Will as the Center And when man workes to God and for him his act beginnes at the Will but ends at the externall and extreame parts and members 5. In the next place it will follow from the fore going definition that They who loue God haue inward ioy for loue alwayes receiues its obiect with great delight And little doth the world know what melodie the children of God haue in their hearts no stranger can intermeddle with their ioy For from the best intellect and best obiect proceeds the most comfort and the faithfull haue both 6. And lastly we may safely gather that Such people as doe not embrace the Lord and endeuour not still to be vnited to him did neuer truely loue him For the nature of loue is to be alwayes present and to become one with the thing shee loueth Christ louing vs became Emanuel God with vs and hath promised neuer to leaue nor forsake vs. And if Iacob affect Rachel he would be espoused to her For by marriage they are made one flesh vnited in the neerest bond In the next place we come to handle Loue as it hath relation to its obiect Whence we may note that Gods children loue God Doct. 6. This is a short point in words but long in worke soone proued of many confessed yet of a few practised Psal 46. 7. 73. 25. 97. 10. Col. 3. 14. 1 Io. 4. 19. For they haue the best intellect therefore affect the best Reas 1. obiect which is God the acutest eye couets the choicest colours the quickest sence the sweetest smell so the best vnderstanding the best obiect Againe they preferre many Petitions to him and he Reas 2. granteth their desires by the remotion of euill and the donation of good Hence Dauid I loue the Lord because he hath heard my Prayer will we not loue him that neuer denies vs any thing we request Psal 116. 1. Before we apply the point we will lay downe some sound signes inseparable properties of this loue 1. What thing doe we see in God worthy of our affection Trials of the loue of God When the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men to be faire then they made choice of them Doe we loue his attributes of mercy and knowledge and presence and iustice for he that loues God loues all that is in God and seeth nothing but good in him 2. Doe we desire to be acquainted with him and he with vs For this is the propertie of true affection that as we know and would better know him whom we affect so we would be knowne of him that loueth vs they that are strangers in this are strangers from the grace of loue 3. Would we haue God to loue vs reciprocally For if we loue any we would be equally affected of him els our loue should be lost and our ioy not full Is it not so betwixt friend and friend how should it be otherwise than betwixt the sonnes of God and their heaâ—enly Father 4. Furthermore if we loue God we then desire to be like him 1. In nature being conformed into his image 2. In actions too into the consimilitude of his proceedings For we haue such a deepe consideration and good perswasion of what we affect that we thinke all perfection to be in it and to flow from it 5. Againe they that truely loue the Lord thinke all others should doe the same See this in Mary she thought Ioh. 20. 15. others mindes were busied about no other thing but her Lord the Church in the Canticles did the same For they see admirable things in the obiect beloued to be desired 6. In conclusion if God be affected of vs we will vse all meanes to please him to retaine his fauour and doe nothing to discontent him yea the nature of loue is such that it reioyceth greatly to haue any occasion offered whereby it may manifest its vnfeigned affection to the subiect beloued And are these things true then vndoubtedly the loue of Vse 1. God is rare in the world it is not like fire kindled on the hearth of euery mans heart or grasle that groweth in each kinde of ground Euery one will cry he knoweth as much as the Preacher can teach him viz To loue God aboue all and his neighbour as himselfe But what admirable things doe these see in God What desire haue they to know him and he knowne of him that the Lord would loue them or they to become like him in person and action doe they wonder that others do not loue him take they care to please him in al things to offend him in nothing the contrarie is manifest Wherefore whatsoeuer they bragge and boast the loue wee speake of was neuer shed abroad in their hearts this herbe is a stranger from the garden of their mindes Be not then deceiued for if these things be not in truth though not in degree found in thee thou art an hater of him and a louer of profit and pleasure and not of God Davids heart gushed out teares when others kept not his law these themselues rent his precepts like the vaile of the Temple from the toppe to the bottome Dauid set him alwaies at his right hand these neuer haue him in their thoughts David trembled at his word these feare not to sweare by his holy name David did meditate of him day and night these cry Depart from me we will none of thy wayes David made songes to praise him these write bookes and coyne oathes to dishonour him David bad the louers of God to hate iniquitie these call others to commit all villany Shall they then haue Davids portion nay how can they escape swift damnation In the second place seeing wee haue seene what it is to Vse 2. loue the Lord and the true attendants that accompanie the same let vs neuer be at rest or quiet vntill these letters of loue be engrauen on the tables of our affections and imprinted in the leaues of our mindes and to moue thee to this take these directions following 1. We must of necessitie loue something for as no place Motiues to loue God in nature will admit of a vacuitie so all mens affections will couet some obiect then loue God for hee is the best thing Take what goodnesse is in all the creatures it s no more equall to him than a drop of water to the whole Ocean he is all faire and there is nothing vnlouely in him 2. Consider also what a neere vnion is betwixt vs and him hath not he tooke vpon him our nature married vs to himselfe is he not bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and shall not this moue vs to loue him what neerer or more honorable bond what can be of greater force to allure our affection shall the creator thus stoupe to the creature and we not loue him 3. They that loue him shall not lose their labour and is not this something sometime we loue him
for by the first he is re-beloved but by the second in a greater maner the manifestation of affection breedes affection as it is apprehended whether we respect truth or measure This argueth that the loue of many as Lot said of Zoar Vse 1. is but a little one so weake a spring can haue no deepe fountaine so small branches no great vertue in the roote and so feeble a flame no abundance of fewell for causes produce effects proportionable to their internall power doe they not Try then as the truth so the measure of thine owne and Vse 2. thy friends affection by the outward effects he that loues much will declare it by many prayers sundry actions this did Mary to Christ Christ to the people Beniamin must haue better attyre a double portion if Ioseph respect him aboue his brethren Shall Ionathan dye He shall not die if the hearts of Sauls subiects cleaue vnto him If Iesus loue Lazarus he will weepe groane in spirit and cry with a powerfull voyce Lazarus come forth for vndoubtedly such as the heat is within will be the burning without much loue much manifestation of it in words in action Or it may be Paul addeth mercie to grace and peace because that Timotheus was a Minister for the like he doth to Titus and omits it in all other his salutations to the Churches and people in generall to teach vs that Ministers of all men stand in need of mercie Doct. 10. And that not onely in respect of themselues but in regard of their place and calling To whom was this command chiefely exhibited Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull but to the men of God Or why did Elisha pray Let thy spirit be doubled vpon me but to confirme the truth of this Doctrine 2 King 2. 9. Luk. 6. 36. For they are in Gods roome resemble his Maiestie and Reas 1. therefore haue the more need of mercie in abundance Againe they are daily exercised about men in the greatest Reas 2. depth of misery and therefore store of mercie is necessary for such where much is to be vsed much is required This doctrines vse is scarce dreamed of or if it be but little Vse 1. practised Who that is a Preacher from the forenamed grounds seeketh to be rich in mercie Alas wee consider not how we resemble God What miserie the most are in and hence it followeth that Ministers many times are the most mercilessemen This must teach Preachers a lesson worth the learning Vse 2. namely to exceed all men in grace and mercy as Saul did the common people by the head and shoulders for doe they not resemble God Are they not the Wells where miserable sinners are to fill their emptie soules with the water of mercy Doth not each Ambassadour striue to resemble his Lord who sends him If the Preachers pit be dry how can we expect any in the common ditch Are not the Priests lips to preserue knowledge And shall their hearts be emptie of the spirit These haue rather need of a double portion I haue heard of a fire kindled in a towne that tooke hold of every house and passed by the Preachers I would not haue it so in regard of the spirit for how ever the former was accounted a mercie sure I am this latter is an heavie iudgement for all men should runne as the poore to the great mens houses to kindle their turffe at the Preachers Altar Where others striue for double honor double maintenance labour thou for double holines double mercie thus to doe is to doe wisely and but thy dutie neither From God the Father In this phrase two things concerning Doct. 11. God may be observed first that He is a Father God may be stiled a Father either essentially or personally Do ye so reward him O ye foolish people and vnwise is he not your Father This may be vnderstood essentially Deut. 32. 6. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. knoweth that I lie not here it is to be accepted personally Againe he is either a Father in generall or in speciall in generall as he is the Creator and conserver of all creatures hence he is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. Of Angels Iob. 1. 16. Of men haue we not all one Father Mala. 2. 10. And in speciall he is a Father and that of Christ or of the faithfull 1. Of Christ as he is the Word and begot from all eternitie the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set vp from everlasting or ever the earth was Pro. 8. 22. 23. 2. Of Christ by personall vnion Thou art my sonne I to day begot thee Psal 2. 7. Acts 13. 33. And of the faithfull he is likewise a Father in speciall 1. By regeneration Of hâ—s owne good-will be gate he vs by the Word of truth I am 1. 18. Or 2. By adoption Now are we the sonnes of God and haue received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Father Father Rom. 8. 15. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. And haue the faithfull God for their Father in a peculiar Vse 1. manner Then in the first place we may take knowledge of their dignitie David could say Thinke ye that it is a small 1 Sam. 18. 22. thing to be sonne in-Law to a King Was that such a priviledge Then what is this O that the faithfull knew their owne worth Let the faithlesse fume chafe and swell till they burst yet one of these is worth a thousand of them the world is not worthy of such for is not the righteous better than his neighbour How readest thou Pro. 12. 26. Let the faithfull learne hence to know the God of their Vse 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9 Fathers and to serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde will not a sonne honour his Father Must we respect the person of man And shall not wee regard the glory of God who is our Father How if we neglect him Can we be excused Doth not he expect it Deserue it And is it not our dutie to doe it Giue we him then his deserved titles make we mention of his many mercies secke we his glorie learne we his will and doe it for not every one that cryeth Lord Lord but he that doth the will of the Mat. 7. 2â— Father which is in heaven shall be blessed As he is our Father in speciall so let vs honour him in a singular maner the rule of creation requires it much more of re-creation and adoption Againe Art thou a faithfull person Then looke vp to Vse 3. God thy Father expect a worthy portion at his handes Can they that are evill giue to their children good things Luk. 11. 13. and shall not your heavenly Father giue to you the things whereof ye haue need Be not then in doubt but beleeue cry not What shall I eat drinke
corruption beate downe the old man and the new will grow strong and ouer-master him 4. Striue to encrease thy faith For as that groweth thy strength will come The more naturall spirit the more corporall power so the more spirituall strength and ability by faiths increase For as naturall actions are said to proceed from the one so may all spirituall seeme to flow from the other No spirit no motion no faith no power 5. Censure not the weake doe not count him as nothing lest the Lord strengthen him and weaken thee And what 1 Cor. 4. 7. hast thou which another hath not that thou hast not received This is a foule evill in our dayes and haue not such beene met withall yea God often letteth such blood who are so ranke censurers of their weake brethren 6. Vse that power well that God hath imparted vnto thee for by vse it will growe and to such more shall be given God will not giue addition augmentation of strength when as he seeth the abuse of that we haue 7. Adde to all these often and earnest prayer crying with the Prophet firmely sustaine me O Lord with a free or as some reade a Princely spirit Psal 51. 13. For Prayer like the still dew the tender Plants will cause a growth of spirituall strength And of loue Loue being here related indefinitely without its obiect will giue vs full scope to treate of it at large First then it shall be noted that The children of God haue the spirit of loue Doct. 6. This grace by the holy Ghost is shed abroad in the hearts of all good Christians whether publique or private persons not one who is borne againe wants it Rom. 5. 5. 1 Io. 4. 8. For what we had by Creation we haue in part by Regeneration Reas 1. Shall not the second Adam Christ recover for vs by Redemption what we were spoiled of by the first Adams transgression The Apostasie and Anastasie fall and rising againe are equall in this though not in the latitude of their obiect for the fall was of all the restauration is but of some Io. 17. 9. c. Againe Christians are members of Christ and from that Reas 2. vnion haue of his fulnesse received grace for grace Had Adam stood all his seed had participated of what goodnesse was in him shall not those that be regrafted into Christ doe the same in truth though not in measure If it were not thus why should they be said to be partakers of the divine nature Io. 1. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 4. And haue the children of God loue Wouldest thou then Vses be one of them First Learne what loue is and secondly Striue for it Loue is an Act of the Will embracing with delight whatsoever Loue defined is first approoved by the vnderstanding In this Description are six particulars whereof we will speake in order First I say its an Act. For 1. all Divinitie is practicall and consists not in a bare and naked speculation And 2. if loue were a passion as some will and not an action then the promise should belong to the suffering Patient not the working Agent the which were absurd for its a more blessed thing to loue than to be loved because the louer hath a promise for his action but the beloued person none for his passion Secondly And it is an act of the Will not of the tongue or hand for 1. Divinitie is the rule of the Will immediately though of the whole man mediately 2. Againe if loue were not an act arising from the will but from an affection seated in the heart as the most hold then should loue cease in the Saints at their deathes and the Angels never haue it the which may not be admitted Thirdly In the third place we affirme that this act embraceth the obiect beloved For 1. The nature of loue is to vnite it selfe to the thing loued as the hand taketh hold of what the eye beholdeth And 2. should not the Will after its extension be conioyned to the obiect affected it would never be at rest and setled 3. Hatred reiecteth therefore loue embraceth Fourthly It embraceth with delight for 1. As every flower hath its smell so every action in Divinitie is accompanied with delight and comfort none excepted 2. Besides the Will doth imbrace what 's offered to it as good and the fruition of a good thing must needes breed delight else nothing can Fiftly Whatsoever Here note the latitude of the obiect of loue for it may be either truth or errour good or euill person or thing by accident and the reason is 1. In that the vnderstanding may present to the will an apparant truth for the truth it selfe As the silly fish catcheth the counterfeit flie for the naturall through misapprehension And 2. the will may be so much corrupted though it be not deceiued that it may with delight embrace the thing that is euill as we may see in wicked men and deuills Sixtly Whatsoeuer is first approued by the vnderstanding In this sentence we see the order of the wills act for the vnderstanding precedes it in acting as the eye the foote The reason is 1. because of an vnknowne thing there can be no loue or desire and 2. as whatsoeuer is in the inward sence was first in the outward so whatsoeuer thing is in the will was formerly in the vnderstanding It is with the inner man as with the outward The eye may be compared to the vnderstanding the feete likened to the affections and the hand to the will the eye beholds the obiect the feete carrie vnto it and then the hand takes it by acting so the vnderstanding iudgeth then loue coveteth and the Will as the hand worketh for it if it be not possessed if it be then it indeuours to retaine it still Now from this that hath beene sayd many things may be deduced 1. That They that know not God cannot loue him Ignorant Corrolaries from the definition persons haue not the loue of God For from the vnderstanding proceeds sound affection and there is no desire of what we know not 2. That Errour in the vnderstanding deceiveth the affection for loue takes things as they are presented and iudged if the one be deceived the other is also This is manifest 3. Besides I conclude hence that The affection is more worthy than the vnderstanding and the Will than both For that which is for another is of lesse dignitie than the thing for which it is The Sabbath was for man the Woman for man therefore Man is more worthy than either 4. Moreouer this followeth also that The affections doe immediately attend the vnderstanding as we receiue obiects and are in the first act Patients so then they importune the Will like an earnest suiter to worke for what they affect for the Will commands them actiuely When God workes to man he beginnes at the outward and inward sences and ends his worke at the
that growes in grace himselfe and seekes to enrich others with that treasure Wish I doe that there were not some who euvie the Prodigall for his retnure and that thinkes too much grace makes men madde But for preparing a place in heauen for his neighbour let him be one of a thousand that mindes matters of that nature so that wee may say true loue in these dayes is litle and very cold many cry they haue it who neuer yet sought to know it And shall we once imagine that they who quarrell and kill robbe and steale sweare and forsweare drinke and be drunke slander and reproch contend and goe to law as the yong man if he lyed not kept the Commandements from his youth vpward that these loue their neighbours Nay doe they not hate themselues To all these I may say how dwelleth the grace of loue in you Such wee heare say haue learned all that the Preacher can teach them viz. to loue God aboue all and their neighbours as themselues when as they are without naturall affection and haue no sparke of this grace in them But were Christians tryed by the second rule that is to loue one another as Christ hath loued vs we might cry out helpe Lord there is not such a man left for we will not loue where we are beloued our loue is for goods not for doing others good and if we haue any of this water shed abroad in our hearts Oh! how is it mixed with mudde truely our loue is short and shallow weake and often interrupted It is hardly kindled soone quenched beginnes with a flame but suddenly ends in smoke and smother We haue little fewell much quench-coale a drop of water will extinguish our loue a small puffe will put it out Our affections are like a lime-twigge to day they catch a fowle tomorrow they will not hold the softest lightest feathers so that in my hast I had almost said all men are liers who say they haue it for there 's none that hath it No not one Wee talke of it and of professors but let our loue be weighed at this ballance it will be found too light and not many amongst a million to haue any of this fire on the hearth of their hearts for all their boasting Wherefore let vs try our selues whether we be in the loue or no for either we haue in possession or at the least in resolution what hath beene said else we want the loue of God and of man Now if thou finde it in thee after due search blesse God for it follow it keepe it and increase it still But if not let these motiues following induce thee to pursue it 1. He that loueth not his brother is a murtherer and wee Motiues to loue one another know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him We account murther a fearefull thing why all that loue 1 Io. 3. 15. not as we haue said are guiltie of this foule sinne and one day shall be arraigned and condemned for it 2. By loue thou maist try the truth of thy new birth for he that loueth his brother is borne of God and is not this worth the knowing 1 Ioh. 3. 10. 3. Without this loue thou art but a dead man odious in 1 Ioh. 2. 9. the eyes of God and man he that loueth not his brother is dead till now who would bee dead among the liuing how nature abhorres it we perceiue when we view but the dead corpse of our deerest friend 4. Finally loue will expell feare and make a man bold against death the day of iudgement Why doe so many Christians tremble and feare why doe they shrinke and shudder at the remembrance of death alas they want loue either in truth or in degree for perfect loue like wind the chaffe driueth away feare And know this that he who harboureth 1 Ioh. 4. 18. hate in his heart is often struck with horrour but hee who maketh loue his guest is filled with boldnesse For hee that loueth his brother is Christs Disciple and hath a portion in all the prayers of the Saints what need then such a man to feare Then get loue and forget not and if thou doe but ouer-take it at the day of thy death it will recompence all the paines thou hast tooke in thy life And that thou maist loue thy brother obserue these directions 1. Banish selfe-loue out of thy heart say vnto it with indignation Directions for Loue. get thee hence 2. Get a good vnderstanding of the worth of a christian For knowledge of that like a Bee her sting will set on our affection 3. Take a view of the best things in thy brother winke at the worst He that would alwayes pore on the defects in his owne person and not eye the best will in time hate himselfe 4. And last of all consider that Christ comes to thee and is in thy poore brother a Balaam will not beate his beast if once he perceiue the Angell of the Lord to be in him speake by him More might we adde as 1. Labour to be vnited with Christ grafted into him so shalt thou be like minded and receiue of his fulnesse grace for grace affection for affection 2. Striue also to loue God For as a greater circle comprehends the lesser so doth the loue of him the loue of all his children Thus hauing finished our discourse of loue we come to speake of a sound minde And out of the diuerse readings or seuerall interpretations we may deriue a double doctrine first that Christians haue sound mindes Doct. 9. Iudgement wisedome vnderstanding is the portion of euery Christian Godly men are not like moles but resemble the glegge eyed quicke sighted Eagle Isa 56. 10. Hos 4. 6. Mat. 23. 16. 17. Pro. 19. 2. 3. 30 2. Eph. 4. 23. Col. 1. 9. Else how should they wisely be directed in all their actions Reasons A sound minde is to the soule as a quicke eye to the 1. body And doe not good things often goe masked vnder bad 2. names euill clothed with glorious titles Now without a good iudgement truth cannot be discerned errour discouered Also by it are they taught what they may and what they 3. may not doe in their callings For all thinges lawfull are not alwaies expedient Moreouer by it they conceiue of their owne abilitie and 4. is not that needfull What more common euill in these times than to presume aboue our strength Besides when many good actions meete together like 5. the sunne and Moone in one line as sometimes they will a sound minde doth direct which is best to be done which not for the present And is it not that which teacheth them to obserue all 6. due circumstances order manner in doing of good for the excellencie of a thing is in the well-handling of a matter This confutes the doctrine of the Papists who lull men Vse 1. in ignorance
most preferment and the face of man but not one of a thousand in the first place the mercy of God But beloved let vs be of another mind striue we to haue Vse 2. this liquor shed abroad in our hearts to haue a sensible feeling of his tender mercy and sacred affection so shall we eat our bread with gladnesse and drinke our drinke with a chearfull heart be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull to vs vnto our kinred and acquaintance the want of this causeth deadnes of affection doubting in the promise and rebellious disobedience both to God and man for wicked men are alwayes mercilesse men because that none can exhibitie that to another the which he hath not first received himselfe for as mercie is deriued vnto vs we accordingly deriue it to our brethren and now we proceeede to speake of Peace Peace Hence we also obserue that As grace and mercie so peace is a principall thing to be sought Doct. 7. for Take peace in what sence you please it will be worth the having Peace every where is commended and commanded 1. For the peace of God it passeth all vnderstanding 2. Peace Reas 1. with man is no small favour this made the face of Esau to Iacob looke like an Angell 3. In the dayes of Peace we may goe out build houses plant vineyards thriue and prosper 4. How soundly may we sleepe awake with ioy and runne into the Sanctuary when this double garment of externall and internall peace doe cover our beds and round about beset and guard our persons None know the worth of it but such as sometime haue wanted it and beene at warre with God and the creatures Away then with the courses of some who would be counted Vse 1. Christians that thinke not of it care not for it but of far greater blame are they worthie that seeke to set enmitie betweene God and man neighbour and neighbour Doe these seeke after peace Doe they wish it Or rather doe they not shut it out of place and person and set open the gates of warre and strife at all times every where These desire to swimme and fish in troubled waters and of their father the devill are they for his worke they delight to doe But let all the sonnes of peace pray for it entertaine it and Vse 2. make it their onely companion It s of great worth every way profitable What creature covets not peace Ioyeth not in it And shall not the reasonable desire it striue for it To liue and not to haue peace with man is vncomfortable but to be at warre with thy Conscience is most miserable its better not to be than not to haue rest peace Why could not David build the Lords house Why He wanted outward peace Why was Cain so netled in soule Why He had not inward peace Why are so many millions miserable Why They are not at peace with God and doth not experience tell vs that times of trouble hinder Traffique Let vs all then cry with the Prophet for our Ierusalem Peace be within thy wals and prosperitie within thy Psal 122. 7. pallaces Seeke to the God of peace for all kindes of peace Salute we our friends as Paul did his Grace mercy and peace be with you Say we to the house wherein wee set a foote Peace be vnto thee and if it be not worthy thou shalt not lose thy labour for it shall returne to thy selfe And thus much of this Point From the order of these words somewhat may further be observed as that Men without grace haue no true or sound peace Doct. 8. They haue a sound of feare in their eares quake at the shaking of a leafe tremble at the least terrible tydings and like the raging Sea cast vp mire and mudde There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Levit. 27. 36. Isa 57. vlt. Let the cause be removed and the effect will cease where fire is wanting heat will not be had and though some seeme to be ever at peace yet they are never at peace For they are fallen from the Creator God and its vnion Reas 1. with the Creator which giues rest to the creature if the foundation be not firme the building will reele and totter 2. And haue they faith No How then should such purchase and procure peace For onely justification by faith since the fall of man bringes sound and setled peace 3. And as they want faith so they haue no hope whereon to leane that their soules may finde peace 4. Adde to all this a guiltie and naughtie Conscience and how should they partake and be possessed of true-inward peace Gen. 4. 14. Dreame not then that all is peace that seemes so for what Vse 1. peace can a prophane person haue within him that wanteth faith and grace Nay how ever he cary the matter he is at warre within himselfe The wounded Deere runs skips and leapes yet the Arrow or Bullet stinges paines torments at the very heart and before long will cause a fall a death So vnder a chearfull looke the soule may be sorrowfull and all that laugh in the face are not at peace within Who then is he that would haue true and sound peace Vse 2. Let him striue for mercie and grace for as the shadow the bodie heat the fire these follow the one the other Many imagine they haue it yet are fouly deluded deceived I deny not but the wicked may haue a peace but it s not worth the naming for it runnes not from a cleare fountaine it springs not from a sweet root and therefore one drop of this we haue in hand is worth a thousand of that as a litle rose-water a whole glasse-full of mudde 2. It is not constant neither but often interrupted every thunder clap will cause such to quake to tremble and at the last they shall certainly be consumed O that men were wise to gather grace so should they haue peace at their latter end in the meane while be like Mount Sion vnmoueable Graunt that such may haue outward troubles yet they shall haue inward peace that passeth all vnderstanding And now we proceed to another Point Where Paul in all his former Epistles nameth but grace and peace and writing to Timotheus whom he loved so dearely addeth mercie in his Salutation we note that The degree of affection cannot be covered Doct. 9. As the truth so the measure of loue will show it selfe and and not in words onely but likewise in action Doe we not see this in Iacob towards Rachel Ioseph to Beniamin Ionathan to David And the people to Ionathan Gen. 33. 2. and 43. vlt. 1 Sam. 20. 2. c. For the disposition of the heart over-ruleth the outward Reas 1. members and like a strong streame moueth all the wheeles according to its motion 2. As he that loues would declare 2. the truth of it so would he its degree
by Christ and none other Fiftly That faith is not idle but beleeueth more or lesse And Lastly That it is not vnprofitable For the end of faith is that we might obtaine salvation In the second place according to promise wee will proceed to lay downe some proper notes of faith whereby we may the better know it and if that it dwell in vs as it did in Loïs Ennice and Timotheus 1. Let it be remembred that vnfeigned faith hath two 2. degrees of faith Luk. 17. 6. Rom. 4. 19. degrees the one is little compared to a graine of Mustard-seede the other great likened to a ship that is caried with a full gale Againe Note that there bee some things that are common to both of these degrees whether great or litle and others that are proper but to the one of them Those that be common to either be these 1. Faith whether strong or weake is seated in an humble Sixe properties of faith in generall strong or vveake hart It groweth not in any other ground it is not to be foūd in an hard and vntilled soile but in such as the Lord hath humbled and broken to pieces by the plow and harrow of the law Proud hearts and high minds possesse it not Mat. 8. 8. 10. Luk. 15. 21. 2. Againe where it is there will be prayer This tree will haue its fruit this fire will either be burning or smoking and tho a strong faith send out strong cries yet a weake in some modell will not be wanting Euery true beleever is a Prayer Act. 9. 14. 16. 16. Mark 9. 24. 3. Moreouer it will purge the heart where it inhabiteth Faith is like barme it will purifie and cleanse the person into whom it is infused by its proper nature from the filthines of the flesh and spirit or in that it assureth the soule that no vncleane thing shall inherit heauen Therefore it moueth man to be holy Acts. 15. 9. 2 Cor. 7. 1. 4. These two degrees agree in their obiect For they neuer rest vntill they come to God in Christ This is the way they both walke and the onely stay that they both rely and depend on Psal 20. 7. Io. 14. 1. 6. 5. Besides a true faith will apply the promises in particular it resteth not in an implicit or confused kind of beleeving but as the vnderstanding doth distinctly discerne them so doth faith seuerally yet distinctly apply them otherwise to doe were papisticall Iob. 19. 25. Io. 2. 28. 6. Lastly Faith neuer separates the end and the meanes Gen. 32. 28. that tend to it A strong faith will not faile in thus doing nor a weake faith either A false faith doth put iustification Col. 3. 2. 3. and Sanctification mercy and iustice Christ a Sauiour and Christ a Lord a sunder these all be common both to 1 Ioh. 3. 2. 3. the one and the other whether weake faith or strong And those that finde not these in themselues haue no true faith at all A greatfaith hath some excellent properties and effects which are not so proper to a weaker 1. One is to praise God in the greatest affliction Iob. 1. 21. Properties of a great faith 2. Another not to make hast out of troubles but with patience to stay the Lords leysure being assured that great and long afflictions shall do them more good than if they were lesser shorter Isa 28. 16. 3. To indure no deniall in praier vntill the request bee granted to aske feruently Gen. 32. 28. Mat. 15. 24. c. 4. To beleeue beyond all hope or reason in regard of naturall meanes that might produce the effect they looke for Rom. 4. 18. 5. Boldly to preach and professe the truth in the hottest 2 Cor. 4. 13. skirmish of persecution and if neede bee to resist vnto bloud 6. Finally to long and looke for the comming of Christ Phil. 1. 23. vnto iudgement and desiring to be loosed which is best of all These be some attendants that accompanie a great faith For a weake faith is often impatient in small trials forward to make hast both in respect of time and in vsing vnlawfull meanes now and then It liueth too much by sight and sence and doth not mount on high is easie and apt to take a deniall in prayer feareth death iudgment and hell therefore cryeth stay thine hand a while that I may gather Psal 39. vlt. strength before I goe hence and be no more seene They then that boast so much of the greatnes of their faith may here see if they be not deceiued Dost thou prayse the Lord in the greatest troubles with patience stay his leasure in all things admitt of no deniall of thy requests to God in prayer beleeve the promise aboue hope beyond hope and past all hope in the greatest opposition for the loue of the truth shew the most resolution and in a sound apprehension of the vanitie of this world and the excellencie of that to come wishest to be with Christ as the chiefe obiect of thy blessednesse why then it is with thee as it seemeth otherwise not The weake vnfeined faith hath these things to be found Properties of a weake faith with it 1. A true and cleere sight of the want of it Luk. 17. 5. 2. A prizing it aboue all earthly things Mat. 13. 46. 3. An earnest longing after it Acts. 16. 30. 4. A carefull and constant vse of the meanes to obtaine it Acts 10. 33. 5. A resolution to sinne no more Iohn 9. 36. 6. A great sorrow they found the want of faith no sooner Ier. 31. 19. yet mixed with some ioy that now at the last before it bee too late they haue espied it not without this resolution neither that let God doe what seemeth best to his Maiestie yet they will still sue vnto him for mercie He that findeth these things in himselfe findeth a good thing for assuredly vnfeigned faith is rooted in his heart and though for the present it be but as a seed yet before long in the daily vse of Gods ordinances it will spring spread and proue as a great and large Cedar This must comfort those that be weake in the faith that they bee not for the present vntill faith grow stronger in their owne apprehension swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines Now in the third place the lets that hinder men from obtaining Hinderances of faith in the Preacher of this vnfeigned faith are to bee discouered and they are partly to be found in the Preacher partly in the people In the preacher 1. When he doth not preach at all but lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping Of whom I may say as Christ did somtimes of the dumbe Diuell that this kind is not to be cast out but by prayer and fasting Mark 9. 29. 2. When men preach yet rarely as Papists come to Church according to the statute but more to saue their liuings than their owne soules and
their courses They will pray Iob. 27 9 10. in affliction but not call vpon God at all times be humble when God threats lifted vp like the bull-rush if the sunne doe but for a moment shinne vpon them 6. In a word they blesse at the Church curse at home drinke with the drunkard and commend precisenes with the Puritan they are like water that fits it selfe according to the Vessell wherein it is They be all things in shew nothing Mark 12. 40. in substance but thou O man of God flee these things and follow them that call vpon the name of God with a pure hart The next thing whereby this faith is described is in that it dwels it stayes not like a stranger whence it might be noted that Where true faith takes possession it remaines for euer Doct. 3. If it once be well rooted it cannot be remoued Rom. 11. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. For the right hand of the Lord hath planted it and put it Reas 1. into possession Christ hath prayed for it that it may not be dispossessed Reas 2. The spirit doth water it and watch and ward its habitation Reas 3. The soyle wherein it is seated is holy ground the house Reas 4. where it dwelleth is swept and made cleane euery morning Why then should it dye or wither or be cast out by any This confutes the contrarie doctrine of our aduersaries Vse 1. who hold it may decay and perish This also is of great comfort for them that haue it for it abideth Vse 2. and indureth continually And let Sathan and corruption doe their worst it shall neuer perish But before we passe this point a double question may be Quest 1. demanded The one is in what part of man faith is feated the other whether it continue in the world to come for eternity Vnto the first I answer that faiths seat is in the will that Ans 1. is the proper subiect of its habitation And the Scripture seeme to confirme this placing faith in the heart Psal 1 12. Where faith is seated 7. Acts 8. 37. Rom. 10. 10. Yet here is a trope for by hart is ment the will which is in the heart So that if the will bee in the heart and faith in the will then faith may be affirmed to be in the heart example If there be wine in the Butte and the Butte be in the Ship then its a truth that there is wine in the ship For that which comprehendeth the subiect comprehendeth what is conteined in the subiect And the reasons be these 1. Diuinitie is the rule of the will that therefore which is immediatly ruled by it must be in the will as for the body and the parts of it they are but guided by diuinitie at the second hand 2. Faith is said to be the ground of things hoped for now hope is in the heart Therefore faith else make the foundation in one place and the building in another what more absurd 3. Faith must haue a seat where it may haue the best rooting and that is in the will For an error or truth in the vnderstanding is soone remooued but if either passe to the will then they sticke fast as in their proper subiect 4. It is where it worketh And doth it not like a strong hand pull Christ into the heart purifie the heart and worke by loue as by an instrument in its fist that is seated in the heart Gal. 5. 6. They that haue placed faith in the vnderstanding are therfore deceiued We grant that the rules of faith are first in the vnderstanding as of all other arts but faith is not seated there And this may be the cause why knowledge is often put for faith because that must be first or the other can bee neuer And there is also a logicall assent in the vnderstanding of the truth of a thing but that may be found in wicked men Devils For as the externall sence conueyeth species to the internall so doth the vnderstanding put them ouer to the will where faith being resident stretcheth forth her hand and maketh that good which the vnderstanding did iudge for truth For as the eye of the body guides the hand so doth the eye of the mind the will and as we first see then worke so we first know then beleeue And to holde this for a truth seemâ—s to me and many more to be a truth Quâ—st 2. Concerning the continuance of faith there be diuerse opinions Some thinke it ends at death others at the day of Ans iudgement but what if we hold that it dwels in the soule for eternity there can be no danger at al in that but rather on the contrarie And this position hath strong reason which may seeme sufficient to confirme it 1. For doth not the Obiect of faith continue for euer if Whether true faith remaine for euer the obiect then faith For the better vnderstanding of this I 'le stand a litle to explane my meaning We must obserue that in Christ God the Father hath made many promises some of this life others of the life to come those of the first kind cease For man being once made Spirituall hath no neede of corporall food or rayment Now for the other promises we are to consider two things in them 1. The truth of them or 2. The extent of them At the comming of our Lord they shall all be accomplished not one of them shall faile yet there is a promise of continuance in that condition which yet is to be beleeued example My Father doth promise me many kindnesses and at such a day he will giue me a good farme for euer Now in this there bee two things obseruable The one is the time of possession the other the continuance When my Father hath put me in possession a part of the promise ceaseth as it is iust but the other part is still of force and I beleeue my Fathers word and by vertue of that I doe still inioy my liuing and thus it is betwixt God and his children All the promises hee hath accomplished or will at the day of iudgement and then hee putteth his Sonnes into full possession yet haue not they a promise from him to remaine there for euer So that faith doth still continue to beleeue the continuance of that condition which they haue in fruition and no otherwise 2. And is it not comfortable to be assured that as they haue fulnesse of ioy so it shall be for euer Adam was in a good condition in the Garden but God neuer gaue him a promise For his abiding in that estate hee stood was so as he might fall and the euent proued yet the Lord hath giuen vs a sure word that we shall neuer be moued And is it not faith that must by application perswade vs thereof and fill our hearts like a neuer dying spring with vnspeakable ioy What a misery were it for
and her setting on our affections as the Bee her sting but lose our labour and as Paul of the Corinthians are lesse beloued the which makes vs to cry my sighes are many and my heart is heauie But loue God and thou shalt be beloued for in this loue is no losse 4. He onely can giue vs content For as the foote is neuer stable till it be pitcht on firme Land so our affections are euer wauering vntill they be fixt on God who is the first Being the sustainer of the soule 5. Call to mind how he hath loued vs Shall he choose vs from eternity and we reiect him in time Nay rather let his loue to vs worke in vs a reciprocall loue of him and so it will in all his chosen let me but giue warmth to my clothes and shall I not receiue heat by way of reflexion 6. He is alwaies with vs in vs and neither will nor can be absent from vs What a griefe it is experience tels not to bee present with the thing beloued This diuision like Reubens causeth many thoughts of heart For personall presence when friends affect aboue all things is desired and here onely and no where else it is to be obtained Ne thinkes these thinges should like the Load stone yron draw and knit our hearts vnto the Lord were they well weighed But if all this will not let vs further consider this that if he be not the obiect of our affection we shall be the subiects of his eternall wrath and indignation This may suffice to haue beene spoken of loue as it looketh towards God now we will handle it as it hath relation to man where we obserue that The Children of God loue one another Doct. 8. Mat. 22. 39. Rom. 13 8. Psal 16. 3. 10. 15. 10. Reasons This point is but short in speech but long in practise we must owe nothing to any man but that we loue one another Loue is a debt alwaies to be payd yet euer to be owing 1. For are they not sonnes of one father 2. Members of one body 3. Temples of one spirit 4. And heires of one and the same kingdome 5. Doth not the image of God shine in them 6. And are they not beloued of him And shall the creator loue that which the creature will not What then shall we iudge of some among vs that scoffe Vse 1. deride persecute and thinke they doe God good service in putting of his Children to death are these the sonnes of the most high or rather be they not bastards haue such the spirit of loue who hate the holy despise the most sincere religious verily they are as yet strangers and aliants from the houshold of faith and common-wealth of Israel Learne how we are to loue one another that wee deceiue Vse 2. not our selues in this dutie thinking we loue when we doe nothing lesse 1. Rule is As thy selfe Mat. 19. 19. The rule whereby we loue our selues must be the same in louing one another and this may appeare either affirmatiuely in what we will doe for our selues or negatiuely in what we will not doe to our selues for the first affirmatiuely 1. A man will cloth himselfe 2. Feede himselfe 3. Lodge himselfe 4. Prayse God and pray to God for himselfe 5. grow in and gather grace for himselfe 6. And for heauen he will daily prepare and fit himselfe For the second Negatiuely 1. A good man will not quarrell with or kill himselfe 2. He will not steale from and rob himselfe 3. Nor lye and beare false witnesse against himselfe 4. Hee will not vrge and carowse to make drunke himselfe 5. He will not slander and discredit himselfe 6. And lastly he will not goe to law and sute with himselfe But may not one Christian goe to law with another Quest Resol Yes but if it may be hee must preuent it 1. And that by dealing with his aduersarie hand to hand prouing if he may prevaile 2. Then if not tell the case to two or three to see if they can ende the controuersie 3. But if these two waies faile then he must tell the elders of the Church the which as some will are the Presbyterie others all the setled congregation and if they cannot make peace then may a Christian goe to law else it seemes not for Paul checkes the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. for going to law one brother with another But hauing vsed all the former meanes account him thy aduersarie a Publican and no brother if thou canst not winne him appease him The second Rule whereby we are to loue one another is As Christ hath loued vs. Ioh. 13. 34. 1. For order Christ loued vs before we loued him for we loue him because he loued vs first so should wee loue our brother before we be beloued of him 2. In the end he loues vs to doe vs good not that hee receiues good from vs. As Iob of righteousnesse so we say of loue Our loue may profit the sonne of man but if we loue the Lord what receiueth he at our hands Iob. 35. 7. 3. It must be in sinceritie that is not in hypocrisie or dissimulation our loue must be pure not mixed not in word but indeed and truth 4. And we must haue regard to the degree of loue Paul tels vs of the height bredth depth and length of his loue and this will thus better appeare in these things 1. He being God became man that by this his pouerty wee might bee made rich What a degree of humilitie was this 2. He died for vs and herein is the loue of Christ made manifest For greater loue than this can no man shew to lay downe his life for his friends Nay for vs who were his enemies 3. Christ loued vs without measure for who can limit his loue and say hither came it and no further this is a great bredth 4. And he loueth vs for euer in persecution of wicked men temptation of Sathan nor yet the infinite wrath of his father could either stay or interrupt it here 's the length of it without end it is from eternitie to eternitie hath hee loued vs and the quantitie of it is vnmeasurable Should we trie the loue of our dayes by the first rule wee shall finde but little if by the second much lesse for who clotheth his neighbours may not many a member complaine with the head they haue parted my rayment and on my garment haue they cast lots We haue few Iobes or Dorcasses that make coates to cloth the poore Shew me the man that if his neighbour be hungry will giue him meate if he thirst will make him to drinke so our backes be clothed and our bellies filled we forget the afflictions of Ioseph How farre might we trauaile to finde out a Centurion who hath built the poore a Synagogue a Paul who will make mention of his friend Timothie in his prayers night and day Where is he and what is his name
words and moderation of affection worke mightily in others especially in some natures This Condemneth the rashnes and headines of some in Vse 1. our dayes who would haue fire and brimstone to come downe from heauen to destroy the aduersaries Oh! how rate is this moderation of affection to be found in the sons of men I had almost said in my heate and hast there is no moderation at all And if wee well weigh it we shall finde but little For how doe some ioyne house to house land to land So that the poore haue no habitation left them The iudges Isa 5. 8. loue to cry with shame Bring yee The Ministers are not Hos 4. 18. altogether excuseable in this and in too rash censuring blameable How doe many men also stuffe themselues with the Creatures and keepe no moderation at all in their apparelling recreating Doe not some discharge Cannons and drinke carrowses as if the Kings shot and powder were prouided for no other purpose but to make mirth and not to wound his aduersaries One cryeth like Moses Heale her now another with Rahel Giue me sonnes or else I dye a third as David would God I had died for thee and with the Thessalonians millions mourne as men without hope But we omit further reprehension and come to exhortation Let vs all then striue for moderation of affection for it s Vse 2. not the least degree of sanctification And tell me wherein Gods children haue more faild then in this how did Peter misse it many times in many things and Ionah greeue for a guord The Minister must labour for it in the deliuery of the word hee must suffer evill men patiently sowe the seede in his hand and contentedly stay and waite for a blessing informe the iudgement before he worke on the affections or else like the Carpenters pinnes if he strike without boaring his words will fly againe in his owne face And that we may all of vs haue moderation obserue these following rules as remedies If we deale with men they be either whole Churches or Rules for Moderation particular persons We must not separate from those that 1. differ with vs but in Ceremonies we must wisely and moderately carry our selues towards them for the band that tieth vs together is not a bare Ceremony It s want of moderation of affection when men make a rent in the Church spet their Mother if they haue any in the face and count all her children Antichristian These know not or doe not what is required of them Are thou to deale with particular persons why then they are either called or not called if they be called then they be either weake or strong If they be weake in the faith receiue them not for disputation but for edification Few obserue this thing If he befalleâ— theâ— restore such a one with the spirit of meekenes Bones ouâ— of ioynt haue neede of atender fingeâ—ed person What are they without then deale genâ—ly with them at the first for fell opposition driueth them off the further instruct them with meekenes and proâ—e what the Lord will worke that way Wee see that a skilfull Cooke when hee would haue the fire to roste and 〈◊〉 the meate â—he â—t the first layeth it a farre off for thâ—â—eate being lesse â—â— sooner openeth the pores and peirceth to the bone by reason of the small opposition whereas were it at the beginning put too neare it would shuâ—â— the pores scortch the meate and neuer roste throughly â—y reason of the opposite force of the contrary qualities So when wee be to deale with one that 's cold in Religion begin we by degrees vse not too much â—eate at the first least he oppose the more and bee gone Try him if he will be wonne with the gentle words of exhortation I assure my selfe that for want of Moderation in this kind the Magistrateâ— Minister and priuate man haue not beene so profitable and succesfull in their proceedings as they might Obiect But some may obiect they are such as hate and persecute the truth God â—eares so should we hee knowes reprobates so doe Sol. not we he may haue a strange working in it the which wee doe not see he dwells with Angels but so do not we Repl. Oh! but they are Dogs and swine Why then 1. Giue them good example 2. Prouoke them Resol not 3. Pray for them and 4. Doe not finally iudge them but leaue them to the Lord. Thus we come in the next place to speake of moderation in personall iniuries Wherein thou must be very carefull for we loue our selues very well Doe men speake against thee or write against thee avoyd thou all bitternes and immoderate courses Rashnes and heate in this case as I haue especially obserued in some mens writings hath done a good cause harme say with Michael avoiding rayling Iud 9. words The Lord rebuke thee or with Paul I pray God it be not layd to their charge And we must beare with small errors in others and naturall infirmities for this is great wisedome Yet we must not be tainted with their errors but reproue Caution them though our dearest friends I might follow this point further in respect of outward things but a word of all in generall Take heed how thou lettest thy affections loose they be nimble birds quicke spirits and not easily recalled Let them not light and sit long of any stand either person or thing for they will with the more difficulty be remoued When men set them on as the Bee doth her sting or the Cripple leane on his Crutches with all their strength then when the thing they affect is tooke away they fall vpon all foure and are foully be mudded Set them on as Citizens doe their Mastique patches on their faces or as we put gloues on our hands so will there neither be paine or peril in the remotion of them Or doe as he doth by his feete that standeth on the quicke-sands remoue them often by withdrawing the minde from them so when the tyde of trouble approacheth thy affections as his feete will not sticke fast but without danger thou maist plucke them vp and be gone The true cause why the best men haue beene so turmoyld in crosses hath beene the immoderate affection of earthly moueable obiects In conclusion avoyde all counterfeite moderation for Caution it s as bad as immoderate affection and be thou assured that if thou vse either at one time or other it shal wound the heart peirce deepe into the soule and cost thee full deare Learne this lesson now least it proue too late hereafter Having handled Power Loue and a Sound mind as they are absolutely to be considered we come in the next place to speake of them 1. But briefly as they haue dependance on the verse going before 2. As they are opposed to the Spirit of feare and 3. As one hath relation to another And first
we note that Power loue and a sound minde should moue vs to be resolute Doct. 1. in good actions and to stirre vp all other gifts we haue receiued Againe we obserue as they bee in opposition with the word feare that Doct. 2. The Spirit of power expelleth feare For the weaker is easily subdued by the stronger Men of strength will with ease ouercome feeble Infants Besides we collect that Loue driueth away feare Perfect loue casteth it out as another Doct. 3. Apostle writeth 1 Ioh. 4. 18. And this may be obserued also that A sound minde putteth away the Spirit of feare Doct. 4. He that knoweth all the dangers in his voyage and hath skill to guide the Barke will not feare shipwracke Ignorant Pilots so iniudicious Christians are timorous persons Reasons For 1. It will teach a man why he should feare 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 2. What to feare and what not to feare 3. When he is to feare when not to feare And 4. How to feare for kind measure Wouldest thou then not feare as the wicked doe then striue for a sound mind a profound Iudgement And as they depend one on another we gather that Power loue and a sound minde are of absolute necessity for a Doct. 5. resolute Christian Preacher or private person For Power without Loue can worke but will not Reasons 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Loue without power would worke but cannot And Power and Loue can and will but a sound minde is requisite to guide both Woe then to those that stand in the Sanctuary of God to feede his flocke and haue none of the three neither seeke for them It had beene good for such they had gone to plow or Cart. I say no more of them but the Lord haue mercy vpon them In the name then and feare of God let vs striue for these Vse 2. three this cord will not easily be broken Get wee power loue sound minds so shal we be resolute in good courses and fight valiantly the battels of the Lord. Sleepe not with the veyle of darknesse ouer thine eyes couer not thy heart with the mantle of hatred neither be thou like the cripple that is alwaies crawling or relying on his crutches But get thou the annoynting of grace from aboue that thine â—â—es may be opened loue shed abroad in thy heart and strength and nimblenes to run through the whole man Omit not the season neglect not the meanes least thou seeke one day and shalt not be heard And finally we note another thing that Doct. 6. Power loue and a Sound mind are the gifts of God Man by his fall lost all Learne then whom to praise for them if thou best them whither to goe for them if thou want them VERS 8. Be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of mee his prisoner But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God TWo things in generall in this verse are to be obserued The Logicall resolution 1. A Dehortation 2. An Exhortation In the Dehortation are three things 1. What the Apostle dehorts from viz. Shame 2. Whereof Timotheus must not be ashamed viz. 1. Not of the Testimony of Christ 2. Neither of Paul his prisoner And 3. The ground why hee must not bee ashamed is contained in the word Therefore In the Exhortation three things also may be noted 1. To What the Apostle exhorts him and that is to suffer afflictions 2. What afflictions such as accompany the Gospell 3. How he must suffer according to the power of God And the word Therefore may also be a ground to the Exhortation as to the Dehortation The Theologicall Exposition Be not therefore This word therefore presupposeth two things 1. An inference drawne from some precedent reason 2. A thing to be omitted or performed subsequent Ashamed Shame is an effect that followeth the commission of some evill and alwayes is a companion of true repentance But by not being ashamed Paul intendeth more as Boldnes resolution constancy perseuerance Of the testimony of our Lord. That is the Gospel of Christ and it may be called his Testimony for 2. Reasons 1. For Christ did seale it with his bloud 2. Because in the Gospel testimony is giuen of Christ Testimonies are either divine or humane they be inarteficiall arguments hauing little force of arguing or prouing a thing and that they borrow from the artificiall for they haue it not in their owne nature Now the Gospel is a divine testimony and hath great power and authority because the author of it Christ was trueth it selfe and they that penned it were carried by the Spirit and could not erre Neither of me his prisoner There be two sorts of prisons and prisoners spirituall or corporall of spirits or of persons Peter speaketh of spirits in prison where note by the 1 Pet. 3. 19. way that soules departed are in place contrary to the iudgement of some But here is meant a corporall or personall prisoner for so was Paul at that present And he ioynes himselfe with Christ because his cause was coupled with Christs The Exhortation followeth But be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel or Doe thou suffer together for the Gospel This word Partaker intimates 2. things 1. Companions or diuers persons 2. A thing devided or shared amongst them The persons Companions to Timotheus was Paul and others the thing they had part of was afflictions And afflictions are such as either wound the soule or body for man consisting of a double substance may suffer two kinds of torments But man onely can hurt the body not the soule of Paul was in their fingers Of the Gospell Gospel in Greeke is glad tydings and Gospel some deriue of God and speech saying it is an old Saxon word signifying Gods speech or good speech The sense is Endure such troubles as accompany the Preachers and embracers of the word of God and of Christ According to the power of God There is some difficulty in the vnderstanding of this phrase and my Authors say nothing to content me Some vnderstand them thus Being moued by or with the power of God others reade Being perswaded by the Gospel which is according to the power of God that is in which the power of God doth plainly shew and declare it selfe For my part I take this to be the truth that Paul wold haue Timotheus to suffer as he was able and had or should receiue ability from God And hee seemes to answere a secret obiection that might arise in his sonnes heart He might thus reason How am I able being yong and weake to endure such great troubles as accompany Paul and other strong Christians Paul takes away this thus Why Timothy doe thou suffer according to thy power beare what thou art able for that 's all I require of thee or that the Lord will afflict thee withall Being that the Lord hath
that will not drinke good wine out of an earthen vessell or wooden dish Math. 23. 3. 3. Who if any sentence dislike them they reiect all the rest of the Sermon these will no corne if chaffe bee growing neere it 1 Thess 5. 21. 4. Who when a Sermon is twise Preached cast it away meate that hath beene once before serued pleaseth not their pallats Phil. 3. 1. 5. Such as will not speake the truth hauing occasion but seeme worse then they are they had rather be counted wise and wicked then simple and religious 6. Those who will not professe the Gospell because Christians are poore Proud men cast off the fashion when it growes common amongst the vulgar sort Ioh. 7. 47. 7. Who when some fearefull iudgement befalls a man that hath beene forward in religion shrinke backe and are daunted Eccles. 9. These will not to sea for a skillfull Pylot hath beene drowned in it 8. Those that will haue Sermons when they are dead but will none in their life time These take Physicke when the disease is past cure Or would haue a funerall that their friends might be commended who neuer deserued any 9. That of all company care not for the communion of Saints 10. That haue a forme of godlines but deny the power of it 2 Tim. 3. 5. 11. And finally who will none of their sonnes to be divines except he be blind or maymed But beloued Let vs not be of this number but beare Vse 2. witnes to the truth the which is done 2. Wayes 1. Inwardly by louing of it and beleeuing on it 2. Outwardly by confessing it and professing it Rom. 10. 10. Ioh. 3. 33. Rom. 10. 9. Luk. 9. 26. And to moue thee the rather to it 1. Consider that God Moâ—iues not to be ashamed of but to beare witnesse to the Gospel is not ashamed to be our God 2. Christ is not ashamed to call vs Brethren 3. Thinke what an honour it is to be witnesses chosen of the Lord hee hath Angels that would doe it Act. 14. 17. 4. Our disgrace shall turne to our good Rom. 8. 28. 5. We ought to be ashamed of nothing but sin Rom. 6. 20. 6. And Lastly consider what shame they that deny Christ and his doctrine shall vndergoe another day Compare our shame here on earth with that which the wicked must partake of at Christs comming and it will seeme as nothing And that we may be good witnesses and not ashamed What needfull for a good witnesse 1. Let vs get a true vnderstanding of the worth of the Gospell 1. In respect of itselfe and 2. The great benefit that 1. we doe and shall reape by it Get a feeling of it in our hearts 2. We must striue for faithfulnes iustice integrity for 2. they will further vs. 3. Labour for loue to the truth and abandon couetousnes 3. pride pleasure c. for Loue will constraine vs. And 4. Get courage resolution for that will embolden 4. vs. This was wanting in Pilate Now from these Rules we learne that No ignorant covetous vnfaithfull and faint hearted person is either fit or able to beare witnesse of the Gospell and not to bee ashamed Neither of me his prisoner Here we might consider 1. Who was in prison Paul 2. Of whom he was put in prison of the great men of Rome And 3. His dealing towards the Saints in time past before he himselfe was in prison Whence from the person we may collect that They that haue persecuted the Gospell may proue prisoners for Doct. 1. the Gospell Againe that Faithfull Preachers haue beene vsed like Malefactors Doct. 2. And from his Aduersaries that Great mens proceedings are not alwaies according to equity Doct. 3. Iniustice may lodge in the mightiest persons What was Pharaohs course to the Israelites Ahashuerosh towards the Iewes Herods Pilates and the Pharisees to Christ and his Disciples For great men are not alwayes wise neither doth the aged Reas 1. alwayes vnderstand iudgement Iob. 32. 6. Because though they haue knowledge yet iniustice may Reas 2. be executed through couetousnes Felix may take a bribe and Iudas sell his Master for money Act. 24. 26. We must not therefore thinke that all is well which great Vse 1. men doe for they may and haue misled it and might hath and vsually doth ouercome right And let vs not hang our selues on man and make flesh Vse 2. our hope but put our confidence in God whose actions are alwayes iust and equall For God is not a God that loueth iniquity neither can the Almighty peruert iudgement Iobs friends mist it farre crying against him Art thou the first Iob. 25. 7. c. man that was borne Doest thou restraine wisdome to thy selfe hast thou heard the secret counsell of God What knowest thou that we know not and vnderstandest that is not in vs With vs are both ancient and very aged men farre elder then thy Father So some cry we haue such and such on our side What tho may they not be deceiued Againe where Paul put the Saints in prison the time past and is now a prisoner we gather that With what measure we meete to others the very same may befall Doct. 4. our selues Pharaoh was forward to haue drowned Moses and the people yet was not he and his hoast drowned themselues Adonibezek cut off the thumbes of seuenty Princes and was Iudg. 1. 6. 7. not he serued as he served them Let Iacob trip vp his brothers heeles and deceiue him both of his birth right and Gen 27. 35. 29. 25. blessing Laban shall giue him bleare eyed Leah in steed of of faire Rachel and change his wages many times And if David will wrong Vriah in abusing his wife an Absolom shall pring out of his owne bowells to defloure his Concubines in the sight of all Israel For its iust with God to measure to vs as wee haue done Reas 1. Matth. 7 2. to others and hee hath said it and shall hee not doe it Yet it is not alwayes in reuenge but to his as a correction Paul was better in the being a patieÌ„t then an agent in this regard and action is not alwayes better then passion except the ground end the rule by which the act is guided be iust good For we gaine more by Christs passion then by Adams action And the Lord doth this that we might the more warily Reas 2. avoyd sinne and not haue that punishment to fal on vs that hath done vpon others The master sometimes strikes his seruant in the sight of his sonne for a fault committed because he would haue his child to avoyd his steps by the beholding the others correction so what God doth is for our edification and that we might flee sinne and euill This may informe vs how to carry our selues in our troubles Vse 1. we must not lay the fault on him or her
spirit extraordinary effectuall calling is immediately by the spirit without the word The calling here is effectuall and in respect of Pauls manner of being called seemes extraordinary though not so in regard of Timotheus Act. 9. Vs. That is me Paul and thee my sonne yet all the elect either haue beene or shall be called with an holy calling With an holy calling Here 's another distinction of callings Holines it is either personall or by imputation So God is called holy Yea he is holines it selfe Personall holines is either inherent or actuall and both these are to bee found in the subiects of this calling though not perfectly yet in some degree Besides imputatiue holines is double also 1. When Holines imputed 1. to persons 2. things Christs holines is made ours for hee is our sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. And as our sinnes were made his sinnes and hee became a sinner by imputation so his holines is made ours and we without sinne by imputation Finally holines is ascribed to the word to the Sabbath and many other things because they are causes of holines or times wherein we are specially commanded to serue God in the duties of the first table or in that the things be not applyed to a common vse and in some one of these senses or other as wee shall heare more anone this calling is said to be holy Not according to our workes That is not for the prevision and foreknowledge of mans faith or merits But according to his purpose and grace viz. Freely and of his meere mercy and from no other ground Which was giuen to vs in Christ Iesus before the world was 1. Here Paul giueth a strong reason why their workes were not the cause of their calling in the word Giuen for a gift must be free and 2. He draweth another from the time it was giuen viz. before the world was 1. From all eternity And amongst many other arguments this is not the The Metaphrase least for to moue and instigate thee to preach the Gospel to beare witnesse to the truth to partake of the afflections which I and others suffer in as much as the Lord of his meere grace and favour before any thing had a being and without any regard at al of thy faith workes or merit hath freed thee from all dangers placed thee in a good condition and in time called thee effectually by his blessed Spirit with such an honorable and holy calling as he hath done me and will also preserue thee to his heauenly Kingdome through the Redemption of Christ his sonne our onely Saviour and Mediatour If we hold this verse as a digression from the former matter The deductioÌ„ of doctrines then this poynt will follow that A Digression is warrantable either in words or writing Doct. 1. And the Scripture else where doth confirme this proceeding Gen. 4. 23. Isay 7. 16. For it is a meanes to stirre vp better attention and to Reas 1. draw the Auditors more strictly and respectiuely for to giue heed to what followeth The Hawke sometimes goeth afarre off that shee may get the wind and bee better able at the stoope to strike and catch her prey And this Crypsis in preaching may be vsed Againe the Spirit of God may draw the tongue sometime Reas 2. to speake what we haue not purposed for the good of some particular person who is in the assembly and some present occasion may minister iust occasion to doe the same as wee see and know by our daily experience Then let not the Auditor be too forward in censuring the Vse 1. preacher for digression from the matter in hand for God may haue a secret hand therein that we for the present are not â—ware of for the comforting or conuerting of some person present And this may warrant the Minister in this kind of proceeding Vse 2. Cautions for Digressions Yet Cautions must be observed 1. See it bee not for want of study through idlenesse or thy owne neglect and carelesnes to be well provided 2. Forgâ—â— not to returne to thy former matter and purpose for otherwise a iudicious Auditor wil feare as Sauls father did him when he had long sought his Asses that the preacher hath lost himselfe Againe where Paul in the former verse and the last word thereof hauing named God doth in this make a description of his goodnes we note that It is vsuall with good men when they name the Lord to make Doct. 2. mention of his mercies or some benefit they haue receiued from him For they would haue him to receiue all glory We vse in Reas 1. the naming of our friends to make mention of the kindnes we haue receiued from them to shew our thankfulnes and that they might be praised Againe they would not haue the Lords name tooke vp in Reas 2. vaine or be profained and the more they can speake to his praise the more inward comfort they haue Wee ioy in the commendation of those wee most affect so doe the children of God in the due prayse of their father Would to God that this were the custome of our country Vse 1. but with too many it is not We vse his name but alas how often in vaine not once making mention of the least of his mercies nay it were wel if some did not first sweare by it and next declare what villany they themselues haue committed But if we would glorifie our heauenly father haue Vse 2. others to speake to his praise shew foorth our thankfulnes and haue much inward comfort let vs couple his name and his mercies together and hee that doth this shall haue a secret and hidden ioy stirred vp in his heart Is it not vsuall that if we speake much of a friend and his fauours to vs for others to say Sure you are beholden to or you are in loue with such a one wil not such sayings make vs right glad In the third place if we consider these words as they are a motiue cause and depend on the former then this is the doctrine that will follow that He who would not faint but suffer affliction is still to haue an Doct. 3. â—ye to his Salvation Moses had respect to the recompence of reward and thereby was moved to suffer affliction with the people of God for a season The Saints looked for a better resurrection therefore endured Racking sawing asunder and resisted vâ—to bloud The forerunner and finisher of our faith Christ our Lord he setting before him the glory provided for him endured the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 11. 24. 35. and 12. 2. Because varying of the obiect varieth the minds motion Reas 1. Psal 40. When Dauid considered his misery hee cried out I am poore and needy but when he thought on the affection of God towards him he altered his ioy and note saying Yet the Lord thinketh on me Besides saluation is a
Gods purpose and promise But we haue need of Heb. 10. 36. patience that after we haue endured wee might receiue the promise Art thou in bondage with Ioseph there is a time to set thee free in a strange country Why Hâ—rod is yet aliue that would seeke the childes life what if thou be in want cannot the Lord feede thee in the wildernesse Art thou persecuted why one day thou shalt be blessed if it be for well doing Doe men condemne thee without cause Are the wicked set vp and they that tempt God deliuered Do Mal. 3. 15. Isai 59. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 14. such as refraine from evill make themselues a prey And because they run not to the same excesse of ryot as others are they badly reported of what of all this the day of tryall is at hand and euery secret thing that God hath in his secret counsell purposed or in his word revealed promised shall be accomplished Truly this must support thee comfort thee and create patience in thee for yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry and reward euery man Heb. 10. â—7 according to the works he hath done in his flesh good or evill Thinke thinke thinke on this thou shalt soone see 2 Cor. 5. 10. an end of all thy troubles and thy desire accomplished vpon all the Lords enemies But is now made manifest Where let it be obserued that We are to take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation Doct. 2. The faithfull haue obserued the distinct acts of Gods prouidence from the beginning of the world vnto this day We are sent to the Crane and the swallow and the Hawke that flieth in the South shee flieth from the pinching cold of the North for the heate of the Sunne in the South or when she is in casting her feathers they doe pricke and tickle her therefore she spreadeth her wings on the South that the Sunne might ripen and further them the more in growing so she should be heated Ier. 8. 7. Iob. 12. 7. Prou. 6. 6. Gen. 32. 10. c. For in so doing it will yeeld vs matter of thanksgiuing Reas 1. why are we so barren in the praise of God we doe not consider what great things the Lord hath done for vs. David from this ground cryed out What shall I render vnto Psal 116. 12. the Lord for all his benefits It would strengthen our faith for future time worke in Reas 2. vs patience contentedly to waite the Lords leysure as we see in the Prophet Manoahs wife and many others Psal 42. 5. Iudg. 13. 1 Sam. 17. This iustly taxeth many in our times who neuer thinke Vse 1. on the dayes of old neither take knowledge of Gods gracious visitation How few dreame of this duty and rare be those men that minde it We are worse then the vnreasonable creatures who sing in the spring bathe in the summer and praise God in their kind by a secret instinct of nature yet man endued with reason the Prince of all created things for whom all other creatures were made mindeth not this duty And if this be our duty Why let vs doe it Cast thy eye Vse 2. backe as farre as the Creation take a view how often the Lord visited his people how he hath from time to time performed his promise and effected his purpose for this is worth thy labour why are we so ingratefull vnfaithfull distrustfull and alwayes repining Alas we consider not the distinct acts of Gods prouidence ouer vs. I haue woundered at Iob for he began with God and went hand in hand from his Conception with him vnto that very day obserue his words Lord thou hast powred me Iob. 10. 10. c. out like milke thickened me like curdes clothed me with skin and flesh fenced me with bones and sinewes thou hast giuen me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserued my spirit Be thou this iust mans scholler for neuer canst thou learne and practise a more comfortable and profitable poynt of doctrine For it will humble thee breed admiration in thy heart strengthen thy weake faith worke in thee loue to God and cause thee to prayse him with delight all thy life long We take a view how the beast moue vpon the earth birds flie in the ayre fishes play in the waters and the Sun and Moone run their course in the firmament and shall we haue no eye to him that created all these moveth all these and is present at and worketh daily in all these by all these Surely surely this is not well done therefore to be speedily amended and the rather in that we haue failed so long so often David forgot not that some time he kept ewes with yong Moses that he had beene a sheepheard Amos a fig-gatherer and Shaphat that he had followed the plough and shall wee forget from what pouerty we by God are advanced to great promotion All your progenitors haue not worne gownes of purple and scarlet beene Rulers in Cities and Corporations neither tasted of the powers of the world to come therefore let the gracious visitation of Gods good hand neuer depart out of your mindes The time of this appearing is to be vnderstood vnder the law but cheifly in the dayes of the Gospell whence we doe deduce this doctrine that The estate of the Church is more glorious since the comming Doct. 3. of Christ then before him And for many Reasons First in respect of the Iewes Reas 1. For first Circumcision was removed which was full of torment it made Zipporah to call Moses bloudy husband yet many Exod. 4. 25. be so ignorant that they know not this priviledge Secondly The Ceremonies and sacrifices which were chargeable were abolished we haue the body in stead of the shadow the substance for the circumstance Hence Paul stiled Gal. 4. 9. them beggerly and impotent rudiments And if we must not come into the Temples but bring our Lambs and Rams we then would see the priviledge we enioy Thirdly The Iewes before his comming were in great slauery the Romans gouerned by 70. Elders the Scepter was departed from Iudah and the Pharisees had corrupted their doctrine Herod sought the babes life for feare a King should rise vp to the Iewes of the family of David and they had heauie burdens imposed vpon them the which they were not able to beare Fourthly Christ came of their flesh and was not that an honour For many desired children and esteemed it a curse to be barren vnder the law because each one hoped to haue beene the Mother of our Lord. And did he not first preach to that Nation wrought miracles amongst them and doe many great workes there Now his first fruits were to be respected Reas 2. Math. 15. 26. Rom. 11. 17. and 3. 29. And secondly in respect of the Gentiles it was more glorious for First They were dogs before but now God
who make Pictures Lay-mens Vse 1. bookes and they defend that it giues no occasion of Idolatry I say no more then cutting of throates doth of murther or running into the fire of burning This must teach all of vs to haue regard to what is written Vse 2. To the Law we must and to the Testimony This is the surest way to keepe our selues from all idolatry and superstition for what is superstition but that which is aboue the Supra statutum stitute The next poynt is this that The words of the patterne are to be sound words Doct. 5. Sometimes the Word is called Pure holy precious wholesome tried sweete good and the like all which presuppose soundnes sincerity Psal 12. 7. Prov. 30. 5. Rom. 7. 12. For if the words be not sound the patterne cannot but Reas 1. be vnsound When poyson is mixed with good meates and wines it spoiles all so when the words be not wholesome the 〈◊〉 and forme of doctrine is defectiue one rotten post maketh a weake building We must be transformed into the doctrine and as the Reas 2. spirit in the meate we eate is turned into ours so must the Word we reade or heare be converted into vs. Rom. 6. 17. And if our spirituall food be not wholesome our soules will grow sicke and dye This taxeth the Familists who haue words neuer heard Vse 1. of but from themselues As Manified Godified fulcom throw-breakings and the like So the Papists they fetch the milke of the Word out of the breasts of the Whore as Masse Pope our Lady Cardinall Iesuite transubstantiation and many more We read of Canaanites Iebusites c. Of which number these may well be reputed They cry out against vs for strange words as Companation impanation circumpanation But we all abandon them with transubstantiation But may we not vse words that be not in Scripture Quest Answ Yes But the sense must be there as if we say faith onely iustifieth c. But here the Papist with an open mouth calleth vs Heretikes and say wee neuer reade faith onely in Scripture Well this onely would I aske them is Christs exposition true Is it imitable Then we may say faith onely it being a truth though onely be not added For it s written Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him which latter phrase Christ turnes him onely shalt thou serue Math. 4. 10. Luk. 4. 8. Sure they had best now they know it to correct Christs words and say Onely is not in the Hebrew Text. But these exalt themselues aboue all that is called God And therefore the very Antichrist And as here we be taught to avoyd vnsound words so Vse 2. we must truely vnderstand the words els though words be good the sense will be bad The Papists vnderstanding Grace which is the free favour of God to be that which is habituall in vs and righteousnesse imputed for inherent holinesse or created righteousnesse for iustification haue by that meanes made such a patterne as we may boldly speake is not onely dangerous but damnable A patterne of their prescription in stead of saving poy soneth Which thou hast heard of me Whence it followeth that Apostles are to prescribe Patternes Doct. 6. A No man vnder the degree of a Prophet or an Apostle may prescribe Gods Church and Children patternes See Ephes 2. 20. Math. 28. vlt. For they know like skilfull Physicians all the diseases Reas 1. of our soules and like cunning Painters they vnderstand the very height breadth length bayre complexion and age of our spirituall man and so doe no other therefore the fittest to prescribe patternes to giue vs receipts They onely had the hand of Gods spirit to guide their Reas 2. Pensill for they spake and gaue their patternes as they were carried by him otherwise they might haue erred now they could not therefore they onely can prescribe true patternes 2. Pet. 1. vlt. And here againe I might meete with Pope and Papist Vse 1. who haue made more false patternes by the vsurpation of authoritie then there be lies in their leaden Legend or false stories of theirs in the three Bookes of the Lady of Loretto But blessed be God they shall prevaile no longer with many for their madnesse is evident to all wise men I will not stand to name them for they be like so many leprous persons wrapped in menstruous rags stinking reliques Pittie such Painters abandon their patternes And here we learne a double Vse First that we take not Vse 2. vpon vs to prescribe patternes wee are neither Prophets nor Apostles Secondly Learne the knowledge of the true patterne and draw the picture of thy life by that for they were directed by the Holy Ghost they could not misse their draught and there is no word or thing that can truely settle thy soule and quiet thy heart but the words of Prophets and Apostles Keepe then this patterne which thou hast heard In faith and loue According to our former exposition of these words we collect this Doctrine that By faith and loue the patterne of sound words is kept and observed Doct. 7. These two are often coupled together and pressed by all Psal 27. vlt. An◠186 1. the Prophets and Apostles Cotoss 1. 4. 23. 1 Thes 1. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Phil. 5. 6. Rev. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 1 Ioh. 1. 2. 3. Iohn the loving Disciple treats still of loue For by faith we beleeue that God is and a rewarder of them Reas 1. that serue him Faith beleeueth the Law Gospell the threats promises And therefore it s said Without faith its impossible Heb. 11. 6. to please God And by faith we liue quench the fiery darts of the Deuill are iustified overcome the world and be saved And whatsoever is not of faith performed is said to be sinne Rom. 14. 23. So that Faith is necessary to keepe the patterne For it purifieth the heart inwardly and is the true ground of all outward and acceptable obedience And for Loue that 's needfull also For Loue helpeth attention strengtheneth the memory Reas 2. setteth the Will aworke vniteth to God and Man and therefore t is rightly said that By loue we fulfill the Law For Rom 13. 10. without this affection our best actions neither please the Creator nor be profitable to the creature Loue hath foure principall properties Properties of loue 1. It will make vs goe speedily about good duties how did the women run to the graue Sichem make haste to be circumcised And Christ raise vp Lazarus quickly and Loue constrained them 2. Loue will endure sorrow Christ through loue layd downe his life for vs the Apostles for their brethren it suffereth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4. c. 3. Loue seeketh revenge Shall he make our Sister a Whore Gen. 34. 31. And it will breake a good heart by taking revenge
on it selfe for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father 4. Finally Loue with godly sorrow will make the man of God pine away Amnon did thus for the loue of Thamar and we must know that true Loue hath the like yea stronger operations In a word Loue will produce admirable effects of patience bountifulnesse long-suffering and passing by of great and many wrongs and iniuries So that no Loue no observation of the patterne And here we see that men without Faith and Loue can Vse 1. doe nothing that is good before God Paul desired to be kept out of the hands of men without faith for he accounted them vnreasonable and evill 2 Thes 3. 2. Would we then practise the Apostles doctrine then let Vse 2. vs striue for faith and loue these two support the estate of a Christian as the two pillars did the house of the Philistims if these be removed the foundation of our obedience and salvation faile and fall Faith and Loue include all the duties of the Conenants of grace and all the Commandements are reduced to Loue for at the beginning wee were created Note in Loue the breach of the Law set all enmity so the observation of it produceth amitie hence Loue is stiled The bond of perfection Many boast of their great faith but wee may say of their Loue as Lot did of Zoar that it is a very little one for who of Loue to God escheweth euill and doth good or of affection to man passeth by a fault and is liberall He that would soare to heauen wanting either of these may assoone see a bird mount on high and take her stand who wanteth one wing Faith like the hand taketh hold on Christ and Loue like the feete must carry vs to him And amongst many other duties What a fearfull thing is it to come to the Lords Supper without faith or affection to God and man We will not come at the earnest invitement of an enemy to his Table for feare of danger or dislike Yet when we are haters of God and our neighbours too liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another wee stay not our steppes But doe not such persons eare their owne iudgement For they want that wherewith they should feed truly on Christ or giue them an appetite to this food if they haue not affection and faith for as the mouth and stomacke be to the body so be Faith and Loue to the soule Thou wilt say How may I know when an action is Quest done in faith and loue If it be done in faith 1. Thou must be in the faith that Answ What action is done in faith is in Christ and Christ in thee 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2. It must be guided by the rule of faith 2 Pet. 1. 19. 3. It must be done with faith not doubtingly Rom. 14. 23. 4. And last of all it must be done to the obiect of our faith viz. in obedience to God in Christ and for his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. If an action be done in Loue. 1. It s done so freely that What in loue there is not the least expectation of any future recompence Gen. 23. 15. 2. So secretly that if possible none might Math. 6. 2. ever come to the knowledge thereof 3. So cheerefully as there is equall or rather greater ioy in the doing then Ruth 1. 13. 2 Cor. 9. 7. Philem. 10. receiuing of the like fauour 4. So affectionately that the more good we doe to any the more wee finde our hearts enflamed with the loue of that person These foure things accompany an action done in the truth of affection For a good heart is constreined by loue it will vpbraid no man it knoweth that its better to giue then to receiue and it neuer waxeth weary or repenteth for well-doing And there cannot be a surer signe of an heart sprinkled with loue then to reioyce that it is willing and able to doe good to God or man If we take the words in the other senses then these be the points to be collected First that The essentiall parts of a Christians patterne consist of faith Doct. 8. and loue Againe that All our actions are to be done in faith and loue Doct. 9. Quest 1. Why Faith before Loue 1. Because faith is the roote loue the branch 2. Salvation Answ is tyed to the Gospell the principall obâ—ect of faith Why both faith and loue Quest 2. Ans 1. For faith or loue alone is not sufficient 2. Because the one hath regard to the fulfilling of the Gospel by the obedience of faith but the other looketh to the Law which is perfected by Loue. Which is in Christ Iesus From the fourefold interpretation we may note so many Doctrines 1. That Faith and loue are giuen to man of God through Christ Iesus 2. That Faith and loue in Christ should stirre vs vp to keepe the patterne 3. That The obiect of faith and loue is Christ Iesus 4. That Faith and loue are comprehended in Christ Iesus And whereas our Apostle hath now brought in this phrase fiue severall times in this short Chapter we may note diuers things worthy our instruction 1. That We are hardly brought to beleeue that all grace and mercy comes through Christ Iesus Diuine truths are not easily beleeued 2. That The best things may often for good ends be mentioned 3. That When we speake of any grace or fauour receiued wee should consider through whom it is conveyed to vs. viz. Christ Iesus 4. That The often repetition of the same thing is profitable 5. That What the people most naturally are prone to doubt of that is principally and often to be Preached 6. That An holy heart is not weary in writing or speaking the same things often VERS 14. That worthy thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs. IN these words Paul persisteth in the exhorting The Logicall resolution of Timothy and hauing perswaded him to keepe the patterne in the former Verse it seemeth he now would haue him to be carefull to keepe that whereby the patterne of sound words may be kept by him 1. We may here also obserue to what he is exhorted and that is to keepe 2. What he must keepe and that 's called a worthy thing committed c. 3. Whereby he is to keepe it or the meanes whereby he came by it is laid downe which is the Holy Ghost The which Holy Ghost is said 1. to dwell 2. the place is mentioned where viz. in vs. That worthy thing or that good thing By thing no doubt The Theologicall exposition is meant faith and loue and the graces of the spirit so that this Verse serueth to confirme that exposition we gaue in the former And thing is put for things as tree for trees Gen. 3. 2. worke for workes Psal 95. 9. Heb. 3. 9. Ship for Ships 1. King 10. 22. compared
with 2 Chron. 9. 21. Which was committed to thee The word in the Greeke here vsed is the very same which is in the 12. Verse and it properly signifieth a Deposition or thing committed to our trust and faithfulnes If you say that this Exposition crosseth that in the 12. Verse where we did interpret it of Pauls soule or saluation the answere is this he that preserueth faith and loue and the graces of the Spirit in him shall be saued and they that commit their soule and saluation to God are carefull to preserue grace within them for the one is a meanes of the other And there could be no danger in expounding this good thing to be the soule for its a good thing and by Christs affirmation more worth then the whole world But the gifts of the Spirit is the truest interpretation Keepe Or hold fast that is cherish preserue haue in safetie By the Holy Ghost These words may haue a double 〈◊〉 If we read them as some doe thus That worthy thing which was committed to thee keepe by the Holy Ghost then the holy Ghost may seeme to be he that committed this worthy thing to vs that dwelleth in vs which is a truth but the other I take to be the naturall meaning for Paul informes Timothy how by whom he is to keepe that worthy thing and he tells him that is done through the holy Ghost By the Holy Ghost is to be vnderstood the third person in the Deity Which dwelleth in vs. The Spirit here is described by 3. things 1. That he is holy 2. By an effect he dwelleth 3. By the subiect place where and 't is said to be in Timotheus and Paul and in euery beleeuer also he dwelleth As I haue lately perswaded thee to keepe the patterne of The Metaphrase sound words so now I likewise exhort thee as a meanes for the performance of that dutie that thou cherish encrease and hold fast the good and worthy graces of God committed to thee and that are within thee And for thy better direction I would haue thee to know that the onely way whereby they are preserued is through the holy Spirit of God that hath his a blode and dwelling in me and thee That worthy thing The poynt hence is plaine which is that The graces and gifts of God are good and worthy things Pro. 3. Doct. 1. 14. 15. Luk. 14. 34. Phil. 1. 6 The causes of them are holy and good For the chiefe efficient Reas 1. cause is God and is not he good the instrumentall is the Word and Preachers and are not they good Indeede Heb. 6. 5. wicked Ministers for the most part beget men as Adam did after his fall in their owne image yet as he is a man sent from God and in regard of his calling he may be called good and doe good And from their effects they may be called good for they Reas 2. make him good before God in whom they be they doe stirre vp and enable a man to doe good they will weaken all euill in that person where they dwell they will make our actions good and neuer leaue vs vntill they haue brought vs to perfection of glory Here are those reprehended who neuer had any care to Vse 1. possesse these worthy things Nothing in man or out of him that is of greater worth and nothing lesse regarded We doe count that person blessed that hath his house hung with rich Arras his chests full of gold and his barnes stuffed with corne and yet we neuer haue esteeme of these excellent and rare things Truely the least degree of faith is more worth then all the gold of Ophir a remnant of true loue then all the gay garments in the world Hope of heauen will more reioyce the heart of Dauid then his scepter and kingdome But men doe not thinke so neither will they haue it so yet the day of death like an equall Ballance shall declare it to be so This may serue to comfort the poore man who like Peter Vse 2. hath neither siluer nor gold Hast thou faith and loue and hope and zeale that all the world quarrell with then thou hast cause to reioyce and be glad Many wish to be as wealthy as such and such But what Art thou a poore Christian and hast thou grace Why then except he haue it too thou art richer then he One is rich in goods voyde of grace thou hast grace but wantest riches wouldst thou change estates with him No no then be content and of good comfort Are they worthy things Then put them to the best vses Vse 3. and abuse them not Its pitty to heare how many men lay their faith to pawne and pledge their hope for every trifle crying By my faith t is thus As I hope to be saued it s not so nor so Is this well done and will our master take it well at our hands that his graces and gifts be thus employed I trow not Wee make great stirre before wee lay to pawne our chiefest Iewells yet we let our faith goe freely which is more worth then all And it is to be feared that God will seuerely correct this or we may doubt rather that they who doe thus haue no faith or hope at all for if they haue they know the worth of it and how they came by it and whatsoeuer many iudge it s not easily gotten But such play the Logicians and make a distribution saying They sweare but by their Ciuill faith not by that which iustifieth I answere first that this distinction will not iustifie them Againe how shall a man know when they sweare by their civill faith Sure they sound alike therefore they must giue another accent or tone els they may and others too be mistaken But when will such be wise Is it not the greater offence to place the meaner and baser thing and creature in the Creators roome Let them iudge And in the last place seeing these be worthy things Let Vse 4. vs all labour to possesse them for of how much more value a thing is by so much the more we should striue to obteine it And to perswade vs hereunto Let 's consider to what they be likened Grace is compared to fire to water to food to ayre and to gold and siluer Is it not a misery to want fire to warme vs water to wash and refresh vs food to nourish and to strengthen vs ayre to breath by and to coole vs and gold and siluer to enrich vs We could not but thinke him a poore man that a miserable place where all these be wanting and shall wee not see our owne woe when we doe not enioy these things All our sacrifices are to be seasoned with this salt boyled in this liquor rosted with this fire if acceptable to Christ or profitable to his members See then the worth of the one by the want of the other Haue wee not now time and
meanes to furnish our selues But will this winde blow this tyde returne this fire descend and this treasure be got when we expect it desire it No such matter Then take the oportunitie leost the time come and the evill dayes approach wherein we shall say that are haue no pleasure in them And let the rarenesse too of this thing worke in vs some desire to endeuour for it For all men haue not grace and faith it s sowne but in few Countries and where it is it s not found growing in each mans grounds Wee say that things farre fetcht and deare bought are the greatest dainties Why doth not this treasure come from farre and what Ship could bring it to vs except Christ the Lord What could purchase and ransome it but the precious bloud of the Sonne of God Will not these things allure thee Why then beware least the Lord haue a purpose to kill thee Keepe The thing we note from hence is this that Grace once gotten is to be preserved Doct. 2. We must hold fast the good gifts we haue and neither suffer sinne or Sathan to plucke them out of our hands And every where we are bid to grow therein Revel 2. 25. Heb. 6. 6. 2 Pet. 3. vlt. Lude 21. Because if grace grow weake the patterne will not be Reas 1. practised When all the parts of the naturall body be in a consumption can we walke and worke in the duties of our particular callings And if the New man waxe pale and pine away the pathes of Gods commands will not be run or trodden For as all naturall actions proceed from the bodies strength and the purest spirit so doe all spirituall from the vigour of grace and the Newman Againe if grace decay then corruption will grow for as Reas 2. it was in another sense said of Christ and Iohn the Baptist so may it of these two When the one encreaseth the other decreaseth This checketh the carelesnes of some Christians who Vse 1. play the Prodigall with their spirituall portions in mis-spending or permit their graces to fall into a consumption It was a reproofe made by the Spirit I haue somewhat against Rev. 2. thee for thou hast left thy first loue and the same hath befallen many persons When men haue got some competency of wealth they lye long in bed and will not vp to worke and and so their riches waste In like manner it falleth out with Gods children for when they haue attained to some competency of gifts they are highly conceited grow idle neglect the meanes and so are ouertaken with spiritual pouerty then the which what greater damage losse We must then learne here not onely to get grace but to Vse 2. keepe it We will mourne if we loose our money grieue if we be depriued of our corne naturall strength and earthly commodities And shall the losse of grace neuer pinch vs pierce vs Shall Ionah be so dejected for his Gorud and we neuer be moued when grace is withered ready to persh Shall the earth-worme sigh at the losse of goods and we neuer shrinke at the shipwracke of heauenly gifts No greater damage then this none lesse regarded more insensible Let our plants begin to prin our haire waxe gray or fall it will make some impression But grace may decay the spirit faint and few be wounded in heart Yet to such a time shall come of great mourning Then get grace keepe grace so shall corruption be expelled extenuated and the patterne of sound words obserued practised A second instruction we gather out of the word Keepe which is that Spirituall gifts are in danger of loosing Doct. 3. Grace got may be lost Else wherefore should Paul bid his sonne keepe the worthy things in his custody We giue the greatest charge when things are most subiect to perill damage or destruction This poynt hath its proofe in holy writ For did not Sampson loose his spirituall aswell as or rather then his corporall strength and sight the shearing of his head was the cutting and killing of grace in the heart for by that another thing is meant The Church of Ephesus left though not totally lost her first love David desired to gather strength See Iudg. 16. Rev. 2. 4. Psal 39. vlt. 51. And this cometh to passe through our own negligence Reas 1. for when we doe not employ these talents to their proper ends or watch ouer our selues or neglect the meanes to preserue them or dig them in the earth not vsing them at all we shall either haue them remoued from vs or at the least weakened in vs. Fire must haue fewell or it will cease to flame infants are to be fed or they will be feeble And so must the babe of grace the new borne child of faith or fall into a fit of languishing Againe it may come to passe in respect of the Preachers Reas 2. and that of the bad or better sort False Teachers did creepe into the Church of Galatia and they fell from their former stedfastnes And when such as be truly sent preach rarely coldly negligently and watch not ouer their flocke much grace may be lost by their default Let the sheepe fast or feed barely they will grow lanke and leane of body Besides the Diuell cannot endure that grace should grow Reas 3. and corruption decay for then he shall lose his croppe and his hope shall perish therefore he is nipping this fruite in the bud and would teare it if he could vp by the roote and though he cannot yet hee will venter at all Finally the Lord may suffer it to be lost at the least for Reas 4. a time in our owne feeling and that for these causes 1. When we begin to swell waxe big and are puffed vp with his graces which should humble vs. 2. When we are too seuere in censuring of our weake brethren And 3. When we grow ingratefull to him for the gifts he hath freely conferred vpon vs. For God cannot endure pride security or ingratitude therefore he permits oftentimes a winter whereby for a season these flowers looke dead and withered Wonder not then if we see some backsliders in our Vse 1. times as hath beene in former ages For it s no vnusuall matter to finde declinings in this kind And it 's a disputable question whether any Christian what euer except hee depart soone after his conuersion doth grow and goe from strength to strength without some losse of the inward power of the graces wherewith he is endued For Churches in generall persons in particular haue had their symptomes and distempers And this is to warne all men to watch the more diligently Vse 2. ouer themselues that this languishing doe not befall them As also to try themselues if they haue not fallen already from their former perfection and left their first faith And here two things may seeme needfull to bee proposed 1. How farre a man
pricks or keene kniues they they pierce and strike it through the heart if God shew not greater mercy with deadly wounds temporall eternall Why then weepe for your selues and doe good for your selues and for your children Yet for all our preaching and pressing of parents to piety some houses are like little hells and diuers gouernours worse then Achitophel who though he hanged himselfe had a care first to set his house in order Furthermore this doctrine should instruct vs to pray for good gouernours godly parents For woe to that society Vse 4. where the Ruler of it is ignorant profane or a child in vnderstanding Such good men are little regarded respected men esteeme of them at too small a valuation Corke is light yet it keepeth the net from sinking to the bottome of the sea so good gouernours are too little esteemed of Notwithstanding were they remoued fire and brimstone should fall downe from heauen and heapes be tumbled into the nethermost hell When good Iosiah was taken away the people as men sensible of their owne misery mourned so that it became a proverb like Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo for his death did presage future and fearefull evilles to follow When Lot was gone to Zoar what befell the inhabitants and if Paul had not beene in the ship who had come safe to shore Wherefore make much of such pray often and earnestly for such mourne and spare not for the departure of such and let all the men of God in their preaching ayme especially at the conuersion of such For one good King godly gouernour holy father is worth ten thousand of the inferiour people for all the world will be tapt to imitate the Rulers and great men being good will doe the more good by their speech example and authoritie Why did King Dauid a little before his death giue his sonne Salomon a charge to serue the Lord God of Israel in such a particular and speciall manner Why for hee was to succeed him in the kingdome to build the Temple therefore he was so vrgent to presse him to piety Let vs in the like case do the same In a word if they that gouerne houses Colledges or Kingdomes be godly pray for them praise God for them but if not mourne and entreat the Lord to amend them And the higher place thy sonne is to haue in the Church or commonwealth striue thou the more to teach him the knowledge and seruice of God And may a good governour bring a blessing to he Vse 5. whole house then depart not out of such a family from vnder such a mans protection for if thou doest thou maist draw iudgements vpon thine owne pate Some cannot endure such Masters as well curbe them of vnlawfull pleasures presse them to the performance of holy duties but will like the prodigall vp and be gone These out-runne the shower of Gods grace and thinke they doe well when alas as much as they can they drowne themselues in perdition and endlesse destruction They had rather eate and drinke and deuoure beefe and garlike in Aegypt then the water of life and Manna from heauen vnder the conduct of Moses Are thou one of this minde then alter thy manners for feare a worse thing follow Finally this must teach those that liue in bad houses to Vse 6. be vp and gone Is the gouernour a Papist or Athiest a swearer or filthy person carry not with him except a forced necessity compell thee For as the Lepers said in another case if thou abide in such aâ— place some mischi of evill light vpon thee 2 King 7. 9. Thou wilt say vnto me how shall I know a godly Quest family Well enough and that by these markes Answ 1. Is there in it more good bookes and Bibles then payres of cards and tables 2. Is there more praying then playing searching of Scriptures then shufling of cards turning ouer of the holy papers then tossing of tables singing of Psalmes then obscene songs and sonnets desire and endeauour to grow in grace more then to gather goods 3. Is there constant prayer morning and euening sanctifying of the creatures before they be receiued casting out of the bad receiuing in the good And last of all Is the Sabbath strictly obserued of all strangers that rest there as of the daily inhabitants then conclude that the feare of God is in that place and if thou maist lodge and cate thy bread there That house that hath neither Bible or good booke reading praying or singing of Psalmes instruction catechising nor care to keepe holy the Lords day is that place where Sathans throne is and the Deuill dwelleth And not to belye them such filthy and infectious habitations be the families of Papists yea all that I haue beene acquainted with of which sort the Norherne parts are but too fully replenished Rome hath two much roome there amongst them Abraham did teach his family Ieremiah imprecates the Lord to poure downe his fury vpon the families that cal not on his name David did the like See Ier. 10. vlt. But passing this poynt we come to handle another which is that True affection is of a spreading nature Act. 26. 29. Rom. 2. 3. Paul loued Oresiphorus well and from the head we see it enlarged it selfe to the whole house all the members Hence it is that in the Scriptures it 's compared to water for loue is said to be shed in the heart or to oile that being Rom. 5. 5. Psal 133. 1. c. powred on the head runneth downe all the garments Certainely he that in truth loueth the parents cannot but affect the children For at the first it was so created As the vnderstanding Reas 1. was to see all truth in all things so was the affection framed to effect all things the which reason approued Those two were to be proportionable like the patterne and the thing made by it Now at our Regeneration Loue in some degree is restored to that perfection it had at the Creation therefore spreadeth Because that Loue is nimble subtile actiue therefore likened Reas 2. to fire that would conuert all contrary elements and subiects into its selfe It s hotter then the coales of Iuniper it compasseth the creatures as a garment it will dilate it selfe farre and neere For of all simple elements fire is the most actiue and spreadeth as we may see by a candle the furthest and so will true and feruent affection Againe Loue shouldreth out enuy the which a pinching Reason 3. and cold frost freezeth and holdeth things together from spreading Enuy would draw all good from others to it selfe but loue doth breake those bonds and sets the heart at liberty And is not Loue true loue one of the most sacred attributes Reason 4. in God yea God is called Loue. And did not the Lord before sin brake the condition extend his affection to all creatures Why then a sparke of that true fire in the
creature cannot but haue a large extent a spreading operation This may informe vs what to judge of many in these Vse 1. dayes surely they haue little or none of this oyle or fire abroad and kindled in their hearts for if they had we should fee it's spreading We may truly say with Christ that Loue is waxen cold Many boast much of it but where shall we finde a faithfull louing man for all seeke their owne and not the good of their brethren We haue a prouerbe Loue me and loue my dog I wish some did not more loue their dogs then the Lords children And by this doctrine in the impartiall examination of Vse 2. our selues we may try the trueth of our Loue. Canst thou that art a Magistrate say with Moses Oh! that there were such an heart in my people to serue God being a preacher canst thou breake out with Paul I would to God that all that heare me this day were such as I am the children of the Lord Hath the Lord made thee a father and canst thou pray with Abraham and Noah Oh that Ismael might liue and Iapheth dwell in the tents of Shem that is that my disobedient seed might know the Lord God of their father serue him and be saued you that are Gouernours of families is it in your hearts and hands for you and your people to follow God doe you labour like Cornelius that all your family might feare the Lord And you that are single persons doe you helpe one another to get grace and to grow vp in godlines then this fire of true affection is from Gods owne altar descended on you this loue is shed abroad in your hearts the oyle of amity hath annointed your garments and you are of that number which with ioy vnspeakeable shall one day behold the face of God But if this desired spreading be absent your hearts are stuffed with hatred cold envy hath benummed your subtile and actiue affections and therefore take heed of this that you be not found haters of God and louers of pleasure aboue him or his If you be heare your doome Depart from me into euerlasting fire for I know you not you did neuer visit me in my members cloath me feede me or build vp my decaied body by prayer instruction example nor in affection therefore you haue no loue in you neither shall ye receiue any fauour at my hands for the head and members make but one obiect Thou wilt say vnto me How farre will loue spread it Quest Answ selfe Why from God the Father to all his children Christ the head to all his members from the beginning of Gods booke to the last letter in breife from one end of the world from one part of the large heauens vnto the other true loue would haue al sexes persons countries and kingdomes so farre forth as it may stand with the will of God the Father to be sanctified and for euer blessed for there is no bounds in loue Affection vnlesse God chaine it the which he may and doth for mans vnworthines is without limits spreading it selfe from the externall conuexe of the highest throne round about and thence descendeth to the earth's lowest center yea Loue embraceth the Lord who is infinite incomprehensible so farre forth as sound reason doth rightly guide it direct it It is a garment that doth cloth all creatures and to the vttermost of its power wrap within its louely armes the eternall Creatour He that findeth this in himselfe findeth a good thing and but that very character which is imprinted in the heart of euery true beleeuer and faithfull person I might deduct another doctrine out of the matter of this petition which is that The mercy of God is principally to be desired for our friends Doct. 5. For what Paul prayed for for his friends we should request also for ours Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 3. Gal. 1. 3. For if we receiue mercy from God we shall want no Reas 1. manner of thing For to whom the Lord shewes mercy to that man he will giue all gifts spirituall and corporall whateuer so farre as they be good for him Againe had we all other fauours the world can affoard Reas 2. yet without the mercy of God they would but proue curses to vs in the end for without mercy we are no members of Christ so no sonnes and consequently no heires of heauen This checkes the preposterous course of many in these Vse 1. times The Papist he entreates God that his friend may haue his Purgatory here or in another world but omits the mercy of God in the beginning The common Christian or earth-worme wisheth his kinred and companions strong bodies large possessions heapes of siluer and long life but no mention of Gods mercy all this while that is least thought on seldome prayed for He that obserueth but the custome of many in their best wishes shall heare them ordinarily crosse this Canon and method of our Apostle Let this then be a derection to thee what chiefly and Vse 2. first of all to beg of God for thy friends Aske not that thy sonnes may sit at the right hand of Christ in his earthly kingdome for it is not of this world Cry not for Quailes in the wildernesse for they may choake thee and thine nor for riches for the theefe may breake through thy wall carry them away seeke not long life or like Saul the honour of the people But cry to the Lord for grace and mercy this this is that one thing necessary for thy selfe for all thy friends And though few doe thinke so yet it is so for if the Lord doe not deny thee this then hee will deny thee nothing and hee that hath this shall haue all things This will wash away thy sinnes cloath thee with the righteousnesse of Christ enrich thee with the sauing graces of the Spirit procure thee food and rayment sanctifie all things to thee affliction and sinne it selfe giue thee comfort in trouble hope in death and carry thee to the throne of God where in his presence thou and thy friends shall haue fulnesse of ioy for euermore Then when thou prayest say The Lord giue mercy to me and my friends to them and their families For hee oft refreshed me In these words wee will briefly point out the Doctrines and handle some of them From the person refreshed Paul we gather that Want may befall Gods dearest children Doct. 6. Iacob sometime went ouer Iordan with his staffe Ioseph was once no rich man the widow of Sarepta was in a great Gen 32. 10. 1 King 17. 6. Luk. 16. 20. strait Lazarus was poore and it is said the women did minister to Christ Luke 8. 3. of their substance The Lord doth it for many Reasons First to correct his for the abuse of his creatures for Reas 1. when wee haue like the Prodigall mis-spent abused or surfetted on them the Lord in
which is that When we haue done all we can to confesse our selues vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer dispute with our Maker plead perfection or by our selues iustifie our selues or expect the least reward Surely he that is well acquainted with his owne inward corruption and actuall transgressions will neuer boast of his owne worthines And no one point which the Papist doth defend hath caused me to doubt more of their finall good estate then this For if they were borne againe of the water and spirit they by their owne frailty would haue learned experience to haue beene farre from the least thought of merit Wherefore in thy best condition say Lord thy mercy is my merit thy free fauour my felicity Where Paul in the twelfth verse and now againe in this maketh mention of the last day we note that A good mans minde is often carried to thinke on the day of Doct. 5. iudgement Iob. 19. 25. Psal 17. vlt. 2 Cor. 5. 2. Phil. 3. vlt. For when they cast their eye on the poore creatures the Reas 1. which groane for our sinnes and shall not be freed vntill that time how should a good man who is mercifull to his beast but remember that day wherein they shall be deliuered into the liberty of Gods sonnes Gods children haue many false tales father'd on them and Reason 2. with strange aspersions are they besprinkled the which as vpon Eagles wings fly through towne and tauerne country and citie Gath and Ascalon vnder the great broad seale of good fellowship neuer to be reuerst or contrould vntill the Ancient of daies the searcher of all hearts that impartiall iudge haue the hearing of the case which must be at that day The faithfull feele and find in themselues many great infirmities Reason 3. of soule and body the which shall neuer be perfectly cured till Christ shall appeare So that the very losse of a tooth or of the least member will carry a good mans minde to that day wherein he beleeueth to be made perfect And he is so affected with his Sauiour he hath such a secret Reason 4. loue to all the Saints of God the which he neuer saw and a desire to behold the great possession his Father hath prepared for him the which he shall not fully behold and in soule and body absolutely pertake of and ioyntly enioy vntill Iesus come to iudge the world that his minde is often carried thither And is it not the great day of reaping the yeere of Iubilee and the marriage of the Lambe and his beloued Shall not the Diuell and all his soule spirits that haue persecuted the Saints of God be rewarded according as they haue rewarded vs and all the faithfull take possession of that glorious and immortall kingdom where they shal all with one tongue and heart with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious sing glory to God praise to the Lambe without the least inward opposition or interruption the which is their chiefe desire that heere on earth they ayme at that wherein their greatest blessednesse consisteth for euermore So that wonder not then if the faithfull haue their mindes often carryed to thinke on the day of iudgement And if this bee thus as it is indeede What shall wee Vse 1. thinke of such who neuer minde this day verily they are much affected with earthly pleasures and profits and haue little regard of the greatest good Many men in the Inne of this world are like the swaggerers and prodigals in a Tauerne who call freely eate and drinke laugh and are fat but neuer minde either the reckoning or the time of haruest for they haue sowne no good seed neither haue wherewith to discharge the shot therefore suffer these things willingly to slip and absent themselues out from their mindes because they haue or can expect no commodity by either But the faithfull man is of a contrary mind for he is sparing in expence and hath scattered much good graine the which will bring a goodly crop at his Masters appearing the great day of reaping both of which cause him often to looke vpward And by this Doctrine wee may proue whether wee bee Vse 2. like minded or not to the most faithfull person Doest thou againe and againe thinke on this day Is thy minde often carried to this obiect So arest thou on high with the wings of faith and a sound eye to this hill why then thou art a right bird truely bred and not of the bastard brood Euery crosse base imputation false report ach in the ioynts corruption in the flesh and spirit each good action faithfull prayer motion of true affection towardes Christ and his members heauen and holinesse will carry the mind of him or her that's truely religious vpright hearted to this Mountaine Marriage day and time of refreshing So that findest thou this in thy selfe then be of good cōfort for thou art of the Brides company and one that shall see the euerlasting light sit downe and reape ioy and gladnes life and glory in the largest fields of Gods goodnesse the heauenly Canaan the new Ierusalem which is aboue But if thou art destitute of these kinde of motions eleuations then striue for these properties that are the inseparable breathings and mouings of an holy heart sound minde and blessed person The very frame of nature stretcheth forth her necke and peepeth vpward to this season And shall the Eagles of the Churches owne breeding neuer flutter with their wings and cast vp their piercing eyes to this rich prey but stand a pruning that were a thing incredible Therefore haue this in thy selfe and bee blessed for euer We may further collect where Paul prayeth for mercy against that day that All our prayers are to be grounded on Gods promises Gen. 23. Doct. 6. 9. 12. 2 Sam. 7. 25. 1 King 8. 25 c. For our Apostle knew full well that such a time would come and that the Lord would reward euery good worke at that season by vertue of his former promises Because that they are all Yea and Amen in Christ Iesus Reas 1. not one but shall be performed sooner or latter Againe otherwise wee can haue no hope to bee heard Reas 2. For no faculty can or ought to extend it selfe beyond its adequate and proper obiect it is limited by its peculiar Rules The eye of the vnderstanding and foote or hand of faith may leade vs to God the first Ens and cause of all things but beyond that they cannot passe for there is nothing further to act or rest on Hee therefore that prayeth without a promise denyeth his owne request What madnes then is it for the Papist to pray to Saint Vse 1. and Angell Can they make promises in Christ or haue we any such ground giuen vs of God Vaine wishes are reprehended hence as when men pray for impossibilities and this doth meete with those that vse vnlawfull imprecations and also the blind devotion of
Papist and ignorant Protestant in their inuocations It may be obiected that Moses desired to haue his name Obiect blotted out of the booke of life Paul to be accursed and separated from Christ both of which are impossible 1. I answere that these wishes proceeded from great sorrow Sol. of heart for the sinne of the people from the zeale they had for Gods glory and loue of their brethren and kinred in the flesh yet might be mixed with some imperfection as the act was in breaking the two Tables 2. Moses dealt as a Mediator betweene God and man and was a figure of our Mediator Christ who became accursed that we might be blessed Gal. 3. 13. 3. The intent of Paul and Moses might be that they might die a temporall death in stead of the people and so beare their punishment For the death of the iust maketh reconciliation Isa 53. 5. And one of their deathes was worthten thousand of them all 4. It must be vnderstood conditionally and with its limitation for so Christ prayed Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not my will will but thy will be done Math. 26. 39. 5. They might haue this reseruation as that it might so appeare in the iudgment of the people not otherwise for David desired that the names of some might be blotted out of the booke of life whose names were neuer written there Psal 69. 27. 28. 6. Finally these examples are extraordinary if we either respect the persons the occasion or the end therefore not to be attained to or imitated of euery common and priuate man in his vsuall and set deuotions The Obiection I haue to my power resolued Now consider what I haue said and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in these things And this doctrine will giue vs a sound direction and a Vse 2. right rule to guide our selues in praying Learne the number of Gods promises know them as it were by name and then aske what the Lord hath promised and he will giue it thee Care not how many they be for multitude how great for substance and worth for they bee all true and but the rule of faith and prayer and the more excellent fauours the Lord shall giue thee the greater glory shall he haue and his children good As thou maist not dare to aske what he hath not promised so neuer feare to pray for what he hath promised but open thy mouth wide and he shall fill it Come not short neither goe beyond the rule and thou canst not erre A Logician Grammarian Rhetorician and every Artist must know all his precepts and practise them So must a good Christian be acquainted with euery promise and pray as they shall direct him I would haue this lesson Directions for prayer well learned of euery person And take these helpes for thy direction 1. Consider that the promises are of this life or the life to come temporall things craue conditionaly eternall absolutely 2. All that the Lord hath promised or that is contained in his promises is either the remotion of euill or the fruition of good And euill is either the euill of sinne or of punishment Good is either carnall things or spirituall And in these heads or within these particulars are all things comprehended that thou art to pray for or against Now thou art to petition for thy selfe or thy brethren for blessings to fall on thy selfe or the elect or cursings on the reprobate For that which is a threat to the wicked is a promise to the faithfull because when iudgments befall the prophane it is good some way for Gods glory or to his children But let these things be wisely vnderstood warily practised Moreouer from this example of the Apostle who receiued many fauours yet hauing not in the same kind to make requitall but prayeth for his friend we note that When we want wherewith to requite our friends then we are to Doct. 7. pray vnto God for them This hath beene the practice of all the faithfull 2. Cor. 9. 14. For by prayer we may preuaile with God so that they may Reas 1. receiue greater favours we in so doing may procure them spirituall blessings or an increase of the same substance wherewith we by them haue beene releeued refreshed Againe what if we should not yet in the performance of Reas 2. it we shall haue comfort for we haue done our duty and what the Lord requireth of vs. Let none then say that he wanteth meanes to repay or pay Vse 1. his debts for this helpe can neuer be taken from thee Prayer hath a large extent pouerty doth not depriue a man of this priuiledge neither take away the presence of Gods Spirit or the vertue of his promises Truly this cannot but comfort an honest and thankfull heart and pricke him forward to this way of requitall And this should teach those that haue contributed to the Vse 2. necessity of the poore Saints not to repine or repent for so doing But rather to proceed therein neuer to grow weary in this kind of weldoing Little doest thou know for whose sake at whose request thou art sâ— rich prosperest For the praiers of the poore are not vaine in the Lord. Then comfort the feeble minded visit the sicke cloath the naked and feed the hungry for it may nay it shall proue profitable to thee and thy posterity Resides all that we haue said diuers doctrines notwithstanding remaine behind they shall be pointed out and briefly passed one is this viz. that Our principall friends in a particular and peculiar mannâ—r are Doct. 8. to be praied for Paul had beene often refreshed by this his friend therfore praieth for him in particular so he did for others who haue vsed him kindly See to this purpose Luk. 22. 32. Eph. 6. 19. c. For the law of God and Nature warrant it As much is to Reas 1. be required where much is giuen so much is to be restored where much hath bin receiued And is not prayer a speciall meanes to returne fauours into the bosome of our friends Againe such friends haue by many kindnesses manifested Reas 2. the truth of their affection supported vs in our weaknesse And shall not we then by all meanes we can declare our reciprocall amity and striue to vphold them Mary loued much the reason was because Christ forgaue her many sinnes so must we in regard many things are giuen vs And no surer signe of sincere affection or stronger meanes to procure welfare to a friend then earnest often and particular prayer for him This Doctrine semeth to discouer a fault in them that alwaies Vse 1. pray in generals and haue defended too that wee are not bound to remember particular persons grounding their position on the Lords Prayer where wee be taught say they to say Our Father But Christ practised and his Apostles the contrary The one must be done and the