his sorrowes But if these be not reasons weightie enough to drawe young men to this grace of sobrietie we might adde many moe As 1. to satiate ones selfe with his owne wayes argueth an heart declined from God Prou. 14.14 2. The Lord himselfe mocketh vnbridled youth Eccles. 11. which is a most seuere iudgement for God neuer laugheth at vs but we haue cause to weepe that which men laugh at as a tricke or touch of youth or some light slippe the Lord laugheth at because it is to be brought to a more righteous iudgment and consistorie 3. What a fearfull sinne and iudgement it is to be giuen vp to a mans owne hearts lusts seâ— Rom. 1.26 and Ier. 9.14.15 4. The commandement of God Eccles 11. Put away anger c. Oh but we shall depriue our selues of the pleasure of our liues but the wise man hath an answer readie that youth and morning is but vanitie that is soone gone and without great heed lost irrecouerably Now the meanes to attaine this vertue First beginne at the heart be sober minded get an humble heart which will frame to an humble carriage in behauiour speech apparell for the smalnesse of a man in his own eyes crosseth those ouerweenings and ouerdeemings of youth whereby they thinke they knowe more can doe more and better then the auncient it will make them suspect all their counsells which if Rhehobams young men had done they had preuented that great rent of the kingdom at that time it will make them sit silent before the elder and suffer themselues to be lead by their experience Secondly consider that these inward lusts are great sinnes though they neuer breake out into externall actions which naturall men see not so to be and therefore
duties according to the Lords direction else had the former labour beene lost in like sort in vaine had the publishing of the Gospel beene although by the Apostles thēselues had they not established such ordinances euerie where as serued for the strengthening and proceeding of it of which the setling of the ministerie and appointing Pastors ouer people is the principall Reas. 1. How necessarie was it for the whole administration of God among his people to haue a set place of abode that they might aske counsell at his mouth offer sacrifices Ilasticall and Eucharisticall put vp their prayers vnto him and receiue from him instruction and speciall direction and hence was it that the Lord sometimes setled himselfe at Siloh and sometimes his dwelling was in Sion and no lesse nay far more full comfort may we receiue in our assemblies and Bethels where the Lord as the sunne by his Ministers as by so many cleare lights not onely dispelleth darkenesse and errors in mind and manners but directeth vs in all our waies we haue to walk answereth vs in all our doubts in all our petitions raiseth vs in our falls supporteth vs in our weakenesse and prouoketh vs to cheerefulnesse in all the pathes that are good in his sight 2. Our weakenesse is such that notwithstanding all the benefit of standing ministeries we are euer recoyling and falling backeward more and more our bodies are not more prone to pine away for defect of daily foode then our soules if by the meanes of the heauenly Manna they be not daily repaired no eie seeth not the neede of daily directions to guide vs to daily duties and those which must be often done we must often be put in mind of 3. Experience sheweth that in such places where such ministeries be not setled we neede not seeke for adulterers swearers drunkards theeues and lyars such soyles are fruitfull of such imps that a man would thinke the old Sodomites were returned from hell yea the malitious man slacketh not to sowe these too thicke in such fields as good seede is cast into continually 4. The ordinance it selfe speaketh for it owne necessitie beeing the meanes wherby those who by it are brought to the faith are also preserued in it the milke whereby babes begotten grow to strong meate and are led from their infancie to their full age in Christ. For we may not alwaies be babes and weaklings but there is a perfection of Christianity which hereby we must be led vnto Heb. 6.1 not that any perfection of knowledge or holines can be attained of vs as Anabaptists foolishly dreame but partly in respect of that further degree which we ought euer to contend vnto for in the schoole of Christ we may waxe olde daily learning and the greatest scholler shall yet be farre from perfection and partly comparatiuely men of grace and knowledge may be called perfect and haue attained a further degree of perfection then such as are rude and ignorant subiect to be carried about with euery winde and are not yet gotten out of the elements of religion a man is said to be of perfect wisedome strength and other gifts of bodie and minde in comparison of a child or one not come to mans estate a Master of Arts may be called a perfect scholler in respect of a schooleboy and to this perfection of Christianitie are we led by meanes of this ordinance Vse To reprehend such as conceit themselues that when they haue gotten a smattring of knowledge they must needs haue faith also and afterward need no Ministerie nor sermons but marke where the life of God is it will make the soule craue the daily bread as the naturall life doth the bodie neither seeth that man any thing of God and the mysteries of his kingdome as he ought that presumeth of his knowledge so farre as that when he hath begunne to build and laid a foundation like the foole giueth ouer and neuer commeth to laie the roofe Perfection of true knowledge is the sight and sence of imperfection and religion in the heart espieth daily wants and decaies in the soule and repaireth to the ordinarie Ministeries for the daily repairing of them Which ordinances whosoeuer cōtemptuously forsake great schollers they may be but they were neuer good men Vse 2. Let vs reioyce that the Lord hath so liberally supplyed vs in this necessitie and testifie our thankefulnesse in diligence and subiection vnder the setled ministerie that our iudgements wills and affections may be setled in the truth for to the obseruer it will appeare that such for most part are wauering and variable who content themselues with a variable ministerie now hearing one now another now here now there without fixing themselues to some one As for such as vnder a setled ministerie come and goe at their pleasure now they heare one Sermon then another slipping in and out as they list to them I say litle is their conscience great is their sinne and manifest is their ficklenesse and inconstancie in their religion 3. Hence is a ground of petition that God would place Pastors in euerie congregation that his kingdome might come euerie where that euerie candlesticke might carie a burning and a shining light seeing we see here that it is Gods ordinance that so it should be And the greater the haruest is the more ought we to apply the Lord of it that he would thrust forth labourers into his haruest remoouing whatsoeuer impediments he seeth to hinder such a blessed and glorious worke As I appointed thee After that the Apostle had declared Titus his place and dutie he commeth to the second point namely his direction therein not giuing him leaue to adde any thing of his owne invention or alter any thing which Paul himselfe had done but bindeth his hands from doing or vndoing any thing in his whole administration but as Paul had commanded and appointed him the tenour of his commission reacheth no further Whence we may learne that Doctr. The ordering and gouerning of the Church is not left arbitrarie no not to an Euangelist but Apostolicall direction must goe before and guid him The Church is the house of God and must not be ruled by mans inventions but by the direction of the great housekeeper and seeing the father hath committed all the gouernement of it to his Sonne who hath purchased it with his blood the charge and burden of it now lieth vpon his shoulders and his prerogatiue it is to giue laws and orders and by his voice to rule the house of Iacob The whole Tabernacle to the verie pinnes must be framed according to the patterne and yet that was a mooueable in comparison of our most stable administration which shall continue to the ende of he world and the Lord in describing the parts thereof seuerally still remitteth them to the commandement to the patterne and forme shewed in the mount See Exod. 25.9.26.30 cap. 27.8 c. twise repeated in so
committed his flocke vnto him â—o let him resolue and say to the Lord as Iacob to Laban I will feede and keepe thy sheep In like manner let euery congregation to whom the Lord hath giuen a pastor according to his owne heart testifie their thankfulnes herein in beeing contented to haue their waies looked into and spoken of as well conceiuing the miserable estate of sheepe without shepheards not saying to the Seer see not least that plague befall theÌ„ pronounced against the men of Anathâ—th praying also that the kingdome of God may come euery where and his lightsome countenance shine on them that want such meanes seeing their estate is such as hath great need of watchmen Secondly from the force of the argument namely that he that is to be a Bishop ouer others must of necessitie watch ouer himselfe and his owne in priuate note a generall rule to be obserued in all elections and furnishing of any place and office namely that due respect must be had what gifts the office requireth and those must be principally regarded in that person that is to be placed in it as for example if the place require the tongue of the learned seeke out for learned men if wisedome seeke out wise men if grauitie sobrietie conscience and diligence seeke out for graue sober conscionable and diligent men and thus the Lord dealeth whensoeuer he placeth any man If he haue a curious sanctuarie to build he seeketh out some Bâ—zaleel some Aholiab or other filled with excellent spirits of wisedome and vnderstanding and knowledge to worke in curious works of gold siluer c. If he set Salomon to build a glorious temple to himselfe he directeth him to send to Hieram for a cunning man a wise man and of vnderstanding If he be to bring his people out of Egypt he furnisheth a Moses and an Aaron If to take the land by fighting he fitteth some valiant captaine as Ioshua if to bring them out of captiuities he raiseth some Darius or Zerubbabel or Nehemiah euen suiting persons vnto places yea the Sonne of God beeing to gather his Church among the nations and to plant his owne ordinances to bring men out of their nusled idolatry and Gentilisme to serue the true God if he had not aforehand considered the difficultie of the work and accordingly furnished such as he dismissed for this purpose how had it like euer to haue beene effected Vse The cause of all corruptions in elections and designements to offices and places lyeth here that men looke not to the qualitie of the place first but beginning where God ends first at the man either because he is a proper man for parts and gifts of bodie and minde or by such and such commended or furnished to performe such expectations and contracts or an auntient or a kinsman c. this marres all and often setteth fooles on horsebacke when wise men walke on foote by them Let everie man whom it concerneth learne wisedome of God and his spirit here which first inquireth into the place and so in passing their suffrages in elections thus reason oh this is a difficult matter where haue we a fit man for it if to choose a Magistrate this requires one able to execute the Lords iudgements where haue we a man of courage fearing God and hating couetousnesse If a fellowe of a colledge this requireth learning iudgement and one able at least to bring vp youth in knowledge and godlinesse where shall we finde such an one but if a minister oh this requires one able to build vp the bodie of Christ and who is sufficient for this thing The reasons hereof are 1. the externall election of the Church ought to follow the internall of the spirit see 1. Sam. 10.24 2. it euer argueth corruption to preferre priuate respects before the publike good 3. the ends of euerie calling are 1. and principall Gods glorie 2. neerer and inferiour 1. the helping of the communion of Saints 2. building of the Church which he who is likely most to preferre is principally to be preferred As Gods steward Here are likewise to be considered two things 1. the signification of the word 2. the force of the argument First the word implyeth thus much that God is a great housholder Matth. 21.33 that his house is his Church where he as a great personage keepeth his residence more stately and honourable then the court or standing house of any earthly king in the world in that herein he pleaseth to manifest his presence by his spirit working in the word and ministerie and as it is with other great houses so the spirit of God speaketh of this as committed not to one but many stewards who take the charge of it to order and gouerne it according to the minde of the Master and vnto his greatest honour and aduantage And these stewards are the ministers so called 1. because as the steward in an house is to dispence all necessaries vnto the whole familie according to the allowance and liking of his Lord euen so the Minister receiueth from God power to administer according to the necessities of the Church all the things of God as word Sacraments prayer admonition c. 2. As the steward receiueth the keies of the house to open and shut to lock and vnlock to admit or exclude out of the house for so is it said of Eliacim Isa. 22.22 euen so euery Minister receiueth the keies of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut heauen to bind and loose to remit and retaine sinnes as Matth. 16.19 3. As the steward sitteth not in his owne as an owner or freeholder but is to be counteable and to giue vp his bills monethly or quarterly when the master shall call for them so euery Minister is to be counteable of his talents receiued and of his expenses and how he hath dispensed his masters goods Heb. 13.17 They watch for your soules as they which must giue accounts Doct. From which similitude we may learne that it is the dutie of euery Minister to see that he haue both the calling and also the properties beseeming him who is the steward of God And for his calling he must be Gods steward the Lord must set him in this place of seruice so neere him or else he is but a theife and intruder of whom it cannot be said that the Lord hath made him ruler ouer his house The properties of Gods steward are principally two 1. Wisedome 2. Faithfulnes So we finde them in the place alleadged who is a wise and faithfull seruant whom the Lord may make ruler ouer his house And first of the faithfulnes of this steward as the cheife Doctor of his Church hath gone before in example who was first appointed and then faithfull vnto him that appointed him Heb. 3.2 so is it required of euery Minister of Christ and disposer of the secrets of God that he be found faithfull Now this
lusts of it 3. After the inward disposition vse outward helpes as 1. auoide occasions as chiding contentions multiplying of words which though they be winde yet doe they mightily blow vp this fire 2. depart from the companie of the contentious as Iacob from Esau and Ionathan avoided the furie of his father by rising vp and going his way 3. driue away with an angrie countenance whisperers tale-bearers flatterers who are Satans seedesmen by whom he soweth his tares euery where and his bellowes by whom he bloweth vp these hellish sparkles desirous to bring all things into combustion and confusion 4. Pray for strength and grace against it especially for the contrarie vertues of humilitie meekenesse loue and a quiet spirit which is of God much set by and hauing obtained strength and victorie against the assaults of it forget not to be thankefull but breake out into the praises of God as Dauid when he was turned backe from his rash vowe of destroying Nabals familie could not containe himselfe but testified the gladnes of his heart in these words Blessed be the Lord which hath sent thee this day to meete me and blessed be thy counsel and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed blood Not giuen to wine In this precept the Apostle prohibiteth a vice which is as great a let vnto ministeriall duties as any other namely the drinking of wine and strong drinkes for vnder one kind all the sinnes of that kind are forbidden Wherein all vse of wine is not inhibited the Minister it beeing a good creature of God and pure vnto the pure and in wâ—â—kenes of the bodie or griefe and heauines of heart permitted to his chearing and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 vnto them that haue griefe of heart and let him drinke that he may forget his miserie And Timothie himselfe may and must drinke a little wine for his health sake yea and besides this case of necessitie it is not vnlawfull for a Minister sometimes to take his more free libertie herein for his honest delight and pleasure as in Christian and religious feasting at marriages or other meetings of friends seeing Christ himselfe at a mariage feast not onely not prohibited vse of wine but by his first miracle of turning water into wine furnished the same with great plentie and abundance But here these rules must be obserued 1. this free and delightfull vse must not be ordinarie and customable 2. the heart must alwaies be watched that it be not oppressed nor made heauie to godly duties Luk. 21.34 3. Iosephs affliction must not be forgotten Amos. 6.6 The thing therefore condemned in the precept is when a minister is giuen to the wine a quaffer or a wine bibber one that sitts at it with pleasure swilling in wine or strong drinke and such a companion as the Prophet speaketh of who continueth at the wine or beere til it inflame him A vice which in common men hath many woes denounced against it in the Scriptures but most hatefull in a Minister as it is also the greatest let to the faithfulll performance of ministeriall duties both which the Lord himselfe hath prooued true in that one strange iudgement inflicted vpon Nadab and Abihu vpon occasion of which the Lord maketh a generall lawe that seeing they as some thinke in their drunkennes had offered strange fire and were burnt with fire whosoeuer therfore should come to minister before the Lord should vpon pain of death carefully avoid all lets and hinderances whereby they might be vnfitted vnto their dutie and seruice all which by Synechdoche are comprehended vnder that one kind of wine strong drink as those which most disturbe the minds and senses of men froÌ„ their duties And where our Apostle affirmeth that Gods steward may not be giuen to wine nor a striker what else doth he then second that of our Sauiour in the parable teaching that of all men the steward may not sit with drunkards nor smtie his fellow seruants Reasons 1. To be addicted to the wine or strong drinke taketh away the heart Hos. 4.11 that is troubleth the vnderstanding confoundeth the senses and equalleth a man to the bruit beast without vnderstanding and thus disableth the man of God in all the practise of his calling As the wise man therefore saith Prou. 31.4 It is not for kings to drinke wine nor Princes strong drinke least he drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of the children of affliction so much lesse is it for the Minister and Pastor set ouer Gods people least he forget Gods decrees change his iudgements as Aarons sonnes did And hence is it that the Lord deliuereth a double reason of that former lawe both to the same purpose 1. From the end Aarons sonnes might not drinke wine or strong drinke that they might be able to put difference betweene the holy and vnholy cleane and vncleane and so rightly discerne of the seueralls of their charge 2. that they might teach the children of Israel all the statutes of the Lord herein implying that if they did not carefully abstaine from wine they could not but be interrupted in both these To the same purpose may we obserue howe aptly the Apostle ioyneth these two precepts together vnderstand what the will of the Lord is and be not drunke with wine for commonly such as giue themselues ouer to this lust are by the Lord giuen vp to sottishnes that what gifts they haue had are withered and taken from them of which examples are too frequent Secondly this sitting at wine calleth him from the duties and meanes of his fitnesse vnto his calling he cannot attend to reading exhortation doctrine which is straitly enioyned euerie Timothie 1.4.13 Thirdly such a man is so farre from performance of any faithfull duty that he cannot but become rather an enemie to those that doe For the manner is that when the seruants of God call men to sackecloth ashes mourning these invite to the pots bankets still strengthning the hands of sinners when God by his Prophets calleth to weeping mourning baldnes sackcloth these call to ioy gladnesse sâ—aying oxen killing sheepe eating flesh drinking wine eating and drinking and saying to morrowe we shall die Such Priests we read of Isay 56.9.12 when the Lord calleth all the beasts of the field to deuoure and spoile what say these fellowes Come we will bring drinke and fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrowe shall be as this day Thus the loue of wine makes them faile in vision and the sitting at wine lulleth them a sleepe euen on the top of the mast as Salomon speaketh of the drunkard that in times and places of most present and desperate dangers they see none nor feare any 4. It disableth all the duties that such a one in his most sobrietie can performe suppose them neuer so commendable seeing he hath made himselfe and calling so contemptible for what authoritie can
head thy sword shall pearce thine owne heart Goliahs owne sword shall sunder his head and bodie Haman shall hansell his owne gallowes the Madianites that little feared to be slaine by the Israelites shall be slaine one by another For it is iust with God saith Paul to render tribulation to those that afflict his Saints that as they secretly hatch mischeife against the godly so the Lord should secretly deuise and prepare righteous iudgement against themselues And surely many a man there is that carrieth secret plagues about him some in his inward estate some in his outward some in his bodie some in his soule some in himselfe some in his with which he strugleth and toyleth and turneth himselfe to many causes and meanes of his harmes and it may be to some sinnes as causes but neuer espie this curse passed from the mouth of God against his mallice toward good men and so toyleth himselfe altogether in vaine Were these things written in the hearts of men how could it be but they should stand in awe and dread with wicked Balaam who otherwise was willing inough to curse where God hath blessed 3. Let vs learne to see our inbred hatred of good men at least our want of loue vnto them and seeing it bewaile it and bewayling it reforme it Let our louing affection cause vs to ioyne our selues to their societie among whom good is to be gotten Obiect Oh but this is a toyle indeed if we goe amongst them they are so precise we may not take the least libertie we must speak of nothing but Scripture matters Ans. If thou hadst the life of Christ working in thee and that delight in God which beseemeth a sonne or daughter of God it would be thy meate and drinke to meditate speake and spend thy thoughts and time in holy things and thinke such times happily gained from thy vanitie yea from thy lawfull calling or if thou didst fauour the things of the spirit as thou doest the things of the flesh that which is indeed the freedome of a Christian would not be such a yoke and burthen the spirit of Christ would make thee willing thus to spend thy time and become in no company neither idle nor vnprofitable and much lesse vaine or licentious and take this withall that gracious words are neuer vnwelcome but to a gracelesse heart Obiect But I see no such good in their meetings Ans. Thou maist want wisedome to draw it out of them or else thou seest it not because thou wantest eyes as the soudiers sought Christ euen in speaking vnto him or else they seeme simple and weake men as the Church is blacke but comely the sunne lookes vpon them and their infirmities falls and afflictions make them outwardly appeare as the tents of Kedar and vpon these thine eyes gaze altogether yet as the Church is glorious within so are the members in respect of sanctitie and ornaments of the soule which weighed in thy ballance are found very light I exhort therefore all those that would encrease in grace that they linke their soules to such as feare God so Dauid made himselfe a companion of all them that feared the Lord and the next words seeme to include the reason and which keepe thy statutes the statutes of the Lord are in their hearts in their mouthes before their eyes and in their hands This will keepe them from entring into the way of the wicked and from beeing so easily plucked away with the error of the wicked But to such as would faine be acquainted with an hellish life before hand let them frequent other companies then this where God is not present nor his spirit nor his loue but the spirit of mischiefe of swearing swilling vncleannes and all hostillitie against God where in stead of men are Deuills incarnate in whose minds aâ— in a shop Satan is euer framing and forging vnholy and vncleane thoughts and desires and according to the abundance of their hearts their mouthes speake lewd things and their hands act all manner of wickednesse hardly canst thou come neere them but they will infect thee but keepe with them and thou wilt be like them thy bodie is not fitter to receiue the infection of the plague from a person that hath a plague sore running vpon him then thy soule to be deadly poysoned and infected by such societie Wise The Papists out of their vulgar translation abuse this word to improoue the marriage of Ministers and most improperly turne and translate it chast or continent whereas the word properly signifyeth a man of a sound minde that is prudent circumspect one that carrieth a continuall consultation within himselfe for the guiding of his whole course in such moderation as wisedome may appeare in his speeches gestures countenance and whole life Besides that the Apostle requireth the selfe same vertue of married wiues 1. Tim. 3.11 and of all young men of what profession soeuer whom I hope they meane not to debarre of marriage How wise and circumspect a man the Minister need to be will appeare if we consider either the workes of his calling or his person and place it selfe For the former what wisedome is required of him who is to vtter the word of wisedome whereby both himselfe and his people should be made wise to saluation and so to speake this word as becometh him to speake that in nothing he may be blamed what a wise steward must he be that must giue euery seruant within the house of God his owne portion and that in due season how experienced had that man need to be who is as Gods owne mouth to separate betweene the pretious and the vile how circumspect and warie least his people beeing as lambs among wolues should fall into the aduersaries hands and beeing be guiled by words of humane wisedome so peruerted And for the latter their verie persons and places require euen the wisedome of serpents to walke circumspectly as persons watching vnto euery step where they meane to set their foote 1. Because they are lights set vpon hills the eies of the world are vpon them euery thing in them is marked as they are eyes to espie other mens manners so are other mens eies much more vpon them either for imitation or calumniation 2. A sober and circumspect carriage not onely shutteth the mouth of the enemie who seeketh occasion to blaspheme the glorious Gospel and through the sides of the Minister to smite Christ himselfe but remooueth a iust scandale whereby many are contented to abide without the Church namely the dissolute and disordered course of the teachers of religon which maketh euen the religion taught by such stinke and become loathsome to numbers who gladly lay hold of such occasions to be of no religion at all and therefore if women must so walke as that by their honest conuersation others may be wonne ought not men much more and yet most of all Ministers 3. Such a wise and graue carriage getteth reuerence
to his person and consequently winneth authoritie to his doctrine not only of the best but euen of the basest such cariage in Iob caused the young men when they saw him to hide themselues and the aged to arise and stand vp and all sorts of men to listen vnto his words and all eares that heard him to blesse him In all which regards how carefull was the Lord himselfe that none but such qualified persons should serue before him in that walking and elementarie worship in the time of the law He will haue none but wise hearted men to worke in the building of the Tabernacle Exod. 35.10 and no doubt aymed at the selfe same thing when he made that law in Numb 4.43 that only they of 30. yeares olde and aboue euen vntill 50. should serue before him in that tabernacle after it was builded For herein he required necessarily two things first and especially gifts of minde as wisedome iudgement grauitie experience and diligence which most appeare from 30. yeares vpward secondly strength of bodie When he releaseth such as haue serued vntill 50. young men might bring strength before 30. but beeing without iudgement grauitie experience the Lord refuseth it old men aboue 50. might bring with yeares experience and iudgement but the Lord requireth the body to be answerable vnto the mind in some proportion And to this obseruation that giueth light in Numb 1.3 that howsoeuer in the tabernacle and Temple none might serue vnder 30. yet in ciuill things they might for they must count their warriers from 20. yeare old and aboue Vse 1. This doctrine bendeth it selfe against such light and childish young men who are so forward to thrust themselues into this great calling before they haue cast as we say their colts coates or coltish conditions whereas this function requireth another age and other manners May it not be said of many Ministers in England as it was of the Prophets in Ierusalem Her Prophets are light and wicked persons for these two in this calling goe together wherein euery thing is aggrauated Lightnes in some calling may beare a lower note and be tearmed weaknes but in this cannot be but wickednesse and why so because it will follow that they pollute the sanctuarie and wrest the law the former by ioyning themselues to euery light companion in euery light or lewd practise the latter because whereas the iudgement of the most controuersall matters was committed by God to the priests together with the interpretation of the law such was their leuitie and rashnes that they passed their matters inconsideratly and answeared insufficiently and often falsly in the name of the Lord and thus must it needs be with such as run and ride before the Lord hath called them 2. We must pray for the Ministers as Paul for Timothie That the Lord would giue them wisedome in all things not carnall and fleshly pollicie a thing too much studied of many of them for such wisedome the Lord neuer iustifieth in them but setteth such a cursed brand vpon it as that for most part it turneth to the ouerthrowe of the Church and the whole worke of the Ministerie but such wisedome as is grounded in the word of God the studie of which would make them wiser then the ancient euen wise to raise not only their owne estate but others also with them not vnto earthly preferments but vnto life and glorie immortall reserued in the heauens to such wise men is the promise made that they shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and in that they haue turned their wisedome to the turning of many to righteousnes they shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Righteous By righteousnesse here is not meant that euangelicall righteousnesse which is Christs fulfilling of the whole lawe for vs Neither that infused gift whereby beleeuers haue an imperfect conformitie begunne in them according to all the parts 〈◊〉 the lawe although not according to all the degrees of them but here is meant that which is called a particular iustice more externall looking out vnto other men to giue them their due obseruing equalitie both in contracts and exchanges which we call commutatiue as also a iust proportion in distributing offices rewards punishments which we call distributiue iustice So as this iustice is an equall and vpright dealing with men fearefull to offer the least wrong vnto any but readie to doe good vnto all grounded on loue which seeketh not all her owne things much lesse other mens and in a word is the summe of the second Table Now as this vertue is in the text set betweene wisedome and pietie or holines so may it not be diuorced from either of them for wisedome our Sauiour willeth all his followers to ioyne with this innocencie of doues the wisdome of serpents for wisedome without innocencie were but fleshly and from belowe and innocencie without wisedome were but reproachfull sillinesse Againe it must goe with holinesse which is euer mixt with pietie that it may be a fruit of that inward righteousnesse which is by faith for else it is grosse hypocrisie All our iustice must beginne in Christs iustice reckoned vnto such as practise pietie and are entred in some degrees of sanctification All our obedience must proceede from the inward renewing of the spirit of our minds by the finger of God that he may knowe it for his owne worke All our outward conformity must proceede from inward sinceritie for if we must approoue our actions to the consciences of good men much more to the Lord who is greater and a most occulate witnesse of all our wayes Ioyne these two louing friends which sweetely accord in a Christian heart and life then maist thou with Paul call God and man with boldnesse to witnesse that thou art vnblameable see 1. Thess. 2.10 But to speake briefly of these two vertues so farre as they concerne the Minister seeing we are to speake of both of them as prescribed vnto common Christians cap. 2.10 let euerie Minister be exhorted as Timothie was by Paul But thou O man of God followe after righteousnesse For hereby 1. He giueth testimonie of his righteousnesse before God Luk. 1.6 Zacharie and Elizabeth were iust before God and walked without reproofe Iob a iust man fearing God and abstaining from euill 2. He shall be able to set his foot against his aduersaries and the enemies of the truth and say with Samuel whose oxe or asse haue I taken c. 3. He giueth euidence that he professeth and teacheth the true religion in that he keepeth himselfe vnspotted of the world which the Apostle Iames maketh one propertie of pure religion and vndefiled by which meanes he both gaineth those that are without and confirmeth such as are within 4. It shall not boote a man to say in the day of iudgement Lord Lord haue we not preached and prophecied in thy name if Christ can make answer yea but ye were workers
into admiration to see the gifts giuen them knowing them to be vnlearned Act. 4.13 or else they were most fearce and bloodie enemies as Paul whom the Hebrewes could not beleeue that he was become a Preacher of that truth he had persecuted vntill the Lord gaue further testimonie of him Act. 9.26 3. The matter of this word is an euerlasting truth the Law an eternall rule of righteousnesse as ancient as God himselfe the Gospel an euerlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 containing promises of eternall truth which shall haue their stabillitie after heauen and earth shall be no more besides such assured articles of faith concerning God in the three persons and the Church of God that if an Angel from heauen should come and teach another doctrine he must be accursed Moreouer such diuine prophecies and predictions together with the exact accomplishments although some hundreths yea thousands of yeares passed betweene as by this one part sufficient euidence may be gathered of the faithfulnesse and steadfastnes of the whole 4. The forme of it which is the conformitie of it with God himselfe maketh it appeare that if God be faithfull this his word must needs also be so in that it resembleth him in his omnipotencie for this power and arme of God neuer returneth in vaine but doth all the worke of it In his wisedome giuing most perfect and sure directions resoluing all doubtfull cases and making wise vnto saluation In his puritie and perfection beeing an vndefiled and perfect law In his omniscience it searcheth the heart discouereth the thoughts deuideth betweene the marrowe and bone Heb. 4.12 In his iudgement acquitting beleeuers to whom it is a sweete sauour of life to life condemning Infidels both here and much more at the last day Ioh. 13.48 In his truth and veritie as here and Coloss. 1.5 it is called the word of truth 5. The ends shew the certaintie and faithfulnes of it it beeing the onely meanes of regeneration 1. Pet. 1.21 of begetting faith Rom. 10. and consequently both of freeing men from hell and damnation and of assuring them of that freedome the onely word that can supplie sound and firme consolation yea setled and assured comfort vnto distressed consciences none of which ends could it euer attaine if it selfe were vnsound and vncertaine Now as it carrieth with it all these grounds so are there without it a nūber more wherby we may confirme the same truth as 1. It is the foundatiō of the church Eph. 2.20 against which if hell gates could euer preuaile the Church were vtterly sunke 2. Hereunto hath the Lord tyed his Church as to an infallible direction to the law and to the testimonie without which there is nothing but errour and wandring ye erre not knowing the Scriptures 3. This truth hath beene aboue all other oppugned by Satan Antichrist heretikes tyrants yet neuer a whit of it was euer diminished Salomons bookes may be lost but not these of the true Salomon Iesus Christ. That the Scriptures were burnt in the Temple and that Ezra composed a newe Scripture is to be reiected as a Iewish fable Ezra might put together parcells of Scripture scattered and compose them into bookes But where were Ezechiel Daniel Zacharie Hagge or what were they doing to suffer all the Scriptures to be lost in their times or where was the watchfull eie of God could it winke or nodde or not see or not preuent the perishing of his word vtterly from the Church 4. This word hath beene so certenly sealed in the hearts of the elect of all ages that where it once was harboured in truth it could neuer be shaken out by any kind of most exquisite torture and torment All which confirme the doctrine propounded most plentifully Obiect But some bookes of the canonicall Scriptures are perished Answ. Many indeede are reckoned but they were either not canonicall or the substance of them is still contained in the canonicall Obiect But if God himselfe had written the whole Scripture as he did the law and had deliuered it to men as he did the tables to Moses then had there beene no doubt of the certaintie of it but it was written by men Ans. Yet is it as certaine as if God had immediately writ it with his owne finger for holy men spake and writ as they were mooued by the holy Ghost not as men but Gods instruments guided by extraordinarie immediate and infallible assistance of the spirit Obiect In 1. Cor. 7.12 Paul saith I speake not the Lord. Ans. The plaine sense in one word is I giue counsell in this case of mariage by collection out of the word of which the word hath not deliuered any expresse lawe and no more can be gathered of it Vse This doctrine is of speciall vse both vnto teachers and hearers vnto teachers it affoardeth a twofold instruction 1. if it be so faithfull a word to hold it fast 2. to hold themselues fast vnto it For the former the teacher must looke that he lay such hold on it as he neuer suffer it to be wrested from him no danger no fauour no power no subtiltie may force him to vnfasten his hold much lesse goe backe and recoile from it or play fast and loose with it or so carrie it as one that would swim betweene two waters but carie it and hold it out as faithfully and constantly as becommeth such a faithfull word Ieremie on this ground that he had a sure word after he had beene smitten and stocked he went not into corners nor behinde the wall to speake the will of him that sent him but as one that had laid faster hold on it in tearmes of defiance and personall application to the stoutest and proudest of them he vttereth with much boldnesse and plainnesse what he had in commission The like we read of Amos against Amaziah The like of the Apostles thorough the Acts and their Epistles and all vpon this ground that the Lord sent them with a faithfull word And if reasons will perswade to this dutie we haue not a fewe For 1. what sound comfort can any Minister finde in life or in death but in beeing found faithfull where was Pauls reioycing towards his death but that he had fought a good fight and had kept the faith 2. This faithfull word was not easily purchased vnto vs but by the blood of many a faithfull man both of Pastors and people shed in our owne and other countries and should the preachers of it esteeme lightly of so precious and so dear a purchase 3. If the Pastor depart or be driuē frō the faithfull word how can his people hold it he is guiltie of all their Apostacie from the faith Let the Pastor receiue such a blowe the sheepe cannot but be smitten 4. Looke on the danger and Gods righteous iudgement on such teachers as esteeme of mens words and writings aboue that is meet in the meane time not embracing this word in the loue of their
hearts God giues them ouer to beleeue and broach doctrines besides the word all their learning hindreth not nay rather armeth them to sticke fast to falshood and errors and to defend doctrines of much loosenesse and libertie Especially the iudgement of God is come vpon the Romish Church to the vttermost who because they lay this for a ground of their doctrine that this word is not of it selfe faithfull and certaine vnlesse the Church and Councels and the Pope authorize it to mens consciences and that any other word thrust vpon the Church by the former authoritie is euery whit as faithfull as this hence is their whole religion a mysterie of iniquitie and delusion hence comes in intercession of Saints worship of images prayer to and for the dead pilgrimages here purgatorie hereafter reuelations masses bread-worshippe propitiatorie sacrifices mixture of Moses and Christ which is a doctrine cutting them off from Christ who haue before cut off the authoritie and credit of the Scriptures which are the word of Christ which fearefull iudgement let it mooue euerie Timothie and Titus carefully to keepe the worthie thing which is committed vnto them 2. Euerie Minister is taught hence to hold him vnto this faithfull word for so he shall deliuer not things doubtfull and vncertaine but such as men may leane vnto rest and as we say write vpon And this is insinuated by our Apostle that that is a faithfull ministerie which holdeth it selfe vnto a faithfull word such as is the sure anchor of mens soules against which hell gates cannot preuaile Such was the ministerie of the true Prophets Ieremie saith of a truth the Lord hath sent me and bidden me speake these things of the Apostles who deliuered such things as they receiued of the Lord and commanded vs that if an angel from heauen or a deuill from hell should bring not a contrarie but a diuerse doctrine from that to hold him accursed yea of the Sonne of God himselfe who said my word is not mine but my fathers What horrible blasphemie then is daily practised in the Popish Churches whose teachers calling these faithfull words a nose of waxe send men to dumbe idols the teachers of vanities and lies yea to Apocryphall writers to fathers councels Bishops and Popes as though the Scriptures had lost all their faithfulnesse or as though the canons decrees summes and sentences of men were more stable then that eternall truth that shall out-last heauen and earth Was this a faithfull word in Pauls time and is it not so still doth the sonne of the eternall father pronounce of his fathers word that it is not onely true but truth it selfe and that not one iot of it can passe or faile and is it any other then the voice of Antichrist which shall say that it is no certaine word at least to me vnlesse the Church say so Shall the spirit of God call it a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles and a word of truth and shall we heare a wicked and lying spirit come out of hell and say that this stabilitie and truth dependeth vpon man whereas let God be true and euerie man a lyar and that if those men whom they tearme the Church change their minds or any sense in the Scripture so doth the holy Ghost also Let these owles flie the light of the Scriptures as such as loue to liue in darkenes carnall religion must haue carnall props like lips like lettice we say and such a Church such lawes As for vs let vs as it standeth vs in hand hold vs vnto this faithful word and not in stead of it deliuer the vnfaithfull words of men whether Philosophers or fathers or schoole-men And is it not good reason that we should be tied to this word when euen the Prophets and Apostles were Isai must take a role and write and binde the testimonie and seale the lawe among the disciples the commandement to Ieremie was preach the words that I shall tell thee In the newe Testament they must heare Moses and the Prophets Paul was separated to preach that Gospeâ— which was promised before by the Prophets and accordingly he witnessed that he spake nothing besides the things foretold by the Prophets Againe what ministeriall worke is it which this word doth not most naturally and happily effect for this is a sure instrument to beget faith Ioh. 17.20 and to confirme it Act. 15.32 to conuert soules Psal. 19.7 and to saue soules Iam. 1.22 Now vnto hearers this doctrine affoardeth also speciall vse of instruction 1. If it be so faithfull a word euerie man must attend vnto it 2. Pet. 1.19 we haue a surer word to which yee doe well that yee attend 2. To lay vp this word surely as beeing the sure euidence of thy saluation and of thy heauenly inheritance among the Saints Men locke vp their euidences or convaiances of land in sure and safe places delight often to read in them suffer no man to cousen them of them whatsoeuer casualtie come these are by all meanes possible safegarded and shall any man carelesly neglect such an euidence as this is without which he hath no assurance of saluation nor the tenure out of his idle conceit of one foote in heauen a lame man if he hold not fast his staffe falleth and whosoeuer looseth his part in the word looseth his part in heauen 3. Here is a ground of thankfulnesse in that the Lord hath not onely vouchsafed vs life and glorie and immortalitie when we were dead and when nothing could be added to our miserie but hath also giuen vs such a constant guid and direction therunto we might either haue groped after him in palbable darknes or haue had such direction as might haue affoarded vs lesse assurance and comfort but now beleeuers knowe assuredly that they were loued of the father before the foundation of the world and out of that loue chosen vnto life that the Sonne was sent to ransome them from sinne and present them iust before his Father that his spirit is sent out to regenerate them and to further and finish their sanctification that by his prouidence they are supplied in all their good that by his power they are protected from all their euills He might haue brought vs to heauen and neuer haue let vs know any of these comforts in earth yet would he not so slenderly leaue his Church but as our Sauiour noteth he hath spoken and written this word that our ioy might be more full which is one generall vse of the whole word of God Now what can we doe lesse then in way of thankfulnes 1. yeeld vp our selues to be directed by this faithfull word 2. Beleeue it in whatsoeuer it commandeth threatneth or promiseth in that it is such a faithfull word and hereby we set also our seale vnto it 3. Constantly cleaue vnto it in life and in death and not to be so foolish as
is that in all things necessary to saluation the Scriptures are so euident in one place or other as he that runneth may reade the seuerall points 3. Whereas they say that this obscuritie must be supplied by humane expositions and traditions I answer that the commentaries and expositions of good men are not to be neglected but yet so entertained as not simply arguing the obscuritie of Scripture but rather our infirmitie and weakenesse who cannot receiue a perfect doctrine perfectly Againe how were those purest Primitiue Churches directed that wanted all those councels decrees decretalls summes sentences glosses and determinations which the Romish Synagogue would bind vs vnto as rules of faith binding the conscience surely they dare not denie but that there was more light more grace more zeale and pietie before such trash of theirs which onely brought in corruption and heresie into the Church then euer was since or is euer like to be vnto the ende We will also conclude this point noting in one breath of Bellarmine three errors 1. that he attributeth that to the Scriptures which is to be ascribed to mans impotencie 2. that the obscuritie he speaketh of is in things necessarie to saluation 3. that supply must be made by humane expositions whereas the right opening of Scripture is by Scripture That he may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine Now we come to the ende of the former dutie which is that he who is to be set apart to this waightie function may be fitted and furnished to all the parts of his calling which the Apostle reduceth to two heads according to the seuerall condition of the persons with whom he is to deale for all teaching is either the confirming and strengthning of sound doctrine tending to the conuerting and confirming of the tractable or else the infirming and weakening of false doctrine seruing to the confutation and conviction of such as are refractarie and gainsayers of the truth neither of which can any man possibly fruitfully performe without diligence and setlednesse in the Scriptures seeing that to these purposes he must hold fast the faithfull word For the meaning we must enquire 1. what is meant by exhortation wherin it differeth frō teaching And the difference chiefly stādeth in these 3. things 1. euerie exhortation is teaching but euerie teaching is not exhortation 2. to teach is more properly to propound out of Scriptures prooue by the Scriptures things to be beleeued or done to exhort is to incite prouoke the hearers to the beleeuing or doing of things so prooued by reasons and arguments 3. Teaching is a former worke for the enlightening of the vnderstanding and frameth the iudgement and exhorting is a secondarie work more properly pearcing the affections and so furthering the practise Secondly what is meant by doctrine that is nothing else but the word of God taught for that same which is here called wholesome doctrine is in c. 2.8 called the wholesome word and to shewe the identitie of them the Apostle ioyneth them together If any consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp 3. Why is this doctrine called wholesome to which I answer that that is wholesome doctrine which beeing well prepared afore hand maketh the soule sound and in good plight and liking for it is a borrowed speach from the food of the bodie to the meate of the soule which is the word of God here called wholesome doctrine of which epithite something is to be spoken but better occasion will be offered vs in c. 2.1 Doctr. 1. In that the word is called doctrine and no doctrine is without a teacher it behoueth euerie man to repaire to the teachers of it Now the teachers in the church are either the great doctor of the chaire who fully and sufficiently teacheth euerie beleeuer and whose teaching is absolutely necessarie to the conuersion of men or else his Ministers who as so many vshers are set to teach all the formes of the Church but so as vnder the Master farre wanting and short of his abilitie in themselues insufficient to bring men vnto the sight of their saluation and much lesse vnto their perfection not because they reade not the same lecture with the spirit but because they can onely teach the outward eare not the inward neither are they Gods to conuert although the word be able to saue soules as he is who in giuing the precept giueth also power to learne beleeue and practise it Vse Would any man be taught to saluation not hauing this knowledge naturally he must get him these teachers First he must goe thorough these vshers hands and then according to his proficiencie the spirit shall take him into his teaching But if a man will play the trewant and sit at home when Gods free-schoole is set open despising the teaching in the ministerie conceiuing that he may by his owne studie or reading attaine perfection he neuer climbeth into the highest forme he neuer hath the high things of God reuealed by the spirit who teacheth not now by newe reuelations or enthusiasmes but hath erected a ministerie of the spirit which euerie one must frequent that would be made wise to saluation Secondly as this doctrine implyeth teachers so doth it also learners and schollers Teaching vs that we must all of vs become learners of this word and doctrine for so long as there is doctrine and teaching on Gods part so long must there be an harkning and learning on ours and the rather both because that which is said of all knowledge that it is infinite is much more true of this for Gods commandements are exceeding large as also seeing in this schoole we are to become not onely more learned but better men It may not therefore be with vs who when we are at the best are but in part good as many who after they haue learned a while giue ouer as though they were both informed and reformed sufficiently but we must be still profiting and going forward and climbing as it were from on forme to an other so long as we liue still aiming at somewhat beyond for we may not conceiue of Gods schoole as it is in mens which are fitter for boyes and children then men of yeares a shame were it for an old man to goe to schoole but here whatsoeuer many an idiot say to the contrarie that now they are too olde to learne euerie man must waxe old in learning something daily seeing the best man may farre excell himselfe both in wisedome and goodnesse Thus Paul when he was an ancient scholler in Christs schoole pressed hard to things that were before him And Dauid with other saints of God prayed still to be taught of God euen when they were well taught as such as who the more they sawe the lesse they could acknowledge Vse In our learning of this doctrine we must examine our profiting
of a word in season require a learned tongue how much more doth the whole office require an Ezra a man prompt in the law of the Lord a workeman indeed and such a one as need not be ashamed And can we thinke that the Lord sendeth any other doth he vse to send a message by the hand of a foole surely if he send any he maketh them first able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit In the old Testament if he raised vp any extraordinarie persons vnto this worke what spirit what power what deepe vnderstanding what resolution manifested they as that they seemed rather pettie Gods then men both in the exact knowing although by reuelation and making knowne things meerely to come as also in the powerfull resisting of sinne euen in Kings themselues and the greatest vpon earth Such were Moses Elias Isay Ieremie c. If ordinarie Ministers they also are first fitted yea though they were but inferiour Levites and Priests both to be the peoples mouth vnto God to put incense before the Lord as also to be Gods mouth to the people to teach Iacob Gods iudgement and Israel his law But if high Preists they must be such as whose lips must preserue knowledge and such as who can resolue the people when they seeke vnto his mouth in the difficult cases of the law of God for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2.7 In the new Testament accordingly if the Church haue need for a time of extraordinarie Ministers such as are Apostles Euangelists euangelicall Prophets such are raised and to such is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome that is a more excellent reuelation and more speciall and immediate instinct and assistance of the spirit together with more eminent authoritie in explaning the mysteries of Christ. If ordinarie Pastors bee raised by God by the same spirit is giuen to them the word of knowledge that is by diligence in the Scripture they obtaine such knowledge as that they are able to make Christ knowne vnto others although they be farre inferiour to the former Where this word of knowledge is wanting that commission is not sealed from God The Eunuch could reade well enough euen as many among our people can and yet he could not vnderstand without a guide and how could he haue been a guide vnto him except a blind guide that could doe no more then himselfe could namly reade perhaps without vnderstanding also God sent him no such guide but a Philip a mightie man in the Scriptures and full of the power of God Vse Let euerie man whom this doctrine concerneth examine hereby the truth of his calling whether he hath receiued the word of wisdome or no which finding he shall boldly say with Ieremie of a truth the Lord hath sent me and runneth not before he be sent 2. It is a great motiue to thankefulnesse wheresoeuer such able Ministers are planted where God giueth learned tongues that can exhort according to wholesome doctrine learned Ezraes skilfull in the lawe of the Lord eloquent Apolloes mightie to convince by the Scriptures the gainsayers Whereas pitifull is their want who in this regard are as men cast out of Gods sight wanting the blessed meanes of an able ministerie for in such places godlinesse must needes be vnperswaded vice vnresisted truth vntaught falshood vnconvinced there people cannot but lie open to become a pray to the deuill a spoile to his wicked instruments a shop for all wicked practises In such places seducers and wicked Iesuites the verie heads to imagine and hands to execute all mischiefe lurke as in the vaults of safe conduct practising daily to withdrawe men from alleagiance to our heauenly and earthly Gods and Kings such soiles lie vnder the heauie wrath of God as to whome no sinne commeth amisse If there be no knowledge of God in the land needs must there be varietie yea an inundation of most fearefull sinnes and consequently of heauie iudgements into which both Prophets and people who haue sinned together shall fall together for where vision faileth people are nakedly laid open to all the curse of God and when Israel had beene a long season without the true God without the Priest to teach and without the lawe no meruaile if there were no peace to him that went out and in implying both these points that without true teaching without the true God and without God without peace and blessing Oh that men therefore could prize the blessing where it is and so bewaile it where it is wanting as that by all good meanes they labour the procurement and presence of it Doctr. 3. All this abilitie in the Minister must be had out of the Scriptures seeing the Apostle affirmeth that by holding fast the faithfull word he shal be able to both these maine works of the ministerie In like manner our Apostle teacheth Timothie not onely in generall how the Scriptures are able to fit the man of God to euery good work of his ministerie but reckoneth vp also all the particulars of his dutie that no man might doubt but that it fitteth him vnto all And indeede the Scriptures are a rich treasurie which affoardeth abundantly things both newe and old he that would read the writings speeches and doings of the auncient fathers let him reade the Scriptures diligently they be a storehouse wherein a man may furnish himselfe vnto all 1. doctrine all of it beeing written for our instruction 2. vnto all consolation for through the comfort of the Scriptures we haue hope and Dauid affirmeth that if he had not found comfort in the lawe he had perished in his trouble 3. vnto all resolution of doubts by which alone Christ himselfe resolued the case of diuorce Math. 19. and the Sadduces in the case of the resurrection Mat. 22. 4. vnto all strength in temptation by which sword of the spirit alone Christ vanquished all Satans assaults Mat. 4. 5. And for the other branch of conuincing the aduersarie The Scriptures are fitly compared by the auncient vnto Dauids scrip whence he fetched out the stone wherewith Goliah fell vnto the ground they be the onely hammer of heresies Whatsoeuer controuersies Christ and his Apostles met withall they brought the deciding of them vnto the Scriptures although they might haue otherwise confuted falshoods and by their miracles haue confounded their aduersaries When the Priests and Scribes disdained Christ because the people sung Hosanna vnto him he presently prooueth his diuinitie out of the Scriptures So Peter prooued out of the Scriptures Act. 2. and 3. and Paul euerie where that Christ was the Messiah and Sauiour of the world out of Moses and the Prophets Apollos was a man eloquent and mightie in the Scriptures but not by his eloquence did he mightily and with vehemencie confute the Iewes but shewed by the Scriptures that Iesus was the Christ. Vse
of Scripture ioyneth these two together What ones were the false Prophets and false teachers which should bring in damnable heresies but such as should liue in the lust of vncleannes and liue as bruit beasts led with sensualitie and what manner of persons were they that like Iannes and Iambres should resist the truth but men of corrupt mindes wholly giuen vp to liue in their lusts and not so onely but reprobate concerning the faith such as depraued the doctrine of faith and the pure veritie of God to their owne lewd affections And if we looke vpon particular persons was not this the reason why Elimas resisted Paul and Barnabas and sought to turne away Sergius Paulus the deputie from the faith because he was full of vnrighteousnesse and therefore he could not cease to peruert the straight waies of God And why did not Diotrephes receiue the Apostles and their doctrine professing himselfe a Minister among them Iohn giues the reason because he loued preheminence which neither they nor their doctrine could affoard him Vse 1. Neuer make any Minister the rule of truth seeing error in life from which none is exempted may breed error in Doctrine but reade with diligence the holy Scriptures whereby thou maist be able to discerne after triall betweene truth and falshood and accept it for it selfe 2. Meruaile not much if thou seest many Ministers resist the truth for many in all ages are disobedient and no meane ones that hate to be instructed themselues contradict the truth and in stead of building hinder the building of the Church as Sanballat and Tobiah the walles of Ierusalem yea one Ieremie had Pashur and all the Preists against him Christ himselfe had Annas Caiphas Scribes Pharises people and all against him and who were they but such as neither entred themselues into the kingdome of heauen nor would suffer others nay rather marke the point that is resisted whether it fight against any of their lusts thou mightest haue seene 400. Prophets against one Micha thou mightest haue seene in Queene Maries time all the Preists and Clergie that durst be seene resisting and ouerthrowing all the foundation of religion and condemning to death and executing whosoeuer durst mute against theÌ„ there is a Synagogue of Satan as well as a Church of God and consequently many Ministers of Sathan as well as Ministers of Christ. 3. Whoâ—â—euer would know and be preserued in the truth must learne to yeeld obedience vnto it for this is a speciall meanes Ioh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of my doctrine whether it be of God or I speake of my selfe Vaine talkars Doct. Preachers who themselues are disobedient vnto the word for most part become in their Ministerie no better then vaine talkars 1. In regard of themselues beeing vaine glorious persons affect applause rather then godly edifying which is a most vaine thing 2. In respect of their labour which is all in vaine neuer attaining the end and right scope of the preaching of the Gospel vnto saluation for he that soweth vanitie what else can he looke to reape 3. In regard of the hearers who also spend their paines in vaine they heare a great noise and pompe of words and a glorious shew of humane wisedome which may rap the simple into admiration but they are left without reformation their eare is perhaps a little tickled but their hearts remaine vntouched neither are their soules soundly instructed nor fed with knowledge but they go away as wise as they came These Paul calleth vain talkars and vain ianglers 1. Tim 1.6 and againe profane and vaine bablers and that iustly 1. Because their puft discourses proceed from the profanes of their hearts 2. They are as strange fire from the Lords Altar opposed to that which the Lord hath sanctified to the saluation of his people 3. They are so farre from the edifying of the Church that they cause men to encrease vnto more vngodlynes and profanes Vse 1 Note the difference betweene these and godly Pastors which are according to Gods heart these feed Gods people with wisedome and vnderstanding the other with vanitie and winde these as they haue their gifts and calling from God so they speake euery word from him and for him the other like the Deuils cooks are euer blending with the truth that it may neuer be purely tasted and like vntrustie solliciters speake one word for God and two for themselues these bring meate in their mouthes which though it be course and serued in great simplicitie like Daniels dyet which was but water and pulse yet because it is Gods allowance it goeth with a blessing which maketh the children of god thriue by it the other serue vp more curiously cooked dishes with greater state and ostentation of humane learning and eloquence but for want of nourishable meat in all this varietie the soules of Gods people are kept thinne and leane and rise and depart such banquets without any great saturitie Now if any would shewe himselfe a true Pastor sent from God let him ayme at these two things 1. Gods glorie not his owne for to seek himselfe is a note of a false teacher see Ioh. 7.18 2. the raising of the Church vnto heauen and not himselfe in earth Rom. 10.1 his hearts desire must be that Israel may be saued he must desire to fal so that his people may be raised to heauen Rom. 9.3 2. Note hence a difference betweene the Apostles iudgement and the iudgements of many inconsiderate men Men account such preachers vaine talkers that apply the word home to euerie wholesome vse and the more dexteritie a man hath in this excellent gift the more liable is he to this imputation whereas indeed here we are taught an other lesson that those whose doctrine vanisheth away without building on the foundation such as come preparedly to the word those are vaine talkers and their teaching is a froathie teaching but if true doctrine be wholesomly applyed and haue quicknes and life in it wo be to that man that saith not This is the finger of God and that God is in you indeede 1. Cor. 14.25 3. Marke hence what kind of Ministers the Apostle would haue put to silence not onely such as are open enemies to the truth or broachers of lyes but such as are disguisers of the word froathie teachers such as seeke out vaine things for the people Paul would haue lookt to these betime and would were he liuing stoppe the mouthes of such he knewe that the Church might better spare a 1000. of these then one godly and faithfull Pastor and were this canon put in vre for one silenced Minister we should haue one hundreth Deceiuers of minds By metonimie of the subiect the heart is put for the mind the auncient according to the Scriptures seating the minde therein for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth the inwards about the heart and further by Synecdoche the
man suffer in that nature pay the price and beare the curse of sinne whose powerfull victorie ouer sinne death manifested in his resurrection ascension vnto his father applied by faith to the beleeuer shall fully acquit discharge him froÌ„ wrath at his coÌ„ming againe to iudgement These things must be knowne I speake not of the measure of knowledge but so much as there must be an expresse beleefe of these things for he that beleeueth not in the Sonne of God shall not see life and consequently in some sort what neede he hath of Christ and what Christ hath done and suffered for him Secondly there are other truths which are consequents deduced from the former and these are of two sorts Some things are so clearely deduced as by the neere dependance with the former the consequent is necessarily seene For example that out of the Church is no saluation that faith is ordinarily by the word preached c. all which must necessarily be expressely beleeued on condition if God make their dependance on the former to appeare For I doubt not but that God not reuealing them many thousands are saued in the ignorance of verie many such truthes but we may not hereon build our ignorance who haue so many meanes of reuelation our vnbeleefe is not onely damnable because beeing bound to beleeue we cannot or doe not but in that we will not but refuse the meanes of knowledge and faith The other kinde of deriued truthes are further remooued and not so cleare as concerning the rest of the fathers before Christ the locall dissent of Christ into hell c. such as these a man may without danger be ignorant in yea and erre also so it be without pertinacie and obstinacie The first points mentioned must expressely be knowne and beleeued the former of the two latter may be vnknowne in particular so as in generall a man beleeue all things contained in the word and be readie according to meanes offred to trauell further into the knowledge of God And the last I take it a man may without danger neither knowe nor beleeue And so much of that question which letteth vs see how necessarie it is to see that both publikly and priuatly our selues ours be grounded in the truth of religion points of catechisme which are wofully dangerously despised Vse In that these seducers ouerturne men froÌ„ off their foundation we learne that all are not chosen that are called Many beleeuers were here called and seemed to be laid on the foundation in regard of their outward profession but are subuerted againe many of them made shew as though they had beene Temples of the Holy Ghost but prooued to haue had but sandie foundations for the waues of afflictions no sooner beaâ—e them nor the windie blasts of seducers sooner puffe vpon them then they totter shake like a leafe or reed at last the fall of them is great So many lanch faire forth into the sea who neuer safely happily ariue at home againe and many saylers to heauen suffer shipwracke by the way Two set out of Moab both Orpah and Ruth but one of them holdeth on to Iudah We haue too many Orpahs who forsaking her owne people for loue of Gods people trauelleth on a while towards the Lords countrie but Naomi alledging but one wordly reason she turneth back againe she must haue her husband although with bitternes of heart she returne to her gods Haue not we those who had seemed to haue forsaken the world to haue ioyned themselues in zeale and heartie affection to God and his people haue they not seemed to outgoe yea out-runne others towards the heauenly Ierusalem would they not haue been as forward in any good motion or action as the best and yet how suddenly haue they turned saile and fallen some to the world especially when the world came vpon them some to pleasure some to coldnesse some to hatred of such courses that men may see and say surely some seducer hath met with them and preuailed against them How many who haue seemed waxe-hearted Christians soft and pliable who could weepe for sinne bitterly be amazed at the iudgements of God threatened out of his word stood in awe of God and durst not sinne but are now of an other colour make no conscience of oaths dicing gaming for their neighbours money feasting on the Sabbath day and otherwise profaning it so contemning the ministerie that let all the curses of the lawe be now directed against them personally they are no more mooued then the Leuiathan who riseth not vp when the sword toucheth him but accounteth iron as strawe and brasse as rotten wood euen so with him these laugh at the shaking of the speare and the archers of God cannot make them flie Oh therefore let vs beware seeing so many thousands set out of Egypt who neuer came into Canaan that we miscarrie not and fall from our owne stedfastnes Let vs labour as much for affection now as we haue done for knowledge that with our vnderstanding we may ioyne the sincere loue of the truth And seeing it is no lesse vertue to keepe the good we haue gotten then it was praise to get it let vs fence our hearts quicken Gods graces in them and pray for perseuerance The second point whereby the danger is aggrauated is that these seducers subuerted houses not one or two but many And hence obserue what is the guise of deceiuers eueÌ„ to creep into houses secretly to corrupt and depraue that doctrine which in publike is taught and acknowledged the truth of God In 2. Tim. 3.6 theâ— creepe into houses and imitating Satans subtiltie lead captiue simple womeÌ„ assayling such as can least resist who yet beeing seduced are cunning to preuaile in the seducing of their husbands Eminent in this kinde were the Scribes and Pharisies who were the deuourers of widowes houses setting vpon such as had no heads to guide them nor knowledge to discouer them and hauing all things in their owne hands had none to controle them in their liberalitie towards them these were persons fit to be ouerreached by their hypocrisie and couetousnesse both which our Sauiour deeply chargeth them withall The Apostles also foretold of such who should in after times bring in damnable heresies but priuilie and these are not vnfitly compared to foxes and wolues in Scripture for as these beasts come stealing and slily vpon the flockes taking the winde least they should be winded clapping their tayles betweene their legges least they should be heard and softly as though they were friends to the flocke when as all this is but to beguile the silly sheepe so these deceiuers craftely creepe into houses shrowding themselues in the sheepes cloathing whereas indeed they are rauening wolues And the reason hereof is 1. because publikely and directly they dare not denie the Lord Iesus nor his holy Scriptures nor the truth plainly
Christians he will haue dispersed among the persecutors some Saints in Neroes house some Protestants among the Papists for in the darkest ages euen in their Abbyes and Fryeries he raised vp alwaies some one or other from age to age to witnesse against them that their error and wickednesse should not haue that securitie on both sides which it desireth 4. We haue euen gracelesse men taxing our wickednesse as here the Cretians had that as Corazin by Sodome and the Iewes by the nations so Christians by Turkes and Protestants in many things should be condemned by the Papists themselues the former beeing so superstitiously reuerent at the name and mention of God the other so painefull and industrious as Baals preists lancing themselues for their idolatries 5. The Lord need not send so farre aâ— Cittim and Kedar to condemne vs but as here by our owne prouerbs as by our owne mouthes might be iudge vs what a number of deuillish prouerbs amongst vs bewray the vngodlinesse of mens hearts as euery man for himselfe and God for vs all and young Saints old Deuils and which is the worst and most generall godlines is made but a by-word and a note of reproach euery where vnder the title of puritie and precisenesse 6. And yet if men were so wilfull as to be blinde at all these yet can they not as many striue to doe put out all naturall principles but euen the light of naturall knowledge and conscience will wrap them vnder condemnation and they shall not be able at the barre of Gods righteous iudgement to plead not guiltie for euen their owne thoughts shall accuse them 7. But the greatest condemnation of all is that the light of grace is come and yet men loue darknes more then the light In which regard it shall be easier for Sodome then many peoples and townes professing the Gospel nay Publicans and harlots shall enter before many Christians yea the Heathen that neuer heard of Christ as soone as thousands baptized into the name of Christ because they knew and did many things of the law and not knowing the law were a law to themselues but numbers are sonnes of Belial lawlesse persons that scorne both Law and Gospel whom the Lord will prouoke and iudge by such a foolish people as the Heathen were Pitifull is it to see the disorders of Christians which would haue made the Heathens to haue blushed if a man will not now sweare no small oathes drinke his sences away spend out his daies in idlenesse and iollitie in pride and riot companie and gaming such a one is cassiered out of all companie he is a man fitter for a cloister then the common Christians of our age the Heathens did not thus Theirs were workes of darknes indeed but both in themselues and the doers but now they are become actions of the nooneday which the Heathen would haue bin ashamed of at midnight Which plainely prooueth that the light was giuen and is that many might become more blind more obstinate more hard hearted and impenitent against that great day of iudgement Many will plead at that day that they came to Church heare the word as others did and liued after it so neare as God would giue them grace But answer will be made them that though hereby they came to a further knowledge of God yet God neuer came to take knowledge of them for they desired not to know the waies of God but slipt in or were by law or for forme and fashion forced to Church and then all their hearing brought them such knowledge as not only made them more excuseles but liable to more stripes but not to such as was effectuall to preuaile against their lusts for they stil detained the truth in vnrighteosnes that is resisted the word they heard by lewd and gracelesse liues and behauiours 2. Let no man say my sinne shall lie hid and it is in secret or twilight no no there is witnesse inough to conuince thee of the most secret of them all the eies of God the voice of thy owne conscience which will be as a thousand witnesses yea the Lord who hath moe waies to the wood then one hath giuen to all creatures tongues eares eyes and hands against sinners The shed blood of thy brother shall call for vengeance the timber and stone in the wall cryeth out of oppression and crueltie the rust of the gold and siluer against the wretched couetousnes of miserable men and so in the rest Doctr. 2. The second thing to be obserued in this preface is that this testimonie was not fetched from any of Gods Prophets but from one of their owne Whence we learne that it is not simply vnlawfull to alleadge the saying of a profane man in a sermon For 1. all truth is the Lords and where it may serue for his glorie it may not be reiected neither skilleth it so much in what ground the hearb grow or what gardner set and planted it so as it heale we grant that if the King of Ammons crowne be fit for the King of Ierusalem that he may take it and weare it 2. There may be sometimes necessitie of the testimonie of profane writers and quotation of Fathers As 1. in case of grammer that the true sence and meaning of a word phrase or sentence may be the cleaâ—er which if it cannot be so easily done out of the Scriptures themselues then may a Minister descend to humanitie and by earthly means teach things heauenly 2. In case of conuiction of error whether in doctrine or manners In doctrine when any controuersall point is handled well may we free the truth of noueltie by shewing the consent of it with the ancient Church for hereby 1. the weake and new conuerts are more confirmed 2. the calumnies of the aduersaries are cut off who commonly boast that all antiquitie standeth for and with them In manners the conuiction is of 1. Christians or 2. Heathens If of Christians then such allegations may be vsed by way of exprobration or sharpe reproofe so the Lord himselfe sendeth his people to the Iles of Chittim and Kedar to see if any of the nations dealt so with their gods yea to the oxe asse crane storke pismire c. If we be to deale with Heathens or Atheists who are not easily mooued with the authoritie of the Scriptures then can we conuince them no otherwise then by such testimonies of their owne which they make most account of and so the Apostle dealing with Athenians Epicures Stoiks Cretians by the testimonie of Menander Aratas Epimenides conuinced their wickednesse Thus for the clearing of Gods glorie and his truth as Paul saith all things are ours Scripture art nature c. Now because there accreweth a great hurt to the Church by the abuse of this example we must carefully obserue some cautions in such allegations I will name three 1. Whereas the former cases are not frequent such allegations must be rare
so monstrous and among other one especially made them noted and hated of all the world namely that Iupiter the cheife of the gods was dead and that his graue was with them the which with other fables made them so ridiculous as that they became a proverb among the nations insomuch as to lie was to play the Cretian Neither did the Poet speake of some slipps of the tongues of some few or some falls seldome ouertaking them but of an habit and affected custome and exercise of lying and fayning which generally and continually they were so tainted with as little or no soundnes vprightnesse and faithfulnesse but trecherie guile falsehood appeared in their dealings Doct. Falsehood and deceit in word and deede is condemned not only by the light of the Scriptures but by the light of nature it selfe Which appeareth expressely not onely by the testimonie of this Pagan Poet but by other lights in nature for the naturall conscience of man accuseth and checketh for it yea in children thēselues it maketh them blush at the report of a lie Besides the most graceles men of men account it the highest disgrace to haue the lie giuen them the infamie of which vice is such as none wil take to it none wil confesse it And on the contrary the heathen so extolled truth in word in practise as of all other vertues it was sayned to be the onely daughter of Iupiter as whom most neerely it resembled Vse How should we who would be reputed Gods children abhorre that practise which euen the sonnes of men are ashamed of shall the sparkles of naturall light make the naturall conscience of a Heathen and gracelesse man accuse him of this sinne and shall not the cleare light of grace force the consciences of professed Christians to reprooue them Is it iustly reputed a disgrace to common men to be taken with a lie how disgracefull should it be to Christian men shall the Heathen professe truth to resemble God so expressely as that it is his deare only daughter and shall Christians who finde in the Scriptures the whole image of God stiled by the title and comprehended vnder the name of truth in their practise scarce expresse it as a part of that image And yet how many Christians are behind euen millions of the Heathen who although they be commanded euery man to speak truth to his neighbour yet shame they not to defend that they may lie and forsweare too for the advantage of themselues and others and therefore they say that though they dislike hurtfull lies yet see they not but they may as they do lie in iest or for the good of their neighbour especially to saue his life For this say they hurteth none nor is against the law of charitie and they find it commended to them in the practise of the Midwiues to saue the male infants of the Hebrewes of Rahab to saue the Spies and Michol and Ionathan to saue Dauid from Sauls furie and in the doctrine and writings of some of the Fathers as Origen Ierome who in regard of the profitable ends held these no sinnes To all which in few words I answer 1. That euery lie is hurtfull whether in iest or earnest for euill or for good because it is an enemie to truth and against the ninth commandement 2. For iesting or sporting lyes the threatning is generall Psal. 5.6 thou shalt destroie them that speake lyes vntruthes may not be spoken although they be not thought and Prov. 6. Thou shalt destroie the lying tongue he excepteth not if it be not in sport or for a good ende And many of the Heathen themselues saw the sillines and follie of this shift we reade of the Lacedemonians that they would not suffer their lawes to be gainsaid in iest and yet the law of the Lord may be controlled and gainsaied in iest of Christians When Thespis the first stageplayer was asked if he were not ashamed to vtter so many lyes in such a worthy audience he answered he did it in sport But wise Solon replied If we approoue and commend this sport wee shall finde it in earnest in our contracts and affaires and euen so by Gods iust iudgement it befalls Christians who vsing to lie in sport get an habit of lying in earnest and by his iesting lyes raiseth a suspition of his words that he cannot be beleeued be he neuer in such earnest 3. For officious lies so called there can be no such because in euery lie some office or dutie is violated But they hurt no man yes if they hurt not another they hurt a mans selfe many waies againe if they hurt not the parties for whom yet hurt they the parties to whom they are tolde who are abused and vrged to beleeue a lie and were not this yet they hurt and preiudice the truth which ought to preuaile But the end of them is good Yea but that which is euill in the nature and constitution may neuer be admitted let the end be neuer so good which is pretended The least euill may not be committed for the greatest good to helpe man we may not hurt God Moses would rather be blotted out of Gods booke then God should be dishonored Nay we may not tell the least lie for Gods greatest glorie and much lesse for mans good Iob 13.9.10 Will you make a lie for him as one lyeth for a man surely he will reprooue you And if a lie would make to Gods glorie yet he is not vnrighteous to leaue it vnpunished Rom. 3.7 But they be not against charitie Yes for charitie reioyceth in truth and if they were not yet are they directly against pietie which two louing freinds may admit no diuorce 4. For the examples alleadged and all of that kind we must distinguish betweene the facts of the faithfull and the manner of them The facts of sauing the children and spies c. was commendable and argued the feare of God and loue of his children but the manner of putting these in execution was neuer approoued in the Scriptures although the facts themselues were Neither is it strange that faith and sinne should combate together in the same action in this condition of the infirmitie and imperfection of the dearest Saints of God vntill that perfect come 5. The verie heathens condemned all dissonance and dissent betweene heart and tongue thoughts and speaches the one whereof was bestowed on vs by God to expresse the other Let vs therefore who professe the loue and feare of the Lord shew our selues to be of the remnant of Israel by this in that we neither doe iniquitie nor speake lyes nor haue a deceitfull tongue found in our mouths And to helpe our selues in this dutie meditate on these reasons 1. All falshood and lyes are directly against God himselfe who is truth it selfe so as by them a man becommeth most vnlike vnto God and most like to the deuill who is the father and first founder
of them 2. That therefore the lyer casteth himselfe into the gulfe of Gods displeasure seeing as he hateth all the workes of the deuill so hath he testified speciall hatred against this A lying tongue is one of the sixe things which the Lord hateth and is abhomination vnto him Prou. 12.22 and therefore doth with them as we do with the things we abhorre either remooueth them out of sight by barring them out of heauen or destroyeth them Psal. 5.6 3. That although that be the greatest plague to haue the face of God set against them here and to be cast from out of his face and blessed presence of ioy hereafter yet there are other inferiour euills not to be contemned which wait at the heeles of this sinne As 1. that it maketh the sinners of this suite iustly hatefull euen vnto men as those who are the maine enemies vnto humane societie which is vpheld by truth and faithfulnes 2. Such deceitfull and fraudulent persons are occasions of the multiplication of oathes and periuries among men for which the land mourneth 3. In themselues it argueth the want of Gods spirit in their hearts who beeing the spirit of truth and light cannot abide to dwell in a heart that is pleased and delighted with nothing more then darkenes and falshood 4. They loose iustly their owne voice and credit and are worthie not to beleeued when they speake truth and men must deale with them as with their father the deuill whose workes they accustome themselues vnto suspect euen the truth from them and not receiue any as from them Now if any receiue not this doctrine he is farre behind the heathen who shall rise in iudgement to condemne him if any acknowledge it as true and yet make no bones of this odious sinne besids that he is condemned of himselfe let him knowe that he shall not escape the sentence of him who will take account of euerie idle much more of euerie lying and deceitfull word Euill beasts This is the second imputation in this testimonie Epimenides calleth the Cretians beasts because of their bruitish conditions and beastly practises and euill beasts because they are not like the creatures who by their creation were ordained and serued for the commodious and comfortable vse of man but such as since the fall rebelliously refuse the Lordship of man and will not be brought vnto tamenes and seruice nay rather are either fierce and cruell against man as Lyons wolues c. or els poisonfull direfull and venemous as the serpent crocodile with such venemous beasts both which sortes are truely called euill beasts not that they are not good in their substance or not verie good in their creation but because they carrie on them the cursed markes of mans rebellion against God beeing thereby subiected vnto vanitie so farre as in stead of that primarie vse and comfort from them man hath iust cause incessantly to feare and often receiueth much euill by meanes of them And what doth the Poet herein other then that which the Scriptures are very frequent in for when men degenerate and by sinne put off the nature of man both God and nature strippe them of the name of men as vnworthie of it because they rather resemble the bruit beasts shrowding many brutish qualities vnder the shape of men The Scripture speaketh expressely that man beeing in honour became like the bruit beasts which perish But wherein standeth this resemblance Ans. By looking into the word of God we shall finde it to stand especially in three things 1. In becomming without vnderstanding and in all the things of God by nature which holy Dauid in one case confessed as ignorant as the verie bruit beast so Ierimie 10.14 affirmeth that now euerie man is a beast in his owne knowledge and Prou. 20.24 How can a man vnderstand his owne way Now hereby who seeth not that hereby men loose the verie thing which maketh them men and distinguish them from the bruites without vnderstanding and that is the minde it selfe whereby onely man was enabled both to see and consider of the things he seeth and seeing the mind without vnderstaÌ„ding is as an eie without sight therfore may he that is destitute of vnderstanding be as truely said to want his minde as hee which lacketh his sight is truely said to haue lost his eyes 2. By giuing vp themselues to be ledde with sensualitie as the bruit beasts and this propertie the Apostle Peter ascribeth to naturall and vngodly men Neither can it be that this should not rise of the former for when men are depriued of vnderstanding iudgement reason as euerie naturall man is in the things of God they must needes be ledde by other guides of lusts appetite sense and sight euen as the beasts are For when the noble part of the minde which should subiect the inferiour powers of the soule vnto it selfe as also guide the motions and actions of men by deliberation counsel iudgement and election is deposed from his regencie the sensitiue appetite which is common to man and beast like a rebellious commons taketh the whole command and carrieth the soule by a blind force vnto any bruitish lust and to whatsoeuer is delectable to the senses Notably doth the Prophet expresse this propertie in the wicked Iewes saying that like fedde horses euerie of them neighed after his neighbours wife 3. By the practise of many beastly and bruitish properties For what properties haue vnregenerate men which are not more beseeming euill and hurtfull beasts then men 1. If we consider the respect betweene God and â—im his heart knoweth no subiection but as was said once of Israel he is as an vnrulie beiffer he knoweth no yoke acknowledgeth no Master lifteth vp his heele against his feeder and careth not for the owner of his fat pasture 2. If we consider naturall men in themselues no beast is so vncleane and foule as they whose filthie hearts are fit for nothing but to be stinking cages and dens for filthie birds and beasts wholly bespotted as the leopards Ier. 13.23 swinish men wallowing in the dirt and mire of sinnefull pleasures and reuolting from euerie good way as dogges to their vomits for so the Apostle tearmed such Iewes as revolted from Christianitie to circumcision Beware of dogges 3. Consider them in respect of their neighbour no euill beast is so cruell and venemous as they in regard of the former the Scriptures ascribe the propertie of the deuill himselfe vnto them calling them ramping and roaring lyons such as Dauid and Christ himselfe had to doe withall Psal. 22.13 such a one was Nero whom Paul had to doe withall 2. Tim. 4.17 God deliuered me out of the mouth of the Lyon And for their savagenes and greedines they are called dogges and wolues Zeph. 3.3 Her Princes are as roaring lyons and her iudges as wolues in the euening which leaue not the bones till the morrowe And for subtiltie and craft
to hurt they are termed foxes Luk. 13.32 tell Herod that foxe In regard of the latter namely their poison and venome Christ calleth them serpents and generations of vipers their tongues are like stings sharpened against good men and the poison of adders and aspes is vnder their lippes Psal. 140.3 hence doth the Lord threaten most cruell and ineuitable enemies vnder such speeches as Ier. 8.17 I will send serpents and cockatrices among you which shall not be charmed but they shall sting you Whereby he would describe and signifie the implacable and virulent malice and rage of the Chaldeans Now man beeing aboue all other borne a sociable creature and to liue in societie with God and men in the familie Church and common-wealth hath by his hostilitie against God and enmitie against man after a sort put off the nature of man and by such degenerating of good right hath lost euen the name of man also Doctr. Whence we learne that such as are not ledde by reason renewed nor by iudgement rightly enformed by the word of God but followe their owne hearts lusts for their guide haue cut themselues from the account of men and as worthily lost the name as the nature of men for they are become beasts in vnderstanding beasts in sensualitie beasts in brutish practises beasts in Gods account beasts in the reputation but of reasonable and heathenish men The verie light of nature adiudgeth them vnworthie the name of men beeing rather like the pictures or images of wood or stone outwardly resembling things but inwardly wanting which aboue all could make them the things they repreâ—â—nt And hence proceeded those poetries of metamorphoses not that either beasts or birds or trees were changed into men or men into these but in that the eie of nature in these men perceiued that men more and more degenerated from themselues and became daily neerer the beasts in properties qualities and practises although they retained still the shape and place of men Like Nebuchadnezzar who was not changed into the shape of a beast as some haue thought although God could haue done that but his vnderstanding together with his kingdome was taken from him and he driuen from men ate grasse as the beasts did till his vnderstanding he saith not his shape was restored him Hence haue some other of the heathens lighted a candle at noone day and runne into markets and throngs of men to seeke a man as though it were a rare thing euen in a number of men to finde one deseruing the name of a man whereby doubtlesse the Lord would cast the dongue of the Gentiles in their owne faces and that by themselues as here he did by Epimenides Vse Seeing the light of nature and grace conspire in the illustrating of this truth we must be more readie to embrace it and make our best vse of it as the truth not of a vaine man but of the true God Who among vs would not be mooued and disdaine to be called by any man a beast an asse an owle a dog c. and yet haue we occasioned the Lord thus to repute and account of vs and are not mooued for how few of vs can shew our selues men what a number of men and Christians in profession hearing the word and receiuing the Sacraments are as the horse and mule without vnderstanding that is not onely ignorant but incorrigible persons neither spurre nor bridle auaileth them to amendement Such as the Prophet complaineth of whom when the Lord had sundrie waies called them to amendement he hearkened and heard but no man said what haue I done euerie one turned to the race as the horse to the battell yea as horses that haue cast their rider men kicke and spurne against the Lord and his gratious admonitions as Pharaoh who is the Lord and other whilest the Lords sharpe bit is in their mouthes they bite it in with much discontentment but as vnruly afterward as euer before How many deafe adders are euerie where which refuse to heare the voice of the charmer some saying in their hearts some with their mouthes as the hardened Iewes to Ieremie The word of the Lord in thy mouth we will not heare What a number of swine are abroad rooting vp and treading vnder feete holy things contemning the word Sacraments ministerie discipline wallowing in their filthie lusts of vncleannes drunkennes fornication pride riot earthlines euerie one according to his owne appetite and not a fewe hypocrites who not sincerely vndertaking the profession of the truth returne to their owne wont as a swine after washing to the wallowing What a number of dogges without conscience and shame commit all manner of filthinesse euen in the day light and yet incessantly barking and bawling with Shemei against good men and good things let a man be a stranger to them and their courses let him be neuer so honest a man the dogge hath sufficient cause not to spare him and let any thing neuer so good be propounded or doâ— if not so generally receiued or vnusuall there is no stilling of the dogges against it Who can tell the number of cruell and vnmercifull lyons greedie gripes couetous cormorants woluish extortioners subtile oppressors who as foxes liue by crafty conveiances and whatsoeuer other noysome beast and vncleane that liueth by the pray to which adde those serpentine whisperers tale-bearers busie-bodies the vermine and venome of societies against whome no caution can be sufficient the number of all which kinds of cattell so amounteth as that the world at a blush may seeme rather to be made for beasts then men Now if we would avoide this sharpe censure which our nature so abhorreth let vs iudge our selues in the premises and finde out that bruitish behauiour in our selues whereby we haue forfeited euen the names of men for to this purpose are we so sharply delt withall in the Scriptures that we should be brought to be ashamed and blush at our behauiours We haue a common saying when we see our selues ouerseene or ouertaken in any temporall and outward thing Oh what a beast was I but wel were it if we would seriously thus accuse our selues when we haue failed in our godly course to say Oh what a beast was I to leaue the direction of the word and suffer my selfe to be led by my appetite or by the lust of my heart or the sight of mine eies to this or that sinne alas that I to to whome God hath giuen reason iudgement election deliberation yea his word and spirit should liue all this while as one destitute of all these I vnderstand not what the good and acceptable will of God is but am yet like the horse and mule without vnderstanding I haue stopped my eares at the word like the deafe adder and haue refused the things of my peace I haue barked against God and godlinesse I haue wallowed in my vncleanenes like a swine in his owne filth I haue beene vnmercifull and cruell
is euerie where a reproach but here besides that it marreth such a necessarie dutie and hardeneth the person vniustly reprooued against a iust reproofe for time to come it carrieth many blots with it For 1. it argueth him to be a busie bodie who especially if a priuate person pryeth into other mens actions that he may catch matter of reprehension whereas it is not the part of a prudent Christian to seeke out the sores of others but wisely to heale those which beeing in his way and calling he meeteth withall 2. It argueth want of loue to receiue hastily reports against such as we professe freindship vnto with whom a rent is made where none was nor needed to be iustly taking themselues iniured when they see themselues discredited in our hearts causlesly or else their names not sufficiently tendred of vs. 3. It argueth want of wisedom and great indiscretion rashly to reprooue that wherof either the partie knoweth himselfe innocent or else is done secretly now that is secret to vs which albiet it be knowne to others yet is not sufficiently knowne to vs the note of a foole saith Salomon is to beleeue euery thing and of a slanderer to discouer secrets Prov. 10.19 Quest. But what if I heare a report of my neighbour and I haue a vehement suspition and some presumptions that it is true may I not vpon those reprooue Ans. In this case obserue two rules The former in Deut. 13.14 Thou shalt rather seeke and make search and inquire diligently and if it be true and the thing certaine then thou maist safely reprooue 2. If thou canst not be certaine then reprooue not but vpon supposition thou canst not here say directly as Nathan to Dauid thou art the man For such a plaine reproofe implieth the certaine knowledge of a sinne which we must not suffer vpon our brother Leuit. 19.17 Sharpely It will heare be demanded what is this sharpe reproofe here mentioned Ans. To know it the better we may consider it either in the person of euery Pastor or that which is in the seuerall Churches The former belonging to euery Pastor standeth 1. in the enlargement of sinne knowne to be committed that it may appeare vnmasked and in it owne face that thus it may appeare more ougly and odious both to the vnderstanding and iudgement of the sinner 2. In following it with the curse of the law denouncing out of the word those plagues of God which shall surely ouertake such a partie if he faile of vnfained and seasonable repentance that thus there may follow a renting of the heart a breaking vp of the fallow ground and seeing one measure of sorrow fitteth not all sinnes such a measure of sorrow in the soule of the sinner as the degree of the sinne deserueth The latter kind of sharpe reproofe is that whereby the Church seeketh to recall offenders Neither is this that of the ciuill sword but is spirituall and respecteth the soule alone and standeth in three things 1. Admonition with denuntiation of iudgements 2. In suspension from the Lords table 3. In excommunication whereby the obstinate offender is giuen vp to Satan for the humbling of the flesh and sauing of the spirit as by a desperate remedie The error will not be great to vnderstand either of these in the precept but if either more then other I encline rather to the former namely that Titus is here directed how to carie himselfe toward these vaine people through the course of his doctrine rather then in exercising the censures of the Church whereunto both the words before and the verse following seemeth to encline Doct. According to the nature of sinnes and sinners we must set an edge vpon our reproofes and sharpen them for all sinnes are not of one size nor all sinners of one straine but some sinnes are more enormious then other and some sinners are more obstinate then other Some sinnes are of ignorance some of malice some secret some open some sinners are as waxe to worke on some are stonie and stifnecked some haue here and there their freckles and frailties on them others are spotted all ouer like the leopards or like the Ethiopian they neuer change their hew no washing doth them good Now we must wisely put a differnce betweene both Compassion must be shewed vpon some and others whom loue cannot allure feare must force some must be saued by loue and some be pulled out of the fire some sores need but a gentle lenitiue some a sharper drawer some require but the pricke of a needle to open them others a more painefull lancing and cutting and some a cutting off Obiect 2. Tim. 4.2 Reprooue with all long suffering how can that stand with this precept of sharpe reproofe Ans. Some which commit these two places together would reconcile them againe by considering the persons to whom the Apostle writ them the one Timothy who they say was seuere austere and therefore is exhorted to patience and meeknes the other Titus who was gentle and meek of nature and therefore spurred vnto sharpnes and seueritie But the context applieth it selfe fitlier to their answer who draw the difference from the people ouer whome they were set The Cretians were hard and reâ—ractarie full of bad qualities as here we see the Ephesians among whom Timothy was sent were of some better temper and disposition and therefore were more mildly to be delt withall Besides more mildnes was to be vsed with such as yet had not beleeued then those who hauing professed the faith in word and yet departed from it againe as the Galatians and these Cretians with whome Paul was so sharp and this difference also some of the auncient put between these two peoples of Ephesus and Candy But howsoeuer the places are easily accorded for euen to the worst much patience and lenitie must be vsed till it be dispised and till it be cleare that no meeknes will serue to winne men but then it is high time that seueritie should terrifie those who by lenitie would not be allured according to the example of God himselfe Rom. 2.4 Vse 1. As all Christian duties so this much more ought to be ordered by Christian wisedom and therfore Ministers especially must labour for the gift of discerning to iudge aright of persons and sinnes Of persons which are of Hagars seede and which are free borne of Sarah which men need the rodde and which the spirit of meekenesse Of sinnes which be greater for which the wounds may be the deeper which be larger for which the sorrow may be enlarged and in a word which are hard knots which need hard wedges 2. With wisedome and loue euery Minister must ioyne zeale and conscience yea in some case vehemencie seueritie in their reproofes dealing as the Lord himselfe doth often in setting the sinnes of men in order before them If he be to deale with Heliâ—s sonnes the sonnes of Belial it will not serue the turne
to say What is it that I heare my sonnes doe so no more for this is rather a saluing and too hastie a skinning ouer of a rotten sore the fester of which quickly breaketh out againe with more rage and danger but here he must put on the zeale of God yea a iust and holy anger gounded vpon the loue of God and godlines wherein he hath Iohn Baptist Matth. 3.5 and the Sonne of God himselfe going before him Math. 23. It is thought great wisdome in men so to carie their doctrine as no man is offended at it whereas howsoeuer all meeknes and patience in our owne matters is a Christian and commendable vertue yet zeale in the matters of God may not be wanting and were all men Saints or sinners but penitent we might by tendernes and compassion raise them but some are in the fire and must be pluckt out many are fooles to whose backs stripes belong many are festred in their sinnes and must haue corrasiues and fretting waters to make them smart at the quicke in which cases if any of our patients chaâ—e and storme and grow neuer so impatient it will be no wisedome in such as haue the ordering of them to let him haue his owne will in his desire to be let alone but still make incision search further the depth of the wound and send in taints to the bottom for such louing wounds must go before applying of salues to sound healing 3. Let all godly hearers learne to make manifest their patience and obedience by suffering themselues to be launched and pricked euen to their hearts by those whom God hath sent as his surgions to cure mens soules otherwise by sinne wounded to death as knowing that the hurt of the daughter of Gods people is not healed with sweete words but as the bitterest pill is fittest to purge and worketh kindlier then the sweetest potion and as the thunder and lightning more purifie the ayre then the calmest sunnshine euen so gall and wormewood is the portion which the Lord hath tempered for many to take off the pleasant tast of their sweet sinnes As for vs we take no pleasure in your smart or iudgement but that without it you cannot be cured You cannot but confesse that when sores are ripe and raging the next way to cure is launcing suffer vs then a while and trie whether we are not as readie with the good Samaritan to powre oyle as wine into your wounds so it make to your soundnes But all will not come vnto the supper by entreatie some must be compelled and if we bring a true word and handle it truely it cannot but deuide betweene the marrow and the bone yea betweene the soule and the spirits and the ioynts c. Heb. 4.12 And can all this be done and a man feele no smart nay surely if our Ministrie worke no smart it worketh no cure That they may be sound in the faith Doctr. The sharpest rebukes in the Church ought to ayme at this end the recouerie of diseased Christians to soundnes in religion both in iudgement and practise Which appeareth in that the greatest ordinarie censure in the Church is not mortall but medicinable For as a surgeon cuts off armes and legges that the bodie and heart may be saued so in this bodie parts and members are cut off that themselues may be saued as well as the whole bodie Paul excommunicateth the incestuous person that his spirit might be saued Himineus and Philetus were cast out to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme Those whom Iude wisheth to be pulled out of the fire by violence must be saued thereby If any obiect against this that in 1. Cor. 16.21 If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration to the death and therefore edification and saluation is not the ende of this censure I answer It is one thing for the Church to excommunicate another to curse and execrate the one is an ordinarie censure the other verie extraordinarie and rare the one against those who may be freinds of the Church the other only against desperate enemies and open and obstinate Apostates euen such as Iulian whom the Church iudgeth to haue sinned the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore execrateth and accurseth So as that place nothing impeacheth the truth of the doctrine Vse 1. Much more ought Ministers in their sharpest rebukes aime at the conuersion of men what a sharpe reproofe was that of Peter to Simon Magus Act. 8.21.25 Thy mony perish with thee and thou art euen in the gall of bitternesse and yet he addeth repent therefore and pray vnto the Lord c. So is it the part of all Peters successors to whom the care of the Lords flock is committed so to reprooue not as those who would shame mens persons but disgrace their sinnes neither as insulting ouer mens euills nor delighting in their falls nor despayring of their rising but as imitating good Surgions who whilest they seare or cut or cut off still shew compassion and gently entreate the patient euer perswading him that this rough course will make to his health and soundnes 2. While Ministers thus dispense Christian seueritie in their reproofes and denunciation of iudgements the bearers must not mistake them as many doe and much lesse say vnto them as Corah and his company to Moses and Aaron yea take too much vpon you or as the Egyptian to Moses who made thee a iudge who gaue you the keyes of heauen to open and shut it vpon whom you please when did God make you of his counsell to foretell my damnation c. conceiuing that in our menacies and threatning we quite cut them off from all hope of mercie and that we take vpon vs to shut the doore of grace vpon them and to shorten the arme of the Lord that he cannot saue them Whereas the truth is while we thunder out damnation against the sinner which verie many desperately rush into while they auoid the mention of it in our mouthes it is not that we despaire of your saluation or would haue you so to doe nor we doe not admonish you to shame you but you must if you will be saued by the word we preach conceiue with vs that we desire your soundnes of faith and therefore we deale with you as with sickemen who commonly will take nothing to doe them good but what is forced vpon them which if you doe not we are not in your hearts the Surgeons of your soules but rather your executioners 3. This reprehendeth those whose rebukes tend altogether to discourage godly courses in their people and bring them from soundnes in the faith making heauie the hearts of them to whom the Lord speaketh peace 2. Those that malitiously thunder their bolte of excommunication against those that professe Christ sincerely Thus did the Iewes excommunicate whosoeuer durst confesse Christ as that blind man Ioh. 9.34 so the
because men see it not 1. Consider how many we haue who conceiue that they are sound Christians and say they beleeue in Christ they thank God and they hope to be saued by Christ as soone as the best and yet the life of Christ much lesse foundnesse of soule was neuer in them yea nothing else but raigning sinne if to be daily drunke and to be sound stakes on the alebench to sweare to lie deceiue boast contend quarrell contemne the word and Christian practises and men will make sound Christians we neede not goe farre to seeke such sound men 2. Of such as are Christians and of the number of beleeuers how are many crazy and ouergrowne with bad and vicious humors some of couetousnesse some of licentiousnes some of idlenes and some worse then these The creple that lay at the poole of Bethesda eight and thirtie yeares had neuer more neede of putting into the poole then they that should a man looke wholly vpon some and not vpon others with them our congregations would seeme rather spirituall spittles then the Temples of Christians 3. How had the best need of that counsel giuen to the Church of Sardis Reu. 3.2 Be awake and strengthen the things which remaine and are readie to die for I haue not found thy workes perfect or sound before God for the truth is such a generall consumption of grace possesseth the most that were the bodies of many so farre wasted and spent as their soules are from that which hath beene in them long could they not look to remaine in the land of the liuing Secondly it is the soundnes of faith which the Lord is delighted in for neuters and no bodies fish nor flesh hote nor cold he cannot digest but speweth them out of his mouth halfe Christians he accounteth no Christians and therefore be altogether a Christian or thou art neuer a whit What a Christian at Church and a companion at home a bible in thy hands at Church and presently a paire of cardes or dice at home here in the companie of Saints and there of deuills incarnate here of them that feare an oath and there of them that cannot speake one sentence without an oath for the preface the Lord noteth thee for rotten at the core and stampeth thee for a counterfeit although thou beest neuer so cunningly washt ouer Thirdly this maketh all our duties chearefully vndertaken conscionably performed and mercifully accepted it cloatheth all our actions with seeming and sutable affections if they be exercises of repentance with godly humilitie if duties of loue with Christian compassion and charitie without which they were rather as carkases without soules then the fruits of sound and sauing faith Fourthly this soundnes carrieth assured comfort with it both in life and death many are the trialls and temptations of Gods children by the deuill and his instruments and through many afflictions are the Saints passed to their glorie the least of which were able quite to ouerturne them if they had not this sound proppe to leane vpon to which the promise is made that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Againe infinite are the frailties and weakenesses of Gods children yea not onely in their declinings but in theit best duties in which they are drawne the nearest vnto God the which would vtterly disheart them were it not that they knewe that is not perfection but sinceritie and a sound endeauour vnto it which is their reioycing here belowe Hezekiah in a sore brunt hauing the sentence of death denounced against him as it seemed out of Gods displeasure for he wanted issue had nothing to comfort him although he was a king but onely that he had walked in vprightnes before the Lord shewing vs that with this soundnes of heart possessing Christ and walking worthie of him we may with boldnes meete the Lord in iudgement yea then when heauen and earth shall be shaken together Fiftly on the contrarie what horrors of their fearefull apostacie haue many carried to their graues the cause of whose withering was euen want of moysture and soundnesse at the roote and most iustly seeing euen the deare Saints of God haue tasted the bitter fruit of smaller declinings and that by improuidence out of which they haue not beene recouered without shame and sorrowe as in Dauid Peter Noah c. If any yet thinke this doctrine more then needeth let him further consider 1. That the day of triall may not be farre off euen our day of famine by particular iudgement or death 2. The generall iudgement cannot be farre off when only such shall be pronounced blessed in whose spirits are found no guile 3. That he may shrowdly suspect himselfe to be an hypocrite who herein differeth from a sound Christian that the one can be content to be called on the other is vnsound at the heart and cannnot endure to be gaged Ver. 14. And not taking heed to Iewish fables and commandements of men that turne away from the truth As the Phisitian or Surgeon hauing cured some disease or sore at his departure forewarneth his patient of such meates and meanes as may bring the same or worse euills vpon them so dealeth the Apostle who hauing prescribed a course by meanes of which this corrupt and rude people should be brought to soundnesse in the faith he chargeth that whereas they had beene formerly addicted to lies and fables which had beene the occasions and feeders of their vnsoundnes and spirituall diseases yet now they should no longer attend to such fables and commandements of men which otherwise will be as powerfull as euer to preuaile against them to the turning of them away from the truth the which is now preached among them 1. the meaning 2. the doctrines Iewish fables Although all fables in matter of religion be to be reiected yet especially he mentioneth these of the Iewes because they were most dangerous of all 1. Because they directly opposed themselues as ouerthrowers of the whole doctrine of the Gospel and the merit of Christ. 2. They were perswaded vnder most strong pretenses for they came as from Gods owne mouth and from his owne people from such as were borne vnder the law so as they were vrged as things of surest ground and strongest authoritie from God himself and his greatest Prophet Moses But what were these fables Ans. Vnder this head may be comprehended all the false glosses and false interpretations of the law of Moses vrging the externall and literall but not the internall and spirituall meaning of the law for which corruption Christ challengeth the Iewish teachers Matth. 5.6 and 7. chapters 2. All their fabulous inuention in their Talmud such as that concerning the comming of the Messiah and the great feast at his comming and of the fruitfulnes of the earth which at that time shall bring forth in stead of eares of corne loues of bread and a number such of which Paul saith they are for number infinite and for
word of God is both the immortal seed wherof we are begottē to God that food which daily preseruet◠vs that we perish not 1. Pet. 1.23 and 2.2 if it be purely and incorruptly preached all the sound members of the Church by the power of the spirit turning it into good blood and nourishment are sound and strong but if it be adulterated and corrupted with mans deuises if it be blended poisoned or leauened hence are all sorts of spirituall diseases ingendred and fedde which ouergrowe the soules of men so as they are soone brought to the gates of death 2. The Apostle wisheth vs to consider the ende of the commandement 1. Tim. 1.4.5 that is either the morall lawe or that commandement and lawe of Christ Ioh. 15.20 The ende of the commandement is loue that is both towards God for himselfe and man for God but this loue must not be vnsound not in word and tongue onely but in deede and in truth from a pure that is a sincere heart a good conscience and faith vnfained But how is this soundnes o◠grace wrought in the heart the verse going before telleth vs that fables and vanities of men are so farre from this worke that fire is not more contrarie to water then those be to godly edifying the which plausible wittie conceits while men desire they are soone turned saith Paul to vain iangling And Satan hath made vse of this truth to the ouerthrow of many soules whose ancient practise euer was to pester the Church with infinite toyes and tales fancies and fables that mens sences might be taken vp therein least they should by the searching of the truth get out of his chaines of darkenesse wherein hee detaineth them 3. From the righteous iudgement of the Lord the sencence hath passed that when hee hath affoarded men his word to call convert strengthen and direct them but they hauing wandring hearts and itching eares loath that wholesome word he giueth them ouer to strong delusions to beleeue lies and to this ende according to their owne hearts lusts he sendeth them an heape of teachers to turne them away from the truth 2. Tim. 4.4 And what can be more iust seeing the Lord hath enioyned vs to captiuate all our senses vnto the simplicitie of his word but we wil vntie them to raunge after strange glosses comments and words of no profit he hath separated the wheate from the chaffe but we will mingle them he hath deliuered a perfect rule of faith and life but we by seeking out other rules from men argue it of imperfection he hath offered vs the pure riuers and streames to drinke at but we will digge puddles to our selues or drinke out of the cisternes of strangers shall not men now despising so great grace neglecting so great saluation offering such open iniurie to the Lord and his ordinances as iustly as dearely buy their owne woe and be giuen ouer to delusion Vse 1. Ministers must so teach as they may be able to professe with the Apostle 2. Pet. 1.16 We haue not followed deceiueable fables but the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ that is concerning the exhibiting of the Messiah the accomplishment of promises the abolishment of shadowes and his mightie power in word and action in his resurrection and ascension these are the things which we haue opened vnto you not wearying you or our selues in vngrounded fables vncertaine doctrines or deceiuing you with any shewe of words nor any thing whereof we were not occulate witnesses Other things haue a shewe of wisedome but if the word of the Lord be forsaken what truth of wisedom can be in them Ier. 8.9 other things may seeme to bring glorie but the true glorie of Gods messenger is that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.12 namely in simplicitie and godly purenes and not in fleshly wisedome he conuerseth in the world 2. Hearers must beware least any spoile them or carrie them away thorough Philosophie the speach is taken from theeues who come secretly to carrie away sheepe out of the fold to whome the Apostle compareth vaine teachers for they are no better to whom if thou wouldst not be a pray keepe from their snares mens wisedome will here betray thee curb the vanitie of thine owne heart in which thou art borne else will it make thee drinke in vanitie as the fish doth water be diligent in learning and keeping such doctrine as concerneth life euerlasting heare him willingly that telleth thee of Christ of his doctrine of his actions of his suffering this shall feed thee to saluation as for doctrines of quaint deuises and conceits of humane wisedome turne away thine care from them els wil they breede to more vngodlines 3. The seuerall doctrines of Turkes Iewes Papists are so many bad humors feeding so many diseases amōg whom if there be any faith at all yet can there be no soundnes in the faith because all of them are patched together of fables to passe ouer the former as too blasphemous to be once named among Christians the verie name of their Alcaron is suffitiently detestable The Iewish fables whereof their Talmud is full we haue seene in part besides that their Cabala is full of humane deuises but euen in the things which primarily were the Lords owne institutions they are become the embracers of fables If now they vrge as they doe distinctions of persons he is a Iew not who is one outward or in the letter but he that is one within If circumcision a note of that distinction now that is circumcision which is not in the flesh but in the heart If distinction of daies seeing Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed we must not keep feasts with old leauen neither with the leavened bread of maliciousnesse but with the vnleavened bread of sinceritie and truth If distinction of meates that which goeth into the bellie defileth not a man and whatsoeuer is sold in the shambles we may eate asking no question for conscience sake For the Popish fables we need goe no further then there liues and legends of many of which delusions they are now ashamed But if we adde their Canons constitutions decrees and humane traditions vrged as things necessarie binding the conscience concerning daies meats garments orders and such voluntarie worship we might easily see their whole religion placed in such outward obseruations neglecting and deprauing whatsoeuer is of substance to the true and spirituall worship of God as though Christian religion stood in things corruptible or in things indifferent or bodily exercise and not rather in things spirituall necessarie and premanent Hath the holy Ghost said in the Scripture that the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost and that meat and cloth are for the bellie and back and perish with the vse for God shall destroie both Let the blinded Papist keepe his coard and cowle at his backe cloath
of the soule letteth a simple man see the secrets of his heart laid open bringeth him to the sight of his sinne and to breake out into the acknowledgement and confession of the truth saying God is there indeed Now nothing but the word can tell a man his thoughts nothing else can pronounce sentence according to that which is in the heart and therefore cannot but come out from God whose only priuiledge it is to search the hearts which he hath made Vse 1. Let Ministers gird this sharp sword vpon their thigh and strike downe the high thoughts of men speaking rather to the conscience then to the eares of men for else the word which is spirituall and most directly worketh vpon the heart and spirit looseth in his hand the proper worke and powerfull vse of it This alone is that two edged sword in the mouth of Christ whereby he gets the victorie as Dauid said of Goliahs so more truely may we say of this there is no sword to this Philosophy Poetrie and profane things are too blunt to peirce the spirit too weake to conuert soules too dull to giue sinne and corruption deadly blowes or deaths wounds Whosoeuer would turne men from their wicked way and from the euill of their inuentions must stand in Gods counsell and declare his words to his people And the note of a true Leuite is to haue the law of truth vnder his lips Malac. 2.6 2. Labour in hearing the word to find it thus diuinely and powerfully working in thy heart finde thy soule stricken with the sence of death eternall find it the sacrificing knife to cut the throate of thy sinnes and lustfull affections find it to shake and astonish thy soule for this is the onely way for thee to finde rest in the day of trouble if it slay not thy sinnes it slayeth thy selfe insensibly for it neuer returneth in vaine 3. Be patient to suffer thy hypocrisie vncleannes yea thy most close and inward sinnes to be discouered in the Ministery and when thou seest this light of the Lord searching out all the bowells of thy bellie say of it surely God is in it for although I find not this presence by thunder lightning earthquake as in the mount yet by a still voice the Lord commeth and speaketh to my soule no voice but his can cast downe such strong holds as I see shaken within mee none but he can bind my conscience none but he can summon my thoughts none else but he that made it can worke my flintie heart like waxe The woman at the well conceiued nothing aboue ordinarie of Christ till he came neere her and told her of her secret vncleane course then could she acknowledge him a Prophet then could she aske her neighbours Is not he the Messias that hath told mee all that euer I did euen so is it not the Lord Iesus that in his word telleth thee of all thy waies come thy selfe call thy neighbours with thee to learne where such instruction is to be had When Christ told Nathaniel that he saw him vnder the figge tree where he thought he had not then could he say surely thou art the sonne of God the King of Israel euen so when thou findest the word discouering that in thee which thou thoughtest was hid from euery eye thou maist say truely this is the word of the Sonne of God herein it resembleth him it findeth me out of my figge leaues and calleth mee out of my bushes where I had hid my selfe Thou maist be bold to affirme surely he is a Prophet of the God of Israel that can discouer the secrets of the King of Syria and the words which he speaketh in his priuie chamber and as truely this is a man of God that can tell me the thoughts and counsells which I take in the most priuie chamber of my soule yea in the secret and most retyred closet of my heart Many not acquainted with this lesson storme and rage at the word when it pricketh them and thinke that the Preacher is informed and beginne to suspect some intelligencers the truth is we haue an intellengencer euen a spirit which goeth after Gehezi and stayeth by Ananias and Saphirah till their most secret conveyances be discouered and reuenged to whom day and darknes are alike and for such let them in time beware to spurne against preuailing truth least one day teach them to their cost what it is to despise such a word as this is 4. Iudge of thy selfe and actions as this word doth that is not according to thy shew in the world but according to thy purenes or vncleannes before God to whom a poore man in his vprightnesse is better then a froward person be he neuer so rich yea a poore wise child more accepted then an old foolish King This is the truest touchstone whence thou maist iudge certenly of thy estate and not be deceiued If this word reprooue or approoue any of thy waies or thy whole course thou maist safely pronounce of it Lord if I be deceiued in this thou and thy word hath deceiued me and if by thy word I erre I erre willingly for I know that this is according to Gods iudgement and that is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Doctr. 2. We learne further what is the estate of a man vnregenerate whom the Apostle setteth out thus 1. He is one that is vncleane 2. an vnbeleeuer 3. one to whom nothing is pure 4. his minde 5. his conscience is polluted in all which respects he is a most odious person in whom is nothing but filthinesse of flesh and spirit the which thâ— pure eyes of the Lord cannot abide All which will more easily appeare if we consider that by our fall we were not only depriued of that grace and goodnes which was set in our nature but there succeeded a foule and monstrous prauitie and euill opposed directly to the former good and that through the whole frame of the soule The minde which as a pure eye was able strongly to behold the brightnesse of God and the things of God is now not only destitute of that light of vnderstanding and reason but is couered and vailed with a black darknes of ignorance that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God though in it selfe neuer so cleare yet cannot shine out vnto them The will which was most conformable to Gods will is not only spoiled and robbed of the rectitude and freedome it had to good but is become rebellious and resisting the will of God Matth. 23.37 how often would I haue gathered thee but thou wouldest not Ioh. 5.40 yee will not come vnto mee that yee may liue yea and is a seruant of sinne Rom. 7.14 the inferiour parts called the flesh are not onely spoiled of that conformitie which all the affections and appetite had with the law but resist with hostillitie and enmitie against God yea and cannot
that many who now stand not in the last ranks of professors if times should serue would play but an Hazaels part or stand at open defiance of the truth if once the chaffie profession should be blowen away no man euer saw the change and alteration of religion but he saw also this truth verified The third point in the words is the miserable condition of the hypocrite He is an abhominable person Where note that men of corrupt mindes taking vpon them the names of Christians and doing the works of Atheists are worthely abhorred of God and if they could be discerned ought to be an eyesore to men who should not with patience behold them They are abhominable to God which appeareth both 1. in their persons 2. their actions 3. their punishment For their persons they are but halfe Christians neither hote nor cold and therefore the Lord cannot digest them compared to cakes but halfe bakte Hose 7.10 and not turned on the other side below they are hote that is either in their owne superstitions or in smaller trifling matters or else in forme and outward appearance they seeme so zealous as though the zeale of Gods house would consume them but aboue in matter of spirit and truth in the inner man in the soule and heart remaine vnbaked impenitent vnturned the fire of the spirit hath not once touched them and so they remaine a mixt lump still neither hote nor cold Seeing therfore they are such as withdraw their best part from God the soule of God can take no pleasure in them Their actions although neuer so good in themselues neuer so specious vnto others neuer so behoofull to the societie where they liue yet are abhominable vnto God yea in their most deuout seruices they doe nothing but as Ephraim compasse the Lord with lyes and deceit Hose 11.12 Their punishment sheweth them to be euery way abhorred of God for as men deale with things they hate so the Lord 1. casteth them out of his sight Iob. 13.16 The hypocrite shall not come before him the workers of lies shall not enter within the walls of that holy Citie yea sometimes they are cast out of his presence as Caine was euen out of the visible Church as they are euer out of the inuisible to shew that they shall neuer be endured hereafter 2. Destroieth them for their destruction from the Lord sleepeth not but shall surprise them perhaps while they are in the bodie as Ananias and Saphirah but certenly hereafter and the damnation of such is no ordinarie damnation but a more ample and abundant iudgement is reserued for them then others and it is worthy obseruation that when the holy Ghost would rouse vp the slouthfull seruant he threatneth him his portion with hypocrites Matth. 24.51 and for both together it is said Matth. 13.41 that the Angels shall gather out of Christs kingdome all that offend and cast them into a furnace Ioh. 15.6 those that abide not in Christ though they cleaue a long time to the visible Church yet are seperated from the true inuisible Church and cast out like withered branches and men gather them and cast them into the fire how shall then such abhominable persons in Gods eyes avoid the damnation of hell it is almost an impossible thing for such a viperous brood of professed hypocrites euer to be saued And ought not such persons also to be an abhomination to good men in whose eyes euery vile person ought to be contemned yes surely could we discerne them or God discouering them we should be affected towards them as Elisha was towards Iehoram who in his straitnesse could seek to Gods Prophet and otherwise to Baal as the Lord of hostes liueth were it not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat I would not haue looked towards thee nor seene thee Vse 1. If these be the notes and this the estate of an hypocrite then must it needs be very hard to know who is an hypocrite because it is a lurking sinne and so masked as there is litle yea often no outward difference betweene the sound and vnsound and consequently it cannot but be verie dangerous to lay this imputation vpon any man till the time least we iudge our brethren rashly and condemne the iust which is as odious a sinne as the iustifying of the wicked And this is rather to be noted because it is become so rise a practise to range euery professor vnder this title and marke him with this blacke cole of hypocrisie But as it is true that an hypocrite must be a professor so is it false that euery professor must be an hypocrite And as for all other notes here obserued or elsewhere in Scripture they are such as whereby the owne heart of a man and his owne spirit within himselfe may iudge of himselfe rather then the heart or eye of another man Many are so like vnto the deuill that they make no bones of accusing the godly as Satan did Iob of hypocrisie beeing led by that same spirit which is an accuser of the brethren but not by the spirit of God which is the spirit of loue which thinketh no euill but hopeth all things euen the best of the worst which is not iudging neither dare it enter into the counsell of God nor iudge the person of another mans seruant who standeth or falleth to his owne Lord which is so farre from carping at or misconstruing things well done in appearance as that maketh the best and giueth most fauourable construction of things and actions which are in appearance euill as well knowing that the searching of the heart belongeth to the maker of it and that no man can know with what intention vpon what grounds or causes this or that is done by another And much lesse yet doth that spirit of Christ which vseth not to quench smoaking flaxe but cherisheth euen good shewes as in the young man discourage better proceedings by deeming those who exercise themselues most diligently in the courses prescribed by the word the most worthy to be abhorred of God and man And yet where can a man goe but he shall meete with the spirit that beareth rule in the word which conceiueth not speaketh not so bitterly against whooremongers theeues drunkards c. as against many sound hearted professors of Christ and of his truth thus with the wicked Iewes preferring Barrabas before Christ himselfe Oh that men knew what they did and then would they not thus crucifie the Lord of glorie in his seruants who will fearefully reuenge such indignitie done against them When Dauid sent his seruants to Hanun to visit him and he euill entreated them vsing them as spies and not as visitors sent from a freind how hotly doth Dauid prosecute the reuenge of their wrongs he destroied seauen hundred charrets and slew fortie thousand horsemen beside the forte insomuch as he forced other Kings to make peace with him how much more will the Lord more
hast betaken thee to another seruice then that of men and must carie thy ministerie as becommeth a sound teacher of the truth which is according to godlines Teaching vs that Doctr. No Christian Minister nor man must be so shaken at the vngodly courses of others in their ranke as that they either giue ouer or giue backe from their vprightnes in their duties for Titus although he might seeme to be cryed downe by the generall voice of false and pompous teachers yet must he not bee silent and though he might be troubled and opposed yet must he not be timorous or sluggish and though his doctrine were not receiued nor obeyed yet he must not bee wearie of tendring and teaching it yea be it that the world would rather applaud mockers and time seruers yet must not he discontentedly with Ionas turne another way but looke vnto his owne dutie in seruing God his Church and mens saluations let others stand or fall to their owne masters it is safe for euerie man so to lay his counters as that his Master may finde him doing yea well doing The like precept receiueth Timothie euill men and deceiuers waxe worse and worse deceiuing and beeing deceiued but continue thou and cap. 4.5 many shall turne away their â—ares and be giuen to fables but watch thou and what a good proficient Timothie was herein the same Apostle sheweth Philip. 2.20 for when all sought their owne yet then he as a sonne with the father serued with Paul in the Gospel 2. It is no slender commendation which a man shall receiue from the mouth of God if with the Minister of the Church of Peâ—gamus he shall beare the name and word of God euen there where â—â—tan hath his throne and then when Antipas that faithfull witnes was slaine 3. The Lord for this end permitteth many generall defections and corruptions not to this purpose that the godly should shrinke but to trie them whether if they see themselues alone with Elias and euen their liues sought also they will stand in their vprightnes whether when all Israel goe after the gods of their fathers they and their houses with Iosuah will serue the Lord and whether those that professe the Lord wll walke by rule or by example Vse 1. Let none that professeth Christ take offence at the differences of iudgement or practises amongst men in the world whether in the Ministers or other men The truth was neuer but one although there was euer difference in the preaching of it Some Prophets were smooth and sweet tongued some Apostles so stiling themselues were much in speech but not so much in power some Ministers must haue their portions here must haue pompe ease wealth and applause and this makes them marchants of the word and speake to their owne endes and drifts Others there are whose portion the Lord is vnto whom they would approoue their hearts and therefore in sinceritie and as of God in the sight of God they will speake The former may be many and mightily backed with the grace of great ones and perhaps but one Titus to withstand them all yet if there be but one Micah one Titus he must hold him to wholesome doctrine to Gods truth against 400. yea 4000. of them There is also as great difference in their sufferings the former if they should worthily suffer as euill doers they shall not want mediators and moderators the latter in suffering for well doing are in their iust defence like Paul who in his answering had no man to assist him but all forsooke him Here now is a triall which will cause 70. disciples to fall off from Christ at one clappe nay which may occasion the moouing of Christs question to the twelue to those who are sound Christians but shaking will yee also goe away But we must be wise of heart to enquire where the wholesome word is and whither else should we goe 2. In the differences of mens courses we must looke directly to the word which though it prescribe straight wayes to heauen and those beaten with the feete but of a fewe and those fewe by the most accounted singular and vnwise yet is it good to marke what God speaketh what if we be as signes and wonders yea as gazing stocks to men what if the wicked wonder and speake euill of vs because we runne not to the excesse of riot with them yet must we beware that we be not plucked away with the error of the wicked and fall from our owne stedfastnes Excellent is that exhortation Isai. 8.12 Say not a confederacie to all them to whome this people say a confederacie but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and let his feare be your dread so in thy calling let all thy trade vse deceit and falshood in word and action but let them not be a rule for thee for thou must walke to heauen by other direction Wholesome doctrine 1. In regard of the matter 2. of the worke or effect the former when it is sound in it selfe Then is it so 1. when it propoundeth things necessarie to be beleeued or done 2. proportionall to the analogie of faith Rom. 12.6 3. agreeable both with other places and texts collated as also with the antecedents and consequents of the same place 4. when it wholly leadeth vnto Christ the law beeing a schoolemaster to him Gal. 3. and the Gospel teaching nothing else 1. Cor. 2.2 Secondly that is wholesome doctrine in regard of the worke or effect which maketh the soules of men sound and thriuing for it is a borrowed speach from the food or physicke of the bodie to the soule which is the word of God here called againe doctrine and elsewhere the food and bread of life and Ministers Pastors and feeders Now this doctrine worketh mens soules to soundnesse two wayes 1. by drawing vs out of our spirituall diseases not onely inward as of ignorance error hypocrisie c. but outward also as those maine sinnes reckoned vp 1. Tim. 1.9.10 and said to be contrarie to wholesome doctrine This it effecteth 1. by shewing the danger of our disease 2. by applying the remedie 2. by keeping vs in good plight and health not onely free from those former diseases but strong and fresh to the duties of pietie and righteousnesse euen as the bodie is kept sound without onset of diseases by wholesome nourishment Doctr. The scope of euery Minister in his teaching must be to feed the people of God with wholesome doctrine such as may bring the soules of men to health and soundnes For 1. if the common talke of Christians must be edifying ministring grace bring sweetnes to the soule and health to the bones if it be required of euery righteous man that his lips should feed many nay more if the law of grace must sit vnder the lips of euery vertuous woman much more must the Ministers whose office in peculiar bindeth him to be a Pastor or feeder
and that according to Gods owne heart he hauing for this purpose receiued his calling gifts and approbation of God 2. Otherwise he peruerteth the whole course of his life and calling and is no better then those false Apostles who turning themselues from sound teaching to vnfruitfull discourses called vaine iangling are said to roue and erre from the right aime like vnskilfull darters or shooters Now what a fearefull thing is it for a man to wander all his life long from that station and seruice in which the Lord hath set him Quest. But how shall any Minister attaine this end of his calling Answ. Hereunto two things are required 1. abilitie 2. affection both which prouoke diligence and faithfull abillitie 1. of learning 2. of iudgement For the former he must be able to feed with wholesome doctrine We will not put forth our children to nurses whose brests want milke vnlesse we would starue them so the Lord neuer committeth his children to drie nurses though often in iudgement he leaue and permit them vnto spirituall famine Seeing therefore the Preists lips should preserue knowledge and the Pastors breasts should be like Iosephs granaries stored with all prouision against the time of famine let all idle and idoll Ministers that thrust themselues in for Pastors and can onely feed themselues consider of their danger betimes least too late repentance cause them to know what it is to starue the Lords people and murther so many soules the meanest of which the whole world cannot counteruaile For the latter he must be of able iudgement and wisedome to know the nature and constitution of his people the state of his flock whether they be of weake or strong stomaks and so whether they need milke or stronger meate 2. He must be able like a skilfull cooke to know how to season the food he deliuereth he is not presently fit to be a cooke that can put on a white apron or conforme in a ceremonie but as he must be a man of skill in his qualitie so must he be a man of a good tast and haue experience of that he prepareth for others wisely deliuering points not onely profitable for the persons present but things also proper to the present occasions and be fitting occurrences 3. He must not onely know when his prouision is well seasoned but also when it is seasonable like a good steward who altereth the dyet of the house according as the seuerall seasons seuerally furnish the market for as euery one must haue his portion so must he haue it in due season a word in time to him that is wearie is a fruit of a learned tongue and to feed the impenitent with iudgement is wisedome seeing an humble soule is broken with threatning a secure heart is hâ—rdned with promises But to the further furnishment of the Minister the second thing must be added namely the affection of loue Which must looke three wayes at once 1. to God 2. to man 3. to the truth The glorie of God must be prized aboue all things which will make him speake onely for God and he that speaketh onely for God cannot but be wholesomely conuersant in his word Ioh. 7.18 For loue of Gods glorie effecteth two things both concurring to wholesome doctrine 1. conceiuement of humane wisedome 2. demonstration of the spirit 1. Cor. 2.4 that is a secret power and authoritie of the spirit going with his word enlightning with his owne other mens vnderstandings and heating by his owne other mens affections this made a graue Diuine of ours say that euery true Minister hath after a sort a fierie tongue giuen him Secondly this affection of loue must be extended to his people Paul loued his countrimen and this stirred vp his heartie desire that Israel might be saued The mother seeing her child in danger is carefull out of her loue to prouide any cordiall or restoratiue that may be gotten to doe it good the prosperitie of the child is the ioy of the mother so the profit of the people is the Pastors crowne of reioysing 2. Cor. 3.1 Thirdly vnto the truth it selfe he must affect to know nothing and this will cause him to affect to deliuer nothing but Christ and him crucified this sincere milke of the word maketh Gods children to thriue and prosper whereas the vnwholesome milke mingled with error or puddle water of mens deuises bringeth sickenesse diseases and consumption into their soules Vse Let all Ministers who haue a care of profiting their people and so furthering their owne account acquaint them with this wholesome doctrine fetched out of the pure fountaines of the Scriptures and rightly deuide it vnto them as workemen that need not be ashamed Alas what vanitie is it out of opinion of wit or reading to seeke out strange speculations among the starres to search out genealogies peregrees to dote about fables to set himselfe to tie hard knots onely to vntie them againe as the dogge leaueth soft meat to gnaw vpon bones to mingle the word with the leauen of traditions what a dangerous thing is it to heale the hurt of Gods people with sweete words or to handle the word either deceitfully or deliuer it phantastically with vnseemely and rude or affected words of humane wisedome eloquence all this may puffe vp the soules of men for a time as though they were wholesomely fed but indeed Paul sheweth the proper worke of them that they breed diseases and ingender strife rather then godly edifying and when the fire commeth that shall trie euery mans worke his worke shall burne let him scape if he can who though he teach no false doctrine yet if he build haie and chaff vpon the foundation for he hath not stood in Gods counsell read the curse denounced against false Pastors Ier. 23. Secondly hearers are hence taught sundrie duties As 1. to desire only this wholesome food that their soules may be well liking laying aside their itching eares which hunt after nouelties for the Ministerie is not appointed to beate the eare as musicke but to sinke into the soule as the food and medicine of it by becomming the meanes and rule of life In populous places are running auditories in which the most gape for painted phrases prettie wittie sentences out of some Sage or other or some sentence of Scripture which yet they least care for but it must be turkist and mishapen out of his natiue simplicitie like cattell forsaking the greene pastures to broose vpon leaues and boughes These nice hearers are like the daintie gentelwomen of our times who scorning standing dishes on their tables which are the wholesome fit and strengthning nourishment set them at the low end of the table and themselues onely glorying in their art and cookerie feed vpon forced dishes and cookt conceits though the ground in comparison be not better then a bootshanke as we vse to say and the sauce trebling the cost of the meat it selfe How good a sauce
â—estinesse hastinesse and vnaduised frowardnes their conuersation blotted with base couetousnesse as if they were to liue ouer their yeares againe their minds no lesse bending towards the earth then their bodies and though they can scarse goe vp and down in the world yet for most part are they more drowned in wordly affaires then when they were in their most constant estate In a word blackeamoores were they young and now their skins are not changed the crimson tincture of their sinne cannot yet be washed nor they in their age breake through the snares wherewith Satan held them in their youth but the sinner of an hundreth yeare olde goeth on to punishment And here let none thinke that any dotage or passionate affections may be excused by reason of the age nay rather euery such breaking out is here doubled for an olde man especially should be discreete and the discretion of a man moderateth all passions Let Barzillai be an example to all olde men who beeing sollicited to embrace courtly delights he refuseth all such profers and setteth his minde vpon his owne death in his owne citie Sound in faith Now followe those three vertues which are requisite in olde men as they are auncient Christians The first of which is soundnesse of faith in which three things are to be considered 1. What soundnes of faith is 2. Why it is commended in speciall to olde men seeing euerie Christian must haue it 3. The dutie which hence is to be learned For the first Soundnesse of faith standeth in two things 1. when faith is sound in the qualitie that is sincere not deceitfull not hypocriticall 2. when it is sound in the degree of it not a shaking reede but growne vp from the infancie vnto some strength and stature Now vnto both these is required that faith be sound 1. in the ground of it 2. in the obiect 3. in the worke of it 4. in the fruits issuing from it in any of which if it faile it is vnsound vnlasting First the ground of sound faith is a sufficient measure of knowledge of the things of God reuealed in the word in a sound and incorrupted iudgement for so the Apostle affirmeth Rom. 10.14 that for the working of faith there must be the interpreting and deliuering of doctrine out of the word and an attentiue hearing and vnderstanding of it whereby after a sort the sonne of man is lifted vp that we may beleeue Ioh. 3.14 Now euerie degree of knowledge and measure of vnderstanding is not a sufficient ground of sound faith but such a measure as is able to discerne betweene things that differ for how can children in knowledge be grown men in the faith or how can any come to that ripe age of faith here meant but such as through long custome haue their senses exercised to discerne both good and euill This must be then such a knowledge as enableth a man both to maintaine the truth and convince the gainsayers and so hold his owne comfort by distinct and particular yea some depth of knowledge without which so farre he shall be from soundnes as that he shall be dangerously carried with euerie winde of doctrine There is a fulnesse of knowledge which the Apostle commendeth in the Romanes and this is a notable fit ground for this soundnesse of faith Hence it followeth that all that implicite faith of the laie Papists folded vp in an idle fancie without knowledge is vnsound and vngrounded for can any but a Papist beleeue he knowes not what Secondly the obiect of a sound faith more generall is the whole word of God from which faith can no more be seuered then the beames from the sunne but more specially the porper obiect is the couenant of grace in Christ yea Christ himselfe together with all his merits and all the promises of mercie freely propounded in the Gospel which is therefore called the word of faith Hence all Popish faith is here prooued againe vnsound because it is corrupt in the obiect leaning it selfe in stead of the word vpon canons councells traditions vnwritten decrees as also expecting saluation without the free couenant of grace by the merit of workes whereas in iustification before God all workes all boasting are excluded Rom. 3.27 and 4.24 Thirdly the worke of a sound faith is twofold 1. assent 2. application The former is a certeine and firme assent whereby we set a seale vnto all the promises of the Gospel as most sure and certaine holding euen an Angel accursed that should bring any other doctrine and keeping sure the profession of our hope without wauering in full assurance of vnderstanding For faith is no opinion or fancie but hath in it a certaintie arising from the stedfastnes of the promise and word of God Hence are all such exhortations as that 1. Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith The latter worke of faith is application whereby a man not onely assenteth that all the couenant of grace is true in it selfe but also that it is true vnto him who therefore resteth and leaneth vpon it for his owne saluation beeing assured so vndoubtedly at one time or other of his saluation as if he were alreadie gathered vp among the Saints And this hand thus laying on Christ vnto righteousnes and applying Christ with his merits vnto ones selfe in particular to saluation is the forme of faith or rather faith it selfe formed and not any workes or charitie as Papists fondly dreame And that this certaintie is of the nature of sound faith appeareth because that modest but graceles vncertaintie and doubting of the Popish doctrine is opposed vnto faith and made a fruit of vnbeleefe Matth. 14.31 Oh thou of little faith why doubtedst thou of Abraham is said Rom. 4. that he doubted not nor reasoned with himselfe but was strengthned in faith beeing fully assured And what other reason is giuen why the inheritance was not giuen by the law which was impossible to be kept but by the promises of grace but that the promise might be sure to all the seede Rom. 4.16 Or how could our peace with God continue our comfort or last with vs if we had no assurance of it but still doubted of his loue Let vs therefore alwaies take notice of this especiall worke of sound faith which maketh the heart able to say with Iob I know my Redeemer liueth and with Paul who died for me and gaue himselfe for mee Neither must the godly refuse to subscribe to the truth of this doctrine because they neuer finde such constant and full assurance which is not mooued with some doubting and sometime exceedingly ouercast with grudgings of vnbeleefe for by this reason they might aswell conclude that they neuer had faith and it is no meruaile if faith and doubting be in one man seeing they rise from two diuerse yea contrarie principles which cannot but be found in the best euen spirit and flesh If thou lookest by the
of Gods deliuerance 2. Sam. 16.12 It may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction and doe me good this day not making doubt for neither did Dauid in generall but constantly cleauing to the promise call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Prayer for deliuerance must be ioyned with this expectation of our deliuerance not prescribing time nor meanes nor manner much lesse vsing vnlawfull meanes but reserue vnto the Lord the glory of his wisedome in ordering the whole matter and circumstances of our deliuerance The fifth fruit is a totall resignation of a mans selfe to the will of God and a voluntarie subiection vnto his good pleasure who knoweth out of his wisedome what is the best and out of his loue maketh euery present estate worke to the best to his children example hereof we haue in Dauid 2. Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him doe as seemeth good in his eyes yea euen if he should say I haue no delight in thee The third point wherein the soundnes of patience consisteth is in the found durance and lasting of it And indeed not euery patience and tollerance of euill is here meant but such as implieth a delaie and continuance vnder some weight or burthen nay the very word importeth so much signifying as well perseuerance as patience neither is this sound patience a suffering only but a long suffering nor a patience but a long patience such as the husbandman waiteth withall vnto the haruest such as the Prophets endured all hard measure by such as our selues must possesse our soules by and euery possession is of continuance such as maketh not hast yea such as must waite vntill the comming of the Lord. Iames in the place alleadged exhorteth to be patient till the comming of the Lord which is not meant of his last comming to iudgement but of his particular executions beforehand for the deliuerie of his chosen the reuenge of their wrongs vpon their enemies Vse All these notes let vs see the crazines of this grace in vs. It is no patience when men beare out crosses by stoutnes and stomacke neither by a nature not so subiect to impatience for here is not silence vnto God disposing the crosse vnto them So when men can buckle well enough with and swimme out of one kind of crosse which pincheth them not so much but sinke in some other when they must choose their rods and tâ—ialls or else they are heartles and dead in the neast here is a crannie in their patience which will sinke their soules Some againe beare out their crosses because they are yoked and coupled to them like two spaniels which must goe together because they cannot goe asunder but without all willingnes or chearefulnes but this is farre from Christian patience and is as we say patience perforce And lastly when we cannot entertaine afflictions thankefully as finding some goodnes and sweetnes in them when deliuerance is not expected from God as by such who haue title in his promise when we desire to be at our owne hands and will not stay his leisure but hastily like infidels runne vnto indirect meanes and sometime to Sathan himselfe in sorcerers witches when we are so tugged with afflictions as we hold not out but are readie to giue vp all here is all vnsound here men may not onely suspect but conclude from vnsound patience vnsoundnes of loue of faith and consequently the want of the truth in all their profession of religion Vers. 3. The elder women likewise that they be in such behauiour as becommeth holynesse not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of holy things Our Apostle hauing taught how and what doctrine should be applyed to old men he proceedeth now to make olde women matchable vnto them and therefore he beginneth with the word likewise which sheweth that the same vertues as formerly haue beene mentioned are to be vrged vpon old age of both sexes and who can denie sobrietie wisdome grauitie soundnesse in faith loue and patience to be as necessarie for auncient women as men whether we consider the same inconueniences of the same olde age lying vpon them or the impotencie of their sexe in vndergoing them which yet maketh the want of these vertues farre more miserable then in the other And then he addeth some further duties fitted to their estate which he doth 1. by prescribing such vertues as are seemely for their yeares and 2. by prohibiting such vices as in all ages are wicked but in theirs most vnseemely and scandalous The duties are two 1. an holy behauiour in themselues in the first words of the verse 2. a drawing on of others vnto holinesse and honestie in the latter part of the verse and forward The vices prohibited are two 1. of slaundring or false accusing 2. of intemperate desire or drinking of wine or strong drinkes both which are contained in the middle of the verse But we will speake of the words as they lie in the verse But before we come vnto them we may learne this lesson Doctr. In that wholesome doctrine must be taught and applyed vnto women as well as men note that no woman cannot without danger of damnation despise or neglect the ministerie of the word they beeing as straightly bound vnto the meanes of saluation and the Apostle taketh double paines to teach them their duties Reas. 1. As saluation is one to all so is there but one way to all for as women must haue their names written in the booke of life as well as men that is in the booke of Gods election to life so must they be also added vnto the Church as well as men seeing none are saued who are not added vnto the Church Now this addition to the Church standeth not onely in an outward profession of the Gospel by which they are added to the visible Church for the foolish virgins made a great shewe for a time but in vnfained conuersion and sanctification whereby they are added vnto the invisible Church True it is that women must be ioyned vnto the people of God and therefore must participate 1. in the word which must be preached to euerie creature Paul preached to a company of women among whom Lydia was conuerted 2. in the Sacraments and be both admitted into the Church by baptisme as Cornelius the Iaylor and all their housholds as also strengthned in the Church by the Lords Supper in which they must remember the Lords death vntill he come But all this is not inough yea nothing at all vnlesse they be first knit vnto God himselfe the bond of which coniunction is faith wrought in the heart by meanes of the word and working in heart and life by loue to God and men If then women must beleeue to saluation aswell as men the Iaylor and all his houshold beleeued in God nay if women must continue in faith to which saluation is tyed and not
kin to the gowte for the one is of rich men the other of rich women neither of the poore ones for most part yet it is most kindly in the mother most prosperous to the babe and the refusall of it very preiudiciall to both besides if nature in euery bruit beast cannot crie lowd inough in some mothers eares grace in the presidents of the godliest women we euer heard of calleth for it Sarah hauing a promise of a sonne said who would haue thought that euer Sarah should haue giuen sucke it was taken for granted in those daies that she that bare a child should also giue it sucke and so did Sarah although her age might iustly haue required dispensation Who was nurse to Samuel but his owne mother and when the Lord would chuse a nurse for Moses the greatest Prophet that euer was whom did he deliuer him vnto rather then his owne mother Who did giue sucke vnto Christ but his owne mother looke whose wombe bare him her pappes gaue him sucke And what kind of women were they whom the Apostle would chuse into office in the church but such as among other notes of diligence honestie and grace had giuen sucke to their owne children 1. Tim. 5.10 Let women consider seriously not onely how vnnaturall but how vngodly a practise it is without iust ground on idle pretenses to depart from the steppes of these holy women thrusting forth their children sometimes to such as by whose negligence they are brought short home and sometimes which is worse to such who ought neither to giue milke nor yet liue by the law of God I meane such as by dishonestie haue filled their breasts but to whomsoeuer they come short of that loue which euen the bruite creatures cary to their young Secondly seeing the vnreasonable creatures can and doe performe this office of loue there must needs be more required in the loue of mothers toward their children the second dutie therefore of motherly loue is by instruction to frame them vp to godlines and this two waies 1. By deliuering them precepts of pietie so soone as they can conceiue them that if it were possible they might sucke in with the milke principles of grace and godlinesse Salomon wisheth the parent to teach a child while he is a child in the trade of his way and least mothers should turne off this dutie to the father as beeing his we reade of a bundle of instructions collected together which Salomons mother taught him Prov. 31.1 That it is a fruite of loue in parents see Prov. 4.3.4 and the recompence of Eunica her timely teaching of Timothie her sonne appeareth in the commendations which Paul giueth of him euery where 2. By becomming examples to them of godlinesse and pietie carefull what speach gesture behauiour passe from them in the presence of their children which if it be sober and religious it fashioneth their behauiour accordingly or if otherwise it soone and suddenly corrupteth them as we see the loosenes of many parents fearefully reuenged and visibly vpon their children Thirdly the third office of true motherly loue is seasonable and mercifull correction Prou. 13.24 wherein two extreames are to be auoided 1. too much indulgence for that is a cruell loue in the euent a child let alone to himselfe saith Salomon maketh his mother ashamed and maketh the father smart often as Hely and bringeth himselfe to ruine it is noted a cause of Adoniahs ruine and fall that his father would not displease him from his childhood that this is a fruite of parentlike loue see Leuit. 19.17 thou shalt not hate him to let sinne be vpon him and Prou. 13.24 he that spareth the rodde hateth his child but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime 2. Take heede of crueltie and too much seueritie which may prouoke their children both Parents must beware of abusing their authoritie either to vniust commands or by vnseemely reproaches and contumelies or else by vniust and immoderate stripes by all which meanes children whom louing meanes might perhaps haue reclaimed are both exasperated and alienated from the Parent and hardened also and made desperate in bad courses The fruite appeareâ—h in good Ionathan whom Saul euerie way prouoked 1. none must bring his deare and innocent friend Dauid to be slaine but he there was a most vniust commandement 2. he vniustly reuiled him calling him the sonne of an whoore 3. he wanted of his will that he slewe him not for he threwe his speare at him and then the text saith that he arose and went his way Fourthly the last dutie is heartie and daily prayer for their childrens prosperitie Iob sanctified his sonnes daily a dutie euinced by the commendable custome of childrens daily crauing the Parents prayer Vse Let women learne thus to loue their children and thus to loue al their children for the precept is indefinite excluding no one child from any one of these duties which meeteth with the practise of some women who loue not their children in iudgement but in affection which sometime is carried to the eldest sometime to the youngest with neglect of all the rest some one must be made the wanton and darling some other so rigorously intreated that they seldome see a cleare and vncloudy looke towards them some one shall haue a double portion and be so set vp as that all his brethrens sheaues shal not fal downe onely but be blasted before his sheaue this is not to loue children religiously as Iob did who offered sacrifice according to the number of them all and therefore let religious men and women shunne this corrupt â—ffection least it be with them as it was with the Patriarks who were neuer more grieuously crossed in any thing then in their darling children Discreete or temperate A vertue before required both in the Minister cap. 1.8 and in elder men cap. 2.2 and now in younger women beeing a grace requisite for all estates ages sexes and conditions of life requiring that the raines of affections be subiected vnto reason and moderated by iudgement not suffering a thought to be entertained and setled in the minde which is not first warranted in the word without which if the raines be slacked but a little the minde is suddenly vanquished taken and lead captiue of manifold lusts This grace then is the watchman and moderator of the mind keeping and guarding it from pleasures altogether vnlawfull and in lawful curbing and cutting off excesse and abuse It watcheth also ouer the affections of the heart and actions of the life resisting all light behauiour all childish carriage all vnquiet and troublesome passions such as are suspitions ielousies which are the fewels and firebrands of much mischeife and the distempers of flashing anger rage vniust vexation It suffereth not vndutifulnes to the husband vnnaturalnes towards the children vnmercifulnes towards seruants vntowardnes in her owne duties vnthankefull medling with other folkes affaires It is a procurer
they may also say let God make my righteousnesse answer for me Obiect But Iacob in that place delt not so iustly but rather cunningly with Laban in helping himselfe to his right by laying the straked rods in the sheepes watring troughes whence it may seeme that a seruant may right his owne wrongs and supplie out of his masters goods his owne wants Answ. But farre was it from Iacob to vse therein any deceit who would not so boldly haue inuocated the name of God to such a wicked purpose besides what he did was by Gods authoritie yea and direction who to helpe him to his right by dreame as himselfe professeth reuealed vnto him such a naturall meanes as in all likelihood he was ignorant of before neither was it Iacobs intention by cunning to conueie to himselfe any of his vncles goods but onely in such meanes as God had appointed expected a blessing from time to come Besides what can this make to any secret conueiance of their Masters goods seeing here was a plaine contract and bargaine betweene him and Laban from all which seeing the counsell was diuine the meanes naturall the contract open and plaine and the end that by the blessing of God he might come by his right Iacob is freed from the imputation of vsing euill craft and out of good conscience professed that his righteousnesse should answer for him Lastly let euery seruant consider not only what his master depriueth him of but withall what he committeth vnto him he hyreth him to be true and not a theefe he crediteth and putteth him in trust with his goods and sometimes with his whole estate which he would not doe to a theefe Now to deceiue such as trust him so farre is against all humanitie For a man to take a purse by the high way to steale sheepe to break an house is a notable point of the euery in it selfe and in our account but none betrusteth such a fellow no man looketh for any better from him no man is deceiued in him but a strong theefe is he that is vntrusty to him that trusteth him and relieth vpon his fidelitie Vse 1. Let this admonish seruants to beware of such vnrighteous waies as are too common and vsuall some purloyning from their masters to diuert to their owne vses some to riot away some to plaie away some to giue away in which courses some are so traded as that much better were it for many masters to trust to a broken tooth or a slyding foote then to put any confidence in them But fearefull is that sentence against them 1. Thess. 4.6 God is the auenger of all such things Secondly such masters as are toyled and iniured by the vnfaithfulnes of their seruants haue great cause to examine their owne waies in former daies and say to their owne hearts haue I beene vnfaithfull to my master and haue I made no restitution seeing I should haue repaied a fifth part more then that I was vniust in that is all confiscate and by Gods iust iudgement may carrie much more with it yea and bring a curse on all the rest see Levit. 6.4.5 Thus ought the vnrighteousnes of seruants to force masters to righteous dealing But shewing all good faithfulnesse Here the Apostle extendeth the former precept and in this forme of words affirmatiuely propoundeth it requiring at the hands of seruants faithfulnesse not onely in regard of their Masters goods but in all other respects wherein a seruant ought to be helpefull to his Master In the former respect he must not onely not wast his Masters goods with the vnfaithfull steward but he must carefully so farre as in him lieth encrease them it is noted a propertie of the euill seruant that he encreased not his Masters talent he is not accused for decreasing it but he put it not forth to his masters aduantage And yet much more must â—e by his prouidence diligence assiduitie and care see that nothing be lost or miscarrie thorough his default after the example of Iacob and Ioseph whose diligence was so approoued that neither the keeper nor Pharaoh himselfe looked to any thing that was vnder his hand In the latter regard he that would shewe all good faithfulnesse must be faithfull 1. In his Masters commands readily and diligently to performe them of conscience and not for eye seruice but whether his masters eie be vpon him or no. Wherein Abrahams seruant giveth a notable presidenâ— whose master sending him to seeke a wife for Izaak he presently getteth him on his way prayeth to God for good successe and dispatch of his busines and the Lord accordingly directing him to Bethuels house where meate was set before him he refuseth to eate the least morsell till he had done his message But how many seruants are there who in imitation of such a worthie example would neglect themselues to dispatch their Masters busines But contrarie hereunto is the idlenes and lazines of many seruants who affecting their owne ease hire others to doe their work and pay theÌ„ with their masters mony or goods wherein the Master sustaineth a double damage so also is that common vice of iourneymen who must first serue their owne turnes and lusts and then their Masters whose present necessitie be it neuer so vrgent can neither command nor perswade the labour of such masterles vagrants 2. In his counsells and secrets neuer disclosing any of his infirmities or weakenesses but by all lawfull and good meanes couering and hiding them Contrarie hereunto is that wickednesse of many seruants who may indeede rather be accounted so many spies in the house whose common practise is where they may be heard to blase abroad whatsoeuer may tende to their master or mistresses reproach hauing at once cast off both the religious feare of God as also the reuerent respect of Gods image in the persons of their superiors 3. In his messages abroad both in the speedie execution and dispatch of them as also in his expenses about them husbanding his masters money cutting off idle charges and bringing home a iust account hereby acknowledging that the eie of his owne conscience watcheth him when his masters eie cannot 4. Vnto his Masters wife children seruants wisely with Ioseph distinguishing the things which are committed vnto him from them that are excepted Lastly as in all his actions and carriage so also in euerie word shunning all lying dissembling vntruthes whether for his masters his owne or other mens aduantage In the practise of which duties he becommeth faithfull in all his masters house Now to incite seruants to all good faithfulnesse hauing shewed the principall things wherein it consisteth Let them consider 1. The promise of blessing made to faithfulnesse Prou. 28.20 the faithfull person shall abound with blessing 2. He that is faithfull in little paueth a way for himselfe to become ruler of much if God see it good for him 3. The curse of vnfaithfull dealing which layeth open a man to
vnregenerate men can performe and glorie in yea and that also which many of the heathen haue beene famous for seeing this must be a fruiâ— of the true knowledge of God reuealed in his word and performed by 〈◊〉 in the doer This vertue is the maintainer of all humane societie â—hen no mans bodie goods name are depriued of their due but haue all offices of loue performed them according to Gods will when superiours deale iustly with inferiours and inferiours acknowledge the superioritie of the other in and for God so masters with seruants equals with equals buyers with sellers and sellers with buyers which shall suffice to haue noted in generall seeing the particular workes of it are infinite The second point is the rules of practise the chiefe of which are these fowre First that rule of Christ which is the whole lawe and the Prophets Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you doe ye likewise vnto them and on the contrary wouldst not thou then be circumvented deceiued by false waights or measures detracted in thy name c. doe not thou so to others the verie light of nature bindeth this on thee Secondly let no man seeke his owne things but the common good rather as euerie member in the bodie serueth to the good of the whole A deuillish rule is that euery man for himselfe and God for vs all for it is an enemie to all iustice which bindeth me to tender my neighbours yea mine enemies bodie goods name comming in my way as well as mine owne and farre different from Pauls rule let euerie man be seruant to an other for good Thirdly be readie to distribute and lend freely to the poore looking for nothing againe for there is iniustice as well in with holding that which Gods word hath made an other mans due as in purloyning his right from him Now the word commanding to giue to the poore according to euerie ones abilitie and to lend to the poore members of Christ if neede require freely to be hard hearted and straite handed in these cases is to be vniust in deteyning from the right owners that which God hath made theirs Let rich men especially thinke that they are not Lords but stewards vnder the Lord to distribute to the necessities of their fellowe seruants Fourthly walke diligently in thy calling idlenes is an open iniustice and the idle person should not eate for he eateth and drinketh other mens Beware here of excessiue pastime and recreation a neare friend to idlenes calling a man out of that calling wherein he is bound to walke diligently through the sixe dayes Besides the encrease of goods by gaming is a notable kinde of theft for it is the encreasing of a mans selfe with the damage and hurt of others by such a meanes as God neuer sanctified to such purpose so also he that decreaseth his wealth thereby is a starke theefe both to himselfe as also to his wife children the Church the poore whom hereby he robbeth of their right That rule of the Apostle must be remembred as a speciall meanes of righteousnesse Let him that stole steale no more but rather labour that which good is Now that we might the better practise these rules we haue sundrie motiues in the word of God 1. God hath appointed his kindnes vnto vs thus to be recompenced and herein will haue vs manifest the estimation we haue of his grace seeing therefore he hath set ouer his whole grace thus to be answered in our righteous dealing we in buying selling reporting and hearing reports in magistracie and subiection must shew what price we set on Gods mercie and this we do when all our dealings with men are a part of our obedience vnto God himselfe 2. This righteousnesse is called a brestplate whereby the heart is defended both against the assaults of Satan for euen hereby we make our election sure and lay vp good foundations as also against the slanderous tongues of men Hence Iob accused of hypocrisie cleared himselfe through the whole 31. chapter of his booke professing that he would neuer part with this righteousnesse which both proceeded from and â—estified the faith and vprightnesse of his heart 3. God hath made one man the store-house of an other and caused men not to liue as beasts euerie one to shift for himselfe but in societie for a more publike good for which cause he hath distinguished the seuerall callings and conditions of life in which he hath laid a peice of euerie mans welfare out of himselfe in some other so as he that liues not to others as well as himselfe liueth out of a lawfull calling For example in the magistrate the fatherles haue the right of a father the widowe of an husband the blind of eyes the lame of feet and so in other callings although not so publike 4. Whosoeuer would haue Gods image restored and renewed vpon him must exercise righteousnesse God is truth it selfe his image standeth in righteousnesse inward and outward wouldst thou be like vnto God practise this vertue in word and deede And this was Satans sinne he stood not in truth and righteousnesse but was a lyer and murtherer from the beginning vnto whome vniust dealers or speakers conforme themselues And godly First the proper worke of pietie will appeare in this definition Godlines is a grace whereby God is rightly worshipped both inwardly and outwardly I say rightly worshipped that I might both include the knowledge of the true God as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and faith loue and a sincere heart as also exclude all false worship either of a false God or of the true God in a false manner whether in Pharisaicall hypocrisie or Laodicean coldnes and lukewarmenes I adde both inwardly For 1. God is a spirit 2. the inside must be washed first 3. all oblations sacrifices fasts almes vowes are reiected as abhominable without this Isai. 1.10 And also outwardly For 1. God requireth the whole strength 2. himselfe hath instituted diuerse outward actions of religion as the hearing of the word receiuing of Sacraments prayer obseruation of his Sabbaths wherein we must professe our selues to be his and wherein we cannot be wanting without some degree of contempt against himselfe 3. God hath created redeemed gouerneth and giueth his law to the whole man yea to euery member how it should be ordered both in his worship and out of it also The second point is the rules of practise and the principall are fiâ—e 1. Learne to knowe God as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and reioyce more that thou knowest God shewing mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth then in wisedome wealth or strength for all such reioycing as this is not good and will not hold out 2. Walke with God and this is done two wayes First by the light of his word Secondly by the sight of himselfe To doe the former thou must giue vp thy owne reason will wisedome affections
in the faith are coupled together so inseparably as that they stand and fall together who seeth not hence how this one grace setteth vs forward in the whole practise of godlinesse Thirdly this waiting is a notable meanes of holding out and constant perseuerance in all weldoing vnto the ende without which how often should we be discouraged and too willing to looke backe how could we suffer with Christ vnlesse we had hope to raigne with him Christianitie is a warfare wherein it is no matter of ease to hold our ground and our crowne that none take it from vs Now the speciall meanes to hold vs on in the contending for the faith is to wait for the comming of Iesus Christ Reu. 3.11 Behold I come shortly hold fast that thou hast It is a worke of many labours much sweate and no lesse difficultie and here the sluggish flesh would contentedly thrust the hand into the bosome but here is a speciall meanes to renue our strength in working righteousnesse 1. Ioh. 2.28 little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed at his comming Many temptations will come in our way the buriall of the father the tending of the farme the marriage of a wife the care of the family the bidding of friends farwell many will be the occasions of looking backe and plucking backe the hand from this spirituall plough now what better way to continue with Christ in temptation then that which himselfe deuised namely to remember that he hath appointed a kingdome for such that they shall eate and drinke at his table and iudge the tribes of Israel Many are the reproaches losses crosses vniust sentences and iudgements which will meete men in this profession and it is no newe thing to be hated of all men for Christs sake nowe what better ground of patience then that the comming of the Lord draweth neere doe then as Christ himselfe did commend all to him that iudgeth righteously Doe as the Saints haue euer done appeale from the vniust sentences of men and looke vp to this appearing of the mightie God our Sauiour whose tribunall and iudgement shall reuerse all vniust and partiall sentences whether publike or priuate so did Iob so did Dauid so did Iohn Huffe and Ierome of Prage and assure thy selfe that the Iudge of all the earth will iudge righteously Gen. 18.25 Quest. But what is there in this appearance of Christ which maketh the expectation of it of such efficacie both to set vs in and stirre vp our cheerefulnesse as also continue vs in this Christian course Ans. The godly knowe that Christ commeth not emptie handed but his reward is with him and this recompense of reward worketh cheerefulnesse encreaseth courage and addeth diligence to euerie good worke Quest. But doe the godly worke mercinarily Answ. No for their offerings are freewill offrings neither doe they looke principally at the â—eward for there be two things in their eie betweene their worke and this wage 1. Gods glorie whome they loue for himselfe 2. the discharge of their owne dutie and then they knowe that their labour is not in vaine in the Lord. The which as the Scripture propoundeth as a pricke vnto pietie so in this last place is it lawfull and meete to cast the eie vpon it That place 2. Tim. 2.6 importeth that the husbandman in his labour may look what is likely to be the fruit of his labour aforehand he that careth careth in hope and he that thresheth looketh to be partaker of his hope and he that dresseth the figtree may looke to eate of the fruit saith Salomon The same thing also teacheth the Apostle when he compareth all our workes of mercie to a sowing and draweth vs to cast the eie of our mindes vpon our haruest that as we would wish that to be either more sparing or more liberall so to disperse our seede And herein the holy Ghost fauoreth our infirmitie who well knowing how foreceable the expectation of gaine in earthly things is to hold men in labours and trauels giueth vs leaue in heauenly things to doe the like Vse Whosoeuer then is an negligent meditator of this appearing of Christ strippeth himselfe of a speciall proppe both of his faith and the liuely fruits of it in want of which helpe the best would goe but faintly forward If Moses himselfe was enabled to suffer reproach with Gods people because he looked for the recompence of reward and if Dauid had fainted vnlesse he had hoped to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing what should we weakelings expect other then to fall downe right neuer to rise againe without such a stay as whereby these worthies supported themselues Let no man say we are Christians and strong and should serue God for himselfe so say I and yet so were these much more and so were the beleeuers to whom the Apostle writ neuerthelesse it had not beene safe for them to haue refused so mercifull an incitement as is the hope of the recompence of reward Doctr. 3. It may be hence also noted when is the time that the glorie of Iesus Christ shall shine out in full brightnesse namely the time of this his second appearing for then he shall sit vpon the throne of his glory and then shall we see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds with power and great glorie for he shall be glorious both in his owne person as before we heard as also in his whole administration of iustice against the wicked vpon whome he shall get himselfe a greater name then he did vpon Pharaoh and his host or all the wicked Princes and people that euer liued who for the glorie which shall shine about him shall call for the hills to couer them and the mountaines to oppresse them He shall bee glorious also to his Saints when they shall behold him that was betrayed spitted on condemned crucified betweene two theeues dead and buried to be so exceeding aduanced aboue men and angels and aboue all that can euer enter into their hearts Finally he shall be glorious yea merueilous in his Saints who when Christ their life shall appeare shal also appeare with him in glorie it shall be merueilous to them who a little before were so afflicted abused contemned and persecuted to see themselues so suddenly to attaine that fulnesse of glorie which their eie neuer sawe before nor their hearts could before euer conceiue to see their soules cloathed with such righteousnesse as God himselfe delighteth in and their vile bodies changed arrayed with immortalitie and made like the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ. Vse 1. Let none be troubled that his first comming was in meeknes basenesse passion for the Apostle Peter obserued that it was meete that his glorie should follow his suffering so Luk. 24.28 Ought not Christ to suffer and then enter into his glorie and is not this
God nor Baal they can well away with either religion but care greatly for neither 3. And a third sort goe so iust betweene a ciuill and religious life that euen while they professe religion it is verie hard to say whether nature or religion giueth the stroake to their actions but zeale to the truth haue they none vnto which lukwarme Laodiceans being neither hote nor cold that couÌ„sell of the holy Ghost is fit Be zealous and amend for else the Lord will spue them out of his mouth 4. Some are zealous but either without knowledge or beyond the right vnderstanding of the word affection leading it and not iudgement at least rightly enformed and this tendeth but to their owne and the hurt of the Church 5. Some are zealous in and for wickednesse Zealous persecutors as Paul before his conuersion on such fellowes as were those fortie that tooke an oath that they would not eate nor drinke till they had slaine Paul Zealous railers against God against his word his ministers and seruants against the strict obseruation of the Sabbath against the most conscionable duties of watching against sinne or of working of righteousnesse vnto which they are sworne enemies themselues and in others account it mere follie and madnesse all their zeale is against zeale But let vs whome God hath taken into his schoole to teach vs better things be careful to raise this grace out of the ashes of it and consider 1. how zealous the Papists be in their owne inventions and for the traditions of their fathers and shal not we for the truth 2. the more resistance it hath the greater is the glorie to hold it out 3. how that cold Christians haue but cold comfort from God in themselues and from their best workes because they come short of this precept which requireth that euerie Câ—ristian be zealous of good workes Vers. 15. These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authoritie See that no man despise thee The Apostle here repeateth the precept which he gaue to Titus in the beginning of this chapter contracting and reducing the speciall offices of a faithfull minister to three heads 1. doctrine These things speake 2. exhortation and exhort 3. reproofe and rebuke Secondly he prescribeth the manner how he shall performe all these with all authoritie Thirdly because Titus was young and want of yeares might seeme to denie him that authoritie which was meete for an Euangelist he backeth him herein in the last words let no man despise thee Which words although they may be conceiued as a charge to his hearers yet I take it rather to be a precept to himselfe that he should not suffer any to contemne him Quest. But how could Titus or how can any other Minister hinder men from despising them seeing the world is euerie where so full of mockers Answ. There will indeede alwaies be mockers of the best Ministers and despisers of their persons yet must the Minister so carrie his doctrine with power and authoritie and his life with grauitie and integritie as he giue no cause of iust contempt of himselfe nay rather that hereby he get himselfe reuerence that not the best onely but euen those which are not the verie worst who with religion and conscience haue put off all forehead and humanitie may beginne to feare and stand in awe of him which course seemeth to be closely commended to Titus So was Timothie commanded to free his youth from contempt 1. Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth but how shall hee effect this the next words shewe vs But become vnto them which beleeue an example in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenesse Hauing spoken before of teaching exhortation and reproofe in their seuerall places we will onely note in this former part what it is that the minister is tyed vnto in his teaching exhortation and reproofes and in the performance of euerie part of his ministeriall office namely vnto the word These things saith our Apostle for this purpose hath the Lord in great wisedome furnished the Scriptures to make the man of God able both to teach instruct and improoue so as he neede goe no further to seeke for profitable things Which teacheth such as will stand in Gods counsell to fetch from hence all their doctrines all their proofes all their exhortations and all their reproofes for so shall they be iust so shall they be powerfull to worke a worke of edification and so shall they be vnresistable in the consciences of men These things if men would tie themselues vnto they should encrease men with the encreasings of God in spirituall wisedome watchfulnesse and the feare of God Then should we not meet with so many pretors for sinne and libertie to the flesh straining their wittes to legitimate bastardly broods of opinions which the Scripture neuer acknowledged hers Nor so many who in their reproofes glad the hearts of the impenitent and make heauie the hearts of those to whom the Lord hath spoken peace who strike at the best things and men and so as soone as euer they haue deliuered a truth in thesi least they should leaue it while it is true misapply it in the hypothesis girding at godlinesse as too much scrupulositie and precisenesse accounting conscience an hypocrite and the feare of God dissembling before men Hence are discouered as sinnefull all reproofes of sinne by iesting enterluding and stage representations in which fooles make a mocke of sinne and open a publike schoole of all lewdnesse and iniquitie and if any deuill or sinne be cast out there it is by Belzebub the Prince of the deuils Further all reproofes by satyrizing and by slanderous libells and secret calumniations all which commonly wrecke themselues rather vpon the persons then sinnes of men are here reprooued which although they be indeede sharpe and biting meanes yet hath the Lord appointed fitter and sharper arrowes to smite his enemies withall euen sound and sufficient conuictions out of the word which is able to wound and daunt kings themselues and prescribed them also to be publikely drawne and shot in such graue reuerent and seemely sort as is befitting 1. both the persons and calling of the reproouer 2. the things themselues which are weightie and serious as also 3. the presence of God and his congregation whose matters are debated and whose sentence against sinne is in denouncing and executing Small wisedome therefore it is for men in these cases of the saluation and damnation of men to suffer their wits to play vpon sinne so lightly and iestingly as becommeth rather some vaine spectacle or professed iester then either the errand of the Lord or a messenger from the Lord of hosts The second point is the manner of deliuering doctrine exhortation and reproofe with all authoritie Doctr. The word of God must be deliuered in such manner as the maiestie and authoritie of it be still reserued vnto it 1. Pet. 4.11 If any man
speake let him speake as the word of God and the embassadors of Christ must speake his message euen as himselfe would vtter it 2. The soule of the word is the presence of the spirit which euerie Minister must striue to make demonstration of for else it is but a dead letter or sound it is the spirit that quickeneth it and maketh it liuely and mightie in operation it is not the demonstration of the person nor manifestation of the man that getteth authoritie to the word but when out of good conscience a man faithfully striueth to make it appeare to the consciences of others that not he but the spirit of God speaketh in him that when simple men shall perceiue the secrets of their hearts made manifest they may fall on their faces and worship God saying God is in this man indeede 3. The Prophets and Apostles haue gone before vs as presidents in this behalfe Micha 3.8 I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of iudgment and of strength to declare Iacob his sinne and Israel his transgression Before Isai was sent on his message his lippes were touched with an hote coale from the altar The Apostles accordingly were not sent to witnes of Christ vntill the spirit had descended vpon them and that in the forme of fierie tongues to signifie that themselues beeing kindled with zeale and feruencie in the Lords businesse they should also by their doctrine enflame others and that their speech should not light any where but it should kindle and enflame the hearts of the hearets But the most perfect patterne of imitation herein we haue in the cheife doctor of his Church who not onely after his resurrection could and did make the hearts of the disciples burne within them euen in his ordinarie talke but all the time of his humilitie it is truely verified of his whole doctrine that he taught with authoritie and not as the Scribes Indeed neuer man spake so nor can speake by the confession of his verie enemies for neuer man spake so in his owne name verily I say vnto you neuer man confirmed his speaches with such powerfull and proper miracles neuer man spake with such peculiar grace zeale libertie and command of the spirit in the conscience but yet all his Ministers are to imitate him in zeale in power in libertie of speach and spirit for the glorie of God and come as neere this copie as they can Vse Ministers must take heede of coldnes in their ministerie of liueles and spiritles preaching of powerlesse and a frozen manner of deliuering the word alwaies preseruing a fire of zeale and conscience in themselues mettals we knowe will not worke without fire no more will the steely and stonie heart of man melt or soften without the spirituall fire taken from the altar And yet here I must not be vnderstood as condemning all coolenesse or moderation of speach for doctrine may be ponderous and weightie where the speach is calme and treatable still waters often runne the deepest and Salomon saith that a man of knowledge spareth his words but yet it followeth that he must be of an excellent spirit so there must of necessitie be at the least a soft fire in these distillatiōs But the thing iustly condemned is when men by their owne default beeing giuen ouer either to pride sensualitie or worldlynesse haue benummed their spirits and are become frozen without power or life in their ministerie and so bring forth their doctrine as many women doe their children stil-borne teaching as the Scribes onely of forme without zeale or conscience or experience of that they speake And before I leaue this point it must be knowne that whereas I require heate and authoritie in the deliuerie of the word that therefore euerie heate should be warrantable for some is iustly condemned as 1. all heate of humane affection proceeding from perturbation and passion 2. all inconsiderate heate of youth 3. all heate not well guided although in good men full of godly affections but suffered to boyle ouer so farre as a man looseth his memorie and interrupteth his doctrine and whole discourse 2. A flattring Ministrie is an enemie to this authoritie for when a Minister must sing placebo and such sweet songs it is impossible for him not to betraie the truth 3. To withstand this authoritie or to weaken it is a fearefull sin whether in high or low and the Lord will not suffer his messengers feet to be cut off 4. Hearers must 1. pray for their Teachers that they may deliuer the word with authoritie with boldnesse and with open mouth Ephes. 6.19 Coloss. 4.4 2. Not deeme this authoritie in Ministers humor or anger or bitternes and much lesse madnesse with Festus and least of all to cast them in prison as men rauing as Ieremie was cap. 29.26 3. Not to refuse to yeeld subiection vnder this authoritie nor be angrie when it beateth down some practise which they are loth to part with seeing it is iust with God to reprobate put out the light of such as refuse the conuiction of the light offred The third and last precept of this Chapter and verse Let no man despise thee teacheth two things First how people and hearers should entertaine the Ministers sent them of God seeing they cannot without great sinne despise them for seeing the Lord who could by himselfe worke the saluation of men yet is pleased to vse as his helpers herein weake and base men whom he assumeth into fellowship with himselfe to become coworkers with him although not in the act of conuersion yet in the Ministrie of it who dare despise such whom the Lord so farre honoureth and therefore calleth them his white horses horses in that he vseth them in his battailes against sinne Satan the world and wicked ones and white for the puritie of their doctrine and integritie of their liues yea his Angels namely such as by whom he reuealeth his good pleasure vnto vs and his owne voyce by whom he beseecheth men to be reconciled Secondly how carefull is the Lord to preserue his Ministers from contempt when he affirmeth that such as despise them despise himselfe that sent them In which sence we read that the posteritie of Caine contemning the preaching of Noah dispised and contended against Gods spirit so Israel murmuring against Moses and Aaron Moses saith he hath heard your murmurings against the Lord for what are we that yee haue murmured against vs. Thirdly how vnnaturall a part were it for children to despise their Fathers and what seueritie hath the Lord shewed against it in his law but godly Ministers are the Fathers of their people I am your Father saith Paul and Onesimus yea and Titus here begotten by him vnto the faith he calleth his sonnes Let no cursed Cham presume to scorne them which is not so hurtfull to them as dangerous to themselues beeing the next way to bring themselues vnder
beast in this point vntill he went into the sanctuarie The third propertie is fooles are indocible and incorrigible so the naturall man put him to schoole he learneth nothing by the booke of the creatures nor of the creator in the Scriptures Let God the great schoolemaster whippe him and bray him in the morter of his iudgments â—e is a foole still he leaueth not his old wonts The fourth propertie fooles are so wise in their owne conceits as they will abide no counsell the naturall man is wiser in his owne eyes then seauen men that can giue a reason tell him sinne is a dangerous edgtoole he maketh a mocke of sinne he iesteth and playeth the foole with firebrands and deadly things so wish him to forsake and denie his owne wayes of sinnefull pleasures vnlawfull profits to take vp his crosse and followe Christ no he hath an easier and broader way he liketh no such precise courses In all these regards may we not truely say of euery vnconuerted man vaine man would be wise though man newe borne is like a wild asse colt for of such Zophar spake the truth though he wrong applyed it vnto Iob and too much of these follyes are bound vp in the hearts of Gods children themselues vntill the rods of correction driue it out Vse We are hence taught how to deeme and iudge of the estates of men look into their courses if they be wise for their soules and life eternall making that their maine scope and end then are they truly wise indeed Wise Merchants they only are that sell all to buy the field and the treasure hid in it wise virgins only are they that make sure of oyle of grace in their lamps and that in due time whatsoeuer come of other things True it is that men esteeme these of all other silly creatures and simple men void of all prudence and forecast in their affaires that conteine their thoughts within compasse and dare not stretch their wits and consciences for gaine as others can and do but yet they haue chosen the better part they haue gotten Christ who is made their wisedome in whom they haue all their debts discharged and all comfortable supplies yea such treasures as the richest Indian mines afford not treasures of wisedome of grace of life and happines euerlasting Oh thrice blessed is that Christian soule who hath attained this wisedome happie is that man that can say I was once vnwise but now with thankfulnes I cannot but acknowledge the good hand of my God vpon me in whose light I see light 2. Let this perswade euery man to breake from the bands of his own folly and vse the meanes to come by this wisedome get wisdome once thou hast gotten inough begge wisdome of God with Salomon thou shalt haue wisedome and wealth and euery good thing more then thou askest for riches and glorie are in her left hand and length of daies in her right and all her paâ—hes are prosperitie and hauing once attained this wisedome lay her in thy bosome and make much of this deare daughter of God And as for those who want it be a meanes if thou canst to communicate it vnto them at least by godly example and prayer and forget not our Apostles scope suffer with meekensse the contrarie minded and wayte when God will vouchsafe them the knowledge of his truth Doctr. 2. Out of the second degree of the corruption of mind we learne that it is a marke of a mâ—n out of Christ not to beleeue and assent to the word but rather to stand out in reasoning against the euidence of it for so soone as euer a man is become the sheep of Christ he cannot but presently heare his voyce And hence Christ himselfe prooueth the carping Pharisies not to be of God because they could not abide to heare his sayings and who be they to whom the Gospel is hid euen they that perish and if we would haue a more euident marke to know them by it is added that they be such as the eyes of whose minds the God of this world hath blinded wherein is implied a wilfull ioyning with Satan to blind themselues further by their mallice then they were by corrupted nature Quest. But are there any so monstrous as will resist the word of God it were pittie that any such should liue Answ. Yea many moe then will be acknowne of and let vs looke a little nearer the thing and we shall find too iust occasion to pronounce against many in our congregations that which Stephen did of the Iewes that they were resisters of the holy Ghost For 1. whose words be these to the almightie Depart from vs we will not the knowledge of thy waies and who is the almightie that we should serue him Oh these be blasphemous speaches you will say and we abhorre them in our hearts But howsoeuer men would be loath to let such speaches passe the doore of their lippes yet the thing sticketh closer vnto them then to be so easily wiped off for how many of vs who heare the word receiue the Sacraments and goe for Christians resolue yet not to leaue our sinnes till they leaue vs nay the obstinate purpose of our hearts is to practise them still and what is this else but with the seruants in the parable to send word into a farre countrie after the King that we will not haue him to rule ouer vs but our owne lusts shall still prescribe laws vnto vs 2. Who be they that say the word and doctrine of the law and Gospel is foolishnesse this you will say was and is the conceite of the Iewes and Heathen ones but we are Christians and hope to be saued by it But how comes it to passe then that Christians hearing their personall sinnes daily reprooued and the terrible curses of the law denounced against them yet hide and hold them as so many sweet morsells vnder their tongues and will not let them goe do they not plainely manifest that they assent not to the word that either their sinnes are so haynous or hell so hoâ—e as the word speaketh Be they not Christians that make leagues with hell and death and say when the sword passeth through the land I shall be safe and out of gunshot be they not Christians that thus blesse themselues in their iniquitie for how hath the Lord both denounced and executed his iudgements and made them as cleare as the light and yet euery man cryeth peace to his soule We seeme in denouncing them from the Lord as Lot to his sonnes in law euen as if we mocked and therefore the Lord taketh our part and executeth as fast on the other hand and yet no man setteth the iudgement vnto his heart a fearefull forerunner of the whole lands desolation if timely repentance preuent it not They be Christians also at least in name that account the gladde tydings of their deliuerance by Christ as the Israelites reputed their
sort of men as farre deceiued as the former are secure persons who beeing baptized into the name of Christ as yet neuer came vnto him but plod on in all dirtie and sinnefull waies with many pretenses vnderpropping themselues but neuer examining duly whether they be right or no. And because the waies of this error are infinite we shall not do amisse in discrying some few of them and tracing them we shall not find them so vnfrequented but that infinite numbers of secure men and women shall be found in euery of them who all of them are still deceiued and as they were borne so they liue in errour Of these I will mention fiue sorts all in seuerall pathes but neuer one in the right 1. Are superstitious persons who take vp a voluntarie religion which hath some shew of wisedome and humblenesse of minde worship God they thinke they doe but it is vncommanded deuout they are but resist the truth as those deuout women who resisted Paul What a number of Popish minded men wander after vanitie they looke at antiquitie at consent of numbers and multitudes of men who are readie inough to betake them to their owne inuentions Hence is it that you shall ouertake hundreths that are set forward on their Pilgrimages and see thousands who are set downe or kneeling before their Idols besides numbers that are wilfull prisoners cheined in their own bands and wicked vowes of pouertie single life abstinence and such like And what ground haue they for all this they haue learned the protestation of the Iewes We will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth we will offer to the Queene of heauen as we haue done euen we our Fathers our Princes and our people for then we had store of all things and euery thing was cheape Nay as though the truth were impropriate vnto them they are so zealous in their way that if Peter or Paul should stand against their traditions they would thinke they did God good seruice to kill them as Christ foreprophecied a pregnant marke of a Popish and Antichristian spirit to hate and cast out the brethren for the name of Christ and yet to say Let God be glorified yet sit they downe here most securely as in a good way whereas alas all is deceit this beeing the way which is good in a mans owne eyes but the issues of it are death and the end of it is foreprophecied in the place of Ieremie alledged that the Lord will watch ouer such persons for euill and not for good and consume them with sword and famine and sundrie destructions 2. Sort are generall or Catholike Protestants of all any or no religion these content themselues with the Iewes to say the Temple the Temple the Couenant Abrahams seed c. so these finde a religion established and they loue it because it is crowned and bringeth in abundance of prosperitie with it they hate Poperie also because the lawes hate it but neuer knew nor care to know what the power and life of godlinesse euer meant to whom the Lord may say as to them Say not the Temple the Temple trust not in lying words we haue the Word Sacraments Prayer Peace c. but get the power of godlinesse if you would not beguile your owne soules Amend your waies and workes execute iudgement oppresse not the stranger fatherlesse and widowe follow not after other Gods 3. Sort are a rable of idle Protestants whose carnall hearts turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Charge his conscience with his sinnes strike him downe for his vnlawfull courses or neglect of good duties he can saue his head with the doctrine of free iustification without works or tell you that the best man sinneth seauen times a day or that we are concluded vnder sinne that God might haue mercie on all or that where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth much more and that we are not saued by the workes of the law but O vaine man saith Iames dost thou imagine a sauing faith without repentance and works of pietie and loue dost thou professe an holy religion and by the loosenes of thy life makest that holy way of God euill spoken of did not the latter end of the former Chapter teach vs that Christ died not only to set vs free from the curse of sinne but from the courses of iniquitie that we should become zealous of goodworkes Christ saueth no other and therefore deceiue not thy selfe The fourth sort may well carrie the title of craftie Christians as also of free-will Protestants who for the present walke in a secure path and will not yet be acquainted with repentance for their sinne they thinke it fit to be knowne and practised and so they meane hereafter but in the meane time because their sinne is not vnpardonable and God calleth at all houres and they may as well afterward repenting find forgiuenesse therefore are they deafe against all our doctrine of repentance all the meanes we vse auaile not for their good but by Gods iust iudgement to their hardning blinding and further damnation and this is as fearefull as flie and as generall a deceit as any of the former What meane those many exhortations seeke the Lord while he may be found and to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts and this is the acceptable time the which gratious inuitations while men haue put off how hath the seueritie of the almightie cut them off suddenly by strange deaths and this most deseruedly in that they had so long abused the time of his patience Rev. 3.21 The Lord gaue Iezabel a time to repent but she repented not and what was the issue of it Behold I will cast her into a bed of sorrow and great affliction So the Lord would haue purged the impenitent Iew but he would not be purged therefore saith the Lord Thou shalt not be purged till I haue caused my wrath to come vpon thee The fifth sort of secure persons may be called sensible Protestants who by outward things iudge themselues highly in Gods bookes and many both rich and poore tread in this path Rich men need not seeke for further ground of Gods fauour then that their hand hath found out riches and they are increased in their possessions and prospered in their labours And how can it be other seeing vengeance must pursue the wicked and if they were so they could not be prospered so long and diuersly as they are Thus Dauid obserued of wicked rich men their houses were peaceable without feare and because they are not in affliction like other men pride compasseth them as a chaine they seeke not after God nor sound and setled peace in him but little knew they the end of that fat pasture he learned at the sanctuarie that they were lifted vp aboue other as fellons on the ladder to come downe with a greater mischeife and breaknecke But more merueilous it is that corrections and afflictions should
shoot forth buds and blossomes at all seasons both in 1. the affections 2. speeches 3. the actions of men First in affection when as men greiue at the good and greatnesse of an other and cannot looke vpon the prosperitie of a man whom they wish not so well vnto but with an euill eie and the more they looke vpon it the sorer still groweth their eie accounting themselues after a sort wronged by him if they cannot attaine to his estate If the virgins shall sing to Dauid his ten thousand and to Saul but his thousand Saul will be so incensed as he will carrie an euill eie to Dauid euer after Againe others in their hearts wish and desire the fall the harme and losse of some whom in some sinister respect they cannot brooke If the name of such a one be blotted or his estate weakened this fall of such a one is matter inough of their reioycing he is perhaps of the same trade or hath iniured him or standeth in his light one way or other but â—owsoeuer it is here is a brand of a bad and vngodly heart to reioyce in euill Be not glad saith Salomon when thine enemie falleth nor let thine heart reioyce when he stumbleth which is a needefull lesson in these times wherein charitie is growne so cold Secondly in mens speaches how doth Satan tippe many mens tongues and set them on fire with all manner of malicious and murdering speaches what is more common speach then detraction and impayring from the iust praise of men no companie freeth it selfe but a man may obserue some mens names nibled at and gnabled vpon that euery mans mouth is become a verie moath vnto the good name of his neighbour And others a little prouoked speake nothing but swords as though they would with euerie word kill their brother and hence are such distempers as men in companies breake into if their patience be neuer so little assayled it is ground enough of disgorging without all respect of person or place truth or falshood whatsoeuer malice it selfe can mischieuously deuise here is a picture of a pure naturall man or if a Christian of one that hath too farre forgot himselfe 3. In the actions of life what a cloud of friuolous suites and yet firie inough witnesse the malice and enuie of mens hearts if a mans beast look but ouer an other mans hedge and so make but offer of a trespasse or any other such triuiall colour is sufficient to fire the gunpowder within and to carrie the controuersie with such violence as one must yeeld or both be blowne vp But the most fearefull and wretched worke of this inbred corruption is most apparant in the pursuit of good men because they are good for who be he neuer so good can stand before enuie which feedeth euen vpon vertue and goodnesse it selfe this was the deuills sinne tormenting himselfe because our first parents retained with their innocencie their place in paradise when himselfe by his sinne was throwne downe from his habitation A vile fruit of this sinne appeared not long after in Caine who cast downe his countenance vpon his brother and slewe him because his workes were good and acceptable and his owne euill then begun the persecution of the Church and hath continued till this day How this envie and malice of vnconuerted hearts wrought against Christ himselfe the historie maketh plaine The Pharisies were euer carping at his gracious words and glorious workes and at the last deliuered him for enuie to be crucified And how it is not idle at this day against his members experience prooueth Is it not the common sinne of this day to style all the profession of religion vnder the title of hypocrisie or precisenes or brand it with the affectation of a Saintish puritie How furiously doe men breath out all manner of indignities and contumelies against such as more carefully looke toward the wayes of God But alas what hath the righteous done for what good work do men lay such load on them why was Ioseph hated of all his brethren and sold and bought among them what had he done surely his carriage was so wise so dutifull and respectiue that his father could not but loue him aboue the rest and his life was a reall reprehension of all the rest so is it the verie light which is hated because it checketh the darkenes of the world which loueth her owne But how do these men iniurie them selues most of all what manner of men may we repute them who the better any man is the lesse they can abide him A good man the more of Gods image he espieth in an other the more as he is bound doth he loue and honour him Againe whereas euerie man should imitate the best examples and so walke more cheerefully to heauen together the malice of these towards them will not suffer them either to do good vnto them or take any good from them Which worke of malice is so bold as wee may reade it in mens foreheads and heare it from their mouths that they will take no good neither by the doctrine nor by the life of that minister whose light reprooueth their darkenesse But Ahab while he acknowledgeth Micha a Prophet of God will hate him notwithstanding and therefore will receiue no direction from him euen so we want not such as hearing the preacher rebuke and apply the word against their particular sinnes no sooner commeth the finger to the bile or the quicke touched but the carnall heart beginneth to boyle and saith this man meaneth me he hath some spite at me he hath heard something of me he spendeth some of his anger against me I will heare him no more whereas indeed it is the light of the word alone which ransaketh their consciences and it is no other but the natural malice of the heart against the truth and bringers of it which hindereth the entrance of the word for the time present and to come By this meanes thorough Gods iust iudgement a number lay the blocke in their owne way whereupon they break the necke of their soules and it is to be doubted that many of our meeke hearers would entertain vs our word as curteously as Herod did Iohn so long as we meddle not with their Herodias their damsell sinne but if Iohn shall meddle with that there is no way but one he must kisse the prison and buy his boldnes dearer then so Secondly this must teach vs that professe our selues to be the Lords to abhorre all the sinnes of this suite and to banish such filthy fruits of the flesh which God giueth them vp vnto who are of a reprobate mind and haue nothing to do with such wicked inmates which are euer plotting to set the whole tenement on fire and which bring rottennes into the owne bones bowels as well said a godly man of Cain he had halfe killed and consumed himselfe with malice before he killed his brother And not to
vrge the multitude of reasons which to this purpose offer theÌ„selues I will onely name those two which are couched in the verse 1. Because that we professe that we were such in times past but now are begotten vnto God which were it not a forceable reason the Apostle would not so often beat vpon it as Col. 3.8 But now put away all these things wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speaking wherein yee walked once when ye liued in them and if we would prooue our selues a newe lumpe we must purge out the old sowering and swelling leauen of malitiousnesse 1. Cor. 5.8 So the Apostle Iames 1.18 of his owne good will he begate vs wherefore lay away all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and Pet. 1.2.2 laying aside all guile envie malitiousnesse as newe borne babes desire c. If euer thou wouldst haue euidence of thy conuersion thou must put on as the elect of God these bowels of mercie to Gods people and loue to Gods image in whomsoeuer for how else wouldst thou be knowne to be a disciple 2. These hatefull sinnes make vs iustly odious 1. to God Prou. 14.32 The wicked is cast away for his malice both roote and fruit 2. to man in that they wage battell against Christian loue which is the preseruatiue of all societie Thus haue we been somewhat large in discouering the nakednesse of our corrupt nature by which not onely our cheife but all our holds are taken and we turned naked into the curse of God Now how fewe returne backe to the pit whence they are digged how fewe acknowledge and bewaile this mother sinne which is the roote of all sinnes and layeth vs open to all inundations both of sinne and the curses due thereunto for so the Lord mentioneth it as the cause of the fâ—ood because hence sprung all those actuall sinnes which were the next causes of it I knowe not how those Popish positions haue preuailed in the practise of most men who are yet of an other iudgement who call this naturall corruption lesse then all sinnes yea then any veniall sinne yea indeed not properly sinne but a propensitie to it as tinder not as fire not deseruing death of it selfe yea too many Christians liue as though it were not in them at all as though they had drunke that Popish dregge that originall sinne is not in the regenerate any sinne at all But mistake not our Apostle he saith not we were thus or thus as though any were quite escaped from this corrupt condition but it is a most fearefull sinne pressing down and hanging fast on the best subiecting them in it selfe to the wrath of God still vrging them to bring them backe if it were possible into deepe condemnation such a corruption as is contrarie to all the commandements bred in the bone lurking close in the soule hardly seene hardly resisted neuer abolished in the best while they carrie this house of clay This is the cause why so few perceiue this estate of theirs that so few see the necessitie of beeing renewed in the spirit of their minds and that so few seeke in true humilitie to be shrowded vnder the righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus But if euer thou wouldst be raised labour to see and bewayle the poyson of thy nature the more thou seest it the lesse it is and the more thou art sanctified the more weakenes thou findest yea little else but death and darkenes in thy soule There is as great difference betweene two sorts of men as betweene fire and water The former haue alwaies found a good disposition in themselues they haue grace at will they neuer doubted of Gods loue they haue euer loued and serued God without let yet these pitifull deluded creatures liue no otherwise then the very Stoiks who followed nature for their guid and neuer find fault with their estate Another sort of men such as Saint Paul can cry out of themselues as miserable men ouermatched with a bodie of sinne and death they pray for a free spirit and then when first the Lord hath enlarged them and loosed their bolts they can promise to runne the way of his commandements These would doe good but they cannot they would not doe euill but they do it which of these two now are more Puritanes Againe in their falls and slippes they differ no lesse The former if he sinne he layeth it vpon something without himselfe as the sight of some obiect and beholding of some Bathsebah some Achans wedge or his inward sences call to his minde some iniurie vanitie or some such occasion or other which had he escaped all had bin well thus he will lay his sinne any where but on himselfe The other know and acknowledge that they are led away by their owne concupiscence and that their sences obiects and occasions are but seruants to their corruption Dauid beeing checked for one sinne goeth to this roote Psal. 51.5 and such as he vpon euery occasion can set vpon this sinne as the most dangerous enemie of their saluation If they find ignorance in themselues they presently haue recourse to this darknesse of mind which naturally hath depriued it selfe of the knowledge of God If they come short of doing any good as they would or doe it not so well they can blame this inbred euill which is present with them when they finde themselues heauie to that which the vnderstanding rightly conceiueth they can grone vnder the rebellion of their will which is renewed but in part only when they goe halting and fall downe sometimes in their course here they can espie their owne counsells casting them downe when they see a conquest to will and effect that which is good they can returne the honour to the author and glorie in him who hath wrought both the will and the deed yet so as they forget not the combate and molestation of this their familiar foe who continually eateth drinketh and sleepeth in his bosome watching Dalilah-like to deliuer him to his destruction Lastly let euery one learne timely to take in hand this crooked nature before he be accustomed to euill for else as hardly as a blackmoore changeth his skin shalt thou become changed when wicked nature and worse custome haue both barred thy repentance and bound thy sinnes faster vpon thee And because much of this folly is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants let masters and fathers seeke seasonably to driue it out fathers especially because they helped their children into it must by Christian instruction godly example and the rodde of correction labour to helpe them out and thus do their best to make their children a part of a mends Zuinglius calleth this corruption the disease of nature And herein it fitly resembleth the diseases of the bodie the which the longer they continue the more incurable they are and if they be let go too long they bring certaine death and therefore let parents and masters many of whom are
were ashame that such Popish notes should be recorded 2. The darke deliuerie of this doctrine hath bred vp another no lesse Popish that seeing grace is so tied to the Sacrament therefore the infant baptized is washed from all originall sinne and that by the concomiâ—ant grace of the Sacrament euery infant is so pure as there is nothing in it which God can hate A doctrine fearefully derogatorie from the blood of Christ and contrarie to the Scriptures which teach that originall sinne is taken away to those that are set into Christ by baptisme 1. in regard of the forme the guilt 2. the fruit the punishment 3. the raigne and dominion of it 4. in that the remainders and relliks of it are in daily consumption but in regard of the matter of it of the act of it of the molestation of it it is present in the most sanctified nature the earth beareth The Apostle saith of such there is no condemnation to them but he saith not there is no damnable thing in them 3. From the misconceit of this doctrine and the extolling the outward worke of baptisme the which imposters and deceiuers of mindes haue still delighted to dwell in hath sprung vp that dangerous error of baptizing by women as also the priuate nimbling vp of the matter in corners by some Priest or minister Whereas for the person we know that the Minister in his ministerial actions sustaineth the person of Christ which a woman cannot doe Againe those that are called to baptize are called also to preach for the Sacrament without the word is a dumb ceremonie and as a seale to a blanke And Paul who would not permit a woman to teach ministerially would much lesse suffer her to baptize If any woman haue beene accessarie to this grieuous sinne let her seriously and seasonably humble her selfe for it in that without yea and against the commandement of God shee hath polluted such a sacred ordinance If any man should set the Kings broad seale to any instrument but the Lord-keeper his fact were no lesse then high treason and shall we think there is lesse danger in counterfaiting the great seales of Gods couenant As for the due place of baptisme it is the publike assemblie as beeing a part of publike worship annexed vnto preaching Matth. 28. Circumcision in the law was nothing so excellent as this the successor of it yet might it not be administred in priuate houses but the partie must be brought before the Lord and much more here where after a more glorious manner the partie is to be receiued not into his fathers family but the family of God the visible Church And is it not a farre greater indignitie for the Sacraments to be brought into priuate houses then for ciuill iudgement the nature of which is to be open and publike in the gates As for the pretended case of necessitie there is no such as vrgeth is to transgresse the commandement and to make priuate places publike Why should we not rather with the auncient who euen in most ignorant times could conceiue that in defect of baptisme with water if it could not conueniently as without the debasing of Gods ordinance be had a sufficiently supply might be made by the other two either of the holy Ghost or of martyrdome and that God in case of necessitie accepteth the will for the deede which also some of the auncient applyed to this purpose and that not the want but contempt of baptisme is damnable Fourthly from the doubtfull deliuerie of this doctrine ariseth an other error and opinion of falling from grace for marke the man that staggereth in the former he will be nibling and fumbling at all these as far as he dare for if euery child receiue grace as a thing tied vnto baptisme what becommeth of that grace when children growing in yeares growe also extreamely flagitious and wicked necessarily it must be lost and vanished which is both against the Scriptures and the doctrine of our Church For if the child be borne of God in baptisme he sinneth not because the seede of God is in him and if the infant be come vnto Christ in baptisme he neuer casteth him off Ioh. 6.37 he shall neuer hunger ver 35. he shall not be lost 39. he shall liue for euer 50. If the infant be once of the Church it remaineth in the Church and can neuer be a limbe of Satans synagogue Lastly as all error is fruitfull so hence also is grounded that fancie of Popish penance which they make a Sacrament to restore such by as are fallen from the grace of their baptisme and a second table to saue such as by vertue of their first couenant cannot be restored as though the couenant of God were not eternall and vnchangeable or as if God married vs not to himselfe for euer or as if the force of baptisme lasted not beyond the action and administration of it Vse 2. To teach parents 1. to be present to present their children with ioy vnto holy baptisme What a comfort is it for a father to see his child washed with the blood of Iesus Christ cleansed from sinne set in to the visible Church yea into the bodie of Christ in the right vse of this Sacrament wherein a parent ought more to reioyce then if he could make it the heire of the world 2. diligently vpon the occasion of their childrens baptisme to examine themselues whether they be in couenaÌ„t with God or no that so their children may be entred into the same couenant yea and seeing their often faylings with God to enter now a newe league and renew their couenant with him by renewing their faith by making vp againe through true repentance their former breaches yea by solemne prayer and invocation to vrge the Lord to call to minde his couenant made to the iust and their seede and make it good vnto himselfe and his child now to be entred into the Church But what a generall fault of Parents is it to content themselues in bringing their children that the outward worke may be performed vpon them spending no small time in circumstances of solemnitie as costly banquets and feasting which in moderation I condemne not but take little or no time in preparing themselues and their children to the receiuing of the inward grace of baptisme which great error is worthy reformation in the most in the best Vse 3. To the congregation that seeing this is such a solemne ordinance as wherein the Lord signifieth sealeth and exhibiteth sauing grace to euery worthie receiuer that therefore euerie on in the congregation continue together vntill the ende of the Sacrament and not runne out as the manner of most is For 1. it is an ordinance not belonging only to the infants parents and sureties who are often left in a manner alone with the Minister but to all the congregation seeing Baptisme is a receiuing of a member into the congregation and in this
tyeth not himselfe and truth vnto it Obiect But we haue no teachers who teach not the truth Answ. We are to blesse God that the truth of religion is so happily taught and protected as it is and Satan wanteth of his will that it is so and yet can we thinke that his mallice now towards the end is so abated or that the state of the Church is now aboue all times so priuiledged as that he hath not his instruments still labouring to corrupt and depraue the truth broaching so farre as they dare their priuate opinions for which the truth is little beholding vnto them The Prophet Ieremie speaketh of Prophets who prophecied lyes in the name of the Lord and saith they prophecied false vision and diuination and vanitie and the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts why what was that in that they said Yee shall not see the sword and famine shall not come but I will giue you assured peace in this place If we shall heare such sweet inchanting voyces all is well with vs we haue the most flourishing and most reformed Church that euer was since the Apostles dayes and we may take a nappe and rest in our peace and prosperitie what way can we be mooued surely these words may seeme the visions of mens owne hearts the rather in that the Lord by his owne hand from heauen proclaiming the contrarie by durable plagues and lasting iudgements of plagues famines vnseasonablenesse of weather by yeares together and for the troubles and oppositions in the Church when or where were they stronger since the Gospel first entred If we shall here voyces whispering oh men are too precise too pure too forward and what need so much teaching so much running trotting to sermons and disgracing such as frequent the meanes of saluation more carefully with the tearmes of sermon-gadders and sermon-mungers and such Is the truth which desireth nothing more then the light beholding to such visions of mens owne hearts or can we here acknowledge the stile of the spirit and word of truth If we shall meete with doctrines giuing libertie to profane gaming and pastimes on the Lords sabboath and then hauing gotten in a finger go on to make it an indifferent thing to keepe or not to keepe but only the times of Church required by law and further make it questionable whether we ought to keepe this present Sabboath or devise some other is not this as great a blow to the truth as she can receiue more then she looketh for in the house of her freinds which let it preuaile we shall see a poore staruen pietie among men in very few daies If we meet with other defences iustifying and approouing euery thing and any thing to be spoken in the pulpit besides the pure word of God which is profitable to teach improoue correct and instruct in all righteousnesse that a man may moyle himselfe and hearers in pudles I speake comparatiuely in regard of the pure word of God when in the meane time the sweet streames which run from vnder the threshold of the Sanctuarie are neglected how is the truth here honoured when the Scriptures the fountaine of it are so vnequally matched If it shall be affirmed that whosoeuer shall in name professe themselues to be Christians the Sacraments are not to be denied them although they be openly wicked because all men are subiect to sinne If men shall make a tush and a light or no falt to sweare by faith or trothe c. because it is but a custome of the tongue surely we may say if these be the voyces of Prophets they are of such as Christ speaketh of which deceiue many which make iniquitie abound and the loue to the truth grow key cold Vse 2. To people to pray to the Lord 1. To giue pastors according to his owne heart not such as may seeke out vaine and foolish things the froth of wit and learning but such things as may feed their soules with wisedome and vnderstanding 2. For the spirit of discerning to trie the spirits by which are of God for the guise of false teachers is priuily to bring in damnable doctrines and craftely to creepe into mens affections and men more easily run after them because they speake something pleasing to corrupt nature sometimes in the matter sometimes in the manner and therefore such as would not be deceiued by them must be prouoked to more warinesse 3. For the spirit of subiection that they may receiue the truth as truth for else it will be iust with God to giue them ouer to be seduced with false teachers and to beleeue lyes For those that despise his counsell shall eate of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devises those that regard not to know God shall by God be deliuered vp to a reprobate sence and those that will not beleeue one Micah but hate him shall fall into the hands of foure hundreth false Prophets to fall by them 4. Commend the cause of the truth vnto the Lords protection entreating him that it may be continued euen to this our Church and Land the which surely by the great contempt and abuse of the light and the bringers of it we haue iustly forfeyted and deserue to be plagued with all kind of illusions as Poperie profanesse Brownisme Atheisme the which fearefull iudgements haue made out great head alreadie and are forerunners of greater euills and beginnings of more bitter sorrowes without timely repentance And to what other ground can we ascribe all these euills but vnto the iust iudgement of God for our hatred and abuse of the light the candlesticks of it Vers. 9. But stay foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and brawlings about the lawe for they are vnprofitable and vaine Although Titus hath beene in the former verse commanded to teach and beat home such true and profitable points of doctrine as we haue heard yet must he know that he hath receiued but halfe his errand and is but halfe way in his dutie wherein if he would be compleat he must further circumspectly watch against and represse all vaine and fruitles teaching especially those kinds here mentioned either suffering them not to breake out at all or if they doe to nippe and blast them quickly and betimes if he can he must stoppe them in the head if he cannot do that he must stay them in the streame The verse standeth on two parts 1. a precept to stay foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and brawlings about the law 2. a reason of it for they are vnprofitable and vaine For the meaning of the words we must knowe that our Apostle condemneth not the moouing of euerie question in handling the word for there are many necessarie ones in diuinitie which for our instruction and edification we may enquire and dispute thus we reade that Paul disputed often and thus we are trained and furnished in the diuinitie schoole to defend
such doctrine as Ministers may not teach Nature desireth to change pasture often and the eare so farre as vncircumcised is Athenian itching after nouelties children would be in newe lessons before the old be halfe learned so Christians cannot away to dwell in that pure doctrine which would lead them in true godlinesse whereby often by the iudgement of God they forfeit their faithfull Pastors and in Gods wrath haue hirelings set ouer them that feede them with wind they desire fine words and profound matter and are wearie of plaine doctrines and they haue a pickt language and vaine speculations they aske and haue But no sooner is Manna loathed but quailes are rained but with vengeance it is flesh but a meat that rotteth in the mouth euen betweene the teeth Vse 3. In priuate conferences man with man auoid these vaine questions that all our priuate cōmunication may tend to edification fathers must teach their children with Abraham in Gods wayes children must depend vpon their fathers and aske them of such things see Psal. 44.1 Mothers must teach their young children the Scriptures as Eunicha did Timothie Masters of familyes should make their families petty schooles and nurseries of diuinitie we reade how Apollos a great man proceeded a doctor in Aquilaes house our priuate houses should be Churches or Chappels therefore such idle and vaine questions should find neither time nor place in these our priuate Churches Vers. 10. Reiect him that is an heretike after once or twise admonition 11. Knowing that he that is such is peruerted and sinneth beeing damned of his owne selfe The fittest dependance of these words with the former I conceiue to be this Paul hauing exhorted Titus both to teach the truth according to godlinesse as also to resist all such foolish and vaine doctrine as might do hurt in the Church of God Titus might obiect This indeede is my dutie wherein I entend to exercise my selfe with diligence but when I haue laboured and done all I can many there are who will not yeeld to the truth nor submit themselues to this ordinance of God how am I to carrie my selfe toward such Ans. The Apostle carefull to preuent all such things as he foresaw might be hurtfull to the Church giueth direction in these two verses how to proceede in this businesse also The former giuing direction and laying downe the dutie and the latter enforcing the same by moment of reason In the former are three things to be considered 1. the persons against whom Titus is to deale here called heretikes 2. The direction how he is to behaue himselfe towards them reiect them 3. The orderly manner of proceeding after once or twise admonition The latter verse containeth the reason of this seueritie because such persons are incurable and incorrigible which is prooued by two arguments 1. such a one is subuerted that is turned or cast off the foundation 2. he sinneth against his owne conscience beeing damned of his owne selfe that is he wittingly and willingly spurneth against that truth of which his conscience is by the former admonition convinced For the first who is an Heretike Answ. He that professing Christ yet inuenteth or maintaineth any errour against the foundation of religion and that with obstinacie For the opening of which description three things are to be noted First that an heretike must professe Christ. For Iewes Turkes or Pagans cannot properly be Heretikes although they fight against Christ and all religion in all the foundations of it These are more properly called Heathens Infidells and Atheists without God in the world But the person whom Titus hath here to deale withall is one within the Church and cast off from a foundation vpon which he seemed to stand Secondly he must maintaine an error in doctrine for if men erre in practise they are rather hypocrites and profane wretches and this error must be fundamentall that is ouerturning some ground or article of our faith for it will not make a man an heretike not to beleeue the fables of Saint Francis although Pope Benedict 4. so determine Nay if a man should hold something wherein the Scriptures are his aduersarie as that an oath is not to be taken and warre is not to be made by Christians such a one were in a grosse error but not presently sunke into heresie But if any man shall maintaine iustification by works a daily sacrifice for satisfaction for sinne or any other righteousnesse or worke to stand before God in besides Christ the defence of this will easily prooue heresie And hereby the Popish doctrine is clearely prooued hereticall Thirdly this error must be willfully and obstinatly mainteined for he must reiect admonition and striue after conuiction and this properly maketh an heretike For euery one that holdeth an hereticall opinion is not an heretike a man may by simplicitie leuitie or rashnes or gentlenes of nature be drawne into such an opinion but if admonished of his error he contend not but is readie to yeeld vp himselfe to the perswasion of truth he is no heretike For these three things make vp an heretike 1. error 2. conuiction 3. obstinacie or weddednes to his opinion Hence first note by the way what an heauie thing we charge him with whom we brand with the title of an heretike for we charge him to be one who resteth not in the wholsome word but maintaineth such an error as hath turned him off his foundation one that contemneth the iudgement of the Church despiseth wholsome admonitions continueth in his damnable opinion against the light of his minde against the check and accusation of his conscience and beeing condemned of himselfe heapeth vp sinne vpon sinne All which censure if we shall hastily passe we shall hardly auoid rash iudgement for if euery error in diuinitie presently made an heretike the Apostles themselues had beene no other then heretiks who at first were so erronious and ignorant in many things of the greatest moment in religion What a false witnesse then hath that Apostate Church of Rome passed against ours and all the reformed Churches whose teachers in all their sermons and writings stile vs by no other name then heretikes whereas they cannot shew wherein they haue conuinced vs to haue departed from the Catholike and Apostolike faith and much lesse that we haue with pertinacie and against our owne consciences maintained any falsehood Indeed if our rule be their Canon law which iudgeth him an heretike who speaketh against the Romish Church or obeyeth not whatsoeuer the Pope decreeth we cannot auoid that name Or if we should teach as they doe and that after conuiction that the Saints in heauen are mediators by their merit and prayer that prayer is to be made to Saints and dead men that we can be iustified by the merit of our workes by fasting prayer pilgrimage or any such obseruance that concupisence is no sinne in the regenerate that a man can perfectly fulfill the law that Saint Dominike
as if he be a leader a seducer or wilfull in his error as also of the degree of his offence and error as if it be a direct ouerthrowe of the foundation or an high blasphemie or such as may turne to the ouerthrowe of pure religion established or the disturbance of publike peace or otherwise according to the nature of the fact may and ought to proceede to a proportionall degree of punishment whether by mulcts or imprisonment or banishment yea in the extremitie of euill to the extreame remedie euen of death it selfe for there is no remedie but if a soare prooue a gangreene it must be cut off True it is that the charitie of the Church must aime at the cutting off of errors rather then mens persons but if the nature of the error so require euen the last punishment by death as it is in the hand of the Magistrate so will it be most iust and proportionall That it is in the power of the Magistrate to cut off incurable and invincible heretiks is cleare 1. by precept Deut. 13.5 of slaying the false Prophet and Deut. 17.5 of stoning the idolater 2. by example of Moses Exod. 32.35 slaying 3000. of the Leuites for the idolatrie of the calfe of Helias 1. Kin. 18.40 who slewe 400. of Baals Priests when there was no Magistrate to do it so of Iosias 2. King 23.6 of Iehu 2. King 10.25 yea wicked Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that whosoeuer blasphemed Daniels God should die the death The same might easily be prooued out of Imperiall constitutions and iudgements of Fathers and Councels Now that this is the fittest punishment for some heretikes we may gather by the instance of Arrius whom Constantine the great banished indeed but how much better had it beene for the world if he had taken such a monster from the face of the earth how much better had that sparkle beene with himselfe extinct before it had come to set the whole world on fire and if he that reuileth his Prince deserueth death as a traitor how much more he that blasphemeth the name of God or any part of his truth Obiect But Christ biddeth vs beware of false Prophets but not to slay them yea wisheth to suffer both to growe together till the haruest And Paul neuer giueth other commandement concerning them then to avoid them and withdrawe our selues from them And Musculus expounding the place in 1. Cor. 5. concerning the incestuous person hath these words he commaundeth not to kill him but to remooue him from among them Answ. 1. Some such places are such precepts as are diâ—ected vnto the Churches whose weapons are spirituall and hath no such power of life and death ouer the bodie or outward man 2. Some other institute and informe the Pastors of the Churches how to carrie themselues towards such offenders as this in hand and the like to Timothie but intend not to speake any thing of the Magistrates dutie So Bullinger affirmeth that here Paul enformeth Titus and not Sergius Paulus how to carrie himselfe towards an incurable and desperate heretike 3. These precepts were deliuered when there was no Christian Magistrate to performe the dutie and therefore the Chuches were more carefully vrged vnto theirs 4. They must all be vnderstood with respect 1. of the qualitie of the persons and offences which must be distinguished 2. of the Church as whether such tares can be plucked vp without apparant hurt of the Church for else they must be let stand and so must that place be meant least ye also plucke vp the good wheat and this is agreeable also to the doctrine of the auncient who aduised rather to tollerate some lesser euill then that a greater good should be hindered or a greater euill occasioned Vse 1. Seeing excommunication is such a grieuous censure it is not to be inflicted rashly or for trifâ—les but delibeâ—ately in matters of waight and much moment yea heauily and not without inward griefe that the Church is vrged to such seueritie For 1. if it be a greiuous thing to be disfraunchized and cast out of a wel ordered common wealth how much more to be cast out of the church the commonwealth of Israel Which made some of minde that this censure is not to be vsed but in such cases as wherein the Iewish lawe condemned to the death the which strictnes in that it may seeme to confound the Iewish Iudiciall lawe with Euangelicall discipline howsoeuer I will not maintaine yet surely as Musculus well noteth I thinke it ought not to be vsed but in such cases as more expressely shut out of the kingdome of heauen and such as the Apostle mentioneth 1. Cor. 6. because it is a declaration of that which is by God done in heauen who for a non apparance or not paiment of a trifling fee thrusteth not out of heauen Secondly it must be vsed as a last and desperate remedy euen as the Surgeon trieth all gentle meanes before launcing seating or cutting off Thirdly it must be done with griefe and sorrowe of the whole Church euen as a member in the bodie cannot be cut off without extreame paine to the whole This is a fitter affection then anger couetousnesse or any other such sordid and base selfe seeking in dispensing the iudgements of the Lord. Fourthly It must be done verie sparingly in wisedome and moderation whereof we haue a notable patterne in the Church of Geneva wherein such was the power of the word and wisedome of the Pastors in restoring offenders by the spirit of meekenesse that in the space of whole tenne yeares as M. Beza himselfe confesseth onely two persons were stricken with this censure Now of the fearefull abuse of this censure whereby it is daily turned into an idle scarecrow sold and bought at a vile price I neede not speake any thing seeing the thing it selfe speaketh so loud would God it were as well reformed as it is by a number of the godly learned discouered Vse 2. If heretikes must be avoided then it followeth that Protestants ought to avoid all communion and mixture with hereticall Churches persons namely with that hereticall Apostaticall Church of Rome and the members of it To prooue it an hereticall Synagogue I shall not neede to spend time after those two famous lights our learned D. Whitakers and Reynolds the former of whome hath prooued that the present Church of Rome is no particular Church but hereticall and ouerturning the foundation and grounds of faith as by eighteene seuerall points he instanceth and concludeth that whosoeuer would be saued must necessarily forsake her as an antichristian and Satanicall synagogue The other in his fifth Thesis of his learned booke defendeth that the Romane Church is neither Catholike nor a sound member of the Catholike Church in explaining the tearmes whereof he saith that the newe Romane Church is tainted with a gangrene of most pestilent heresies which euerie
reasons also vpon which they are grounded As namely 1. some offenders are curable and what man in his wits will cut off his arme or legge so sonne as it beginneth to ake and paine him and not rather vse meanes of surgerie and cure is any member in the bodie so despised 2. Our selues must not be so vncharitable as presently to dispaire of any mans conuersion God may in time raise the most desperate sinner vnto repentance 3. The meanes vsed are not lost for if it attaine no other end yet shall it make them more inexcusable the censure more iust and the Churches proceeding more equall and moderate 4. Adde hereunto the Lords example who neuer striketh before he haue sufficiently warned he neuer precipitateth either sentence or execution but first commeth downe to see Gen. 18.21 and hearkneth and heareth Malac. 3.16 and accordingly passeth sentence 2. Note that when a sinner is knowne to sinne of obstinacie the best way is to auoid him and cast him out For 1. labour is but lost on such a one 2. He doth but tread holy things vnder his feete of which holy things the Church is the keeper and must be faithfull 3. He sinnes not only of iudgement and reason but of affection and this is the reason why verie few heretikes are conuerted when many vnregenerate men and outragiously wicked in other kinds are who sinne not of affection and wilfulnesse but of corrupt iudgement onely 4. The Lords example Hose 4.17 Ephraim is ioyned to Idols Let him alone he is incurable Obiect But if he be thus left vnto himselfe am not I accessarie to his condemnation or might not I by still following him be a meanes of his conuersion at length and ought not I to waite still when God will giue repentance Answ. No he so sinneth as the text saith himselfe condemneth himselfe and his sinne is vpon his owne head who wilfully and laboriously destroyeth him 2. As the ordinances of God are deare vnto himselfe so ought they to be also vnto vs so as we may not expose them to the contempt of a scorner 3. Thou hast not left him till he be apparantly desperate no otherwise then a Phisician hath left a desperate patient whose disease is not worse then his froward disposition in refusing all meanes of health and safetie 4. Euen the neglect of him may by bringing him to enter into himselfe prooue a nearer way of winning him then any familiar course or conuerse with him 3. Note hence also what vse the Lord maketh of a wicked conscience euen in desperate sinners It shall be the accuser witnesse and iudge to pronounce the sentence of death against his owne soule and so shall make way vnto the Lords most righteous iudgement Iudas himselfe beeing surcharged with conscience of his sinne read the sentence against himselfe there beeing no other to doe it saying I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood and then went and hanged himselfe For this purpose the Lord hath put into the soule not only a knowledge whereby naturally euen the wicked can discerne between that which is honest and dishonest yea between good and euill so farre as to make them excuseles but also an application of that knowledge vnto the seuerall actions of life From which two issue two other faculties which are the verie nature of conscience 1. A testification that such an action is done or not done yea although a man would not haue it so to testifie 2. A iudgement after triall whether it be well done or no the fruits of which iudgement are either ioy peace and glorying in things which the conscience saith are well done or else horror in soule as in Caine trembling in bodie as in Faelix fearefull dreams and visions as in Baltazer or despaire as in Iudas in the sence of sinne committed To this agreeth that of Salomon Prov. 20.27 The light of the Lord is the spirit of man and searcheth all the bowells of the bellie in which words mans conscience is compared to the Lords lanthorne that discouereth things to a mans selfe which are as secret as his owne bowells This obseruation affoardeth vs sundry speciall vses As Vse 1. It letteth vs see what an intolerable torment a wicked conscience is euen a gibbit and a rack set vp within the wicked to vex and torment them withall and as a fearefull hue and crie euery where ouertaking them that let them runne or ride where they will they follow themselues with a writ of apprehension which draggeth them will they nill they before the face of the iudge No sooner was Adam fallen but his conscience heard the voice of God ringing through Paradise which made him flie from God and hide himselfe No sooner had Cain slaine Abel but the voice of the blood filled heauen and earth and made his countenance fall No sooner did Paul dispute of iustice temperance and iudgement to come but Felix trembled And whence is that fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersarie but from the worke of conscience fitting the wicked for the iudgement of the great day What meruaile is it then if the wicked would faine stifle and choke the noise of their conscience but that they cannot still doe it Which beeing so let euery one feare to sin against the light of his conscience and not dare to venture vpon or foster the least sinne for howsoeuer we may for the present thinke some sinnes light and little if the Lord neuer so little touch the conscience as the time commeth apace when he will awaken it we shall feele euery sinne euen the smallest to lie as heauy as a mountaine vpon our soules little do we thinke that that sinne which now we account as light as a feather should prooue so heauy vpon our shoulders as that our hearts shall not be able to sustaine vs from oppression vnder it And further howsoeuer men may thinke to carrie their sinne so close as the eye of the kite cannot pry into it yet know whosoeuer thou art that thy conscience is Gods booke take heed what thou writest in that booke for it carrieth a light in it selfe whereby it shall be read and discouered Vse 2. This further teacheth vs not to neglect the checks of conscience nor our owne hearts reproouing vs of our wayes as those men who are resolued to hold on their lewde courses let the word and spirit yea their owne spirits suggest what they will or can against it For the time commeth when thou canst not set the voice of thy conscience so light then that conscience which hath checkt thee shall iudge thee and that heart which hath reprooued thee shall torment thee and thou shalt neuer be able to turne off the charge of it but shalt by it be accused and conuicted to haue been a wilfull chooser of thine owne destruction This is that which is secretly implyed in the text that if these heretikes had listened
imputation of the Church of Rome against our doctrine who beare the world in hand that our religion is a destroyer of good workes and an enemie vnto all charitable actions whereas we call for them as fruits of the Gosspel as ornaments to our calling as pledges of our election as witnesses of our sound faith and graces and as the very way which God hath appointed to walke to heauen in Our religion permitteth not any to stand idle in the vinyard we say let him not eate that will not worke yea we teach a necessitie of good workes iâ— beleeuers as well as the Papists do howsoeuer not as causes of saluation and iustification yet as inseparable companions of liuely and sauing faith only let Christ hold his place and they shall not set them higher then wee and let them giue them no more then the Scriptures doe and we will giue them neuer a whit lesse Vse 2. Seeing by good workes we glorifie God edifie our brethren and doe our selues so much good let vs be prouoked to the diligent practise thereof Neither let any man thinke himselfe exempt from this doctrine be he neuer so poore for we are not of the Popish beleefe who thinke that only such great and glorious workes as building Churches Colledges high-waies or giuing goods and Lands to the Church or almes deeds and such like deserue the name of good workes but euery man hath a double calling namely the generall calling of a Christian and the speciall calling of life wherein God hath set him and there is neuer a dutie of either of these be it neuer so base or seruill if performed in saith and obedience but it is a good worke and pleasing vnto God But what shall we say of them who by open wicked life professe contempt of God and his word hatred of the light and the bringers of it that cast backe yea pull backe many others who might be brought on and so accustome themselues to graceles courses as they can no more change them then the Ethiopian his skin certainly these although they also will bragge of a good faith to God-ward yet is it no better then the deuils haue who shall as soone be saued by their faith as these by this if timely they repent not That they be not vnfruitfull These words containe in them the reason of the former precept wherin by an excellent metaphor or borrowed speach he prouoketh Christians to the practise of good workes The metaphor implieth that as the Church is Gods orchard or garden and his Ministers are his planters and waterers so the faithfull are the trees euen trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and planted by the riuers of waters that they might bring forth their fruits in due season And teacheth that true Christianitie is not a barren but a fruitfull profession vnto which Christians are euery where called In Ezech. 47.12 we haue a notable resemblance of those manifold fruits which by the power of the Gospell should be by beleeuers produced in the Church of the new Testament The vision was of waters which runne from the Temple and from vnder the threshold of the sanctuarie And wheresoeuer these waters should runne they should cause admirable fruitfulnesse in so much as on both sides of the riuer shall grow all kind of fruitfull trees whose leafe shall not fade and their fruite shall not falle These waters are the Gospel which issue from vnder the threshold that is from Christ the doore typified by that bewtifull gate of the Temple from the Temple at Ierusalem these waters were with swift current to runne not only ouer Iudea but all the world in a short space hence was the Church mightily increased for though these waters runne into the dead sea wherein if we beleeue Histories abideth no liuing thing yet such a quickning power they carrie with them as euen there euery thing shall liue such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes are hereby quickned and become trees of righteousnesse greene and flourishing yea and constantly fruitfull in all godly conuersation And this is the same which our Sauiour noteth Ioh. 15.1 that his Father is the husbandman himselfe is the vine Christians are the branches of that vine who if they be sound his Father purgeth that they may bring forth more fruite teaching vs hereby that it is the Lords scope and ayme that Christians should be abundant in fruits beseeming their profession The Apostle Paul accordingly exhorteth the Philippians to be much in goodnesse to abound in loue in knowledge and in all iudgement yea to be filled with fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God And the same Apostle calleth rich men to be rich in good workes Now this beeing so necessarie a dutie to which euery Christian is euery where called we will for the further clearing of it consider these three points 1. The conditions of this fruitfulnesse 2. the reasons to prouoke vnto it 3. the hindrances of it vnto which we will adde and annex some profitable vse First the conditions of this fruitfulnesse are these 1. Euery Christian must be fruitfull for euery fruitlesse branch is cut downe and made fewell for the fire not only Churchmen or the Clergie as we say nor only rich men nor men only of lesser imployment but euery man high and low rich or poore learned or vnlearned must testifie himselfe a Christian by answerable fruits this word euery branch admitteth of no exception but is as a bush which stoppeth euery gap 2. Euery Christian must bring forth good fruite Matth. 7.17 Euery good tree bringeth forth good fruite and euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire and therefore the fruits which are called for at our hands are called in respect of the efficient fruits of the spirit in respect of the instrument fruits of faith and in respect of their qualitie good fruits acceptable to God and profitable to men 3. This fruitfulnes must proceede from good causes for first the tree must be good for men gather not grapes of thistles 2. he must haue a good roote that is he must be set and abide in Christ Ioh. 15.4 abide in me the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine 3. he must draw thence good sappe and iuyce through the fellowship and communion of Christ his death and resurrection without which we can doe nothing 4. he must haue the spirit of the Sonne to be a principall agent in the setting and ripening of these fruites for they must be fruites of the spirit 5. he must haue the loue of God within him constraning him which will be as the sunne helping on these fruits to their perfection 6. he must haue good endes in his eie namely Gods glorie and mans good Philip. 1.11 4. Euerie Christian must bring forth much fruit and not for clusters
Ier. 23.21 Abac. 3.16 Prou 20 27. 2. king 6.9 The miserable estate of a wicked man 2. Cor 7 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor 4.4 1. Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7 Gen. 6.5 A more full description of mans naturall estate see in cap 3.3 Lev. 13.45 1. Thess. 1.23 Lev. 13.14 Before naturall vncleannes be purged euery thing is vnclean to a man Prou. 15 8. Prou. 28.9 Isa. 66.3 Agg. 2.14 15. Exod. 30.18 7. mainâ— differences between the godly and the wicked in Thougâ—ts Ezeâ— 11.36.31 Words Actions Passions Promises Life Death Malâ—c 1 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 3.8 There will be alwaies hypocrites in the Church Act 20.30 1. Tim. 4.1 2. Tim. 3.1.5 Why. Lev. 10.3 Tâ—â—e thine own soundnes Trouble not thy selfe when others are proued vnsound Rev. 2.17 Looke not to finde a soile vpon earth wherin wheat groweth without chaffe Foure marks in the text to knoâ— an hypocrite by A forme of godlines Hos. 8.2 Mark 6.20 A denying of the power of it Non solum in falsis verbis sed in simulatis operibus mendacium est Item Christianum se dicere opera Christi non facere mendaciuÌ„ est Ambr. serm à dominica de Abrah Ier. 12. Hose 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience 1. Tim. 1.5 Hose 1.4 Psal. 50.17 Strangenes to the whole life of God and vnfitnes to make a vessel of mercie of 2. king 8.12 The miserable conditien of the hypocrite Luk. 15.15 Matth. 23. â—4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.33 2. king 3.14 Thou canst hardly know an other to be an hypocrite 2. king 10. Looke well that thy selfe be none How fitly the hypocrite resembleth the stage player from whom he hath his name Trials of such as professe they know God but doe not Trials of such as professe duties to God so knowne but indeede denie them Two sorts of hypocrites 1. Tim. 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No example of man must turne vs out of our godly course 2. Tim. 3.13 Rev. 2.13 There must be differences of iudgement amongst men 2. Cor. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 4.16 In these differences it is safe to looke directly to the word Isa. 8.18 2. Pet. 3. Ministers must feede Gods people with wholsome doctrine Reasons Prou. 16 24. Prou. 31.26 1. Tim. 1 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What things are requisite to an able Minister Three things must be deare to a Minister 1. Gods glorie 2. mans saluatioÌ„ 3. sinceritie of the truth Rom. 10.1 4. duties belonging to hearers 1. Desire onely wholsome doctrine 2. To receiue it being wholsom sauourly Neuer examine a ministerie by the pompe but by the power 3. To hold it when they haue it and not cast it vp 1. Pet. 2. 4. To thriue and grow in grace by it Conditions required hereunto Wholsome doctrine must be applied to seuerall ages and conditions of men It is the learned tongue that can doe this Luk. 3. No man in this life can come to that pillar on which he may write Ne plus vltra Old men must first be taught their duty why Prou. 16.31 1. Ioh. 2.14 Old men must lay aside 1. frowardnes Paul saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Worldly wisdome Sobrietie especially commended to elder men Why. Elder men must carie a seemely grauitie thorough their course Reas. Alia aetas alios mores postulat Iob 25.15.21 Moderation of lusts and passions is a most seemely grace in an old man Iob 12.12 2. Sam. 19.35.37 1. Tim. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soundnes of faith standeth in 4. things Ground Heb. 5.14 Rom. 15.14 Obiect Rom. 10.8 Worke Heb. 3. â—4 Coloss. 2 2â— Gal. 2.20 Fruits Soundnes of faith especially required of old men Why. Heb. 5.12 Doctr. Euery man must make vp decay of nature with souÌ„dnes of grace Eccles. 12.1 2. Cor. 4.16 Isa. 40.31 Rev. 2.28 Heb. 11.13 Ioh. 13.34 1. Ioh. 3.23 Rev. 2.19 Soundnes of loue standeth in 5. things 1. The ground 2. The order Gal. 6. Eph. 1.15 3. In the seat 4. In the work 2. Cor. 8.8 Iames. 5. In the durance Charitas quae deseri potest nunquam vera fuit August ad Iulianum comitem Patience necessarie for euery Christian. Heb. 12.12 and 10.35 Specially commended to old men Why. Persecution the ancient armes of beleeuers 2. Cor. 4.1 Soundnes of patience in 3. things 1. in the grouÌ„d Psal. 39 9. 2. Sam. 16.10 2. Fruits fiue Iam. 1.2 Psal. 126.5 Iob 1.21 Psal. 50. 3. Durance Iames 5.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Women as straitly bound to the meanes of saluation as men Philip. 4.3 Act. 2.47 Act. 16.13 34. 1. Tim. 2.15 Act. 9.36 Hosius affirmeth that a distaâ—â—e is fitter for a woman then the bible de expresso verb. Dei But more blasphemously Linwood who verily thinketh it was the deuills invention to permit the people the reading of the Bible Ierome commended a gentlewoman in his time for teaching her maids the Scripâ—tures in Rpitap Paulae Luk. 7.44 1. Cor. 7.14 Act. 18.26 Rom. 16.3.6.12 Heb. 11.35 1. king 17.22 2. king 4.36 4. things for women to meditate vpon A generall rule for the behauiour of the elder women is that it be such as becommeth holines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 130.1 Isa. 3.16 2. Pet. 2.14 Cant. 6. Prou. 7 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 8.44 False accusing 4. waies committed 2. Sam. 16.3 1. Sam. 22.9 Amos 7.9 Act 16.20 cap. 18.13 Act. 6.11 Prou. 25.23 and 17.4 Prou. 30. Psal. 59.7 This precept specially directed to old women for sundry causes 1. Tim. 5.13 Iam. 3. Rules to auoid false accusing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles. 2.3 Eph. 5. Isa. 28.1 1. Cor. 6. 2. Pet. 2. Drunkennes in old women most hatefull Reasons 1. Pet. 4.4 In vino veritas Prou. 23. A note of corruption to yeld our selues seruants to the creatures ordained to serue vs. Meanes of putting our selues vnder their seruice 1. Cor. 6.12 Prou. 23.31 A dutie enioyned euery christian woman to call on others to her godly course Heb. 10. Psal. 37.30 Numb 19.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The fruit of the elder womens holy carriage must appeare in the yonger Priuate duties more comfortable but publike more powerfull Philip. 4.3 No needelesse precept to exhort yonger womâ—n to loue their husbands and children Why. Rom. 1. 2. Tim. 3.1 Why women should loue their husbands Reasons They twain are one in 5. respects Prou. 2.17 Except the wife will hate her owne flesh she must loue her husband Gen. 20.16 Ruth 3.9 Isa 4.1 The husband wife are yoake-fellowes and ioynt companions in ioy or sorrow Gen. 24. Rules for the right louing of the husband Gen. 27. Husbands duty towards his wife wherein 1. Sam. 30.3 Prou. 30. Gen. 21.12 The office of true motherly loue Gen. 21.7 1. Sam. 1 23. Exod. 1. Luk. 11.27 Basil speaking of his nurse Macrina saith that she taught him the
of iniquitie and therefore depart from me Holy This holinesse respecteth God himselfe his worship his holy things as the word sacraments prayer his sabbaths his sanctuarie in all which the Minister ought to be an example of holinesse and yet not onely in these but in his whole conuersation also The commandement is generall to all Gods people be ye holy for I am holy which requireth both the internall sanctification of the heart and the externall symbolls and profession of the same But more necessarie is it yet for the Minister to be cloathed with these robes of holinesse both that inward which standeth in getting and keeping faith and good conscience and that outward which consisteth in a religious and strict course of life And yet this must not be so taken as that holinesse is so essentiall to a minister as that he cannot be a Minister that wanteth it for Iudas may be a disciple and a deuill too but that it is a dangerous estate vnto himselfe and hurtfull to others for him to be destitute of it How necessarie it is for men to put off their shoes that is their vnsanctified lusts and affectons before they come to stand vpon such holy ground I will take a little paines out of the Scriptures to demonstrate and then make some vse of it To omit the extraordinarie ministerie and Ministers of the old Testament as the Prophets some of whom were sanctified in the wombe and others had their lippes touched with a coale from the altar to remooue their pollution the ordinarie Ministers in the sanctuarie and temple were 1. Leuites 2. Priests 3. the high Priest Many things were required in the setting apart to their service the lowest of these which were after a sort furthest remooued from God whose seat was in the Sanctuarie but many more to the sanctification of the higher and those that approached nearer or next of all As first the Leuites were inferiour to the Priests as whose office was to serue vnder them to helpe to carrie the tabernacle and vtensils of it to keepe watch for the safetie of it together with the holy vessels and instruments to helpe them in killing the beasts for sacrifice although they might not meddle in offering them vnto the Lord yea as inferiours to the superious they paid vnto the Priests the tenth of their tenths And yet what a number of rites and ceremonies did the Lord enioyne to be performed before these could be admitted to these inferiour seruices first in the tabernacle and after in the Temple As first they must be of one peculiar tribe peculiar by Gods owne election for the first borne of all Israel Numb 3.13 2. Whereas the congregation was not numbred but from 20. yeares old and aboue Num. 1.3 for till then they were not apt to goe to warre the Leuites must be numbred euerie male from a moneth old and aboue Num. 3.15 not because they were then fit for seruice but that they must then be brought before the Lord and set apart to his seruice euen from the beginning of their daies 3. They must not be presented before the Lord before the 33. day of their age for till then they were legally impure and vnsanctified Leu. 12.3 but after this time they must growe on to the thirteth yeare which was the first yeare of this seruice Numb 4.43 at which time they must be taken from among the children of Israel and set apart to the Lord Num. 8.6 And further in this separation there were two things more for 1. they must be purged and then consecrated Their purification was 1. by sprinkling purification water vpon them 2. by washing their clothes 3. by shauing the haire of their whole bodies 4. by preparing two bullocks the one for a burnt offring the other for a sinne offering for them see for these Num. 8.8 Their consecration stood likewise in foure things 1. After all this preparation in drawing them neerer to the Lord v. 9. 2. In the imposition of the Israelites hands vpon them freely giuing them from themselues to the Lord and his seruice vers 10. 3. In Aarons receiuing them of the people and shaking them before the Lord v. 11. as such as now being mancipated to his seruice were to goe and come at his becke as also such as who daily were to shake off that corruption which hindred thē in their callings 4. By laying their hands on the heads of the two bullocks prepared acknowledging the expiation of their owne sinnes and in way of thankefulnesse now wholly offring themselues vnto that seruice When all these rites were performed they were admitted to administer and not before Secondly the Priests the sonnes of Aaron whose office was to teach the people the doctrine receiued from God to pray for themselues and the people to blesse them and offer sacrifices for them had yet more state in their consecration for besides many of the former rites as imposition of hands their shaking before the Lord and the sacrifices common with the former 1. In the election of such a one more care was had no deformed man no man wanting or abounding with any member no blind or blemished person might come so neere vnto the Lord. 2. In his consecration he must not haue his garments washed as the other but must haue newe garments put vpon him Exod. 28.41 neither must he be sprinkled as the Leuites with holy water but with holy oyle and blood from the altar and thus must he be consecrated seuen dayes Exo. 29.30 3. In his office he may not lament for the dead of his people no not for the Prince but onely for those that are neerest of blood in his owne house Leuit. 21.3 he may not marrie a whore nor a woman diuorced or one polluted v. 7. the reason of all this is because he must be holy to the Lord. 4. In his failing and offending he must haue more clensing then many other men before he cā be admitted vnto his seruice for his sinne cannot be put away without a whole bullocke Leu. 4.2 and no more was required for the expiating of the sinne of the whole congregation v. 14. and the blood of the bullocke must be sprinkled seuen times before the Lord for the Priest as well as for the whole congregation implying that the Lord requireth as much sanctitie in one Priest as in all the people Thirdly as for the high Priest both in that he was a more eminent type of Christ as also came nearer the Lord then all the other euen into the holy of holies he must haue peculiar garments made by cunning men filled with the spirit of wisedome euen beautifull and glorious Exod. 28.3 in these he must be consecrated in these he must stand before the Lord in one part of which namely the frontlet which was put vpon his forehead must be written holinesse to the Lord that by the Lords appointment that might be most conspicuous Againe
bellie then a man But many such bellies want eares 3. An honest calling is a schoole of Christianitie that 1. looke as little children are sent to schoole to keep them out of hurts and vnhappie turnes so diligence in the calling fenceth vs from taking harmes by Satans temptations we lie not so open vnto his assalts againe it is a bridle to restraine our own lewd desires abating wicked lusts abandoning lewd company and fitting vs for the Lords appearing whose seruice we are in 2. In this schoole of the calling a man performing duties for the Lords sake hath daily practise and encrease of graces such as faith obedience patience meeknes constancie truth invocation thanksgiuing and hence are daily enabled to take out further lessons for time to come from the daily experience of Gods goodnes for time past 3. In this schoole we learne to be teachers of others and in time come to be patternes vnto others of the right vse of the world while our selues vse it euery day as not vsing it at all and while we so play the good husbands as that we keep our selues from beeing worldlings not laying by our heauenly minds in the midst of our earthly busines whereas the idle person that entereth not into this schoole is out of Gods protection and neuer out of Satans snares his heart is like the feild of the sluggard ouergrown with thistles and weeds his lusts so farre preuaile with him that he is rather a spectacle of reproch then a patterne for imitation and if euer he had any good things in him they are perrished for want of emploiment for as the rust fretteth vnused iron and the mothes eate vnworne garments so good things ar shaken out of the heart of him that neglecteth the vsing of them 4. Consider the danger of those that stand idle all day long passing their dayes in all delights one in one voluptuous lust another in another the Apostle saith of them all that liuing in pleasure they are dead while they liue the soule of such a one is but as a carkase his bodie as a coffin he rotteth away in vnprofitablenes while he liueth and as a standing poole putrifieth the prouerb is true of such a man his soule is but as salt to keep his bodie from stinking aboue gound And thinke we they shall liue when they are dead who are dead while they liue no surely but seeing they did not subiect themselues to the law of all mankind Gen. 3.19 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou get thy bread they shall neuer escape that other sentence take the vnprofitable seruant binde him hand and foote his hands and feete were bound when I called him to walke and worke now bind him hand and foote and cast him into hell Now for the latter of these vices reprehended in the latter word it is worth marking to obserue how aptly the Poet ioyneth them together which seldome are disioyned because the one of these is the gound of the other And as it is true in all sinnes which we say of euills that one commeth not alone for they are accompained still with their supporters so these two sinnes are of such speciall acqaintance that as we say of a paire of turtles looke where one is the other lightly is within lesse then a coytes cast so where the one of these is it will not be hard to descry the other If there be idlenes there will be intemperance and if intemperance there must needs be idlenes And therefore our Sauiour hath combined them as neare as the cause and effect which cannot be sundred Luk. 21.34 Take heed least your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennes and so that day come on you vnawares implying that intemperance oppresseth and maketh the heart dull and heauie and when the heart is so aggraued the whole man is vnfit either for heauenly or earthly exercise In like manner the combination of Sodoms sinnes sheweth the same truth Ezech. 16.49 Pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse And therefore seeing a man can neuer sufficiently perswade diligence in the calling till this intemperance be disswaded it shall not be amisse in few words to speake of this sinne and perswade the contrarie vertue for the preseruation of it And because this kind of intemperance is restrained to the bellie I describe it to be an inordinate appetite or immoderate desire and vse of meate and drinke and this is when a due meane is exceeded either in the costly and excessiue preparation of them for our selues or others or in the two liberall and excessiue vse of them so prepared a vice which is a speciall enemie to all good duties towards God or man making men vnfit to the word of God either to read or heare it vnfit to pray to meditate to remember the works of God with praise and thanksgiuing so as a man giuen vp to this sinne is sunke downe in Atheisme nay in Idolatrie hauing no other God then his bellie a more base idolatrie of many Christians then euer was any of the Heathen who would worship the sunne moone starres and glistring mettals but to haue worshipped the bellie and draught they would haue abhorred And for the duties of the particular calling they must lie lea the bones of such full bodies had rather be at rest or to keepe them from sleep must rise vp to play but altogether vnweldie to any more serious busines And thus by this sinne men make themselues in stead of Gods Temples Satans kitchins filling their bodies with noysome lusts and deadly deseases their soules with a number of dangerous sinnes which shut them out of heauen framing their liues liker to the bruit beasts then reasonable men and in their deaths for most part no lesse brutish then in their liues Now for the better auoiding of this sinne I will propound some reasons and after them some rules of direction The reasons are three 1. The Lord is liberall but not prodigall of his creatures and they are his and not ours but by his leaue neither doth he euer giue leaue to vse them to our owne hurt as many riotous persons doe who with the glutton faring deliciously euerie day in their feasting and banquetting besides the wast of many excellent creatures of God 1. loose their time 2. spend their goods which ought to haue beene otherwise employed 3. neglect the duties of their generall calling of Christianitie and omit the necessarie affaires of their particular course of life 2. This is one of the practises of those that are in the night whereas we professe our selues to be of the day and is a weed or rather an olde ragge which must be put off before Christ can be put on 3. The time calleth vs rather to fasting weeping and euerie worke of repentance then to eating drinking chambring c. For if we consider the workes of the Lord we shall see his arme stretched out and his hand
reuenging among many other sinnes euen this of the abuse of his creatures and this with such lingring lasting and sharpe iudgements so variable and so generall as hath not beene heard of in the dayes of our fathers read Isai. 5.11 Besides we see the afflictions of Ioseph Amos. 6.6 the necessities of many of Gods deare seruants the abundance of poore their great want of releefe their miserable complaints c. that woe shall befall him that liueth to eate when so many of Gods children cannot get that they may eate to liue Now the rules of direction are 1. to moderate excesse in preparation for our selues and others to knowe that not aboundance but sobrietie is the ornament of a table a rule which seemeth to be dead with our forefathers whose dishes for sort number price and seruing out were inferiour to our sauces and yet to shew vs that man liueth not by bread they were stronger of more constant health and of longer life then we are 2. To moderate excesse in the vse of meates and drinkes prepared we must take out the Apostles lesson 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God the glorie of God must be our white to ayme at in all the actions of our life of which none is so small out of which the Lord challengeth not his owne glorie and therefore as we liue not to our selues but vnto him so we must not eate to our selues but vnto him and this we doe when by our eating and drinking we fit our selues for his seruice and our owne duties namely by keeping the bodie vnder and dailie subduing it rather then by pampering and feeding it vp 3. To containe thy selfe in compasse in both labour still to hunger and thirst after righteousnes that is after that meat which the Sonne of man shall giue for the more thou hungrest after Christ the lesse doest thou after these things Rom. 13.14 Put on Christ and take no care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Christ is the treasure vnto which the Christian heart must be lifted he is the carkase vnto which our thoughts ought to flie he is meate indeede drinke indeede bread of life water of life blessed is that soule that hungreth and thirsteth after him for it shall be satisfied yea blessed is that hunger and thirst which is neuer but accompanied with a continuall feast This testimonis is true The Apostle setteth his hand and seale to this euidence of the Poet not thereby allowing the whole fabulous poeme whence he fetcheth it but according to his drift which is the iust reproofe of this people he onely approoueth this particular report Whence 1. note that euery truth beeing primarily from God it must be receiued whosoeuer be the instrument teacher of it for the Apostle disdaineth not to borrow a part of the truth from this gracelesse and heathen man Nay there is not the basest of Gods creatures into whose schoole we cannot sometimes profitably enter for else would not the Lord haue sent vs to the oxe the asse the emmet and much more can he who opened the mouth of Balaams asse to reprooue the madnes of his master teach by weake and feeble base and simple men yea if he please by gentile and heathen men Vse This taxeth the pride of many who thinke themselues too good to learne of such whom they conceiue meaner or inferiour to themselues such a pride possessed the Pharisies thou art altogether borne in sinne and dost thou teach vs But if they considered the wayes of God they might see him stirring vp most base and simple men to teach the doctor the Scribe and the wise men of the world that he may ashame them and teach them to depresse their high thoughts 1. Cor. 1.26 Bretrhen you see your calling not many wise but God hath chosen the weake of the world 1. to confound mightie things 2. that no flesh should reioyce v. 29. Let this prouoke our diligence to knowe not so much by whom as what the Lord teacheth attending vnto the counsell of God and not the condition of man whome he vseth let him speake by neuer such abiect persons if they bring the truth it is our part to become fooles that wee may be wise and then are we such fooles when we depart with all opinion of our owne wisedome that we may be wise in God what meanes so euer he pleaseth to vse the Gospel teacheth vs that poore women and creeples could tell often tidings of Christ when all the great clerks knew not of him 2. This reprehendeth the waywardnesse of many who not fancying the persons of their teachers refuse their doctrine though neuer so true and profitable Would men deale thus in ciuill things If fire should take a towne in the night and the watchmen beeing all fallen asleepe a stranger nay a mans enemie should giue him warning that his house were on fire were it safe for a man to rush at it because his enemie telleth him so No neither would any be so vnwise and if the truth in an heathen Poets mouth be so entertained by the Apostle himselfe much more euerie diuine truth in the mouth of the meanest Minister of the Gospel Let the vessell be neuer so earthen the treasure is heauenly let the foode be nourishable hungrie Elias stands not vpon it whether an Angel or a rauen serue it Secondly note that this testimonie beeing true Titus might haue been discouraged and occasioned hereby to haue meditated of his departure from them as an hopeles people or to haue repined that the Apostle should place him among such a companie of beasts rather then men But yet Titus must and doth with courage goe on in his worke among them and plowe vp to the Lord euen this stiffe ground It is the lot of many gracious Ministers to be called and planted among rude barbarous and beastly people such as these Cretians were yea among viperous broods who will reward their faithfull paines and trauell in begetting them to God with extremitie of wrong and violence Ier. 26.8 and little comfort finde they vnlesse the Lord giue them a breathing time by the means of some Ahikam or other v. 24. Now what must the Minister doe in this case Surely as he came not of his owne head so now is he not at his owne hand to remooue himselfe at his pleasure And if he should depart vpon this ground he should perphaps meet with lesse comfort in leauing an vncomfortable people then in staying amongst thē If God bid Ionas arise and goe to Nineveh but he will betake himselfe to a ministerie of more credit and lesse labour the Lord will teach him before he get to Tarshish that he is not his owne man and that no creature shall shelter him from trouble whilest he flieth it as fast as he can If Moses be called to speake to Pharaoh he must not excuse the
conscience are not all the people my Lords seruants wherefore doth my Lord require this thing why should he be a cause of trespasse to Israel as if he had said there is no warre in had no rebellion in the land no commandement from God and therefore this wil be turned into trespasse against Israel yet he did it Thus by these instances we haue cleared the second point considered in this doctrine and haue seene wherein and how farre we are bound to obey now we come to the third The third point in this second doctrine is wherefore we must be subiect Answ. The reasons are sundrie First that we may herein acknowledge the ordinance of God which we must looke vnto whatsoeuer the persons be for to this the forme of speach in the text calleth vs as I haue alreadie noted The which that we may take better notice of 1. the Lord challengeth it to belong to himselfe to raise vp and giue Kings to rule ouer people By mee Kings raigne and Daniel 4.14 The most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will Moses praying for a successor saith Let the God of the spirits of all flesh appoint a man Secondly the Lord hath put his owne name vpon such whom he thus raiseth I said yee are Gods Thirdly he setteth a stampe of his owne maiestie mercie iustice and wisedome vpon these little gods yea a great part of his image shineth vpon euery one of thē both in that so many hundred thousands are subdued vnder the power of one in that the whole administration of a people is in one hand and that the good estate of all dependeth vpon him vnder God alone Fourthly he putteth his own spirit vpon them as he did vpon the seauentie Elders to assist Moses yea he giueth them extraordinarie spirits and as we read of Saul changeth them into other men not alwaies the spirit of sanctification but of regiment and authoritie Fifthly he maintaineth this their authoritie and this sundrie waies 1. by putting on them a maiestie and presence euen a sparkle of his own to draw an awfull reuerence of themselues and daunt offenders 2. he permitteth them an answerable estate whereby they may lawfully beare themselues with state pompe and magnificence aboue all other and by their costly apparrell stately pallaces and sutable seruice and attendance they may not be only distinguished from their subiects but expresse also the maiestie and greatnes of there estate 3. by diuerse laws and iniunctions he preuenteth such things as any way might bring the calling into contempt As 1. concerning their persons if any be to be chosen they must be men of courage fearing God and hating couetousnesse to this purpose he gaue a lawe to the Iewes that no bastard should be raised vnto office among them to the tenth generation and this was least the place should bee embased by such persons 2. Concerning their behauiour in the place it must carrie with it a stately grauitie beseeming the place and scorning to attempt any meane or base actions such as Dauid intimated Saul did in persecuting and hunting him Is the King of Israel come out to seeke a flea To this serue such precepts as that It is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes strong drinke this were an indigne thing and a great blot in his high place 3. Concerning our behauiour towards them it must be euery way humble and dutifull hence are such precepts thou shalt not raile or reuile the Prince of thy people no nor curse the King in thy heart nor the rich in thy bed chamber Thus is the Lord euerie way carefull by his lawe to preuent whatsoeuer might lighten this authoritie in the hearts of men 4. The Lord maintaineth this authoritie by directing their counsells God sitteth in the midst of the gods by protecting their persons for he giueth saluation vnto Kings and strangely to this purpose by reuealing the priuie thoughts onely imagined against them By all which the Lord will haue vs to honour them whom himselfe thus honoureth and espie his own stampe and image vpon them so as in our subiection and obedience vnto them we may knowe that we haue to deale with God and in our despising of them make account to heare that in 1. Sam. 8.7 They haue not cast thee away but me from ruling ouer them The second reason is drawne from the profit we receiue by this ordinance which is also the Apostles reason he is the minister of God for thy wealth namely both to defend from a thousand euills from the robber and spoyler from him that would defile wife and daughter as also settle euerie man vnder his vine and figtree that with good hearts and cheerefulnesse they may serue God A King neuer so bad is a great good and better a tyrant then no king when there was no king in Israel euerie man did whatsoeuer seemed good in his owne eyes anarchie openeth the windowe to all licentiousnesse and farre better is it to beare one tyrant then many to suffer wrong of one rather then of all and to part with a tenth then be stript of the whole for where any gouernment is although sometimes the good be punished so are the bad too that they cannot doe what villanie they gladly would What a rich blessing then is a religious and vertuous Kings from whom his people vnder God receiue the whole benefit of religion and iustice here is the nurse of the Church the father of the commonwealth an husband to the widow a mouth for the dumb here is Nebuchadnezzars tree flourishing againe the height of which reacheth to heauen from whence it came the sight of it to the ends of the world while it selfe standeth in the midst of the earth that there might be equall accesse of all vnto it in it is meate for all it maketh a shadow vnder it for all the beasts of the feild and all the birds make nests in the boughes of it Let vs here cast our eyes vpon our own happines in our noble King Iames whom we haue great cause to account as the Israelites Dauid the light of our Israel yea and as they of Iosiah the breath of our nostrils the serious acknowledgment whereof wil not suffer vs to be wanting in the cheerefull performance of all submisse and loyall dutie vnto him The third reason is drawne from the danger of resisting and rebelling against this ordinance which the Lord hath taken vpon himselfe to maintaine as he did Moses against Corah Miriam and the murmuring Iewes Who hath euer taken the sword God not putting it into his hand but he perished by it What Shebah or Adoniah euer blew a trumpet of sedition but they did this thing against their owne liues When Dauid would haue spared rebellious Absolon did not the Lord hang him by the haire betweene heauen and earth vnder an oke Had Zimri peace which
slew his Master wicked Iesabel could obserue the ruine of such treacherous conspirators Our owne Chronicles are full of rare examples of Gods iudgements our eyes haue seene not a few vpon such The strange discouerie of Percies conspiracie may not be forgotten nor let that wickednes and the iust vengeance of God vpon the actors neuer be put out from vnder heauen Neither is this only an humane obseruation but an infallible extract and conclusion out of the word Prov. 24.21 My son feare God and the King and meddle not with the seditious for their destruction shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them To these reasons might be added that it is the brand of Libertines and carnall Gospellers to despise gouernment and speake euill of maiesties and dignities c. Vse 1. Popish religion is a flat enemie to the lawe of God and nature the professor of which must before he be the Popes darling sweare flat contrarie to this subiection euery yeare and almost day giues experience of this truth Besides their doctrine is full of trayterous positions and their bookes which they daily send in amongst vs are stuffed with poisoned invectiues to bring our Princes and nobles into contempt pitie it is so many of them are so openly suffered to the offence of the good and the casting further backe of those that be bad It is not my dutie to speake or write what Lipsius in his posthumus epistles hath foolishly bolted out against the Lords anoynted ouer vs but this I say the booke is too much set by and if a Papists tongue can staine or slaunder I affirme there are fewe of our nobles whom Costerus hath not lately maliciously slandered the practise among them I acknowledge common but the thing among vs to be lamented is that both that and other such bookes are so common 2. This subiection is the rather to be vrged vpon all because the deuill seeketh by all his cunning and power to weaken this ordinance and bring it into contempt which is euident in that men dare not take such libertie of speach aginst the supreame and highest yet how ordinarie is it for men to waigh themselues and their worthinesse with those that are sent from the highest yea and sâ—icke not to make odious comparisons with them that lay his office aside he is as good and better then he but the deuill hath nowe the hold he would haue for while the eie is vpon the person and not vpon the place steppeth in this equalitie and this equalitie shaketh off subiection before he come to such tearmes of defiance Others breake out into speeches beseeming the authors euen Chore and his companie rather then any Christian Ye take too much vpon you Moses and Aaron whensoeuer the magistrate administreth not according to their minds and let the Magistrate when he will set himselfe to reforme the congregation as Moses did this corruption of mens hearts will not long lie hid which beeing so great and Satans malice no lesse Ministers must the rather be much and often in this doctrine as Titus was here commanded Readie to euerie good worke That they speake euill of no man that they be no fighters but soft shewing all meekenesse vnto all men Now we come with the Apostle vnto the second sort of those generall duties which are required of euerie Christian and these be the mutuall duties one towards another the which we may best conceiue in this order 1. generally propounded in these words readie to euerie good work which I knowe some restraine vnto the cheerefull performing of the Magistrats lawfull commands to the confirming of which sense perhaps that needles copulatiue and is inserted into our English not found in the Greeke text But the precept is entire of it selfe and seuerall from the other before and as I take it both parallel vnto that generall phrase cap. 2.14 zealous of good workes and contrarie to that cap. 1.16 reprobate to euerie good worke Secondly more specially both 1. by remoouall of the lets of concord and loue which are two 1. euill speaking 2. fighting or quarelling 2. by entertaining such vertues as are the nurses and cherishers of Christian concord amongst men of which the Apostle nameth two of the principall The former is Christian equitie which carieth the minde equally and indifferently freeing it from passion and perturbation that it may conceiue the best of persons and actions The latter is Christian lenitie gentlenes or meekenesse which euen in taking notice of the faults and vices of others couereth so farre as is good for the partie and also in the spirit of loue and meekenesse cureth and seeketh to restore such an offender And as the two former vices were prohibited in regard of all men so these two vertues are not so nakedly propounded but that their obiects also are by the Apostle noted in the last words where the Apostle saith that we must be equall and mild not only to those in authoritie who may else returne our frowardnes with vntolerable displeasure nor onely to our friends and familiars or such as by the bond of nature or seruice may claime such dealing from vs neither onely to Gods friends and beleeuers but to all men indefinitely euen those to whome out of the bond of Christianitie we are nothing bound those who in themselues deserue no such thing but the contrarie at our hands in a word those who are not onely our enemies but Gods after a sort beeing as yet without and not brought vnto the faith which last words may not slightly be ouerpassed because they lay a notable ground and make way vnto the verses following For this first generall exhortation the scope is that euery Christian ought to keepe with him a propensitie and disposition to euerie good worke whether it concerne God or himselfe or others for the Apostle hauing called vs to giue God Gods and Caesars to Caesar that the body of Christ might be without rent as his coate was without seame and that there might be a sweet harmonie and concent in the Christian commonwealth he now calleth to the practise of a common principle and lawe in nature namely to giue euerie man that right which God hath giuen him and Christians are not onely debters vnto Magistrates but to the meanest and weakest to whom the common bond of nature and humanitie hath knit vs so as no man can say of any man I owe him nothing The like practise of our Apostle we may elsewhere obserue as Rom. 13. where hauing in many verses required subiection and tribute due vnto Princes in the 7. and 8. verses to shut vp his exhortation withall he wisheth to giue to euerie man his due tribute to whome tribute custome to whome custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honour but loue to all men owe nothing to any man but loue which is such a desperate debt as a man can neuer discharge himselfe of The like doth