more favour with God then the true Church by reason of their multitudes by reason of their pomp and glory by reason of their flourishing estate and freedome from inward and outward terrours neverthelesse though there be such an innumerable sort of Queenes and Concubines as these yet the true Church is onely one and indeed the onely one dearely beloved and tenderly regarded of the true God as that which walketh in the truth and professeth the Word truely As for all other societies they are no better then as routes of Rebels and conspiracies of wicked men gathered together and risen up against the Lord and against his Anoynted breaking the bonds Psal 2.3 9. and casting away the cords of doctrine and discipline who in the end shall be broken to shivers with a rod of Iron and dashed in pieces like a Potters vessell Such are all the assemblies of the Turkes Sarazens Savages Iewes Persians Pagans and the like who are no Churches Such are the congregations of the Papists the meetings of the Arrians Anabaptists Libertines Familists Antinomies Tritheits Samosatenians Swinkfieldians all which are false Churches some like the Israelites or ten tribes after they were fallen from the house of David and others worse all of them no true Churches of God but multitudes of horrible Infidels detestable Idolaters and abominable Heretickes departed out of the true Church with whom wee must hold no communion with whom wee must have nothing to doe but rather shun them and separate from them nay abhorre and abjure them as men that walke in the path-way that leadeth to death and destruction A man will not willingly goe into an infectious house but these assemblies are a rout and receptacle of pestilent and prophane persons who have made shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience Hence it is that the Church speaketh in respect of such Cant. 1.7 Cant. 1.7 Why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flockes of thy companions she meaneth swarmes of Idolaters heapes of false Worshippers and societies of Schismatickes and Heretikes 2 Tim. 2.17 whose doctrine fretteth as a canker sowreth as a leaven and spreadeth as a leprosie over the whole body Therefore hee calleth these evill companies flockes because they are many in number and not that one flocke which hath Christ Iesus to be the onely Master the onely Shepheard the onely Teacher of the true service of God There alwaies have bene and now are Revel 3.9 such as are no other nor no better then the synagogue of Satan who say they are virgins but are harlots who say they are Jewes that is the true Church and people of God and are not but doe lye Secondly the Church being but one this point and principle is to be holden that there is no salvation out of the Church as there is no condemnation to them that are of the Church and consequently every one that looketh to bee saved by Christ must necessarily range himselfe in that number that so he may become a member and Citizen of this one Catholike Church For as out of the Sheepfold are Goats Dogs Swine Wolves and such like Revel 21.15 so out of the Church are Sorcerers and Whore mongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh lies Revel 22. Such albeit they may be in the Church for a season yet are not of the Church for they remaine not in it They that were not in the Arke of Noah perished in the waters so out of the Church and out of this flocke and sheepfold all are condemned Hence it is that Luke teacheth Acts 2.47 Cant. 4.12 The Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved So Salomon Cant. 4. A garden inclosed is my Sister my Spouse a Spring shut up a Fountaine sealed This is plaine in these foure respects First Why there is no salvation out of the Church because Christ Iesus is the onely head of the Church by whom all parts as by certaine joynts and sinewes are knit and coupled together but out of the militant Church there is no Christ Revel 1.13 for he alwaies walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes out of the Church there is no faith in Christ no obedience to Christ no justification through Christ This reason may bee thus concluded Where no Saviour is there can be no salvation But out of the Church there is no Saviour Therefore Out of the Church there can be no salvation So then where no head is to quicken or make alive there can be no body or members that are alive but out of the Church there is no head to quicken or make alive therefore there is no body or members quickned or made alive but dead members which are so onely in name Secondly out of the Church who ruleth as King 2 Cor. 4.4 Ephes 2.2 but the prince of the aire and god of this world that ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience and therefore such as are justly cast out of the Church by the censure of excommunication and cut off by that spirituall sword of discipline 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1.20 are said to be delivered to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1.20 This reason may be thus framed Where Satan ruleth nothing beareth sway but destruction But out of the Church Satan ruleth Therefore Out of the Church nothing beareth sway but destruction and consequently there can be no salvation Thirdly out of the Church there are no ordinary meanes to come to salvation Now what are the meanes to attaine salvation They are these Hearing Faith Prayer the Sacraments and such like But out of the bosome of the Church there is no sound preaching of the Word no true beleeving in Christ no devout calling upon God no right partaking of the Sacraments no sincere holinesse of life no brotherly communion of Saints no pure worshipping of God according to his Word These are the priviledges of the Church and the markes whereby it is knowne Acts 2.42 Act. 2. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Where these are not there can be no Church nor salvation Fourthly the Church and the world are quite contrary the one to the other Iohn 17.9 14. Ephes 5.27 1 Pet. 2.9 Christ prayeth not for the world as hee doth for the Church and for all the parts and members of it John 17.9 14. the whole world lyeth in wickednesse onely the Church is an holy company which followeth the waies and practiseth the workes of godlinesse Lastly labour to be of this Church and joyne thy selfe to it as a part and member thereof If any aske By what signes we may discerne whether we be members of the Church or not I answer It is not hard much lesse unpossible to establish our hearts in this truth For first such are separated from the world
Church to say as it is Cant. 2.16 Cant. 2.16 My well-beloved is mine and I am his as Christ himselfe saith I know mine and am knowne of mine See the like Ruth 1.16 Jer. 31.33 Ezra 25.9 The reasons are evident Reas 1 First every man is commanded in the Gospell to beleeve Marke 1.15 1 Joh. 5.13 Now it is not sufficient to make us true beleevers to know the promises except we also love them desire them delight in them and make application of them otherwise we beleeve no better then the Devils and our faith is no other then the faith of the Devils for even they beleeve God Iam. 2.19 yea one God and Christ and all the promises to bee true They know all the Scriptures Matth. 4.6 and as they are perfect so are these perfect in them they can alleadge them more readily and easily a thousand times than ten thousand in the world They know all the promises recorded in the Scriptures and beleeve that they shall come to passe But let us see what faith they have There are foure sorts of faith the historicall the miraculous the temporary and the justifying faith The historicall is to have the knowledge of Gods Word and to give assent that the histories and doctrines therein contained are true The miraculous is 1 Cor. 13.2 to be able to worke miracles The temporary to beleeve in Christ in a confused manner for a time like the man that having a glimmering light saw men walking like trees to bring forth some fruits Mark 8.24 and the fruits may seeme faire and beautifull in their owne and other mens eyes like the Apples of Sodom yet are neither sound nor lasting to submit themselves willingly to the Word Luke 8.13 and to take some delight in the hearing thereof The justifying faith goeth beyond all the former and it standeth in laying hold upon Christ and making him to be their owne Among all these the Devils have onely the historicall faith What manner of faith the Devils have to beleeve all in the Scripture to be most true wherein notwithstanding they goe beyond many men They have not the miraculous faith for albeit they effect many wonders yet they can worke no miracles nor change the nature of things They want the temporary faith because as the tree is wholly evill so they can bring forth no good fruits they have no taste of the good Word of God neither shew any joy they take in it neither yeeld they any outward obedience Much more therefore doe they want the justifying faith to stretch out their hand to receive Christ Iesus and to take him to themselves for notwithstanding their beliefe they tremble as the Apostle teacheth so that their faith faileth in this particular which is more then they can doe to make particular application of Christ and his promises to say Christ is mine and I am his his promises are mine and belong to me I have remission of my sinnes by his death he is my Father and hee will give to me the Kingdome The Angels that were the first Preachers of the Gospell were sent to the Shepheards and they taught them this lesson Behold Luke 2.11 I bring you glad tidings of great ioy which shall be to all people that to you is borne a Saviour Luke 2. They doe not onely tell them they brought good tidings good tidings to others but good tidings to them and not onely that Christ was borne but that he was borne to them Esay 9.6 as the Prophet had done long before Vnto us a Childe is borne unto us a Sonne is given And except the Shepheards had beleeved and applied it to themselves they might have beene instruments of salvation unto others but they could never have beleeved or have had benefit by it themselves like those that builded the Arke to save others but were drowned in the waters themselves Secondly the promises of God howsoever they be delivered in generall termes in the Word yet are they particular and every man out of the generall both may and must gather a particular unto himselfe As in a Pardon or Proclamation though it be delivered in generall yet the matter contained in it is that which belongeth to every person in particular and every one may apply the Proclamation as truely to himselfe as if he read his owne name therein expressed So then although the promises of God be generall yet are they particularly true to every true beleever that can truely apply them to himselfe For whatsoever is spoken to all beleevers is spoken to every particular as also whatsoever is spoken to all penitent persons may bee applied to each penitent person We see this in the exhortation given to Joshua Iosh 1.5 Heb. 13.6 1 Chron. 28.20 Deut. 31.6 I will not faile thee nor forsake thee which also is given to others yet the Apostle applieth it as spoken to the Hebrewes so that the same which was spoken to him was in him spoken to all The Gospell is as it were a pardon published to sinners and faith layeth hold on that pardon particularly so that the beleever doth as truely apply it to himselfe as if his owne name were written therein and it were said to him Matth. 9.1 Thy sinnes are forgiven thee as it was said to the man sicke of the palsie Matth. 9.1 Thirdly there must be particular application because God hath given unto us his Sacraments to bee Seales of the Righteousnesse that is by faith Rom. 4. Rom. 4.11 Now as God hath established them in the Church so he hath ordained that they should be delivered particularly to every one that every man should be baptized and every man receiue the Supper of the Lord in his owne person which sheweth that the proper use of a Sacrament is to assure a mans conscience of the promises in particular When wee come once to beleeue and to know that Christ offereth remission of sinnes by his death then by receiuing of the Sacraments particularly wee come to apply Christ and his merits to our selves so that the delivering and receiving of the Sacraments is thus much in effect if thou beleeve the promises of life and salvation then take this that thou maist bee assured that they belong unto thee as certainely as if thy name were specified therein Now then all these things considered the use of faith the use of the Word and the use of the Sacraments it must necessarily follow that it is not onely a generall notion but a particular application of the promises that doe belong to salvation First Vse 1 there ariseth from hence a plaine confutation of a Popish errour touching faith that a man may not nor cannot without presumption apply the promises of the Gospell to himselfe nor beleeve that God is his God that Christ is his Saviour wherein with one dash of the penne or with one breath of the mouth they cancell all the Articles of the faith and
to our owne selves 1 Cor. 1.29 The doctrine of the nevv Sectaries This is to reioyce in an arme of flesh and not in the mercy of God 1 Cor. 1.29 The new Sectaries teach that Election resteth and dependeth upon the foreknowledge of faith and that it is made for faith foreseene which the sounder sort of Papists begin to be ashamed of as appeareth in Bellarmine The Apostle teacheth plainely Ephes 1.3 4. that all spirituall blessings whatsoever are given us according to Election before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.3 4. and therefore Election must of necessity bee before those blessings Againe we are elected that we should be holy and without blame he saith to holinesse not for any holinesse and consequently to faith not for faith So Paul obtained mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 Acts 22.14 That he should be faithfull 1 Cor. 7.25 not because God considered him as already faithfull Christ Iesus chose his Disciples not already bearing fruit but that they should bring forth fruit Ioh. 15.16 Acts 13.48 Ioh. 15.16 This also Luke sheweth that such as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. Election therefore is before faith and it is the cause why men doe beleeve whereas our new Sect-masters and Strife-makers set the Apostle and the rest of the Church to Schoole and teach him to speak as they do yong children that they beleeved afterward were ordained to eternall life Rom. 9.16 The words of Paul It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy could not be true if God had mercy on men for faith foreseene For what could he foresee but his owne gifts which himselfe determined to bestow upon us This teacheth us also to pull downe all high conceits of our owne worth as if our salvation depended upon our owne selves and that wee were able to guide our waies and order our steppes to life and on the other side admonisheth all Gods Children to thinke humbly of themselves and of all that they can doe or have done touching the cause and foundation of their salvation and withall to magnifie highly the riches of the mercy of God and the aboundance of the love of Iesus Christ our Saviour shed abroad in our hearts acknowledging the beginning proceeding continuing and finishing of our salvation to spring from him onely True it is our destruction is not of God Hos 13.9 Iam. 1.13 14 15. but of our owne selves but our salvation is not of our selves but of God Wherefore then hath God chosen us and refused others made us vessels to honour 2 Tim. 2.20 Rom. 2.5 and left others to be vessels to dishonour why hath hee taken away the hardnesse of our stony hearts and given over others to walke in their hardnesse and hearts that cannot repent as he did Pharaoh Wherefore hath he sanctified us with his Spirit and passed by many thousand others that they might worke out their owne destruction and damnation Doubtlesse he hath not done all these nor any one of all these things for any good he saw in us nor for any goodnesse he foresaw would be in us nor for any inclination to goodnesse hee could perceive in us nor for any workes of preparation to make us fit for grace for what could he see in us though he be of pure eyes but matter of his wrath to feed upon as the fire doth upon the fuell It was not greatnes of wealth noblenesse of birth highnesse of estate worthinesse of condition multitude of friends that hee respected who respecteth no mans person so that when we consider what we are of our selves and how graciously God hath dealt toward us we should cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 Lastly seeing it is of Gods good pleasure that he saveth us and not any thing that is in our selves that moued him this ought to stirre us up to thankefulnesse and our thankefulnesse to dutifulnesse and obedience toward him The greater his mercy is and the more free his grace is the more wee ought to praise and magnifie his great Name It is he that hath given us all let him therefore have the praise of all We have nothing in our selves therefore let us challenge nothing to our selves The worke is his owne and properly belonging to him let us take heed we commit not sacriledge and robbe him of the glory due to his Name They are pure or rather impure naturall men that set up nature and they are destitute of grace that pull downe the post or piller of Gods grace which holdeth up the whole building We cannot ascribe too much to him wee cannot detract too much from our selves We cannot deny too much to Nature we cannot ascribe too much to grace Our good thoughts our good desires our good deeds our good words if we have any come from without Matth. 15.18 as evill thoughts come from within and doe defile us as water comming from an uncleane fountaine All our good is of his good pleasure and therefore it is good reason that hee should bee honoured and glorified in it and for it Hence it is that the Apostle saith What is it that thou hast not received Wee are so farre from comming to our iournyes end without his direction that we cannot set one foot forward in the right way Wee are so farre from being able to practise any thing that is good that wee haue no power to prepare our selves to it Psal 10.17 forasmuch as it is he that prepareth the heart Psal 10.17 And the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 but all our sufficiency is of God This use doth Christ our Saviour point unto Mat. 11. I thanke thee O Father Matth. 11.25 26. Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father for it seemed good in thy sight That which Christ our Saviour doth ought we all to practise and performe It belongeth to all the Elect and godly to shew great love to him that hath loved us first and continuall thankefulnesse toward him because wee hold our selves and all that we have of his gracious favour We enjoy not any good through our owne deservings but all besides our merits nay directly against our merits For by the guilt of sinne we deserve to be in the same condition with the reprobate and it is the great goodnesse and mercy of God who hath separated us and allotted unto us a better estate and that it goeth better with us How often doe we requite his love with unkindnesse for wee give him nothing but he giveth us all neither doe we prevent his liberality but he preventeth our ability if
Ninevites did and what God himselfe did The actions of the Ninevites concerning The people King of Nineveh The actions of the people are Their faith Fruits of faith The actions of the King are set downe His example Verse 6. His proclamation 7.8 His proclamation is published confirmed The publishing and proclaiming thereof instructeth What they must not doe What they must doe The actions of God what he did He saw their workes that they turned Verse 10. He repented of the evill threatned Verse 10. The beginning of their conversion stood in this that they beleeved the word of God And this helped and furthered to stirre up faith in them that they considered they had to doe with God himselfe and not with the Prophet onely Wherein consider 2 King 14.6 that albeit hee was sent to them with heavy tydings as the Prophet said to the wife of Ieroboam Act. 7.27 yet they did not thrust him away from them as the Israelite did Moses Act. 7.27 they did not stretch forth their hand saying lay hold on him as Ieroboam did to the man of God 1 King 13.4 they did not mocke him and misuse him as the lewes did the Prophets 2 Chro. 36.16 they did not account him a mad fellow for his strange message Act. 26.24 as the Captaines did one of the Children of the Prophets 2 King 9.11 they did not waxe wroth and put him in a prison house as men in a rage as Asa dealt with Hanani the Seer 2 Chro 16.10 then bid them feed him with the bread of affliction with the water of affliction as Ahab gave charge to the Governor of the City concerning Micaiah 1 King 22.27 They did not put him to death and stone him with stones as they dealt with Zechariah at the commandement of the King 2 Chro. 24.31 they did not suggest to the King Ionah hath conspired against thee in the middest of the Citie the land is not able to beare all his words or say unto him O thou Seer goe fly thee away into the Land of Iudah and there eate bread and prophecie there but prophecie not any more at Nineveh for it is the house of the kingdom as Amaziah said to Amos Amo. 7.10.12 Neither did they put him in the stockes and smite him on the mouth with the fist as Pashur did Ieremy and the standers by did Paul Ier. 20.2 Act. 23.2 Neither did they apprehend him and throw him into a dungeon or accuse him saying This man is worthy to die for he hath prophecied against this Citie all the words that ye have heard as the Priests and false Prophets pleaded against Ieremy at an other time Ier. 26.11 neither did they drive him out of their coastes and thrust him out of their Citie as the people of Nazareth dealt with Christ Luk. 4.29 and the Gadarens when they had lost their Swine Math. 8.34 Neither did they stop their eares and gnash on him with their teeth and runne upon him with one accord as they served Stephen Act. 7.54.57 Neither did they beat him or charge command him that he should speak no more in the name of the Lord his God and then let him goe as they dealt with Peter and the other Apostles Act. 5.40 but they heard him attentively patiently and readily they accounted him not as a troubler of the state as the filth of the world 1 Cor. 4.13 and as the off-scouring of all things but they received his words as the oracles of God they perswaded themselues that he was sent unto them of God and constantly beleeved that those things would undoubtedly come to passe which he had spoken Of this faith what it was see more afterward vers 9. This threatning for the certainty of it is utttered in the time present for in the originall it is word for word is overthrowne and therefore the destruction being so neere and so certaine it was high time for them to looke about them We learne from hence that the word preached is the ordinary meanes ordained of God to worke in us faith Doct. 4 The word preached is the instrument of faith as Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 15.1.2 Iam. 1.18 Examples hereof are plentifull to be found in the Acts of the Apostles after the hearing of the word they were pricked in their hearts and said What shall we do Act. 2.37 they received his word gladly and were baptized vers 41. many of them which heard the word beleeved Chap. 4.4 Cornelius is directed to Peter who should tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved Act. 11.14 The Gentiles were glad when they heard the word and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved chap. 13.48 the Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul chap. 16.14 some beleeved and clave unto him chap. 17.4.12.34 and 18 9.10 The Souldiers the Publicanes and the people that came out to heare the preaching of Iohn were converted and said Master what shall we doe Luk. 3.10.12.14 The reasons Reason 1 First because this is the high ordinance of God which he hath appointed to beginne and worke in us faith and so the conversion of a sinner 1 Cor. 1.21 If he had ordained other means other means should have bin effectuall Secondly faith cannot be without knowledge knowledge cannot be without instruction Mat. 2.7 instruction cannot be without such as instruct us in the faith and therefore we must necessarily heare their voyce and seeke the law at their mouthes Mal. 2.7 Thirdly to this end and purpose God gave gifts to men and called them to beare his word to his people Eph. 4.11.12 so the Prophet teacheth that the Priestslips must preserue knowledge Mal. 2. Lastly our first parents were turned from God and drawne to unbeleefe by hearing the voyce of the old Serpent the devill it is therefore convenient that the elect by hearing the voyce of God should be converted to the faith and returne to him that calleth Obj. 1. If this be so Obiect 1 then it must needes goe hard with deafe men that cannot heare For if faith presuppose knowledge knowledge instruction and instruction hearing which is the sense of learning what shall we thinke of them that are borne deafe How shall they beleeve and be saved Answ Blind men may heare but deafe men cannot I answere albeit God doth ordinarily worke faith by hearing yet he can and doth extraordinarily worke faith without it and of stones raise up children to Abraham as he gave faith to Rahab the harlot by hearing of his workes not of his word Ios 2. For the holy Ghost that teacheth by inspiration supplieth the want of outward meanes by an inward motion in their hearts So that albeit they cannot have knowledge nor salvation by the hearing of faith yet they may have them by an inward worke supplying the defect of the outward senses Secondly Object 2 how shall infants and children
the cheefe Priestes Math. 21.25 the baptisme of Iohn whence is it From heaven or is it of men Is our ministery of God or is it of men For the hearer must confesse his treacher to be sent of God if his teaching beget faith and repentance in him and praise the name of God for it and acknowledge the blessing of God upon his labours to be an infallible token of his lawfull calling Ier. 23.21.22 Mal. 2.46 2 Cor. 3.1.2 On the other side God doth not convert men to himselfe or establish them in grace by false and Antichristian Ministers and meanes The holy martyrs were members of our Church I would likewise aske the Question of the holy Martyrs of our Church which accounted not their owne lives precious vnto them but laid them downe for the truthes sake are these martyrs of God or of the Devil were they members of a true Church or of a false and were they instructed in the faith by Christian ministers or by Antichristian nay doubtlesse they were not ashamed to professe themselues children of our Churches and reuerenced our ministers as their spiritual fathers and would have accounted it no small blessing if they might have beene suffered to heare them Thirdly they are reproued who thinke that above all other things the preaching of the word may best be spared and that the office of the Ministers is least of all usefull and necessary But is faith necessarie is repentance of any use is saluation out of request If these be giftes absolutely necessary then must the preaching of the truth and the publishing of the Gospel be necessary also without which they cannot be attained of us Christ Iesus is the greatest gift under Heaven after him the ministery of the word is the highest benefit whereby we come to know Christ and him crucified I say it is the greatest benefit which God hath given to the Sonnes of men Eph. 4.12 Eph. 4. for the gathering together of the Saints and the edification of the Church Whosoever therefore despiseth the preaching of the Word 1 Thess 4.8 despiseth not man but God and is guilty of his owne condemnation For as our bodies cannot live without food so our soules prosper not without the word Lastly it reproueth all drowsie and carelesse hearers that are a sleepe when they should heare these exclude and shut out faith that it should not enter But how should God open our hearts when we will not keep open our eares or how should he heare our praiers when we will not heare his Fastours Is it not all one altogether to be absent and to be thus present Secondly it serueth for information First it is a matter of great comfort for the lost sheepe of Christ straying from the sheepefold to understand that there is a way left to recover wandering sinners which is the hearing of the word and thereby to come to saluation Secondly it is a speciall blessing to live in such places and among such people where the word is taught and where they may be partakers of hearing Happy are they that hearken to the saving doctrine of the Gospell with a desire to understand it and care to obey it But wofull and feareful is their estate that live in such barraine places where the dearth of the word pineth away the soule we may say of them in deed and in truth Num. 13.32 They are lands that eate up the inhabitants thereof and in that day shall the faire virgins and young men faint for thirst Thirdly it teacheth that the sense of hearing is a great and necessary blessing of God and therefore fitly called the sense of understanding and of beleeving True it is God can worke without and no doubt he doth true it is also that our other senses are good helpes of many notable things especially the eyes are speciall furtherers of knowledge God hath two bookes whereby he teacheth us and wherein we reade his marueilous wisedome the one Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.19.20 1 Cor. 1.21 the great booke of his Creatures wherein we see his eternall power and godhead and learne to give him the glory the other is his written word inspired of God and iâ— profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Fourthly where the word is not taught according to the Ordinance of God there ordinarily sinners are not converted to God For there is no other ordinary meanes under heaven to conuert sinners and to worke faith in us than the Ministery of the word How then can we learne what true faith and true repentance is without the word Without which we must perish and be condemned Hence it is that Salomon saith Where vision failâ—th Pro. 29.18 the people perish Behold therefore the misery of the people who are as sheep dispersed and scattered without a Sheepheard and without such leaders as may shew them the good and right way wherein they should walke and so come to the kingdome of heauen Fiftly all such as through negligence carelesnesse contempt and wilfulnesse refuse the hearing of the word doe cast from them the meanes of their salvation and forsake their owne mercies nay they renounce faith and turning to God and account themselues unworthy of eternall life Such were those Iewes which are spoken of Act. 13. who resisted the word Act. 13.46 railed at it and spake against those things that were spoken contradicting them and blaspheming and therby renouncing their part in Christ Iesus Such are many carelesse and dissolute persons among us little better than Atheists who are never touched with any love of the word or desire of it but cast it behind their backe and set it after all the vanitie and pleasures of this life Lastly Mar. 4.24 Luk. 8.18 it is our duty to take heed how we heare For it standeth us vpon to regard not onely what we heare but how we heare and to looke to the manner as well as to the matter For we may perish as well by not hearing aright as by hearing that which is not right and consider that it is not enough to heare the truth but we must heare truly That we may attaine to this we must performe these seuerall duties to attend unto it to marke it to understand it to hold it fast and lastly to apply it The first point required of us The first duty of hearers is that we attend hearken unto it diligently It is not sufficient to heare It is one thing to heare but hearkning and giuing eare is another thing To heare requireth no more but the eares of the body to hearken requireth the eares of the mind Hence it is that Christ saith Math. 13. He that hath eares to heare Math. 13.9 let him heare Where he sheweth that there is a double hearing outward and inward or else he would never charge
a fast and threatneth that whosoever shall doe any worke at all therein even on that day Levit. 16.31 23.30.31 shall be cut off from among his people Levit. 16. Because it shall be a Sabbath of rest and we ought to resort at such solemne times to the house of God no lesse than we ought to doe on the Sabbath if not rather more in regard of the urging and pressing occasion Iudge 20. Hereby then falleth to the ground the opinion of such as hold it neither needfull nor expedient that the word should be preached at such times as the Church assembleth for fasting and praying These are not ashamed to affirme that they have often heard and read of the exercise of fasting and praying but never of fasting and preaching as if forsooth the time were spent unprofitably that is spent that way These men would gladly say somewhat to maintaine and countenance their owne idlenesse And because the diligence of others maketh their negligence to appeare the greater they open their mouthes against them and their practise who preach the word in season and out of season according to the Commandement of God and man and speake all manner of evill of them The wise Salomon teacheth Pro. 26.16 Pro. 26. That the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit than seven men that can render a reason We ought to use all meanes whatsoever and all little enough and too little to stirre up our selues to faith and repentance from dead workes but the preaching of the word is the principall and speciall meanes to worke these in vs and what is what is all our fasting without true repentance doubtlesse there is no life in it and therefore at such times the word should be taught to make the rest of the workes more lively Besides we have shewed that it hath the nature of a Sabbath day Whatsoever therefore they were forbidden on the Sabbath was likewise forbidden on the day of fasting and whatsoeven they were then Commanded to do ought likewise to be done and practised on this day But the Apostle teacheth Act. 15.21 that Moses hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath day So then besides that every day of fasting was a Sabbath day we see that after Moses was read he was also preached but he was read in their assemblies on the daies of their fasting Neh 9.13 there he sheweth how they spent that day one fourth part they reade in the booke of the Lord their God an other fourth part they spent in prayer and confessing their sinnes to God and by all likelihood the other two parts were spent in preaching after they had read the Lecture of the Law which is not expressed because he had so lately and largely spoken thereof in the former chapter And seeing they spent not the residne of the day idly but in some holy exercise together and neither in reading nor in praying how should it be spent but in preaching hearing the word of the Lord Thus Anna serued the Lord in the Temple with prayer fasting where without all question was the preaching of the word as well as praying and reading It is a desperate cause that hath nothing to pretend It is objected that the preaching of the word at such times is never expressed neither urged by Commandement nor Commended by example But we must consider the usuall manner of the Scripture by one part of the worship of God to understand the whole For sometimes there is mention of fasting but not at all of prayer Ester 4. and often elsewhere What then shall we collect and conclude from hence that they praied not to God nor once lifted up their hearts to him The brute beastes may keepe such a fast and therefore more must be understood then is named Esay 56.7 Math. 21.13 So the Temple was called the house of praier we never reade it called the house of preaching and yet it serueth no lesse for the one then for the other But these men conceive and imagine there is some time wherin the preaching of the word is unseasonable Lastly if the preaching of the word were used in times of holy feasting solemne thanksgiving to be rendred unto God for some extraordinary blessings or deliverances receiued as in the Passeover the like why should not the same exercise be much rather takē up when the times of holy fasting are sanctified that as at the one we might be stirred up to praise God for his mercies so at the other we might be moved to fear his judgments ready to fal upōus The second point is the kindes and sorts of fasting This we must learne The severall sorts of fasts to the end we may know of what fast the Prophet speaketh For all fastes are not of one nature neither undertaken for one and the same cause There is a fast prescribed by the Physition to restore health or to procure appetite abstaining from sustenance to consume raw and superfluous humours The cause of this is repletion Hence ariseth this rule of theirs Whatsoever diseases fasting or emptinesse cannot take away cure them by medicine An other is to performe somewhat with haste and expedition when the minde is so set upon some earnest businesse that a man either forgetteth himselfe or else can intend no time to take his sustenance and the refreshing which nature otherwise would require 1 Sam. 14.24 Such was the fast commanded by Saul who had no religious respect therein but aymed at this to spare no time from pursuing his enemies Such was Pauls fast and of the rest that were in the ship with him Act. 27.33 Act. 27. they had no leasure to take meate in time of the storme and tempest every houre fearing shipwracke and standing in jeopardy of their lives There is a fast of Christian sobriety which is nothing else but an using frugality in meates and drinkes or the vertue of temperance and is to be practised of us all the daies of our lives according to the warning of our Saviour Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selues least at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse Rom. 13.13 and of the Apostle Let us walke honestly as in the day not in riotting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse c. There is an other fast of necessity which is a forced and constrained fast which God often sendeth as a chasticement when he breaketh the staffe of bread Leuit. 26.26 Deut. 28.23 when he maketh the heavens as brasse and the earth as yron when he destroyeth the labours of the husbandmen when the field is wasted the corne blasted the grasse withered the vines dryed and the land mourueth Ioel 2. Because we will not take up a voluntary fast that he would he forceth us to take up a fast which we would not because the earth forbeareth her fruites we must forbeare our food
godlinesse and honesty Ier. 29.7 So the Prophet chargeth the Captives of the people Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace Fourthly it is their duty that are seruants to make wise choise of their Masters and Governours where they may be soberly gouerned and godlily instructed But what do such for the most part hunt after and under what roofe will they rest Doubtlesse in their choise they regard nothing they ayme after nothing but where they may serve for greatest wages where they may make most gaine profit and worldly commodity where they finde most liberty and where they may speake as they list doe as they list and live as they list Nay they affect and preferre above all other the houses of prophane persons where themselues may live as prophanely also without feare of God or man and without checke and controlment that it may be said like master like seruant which notwithstanding is the common but corrupt custome of the common sort who have more care to provide for the body than for the soule But they have chosen the better part who are carried with a desire and love of godlinesse where they may learne the best things that shall not be taken from them remembring that 1 Tim. 6.6 1 Tim. 6.6 Godlinesse is greate gaine if a man be content with that he hath True it is there may be one Lot in Sodome one Ioseph in Pharaohs house one Rahab in Iericho one Paul in the ship and one Obadiah in Ahabs Court but this is very rare and falleth out seldome For where the heads of the family be prophane what shall ye see in the rest of the household but Prophanenesse Worldlinesse Wantonnesse Drunkennesse brawling and contention Where they be lukewarme it may be observed that their children and seruants for the most part that attend upon them are Neuters neither fish nor flesh neither hote nor cold such care not which end goe forward where they be faithfull and zealous zeale will oftentimes be found in the lowest seruant that looketh to the doore Act. 12.5.14 as we see in Rhoda who reioyced to heare Peters voyce and was glad to carry that newes when he was brought out of prison for whom prayer had beene made by the Church without ceasing to God 7 And he caused it to be Proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the King and his Nobles saying Let neither man nor beast heard nor flocke tast any thing let them not feede nor drinke water 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turne every one from his evill way and from the violence that is in their hands The example and precedency of the King hath beene considered in the former verse His repentance was the repentance of all the rest and his humiliation was the laying of the threatning to heart by all the rest For they followed his example and he knew that repentance was the only meanes to appease the wrath of God Now touching the Kings edict he consulteth with his Councell or Nobles joyntly together they publish a decree the summe whereof is that there should be fasting and prayer 1 King 12.6 2 Sam. 16.23 declared by the reason vers 9. Who can tell if God will turne from his fierce wrath that we perish not Here are sundry points offered that might be handled that the King had his Councell without whose advise direction he would do nothing This hath ever beene the manner of Princes to have their wise Councell about them in regard of the waightinesse of their charge Two eyes see more then one and two eares heare more then one In this respect Solomon teacheth that two are better then one and so have a greater fruit of their labours Besides the dangers are greater if they erre and goe astray their errors are oftentimes irrevocable and had I wist commeth too late But because this better fitteth another place I will passe it ouer And touching fasting it selfe I have spoken of it before and therefore I passe that also Onely it may seeme strange that the commandement runneth indifferently to man and beast that they must be covered with sackcloth and fast and that man and beast must cry mightily unto God For some may say seeing these things may seeme strange what have beasts to doe with repenting and turning to God have they or can they sinne The good Angels the Devils the beastes cannot repent Why the bruit beastes are commanded to fast The elect Angels neede it not the Devils cannot the beastes are not capable of it This then was not commanded for the beasts sake but to stirre up the Ninevites themselues the more when they should heare the crying of children the neyghing of horses the lowing of bullockes the bleating of sheep all making lamentation and all sending up their cries to heaven themselues might be provoked to double their owne mourning who were the causes of all the other The common danger it selfe might seeme all-sufficient to provoke the people to this humiliation but besides this they had the example of the King and his Councell the force of an edict or proclamation yea the very sight and hearing of the beasts put them in minde of their duty Doct. We must use all occasions to stirre up our selues to repentance Thus they must take all occasions to stirre up themselues to turne every one from his evill wayes This teacheth that we have all neede to use all meanes and take all occasions to stirre up our selues and one another to repentance and amendment of life and all little enough yea too little Hereunto come the many warnings and jnvitations to godlinesse found every where in the word of God as do charger us to remember to take heed to come to looke to our selues and such like Deut. 4.23 Luk. 11.34 Psal 34.11 And no marueil For we have neede to be often put in remembrance of our duties Exod. 20.8 Deut. 9.7 Eccl. 12.1 1 Tim. Reason 1 1.15 3.1 4.9 6.17 2 Tim. 4.1 What meane these so often caveats and Commandements but to teach us that we have great neede to be stirred up to all good things Secondly we are very dull and untoward to all good things To evill we neede no teacher nor instructer nor inciter we are forward enough and too forward but to good we are backward and have neede of spurres We are by nature slacke and untoward to that is good Hence it is Iob 11.12 that man by nature is compared to a wilde Asses colt Iob. 11. Vaine man would be wise though man be borne like a wilde Asses colt that is untamed and untractable Ier Ier. 2 24. 2. to a wild asse used to the wildernesse that snuffeth up the winde at her pleasure
grace life by Christ be fruitfull effectuall Let us then be warned that we do not coÌ„tent our selves to live in the Church for so false Israelites doe and hypocriticall Christians who professe Christ in word Tit. 1.16 Revel 3.1.2 but deny him in their workes who have a name that they are alive but indeed are dead Let us therefore be watchful strengthen the things which remaine that are ready to dy repent speedily because wee know not what houre hee will come upon us This is the use that the Apostle teacheth having shewed that in a great house are sundry vessels some to honour some to dishonour he addeth 2 Tim. 2.21 Let us purge our selves from these that we may be vessels unto honour sanctified meet for the masters use and prepared to every good worke Math. 3.8 Let us strive to bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God and purging our consciences more and more from dead workes that so we may gather comfort and assurance that we are vessels to honour and for our better assurance let every one depart from iniquity that nameth the name of Christ 2 Tim. 2.19 Doct. After that thou shalt cut it downe Here is the finall doome of this fig-tree without any farther repriving or sparing thereof Though the Lord suffer long yet he punisheth at the last if it cannot be made fruitfull From whence I might observe that the Lord howsoever he be very patient and doth forbeare long yet at the last he wil come to visit and punish men for their sinnes Ier. 5.7.9 How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods when I had fedde them to the full they then committed adultery and assembled themselves by troupes in the harlots houses So Esay 42.14.15 1 Sam. Reason 1 5.6 The reasons first in regard of his love and mercy to his children he will not suffer them to live in their sinnes unpunished thus he doth manifest his goodnesse yea that he is goodnesse it selfe and consequently opposite to evill and so will visit them for their sinnes Secondly his justice will not suffer him to let the wicked escape but hee will and must punish He is just nay justice it selfe and therefore cannot but doe justice Rom. 2.6 3.5.6 and give to every one according to his workes as Rom. 3. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speake as a man God forbid for then how shall God judge the world This teacheth the children of God Vse 1 that they have no cause at all to be envious against the wicked for their prosperity and happinesse in this world for let them waite a while and abide but a short time which the Lord in his providence hath appointed they shal behold him comming against them with his drawne sword and visit their iniquities to the full Exod. 34.7 for hee will by no means clearethe guilty Secondly it admonisheth every man to labour to breake off his sinnes whatsoever they be and not to harden himselfe because God spareth him because howsoever God spareth him and maketh as though he did not perceive him yet at the last he payeth home How neere hath Gods hand beene to many in this great visitation in the same house and in the same bed when the one hath beene taken away and the other spared and his life given him for a prey O consider this ye that have already forgotten this mercy of God and labour to appease his wrath before yee come to his judgement-seate for then it will be to late to call and cry for mercy let us labour too repent betimes here that so we may find mercy before the throne of God hereafter Lastly it warneth us of the wofull estate of all such as despise his patience for what doe such but heape up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. Thou shalt cut it downe Dcto The Lord of the Vineyard waited yeare after yeare to receive some fruit Such as grow desperate are neere to destruction and the dresser thereof obtained the continuance of the standing thereof another yeare if nothing will serve none will intreat any farther it must be cut downe This teacheth us that when once we grow desperate without hope of amendment and past recovery God is determined to destroy us and to pull us up by the rootes as trees that are altogether withered dead and rotten Thus it was with the sonnes of Eli the sonnes of Belial 1 Sam. 2.12.25 they knew not the Lord neither would they give eare to the warning of their father but what was the end They hearkned not to the voyce of their father because the Lord would slay them This we see also 2 Chro. 36. the Lord gave his people over into the hand of the Caldeâ—s but when came the wrath of the Lord upon them to the uttermost when there was no remedy He had sent his Prophets continually and successively one after another among them 2 Cor. 36.15 16. but they could do no good with them they grew worse as those that are desperately diseased caÌ„not be healed There was therfore no remedy neither other way with them then to cut them off utterly Thus our Saviour speaketh Math. 23.37.38 I would have gathered you together but ye would not behold your house and habitation is left unto you desolate Esay 6.10 so that it came to passe as the Lord had threatned Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and herewith their eares and understand with their heart and be healed The reasons are first because there is nothing left that can doe them any good Reason 1 All the meanes that the Lord hath used or can use will not profit them but like Dogges and Swine they tread the precious pearles of the Gospel under their feet Ier. 17.6 They are like the heath in the wildernesse which shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in a salt land and not inhabited The heath hath good meanes comming upon it to make it good the Summer commeth the Sunne shineth the raine falleth the influence of the heavens descendeth yet euermore it remaineth the same a dry and barren heath It is with the barren soule as with the barren soile the word the Ministers the Sabbathes the Sacraments the dayes of grace nay Christ Iesus himselfe can doe them no good no good nay the Word which in it selfe is the savour of life to life becommeth to them the savour of death to death 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ himselfe is a recke of offence and a stone to stumble at and all the rest of the meanes ordained to Salvation turne to their finall destruction 1 Pet. 3.8 Secondy such
it make us not better it maketh us worse A soft heart is a singular blessing they are thrice happy that have attained unto it on the other side the sinner that is as brasse and iron and past feeling lyeth under an heavy curse Pro. 20.12 Hence it is that Salomon sayth The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them We cannot see what is before us untill God direct us Gen. 21.19 Luk. 24.16.31 We cannot heare the voice that soundeth untill he open our eares Act. 22.9 If then he have opened our eares that it may be said of us My sheepe heare my voyce Ioh. 10 27. and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish and if withall he opened our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia Act. 16.14 that we may attend to the things which are spoken We have received such a blessing as many thousands do want and for which we are bound to give continuall thankes to almighty God to whom be praise in the Church for ever Amen FINIS A Recapitulation of the Doctrines handled in this Scripture THe way to prevent Gods judgments is to repent Doubtlesse such as continue in sinne without repentance shall perish We are rather to looke to our selves then to censure others Outward judgments neither alwaies seaze upon the worst sort neither alwayes free the best men God hath many wayes to take away mans life and that suddainely when pleaseth him The wicked are by nature bloody and cruell Examples of Gods judgements upon some are profitable to others Jt is lawfull for the Minister of God to use parables and similitudes The end of Gods patience ought to be our repentance The favour and patience of God toward his Church is infinite Patience neglected and abused bringeth destruction Evill minded men are altogether unprofitable to themselves and others Gods children make intercession for others and are heard We should not utterly despaire of the salvation of others howsoever they runne astray The promises and threatnings of God are conditionall The barren estate is very dangerous neere to the fire Repentance obtaineth for givenesse of sinnes and the favour of God All that are in the Church are not true members of the Church The Lrod though he suffer long punisheth at last Such as grow desperate and are past recovery God is determined to destroy FINIS PHISICKE AGAINST FAMINE OR A SOVERAIGNE Preservative against all distrustfull thoughts and cares touching the things of this life prescribed and administred by the best Physicion of soule and body Christ Iesus Comfortable in these dayes Opened and expounded in certaine Sermons by WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the Word of God PSAL. 37.25 I have beene yong and now am old yet have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread ROM 8.32 He that spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things LONDON Printed by E. A. for Michael Sparke the yonger dwelling at the blue Bible in Greene Arbour 1632. TO THE RIGHT VVORshipfull and worthy Lady the Lady DOROTHY SHVRLEY all happinesse in this life and in the life to come Madam THe saying of the Apostle is remarkable and never to be forgotten 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and afterward in the same Epistle Godlines with cōtentment is great gaine For what can it profit a man if hee should gaine the whole world and then lose his owne soule Now the drift of this ensuing Treatise as appeareth by the Title is to shew to a godly Christian received already into the love and favour of God in this life looking for happines in heaven after this life by what holy meanes he may support his heart as posts doe the house with sufficient contentment against all the miseries that doe or may assault him in time of necessity The crosses and tentations wherewith the life especially of a poore Christian is distressed are manifold and Satan worketh upon their severall wants to surprize them and make them often cry out What shall we eate Matth. 6.31 or what shall we drinke or wherewithall shall we be clothed Every calling in the world from the highest to the lowest is assaulted with his proper and peculiar tentations and there are certaine unlawfull and ungodly courses practised by wicked man which we may not unfitly call The speciall sinnes of such a calling Hence it is that the Apostle among other precepts beateth upon this Heb. 13.5 6. Gen. 28.15 Deut. 31.6 8. Iosh 1.5 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and bee content with such things as ye have for hee hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man shall doe unto me and our Saviour to comfort us against feare of famine sendeth us sometimes to God sometimes to our selves sometimes to the Heaven sometimes to the earth and sometimes to the Gentiles that by all these wee might have strong consolation and rest in him that hath given us both our lives and our bodies Consider a little the History of the Creation as it is described in the Booke of Genesis God made all the Creatures to serve for mans use before he made man himselfe wherein wee may behold a perpetuall patterne of his providence that he never bringeth any into the world but that first hee ordaineth things needfull for them for the time alotted them to be there even as milke in the Mothers brests for the child to sucke before ever the child be borne to sucke the same A very gaod patterne alwaies to have before on eyes against that distrust and infidelity which commonly hangeth on and haunteth the nature of man in those matters Let us also take heed of setting our heart upon the world and the things in the world and be ready evermore to confesse in word and shew it by our practice that we account our selves to be but as Strangers and Pilgrims in this world Heb 11.13 Psal 62.10 if riches increase we must looke to it that we set not our hearts upon them and we must use the world as if we used it not because the fashion thereof passeth away And if we doe not set our hearts and affections upon our riches sundry good fruits will follow thereupon First it bringeth comfort and contentment with our estate as being that portion which God allotteth unto us maketh us not to repine against his providence because we have not a larger allowance for he that doth not too much affect their presence will not too much bewaile their absence neither be discontent because he hath not abundance of that which hee doth not much regard but as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.8 Having food and raiment will
that promiseth and provideth the greater can he faile us and not performe the lesse He that maketh us Kings unto his Father and hath promised a Crowne August de verb. Domini Qui dabit regnum non dabit viaticum will he deny us a bit of bread and a cup of drinke These points are more particularly discussed and opened in the ensuing Treatise which I have presumed to dedicate to your Lady-ship and not without good and waighty reasons You heard the publike preaching of them with speciall attention though many yeeres since and therefore I must needs acknowledge you among my best hearers and friends and withall consecrate vnto you some part of my labours which I have bestowed in writing Besides considering your earnest desire to know that God whose goodnesse you have alwaies tried your zeale to glorifie him on whom you have alwaies called your care to walke in his waies whom you have alwaies served and the fruits of a lively faith that have plentifully flowed from you whereof there are so many eye-witnesses among us the hearts of many distressed Ministers and the loynes of many poore people being ready to blesse you and God for you I cannot but beseech your Lady-ship to accept of this small testimony of my unfained observance of your many praises in the Gospell and as a pledge of my thankefulnesse which I leave behind me to the world being now ready to goe out of it The God of eternall glory the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ make you abound yet more and more in all the riches of his saving graces in this life and fill you with the inward comforts of the blessed hope of the appearance of Jesus Christ Your Lady-ships in all Christian duties to command WILLIAM ATTERSOLL PHISICKE AGAINST FAMINE LVKE 12.32 Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give unto you the Kingdome THe occasion of these words is to bee taken from the 15. The occasion of the words verse of this Chapter wherein our Saviour exhorteth to take heed beware of covetousnesse for as much as no mans life standeth in the abundance of those things he possesseth True it is this lesson is short and set downe in few words howbeit it is not so soone learned and easily practised as it is spoken and delivered Wherefore he propoundeth a parable and telleth what hapned to a certaine rich man who in the plentifull encrease of his goods and fruits of his ground blessed himselfe the possessor but not the Lord the giver of all for he said to his soule Luke 12.19 20. Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry But what said the Oracle of God unto him Thou foole this night thy soule shall bee required of thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided This example hee applieth to all Verse 21 so is he a starke foole that layeth up treasure for himselfe but is not rich toward God Then he goeth forward to lay before us the care that God hath over his Children both toward their lives and their bodies Verse 24 who feedeth the Ravens that cry unto him and clotheth the Lillies of the Field that cannot cry unto him Verse 27 so that Salomon in all his royalty was not arayed like one of them But what is all this if we make not use thereof if we doe not apply it unto our selves doubtlesse it is no better then the covetous mans hidden treasure which he heapeth and hoardeth together but doth neither to himselfe nor to other any good Wee have therefore the direction of Christ himselfe who draweth and deducteth sundry conclusions from hence Verse 31 One use is taught in the verse 31. First of all seeke the Kingdome of God and then all these things shall be added unto you Another use is in these words of the text feare not for you have a Kingdome prepared and provided for you Thus we are come to the words that are to be handled The interpretation of the vvords being the use that the best Teacher and Master maketh of his doctrine he had delivered Now let us see the meaning and interpretation thereof Feare not This is to be restrained according to the circumstances aforegoing the generall being put for the speciall We are sometimes commanded to feare Psal 34.9 O feare the Lord yee his Saints and Rom. Psal 34.9 Rom. 11.20 Matth. 10.26 28. 1 Pet. 3.20 Psal 2.11 Luke 1.74 11 Be not high-minded but feare And againe sometimes not to feare Matth. 10.26 28. 1 Pet. 3.20 Sometimes wee are charged to serve the Lord in feare and to rejoyce in trembling Psal 2. Likewise sometimes to serve him without feare Luke 1.74 These phrases may seeme the one contrary to the other But they are easily reconciled if the words going before and following after be diligently marked In this place hee meaneth the feare of want of earthly things as if there were none in Heaven above to provide nor promise made in the Word to strengthen nor example of the godly to direct or as if every one were left to shift and scamble for himselfe So then hee meaneth a corrupt and carnall feare whereby a man feareth lest he lacke such things as are needfull for the maintenance of this life and thereby is so distracted in the service of God that he employeth all his time in the businesse and affaires of this present world Flocke That is my people whom I have undertaken to maintaine nourish keepe preserve and feed as a good Shepheard doth his Flocke for these are as it were the sheepe of his pasture Little Gods heritage is called little in three respects first in regard they are few in number because the multitude of the wicked world is the gnats and replenisheth all palces of the earth Secondly in regard of the small account and estimation wherein they are there is little reckoning made of them Matth. 10.42 1 Cor. 4.13 for in the judgement of the ungodly they are as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things unto this day Hence it is that Christ saith Matth. 18.14 Matth. 18.14 It is the will of your heavenly Father that none of these little ones should perish Thirdly they are little in their owne eyes and thinke more lowly of themselves then any other or then of any other 2 Sam. 6.22 1 Chron. 29.14 Fathers That is God the Father of his Church whom he tendreth as the apple of his eye and loveth as a Father doth his Children and therefore cannot see nor suffer them to want any thing that is good Kingdome That is the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdome of glory for Christs Kingdome is not of this world Iohn 18.36 Touching the good pleasure of God see more afterward In these words observe two points The division of the vvords first the counsell or commandement of Christ which is delivered Secondly
1 Cor. 15.55 all things fall out alike to the godly and ungodly to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath so that no man knoweth love or hatred by these outward things yet the venome and poyson is pulled out from these Scorpions so that albeit they may hisse at us yet they shall never hurt us Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Death is of it selfe the wages of sinne Gen. 2. Rom. 6. It came into the world by sinne and is the last enemy that shall bee subdued howbeit it hath already received his deaths-wound and the nature of it is quite changed to the godly Indeed death remaineth as a cup that all must taste off but behold the difference to the ungodly it is the reward of sinne the suburbs of hell the separation of the soule from God and the guide that conducteth them into everlasting torments To the godly it is no punishment of sinne but the abolishing of sinne the path and passage to a better life the haven of our rest the end of all our labours and the way by which we must come into the presence of Christ He is become the death of death so that they are bold in him to looke death in the face because they looke beyond death For he that will not feare it must cast his eye further then it as they feared not the fiery Serpents that lifted up their eyes to the brazen Serpent Thirdly if any meanes to uphold their life be wanting the Lord doth strengthen arme those that are his with patience contentednesse and inward comfort and consolation that he maketh them able to beare them he layeth heavy burdens upon them yet he supporteth theÌ„ with his hand that they sinke not under the waight thereof Albeit famine doe pinch and presse hard upon their bodies hee feedeth their soules with the precious food of his Word to eternall life and they are ready to answer with their Lord and Master Ioh. 4.32 I have meant to eate Iohn 4 32. that yee know not of Albeit they be vexed with warre yet he giveth them peace of conscience that passeth all understanding even peace with himselfe which the world cannot take away from them Albeit they fall into times of perils and dangers yet are they made to dwell in the secret place of the most high Psal 91.1 and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91.1 The name of the Lord is a most strong tower and place of refuge the righteous flie unto it and are preserved Albeit they be sometimes enforced to endure nakednesse yet even then hee clotheth them with the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse Psal 45.8 all whose graces smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia whereby they are more adorned then with all the silver and gold in the world Lastly if he take away this temporall life he recompenseth the losse thereof with eternall life and happinesse We learne from hence first of all Vse 1 what need we have all of us of faith to lay hold on the promises of God made in Christ Iesus to such as are in him and have him dwelling in them For what is there can drive us out of this feare 1 Tim. 4.8 6.6 but faith Indeed godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life as well as of the life to come Of this life with condition so far as it shall be good for us of the life to come without any condition This godlinesse is great gaine nay the greatest of all other But what of all this if wee have not the hand of faith to receive them Offer meat never so much to the hungry soule yet if the hand be closed and the mouth stopped hee can receive nothing Powre water upon a Vessell all the day long it remaineth empty if the entrance thereof bee shut up so let us heare of the promises of God to sustaine us in times of famine want losse and necâ—ssity yet it is all one as if you spake to a dead man except wee have faith to quicken us and to put life into the soule For as the Apostle concludeth from the suffring of the Saints Hebr. 10.34 who endured with ioy the spoyling of their goods knowing they had a better inheritance reserved for them in the Heavens that we have all need of patience that after we have done the will of God wee may receive the promise Hebr. 10. So from this consideration that wee are ready every foot to faint and to feare want and beggery or else this dehortation were vaine and needlesse we are to gather that we may not cast away our confidence in God which hath great recompence of reward The just shall live by faith Hebr. 11.1 which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene Take heed therefore and beware of infidelity For as covetousnesse is the root of all evill 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6.10 so is infidelity the root of covetousnesse What is the cause that we feare the lacking of earthly things which the greatest sort doe more feare then the lacke or losse or lessening of the feeding of the love and favour of God Doubtlesse this is nothing but the want of faith Let them lose but a trifle or the least pinne and profit that commeth to the purse what crying and complaining have wee how much adoe have wee to perswade them to bee contented to bee resolved to submit themselves to the pleasure of Almighty God and to beleeve that hee is able to give them more then that All the armor and furniture that wee can bring out of the Store-house of the Scripture is too little to settle their unbeleeving hearts upon the promises of God But these men can bee content without any scruple or touch of conscience to absent themselves from the house of God to lose many Sermons and much wholesome doctrine which is according to godlinesse many exhortations many instructions many comforts nay they may apparently feele their decaying and declining in knowledge in faith and in obedience yet it troubleth them no more then it did that prophane Esau Gen. 25.34 who when hee had sold his birth-right contemned and despised it The true cause of our carnall and corrupt feare is this want of a true lively faith when we dare not believe him that hath promised who yet is able to performe and is not as man that he should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should deceive Hence proceedeth feare of the losse of life and living that we are afraid to commit our state and standing to the safe garding of God as manifestly appeareth by the contrary Psal 27.1 2. Psal 27. The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host shall encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against mee in this will I
and are called with an holy calling by the voice of their Shepheard and set apart by the power of the Word as the Nazarites were by their vow To this purpose it is said of the Church Loe the people shall dwell alone Numb 23 9. and shall not be reckoned among the Nations If then we joyne our selves with the world we disjoyne our selves from the Church Secondly true holinesse is begun in their nature Wee beleeve this in our hearts and wee must practise it in our lives Tit. 3.5 Tit. 3.5 2 Pet. 1.10 Matth. 5.16 Hereby we make our election and calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Matth. 5.16 No sanctification no salvation Thirdly the holinesse of Christ and his righteousnesse is imputed unto them Heb. 10.10 being washed and bathed in his blood Heb. 10.10 These rely wholy upon his merits for their righteousnesse and salvation not upon themselves Fourthly they cleave unto such as feare God and worke righteousnesse with unchangeable affections as the onely people in the world with whom they become one body Rom. Rom. 12.5 12.5 For as they are one in Christ so they are one among themselves and love one another in deed and in truth as fellow servants of the same family as fellow berthren of the same Father and as fellow Citizens of the same City with all meeknesse patience gentlenesse lowlinesse long-suffering love concord and unity As sheepe will not be alone so neither will they sort with Swine or Beares or Lyons or Wolves Let all our delight therefore be in the Saints Psal 16. 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Thes 3.14 Heb. 10.39 On the other side let us avoid the society of the wicked Come out from among them and touch no uncleane thing separate from them and have no familiarity with them Fiftly they strive with might and maine by sanctification and holinesse of life to exceed and outstrip the deeds and practices of Turkes Papists and prophane persons of the world 1 Pet. 2.9 Phil. 2.15 that these may see their good workes and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven For except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises Matth. 5.20 wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Our workes not our words onely must speake for us and witnesse with us that we are of this one Church And let us take heed lest by our sinfull lives we slander our profession blaspheme the Name of God our Father dishonour Christ our Head and disgrace the Church our Mother Ephes 1.4 Lastly wee must acknowledge our selves to be Pilgrims and strangers in this world Heb. 11.9 10. as the Patriarkes and holy men of God did For albeit we are in the world yet we are none of the world and albeit we live on the earth yet we must not be earthly-minded Phil. 3.20 but have our conversation in Heaven and from thence looke for our Saviour to change our vile bodies and to fashion them like to his glorious body We live here as in a strange Country but we looke for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God We must therefore use this world as though we used it not 1 Cor. 7.31 And thus being members of the Church militant in this life wee shall be parts of the Church triumphant in the life to come there to remaine with Christ Iesus our Head for ever Little flocke The third point of the division followeth which is the limitation it is little Though it be a flocke yet it is but a little flocke It is a company yet but a small company Touching the company or compasse of the Church we are to consider two things First the errors that stand on both sides and the strength of the reason that Christ maketh against all carnall feare of want and famine Touching the errors on both hands as well on the right hand as on the left some goe about to shrinke up the sinewes of this little flocke and so contract it into a lesser roome then Christ himselfe hath folded it into True it is hee hath shut it up into a narrow fold but many have gone about to pin it up and to tye it shorter then he hath done Thus the Iewes that were of the Circumcision offended who went about to gather it into a shorter summe then they ought to have done for they contended with Peter and tooke it grievously Acts 11.2 3. that he went in to men uncircumcised and did eate with them They falsely perswaded themselves that the promises concerning the Messiah pertained to themselves alone because they heard in the Scriptures that they were called the peculiar people to whom pertained the adoption Rom. 9.4 5. the covenants the giving of the Law and the service of God and so they dreamed that the Gentiles were quite excluded from salvation and severed from the Church of God Howbeit this is contrary to the ancient promise and prophesie that God will enlarge Iaphet Gen. 9.27 that hee shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and hereunto doe other Prophets accord Thus also did the Donatists shut up the Church into a corner of the world onely to wit in Africk August De Haeres cap. 69. as if it had beene utterly perished out of the whole earth besides Thus doe the Anabaptists and sundry of the Separation as if there were no true Church upon the earth but among themselves who in truth are the true Donatists of our time as whosoever knoweth the history of them will easily acknowledge For these Sectaries were Separatists who had their Conventicles apart under colour of great corruptions in other places persons and Churches and they imagined contagion and infection to arise by communicating with all others This is a generation that say as it is in the Prophet Esay 65.5 Stand by thy selfe Come not neere to me for I am holier then thou But here good and evill are mingled together as cleane uncleane in the Arke as wheate and chaffe in the floore and must so continue to the end of the World So likewise doe the Romanists abridge it who fasten the Church to the sleeve of the See of Rome and therefore define it to bee a company of men under one Pastor Bellar. lib. 3. De Eccles cap. 2. and subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome so that let men beleeve never so orthodoxally and soundly otherwise yet they hold them out of the account of the Church and brand them to bee no better then damnable Heretikes who doe not acknowledge their lord god the Pope to be the Vicar of Christ the head of the Church and their chiefe nay universall Pastor Thus Catholike and Romane with them generall and particular shall be all one which Church when it was at the best Rom. 1.8 and their faith spred abroad thorowout the whole world was never taken to be the Catholike Church but a part thereof which now is no sound part or
have houses and lands therefore feare not Wee have much laid up for many yeeres and wee want nothing therefore feare not But the reason standeth otherwise with God He will draw faith from the consideration of our frailty hope out of despaire and strength out of weaknesse as once hee brought light out of darknesse Gen. 1.2 3. Rom. 4.17 Heb. 11.3 2 Cor. 12.9 and all things out of nothing As if hee should say Ye are few and little regarded of the world therefore ye shall be the more regarded of me my power shall be perfected in your weakenesse and the more yee lye open to the wide world the more ye shall be under my protection and the lesse yee shall need to feare so that howsoever yee be every way little in the judgement of men yet yee are every way great in mine eyes Thus doth Christ our Saviour understand more then hee expresseth Now to come to the words themselves we have shewed before in what sence the flocke of God is called little The first consideration is in regard of the number yee are a few in number yea a very few and as it were a little handfull yet notwithstanding as a little corne is more of worth then great heapes of chaffe and one sheepe then many goats so this small company is more precious in Gods sight then all the multitudes of the ungodly Doct. 4 This teacheth that the flock of Christ is but a small and little flocke the number of Gods children is few thin sowne and soone told We may easily perceive and prove the truth hereof if wee observe the state of the Church from the beginning of the world Gen. 4.8 25. The family of Adam the first man was little and he remained childlesse a long time after Abel was made away by his owne brother while the posterity of Cain a carnall and cursed seed encreased in power in strength in number and in estimation of the wicked world When the flood came the house of Noah onely whom hee saw righteous in that generation consisting of eight persons was saved Gen. 6.9 7.1 1 Pet. 3.20 2 Pet. 2.5 Gen. 19.24 2 Pet. 2 6. whiles all the rest were miserably drowned in the waters When Sodom was destroyed with fire and brimstone from Heaven all the rest of the City were consumed and burnt to ashes and onely the house of Lot escaped with their lives as a prey Of all the multitude that came out of Egypt amounting to sixe hundred thousand none entred into the Land of Canaan but Caleb and Ioshua Numb 14.22 23. True it is all the rest were not condemned howbeit if we consider their often provocations discâ—â—â—entments murmurings and open rebellious against God we shall easily discerne that the fewest number did truely beleeve and soundly cleave to God and entred into the heavenly Canaan as Iude 5. Iude 5. The Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that obeyed not The holy Scripture is full of such testimonies examples parables and comparisons both in the old and new Testament Those whom God reserveth as a portion to himselfe are called a tenth Esay 6.13 17.6 24.13 they are compared to the shaking of an Olive tree Two or three berries are in the top of the utmost boughes and foure or five in the high branches The Church it selfe complaineth that it is as the Summer gatherings Mic. 7.1 and as the grapes of the Vintage there is no cluster to eate If there be foure sorts of hearers Matth. 13.23 Luk. 18.18 one onely among them all is the saving hearer that hath a good and honest heart And if ten leapers be clensed one of them onely among them all is found to returne backe to give glory to God Gen. 18.32 Ier. 5.5 Matth. 7.13 Luk. 13.24 Rom. 21.3 4. 1 King 19.14 When Abraham made intercession for Sodom if ten righteous persons had beene found in it the whole City had bene spared for their sakes See more Jer. 5.5 Matth. 7.13 Luk. 13.24 Rom. 11.3 4. compared with 1 King 19.14 Rom. Rom. 9.27 28. Esay 10.22 23. 1.9 Revel 3.4 9.27 28. Though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant shall bee saved for he will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnesse because a short worke will the Lord make upon the earth And as this hath beene in former times so is it in our dayes If wee would take a view of the state of the world as it is knowne and daily discovered in our daies and sever from places where the face of a Church is the state of Mahometans Barbarians Savages Iewes and Idolaters what is it but a poore handfull as a brand taken out of the middest of the fire or as a little flocke driven into a corner of the world Againe to leave out the rabble of those that are without experience teacheth that where the face of a Church is setled and established and Christ Iesus is professed if you take away such as are open enemies Libertines Epicures luke-warme Professors prophane men Atheists Newters Halters carnal Gospellers ignorant persons hypocrites Antichristians Anabaptists false-brethren meere civill men that trouble not themselves with God or godlinesse and such like that meddle not any way with matters of religion we may truely cry out with Christ our Saviour Matth. 20.16 Luke 18.8 Many are called but few are chosen Neither may we thinke it will be better or otherwise hereafter for Christ Iesus admonisheth us that when the Sonne of man commeth he shall scarce finde faith on the earth This will farther appeare by reasons Reas 1 First because as the way to the earthly Canaan was thorow a solitary wildernesse so the way that leadeth to the heavenly Canaan and to everlasting life is narrow Matth. 7.13 14. and the gate straight and that in divers respects It suffereth not a man to sleepe soundly in his sinne and to wander whither hee listeth but shutteth him up within the close bounds of the Word of God which telleth him that he must suffer persecution deny himselfe Matth. 16.24 Col. 3.5 mortifie and crucifie the old man and all the affections of the flesh which is as irksome and unpleasant to the flesh as if a man should betake himselfe to perpetuall imprisonment put manacles and fetters upon hands and feet and thrust himselfe into the Stockes or Gaole whereas he might live abroad at liberty without restraint and resistance or without controlement and contradiction of any man whatsoever Secondly such as are faithfull and feare God live for the most part in contempt and disgrace of the world which hateth and contemneth them mocketh and scoffeth at them as Ismael did at Isaac so doe they that are borne after the flesh Gal. 4.29 persecute them that are borne after the Spirit and therefore they must take up their Crosse and follow
subordinate unto him Secondly God hath set his whole delight on his to love them above all other people Deut. 10.15 21. and doth great things for them that hee hath not done for the whole world beside Hee hath given his owne Sonne for them and to them which is the fountaine of all his love Joh. 3.16 For he so loved the world Ioh. 3.16 that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And 1 Joh. 4.9 10. in this was manifested the love of God toward us because God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes From hence flow all spirituall and eternall blessings as reconciliation and atonement sanctification and likewise our justification consisting in the forgivenesse of sinnes and the imputation of his righteousnesse unto us yea hence doe flow temporall blessings to us as they are blessings so that he careth for us as the Eagle for her Birds Deut. 32.11 12. and tendreth us as the apple of his owne eye Zach. 2.5 Thirdly this truth further appeareth unto us by the titles given to the faithfull For as the Names of God set forth his nature toward us so also doe the names that are given to the Godly The names that he giveth are not like names given by men who onely hope or desire to finde them as they are named but they often prove the contrary as we see in Abshalom who had his name of his Fathers peace but hee sought the destruction of his Father It is not so with God he doth not deceive neither can bee deceived in calling his Children by their names They are called sometimes the Lords portion Deut. 32.9 Exod. 19.5 and the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32. Sometimes his chiefe treasure above all people though all the earth be his Exod. 19 5. sometimes his Sonnes and Daughters 1 Ioh. 3.1 begotten of him to a lively hope of an inheritance unspeakable and glorious 1 Joh. 3.1 sometimes the Spouse of Christ Hos 2.19 23. Ioh. 15.24 Hos 2. sometimes his Jewels Mal. 3. and sometimes also his friends labouring to doe whatsoever he commandeth them Joh. 15.14 All these titles and testimonies teach us how dearely hee loveth and accounteth of his people The uses of this point serve Vse 1 partly for information partly for instruction and partly for consolation First for information or bettering of our knowledge we must consider that from hence wee have boldnesse and confidence in prayer to approach neere to the Throne of Grace that he will give us whatsoever we aske according to his will Hence it is that in the Lords prayer we are willed and warranted to begge the sanctifying of his Name the comming of his Kingdome c. and whatsoever serveth for his glory or our owne good and to call him by the name of our Father Matth. 6. â— to stirre up our faith to come with assurance and without doubting to be heard and helped Will a Father deny his Childe any thing that is good for him God is our Father and we his Children he our Shepheard and we his Flocke hee the Creator and we his creatures Hee seeth what wee have need of and hee knoweth better then our selves what is good for us so that we may boldly come in faith and not waver as the Romanists would have us to doe Now to the end we may approach and appeare before him aright and come unto him as to a Father we must come partly with cheerefulnesse and boldnesse and partly with awefulnesse and reverence And these two must be compounded and mingled together boldnesse with reverence and reverence with boldnesse that we may pray and make supplication to him with a reverent boldnesse and with a bold kinde of reverence lest boldnesse severed from reverence breed basenesse and contempt and reverence severed from boldnesse turne into a slavish and superstitious feare To worke in us boldnesse and willingnesse the Scripture layeth before us the promises of God whereupon we must build as upon a sure foundation To strike in us reverence it propoundeth sundry threatnings and admonitions which we ought to call to minde so often as we goe to praier to prepare us thereunto First we must acquaint our selves with the gracious promises of God which he hath made to us in his holy Word that our dull and dead spirits may thereby be quickned and our unbeleeving hearts may be fully perswaded that hee will deliver our soule from death Psal 116.8 our eyes from teares and our feet from falling For as the amiable Word of a Father implieth a readinesse and willingnesse in God to shew mercy so it should stirre up in us a forwardnesse to come unto him and to aske whatsoever wee want The Scripture is full of such heavenly promises Psal 50.15 Matth. 7.7 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee Psal 50.15 Matth. 7.7 If wee humble our selves in his presence and turne from our sinnes and wicked waies then He will heare in Heaven 2 Chron. 7.14 15.2 Esay 65.24 and be mercifull unto our sins 2 Chron. 7. If we seek him He will be found of us 2 Chron. 15. Before we call he will answer and while we speake he will heare Esay 65. If we which are evill can give good gifts to our children Luke 11.13 how much more will our heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that desire him Rom. 10.22 Luke 11 He that is Lord of all is rich unto all that call upon him Rom. 10. Draw neere to God and He will draw neere to you Iam. 4.8 Iam. 4. All these are so many encouragements to draw us and to drive us to God who by these and a thousand such other promises inviteth us into his holy presence Againe on the other side we must consider that the Scripture withall giveth us sundry advertisements and threatnings to admonish us to come to him with feare and reverence The name of a Father is a title of familiarity but familiarity many times breedeth too much boldnesse and boldnesse breedeth contempt and contempt a base estimation of God and therefore it must bee seasoned with other considerations lest wee come to him in vaine and to our owne hurt Hence it is that as Christ our Saviour teache thus to call God our Father when we fall down before him so withall he willeth us to remember that he is in Heaven that is of infinite glory power and majesty Let us therefore have before us these and such like meditations If I regard wickednesse in my heart Psal 66.18 26.6 Prov. 1.28 15.8 21.27 the Lord will not heare me Psal 66.18 26.6 and often in the Proverbs They shall call upon me but
take away comfort from every Christian soule and leaue them in state no better then the damned nay then the Deuils Difference betweene the faith of Devils and true beleevers To this purpose I pray you consider briefely what is the faith of the Deuils and what is the faith of true beleevers touching the Articles of the Creed For the Devils beleeve and man beleeveth But as Christ telleth his Disciples Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen so may I say Except our faith exceed the faith of the Deuils and of all the Romanists and Reprobates we cannot be saued For there is no faith taught in the Church of Rome but a man may have it and yet be damned Now I will shew what the Devils beleeve and how farre they proceed They beleeve there is one God that God is a Father that Christ Iesus is a Saviour and Redeemer and the holy Ghost a Sanctifier they beleeve there is now hath beene before and euer shall be a Church a true Church they beleeve the Communion of Saints and forgivenesse of sinnes they beleeve there shall be a resurrection of mens bodies and everlasting life All these they steadfastly beleeve without any wavering or doubting Obiect But some will say Is not this enough is not this faith sufficient Answ what is then wanting I answer A man may beleeve all these and yet goe to hell as a damned creature that it had beene better hee had never beene borne as it is said of Judas For this is but the historicall faith to beleeve the Scriptures to be true The Devill himselfe doth this and yet hath no benefit by it Obiect nor comfort in it What then Is this common faith to be condemned because the Devils have it Answ No in no wise For albeit wee cannot be saved by it yet we cannot be saved without it and therefore it is not to be condemned nay the Apostle James commendeth it Iam. 2.19 Thou beleevest one God thou dost well in it This indeed must be embraced but there is more then this not to be omitted Christ our Saviour saith If yee love them that love you Luke 6.32 what thanke have yee for sinners also love those that love them What then doth he forbid us to love such againe as love us or doth he reiect this as euill No but he meaneth this is not sufficient if we proceed no further as Lots wife is punished not because she went out of Sodom not because she pased it for a time with her husband not because she went so farre but because she stood still and looked backe Gen. 19.26 and went no further So then where the Devils end we must begin or rather proceed True it is wee must haue this common faith not because the Deuils haue it but because God hath commanded it as Peter confessed Christ to be the Sonne of God not because the Deuils confessed it but because the Father had revealed it unto him This common faith is a good preparative to saving faith and layeth after a sort the foundation thereof and we must have it not because of it selfe it is sufficient or we may not rest there as if wee were come to our iournies end but must proceed forward in our way For we must beleeve not onely that there is a God but likewise that he is our God not onely that he is a Father but that he is our Father not onely that Christ is a Saviour but that he is our Saviour not onely that there is a Church but that we are parts and members of it that we are of the Communion of the Saints and that our sinnes shall be forgiven that our bodies shall be raised and that we shall have eternall life given unto us This truth the grounds before delivered are sufficient to manifest if any thing can bee sufficient and to shew that there must be of necessity an application Obiect But the Romanists alledge against these things that in the Gospell all runneth in generall and that it is not therein written that such a man is Gods and such a man shall haue his sinnes forgiven and have benefit by Christ I answer Answ whereas they confesse there is a generall in the Gospell we conclude that therefore there is of necessity a particular included in the generall As for example the Gospell teacheth this Whosoever beleeveth and repenteth Mark 16.16 hath Christ Iesus for his Saviour therefore there is this particular Peter Paul Cornelius and the rest did beleeve and repent therefore certainely they are saved by this their application The Apostle Paul saith to the Iayler Act. 16.31 Act. 16. If thou beleevest in the Lord Jesus thou shalt be saved and all thine house But he might presently have rejoined by the doctrine of these doting Doctors to the Apostles Sirs how doe you know this is my name written in so many letters and syllables in the Scripture But doubtlesse Paul and Silas would have shaped him this answere This is as true and certaine by the generall rules as if thy name were written therein As for the particular faith it is written in our hearts not in the Scriptures But let us deale with them according to their owne practice The Romish Priests take authority to themselves to forgive sinnes to binde and to loose Aske any particular Priest for his warrant Ioh. 20.23 Matth. 18.18 hee will alleadge a generall Commission Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained John 20.23 And he supposed this to be sufficient albeit his owne name be not read and registred therein So then if a man should demand by what authority they absolve or who gaue them this authority they thinke they have answered fully that they are the successors of the Apostles and that therefore whatsoeuer they did they also have power and authority to doe the same and yet neither their names nor of such as are absolved by them neither of the pardoners nor of the pardoned are written in holy Scripture What then May not we apply to our selves and to our comfort and salvation that which they doe to others for gaine and for money Lastly this objection overthroweth all piety and Religion For if we be not bound to be assured of our salvation because it is not said in the Scripture by name that we shall be saved then it wil follow that we are not bound to be holy nor to feare God nor to be religious because it is said in Scripture by name that we ought to be so O but it will be said Obiect Many are deceived that apply the promises to themselves when indeed and in truth they doe not belong unto them Answ I answer Be it so yet a false claime cannot barre by any Law the true owner from his right This ought to drive us to take heed wee doe not deceive our selves but
laid up for them Now if this hope should faile them and deceive them were they not doubly miserable being destitute of the happinesse of the present life and of that to come also Lastly God beginneth their salvation in this life He maketh them here Kings and Priests Revel 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 and therefore he cannot but hereafter give them a Kingdome And he beginneth their salvation and entreth them after a sort into the Kingdome partly by giving them a lively taste and joyfull feeling of that heavenly glory wherewith they are ravished and partly while hee blesseth them with such spirituall blessings in heavenly things as accompany salvation Ephes 1.14 which are as a pawne or earnest-penny to assure them of his true mind and meaning toward them We may learne from hence to reason from the greater to the lesser Vse 1 from the better to the baser from the Heaven to the earth If he have given us a greater blessing we may be assured he can and will much more give us the lesser and lighter If hee can give us the Kingdome of Heaven he will not with-hold from us food or raiment neither any thing which is good for us It is a rule among the Civilians Lib. 2. ff De Iurisdictione To whom the principall is granted to him the accessory that dependeth upon it seemeth to be granted also If a Prince make any of his servants Governour of his Kingdomr hee granteth to him by vertue thereof all rights and priviledges and meanes which are needfull to that office and for the managing of the State So the Lord hath appointed his to be Heires of eternall life he giveth them therefore all things belonging to this present life and things necessary to bring them to his Kingdome If then wee have the more noble assured unto us how can wee without great infidelity and impiety doubt of the performance of the lesser and baser For what are all the blessings of this transitory life better then trifles being valued and prized with immortality Let us therefore evermore have before our eyes this promise It is your Fathers good pleasure to give unto you the Kingdome and certainely being mingled with faith it will give us assurance of his helpe in all time of need how great soever our assaults and afflictions shall be Let us call to remembrance what the Prophet speaketh to Amaziah King of Iudah when he had hired a great Army of Israel to helpe him against the Edomites and given them an hundred talents of silver when he was charged to dismisse them and was in danger to lose the money which they had received for their pay when the King said What shall we doe for the hundred talents the man of God answered 2 Chron. 25.6 7 9. The Lord is able to give thee much more then this Was this spoken for that King alone No it was written even for us also upon whom the ends of the world are come For as when he was in doubt and feared to lose his money the Prophet casteth him upon Gods providence and calleth upon him to wait upon God in an holy obedience to his Commandement to receive a greater blessing at his hands so if we shall rely upon him by faith in all our troubles without murmuring and grudging this heavenly consolation is written for us and to us as well as to the King The Lord is able to give us much more then this If wee suffer any losses or spoiling of our goods he can restore whatsoever hath beene taken away and make us recompence to the full as we see in the example of Iob. For as hee submitted himselfe to His good pleasure in all his crosses Iob 1.21 42 â—0 and said The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord and sinned not against him with his lips so having tried his faith his patience and obedience the Lord gave him twice as much as he had before And this is his promise which he will performe Marke 10.29 30. Yea what can be more forcible to worke in us patience in troubles and contentment in poverty submitting our selves humbly to God in all losses and wants whatsoever then to consider that God hath laid up for us treasure in Heaven and will bestow upon us a Kingdome If then at any time wee be carried into strange thoughts and cares for the things of this life it is certaine wee were never well grounded in the doctrine of everlasting life For how can wee looke for heavenly things from him when we doubt of earthly How can we looke for the life to come when we feare to lacke for this life or how shall wee depend upon him for our soules when wee dare not trust him with our bodies Whatsoever therefore we may seeme to others or to our selves to doe it is certaine wee deceive both our selves and others also to thinke that we rely upon him wholy for the greater and better things when we rest not upon him for the slightest and smallest matters Secondly use the meanes carefully that may further us in our journey toward this Kingdome All men are willing to bee at their waies end but all men are not willing to know the way or if they know it it is death to them to walke in it But if any say as Thomas did to Christ How can we know the way I answer Ioh. 14.5 Wee are brought in to the Kingdome by the meanes of the Word as the Traveller is to the place of his lodging by his Guide Christ Iesus is the Way the Word of God is our Guide and it is the Rule by which we must walke The Carpenter is no body without his square his worke can never be right if it be not laid unto it so it is with the faithfull he can doe hee will doe nothing without his rule which is so excellent that it is called the rod of Gods mouth and the breath of his lips Esay 11.4 2 Thes 2.8 The Gospell of the Kingdome Esay 11.4 2 Thes 2.8 Matth. 9.35 Marke 1.14 Heb. 1.8 Psal 45.6 Matth. 9.35 and the Scepter of righteousnesse Heb. 1.8 Christ is the King of his Church to rule it and give Lawes unto it howbeit he is not our King except we suffer him to raigne in us outwardly by his Scepter and inwardly by his Spirit All men will seeme desirous to come to Heaven but they will chuse their owne way and their owne guide they will not submit themselves to the wisedome of God 1 Cor. 1.25 as if the foolishnesse of men were wiser then God or the weakenesse of men were stronger then God They would gladly attaine eternall life and with him in the Gospell they account him happy that shall eate bread in the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 14.15 but they regard not the Gospell of the Kingdome These dreame of a Kingdome without the Word but this is an imaginary Kingdome of their