Brotherhood of Grace by profession of the faith of Christ as we are Christian men As men we are members of that great body the World and so all men that live within the compass of the World are Brethren by a more general communion of Nature As Christians we are members of that mystical body the Church and so all Christian men that live within the compass of the Church are Brethren by a more peculiar communion of Faith And as the Moral Law bindeth us to love all men as our Brethren and partakers with us of the same common Nature in Adam so the Evangelical Law bindeth to love all Christians as our Brethren and partakers with us of the same common faith in Christ. 25. In which later notion the word Brother is most usually taken in the Apostolical writings to signifie a professor of the Christian Faith and Religion in opposition to heathen men and unbeleevers The name of Christian though of commonest use and longest continuance was yet but of a later date taken up first at Antioch as we finde Act. 11. whereas believers were before usually called Disciples and no less usually both before and since Brethren You shall read very often in the Acts and Epistles of the holy Apostles How the Brethren assembled together to hear the Gospel preached to receive the Sacrament and to consult about the affairs of the Church How the Apostles as they went from place to place to plant and water the Churches in their progress every where visited the Brethren at their first coming to any place saluting the Brethren during their abode there confirming the Brethren at their departure thence taking leave of the Brethren How collections were made for relief of the Brethren and those sent into Iudea from other parts by the hands of the brethren c. S. Paul opposeth the Brethren to them that are without and so includeth all that are within the Church What have I to do to judg them that are without 1 Cor. 5. As if he had said Christ sent me an Apostle and Minister of the Churches and therefore I meddle not but with those that are within the pale of the Church as for those that are without if any of them will be filthy let him be filthy still I have nothing to do to meddle with them But saith he if any man that is within the Christian Church any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or drunkard or rayler or otherwise stain his holy profession by scandalous living I know how to deal with him let the censures of the Church be laid upon him let him be cast out of the assemblies of the Brethren that he may be thereby brought to shame and repentance 26. So then Brethren in the Apostolical use of the word are Christians and the Brotherhood the whole society of Christian men the systeme and body of the whole visible Church of Christ. I say the visible Church because there is indeed another Brotherhood more excellent then this whereof we now speak consisting of such only as shall undoubtedly inherit salvation called by some of the ancients The Church of Gods Elect and by some later writers the Invisible Church And truly this Brotherhood would under God deserve the highest room in our affections could we with any certainty discern who were of it and who not But because the fan is not in our hand to winnow the chaff from the wheat Dominus novit The Lord onely knoweth who are his by those secret characters of Grace and Perseverance which no eye of man is able to discern in another nor perhaps in himself infallibly we are therefore for the discharge of our duty to look at the Brotherhood so far as it is discernable to us by the plain and legible characters of Baptism and outward profession So that whosoever abideth in areâ Domini and liveth in the communion of the visible Church being baptized into Christ and professing the Name of Christ let him prove as it falleth out chaff or light corn or wheat when the Lord shall come with his fan to purge his floor yet in the mean time so long as he lieth in the heap and upon the floor We must own him for a Christian and take him as one of the Brotherhood and as such an one love him For so is the Duty here Love the Brotherhood 27. To make Love compleat Two things are required according to Aristotle's description of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Affectus cordis and Effectus operis The inward affection of the heart in wishing to him we love all good and the outward manifestation of that affection by our deed as occasion is offered in being ready to our power to do him any good The heart is the root and the seat of all true love and there we must begin or else all we do is but lost If we do never so many serviceable offices to our brethren out of any by-end or sinister respect although they may possibly be very usefull and so very acceptable to him yet if our heart be not towards them if there be not a sincere affection within it cannot be truly called Love That Love that will abide the test and answer the Duty required in the Text must be such as the Apostles have in several passages described it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfained love of the brethren 1 Pet. 1. Love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1. Love without dissimulation Rom. 12. 28. Of which inward affection the outward deed is the best discoverer and therefore that must come on too to make the love perfect As Iehu said to Ionadab Is thy heart right If it be then give me thy hand As in the exercises of our devotion towards God so in the exercises of our charity towards men heart and hand should go together Probatio dilectionis exhibitio est operis Good works are the best demonstrations as of true Faith so of true love Where there is life and heate there will be action There is no life then in that Faith S. Iames calleth it plainly a dead faith Iam. 2. nor heate in that Love according to that expression Matth. 24. the love of many shall wax cold that doth not put forth it self in the works of righteousness and mercy He then loveth not the Brotherhood indeed whatsoever he pretend or at least not in so gracious a measure as he should endeavour after That doth not take every fit opportunity of doing good either to the souls or bodies or credits or estates of his Brethren That is not willing to do them all possible services according to the urgency of their occasions and the just exigence of circumstances with his countenance with his advice with his pains with his purse yea and if need be with his very life too This is the Non ultra farther then this we cannot goe in the expressing of our love Greater love
that call themselves brethren fall soule upon one another not only girding at and clashing against but biting and nipping and devouring one another as if they were bent to consume and destroy one another But a most blessed thing on the other side pleasant as the holy oyle distilling from Aarons head upon his beard and garments and rejoycing the heart as the dew upon the mountains refresheth the grass when there is nothing done in the house through strife or vain glory but such an accord amongst them that all the Brethren are of one minde and judgment or if not alwayes so yet at leastwise of one heart and affection bearing the burdens and bearing with the infirmities one of another and ready upon all occasions to do good as to all men generally and without exception so especially to their Brethren that are of the same houshold of faith with them 35. Lastly we are Brethren by partnership in our Fathers estate Coparceners in the state of Grace all of us enjoying the same promises liberties and priviledges whereof we are already possessed in common and Coheirs in the state of Glory all of us having the same joy and everlasting blisse in expectancy and reversion For being the sonnes of God we are all heirs and being brethren all joynt-heirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one and the same glorious inheritance reserved for us in the heavens which St. Iude therefore calleth the common salvation It argueth a base wrangling spirit in us having such goodly things in reversion enough for us all so as heart can wish no more to squabble and fall out for such poore trifles as the things of this world are We that have by Gods goodness competent sustenance for our journey and full sacks to open at our coming home as Iosephs brethren had when they came out of Egypt to return to their own land shall we fall out among our selves and be ready to mischief one another by the way 36. Having all these Obligations upon us and being tied together in one Brotherhood by so many bands of unity and affection I presume we cannot doubt de Iure but that it is our bounden duty thus to love the Brotherhood There remaineth now no more to be done but to look to our performances that they be right wherein the main thing we are to take heed of besides what hath been already applyed is Partiality I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by Partiality It was S. Pauls charge to Timothy in another businesse but may suit very well with this also 27. Not but that we may and in most cases must make a difference between one brother and another in the measure and degree of our Love according to the different measures and degrees either of their goodness considered in themselves or of their neerness in relation to us those two considerations being as you heard the grounds of our Love So David loved Ionathan as his own soule his heart was knit to him both because he was a good man and had withall approved himself his trusty friend Yea our blessed Saviour himself shewed a more affectionate Love to Iohn then to any other of his disciples the disciple whom Iesus loved for no other known reason so much as for this that he was neer of kin to him his own mothers sisters son as is generally supposed No reasonable man among us then need make any question but that we may and ought to bear a greater love unto and consequently to be readier to do good unto caeteris paribus our Countrymen our neighbours our kindred our friends then to those that are strangers to us and stand in no such relation And so no doubt we may and ought in like manner upon that other ground of Goodness more to love and to shew kindness sooner to a sober discreet judicious peaceable humble and otherwise orderly and regular man caeteris paribus then to one that is light-headed or lazy or turbulent or proud or debauched or heretical or schismatical 38. But still that proviso or limitation which I now twice mentioned caeteris paribus must he remembred for there may such a disparity arise by emergent occasions as may render a meer stranger a heathen a notoriously vitious person a fitter object of our compassion help or relief pro hîc nunc then the most pious Christian or our dearest friend or ally In cases of great extremity where the necessities of the party importune a present succour and will admit no delay Cedat necessitudo necessitati the former considerations whether of Neerness or Goodness must be waved for the present and give way to those Necessities He is most our neighbour and brother in a case of that nature that standeth in most need of our help as our Saviour himself hath clearly resolved it in the case of the wounded traveller in the parable Luke 10. Nor doth this at all contradict what hath been already delivered concerning the preferring of the brethren before others either in the affection of love or in the offices which flow therefrom For the affection first it is clear that although some acts of compassion and charity be exercised towards a stranger yea even an enemy that hath great need of it rather then towards a friend or brother that hath either no need at all or very little in comparison of the other it doth not hinder but that the Habit or affection of love in the heart may notwithstanding at the very same time be more strongly carried towards the brother or friend then towards the enemy or stranger as every mans own reason and experience in himself can tell him And as for the outward acts and offices of love it is with them as with the offices of all other vertues and gracious habits or affections which not binding ad semper as the graces and habits themselves do are therefore variable and mutable as the circumstances by which they must be regulated vary pro hic nunc And therefore the rules given concerning them must not be punctually mathematically interpreted but prudentially and rationally and hold as we use to say in the Schools communiter but not universaliter that is to say ordinarily and in most cases where circumstances do not require it should be otherwise but not absolutely and universally so as to admit of no exception 39. This rub then thus removed out of the way it may yet be demanded where is this partiality to be found whereof we spake or what is it to have the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ with respect of persons if this putting of a difference in our love between brother and brother which we have now allowed of be not it I answer It is no partiality to make such a difference as we have hitherto allowed so long as the said difference
for their strayings to bring them to repentance for their sins to make them more observant and careful of their duty thence-forward to exercise their faith and patience and other graces and the like Such as were those distresses that befell the whole people of Israel sundry times under Moses and in the dayes of their Iudges and Kings and those particular trials and afflictions wherewith Abraham and Ioseph and Iob and David and Paul and other the holy Saints and servants of God were exercised in their times 5. Both the one sort and the other are called Iudgments but as I said in different respects and for different reasons Those former plagues are called Gods Iudgments because they come from God not as a loving and merciful father but as a just and severe Iudge who proceeding according to course of Law giveth sentence against a malefactor to cut him off And therefore this kind of judgment David earnestly deprecateth Psalm 143. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for then neither can I nor any flesh living be justified in thy sight These later corrections also or chastenings of our heavenly father are called Iudgments too When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord but in a quite different notion Because God proceedeth therein not with violence and fury as men that are in passion use to do but coolely and advisedly and with judgment And therefore whereas David deprecated Gods judgment as we heard in that former notion and as Iudgment is opposed to Favour Ieremy on the other side desireth Gods Iudgment in this later notion and as it is opposed to Fury Correct me O Lord yet in thy judgment not in thy fury Jer. 10. 6. Now we see the severall sorts of Gods Iudgments which of all these may we think is here meant If we should take them all in the Conclusion would hold them and hold true too Iudicia oris and judicia operis publick and private judgments those plagues wherewith in fury he punisheth his enemies and those rods wherewith in mercy he correcteth his children most certain it is they are all right But yet I conceive those judicia oris not to be so properly meant in this place for the Exegesis in the later part of the verse wherein what are here called judgments are there expounded by troubles seemeth to exclude them and to confine the Text in the proper intent thereof to these judicia operis only but yet to all them of what sort soever publick or private plagues or corrections Of all which he pronounceth that they are Right which is the predicate of the Conclusion and cometh next to be considered I know O Lord that thy judgments are right 7. And we may know it too if we will but care to know either God or Our selves First for God though we be not able to comprehend the reasons of his dispensations the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the judgments are right it may satisfie us if we do but know that they are his Tua will infer recta strongly enough for the Lord who is righteous in all his wayes must needs be so in the way of his judgments too 1. Mens judgments are sometimes not right through mis-informations and sundry other mistakings and defects for which the Laws therefore allow writs of Errour appeals and other remedies But as for God he not only spieth out the goings but also searcheth into the hearts of all men he pondereth their spirits and by him all their actions are weighed 2. Mens judgments are sometimes not right because themselves are partial and unjust awed with fear blinded with gifts transported with passion carried away with favour or disaffection or wearied with importunity But as for God with him is no respect of persons nor possibility of being corrupted Abraham took that for granted that the judg of all the world must needs do right Gen. 18. And the Apostle rejecteth all suspicion to the contrary with an Absit what shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Rom. 9. 3. Mens judgments are sometimes not right meerly for want of zeal to justice They lay not the causes of poor men to heart nor are willing to put themselves to the pains or trouble of sifting a cause to the bottome nor care much which way it go so as they may but be at rest and enjoy their ease But as for God he is zealous of doing justice he loveth it himself he requireth it in others punishing the neglect of it and rewarding the administration of it in them to whom it belongeth The righteous Lord loveth righteousness Psal. 11. 8. And then secondly in our selves we may find if we will but look enough to satisfie us even for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too so far as is meet for us to expect satisfaction The judgments of God indeed are abyssus multa his wayes are in the sea and his paths in the deep waters and his footstops are not known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soon may we lose our selves in the search but never find them out Yet even there where the judgments of God are like a great deep unfathomable by any finite understanding his righteousness yet standeth like the high mountains as it is in Psalm 36. visible to every eye If any of us shall search well into his own heart and weigh his own carriage and deservings if he shall not then find enough in himself to justifie God in all his proceedings I forbid him not to say which yet I tremble but to rehearse that God is unrighteous 9. The holy Saints of God therefore have ever acquitted him by condemning themselves The Prophet Ieremy in the behalf of himself and the whole Church of God The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandement Lam. 1. So did Daniel in that his solemn confession when he set his face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplications with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes Dan. 9. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as it is this day to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee verse 7. and again after at verse 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth for we obeyed not his voice Yea so illustrious many times is the righteousness of God in his judicial proceedings that it hath extorted an acknowledgment from men obstinately wicked Pharaoh who sometimes in the pride of his heart had said Who is the Lord was afterwards by the evidence of the fact it self forced to this confession I have sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Exod. 9. 10. They are then at least in that respect worse then wicked Pharaoh that
delicate eare But if it should be very much out of tune it would be harsh and grate even a thick and vulgar eare But say all the instruments should be perfectly well tuned yet if the men should not agree what to play but one would have a grave Pavane another a nimbler Galliard a third some frisking toy or Iigg and then all of them should be wilful none yield to his fellow but every one scrape on his own tune as loud as he could what a hideous hateful noise may you imagine would such a mess of Musick be No less odious to God and equally grievous to every godly man it is when such voices as these are heard in the Church I am of Paul and I of Cephas and I of Apollo When as it is now growen with us one Pamphleter must have the Church governed after this fashion another after that Twenty several models and platforms of government just as one of our own Poets of good note in his time hath long since described Errours Children a numerous brood but never a one like other saving only in this that they were all ill-favoured alike And these Models printed and published to the world and dispersed through all parts of the kingdom and ecchoed in the pulpits to the manifest dishonour of God the deep scandal of the reformed Religion and eternal infamy both of our Church and State and God knoweth what other sad and desperate consequents in future if some speedy and effectuall course be not taken to repress the unsufferable licenciousness both of our Presses and Pulpits 31. But I will repress my self howsoever Indignation though just may carry a man into a digression ere he be aware though I do not perceive that I have yet digressed very much To return therefore As I have heard those words of the last Psalm read monethly in our Churches Praise him upon the well tuned Cymbals praise him upon the loud Cymbals it hath often come into my thoughts that when we intend to glorifie God with our Cymbals it should not be our only care to have them loud enough but our first care should be to have them well-tuned els the lowder the worse Zeal doth very well there is great yea necessary use of it in every part of Gods service The Cymbal will be flat it will have no life nor spirit in it it will not be loud enough without it But if meekness peaceableness and moderation do not first put the Cymbal into good tune the loudness will but make it the more ungraceful in the player the more ungrateful to the hearer 32. But I will pursue this Metaphor no further There is another Metaphor also much used by our Apostle that of Edification He would have all things in the Church done to Edifying And if you will take the pains to examine it you shall finde that most times where he speaketh of glorifying God he doth it with reference to Edification and most times where he speaketh of Edifying he doth it with reference to those mutual respects and charitable offices whereby we apply our selves to our brethren for the maintenance of peace and unity That passage for example before mentioned and of all other the most obvious in this argument Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever else ye do let all be done to the glory of God is meant especially in the case of brotherly condescension in yielding somewhat to the infirmities of our brethren for charities sake where in godly wisdom we shall see it expedient so to do for theirs our own or the common good as is evident from the whole frame of his discourse there And so it is here also He speaketh of bearing the infirmities of our weaker brethren vers 1. of not pleasing our selves but each man pleasing his brother for his good unto edification vers 2. of receiving one another by Christs example vers 7. and he cometh in among with this votive prayer that God would grant them to be like minded one unto another that so by their unanimity they might glorifie God That is that their like-mindedness might serve to Gods glory in the edification of their brethren 33. Now if that which best edifieth the Church do also most glorifie God as these and the like passages seem to import then certainly not by many things is God more glorified then by Peace Love and Concord sith few things edifie more then these do As to the use of Edification Knowledge that seemeth to be all in all with some is very little or nothing in comparison or but a puffe to Charity It may swell look big and make a shew but Charity doth the deed S. Paul was a wise Master-builder and knew what belonged to the worke as well as another and he when he speaketh of compacting the Church into a building mentioneth the edifying of it selfe in love Eph. 4. It hath been my hap heretofore more then once yet both times led thereunto by the Texts to insist somewhat upon this Metaphor which maketh me the unwillinger to dwell upon it the third time Yet sith it appeareth to have been of so frequent and familiar use with our Apostle and is withall so pertinent both to the process of his discourse in this place and to the business now in hand I cannot but desire to press it a little farther and that in two respects especially and both of them very considerable in building to wit Dispatch and Strength 34. For Dispatch first No man that goeth about a building but would willingly get it up as fast as he can without any delay or let more then needs must Now where the workmen and labourers layers fillers servers and the rest agree fairely first to do every man what belongeth to him in his own office and then to further every one another in theirs the work goeth on and getteth up apace But if they once begin to fall out one with another then are they ready to hinder and to cross one another and then the work standeth When one of them hath laied a course in the wall up steppeth another and pulleth the stones all asunder and throweth them down One saith it shall be thus another starteth up and sweareth it shall not be so but thus and then they grow to hot words and from words to blowes and so instead of pointing the wall fall a thrusting their trowels in one anothers faces How should the work go an end now think you with any good expedition When one buildeth and another pulleth down what profit have they then but labour saith the wise son of Sirac Eccl. 34. A great deal of noise and a great deal of bustle but little worke done It is even so in all other things distraction ever hindereth business The vessel must needs move slowly when some of them that sweat at the Oare ply with all the strength they have to thrust her Eastward and other some of them ply
we take leave so to speak sutably to our own low apprehensions for in the God-head there are properly no Qualities but call them Qualities or Attributes or what else you will there are foure perfections in God opposite to those defects which in our earthly Parents we have found to be the chief causes why they do so oft forsake us which give us full assurance that he will not faile to take us up when all other succours faile us Those are his Love his Wisdome his Power his Eternity all in his Nature To which foure adde his Promise and you have the fulness of all the assurance that can be desired 20. First the Love of our heavenly Father towards all mankinde in general but especially towards those that are his children by adoption and grace is infinitely beyond the Love of earthly Parents towards their children They may prove unnatural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their bowels may be crusted up against the fruit of their own body But the Lord cannot but love his people He can as well cease to be as to love for he is love If he should deny that he should deny himself and that he will not do because he cannot and that he cannot do because he will not Potenter non potest It is impossible for him to whom all things are possible to deny himself The Church indeed out of the sense of her pressures letteth fall complaints sometimes as if she were forsaken But Syon said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.14 But she complaineth without cause it is a weakness in her to which during her warfare she is subject by fits but she is checkt for it immediately in the very next verse there Can a woman forget her sucking childe c. Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee 21. Again their Love may be alienated by needless jealousies or false suggestions and so lost But his Love is durable he loveth his own unto the End He knoweth the singleness of their Hearts and will receive no accusation against them Quis accusabit Who dare lay any thing to the charge of his Elect when he standeth up for their Iustification They alas are negligent enough unthankful undutiful children nay confest it must be other while stubborn and rebellious But as Davids heart longed after Absolon because he was his son though a very ungracious one so his bowels yearn after those that are no wayes worthy but by his dignation only to be called his sons Forgiving all their by-past miscarriages upon their true repentance receiving them with gladness though they have squandred away all their portion with riotous living if they return to him in any time with humble obedient and perfect hearts and in the mean time using very many admonitions entreaties and other artifices to win them to repentance and forbearing them with much patience that they may have space enough to repent in And if upon such indulgencies and insinuations they shall come in he will not onely welcome them with kinde embraces but do his part also to hold them in when they are even ready to flie out again and were it not for that hold would in all likelyhood so do So as unless by a total wilful renouncing him they break from him and cut themselves off nothing in the world shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 22. Yet again Parents affections may be so strongly byassed another way as we heard that in the pursuit of other delights they may either quite forget or very much dis-regard their children But no such thing can befal our heavenly Father who taketh pleasure in his people and in their prosperity whose chiefest delight is in shewing mercy to his children and doing them good The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them Deut. 10. And whereas the Church as we also heard is apt to complain that she is forsaken and desolate the Lord by the Prophet giveth her a most comfortable assurance to the contrary Esay 62. Thou shalt no more be called forsaken c. But thou shalt be called Hephzibah It is a compound word and signifieth as much as My delight is in her and so the reason of that appellation is there given For the Lord delighteth in thee That for his Love the first Attribute 23. His Wisdom is the next Fathers and mothers through humane ignorance cannot perfectly understand the griefs of their children nor infallibly know how to remedy them if they did But God who dwelleth in light nay who is light knoweth the inmost recesses the darkest thoughts and secrets of all mens hearts better then themselves do He perfectly understandeth all their wants and what supplies are fittest in their respective conditions with all the least circumstances thereunto belonging When all the wits and devices of men are at a loss and know not which way in the world to turn them to avoid this danger to prevent that mischief to effectuate any designe the Lord by his infinite wisdom can manage the business with all advantage for the good oâ— his children if he see it behoveful for them bringing it about suaviâ—er fortiter sweetly and without violence in ordering the means but effectually and without fail in accomplishing the end 24. Which wisdom of his observable in all the dispensations of his gracious providence towards his children we may behold as by way of instance in his fatherly corrections As the Apostle Heb. 12. maketh the comparison between the different proceedings of the fathers of our flesh and the Father of spirits in their chastisements They do it after their own pleasure saith he that is not alwayes with judgement and according to the merit of the fault but after the present disposition of their own passions either through a fond indulgence sparing the rod too much or in a frantick rage laying it on without mercy or measure But it is not so with him who in all his chastisements hath an eye as to our former faults such is his justice so also and especially to our future profit such is his mercy and ordereth all accordingly His blessings are our daily food his corrections our physick Our frequent surfetting on that food bringeth on such distempers that we must be often and sometimes soundly physickt or we are but lost men As therefore a skilful Physitian attempereth and applieth his remedies with such due regard to the present state of the Patient as may be likeliest to restore him to a good habit of body and consistency of health so dealeth our heavenly Father with us But with this remarkable difference The other may erre in judging of the state of the body or the nature of the ingredients in his proportions of mixture in the dose and many other wayes But the Lord perfectly knoweth how it is with us and
dealing with the Iury perhaps get one packt for his turne tampering with the witnesses tempting the Iudge himself it may be with a Letter or a Bribe he will leave no stone unmoved no likely means how indirect soever unattempted to get the better of the day and to cast his adversary You may observe it likewise in Church-affairs A regular Minister sitteth quietly at home followeth his study doth his duty in his own Cure and teacheth his people truly and faithfully to do theirs keepeth himself within his own station and medleth no further But schismaticall spirits are more pragmaticall they will not be contained within their own circle but must be flying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must have an Oar in every Boat offering yea thrusting themselves into every Pulpit before they be sent for running from town to town from house to house that they may scatter the seeds of sedition and superstition at every table and in every corner And all this so wise are they in their generation to serve their own belly and to make a prey of their poor seduced proselytes for by this means the people fall unto them and thereout suck they no small advantage You may observe it also in most other things but these instances may suffice 29. The point thus proved and cleared that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light that we may make some use of it briefly First let me say with St Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marvel not my brethren when you see an evil cause prosper it may be for a long time together and the better side go down as if some strange thing had happened unto you and such as never had been heard in the word before neither be troubled or scandalized at it Fret not thy self saith David at him whose way doth prosper against the man that doth after evil counsels If you would but well consider how solicitous how industrious how smooth and cunning how unanimous they are on the one side how far short they on the other side are in all these and all other like advantagious respects you would soon finde that in the saddest events that ever your eyes beheld there is no matter of wonderment at all Yea did not the powerful hand of Gods over-ruling providence sometimes interpose giving the enemy now and then a sudden stop when they are in their full cariere in the height of their pride and jollity and making good his promises to his poor distressed Church by sending unexpected help and deliverance when they are brought very low both in their estates and hopes we might rather wonder that it is not even much worse with the people of God then it is and how they should be able at all to subsist their enemies having all the advantages in the world against them 30. Let not their successes therefore trouble us Rather in the second place let their wisdome quicken us to a holy emulation Not to imitate their wayes nor to joyne with them in their wicked enterprises God forbid no nor so much as to encourage them therein by any unworthy compliances It was not the stewards injustice but his wisdom that his master commended him for in the parable and that our master in the application of the parable intended to commend to us for our imitation His example should kindle a holy zeal in us and an endeavour to be as wise for spirâ—â—uals and in the business of our souls as he was and as the children of this world usually are for temporals and in the affairs of the world It is no shame at all for us to learn wisdom of any whomsoever 1. Of a poor irrational contemptible Creature Vade ad formicam Goe to the pismire O sluggard and learn her wayes learn wisdom of her 2. Of an Enemy Books have been written by Moralists de utilitate ab inimicis capienda We curse our Enemies many times unchristianly whereas did we seriously consider how much we are beholding to them for the greatest part of that wisdom and circumspection we shew in the managery of our affairs we would not only bless them as we are in Christian charity bound but heartily bless God for them also by way of gratitude for the great benefit we reap by them 3. Yea of the Devil himself Watch saith St Peter for your adversary the Devil goeth about c. as if he should say He watcheth for your destruction watch you therefore for your own security and preservation Thus may we from the worldlings wisdom learn something that may be of use to us and that in each of the fore-mentioned particulars 31. From their Sagacity learn to forecast how to please God to fore-arme our selves against all assaults and wiles of Satan to fore-think and to be in some measure provided before hand of needful and proper expedients for any exigent or cross accident that may probably befall us 2. From their Industry learn not to be slothful in doing service nor to slack the time of our repentance and turning to God to run with constancy and courage to the race that is set before us to think no pains no travail too much that may bring us to heaven to work out our salvation to the uttermost with fear and trembling 3. From their Hypocrisie and outward seeming Holiness learn to have our conversations honest towards them that are without not giving the least scandal in any thing that may bring reproach upon the Gospel to shun the very appearances of evil and having first cleansed the inside well to keep the outside handsome too that by our piety devotion meekness patience obedience justice charity humility and all holy graces we may not only stop up the mouth of the adversary from speaking evil of us but may also win glory to God and honour and reputation to our Christian profession thereby 4. From their Unity learn to follow the truth in love to lay aside vain janglings and opposition of science falsely so called to make up the breaches that are in the Church of Christ by moderating and reconciling differences rather then to widen them by multiplying controversies and maintaining hot disputes to follow the things that make for peace and whereby we may edify one another Thus doing we may gather grapes of thorns make oyl of Scorpions extract all the medicinal vertue out of the Serpent and yet leave all the poisonous and malignant quality behinde 32. Emulate them then we may may we ought It is the very main scope of the parable to provoke us to that But sure envie them we must not indeed we need not if we will but take the Limitation along with us which now only remaineth to be considered and that the time so requiring very briefly How much wiser so ever these worldly-wise men seem to be or indeed are as we have now heard it is but quadantenus and in
some few respects Take them super totam materiam and they are starke fools for all that Very Naturals if they have no Grace The Limitation here in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terminus diminuens and must be understood accordingly The Children of this world are said to be wiser then the Children of light But how wiser Not in genere simply and absolutely and in every respect wiser but in genere suo wiser in some respect wiser in their kinde of wisdome such as it is in worldly things and for worldly ends a very mean kinde of wisdom in comparison For such kinde of limiting and diminuent terms are for the most part destructive of that whereunto they are annexed and contain in them as we use to say oppositum in apposito He that saith a dead man or a painted Lion by saying more saith less then if he had said but a man or a lion only without those additions it is all one upon the point as if he said no man no lion For a dead man is not a man neither is a painted lion a lion So that our Saviour here pronouncing of the Children of this world that they are wiser but thus limited wiser in their generation implieth that otherwise and save in that respect only they are not wiser 33. The truth is simply and absolutely considered the child of light if he be truly and really such and not titular and by a naked profession only whatsoever he is taken for is clearly the wiser man And he that is no more then worldly or carnally wise is in very deed and in Gods estimation no better then a very fool Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world saith the Apostle That interrogative form of speech is more emphatical then the bare Categoricall had been it signifieth as if it were so clear a truth that no man could reasonably deny it What Solomon saith in one place of the covetous rich man and in another place of the sluggard that he is wise in his own conceit is true also of every vitious person in every other kinde Their wisdom is a wisdom but in conceit not in truth and that but in their own conceit neither and of some few others perhaps that have their judgments corrupted with the same lusts wherewith theirs also are Chrysippus non dicet idem Solomon sure had not that conceipt of their wisdom and Solomon knew what belonged to wisdom as well as another man who putteth the fool upon the sinner I need not tell you indeed I cannot tell you how oft in his writings 34. His judgment then is clear in the point though it be a Paradox to the most and therefore would have a little farther proof for it is not enough barely to affirm paradoxes but we must prove them too First then true saving wisdom is not to be learned but from the word of God A lege tuâ intellexi By thy commandements have I gotten understanding Psal. 119. it is that word and that alone that is able to make us wise unto salvation How then can they be truly wise who regard not that word but cast it behinde their backs and despise it They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them saith Ieremy Again The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome and a good understanding have they that do thereafter Psal. 111. How then can we allow them to passe for wise men and good understanding men that have no fear of God before their eyes that have no minde nor heart to do thereafter that will not be learned nor understand but are resolvedly bent to walk on still in darkness and wilfully shut their eyes that they may not see the light 35. Since every man is desirous to have some reputation of wisdom and accounteth it the greatest scorn and reproach in the world to be called or made a fool it would be very well worth the labour but that it would require as it well deserveth a great deal more labour and time then we dare now take to illustrate and enlarge this point which though it seem a very paradoxe as was now said to the most is yet a most certain and demonstrable truth That godliness is the best wisdom and that there is no fool to the sinner I shall but barely give you some of the heads of proof and referr the enlargement to each mans private meditation He that first is all for the present and never considereth what mischiefs or inconveniences will follow thereupon afterwards that secondly when both are permitted to his choise hath not the wit to prefer that which is eminently better but chuseth that which is extremely worse that thirdly proposeth to himself base and unworthy ends that fourthly for the attaining even of those poor ends maketh choise of such means as are neither proper not probable thereunto that fifthly goeth on in bold enterprises with great confidence of success upon very slender grounds of assurance and that lastly where his own wit will not serve him refuseth to be advised by those that are wiser then himself what he wanteth in wit making it upon in will no wise man I think can take a person of this character for any other then a fool And every worldly or ungodly man is all this and more and every godly man the contrary Let not the worldly-wise man therefore glory in his wisdom that it turn not to his greater shame when his folly shall be discovered to all the world Let no man deceive himself saith S. Paul but if any man among you seem to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise That is let him lay aside all vain conceit of his own wisdom and learn to account that seeming wisdom of the world to be as indeed it is no better then folly that so he may finde that true wisdom which is of God The God of light and of wisdom so enlighten our understandings with the saving knowledge of his truth and so enflame our hearts with a holy love and fear of his Name that we may be wise unto salvation and so assist us with the grace of his holy spirit that the light of our good works and holy conversation may so shine forth both before God and men in the mean time that in the end by his mercy who is the Father of lights we may be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in the light of everlasting life and glory and that for the merits sake of Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord. To whom c. AD AULAM. Sermon XVI Newport in the Isle of Wight Decemb. Heb. 12.3 Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself that ye be not wearied and faint in your mindes 1. THere is scarce
and prayers of the poor thirdly the blessing of God upon us and ours fourthly the continuance of Gods mercies unto and the reversing of Gods judgements from the Land 34. In the opening of which reasons I have purposely pressed the duty all along somewhat the more largely that I might not trouble you with any farther application at the close and therefore I hope it will not be expected I presume you would rather expect if we had time for it that I should procâ—ed to examine the usual excuses and pretensions that are made in this case when the duty hath been neglected which Solomon hath comprehended in those few words in the 12 verse Behold we knew it not and withal referred them over for the trial of what validity they are to the judgement of every mans own heart as the deputed Iudge under God but because that may be faulty and partial in subordination to a higher tribunal even that of God himself from whose sentence there lieth no farther appeal This I aimed at in the choise of the Text as well as the pressing of the duty But having enlarged my self already upon the former point beyond my first intention I may not proceed any farther at this time nor will it be very needful I should if what hath been already delivered be well laid to heart Which God of his mercy vouchsafe c. AD MAGISTRATUM· The Second Sermon At the Assises at Lincolne in the year 1632. at the request of Sr. WILLIAM THOROLD Knight then High-Sheriffe of that County II. Ser. on Prov. 24.10 12. 10. If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small 11. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawen unto death and those that are ready to be slain 12. If thou sayest Behold we knew it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soule doth not he know it and shall not he render to every man according to his works 1. WE want Charity but abound with self-Self-love Our defect in that appeareth by our backwardness to perform our duties to our brethren and our excess in this by our readiness to frame excuses for our selves Solomon intending in that particular whereat the Text aimeth to meet with us in both these corruptions frameth his speech in such sort as may serve best both to set on the Duty and to take off the Excuses And so the words consist of two main parts the supposall of a Duty which all men ought to performe in the 10. and 11. Verses and the removall of those Excuses which most men pretend for non performance in the 12. Verse Our Duty it is to stand by our distressed brethren in the day of their adversity and to do our best endeavour by all lawfull wayes to proteâ—â— them from oppressions and wrongs and to rescue them out of the hands of those that go about either by might or cunning to take from them either their lives or livelihoods If 〈◊〉 faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death and those that are ready to be slain From which words I have heretofore upon occasion of the like meeting as this is spoken of the Duty in this place shewing the necessity and enforcing the performance of it from sundry important considerations both in respect of God and of Our selves and of our pâ—or Brethren and of the Thing it self in the blessed effects thereof which I shall not now trouble my self or you to repeat 2. Taking that therefore now for granted which was then proved to wit that it is our bounden duty to do as hath been said but our great sin if it be neglected I shall at this time by Gods assistance and with your patience proceed as the Text leadeth me to consider of the Excuses in the remaining words vers 12. If thou sayest Behold we knew it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it and shall not he reward every man according to his works For the better understanding and more fruitful applying of which words we are to enquire of two things first what the Excuses are which Solomon here pointeth at and then of what value and sufficiency they are 3. Many Excuses men have to put by this and every other duty whereof some are apparently frivolous and carry their confutation with them Solomon striketh at the fairest whereof three the most principal and the most usual of all he seemeth to have comprehended in these few words 1. Behold we knew it not As thus Either first we knew it not that is we never heard of their matters they never made their grievances known to us Or secondly we knew it not that is we had no clear evidence to give us full assurance that their cause was right and good Or thirdly we knew it not that is though to our apprehension they had wrong done them yet as the case stood with them we saw not by which wayes we could possibly relieve them we knew not how to help it 4. These are the main Excuses which of what value they are is our next Enquiry Wherein Solomons manner of rejecting them will be our best guide Who neither absolutely condemneth them because they may be sometimes just nor yet promiscuously alloweth of them because they are many times pretended without cause but referreth them over for their more particular and due triall to a double judicature That is to say to the judgment of every mans heart and conscience first as a deputy Iudge under God and if that faile in giving sentence as being subject to so many errours and so much partiality like enough it may then to the judgment of God himself as the supreme unerring and unpartial Iudge from whose sentence there lieth no appeal Which judgment of God is in the Text amplified by three several degrees or as it were steps of his proceeding therein grounded upon so many divine attributes or properties and each fitted to other in so many several Propositions Yet those not delivered categorically and positively but to adde the greater strength and Emphasis to them put into the form of Negative Interrogations or Questions Doth not he consider doth not he know and shall not he render That is most certainly and without all peradventure he doth consider and he doth know and he will render 5. The first step of Gods judicial proceeding is for Inquisition and that grounded upon his Wisdom 1. Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it As if he had said The Lord is a God of admirable Wisdom by whom are weighed not only the actions but also the Spirits of men and their very hearts pondered neither is there any thing that may escape his Enquiry Trust not therefore to vain Excuses for certainly thy heart shall be throughly sifted and thy pretensions narrowly looked into when he taketh the
better to draw my Sermon towards a conclusion then by observing how the great Preacher concludeth his Eccles. last After he had taken a large and exact survey of all the travels that are done under the Sun and found nothing in them but Vanity and vexation of Spirit he telleth us at length that in multitude of books and much reading we may sooner meet with weariness then satisfaction But saith he if you will hear the end of all here it is this is the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole business of man upon which all his care and employment in this world should be spent So I say we may puzzle our selves in the pursuite of knowledg dive into the mysteries of all Arts and Sciences especially ingulph our selves deep in the studies of those three highest professions of Physick Law and Divinity For Physick search into the writings of Hippocrates Galen and the Methodists of Avicen and the Empericks of Paracelsus and the Chymists for Law wrestle through the large bodies of both Laws Civil and Canon with the vast Tomes of Glosses Repertories Responses and Commentaries thereon and take in the Reports and year-books of our Common-Law to boot for Divinity get through a course of Councils Fathers School-men Casuists Expositors Controversers of all sorts and sects When all is done after much weariness to the flesh and in comparison thereof little satisfaction to the mind for the more knowledg we gain by all this travell the more we discern our own ignorance and thereby but encrease our own sorrow the short of all is this and when I have said it I have done you shall evermore find try it when you will Temperance the best Physick Patience the best Law and A good Conscience the best Divinity I have done Now to God c. AD AULAM. Sermon X. WHITE-HALL at a publick Fast. 8 Iuly 1640. PSALM 119.75 I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled 1. IN which words the holy Prophet in two several conclusions giveth unto God the glory of those two his great attributes that shine forth with so much lustre in all the Works of his providence his Iustice and his Mercy The glory of his Iustice in the former conclusion I know O Lord that thy judgments are right the glory of his Mercy in the latter And that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled And to secure us the better of the truth of both conclusions because flesh and bloud will be ready to stumble at both We have his Scio prefixed expresly to the former only but the speech being copulative intended to both I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and I know also that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled Our order must be to begin with the Conclusions first as they lie in the Text and after that to proceed to Davids knowledg of them although that stand first in the order of the words In the former Conclusion we have to consider of two things First what these judgments of God are that David here speaketh of as the subject and then of the righteousness thereof as the Predicate I know O Lord that thy judgments are right 2. What Iudgements first There are judicia oris and there are judicia operis the judgements of Gods mouth and the judgements of Gods hands Of the former there is mention at Vers. 13. With my lips have I been telling of all the judgements of thy mouth And by these Iudgements are meant nothing else but the holy Law of God and his whole written word which every where in this Psalme are indifferently called his Statutes his Commandements his Precepts his Testimonies his Iudgements And the Laws of God are therefore amongst other reasons called by the name of Iudgments because by them we come to have a right judgment whereby to discern between good and evil We could not otherwise with any certainty judg what was meet for us to do and what was needful for us to shun A lege tuâ intellexi at verse 104. By thy Law have I gotten understanding St Paul confesseth Rom. 7. that he had never rightly known what sin was if it had not been for the Law and he instanceth in that of lust which he had not known to be a sin if the Law had not said Thou shalt not covet And no question but these judgments these judicia oris are all right too for it were unreasonable to think that God should make that a rule of right to us which were it self not right We have both the name that of judgments and the thing too that they are right in the 19th Psalm Where having highly commended the Law of God under the several appellations of Law Testimonies Statutes and Commandements verse 7. and 8. the Prophet then concludeth under this name of Iudgments verse 9 The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether 3. Besides these Iudicia Oris which are Gods judgments of direction there are also Iudicia Operis which are his judgments for correction And these doe ever include aliquid poenale something inflicted upon us by Almighty God as it were by way of punishment something that breedeth us trouble or grief The Apostle saith Heb. 12. that every chastening is grievous and so it is more or less or else it could be to us no punishment And these again are of two sorts yet not distinguished so much by the things themselves that are inflicted as by the condition of the persons on whom they are inflicted and especially by the affection and intention of God that inflicteth them For all whether publick calamities that light upon whole Nations Cities or other greater or lesser societies of men such as are pestilences famine war inundations unseasonable weather and the like or private afflictions that light upon particular families or persons as sickness poverty disgraces injuries death of friends and the like All these and whatsoever other of either kind may undergo a two-fold consideration in either of both which they may not unfitly be termed the Iudgments of God though in different respects 4. For either these things are sent by Almighty God in his heavy displeasure as plagues upon his enemies intending therein their destruction Such as were those publick judgments upon the old world swept away with the floud upon Sodom and the other Cities consumed with fire from heaven upon Pharaoh and his host overwhelmed in the red Sea upon the Canaanites spewed out of the land for their abominations upon Ierusalem at the final destruction thereof by the Romans And those private judgments also that befell sundry particular persons as Cain Absolon Senacherib Herod and others Or else they are laid by Amighty God as gentle corrections upon his own children in his fatherly love towards them and for their good to chastise them