authors yet abettors to them of all the vngodlinesse that is committed by them in that vndisciplined estate Nay he that shutteth not his doores against such if he know them openeth them to the curse of God which vndoubtedly will know him and follow him And can any man be too good to preuent so great a danger towardâ— himselfe though he will not doe good by preuenting it in mercie toward others Vses Hence then they are reproued who disdaine to set the Teachers chaire with Dauid in the mids of their house Vers. 2. and with him to doe wisely in it till the people that be vnder them doe all know the Lord. Some put from them with great contempt this charitable worke to others and some that looke for seruice from the persons they keepe hate to giue them instruction But the best day that euer Dauid saw was that day when he danced before the Arke in a linnen Ephâ—d and with all his might 2 Sam. 6.22 for that was a good day indeed when his zeale made him so vile before the Lord and so humble before the Arke of his seruice Solomon as we heard a great King became a Preacher the Scripture calleth him he called himself Solomon the Preacher Iosua protested for him and his house that he would serue the Lord and Hester the Queene did as much for her and her maids Hest. 4.16 Abraham and Cornelius are praised in their storie because they had religious families And who art thou and what is thy fathers house that thou shouldest fancie to thy selfe greater honour then thus to worship at the Lords feet in the sight of his Saints with so great a Cloud of famous Leaders all of them excellent persons and well reported of in their times I confesse that Princes and the Nobles of the Earth may and ought to haue in their Courts and great houses their speciall Ministers and eyes of assistance the Scripture calleth them Seers as Gad Dauids Seer and wee Chaplens in this great worke yet so as they forget not to be good Nehemiahs and ouerseers of the worke themselues For if they doe that that perisheth perisheth by their default and is lost vpon their account and they shall answere for it An instruction to Fathers of Families and of Children to doe this high office of a Teacher or Catechist vnto them for godly knowledge and nurture If wee would haue the Church of God to continue among vs we must bring it into our houses and beginne it in our Families For as of particular persons come Families so from Families well ordered proceed florishing Churches Many complaine that there is no discipline in the Church but thou that so complainest for Gods house looke into thine owne house and be sure that good discipline be there Many crie out vpon euill seruants and stubborne Sonnes But thou that makest this outcrie take heed the fault be not thine and cause in thee that thy Seruants are so bad and thy Sonnes and Daughters no better For hast thou endeauoured to make thy Seruants the Seruants of God and thy Sonnes and Daughters the Sonnes and Daughters of the Lord by good education and teaching Then thou mayest well complaine that they are no better but if not then it is thy iust plague that they are so euill But must great men doe this dutie Surely great Dauid did it and they must eyther doe it themselues or see it done by others But as when Ahimaaz would haue runne to haue told Dauid of the death of Absolom his wicked Sonne Ioab said thou shalt not be the Messenger to day to day or in this thing thou shalt not beare the tidings seeing the Kings Sonne is dead 2. Sam. 18.20 So when any of our worthies shall hauing the Absolom of rebellion slaine in themselues offer to bring the good newes of it to others not to Dauid but to the house of Dauid and Church of Christ by endeauouring shall I say to runne nay but to creepe in this race of priuate discipline for the making of a religious and well catechised Familie they shall meete with many Ioabs and pull-backes But Noble Ahimaaz be not kept backe the more Noble your birth is the better it doth become you to runne the race or way of Gods commandements For as Apples of gold vpon pictures of siluer Prou. 25.11 so is true zeale when it is found in the heart of a Noble-man or Gentleman of great parentage Yea as pearle set in gold so is it to finde sanctified vertue in the steppes of Honourable Lords So much for the title of the Psalme the matter followeth I will sing mercie and Iudgement to thee c. VVE haue heard of the maker of the Psalme which was Dauid the matter of it consisteth of sundrie protestations as it were bills of couenant concerning his owne person in the two first verses and concerning both it and his Subiects in the rest of the Psalme That which concerneth his owne person in this verse is his bill of promise by which He entreth into bond to the Lord to execute holily and indifferently mercie and iudgement in his kingly place And this containeth the dittâ—e and person to whom he will sing it The dittie may be considered in the manner of expressing it or in the parts whereof it consisteth The manner is by singing The parts are first mercy or gentlenesse to those that doe well opposed to tyrannie and crueltie then iustice or seueritie due to incorrigible offenders till they be rooted out opposed to dastardie and carnall feare The person to whom this holy Psalme is holily ascribed is the Lord. Where He that is the Author of this solemne vâ—we promiseth to shew mercie and to practise iudgement to his glory For the manner and in as much as the Prophet here taketh vpon him to sing the matter which hee hath in hand not coldly to deliuer it he doth in effect say that he will doe it with ioy and cheerefulnesse with a loâ—d voyce and with all his might For they that sing are commonly merrie and the Apostle Iames saith Is any merry let him sing Iam. 5.13 Also they extend their voice and put strength vnto it that sing as the Prophet here vnderstandeth singing From vvhence this Doctrine may be gathered what wee doe to God or our Brethren for God to doe it with ioy heartily and willingly The Prophet here doth so seeing the manner by which he voweth praise to God is by a Psalme which he spreadeth before Him in his sanctuarie as his pawne and witnesse to testifie for him that what â—e solemnely confesseth as debt he meaneth iustly to pay He that distributeth must doe it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercie with cheerefulnesse Rom. 12.8 The words are plaine and they speake thus much in effect vnto vs that in Gods matters all things must be done in good forme and vprightly The matter must be good and the manner must please
bedds at night as in open places befâ—re the Sunne and in the darkest twylight as in the cleerest day The Reasons God who is holyer and mightier then all men seeth vs euery where there is not a thought in our heart nor a word in our tongue but hee knoweth it altogether Psal. 139.2.4 And our turning of deuices shall be but as the Potters clay when we seeke deepe to hide our counsell from the Lord Esa. 29.14.15 Now doth the righteous God who knoweth the hearts and reines Psal. 7.9 and who will bring euery worke to iudgment with euery secret thing Eccles. 12.14 behold vs and shall we not care how he seeth vs occupyed Doth the presence of a mortall man or woman sometimes bridle vs from that we would doe and vvill vve giue the bridle to all manner vvickednes God looking on Will a thiefe steale before him that he knoweth shall be his iudge and shall we not tremble to doe euill in his sight who shall iudge the world Gen 18.15 Secondly it is playne Idolatrie more to feare Man whose breath is in his nosthrils then to feare God who is the Father of spirits Esa. 51.12.13 and yet some when they are in company vvith those vvhom they cannot but reuerence for their calling and graces of vvhom they desire to be vvell thought and spoken of vvill make great shew of a desire to doe vvell themselues and to bring their houses to good order who neuerthelesse haue no care afterwards eyther for their owne persons or their houses to doe thereafter Vses A reproofe to those who if they doe any thing well doe it in open places and before men that they may haue prayse for the same Mat. 6.2.5 but in their houses and when they are alone they turne to their race as the Horse rusheth to the battell Ier. 8.6 or as wee vse to say They are Angels abroad and Diuels at home the Sabbath is prophaned Gods fearefull Name dishonoured the wife and seruants shamefully abused no measure kept in chafing and fretting for euery trifle somtime without cause sometime without shew of cause And this is an hypocrite in kinde by his fruits you shall know him Math. 7.20 An instruction to beware of secret sinnes that the closenes of the place doe not enbolden vs to doe that priuately that wee would be ashamed should be brought before the face of men and light of the Sunne for there is nothing couered that shall not be disclosed nor hid that shall not be knowne Mat. 10.26 the scrowle and register of our close sinnes shall be layde open before the Lord and before the Angels and before men Mens great places perhaps may priuiledge them for a while yet at their death the sting of Conscience and worme of tormenting feare will greatly worke vpon them and force them to some desperate confession and being dead there is no farther sparing of them Their name that was Honourable in the signe and in a figure onely will now in speech and truth be most shamefull after their death when that chanell is raked into and the filthynesse of their secret sinne is brought to light Dauid Gods owne King the authour of this excellent Psalme was not spared long after his sinne which is so much marked in Scripture both by himselfe in the Psalmes and by him that wrot his Story He went closely about it and had no doubt men of secrecie and counsell whom he vsed in it vvhen the woman was brought vnto him hee had men that could keepe counsell to bring her 2 Sam. 11.4 and either hee wrot himselfe or had some trustie Secretarie to write to Ioab vers 14. So all vvas done secretly and cunningly no tongue did mutter of it 2 Sam. 12.12 But the iust God would not let matters so passe and therefore sends a Messenger to him one of a thousand first to round him in the eare by a parable or darke speach and then to tell him plainely and openly what he had done and that by a deede so dishonourable in Gods great Seruant he had caused the enemies of the Lord of blaspheme vers 14. and after to pricke him to repentance with the goade of the Lords seueritie whom hee had prouoked so much by his abhominable sinne then the whole matter came out by himselfe and now the whole Church rings of his impious fault to this day Now if they be reproued that closely doe euill how much more they who with no bridle of shame or common ciuilitie can be held from acting those impieties and doing that thing publikely in the sun-shine and at noone-day which others cannot without blushing and the helpe of darknes doe And then vvhat a Monster was Absolom who spread a tent vpon the top of his Fathers Palace and blushed not to goe in to his Father Concubines in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16 22. And what Monsters were the Sodomites who declared their sinnes and hid them not Esa. 3.9 Though painted Tombes be spoken against that is hypocrites so resembled yet better be a paintâ—d Tombe then a filthy Sincke foule without and foule within And may we not thinke that the fiue foolish Virgins were more tolerable then that great Whore that sitteth vpon many waters Apoc. 17.4 5. Is it not better to haue Lamps without store of Oyle then to haue neyther Lamps nor Oyle that is neyther meanes nor meaning to attend Christ and better to doe some good then to professe all wickednes and better to seeme holie then neyther to seeme nor be So much for those protestations that concerne the Prophets owne person they vvhich concerne him vvith others follow I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes BEfore the Prophet had sayd that hee would follow the good here he sayth and makes faith for himselfe that he will hate the euill and not some euill but all wickednes for not to set a thing before our eyes is in common speech to lâ—ath it or with dislike to turne from it And here we haue the matter that he speaketh against euery wicked thing and obiâ—ct by which it is carryed to the heart the eye By wicked thing or Beliâ—l the Interpreters some of them vnderstand the Man of Belial or Man of wickednes as if the Prophet should haue sayd that he would not abide to looke vpon any such But I take it to be meant of the thing that is naught though with a reference to the person that is naught also and so the Prophets meaning is that hee will when euill is in sight turne away from it as from carion for a man cannot rightly doe iustice till he perfectly hate iniustice nor loue the good till hee abhorre the euill Neyther doth he say and promise for some euill that he will be against it but his chalenge is to all euill that his eyes should not behold it in any From whence this point of doctrine may be gathered that a true Christian must retrayne not from some
can be so haynous or errour absurd that shall not finde some house of harbour in their mouth Some will pretend an hatred of Papistrie and yet commend Papists to be honest men and such as they know no euill by who because they are no more hot may expect that the Lord will plague them with heresie or prophanenes before they goe hence A good warning to all men specially to those men whom God hath called by their great places to see Religion and the power of godlines aduaunced among the common people The works of such as fall away they must pursue to punishment or reformation they must not approue them in their Kinsmen and rich Friendsâ— nor winke at them in their seruants and children nor spare to punish them being found in their Mothers sonnes Eli for his sinfull mildnes brake his necke 1 Sam. 4.18 And if they be not so punished that is so as Eli was who transgresse as Eli did let them beware that in Hell the necke of their soules be not broken by Fiends there But are there no Pilates now on the Bench who are readie to loose Barrabas and to condemne Christ Are there not among persons in authoritie some Merchants and Factors for the fift Monarchie that it may not goe vtterly into destruction Are not fallers away winked at are they called nay are they not still at great libertie in their houses of pleasure eating and drinking as if they carryed no sinne for their partaking with the sinnes of the Whore of Babylon Doe they not ouer-flow as a Riuer and compasse vs as Bees who wish little good to the breath of our nosthrils the Lords annoynted among vs and who againe thirst to set vp Altar against Altar with Ieroboam and to fill the Land with Idols Are there not that daily depart from the house of Dauid with those false Israelites vnder Rehoboam making them Priests contrary to the Law and declyning from the Lord to set vp Calues in Dan and Bethel 1 King 12.16.28.29 Are there not that reuolt to Poperie from our assemblies euen to this houre and doth not the number of them increase yet more and more who cleaue to the Ieroboam of Rome whom we may therefore truely call fallers away The consideration whereof should mooue you Christian LORD to strengthen your hand to the rooting out of such noisome weedes growing in the Lords field and seeking to choake and ouer-grow the pure graine of Religion that would otherwaies flourish among vs. This Countrey is greatly diseased and your Honour is the appointed Physitian It hath many sores running on it and one of the chiefe is the making of Papists by Seminarie men for there is not a Papist made but King IAMES aduentureth a Subiect and Rocâ—sâ—â—â—ie as a pernitiouâ— Gâ—â—grene runnes from ioynt to ioynt from man to man and will not stay if it be not cured with your early assistance till it haue infected many sound members in this body of the Marches wherein you are a principall and worthy member vnder his Maiestiâ— the head Therefore the Countrey comes to your Honour as to a Phisitian of account for helpe in a case of so great infection and common feare caused by the contagious growing of Papists and rising of Papisticall plague-sores vpon men who were lately of our fellowship and are now departed from vs to the Beliall of Italy God hath promoted you to great Honour and I doubt not but you haue the wisedome which is of God Now this wisedome requireth and must haue practise in the care of Religion and in the care of Iustice. Dauid was called the light of Israel because at his fire they all lighted their candles both of Religious knowledge and of righteousnes The principall resident Light vpon the Table of this Countrey is your Honour a borrowed Light I confesse from the Sun of our Soueraigne it must so shine therefore that it may giue light to all that are in this large house of the Marches And here I beseech you with that notable Lord President Nehemiah to see that Godâ— Sabbaths be kept in the Prouince and that fallers away be obserued and watched that they increase not by infection At least doe what you can herein and what law wil permit as you well do already and God will be with you in the deede and will And for the cause of Iustice in the punishment of offenders your Honour and the Rest in Commission with You must be men of courage hating that which is euill with a perfect hatred Herein Yee must not honour your selues but seeke the honour which is of God doing Iustice out of the loue of Iustice and hatred of wrong You must not be indifferent to offenders but haters of iniquitie though the wicked hate you for it for God will loue you and what can mans hatred doe where God loueth And so I come to my second note the obiect of your hatred The matter of the Prophets hatred as was said is not vertue or godlinesse but generally sinne and more particularly all declining from God He abhorred the plague and pittyed their cases that were infected by it From whence I gather that in the affection of hatred the person of man should not be the obiect or thing hated but the sinne of the person So this same Prophet hated but whom Gods enemies not his enemies or Gods enemies perfectly and his owne in part And Psal. 69.6 he speaketh of the rebukes that fell vpon him no doubt because himselfe was a rebuker but whom rebuked he and whose faults theirs who rebuked the Lord theirs he rebuked and to them he was enemie So Christ was angrie and yet mourned Mark 3.5 that is hee was angrie with sinne and mourned for those that sinned As therfore in Iustice there must bee mercy so in hating there must be loue for we must hate the sinne and loue the creature In every sinner there is a man and a transgressing man and we must loue the man and hate the transgressour The man God made but the Diuell made the sinfull man therefore we must loue the creature that God made as wee must hate his sinne which not God but the Diuell is authour of The reasons of the doctrine As we must pittie where God is pittifull so wee must be angrie where God is offended But it is not the substance that he made which displeaseth him but the euill qualitie which hee cannot abide that is his griefe The same must vexe vs therefore that grieueth him and we must be so moued with offences as in the meane while we be troubled that a Brother hath so offended and as the good Phisitian may loue his Patient and yet minister sharply to his disease so hee that is his Brothers Christian Phisitian may in loue to his Brother spare his Brother that hath offended and yet deale roughly with the offenders sinne Secondly the person in his substance is Gods creature Now all that God maketh is good Gen.
And where he saith hee will know no euill his meaning is that hee will not allow it with any knowledge of approbation as God knoweth the way of the righteous Psa. 1.6 that is alloweth of it but with a knowledge of much dislike abhorre it as God knoweth the wicked afarre off that is greatly contemneth them for we must not thinke that hee would be grosely ignorant of the euill wayes of his people and not obserue them vnto punishment as hee would note the good to reward them but in that he saith hee would chase away a froward heart and know no euill it is manifest that he would looke into matters with his owne eyes marke what is done by his owne knowledge So we haue the meaning of this verse From whence and because the Prophet could not thus abandon the froward heart nor dislike the euill except he had so set his watch of sight and hearing that the knowledge and report of things might come directly to himselfe and truely as they were done and past for what man knoweth the heart of man but by the outward wayes of it and by obseruing those wayes vve learne that it is the dutie of a good Ruler to restrayne offenders vvith his owne eye Pro. 20.8 His lookes must be terrible to them and vvith his eyes hee must follow them to cut them off or to cast them off if they vvill not be amended Therefore Salomon speaking to Ouer-seers saith Be diligent to know the estate of thy Flocke and take heede to thy Heards Pro. 27.23 The speech is taken by similitude from vvatchfull Shepheards vvho looke to their Flocke and to euery head in it in their owne persons and not by Deputies And thus Dauid himselfe walked in the simplicitie of his heart Psal. 78.72 Iob carryed so resident an eye oâ—er Vagabonds and vile persons in his time that he compelled them to flye into the darke desolate and waste Wildernes Iob. 30.3 Hee made them to hide their heads so that they dwelt in the clefs of Riuers and in the holes of the earth vers 6. Neither did he thus proceede onely against those that were young and wanted experience or beggaâ—lie and lacked power but he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous of what estate or time soeuer and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Iob. 29.17 Great men therefore must thinke themselues to be set vp of the Lord in places of power to gouerne such places vvith their owne eye and not to set ouer the charge to Cuzaâ—s vvith the carelesse Minister of soules The Reasons They that preuent not euill in others hauing the Sword committed to them for that worke make themselues guiltie before the Lord of that euil vnredressed as if themselues had done it 1 King 20.42 All sinnes not punished by them vvhere they may and should punish are their owne sinnes and sinnes which they put vpon their owne account to reckon for Secondly from vvhence commeth this huge hoast of sinne that hath ouer runne the land as a Conquerer but from hence that Magistrates haue multiplyed offenders by cruell impunitie and by not looking into matters for as Iustice exalteth a Nation Pro. 14.34 so lacke of Iustice must needes bring it low Thirdlie good Rulers are for the praise of the righteous and punishment of euill doers 1 Pet. 2.14 but how can they reward the good and punish the euill defend the innocencie of the meanest and censure the wickednes of the mightiest if they know not neyther care vnpartially to know who be good and who euill who innocent and who offenders Vses A reproofe to those who eye the best and most harmeles in malice to picke quarrells to them and set an eye vpon the worst in way of liking to giue countenance to them A thing commonly seene and much to be lamented in many great Families and Courts of Iustice where they that should driue out of the Countrey Drunkards Blasphemers and such like notorious offenders suffer them to roost and make their nests in their owne houses feede them at their owne Tables and because they can play iest game and make fooles of themselues and others vse them as their familiar companions and from hence doe such heards of euill doers and droues of beastâ— multiply in the Kingdome Besides the Magistrates eares oftentimes are so inchaunted with flatterie and their eyes dazled with the brightnes of some golden gift that they cannot see neyther are willing to heare of those foule matters that the whole Countrey doth vphold and cry out of An instruction to all inferiours if they would stand before their Gouernours with credit good acceptation to stand against the corruption that is in themselues and the common vices that are in others for so shall they finde Christian Magistracie comfortable and not terrible vnto them and Christian Gouernours like milde showers of raine to refresh them and not as raging tempests to quell them and the powers ordayned of God as shields for their defence and not as swords prepared for their destruction O then wouldest thou be without feare of the power doe well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same Rom. 13.3 Wouldest thou haue defence from the Magistrate be innocent that he may defend thee Wouldest thou liue with good Subiects be no malefactor to death that thou mayst liue Giue not thy selfe to Riot and quaffing and garishnes and sinfulnes and Whoredome and execrable Swearing and impious Sabbath-breaking and other enormities so little feared and so much committed if thou wouldest haue the reward of good and auoyd the punishment of euil For the Magistrate is bound in the chayne of his high calling to be vnpartiall in his iudgement as God is no respecter of persons in iudgement and to giue to euery one according to the equitie of his cause and not the qualitie of his estate and for this he is armed with Gods authoritie that the Maiestie of his glory might shine forth in the execution of Iustice which is Gods delight Iustice and iust men doe helpe to aduance a Nation and therefore iust men and Iustice must be made of in the Nation So on the contrary sinners and sinne bring great shame to a people and therefore sinne and sinners should be disgraced among the people If then thou wilt cut thy selfe off from God by dangerous Poperie and rebellious wickednes hoâ— can the Magistrate do lesse then cut thee off from men by the Sword which he must not beare in vaine A Cananite may not be spared if then thou be a Popish Cananite the Magistrate may not spare thee A murtherer must not liue if then thou shed mans bloud by man that is by the Magistrate must thy bloud be shed againe The wicked must be rooted out if then thou dost wickedly thy roote must wither Swearing that is cursed and odious Swearing and Drunkennes and Whoredome must be punished and God will require the sparing of such at his Magistrates hands if they be
eyes he might see by whose eares he might heare and by whose hands he might minister in smaller causes But what kinde of persons must these be they must be men of courage fearing God Exod. 18.21 that is men of conscience hauing religion and not Papists in affection or Atheists in life Iosiah was Gods King God looked toward him and he was a most religious and zealous King Hee feared God betimes and twice in his time reformed religion the first reformation not being perfect enough 2 Chron. 34.3.4.8 The King must not be a child Eccles. 10.16 that is they must not stand in neede of a Ruler that should rule others nor be ignorant of GOD that should make others to know him For a fit Ruler is the childe of Nobilitie that is of vertue and they that will rule fitly must be truly noble that is vertuous vers 17. Also the pleasure of a King is toward a wise seruant Prou. 14.35 Then they that serue must be wise and whom wee take into ser godly For when the vnworthie are put in authoritie and the worthie are kept out what is it but to set folly in great excellencie and the rich that is such as are truly rich and sufficiently wise in a low place Eccles. 10.6 The reasons Euery officer though neuer so meane in place and low in degree ought to punish wickednesse and reward vertue that is ought to his power to reward it But who will suppresse sinne in others who fauoureth it in himselfe and vphold godlinesse in the life of another who abhorres it in his owne Secondly it is a ioy to the people when the righteous are in authoritie as they contrarily lament when the wicked beare rule Prou. 29.2 Thirdly though euery officer haue not a Throne to sit in yet the lowest ruling-officer is Gods officer or the Kings officer in Gods place and therefore ought to carie Gods image and to resemble Gods Maiestie which they cannot doe who are not zealous of true religion and friendly to such as feare him Besides when Magistrates become great offenders they doe what lieth in them to make others beleeue that the Almightie is so Fourthly they who truely feare God will honour those that God hath set ouer them and be faithfull in the things which their Masters commit vnto them as in the examples of Iacob and Ioseph Gen. 29.30 39. Chapters For all obedience and faithfulnesse floweth from the first Table and hath his Spring head there Lastly as a good seruant opens many doores to God blessing so bee that opens his doore to an euill seruant and when he should send him out of his house makes much of him in his house though a swearer drinker liar swaggerer c. let him know that the curse of God will follow that house and the vnfaithfulnesse of Seruants plague that house-keeper Vses A terrour to irreligious persons For if they would serue none may receiue them and if they desire to be in office none may employ them None may open his doores to a wicked seruant who would not open them to his hinderance and the curse of God And to set vp the vngodly is to pull downe the godly which none may doe Besides euerie good Man is bound to cast off a prophane wretch as a sorie curre-dogge and who that is professedly impious can looke for countenance or hope to get seruice in a well ordered State An instruction to Nobilitie to adde to their great parentage and worldly birth the grace of faithfulnesse and feare of God that they may be fit for great employments For if Noble-men be not wise Princes must make wise men Noble Though a man be neuer so worthie by birth if hee be not so by grace hee doth forfait in the sight of God and account of all prudent Monarches all his other estimation that springeth out of the earth and standeth onely vpon the clay-feete of pedigree and auncestors Dan. 2.33 Therefore true Nobilitie Christian Lord must not dwell solitarie but combine it selfe in fellowship with true and sincere religion The girdle of it must be faithfulnesse and it must haue more then that which is fet from the Golgotha of corruption It must honour God that it may be honoured of God with euerlasting honour It must walke in the perfect way of truth and grace that it may haue grace and fauour with God and man And it must submit to the Gospell that good men may submit to it and good Princes may employ it An admonition to all those who are publikely vsed in the businesse of iustice to be men of religion and conscience that Gods seate be not made a seate or rather graue of wickednesse and their Soueraignes trust nay oath left in their hand a strong fore-horse to corruption being made vile by abuse and intolerable by executing no iudgement in the gate But this hath bin spoken of A like admonition to Seruants to ioyne the seruice of God with their Masters seruice that their labours may prosper and their hand may not be emptie in the house For much good commeth in by a godly Seruant as on the contrarie much goeth out at the backe-gate of one that is vngodly and prophane Couetous Masters who onely minde their worldly aduantage which they seeke to make fertile with their Seruants blood count it no gaine but losse that their Seruants so much feare God and so desire to doe him reuerence vpon his Sabbaths But Christian Masters should enquire after such onely and receiue them into wages couenanting with them at their admission that they doe Gods worke and in the Lord their worke That they serue GOD if they will serue them and be religious in Gods house if they looke to haue countenance in theirs And for those who thinke religion an enemie to lawfull gaine let them know that all their encrease gotten vvith the breach or neglect of that gaine which is according to godlinesse cannot be called the Lords encrease but our owne getting or his gift who said to Christ All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Matth. 4.9 What lost Obed-Edom by making his house the Tabernacle of the Lords Arke 2 Sam. 6.12 His house fared much better for receiuing so honourable a stranger into it I say further that their condemnation may be iust vvho thinke Religion to be an enemie to godly gaine that true Religion is that onely that maketh a Seruant to make conscience of his Masters thrift and that the readiest way to thriue indeede is to get and keepe good that is religious Seruants And to put them out of doubt that to haue and to make much of religious Seruants is not any losse but the comfortablest Christian aduantage that may be let them but remember how the Lord blessed the houses of Laban the Aramite and Potiphar the Egiptian for Iacob and Iosephs sakes Gen. 30.30 39.3 So much for the Prophets choise of good men and faithfull his
constantly followed and the obiect or substance of the same and this in the punishment it selfe or persons whom he will punish the punishment is destroying or cutting off the persons are all the wicked of the Land whom by exposition he calleth the workers of iniquitie for the manner of reformation here promised it is promised that it shall be made betimes or without delay From whence the Doctrine is Magistrates and other Gouernours must betimes without putting off proceede against the wicked in their greater or lesser charges at home and in the Common-wealth that is good and quick iustice must be done vpon euil doers whosoeuer they be that are within their authoritie as it were gates and they whom God hath bid to rise vp to giue iudgement must say presently by Gods grace I will commaund iustice and establish peace Vertue shall be my first care and forthwith I will banish vngodlinesse So Iosua rose earely in the morning to finde out the trespasses of Achan Iosh. 7.16 He lay not all day in bed when Israel had committâ—d an execrable sinne Hauing found out the sinne hee executed the Malefactor the same day Sâ—lâ—mon Dauids sonne prayed for this Wisâ—domâ— and obtained it 1 Kin. 3.7 For so soone as hee was set vpon the throne of Dauid his Father and God had established the Kingdome in his hand hee proceeded to sentence against diuers â—icked persons whom his Father had spoken of to doe vnto them according to the wiseâ—ome of his heart 1 Kings 2.24.26.31.66.44.45.46 and Iehu is sayd to be zealous for the LORD 2 King 10 16â— though otherwayes no good King because hee beganne vvith the Lords sword in his hand to destroy wicked Iehoram and to roote out the vvhole house of Ahab and worship of Baal 2 King 9.24.33 10.1.2.3.7.8.10 11.17.25.28 Aâ—a did not put off to doe good therefore he is said to haue done that that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord 2 Chron. 14.2.3 though his end was not like his beginning Chap. 16.2.10.12 For when sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily the heart of the children of men will be fully set in them to doe euill Eccles. 8.11 In other things as the saying is behindâ— but here men may see her braines if they who haue the opportunitie and calling to punish vice deferre to doe it and take not hold of her forelâ—ckes Besides the greatest haue no Patent or Charter of their life what care then should they haue as GOD hath called them to walke to day and to morrow and the third day euen till they haue finished their course with ioy The Reasons First they are not sure of to morrow and therefore the good they are able to doe they should doe it with the present day redeeming the season Ephes. 5.16 Secondly punishments are as medicines which if they be kept too long hazard the patient and loose their worke and Magistrates are as Phisicians who must not let a disease goe too long lest by sufferance it proue incurable which might haue beene holpen by timely ministring Delay in common matters is dangerous but vnspeakeably banefull in the case of punishment For in the time of so large intermission the wicked will make friends and the offence so borne vvith get a protection And as a small fire which at the first beginning may bee put out with a handfull of dust yet neglected for some time so rageth against houses and vvhole Townes that it preuaileth against not onely a great deale of vvater brought vnto it in vessels from Welles and Conduits but sometimes against Ponds and Riuers so an euill member vvhich at first might haue vvith small hurt to a multitude beene remoued by the diligent hand of a good Magistrate yet suffered long vvithout punishment and hauing by such vnmercifull sufferance gotten a deepe root and long growth of acquaintance among those vvho are of good sort and note in a Countrey cannot but breede great offence and be occasion of much euill before he be or can be cast out Thirdly by deferring of punishment Mens heate that vvhich they had against the sinne vvill grow colde and that fault vvhich they thought to be vvorthie of sharpe punishment vvill in time seeme or passe as vnworthie of any punishment And not to punish the wicked speedily vvhat is it but by such euill impunitie to set them at a greater libertie to doe hurt as so many Lions and Beares and Beares-whelpes let loose among harmelesse Sheepe and Lambes Vses An instruction to Gouernours with a ioyfull quicknesse to seeke after God and not to delay or put off to keepe his Commandements so will they with more speed and courage set vpon offenders Psal. 119.60 For wherefore is sinne so spared and they who commit it so seldome and sparingly punished but because they so little feare God who haue receiued charge and power to proceede against such to punishment and vengeance for euill doing When did iniquitie more multiply in Israel then when there was no Ruler in it Iudg. 17.6 It was not vvithout Rulers but as good there had beene none as such seeing they vvere spiritually so sluggish and generally so naught that euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes The Scripture is plentifull in examples of this kinde A reproofe therefore to lingring Rulers who being Magistrates but for a yeere in Cities and Townes passe that whole time without drawing the sword of iustice vpon the sinne of any Malefactour and who so long beare vvith the wicked of vvhom there is little hope that they will euer proue better that they doe nothing but multiply offenders where their calling is to visite for faults Such in their owne causes are soone stirred and yet they can beare with outragious euill liuers and such as they know long to haue liued in drunkennesse fornication and other deadly enormities And so farre off are their purposes from cutting off the wicked betimes from the Common-wealth if they be Magistrates and from their owne houses if they be Masters of families that neither betimes nor at any time doe they with any good conscience performe this dutie The cause of this in some is the euill that raigneth in themselues which therefore maketh that they cannot impeach the sway of it in others For who shall punish idolatrie when Ieroboam he who is King is giuen vnto it I King 12.28.29 in some the cause is more feare of man then of God For because they shall be Maiors and Bailiffes but for a yeere and after their yeere be as another man therefore while they are in office they will vnserue GODâ— and serue flatterers that they may not offend To such wee may say who art thou that fearest mortall Man that must be giuen to the wormes and fearest not the glorious God that spread out the heauens Esa. 51.12.13 But we feare too much and where we should not because we feare too little or nothing where wee should feare
commaunded to his Sonne 1 Chron. 28.9.10 By this Salomon ascended into a most glorious seate as is noted by the Lyons at his feete on eyther side and sate downe aboue all the Kings of the earth whose glorie so sitting vvas such that he seemed to be a new Adam reentred into the Paradise of God or rather as the Sonne of God vvhose glorie in a sort vvas shadowed in his And the Lord greatly prospered Hezekiah because with his morning care he opened the doore of the Temple of the Lord which his Father Aâ—az had shut vp 2 Chron. 31.21 Moe examples and precepts to this effect might be alledged but these may suffice that haue beene spoken of The Reasons First Religion and Godlinesse which are the Iachin and Boaz the two strong and durable Pillars of Gods Church 1 King 7.21 are the two and principall two necessarie proppes of a sanctified state without which it falleth Secondly if a man that hath the charge of the Kings house in the Kings absence will carefully looke vnto all the roomes of the same but specially to those that they be cleane and in good order into vvhich the King in person vvill come shall not they vvho haue the keeping of Gods house which is his beautifull Temple though they must not neglect the out-roomes of the Common-wealth yet specially looke to the presence and those holy Chambers in the vvhich Christ will keepe his Passe-ouer with his Disciples that they be trimmed Mark 14.15 Thirdly the Church as the first moueable must be first stirred and vvell ordered or the wheeles of the Common-wealth will all of them either stand still or goe in no order Therefore were they reproued by Haggai the Prophet vvho builded their owne houses and dwelt in setled houses but neglected or did not regard Gods house Agg. 1.2.4 Vses An admonition to all Rulers and Gouernours in all their purposes specially in their Parliament and State-consultations to set the motions of policie vnder the waightie billes of the Church till Gods tabernacle haue all his pinnes and vvhole furniture And here that which Azariah the Prophet said to Asa the King and to all Iudah and Beniamin may truly and fitly be spokenâ— to all Kings as to Asa and to all their Nobilitie as to the royall seede of Iudah and to all the people as to Beniamin the Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seeke him He will be found of you but if you forsake him hee will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 The first fruits are Gods He that denieth these denieth Gods right and refuseth to giue him his royalties But there are in the holy Citie that is in the Church wicked persons as theâ—e vvill euer be that must be cut off Where the point taught is the Church visible is a mixt assembly vvherein are good and bad true beleeuers and hypocrites Some are sound members and some not members but certaine superfluous and troublesome humours in the veines of the Church liuing in it as Goates among Sheepe and being in it as tares among Corne Matth. 13.27 Ierusalem in the dayes of Christ was called the holy Citie yet in it were blinde leaders of the blinde a corrupt Priest-hood and ministrie of sacriledge Matth. 15.14 This is that great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein are all manner of beasts and fowle cleane and vncleane Act. 10.11.12 and this is that draw-net of soules that gathereth of all kindes good and bad soules Matth. 13.47.48 The Reasons There must be heresies in the Church and Schismes in Doctrine But there can be no heresies but there must be heretikes to teach them euen in the Church nor Schismes but where are Schismatikes to make them euen from the Church 1 Corinth 11.19 Further the faith of the good must be tried 1 Pet. 1.7 And how can that be if there be no bad to trie them Secondly Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it Eph. 5.25.26 And wherefore sanctifie it but because it was vncleane and yet a Church When hee presents it to his Father it shall be without spot but till hee take it from the drosse of mortalitie to present it it shall haue spottes yea it selfe shall be spotted and liue with spotted men Vse The vse reproueth those who thinke there can be no sound Church vvhere are any corrupt members and vvho for the euill vvhich are in the Church forsake the good that are in it Hebr. 10.25.38.39 There was a Iudas in Christs companie and at Christs table yet did Christ suffer him neither shewed him to the other Apostles that they might seperate from him Which he did no doubt to shew that among Professours there will be alway faultie Professours The Magistrate should reforme them but Christians may not separate for them neither depart from the company of the Church because of that euill companie that is in the Church Indeede vvee should not make them our companionâ— and we ought alwaies to separate from their sinnes But shall I runne from my Fathers house because a bad seruant is in it No doubt but there were good men who abode in that Church where the watch-men vvere blinde and where they were all dumbe Dogges who should with wholesome barking haue driuen away the Wolfe or giuen warnâ—â—g of his comming or vvhere were they Esa. 56.10 If a brother walke inordinately vvee should with-draw our selues from him not from the Church because of him 12 Thessalonians 3.6 1 Corinthians 5.11 So I conclude that to separate from a Church is vnlawfull where many things vnlawfull and not so refined from the drosse of flesh are practised in that Church ROM 16.27 To God onely wise be praise through Iesus Christ for euer Amen IOS 24.15 I and my house will serue the Lord. ACT. 10.1 Cornelius with all his houshold feared God FINIS GODS Gentle Remembrance this last Sommer Anno 1613. OR AN EXPOSITION on part of the Parable of the lost Sonne BY ROBERT HORN PSAL. 111. vers 4. Hee hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in remembrance the Lord is mercifull and full of compassion LONDON Printed by T. S. for Francis Burton and are to be solde at the signe of the greene Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1614. TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL RICHARD ATKINS Esquire at Tuffe-leigh in the Countie of GLOCEST My speciall good friend Grace and Peace YOur bountie Worshipfull Sir besides my obligation to your Fathers name after his blessed death hath deserued a better oblation then the tender of this small Booke which by way of thankefulnesse to you and remembrance of Him in all thankefulnesse I send to you and abroad into the world vnder your Name It pleased that your Religious and truly godly Father to seeke Mee out in a darke skie or night of distresse to doe me good which he spared not to doe while he liued For as another Onesiphorus he often refreshed mee 2 Tim. 1.16
the Lord giue mercy to his House and Posteritie for it Also I know few like-minded who will faithfully care for our matters as he did and where men earthly minded seeke their owne that is seeke that and that onely which is nothing worth when they haue it he sought in his life and found in his death that which is Iesus Christ Phil. 2.20.21 But what neede I to embalme him being dead with my report who liuing had so good report of all who knew him and the grace in him and dying sweetly in the peace of his Master and his good conscience like that boxe of oyntment which being very precious the woman powred on Christs head in his breaking by death cast forth that name that is better then the best oyntment Eccles. 7.3 Mark 14.3 A name of a right good sauour such as hath filled the house and may be an ornament and crowne of reioycing to the House and Stocke hee came of For you that now liue the Heire of his House and I trust of his good minde in good things You are to remember as I hope you forget not that your life is in that age and time wherein you may as in the morning sow your seed Eccles. 11.6 the good seed of the doctrine of saluation in the field of your owne heart and furrowes of those that are of your familie and proper charge I beseech you let not your hand rest and bee diligent to take heed to your selfe and them for all necessarie instruction in the way of life so tilling them spiritually for GOD and his true feare that your whole House may bee as the field of the righteous which the Lord will blesse and the name of it may be The Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 So did your good Father in the middes of You whiles he liued and so good Sir doe you constantly in the mids of your owne House by his example who now is gone Hee learned of Abraham who commaunded his householde after him in such matters Genes 18.19 and learne You of Him that the blessing of Abraham may follow You and Yours I write not doubtingly and I haue good confidence in the Lord that you are so minded In which good meaning and intention of yours to a worke so full of spiritual consolation and godlinesse you must looke for aduersaries The more truelie you feare God the more you shall finde what enmitie is against it Looke for this in euery good purpose vnder the Sunne The world that is not of the fashion of Heauen Rom. 12.2 will be against you The flesh that is all for it selfe Rom. 13.14 will lust against the Spirit and the good motions of the Spirit in you Galat. 5.17 and the Deuill the Centurion of the band will pursue you with his armies of temptations on your right hand and on your left Ephes. 6.12 But Hee that is with you is stronger then all these and as long as Michael is your leader and his Angels your fellow-Souldiours what can doe you hurt if God be on your side what matter who be against you Rom. 8.31 If you loue the loue of Christ with all your heart who or what shall separate you from it who or what shall make you to forsake it vers 35. Neither the worlds iniuries nor the fleshes allurements nor all the mallice of the enemie ouer all which you are more then Conquerour through him that hath loued you verse 37. shall be able to take Christ from you or the holy Spirit of Christ out of you by whom you are sealed to the day of Redemption Ephes. 4.30 Striue therefore forward cheerefully in this narrow way of life fight the good fight of Faith to the end whet your heart vpon the Word and make the Statutes of IEHOVA your Meditation and Counsellours pray in your holy Faith holde that you haue with increaseâ— get ground of the commune enemie daily and that by doing well while you haue time This matter requireth your earnest meditation and deepest thoughts and therefore against all incumbrances and impediments of spirituall life already remembred or further spoke of by Saint Iohn as the lusts of the eyes the lusts of the flesh and pride of life 1 Iohn 2.16 put forth your selfe couragiously in the name of the Lord of Hostes who will order the whole battell for you and finish it to your euerlasting victory and ioyfull triumph ouer all powers earthly and infernall How ill they proceede that doe not so striue I haue endeuoured to shewe in the meditations that follow concerning the sinne and punishment of the prodigall sonne perswading my selfe that of Him you haue nothing in you but his repentance and grace to come home to your heauenly Father where you haue with Him young and ignorantly in anything and who hath not in many things declined from obedience to God or the wayes of his truth These I tooke to taske the beginning of this last Sommer at what time the Lords storme fell that caused so generall a feare I would it had effected a like generall amendement in vs. For the now comming forth of them the Apostle who saith Be instant in season and out of season 2 Timoth. 4.2 shall answere for me if any shall thinke them vnseasonable Besides how can that bee or be iudged with any colour of soundnesse vnseasonable that teacheth vs to remember what GOD would not haue forgotten namely his wonderfull workes which hee made the last two moneths of May and Iune to be remembred Psal. 111.4 Or if all his workes must praise him Psal. 145.10 why should not those praise him in the Gate which he wrought so fearefully and so lately among vs And is it euer too late and vnseasonable to shew to the world how graciously and how strangely the Lords late mercies got the better hand of his other fearefull workes by taking his frownes from the skie and by putting a more louing countenance vpon it in the blessed weather that ensued I call it the Lords mercie or not the least of those mercies that are ouer all his workes Psal. 145.9 For did our repentance or any worke of ours seeke and finde that comfortable alteration at Gods hands Or did not the greatest number desire a better and more kindely season and complaine of a season so generally hurtfull and intemperate with sinne in their right hand was one Sabbath for all that power of thunder that so cracked about our eares and pouring Raine that so fell vpon the Earth that is in such abundance that it made Brookes and Riuers to rise and the water to stand in the Furrowes lesse prophaned in Towne and Countrie I doubt not but some stood as Aaron in that breach and gappe with their Censer of seruent Supplication to the Lord by whom in all likelihood hee was entreated and who sought and found him in due time Psal. 32.6 Yet what was that to the generall inconformitie that still beareth sway And heere who can but prophecie for
such want or is the Lord prouoked for these onely to bring great necessitie vpon a Land Surely though these be great Wormes of the wealth of a Nation yet there are moe consumers then these For haue not the Prodigall Sonnes of our Countrey some of them vvasted their goods and flesh with Harlots who rising vp full haue neighed after their neighbours wiues as a fed Horse after his Mateâ— Ier. 5.8 Haue not some laid but all vpon vaine and chargeable brauery from their Hat-string to their shooe-strings Haue not some hid their Talent and Patrimonie in gorgeous and costly buildings desiring to dwell in larger houses then their fathers builded without all desire and care to keepe the good houses their fathers long maintayned Haue not some turned all into smoake by making that to passe through their mouth and nosthrils in townes and Cities which should in good and charitable Hospitalitie haue gone through the chimnies of their fayre Houses in the Country whereof some like a Plague-house stand euer shut vp Haue not some hauing turned all to destruction with the riots of Dice and Gaming turned beggars who were Gentlemen well descended and left And how great is the number of those who hauing filled their mouths with the smoke that hath beene spoken of call in for their pottels and gallons to quench it with large drunkennesse When wee consider such generall abuse of Gods blessings and mens vnthankefulnesse for them what maruell if God punish vs with scarcitie of fruits and pouertie of estate For this cause the Lord wrought fearefully in our eyes the last Summer and the beginning of this Let vs not forget his worke his great worke worthy to be remembred The last Summer there was little grasse to make into hay this Summer and yeere a great yeere of grasse the ground neuer in mans memorie better clad with that commoditie Yet how was her faire cloathing with grasse soyled with dirt in many flouded Medowes within the Land this yeere The last Summer the Sunne in his open chariot this Summer or the beginning of this in his chariot couered with clouds The last Summer glorious the beginning of this wading in water The Heauens the last Summer as brasse ouer our heads this Summer or beginning of this as a Spring or Conduit The last Summer bright and shining this Summer blacke like a Hayre-cloath ouer-cast vvith darknesse The earth the last Summer as an Iron-earth the beginning of this as a marish-earth The last Summer gaping with thirst the beginning of this drowned in raine and waters Doth the Lord worke so strangely and contrarily in two yeeres so neare together and in two Summers immediately following one another to leaue no impression and to get no audience Is it not to shew what power he hath both in his right and left arme that the carelesse in our Land may feare and be humbled before his great glory Is it not to make them to call their sinne to remembrance and their hearts to repentance This is the end of the Lords smiting a Land with sore diseases and long dearth that that Land by such visitation and humblings might mourne girded with sacke-cloath like a virgin for the husband of her youth Ioel 1.8 But if for all this it laugh and reioyce with sinners the Lord hath not lost that correction for hee will loose nothing by any that is hardened desperately in his sinne but hath left it as his witnessâ— among vs of a smarter if the easier cannot preuaile or of our most certaine destruction if he shall say why should ye be smitten any more Esa. 1.5 A reproofe of those who in a matter of such punishment as this Land hath beene lately vnder by two vnseasonable Sommers looke not into their sinnes as causes but altogether into the face of the skie and the distempers there blaming them Wee set our sinnes against God and hee setteth his creatures for sinne against vs. Wee refuse to serue God they grudge as much to serue vs. A wise man considereth this and considering findeth in his Christian search the true cause of all such distempers in the skie and alterations on earth to be in that ill vveather that commeth from the corrupt Ayre and mud of the age and times in which wickednes so aboundeth Hee that gathereth other wayes is vnwise or as one that is blinde and can not see a farre off 2. Pet. 1.9 It is so then that God did thunder maruailously with his voyce this yeere Iob 37.5 and in these parts on the Sabbath What maruaile when on the Sabbath vvee drumme against God hee on the Sabbath also should thunder against vs two or three Moones haue changed but vvith small change of the weather from euill to better and what maruaile if the weather bee not changed when our hearts are not changed and vvhen we looke into the change of the Moone and not to the change of our wayes If we would set the signe of the weather not in the Moone or Starres but in our good conuersation in Christ we should haue better signes of better seasons then haue lately appeared But some when there is any ill weather vp talke and complaine of some Coniurings abroad To such I may say if they would driue out of themselues Satans great host of lusts and those more then seuen or seuen-times seuen Deuils which haue so possessed them by customary and familiar sinnefulnesse they shall see a present calme and end in all stormes Iob sayth Miserie commeth not foorth of the dust Iob 5.6 his meaning is these miseries that so many complaine ofâ— come from sinne not from the dust of the earth but from these bodies of dust and the bodie of sinne God is able to giue vs raine in season and the appointed weekes of the Haruest Ier. 5.24 The raine we haue had hath beene vnseasonable and the weekes vve haue seene haue proued vncomfortable Commeth this from the Earth and altogether from a troubled skie no but our iniquities haue turned away these things and our sinnes haue hindred good things from vs Ier. 5.25 When the childe beginneth to play vvith his meat a wise Father will take it from him vvee haue abused our plentie and doe still abuse it and what can vve looke for from so wise a Father as our Father in Heauen but penury and dearth after fulnesse so abused So farre of the punishment which was by occasion and generall vpon the Countrie that which was particular vpon this lost Sonne followeth And hee began to bee in necessitie The Countrie being punished with a great dearth the lost Sonne is here sayd to haue had his part in the generall affliction for hee also began to be in necessitie that is the generall want extended to him as his sinne was in it and hee tasted of the cup of the common calamitie Hee was in want and as appeareth by the 16. verse in great want which want and great want was layd vpon him iustly
in Christ. Or those flagons of Wine in the Cellers of Christ which stay the Church that is reuiue and comfort her being fallen spiritually into certaine swounes and sencelesse traunces by some momentanie despaire Cantic 2.4.5 and these seale vp life or death as they be receiued worthily or vnworthily worthily to life or vnworthily to damnation 1 Cor. 11.26.29 So for Prayer the Apostle S. Paul hauing set forth a Christian in all his Christian armour and peeces of armour as his head-peece his brest-peece his girdle-peece his shoe-peece with his shield of Faith and sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God maketh Prayer as it were the button or knot that is chiefe-peece of all that large furniture to the warre of the Spirit which hee there speaketh of saying and pray alwayes in all manner Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Ephes. 6.18 as if he had said whatsoeuer is wanting let not Prayer be wanting and when you put on this armour or any part of this armour let Prayer be your Button or tying knot to hold it together that it fall not from you in the day of the Lords March lest you be naked If then wee know or care to know little of the Doctrine of Saluation hauing passed an estate of our soules to ignorance for terme of life or if as wee know or care to know little of the word we haue as little good will rightly to know and reuerently to come to the Sacraments and if as wee passe litle for these wee care as little for Prayer to pray in the Spirit and in Faith by the Word wee wander souly to destruction our house tendeth to death and our paths to the dead Prouer. 2.18 Alas then what vvill become of all contemners and ignorant of true knowledge in what case are they who come to the Sacraments prophanely or but once in two or three yeeres and what spirit leadeth them who haue such a deadnesse in them of spirit and spirituall life that they call not vpon God Psal. 14.4 Such walking in darkenesse know not whither they goe Iohn 12.35 and haue no suretie to be saued hauing at the Charter of grace neuer a seale of saluation and cannot but despaire to haue any thing from God who haue asked nothing of him that is by the Prayer of Faith nothing that they might obtaine at his hands that vvhich is good and necessary for their infirmities and wants here Iam. 4.2 To bee short wanting the meanes of protection from death and hell how can they but wander in death and fall into hell Yet this is commendable in this yong man that he chose rather to liue iustly by labour and meanely in a calling then to rob and kill for his liuing as many who haue beene brought vp Gentlemanlike doe at this day And it teacheth hat they are more lost then the lost Son who being vvithout meanes and tenderly bred pampered with ease the delights of Gentrie had rather like wilde men hunt for a purse then dwell in Tents that is in a calling as Iacob did eating their bread honestly Esau was a man of the Field Esau whom God had forsaken but plaine Iacob dwelt in Tents that is commendably in a Trade whom God loued Gene. 25.27 Also Christ speaking of the Pharises and Scribes those vvho did persecute the Master poyson the seruants with their leauen of false and corrupt Doctrines compareth them to theeues that steale and our high-way-theeues that kill Iohn 10.8.10 and Saint Paul speaking of a rable of reprobates putteth theeues that is vnrepentant theeues in the number nor theeues 1 Cor. 6.9 Besides theeues specially by the high vvay cast for wealth and lay wait for blood Prou. 1.11.13 and are so fa from repentance that they draw away others ver 10.14 And can any be more lost then so lost the lost Sonne that went farre vvent not so farre But is it such a matter to be a theefe and robber then let them consider their dangerous estate vvho liue to no benefit of the Common-wealth or Church in a calling but as Droanes eate the Honny and sweet thereof vvithout any labour The Apostle Saint Paul calleth such Theeues His words are Let him that stole steale no more but labour rather Ephes. 4.28 as if he had sayd He that laboureth not to vvit in that which is good stealeth and he that is in no calling to wit of some profitable exploiment is a Theefe And if all such be Theeues then all that are such are Common-wealths-men inferiour to a Swine-herd though they can say they liue of their owne or of that which is giuen them This young man though bad would not be so bad he would not be a theefe and vvas content to labour and therefore they that are theeues and all that will not labor are in the case of Church-members and point of Commonwealth-manship worse then he But to our purpose it is plaine as hath beene proued that they are more lost then this lost Sonne who rather chuse a theefes life out of a calling then an honest though meane life in a lawfull Trade The reasons are First Such hate their owne soule Prou. 29.24 vvhich this yong man did not though he prouided ill for it Secondly they are further from repentance which is seldome giuen of God out of a calling The conuerted Theeues example Luke 23.42.43 is a rare bird in this case and but once seene in the Bible Vses An instruction to liue in any meane place and sort then to steale Dauid and the men with him though they liued in want yet liued not by spoile and though they were poore men yet they were true men and asked reliefe as strangers but would not command it as Rogues 1 Sam. 25.5.6.7.8.15.16 So vertuous Ruth gleaned in Boaz Field Ruth 2.3.7 Shee gleaned onely but tooke not from the vvhole sheafe nor vvhole sheaues as some leasers now Saint Paul vvho bids euery Christian to labour with his hands rather then to be idle to eat his owne bread in some calling rather then stollen Bread in no lawfull calling 2 Thes. 3.12 doth rather chuse to make Tents then to eate vvith offence where yet he might haue eaten with authoritie Act. 18.3 2 Cor. 11 8 9. Indeed the vniust Steward that vvas ashamed to begge Luke 16.3 was not afraid to steale verse 6.7 so though to begge be euill and to steale vvorse yet the wicked rather then they will eate their owne bread that is bread that they haue right vnto by their honest labour will doe one or both But vvhat get they by such vnrighteousnesse surely the curse spoken of Zachar. 5.3 the curse that will out them off and finde them out to destruction though they vvould hide themselues vers 4. not a lingring curse but a flying curse Nor a curse that will leaue something Obad. 5. but a fretting curse or leprosie that will seaze on all nor the curse of damage onely but the bitter curse
time to vaine pleasures to idle talke to much sleepe wantonnes If God should account with me for yeres I can not with comfort answere him for dayâ—s nor well for one day in a yeere well and holily spent in good duties O how many Items may be found written in Gods Books of prouidence last iudgement for pleasures and sports and fleshly daliances and worldly couetousnes scarce a line seene registred in the same for any good exercise wayes and doings of good report Thus should euery Christian make a kinde of backe reckoning with the compassing of his wayes Thus should he retire himselfe for the due consideration of his life past and hauing opportunitie in secret beate his sins vpon his naked conscience by aggrauation and say I haue not onely sinned but most traiterously obstinately carelesly continually and rebelliously sinned and am not only a sinner but a most filthy leper and sinner not an ordinary offender but a stubborne offendor and disloyall person whose whole nature soule and body will and affections minde and iudgement words and deeds are onely euill and perfectly euill and continually so Gen. 6.5 Thus no doubt the lost Sonne came to himselfe and thus without doubt must we come to our selues if we will come home with him confesse with him and triumph vvith him So much for the worke of his minde the words of his lips follow How many hired seruants of my Fathers haue bread enough This yong man considered that the meanest seruant his Father kept was in better case then he for he was wel prouided for hauing bread enough and to spare where he had nothing And this made him looking homeward it is like with teares in his eyes and repentance in his heart for his former lewd life to say how many hired seruants of my Fathers c. as if he had said this necessitie that I am in is caused by my selfe who forsook the house of plenty for this land of dearth my Fathers house for the house where the dead are Pro. 9.18 Euery one there is prouided for and I perish with hunger in my absence thence This being his meaning the thing taught is God prouideth all things necessarie for those that serue him Dauid neuer found it otherwaies and therefore saith he neuer saw the righteous forsaken Psa. 37.25 as if he had said he neuer saw any long destitute or vnprouided for who followed righteousnesse and serued the Lord. S. Iohn sheweth that they who followed Christ were fed though Christ wrought a miracle of Loaues and Fishes to feede them Ioh 6.9.12 And how did God feede his people fourtie yeeres in the vvildernesse when they could not plow the Earth did not he plow the Heauens for bread and vvanting ordinarie food had they not Angels food for the Wheat of the Land the Wheat of Heauen Psa. 78.24.27 the Text saith it rained downe Manna v. 24. and they had meat enough ver 25. Elijah was zealous for the Lord and his altars therefore when men would not feed him the Rauens fed him 1 Kin. 17.6 and when men forsooke him an Angell looked vnto him 1 Kin. 19.5.6.7 Did God forget the widow of that Prophets son that feared the Lord and died in some debt did he not strangely prouide for her by Elisha and so as she had enough both to pay her debt and to finde her selfe and her children vvith the ouerplus 2 King 4.1.7 To be short of all the righteous it is sayd they shall not be confounded in the euill time and in the day of famine they shall be satisfied Psa 37.19 that is whosoeuer is ashamed they shal not take shame and vvhen others are famished they shall haue enough Thus nothing shall be wanting to them that serue God the reasons are First God hath promised to feed al his seruants Psal. 37.3 Now God will doe what he promiseth to doe for he is faithfull and can doe what he will for he is Almightie Secondly Gods seruants depend on his promise and take his word for their vvhole estate their eyes are vnto him Psal. 123.1.2 and their repose is in his prouidence and vvill he cause their eyes to faile Iob 31.16 Thirdly if it be a iust thing that the Master of a Familie should prouide for all he hath in his familie vvhether the children of the house or seruants in the house will not the iust God count it as iust and fitting for him to doe as much for his Familie and household to wit for the familie of his Saints and the household of Faith Vses A comfort to all that truly serue God for they shall haue good wages for that they do who faithfully serue him they shall want nothing that is good that is that is good indeed or good for them Ps. 34.10 When meanes faile God can and will without meanes and against them prouide for his The Sea shal run back and serue the Lords prouidence for the glorie of his name and safetie of his people vvhen Pharao with his fierce armie pursueth them to the sea Exo. 14.21 When men can not make tillage God can and hath giuen bread vvithout tillage as in the dayes of Hezekiah and Esa. Esa. 37.30 This Sommer the Lord laid his rod in Water the continuall raine that fell did much weaken the force and plentie of our common bread Yet if all our Graine had beene washed away with the waters that so preuailed God could haue set euen in those waters an Arke of reliefe for his Noahs that obey his word and sayings to enter into As the vvaters rose so rose the Arke Gen. 7.17 and so as the markets rise which are floods to the poore that lift vp their waues Psal. 93.3 God vvill arise to the helpe of his people An admonition to liue in Gods seruice and not out of our fathers house in the seruice of sin if we would be prouided for and not perish vvith vvant in the day of famine For as they who serue God in his House and by his Word are sure to be fed so contrarily they cannot expect with comfort any such assurance who serue their lusts and sinne in their mortall bodies In our seruice of God the creatures are ready to serue vs the Heauens with their blessing the Earth vvith her increase in our seruice of sinne all is contrarie For God vvill shut vp the Heauens as a Purse and turne a fruitfull Land into barrennesse Much raine shall destroy our fruits or lacke of raine much hinder them The Earth shall yeeld nothing or but store of vveedes good for nothing Obedience I meane to God in his Seruice and Word is the Chaine that bindeth all the creatures from hurting vs vvhere disobedience breaketh that Chaine and turneth them loose vpon vs for euill and not for good in the day of our necessitie In it there is perfect freedome and vvith it assured riches and blessed contentment To be called the seruant of God is an honorable title