against the teacher which is an usuall bait of Satan to make all good things carelesly rejected Micaiah for this was turned out of dores as no fit Counsellor for King Ahab So the itching eare which is still desirous of novelties as the young man having heard the olde commandements would still heare more new And a tediousnesse in hearing the same things often which the Apostle calls a safe thing The latter are 1. Hardnesse of heart cast as much seede as you will among stones and cover them therewith no fruite followes for the stones hinder the rooting as we see in Pharaoh Mollifie the heart throughly and the word wil abide in it 2. Cares of the world which are as thornes to choake it All seede sowne among thornes getteth no strength but perisheth The Pharisies mocked Christ in his doctrine because they were covetous Luke 16.14.3 Voluptuous living makes men heare onely for fashion and to be like those widdowes which are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. or at least not to joyne vertue to their knowledge as the intemperate patient that heares the physitian but will not follow him II. Provide and furnish the soule with helpes to hold that which is good These helpes respect 1. Intention 2. Attention 3. Retention First the Intention must must bee cleane and sincere we must not heare for envie as the Pharisies and Iewes in Paules time nor for newes as the Athenians nor for gaine or curiosity as Felix but to receive as babes the sincere milke of the word to grow in grace thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 This intention shall be the better furthered by premeditation of the force use and efficacy of the word that it is the power of God to salvation the incorrupt seede the word of life the instrument of faith the sword of the spirit the bread and water that preserveth eternall life Secondly Attention must be used Acts 8.6 the people of Samaria gave heede to the things that Philip spake This attention is a keeping of the heart and affections to the word deliuered Acts 16.14 when Paul preached Lydia attended and the Lord opened her heart When Christ preached all the peoples eyes were fastened upon him Luke 4. Attention is the doore by which the word enters It is much furthered by a due estimation of the word Thy word saith David is wonderfull therefore my soule keepeth it Men will attend to their learned counsell when their free-hold is in question so here conceive aright of the word as a matter of life and death a matter that concernes thy inheritance in heaven thou wilt carefully attend it Thirdly Retention must follow In the body there are two nutritive powers one Attractive to draw meate into the stomacke the other Retentive to hold it there till it be turned into nourishment so in the soule And if the former draw too little the latter holds little and so the body pines and if the former draw too much that the body is not able to hold it the body pines still So here the soule must be still drawing but it must also forcibly holde it till the soule be refreshed Now this Retentive faculty is strengthened by 4. meanes 1. Meditation cleane beasts chew the cud Deut. 11 2. Consider the workes of the Lord Psal. 1.1 Meditate in his Law both day and night The acts of God must be in the mouthes of them that feare him Psal. 149. and 39.3 while David mused his heart was warmed Phil. 4.8 whatsoever things are honest just and pure thinke on those things men have therefore evill thoughts because they nourish not the good 2. Conference which is a whetting of holy lessons both on our selves and others Deut. 11. the Iewes are commanded to conferre of the word early and late Acts 17. The Bereans are commended for comparing the Apostles doctrine with Scripture 3. A full purpose of heart to practise good things Psal. 119.106 I have sworne to keepe thy law and 50.16 Why takest thou my word into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed 4. Fervent and constant prayer which is the key of knowledge gets the hearing eare and the soft heart it is a key to open the coffers of God out of which we may take those treasures which are not from our selves but from above our reach III. Chuse sure and safe places to hold good things in First in memory we must remember good things we heare Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes have seene Psal. 119.16 I will not forget thy word and ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts because by them thou hast quickened me Secondly keep them in the faith of thy heart else all is unprofitable Heb. 4.2 for that onely gives them rooting in our hearts Col. 2.7 Prov. 4.21 Keepe them in the midst of thy heart then shall they be as alight in the lanthorne shining through every part of thy life This was the coffer that Abraham locked up the promises of God in and held them fast without reasoning though it was difficult and seemed impossible Rom. 4.20 and David Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart Thirdly keepe it in the affections of thy soule love earnestly the word of God and all good things for the things that wee like not or affect not we care not for keeping The great commandement is to love the Lord with all thy heart And every Christian ought to appeale to the Lord himselfe as Peter to Christ Lord thou knowest that I love thee Iohn 21.16 And the tryall of our love to him is to keepe his commandements chap. 14.15 Fourthly keepe them in the practise of thy life and whole conversation 1. By professing good things as Christ himselfe professed a good profession before Pontius Pilate 2. By promoting all good causes to thy utmost power 3. By maintaining and defending all good things and causes 4. By suffering for good things and every way giving testimony and setting seale to them if neede be with thy dearest heart blood IV. If we would hold good things let us furnish and arme our selves against theeves and robbers 1. Our owne carelesnesse Many times we care not to understand the things of God vanity of minde worldly lusts and desire of riches partly take up the roome partly choake good things so as they are neither received nor held But if we understand not let us not be ashamed to enquire and seeke out till wee doe understand 2. Satans slynesse who steales the word and good purposes out of mens mens hearts strangely even while they looke on and consent Doe as Abraham who drave away the birds that troubled him in sacrificing Gen. 15.11 so doe thou drive away these ravenous birds that are sent by Satan 3. Temptation and persecution Much ground keeps the seede till the heate of persecution comes and in persecution falls away and
determine thy will with his as David Psal. 39.9 I held my tongue and spake nothing because thou Lord didst it There must be but one will betweene God and a faithfull soule betweene Christ and a Christian. Quest. How may I know my will thus denied renewed freed and framed to God Answ. The signes of it are 1. in respect of it selfe 2. in regard of sinne 3. in regard of good duties 1. In respect of it selfe it will not runne before but will waite upon sanctified knowledge and renewed reason it will not inthrall the light of the minde to inordinate desires it will be prooving still what is the good and acceptable will of God It will resolve and purpose that so long time as it is in the flesh to walke after the will of God 1 Pet. 4.2 2. Thou shalt know it in regard of sinne 1. It is resolute in resistance of sinne and the occasions for although the will renewed admit sinne in respect of corruption yet it selfe is in great part set against sinne that it willeth it not fully it purposeth not to sinne as David I vowed I will keepe thy judgements it hath a fast purpose to cleave to God Psal. 119.104 and hates all the wayes of falshood 2. When it yeelds to sinne it is with griefe it doth not sleepe in sinne so but that the heart waketh So the Apostle Rom. 7.15 he even hateth sinne while he is a doing of it I hate that I doe 3. After sinne it riseth timely by repentance if he fall into sinne he hardens not his heart Prov. 28.14 he wills it not neither before nor after there is a strugling and a reluctation in him against it and thus you may know the will rightly framed 3. In regard of good duties it will not onely be well-doing but chearefull in well-doing he doth good duties willingly freely There is a difference in doing one and the same action betweene a good man and a wicked man the worke of the will renewed is not onely to take opportunity to doe good but seeke opportunity to doe it it will not doe good of constraint but will doe it with willingnesse he will doe it cheerefully as a good Pastour feedes his flocke not by constraint but of a willing minde 1 Pet. 5.2 Quest. Why should wee thus looke to our wills Answ. First the state of Christianity is rather a willing than a doing the will of God thou that canst doe no more wouldst thou doe lesse Secondly no greater plague can befall a man than to be given up to his owne will the holding to a mans owne will is the losse of the will and soule too Thirdly as thy will is pleased with the sinne so it shall be revenged in the sorrow of it that will of thine that will not be compelled to obey shall be compelled to suffer all the plagues of sinne by a just recompence are laid upon the will as his sinne was a resistance and renouncing of the will of God for in hell no sinner shall ever obtaine what hee would but shall ever sustaine what hee would not Thus God brings the wayes of the wilfull sinner upon his owne head Ezek. 11.21 Thirdly to keepe the soule blamelesse we must narrowly watch all our affections wherein the soule moves it selfe every where for man by his fall hath lost not his affections but the holinesse and rectitude of them for now man naturally hateth the Lord and his image in his word in his servants and graces he feares and flies what hee should most joy and delight in that is God himselfe he joyes in swallowing the pleasures of sinne the baytes of his perdition hee is angry and impatient at God himselfe as Ionas and carried with a rageing madnesse causelesly and intemperately on any occasion And therefore we must fly to the grace of regeneration which doth not abolish affections but the disordered motions of them and restores them towards their originall rectitude and goodnesse Where this worke of grace is not and where the spirit hath laid no bridle upon the affections no marvaile if that soule runne riot into all unruly lusts and make it selfe blame-worthy and guilty every moment of foule sinnes Yea where this grace is care must be to preserve it even in every affection the least disorder of any of which is enough to impure the soule and leave it under blame Now the rules of keeping the affections unblameable and then for the reasons I. To keepe thy affections unblameable thou must labour seeing they cannot be unblameable if they be not good in the rise to get a good rise for thy affections a good motion must be from a good mover labour to see who is the mover of thy affections whether the Spirit of God or the wicked spirit or thine owne carnall spirit Excellent are those affections that are moved by the Spirit of God as when feare anger love joy griefe are 1. grounded on just causes 2. guided by the rule of renewed reason for the Spirit never moves but according to the word 3. tempered in ordinate measure now they become servants of grace Whereas if thy owne carnall spirit move them contrary to the word for their subject object manner or measure now they turne enemies to God and to thine owne soule II. Be sure they be carried upon right objects onely set thy affections where Gods Spirit would set them Here first the proper object of love is God himselfe and not for his gifts but for himselfe and of Iesus Christ whom if any man love not let him be accursed and that not as a Iesus onely but as a Lord And then the things of God wee must covet the most excellent gifts and with Mary choose the better part even our part in the Gospell and word of Christ and then entirely love the friends of God all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue Secondly the object of our anger is sinnes not persons nor so much the sinnes of others as our owne which are nearer us Thirdly the object of our joy is pardon of sinne Gods favour and countenance Psal. 4. It is wrong placed when it is in the creature not in the Creatour when in the gift not in the giver Fourthly the object of our patience is evills of punishment which we must patiently suffer but not evills of sinne as Moses Fifthly of our feare the true object is God more for his goodnesse than greatnesse more for his mercy than justice Mercy is with thee to be feared Psal. 130.4 more lest we offend him than be offended by him And so in the rest What a businesse now is it to keepe our affections upon allowed and warrantable objects III. In these best objects see they be most vehement and intense To doe this observe these rules First bestow on the best things the best affections thou must love the Lord thy God with all thy soule all thy heart and strength nay more thou
Gods part as well as their owne When Minâ—sters are diligent in doctrine careles in life they hold some good but not all Private men that carry themselves soberly and civilly and are fully content with the name of honest men holde some good but they reforme not their family nor walke religiously in the midst of their houses and so are farre from holding all good This is in matter of practise So in matter of judgement The truth and every part of it is our birth-right saith Cyprian wee must not lose a foote of it but hold the least truth Many hold fast the maine grounds and articles of religion but in things of lesser moment are altogether regardlesse as Bishop Latimer thought at first that the cause of the Sacrament was rather to be dissembled than suffered for but considering better that hee must holde all that is good himselfe happily suffered in it Nay we must not onely hold truth in sense but even the words wherein the Spirit of God hath conveyed it to us not departing easily from them for wee shall finde what great mischiefe hath oppressed the Church by taking liberty to depart from the very words of Scripture and in stead of them using other improper speeches to expresse the same thing As for example The Fathers used to expresse the Pastors of the Church by the name of Priests whereupon the Romish Church builds and backes her order of Priesthood Doctour Fulke in his sixth chapter of his defence of the translation against Gregory Martin hath these words It is a folly to thinke that a sacrificing office externall can be established in the new Testament which never calleth the Ministers thereof Sacerdotes or Priests They often call the Table of the Lord an Altar and the celebration of the Supper a Sacrifice and gave a reasonable good sence but had they kept to the words of the Scripture they had prevented much mischiefe springing thence For the Romanists make advantage of their speeches wrested out of their sense to set up that blasphemous doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse And the word Masse what Papist knowes whence it comes being neither Hebrew Greeke nor Latine nor taken from any other language of any Nation but raked out of the bottomlesse pit without all signification unlesse it agree with our English word masse that is an heape a lumpe a chaos of blasphemies and abominations The like of the word Pope a strange unknowne and mysticall name the learned Papists knew it not but confounded themselves in the Etymologie of it some from Pape the interjection of admiration some from Papa which Latine children used to call their fathers by answering to our infants dad some from the Romane abbreviation of Pater Patriae expressed by pa pa and a pricke betweene some from the Siracusans word Papas signifying a father Such follies and ridiculous and childish dotages are they faine to wander in to seeke and finde their holy father the Pope who as himselfe is a beast rising out of the earth in whose forehead is written MYSTERIE so his name is mysticall and from men not from heaven not from the Scriptures yet is the name as ancient as Cyprian and used by the Fathers Wherein we may see how dangerous it is as Beza observes to decline from the word an hayre-breadth and not to hold all that is good even the least An arrow set a little awry at first makes a great errour before it fall at the marke How happy had it beene if the ancient Fathers otherwise godly and learned men had held them to the very names termes and proper words of Scripture rather than by departing therefrom have opened a flood-gate to Antichrists delusions who as Satan creepes in the darke and getting in his toe will shove in his bulke for give sinne an inch it will take an ell and so of the Man of sinne 4. Rule Hold most carefully the chiefe good things for so men doe in earthly matters Now there be three things worth most care in keeping 1. Gods favour presence and loving countenance Psal. 4. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us let others keepe corne and wine keepe thou this feare sinne most of all as that which would most dangerously robbe thee 2. Thine owne sincerity uprightnesse and first love Iob 27.6 I will never lose my innocency till I die 3. The Crowne of life is promised to him that is faithfull to death Hold the kingdome fast in the meanes and so strive as thou maist obtaine As the Martyrs who apprehended it through fire and flames 5. Rule Hold all that is good stiffely and stoutly against with-holders and opposers for a man shall never hold good if he doe coldly approove it Hold it as one firmely glued to it for so the word signifies Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleave to that which is good things glued are not easily disjoyned God hath by this phrase glued every Christian to every truth in judgement and practise and no man must separate himselfe from it Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against gain-sayers Take hold with both hands against hereticks tyrants false-teachers flatterers that have laid hold to snatch it from us or as men in perill of drowning lay fast hold upon any thing they can catch to save themselves and will not let it goe 6. Rule Hold the truth constantly to the death whatsoever the issue be Rev. 2.25 Hold fast that thou hast till I come as the renowned Saints and Martyrs who have rather parted with their lives than their depositum 2 Tim. 1.14 Let us therefore labour to see into every truth and seeing it let us hold it As that famous souldier Cynegrius held the shippe first with his right hand till that was cut off then with his left hand till hee lost that too and last of all with his teeth till his head and body were severed So let us resolve every one with himselfe That which I see to be good I will holde it so long as I live or breathe my hands my heart and soule shall cleave unto it I will carry it to heaven with me The second thing proposed is the meanes of holding that which is good I. If wee would hold things approoved to be good let us avoid carefully such things as would hinder us in holding them And they are of two sorts 1. Some shut out good things 2. others thrust them out or choake them The former are 1. Presumption of our owne wisdome and knowledge Humility stands porter at the doore of discipline Psal. 25.9 God teacheth the humble Ier. 13.15 Heare and give eare and be not proud Men of conceits will heare whom they list but an humble man will receive good even from the meanest though it be an earthen vessell Naaman from his servant and Iob from his hand-maid 2. Distempered affections as rash conceit
or argument should have beene avoided This first peeping or appearance of evill in our selves or whatsoever we may lay as a stumbling blocke in the way of another though it be not evill in us nor in it selfe yet being an occasion of evill to another by this precept we must shunne and fly from it Paules eating of flesh was lawfull in it selfe and lawfull to him but rather than hee would offend his weake brother he will never doe it while the world stands 1 Cor. 8.13 and Rom. 14.21 he will remove that which seemeth and appeareth evill to another Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consequents of actions are to be considered and in things which be indifferent that may be done or not done we must sometime forbeare lawfull things if wee suspect evill consequents It was lawfull for David to walke upon his gallery but had hee foreseene the consequents he would doubtlesse have beene otherwise occupied It was lawfull for Paul to have circumcised Titus as he did Timothy but espying an evill consequent that hee should confirme the errour of the Iewes who held circumcision as necessary to salvation he would not doe it Gal. 2. It was as lawfull in it selfe for him to make a vow shave his head and purifie himselfe at one time as at another Acts 18.18 yet sometimes he inveighes against these observations as beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 and will not meddle with any of them where hee might confirme any in their errour or obstinacy All which examples teach us either warily to doe or leave undone things which are liable to misconstruction 2. Here remember that in all lawfull and necessary duties let all the world misconster and be offended wee must yeeld absolute obedience unto God though to the world it appeare never so evill Christ himselfe in his doctrine and conuersation was so generall an offence that he pronounced him blessed that was not offended in him He must preach himselfe to be the bread from heaven though it offend the Iewes Iohn 6. He will heale the paralyticke though they be offended Mat. 9.1 Iohn must preach against Herodias though all the Court be offended Daniel will pray three times a day though it cost him his life 3. In all indifferent things we are to avoide all appearance of evill and scandall with these limitions First so they be not in things simply necessary to life in these things wee must not forbeare if others be offended If one take offence that I eate bread or drinke beere I must doe it because life is maintained by foode but if I can be without it and live I must respect my brothers weaknesse as to abstaine this or that flesh this or that wine c. Secondly the like in things simply necessary for my calling But a thing of indifferency may not put me out of my way I must hold my calling I must preach the Gospell This is a necessary duty imposed and good of this nature must be done though a shew of evill to some be annexed to it Thirdly in these things of indifferency we must abstaine from appearances of evill and things that carry an evill colour if we be nostri juris and the things be left to our free liberty and disposing But if higher powers restraine our use of liberty and determine and limit us then we are overruled by lawfull authority in things subjected to it and them in these things of indifferency wee cannot avoide all things wherein some may conceive an appearance of evill Fourthly in these things we are not alwayes to avoide things wherein some conceive offence and appearance of evill but for a time till such ignorant and weake persons may be taught we may not offend weake ones by undue exercise of our liberty but if they bee wilfull and will not bee taught we must peremptorily stand to our liberty So did the Apostle Gal. 5.3 For I testifie againe to every man that is circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing And Titus 3.10 A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject Now for the proofe of the point Gen. 3.3 When the Lord forbade our first parents the evil and sinne of eating the forbidden fruite hee forbids also the appearance Yee shall not touch it Avoid the occasion In the Law not onely the person legally polluted was uncleane but whatsoever touched him the garment which he wore the bed on which hee lay the seate on which hee sate and whatsoever he touched All which did nothing else but enforce on them a care to avoid all appearance and all occasions of uncleannesse The truth whereof Christians also in the time of the Gospell must hold themselves bound unto who Iude 23. are commanded to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh 1. Because the Lord hates all evill and all appearance of it Rev. 2.6 the Church of Ephesus is commended for hating the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which I also hate saith the Lord. See how pleasing our conformity of affections with the Lord is in whose eye the least evill is hatefull enough And herein we testifie our love unto him Yee that love the Lord hate all that is evill for indeed all true hatred of evill must be from the love of God especially of the chiefe good and as our love is in degree so is our hatred fervent love earnest hatred 2. It is a chiefe part of repentance and of the nature of sound grace not onely to hold that which is good but also to shunne and fly evill of all kindes yea when good is not so present with Gods children as they desire to hate evill is ever present with them yea they hate the evill which they themselves doe and that vehemently according to the phrase Rom. 12.9 Abhorre evill And he that out of the worke of grace and out of conscience abstaines from one evill will abstaine from all even the least as David Psal. 119. I hate all vaine inventions but thy Law doe I love 3. The wisdome of a Christian is to avoid the appearances and the beginnings of evill and give no way to it as Salomon counselleth to stoppe the passages of waters at the beginning Prov. 17.14 As rivers so evils come out of a little hole but make their way and swell and become broader till they become almost boundlesse And indeede hee that cares not to avoid the appearance of evill by little and little commeth to esteeme of the evill and the appearance alike Therefore remember to give no place to the Divell Eph. 4.27 4. Here is a difference betweene a sound Christian and an hypocrite the worst man that is can avoid evill in extreames but hee cares not commonly for appearing and petty evils if hee can carry them cleare away This hyocrisie the Lord detecteth among the Iewes Esay 65.4 they would both eate of the polluted flesh the broth of it was found in their vessells A sound Christian will not meddle
must delight thy selfe in the Lord which goes beyond love Psal. 37.4 delight thy selfe in the Lord make him thy chiefe seeke God himselfe the peace of God the favour of God the glory of God with most fervent affections Secondly love and affect all things in God and for God and God onely for himselfe thou must love nothing like him much lesse above him and least of all against him in all his creatures in all his actions in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse Psal. 34.8 true love of the word is to love God in his word the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour c. Thirdly get your affections more to heaven than earth as an higher and more noble object Col. 3.2 it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections Set your affections on things above and not on things below that is comparatively for two Masters cannot be served with like affection we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely as being simply good and to be affected and asked whatsoever become of other things but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation as being but conditionally good at the best IIII. Hate the worst things most The worst thing of all is sinne it is simply evill and so is nothing else wee must then hate sinne more than punishment sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory so doth not punishment makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne count nothing so shamefull as that and thy selfe for it feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment because evill of sinne is more evill V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne the righteousnesse of Christ the favour of God and that thy name is written in the booke of life Luk. 10.20 Get Gods image into thy affections frame thy affections to God for matter manner and measure to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth for so doth the man after Gods owne heart First God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand Secondly God loveth his word dearely as himselfe being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes so must thou love the word as God himselfe nothing so dearely nothing in comparison Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word all the day long it is my delight Thirdly God loveth the congregation and assemblies of his people the places of his worship he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob Psal. 87.2 so must thou dearely love his house and the place where his honour dwelleth esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere Fourthly God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image and in imitation of God On the contrary the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred yea his soule abhorres it so must thou avoid and hate every evill way even all the wayes of falshood yea the appearance of evill and the very garment spotted by the flesh 2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men they shall not come into his presence so must we hate the company and society of wicked men Psal. 26.5 3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine Revel 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate 4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men though never so much approved and applauded amongst men so must thou hate the works of them that fall away they must not cleave to thee Psal. 101.3 Thou that lovest the Lord must hate all that is evill Psal. 97.10 VI. Bring thy affections often before God appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them Ioh. 21.15 Lord thou knowest I love thee thou knowest I love thy word thy servants thy house thy glory So Lord thou knowest I feare thee as Ioseph feared to sinne against God and Nehemiah I feare God Lord thou knowest I hate sinne and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure but the measure of all our love to other things is so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo that is above all it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy The word will measure our anger and confine it to a small time the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath it alloweth us to be angry but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it Doe this the rather because our affections must be presented before God one day Now let us examine our selves and try our affections by these rules before named First Aske we our selves what it is wee love or hate whether our affections are set on the right objects and carried towards God or against evill as they ought to be 1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike but to an utter hatred of all sinne none is so bad but hateth some sinnes The prodigall hates covetousnesse The Iew can hate a Samaritane and mixt worship The Pharise can say I thanke God I am no extortioner no adulterer But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne as the lambe hates all wolves and we hate all serpents none excepted The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse to touch none but that defiled onely the body the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man 2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill but out of the love of good to which it is contrary Aske we our selves then whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it for many can dislike many foule evills and yet be farre from good Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it the law of men condemne it rulers punish it shame attends it a gracelesse man can doe it So to love religion love the truth because the law favours it the kingdome embraceth it and for the present it is the safest all this is but pollicie an Atheist can doe it But grace embraceth truth because it is so because the Truth himselfe honoureth promoteth and prospereth it and commendeth it to our love and trust 3. For the manner doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth as he loves not vices for persons sake so hee hates not persons but vices Wee know what workes are hatefull to God but not whose persons belong unto him therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away but
shew all love to their persons still All which discovers a great deale of corruption in our affections First Many hate sinnes in another and not the same sinnes in themselves and this is the hatred of the person and not of the sinne Secondly many seeme to hate evill but not out of love to goodnesse some say they hate Popery but are farre from the love of the truth they dislike grosse profanesse drunkennesse adultery but have no affection to true godlinesse hatred of evill is joyned with cleaving to good Thirdly many hate most where God most loves as persons for grace sake and two sorts of men are the butts of the hatred of this age 1. Zealous and godly Ministers because their life and doctrine reproove evill mens workes Ahab hateth Eliah Hast thou found mee O mine enemy the more they love the lesse they are loved for a Minister to hate mens sinnes or to speake the truth doth it deserve such hatred If we should love mens sinnes wee should hate their persons and if we hate not our brothers evill we could not wish his good 2. A generation of men who are so precise they will not sweare nor be drunke nor game away their time they are Iewishly strict in keeping the Saboth so zealous as they cannot abide the sent of Popery they repeate sermons pray in their families cleave to the Scripture in all things so curious and nice they will touch nothing that is uncleane But are these hated of God Nay are they not in singular favour with him 2. Are not their workes objected against them the workes of God imposed by God upon all Christians upon paine of damnation as to hate swearing to be strict in the Saboth to detest Popery to be frequent hearers of the word to set up Gods worship in the family to cleave to the Scriptures and get out of the way of evill men In this way which they call heresie must we worship God 3. All this zeale against zeale is kindled not with a coale from the Altar but fired with a flame from hell Iohn 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 4. How generall is the hatred of grace by gracelesse men that pinch and reproach good affections zeale they call distemper sorrow for sinne is but melancholy and next to madnesse love of the word is but precisenesse and more than needes love of good men but faction and partiality hatred of every evill worke but singularity holinesse a kinde of heresie purity hollownesse and all that is nought How unlike is the world to God and Christ who commended shewes of goodnesse in the young man never quenched smoking flaxe but kindled it and enflamed it and whosoever hateth grace in another first hates it in himselfe 5. How generally doe we love and cherish in our selves what the Lord hateth First hath hee not specially manifested his hatred against an outward forme of religion severed from the power and life of it Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your feasts and new Moones his owne institutions because they were severed from faith truth and inward holinesse But how generall is the profession of religion without power prayer of words not of spirit hearing without conscience of doing washing the outside when all is foule within Secondly how great indignation hath he testified against people unfaithfull in the covenant as a jealous husband hates the wife of his bosome that playeth false with him Ier. 12.8 yet how universall is our unfaithfulnesse to God the contempt of grace the slighting of the meanes the Apostacy and turning backe of the kingdome from God So as we see how our affections are swerved from the rule and what great neede we have to be stirred up to a more carefull watch over our affections Consider therefore and see the mischiefe of disordered affections First how powerfully they draw us from Christian duties as how they interrupt prayers which was the Apostles argument betweene man and wife an heart troubled with passions cannot be familiar with God nor behold his face no more than a man can see his owne face in a troubled water Consider how they hinder the powerfull working of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 Therefore lay aside all malice envie c. and then receive the word A full vessell can receive no liquor sweete water in a fusty vessell is but lost seede cast among thornes commeth to nought how they unsettle the heart in grace pulling it off from confidence in God love of the truth from exercise of grace from the joyes and consolations of the Spirit For as no man can see the beames of the Sunne when the heavens are covered with clouds so cannot the soule discerne the shining beames of Gods love when it is clouded with passion Secondly how potent are unruly affections to draw us from our duty so suddenly and violently doe they carry us into many sinnes how suddenly are great professours snatched into the love of the world and so become Apostates as Iudas and Demas How doth the love of the world draw on a number of sinnes and drowne men in lusts and perdition How suddenly was David snatched into foulest sinnes not watching his affections How was Peter pulled from his purposes and promises by inordinate selfe-love to the deniall of his Master Acquaint thy selfe with the difficulty of guiding the affections aright for though the common errour thinke it the easiest thing in the world yet the whole power of nature cannot reach it for what a divine wisdome is required holily to temper the affections and keepe them even To temper faith and feare that they enterfeare not to mingle love and hatred that they entrench not one another to holde the ballance even betweene Moses zeale and Moses meeknesse to contend for faith and not be contentious to be couragious and bolde and yet suspitious and alwayes fearefull to be christianly patient and not stoically insensible The same Spirit must afford this wisdome that appeared in the shape of a dove and of fire Consider the necessity of this care and carriage of our affections 1. In beholding the numbers of occasions which daily thrust in upon us to thrust them besides their right objects and enthrall us in pride unjust anger envie wantonnesse carnall love feare c. And were there no such outward occasions who feeles not the spirit in him lust after envie and after the world and after all forbidden fruites so as all care is too little wisely to watch and prevent the continuall disorder of the whole man by his affections 2. What great necessity is it that wise Christians difference themselves from common men it is a great weaknesse to corrupt our affections by the provocations of wicked men to shoote in their bowe to doe as they doe But the godly must be different from them not feare with their feare nor joy with their joy nor kindle anger by theirs nor curse when they
curse but blesse and pray nor walke in their way for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us if we enter not into their way and walke Consider the praise the comfort of all religious duties Yea First that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire Christian perfection is in affection not in action much lesse speculation and contemplation and hence receives his denomination Iob 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisdome All wise and religious walking is included under the affections of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob. Secondly the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action Art thou a Minister whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith love zeale hatred of evill and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them If I had all gifts and want love saith Paul I were nothing knowledge puffeth up but it is love that edifieth Art thou a hearer and wouldest have comfort of hearing what doest thou affect in hearing to censure the Preacher curiously to feede thy judgement or to enable thy discourse this will not doe it But to heare with pure intentions of feeding the soule of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified our affections whetted our obedience bettered and to get the power of godlinesse and the power of the life to come within us all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few Thirdly the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule yea where the action was gloriously performed the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection as in many of the Kings of Israel Such a one did such and such good things but not with all his heart and affection and then all the labour is lost the reward perisheth and thy expectation is frustrate And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect by the sincerity of the affection Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it for First As one disordered affection drawes on another pride begets anger anger begets envie and envie begets hatred and so murther So one good affection begets another love begets feare feare begets humility and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues So good affections beget good actions good actions good habits good habits a good unblamable life Secondly this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts if the matter of our joy love feare desire and delight be God the fruite is internall and eternall this joy none shall take away But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects so they lose both affections and objects Thirdly looke what way we will the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse 1. Looke at God it holds Gods affection to us how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull when we walke in love as he hath loved us when his affections are the rule of ours and so are framed to his will for all his affections flow from his righteous will 2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen from her first love and yet a little sparke was left shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke at least if shee recover her affection And this is our case the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke and holde up our light and peace and the Gospell above all Countries about us surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones which holds life and soule in us and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans for by the blessing of God the body of the kingdome the lawes and doctrine of the kingdome hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke But let us quicken our hatred more for as our first love is in great part gone so if our hatred of evill goe to all is gone God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke 3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances it kindles and keepes in us love feare zeale in his service which is the life of our service and soules and in all these the affection is more respected than the action It holds us fast to the truth What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate what is the truths keeper but love what else but love makes us labour for it suffer for it die for it 4. Strong and earnest affections to God make us profitable to men provokes us to mercy compassion beneficence helpefull to all that neede us 5. It makes us enjoy our selves by patience wee possesse our soules love holds God in possession charity makes us possesse our brethren and patience puts us in possession of our selves Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and leade a man happily to an happy estate 6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God as to become like him when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth nor hate but what hee hateth and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth III. Now after the spirit and soule we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12 Be examples unto others in conversation and in communication the outward man must exercise inward grace First for conversation that is either private or publicke and in both a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation in Gods house thine owne house in thine owne closet and privacy Psal. 101.2 David walked wisely in the midst of his house Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth Gen. 24.63 yea the women must be in such behaviour as becommeth holinesse 2 Tit. 2.3 Rules for conversation are 1. Generall 2. Particular The generall rules are five Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20
on our faithfulnesse whereas our Apostle makes it wholly depend upon Gods 2. This devise makes Gods faithfulnesse dependant upon ours which is as absolute as his owne unchangeable essence is and no unfaithfulnesse of man can make him unfaithfull 2 Tim. 2.13 3. This conceit plainly dissolves our Apostles Argument which he hath so firmely knit together God is faithfull and therefore hee will doe it and God hath already called and he will glorifie And if wee looke into the Scripture wherein this faithfulnesse of God manifests it selfe wee shall see it descrying it selfe in two things neither of which will suffer his end to be frustrate First in keeping the Saints from evill 2 Thess. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from evill Doth Stapleton still doubt that those that have received true grace shall fall away see here the faithfulnesse of God puts it out of doubt for it shall keepe them from all such evills as might frustrate their perseverance Secondly in confirming the Saints in grace received Who shall confirme you to the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. Papists doubt whether the Saints shall lose their grace but where then is Gods faithfulnesse who shall confirme them in grace to the end This faithfulnesse stirres them up to the meanes excites them in their dulnesse raiseth them after their falls and leades them by the hand to eternall life Object The Arminians drawing the same line with these Bellarminians object That God in all his decrees implies some conditions and deales with a man as a physitian doth in restoring a patient He tells him he will cure him conditionally that he follow his directions keepe good dyet abstaine from the feeders of his corrupt humour But Answ. There is a difference betweene these Physitians one cannot rule his patient but the Lord can and will keepe his patient temperate his grace shall remove all lets and impediments of cure 2. Gods promises of perseverance imply conditions of holinesse watchfulnesse unblameablenesse But Gods faithfulnesse enables him to keepe these conditions Iohn 6.3 Whosoever are given unto Christ shall be raised up at the last day III. In his will God is unchangeable he hath bound himselfe by his promise and oath to effect the salvation of the heires of life Heb. 6.17 God being willing to shew to heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation Object I finde my will so mutable and so inclinable to grosse evills that I have great cause to feare my falling away Answ. But art thou effectually called then is this will of thine by Gods over-ruling will confirmed to perseverance unto the end IV. For Gods affection to the Saints it is perpetuall Iohn 13.1 Whom he loved once he loveth to the end Ier. 31. His love it is everlasting love This love causeth him to keepe them as the apple of his eye This love makes them love him and it will uphold them in his love This is the first reason Secondly The second reason is drawne from the power of God which preserves them to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 His strength is such as none can plucke them out of his hands The Father is stronger than all Iohn 10. 2 Tim. 1.28 I know he is able to keepe that I commit to him Object I know hee is able too But will hee keepe me Answ. Yes if thou beest effectually called this brings thee within compasse of Christs intercession Ioh. 17.14 15. They are not of the world I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from evill Hath Christ prayed his father to keepe thee certainly then he will keepe thee safe for he was heard in all things Object God is strong enough I know but I am weake Satan is strong against mee sinne is strong in me how then may I holde out Answ. 1. No mans weaknesse shall disappoint the strength of God but manifest it rather 2. No strength of Satan can prevaile against the faith of him that is effectually called for God is faithfull and will not suffer him to be tempted above his strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Thirdly The third reason may be taken from the gifts and calling of God which are without repentance Rom. 11.29 that is such peculiar gifts as flow out of Gods eternall love and election whereas naturall morall and many spirituall gifts are sometimes lost This calling of God according to purpose is never frustrate Object But though God repent not of his gifts yet the gifts of God are in themselves changeable and men may cast away their gifts and fall from their faith and repentance and shake off the calling Answ. 1. The gifts are indeede in themselves changeable for nothing is simply unchangeable but God himselfe But they are all kept by another gift namely of perseverance which crowneth all the rest 2. If the elect should cast away the gifts received then should they be tempted above their strength and God should be unmindfull of his promise which is impossible Nay Gods strength suffers them not to cast away their gifts 3. For shaking of the calling if you speake of the inward calling it is false for then how should God abide constant to them or his word be true which saith Whom he calleth he glorifieth Or how holdes he under his hand in their falls Besides he giveth these gifts to none but such as know the worth and use of them and not to such as will reject them or cast them away Fourthly The last reason is taken from the stat◠of a Christian who as a member must be conformed to Christ his head for as Christ being once risen from the grave never returnes againe or dieth any more so the life of grace in his members once called out of the grave of sinne never dies more no not in death nor in the grave It is the Apostles reason Rom. 6.8 9 11. As Christ raised dieth no more so thinke ye Object The prodigall sonne after a sonne was dead and alive againe a sonne lost and found againe Answ. It is a Parable and nothing but the maine scope proves any thing 2. The prodigall is every man lost in Adam who by creation was the sonne of God but in Adam lost and dead and in the second Adam found and quickened if by faith set into him 3. This lost and dead childe was so both in his fathers opinion and in his owne seeming So may the childe of God even after conversion seeme lost and dead in his owne sence and others conceit but is indeede alive and found First This serves for humiliation of us who are so weake and wretched as having our salvation put into our hands yet cannot keepe it so many temptations from without and corruptions frō within that it is Gods great mercy that keeps us in grace unto
love another and not pray for him Some say they love their Minister and like preaching but as the worldling boasts of false liberality when didst thou ever pray unto God for him that hee would be pleased to give him strength and ability successe freedome from molestation from unreasonable men and every good encouragement in his place scarce in all thy life Then may I say to thee as Dâ—lilah to Sampson How canst thou say thou lovest mee and doest not this thing for mee How canst thou say thou lovest mee and keepest this thing from me even thy prayers and best wishes 2. The object must be right the things prayed for Many wish well to their Ministers and much love they shew them and pray for them that God would give them good livings two or three and for meanes of further preferments to raise them to the fayre of dignities wish them good Lords and Patrons and countenance of great men Oh the happinesse of Ministers stands not in these things A Turke or Heathen can wish all these to their friends and yet Christians wish no more These are wishes of carnall men But pray thou for liberty spirit courage power faithfulnesse to stand against men and Divels that by force or subtlety would discourage him from the worke grace and faithfull dispensation makes an happy Minister Pray for this and yet I doubt many Ministers themselves pray more for the other than these 3. With prayer thou must bring the other companions of love and thankfulnesse We must not deale by our Ministers as many answer beggers God helpe you but give them nothing you must yeeld us not onely good words and good prayers but audience redence maintenance you must doe that you pray for It is but hypocrisie to pray in a set forme of prayer for all Bishops Curates and all Congregations committed to their charge if thou doest not set thy hand to thy prayer If love set thy mouth on worke to pray for a Ministers prosperity it will set the hand on work to uphold his person his comfort his Ministery his cheerefulnesse in the worke of the Lord all thy pretences leave thee but an hypocrite an enemie of righteousnesse who art hyde-bound and hand-bound who valuest not sundry yeares labours of thy Pastour at so many farthings Heathens and Savages would be loath to reject their Idolatrous Priests so farre but either conscience or shame or feare or company would force some expressions of love to them But Heathenish Christians nothing can worke them FINIS THE TABLE A. ACtions of renovation discerned in three things 198 Actuall sins more violently quenching the fire of the Spirit above other 3 sorts 23 Every action must be done 1. by vertue of a word 2. in Gods presence 3. for Gods glory 110 Action to bee good must proceede from a good agent 115 Admiration of mens persons no good rule for 6 reas 84 Affections crooked no safe rule to follow 3 reas 81 83 Affection to inferiour things must shame us for want of like affection in attaining better 227 Affections must be narrowly watched 256 Affections naturally exceedingly corrupted 5 instances 263 Sound affection to grace discerned by foure signes 218 Afflictions sanctified set forward sanctification 5 wayes 214 Aime of a Christian must be absolute conformity betweene the whole word and the whole man 89 All things to be beleeved or done must first be tryed by the Scriptures 4 reas 61 All things are to be tryed but all things must not be held 125 All the Articles of religion turned into a questionary Divinity among Schoolemen 129 Alteration and change of spirit soule and body a sure signe of growth in holinesse 217 Ancient Christians refused ceremonies used by Heathens 3 instances 160 Appearances of evill must be avoided as well as apparant evills for 5 reasons 147 Apostates their fearfull danger in 4 things 319 Arts wicked with which seducers come armed to deceive 5. 63 Severall Attributes of God to be conceived according to our suites 5 Instances 178 B. Baptisme must not be required of a Popish Priest 5 Reas. 158 C. Calling effectuall and ineffectuall differenced 353 His owne effectuall calling every man ought to know 4 reasons 356 Calling effectuall the worke of God onely 5 reasons 361 From effectuall calling a man may certainly conclude his owne salvation 363 Calling effectuall often hardly discerned 3 reas 367 Calling effectuall heareth Christs voice many wayes vttered 371 Ceremonies ordained of God so as Iewes must differ from Heathens as well in them as in doctrine 4 Instances 159 Wofull changes in the soule of Gods childe who hath quenched the Spirit 5. 17 Change in a man effectually called is wonderfull 1. In respect of sinne 377 2. In respect of the world Ibid. 3. In respect of grace in kinde 379 soundnesse 380 growth 382 Change no shadow of it in Gods nature 386 Nor in his decrees 387 Nor in his will 389 Nor in his affections Ibid. Charity how it beleeveth all things 4 cautions 69 Christians must proceede to full sanctification for five reasons 201 Christians must be as carefull to retaine grace as to attaine it 4 reasons 232 Christ must be magnified in our bodies 5 wayes 280 Christ not corporally present in the Sacrament 4 reasons 309 Christians must not onely labour for full but finall holinesse 4 Reasons 311 Christ raised dieth no more no more doth the Christian. 391 Civility is farre from sanctity 6 differences 205 Comfort in affections well guided in 3 things 268 Comforts from Gods faithfulnesse in 4 things 393 Communication in other mens sinnes to be avoided both before and after 165 Conformity with Idolaters must be avoided in 3 things 156 To a good conscience are required 4 things 239 Conscience cleareth his master 4 wayes 240 Consideration of Christs second comming encourageth godlinesse 6 wayes 301 Considerations to move people to pray for their Ministers sundry 403 Contemplation of creatures in their severall rankes call us to progresse in holinesse 222 D. David sinned in numbring the people in 4 things 113 Davids mourning for Absolom blame-worthy for 4 reasons 114 David refused to drinke the water of Bethlem 3 reas ib. Depth of learning pretended by seducers 63 Difference betweene the peace of Christ and the peace of the world in 6 things 180 Difference betweene sound peace and sencelesnesse of conscience in 5 things 185 Dislike of evill if sound discerned in 6 things 219 Disposition to good tryed by five signes 220 Directions concerning sanctification of the spirit 5. 237 Distinction must be made betweene diffusing of grace and decaying of it 32 Doctrines to be sound must all agree with the analogie of faith 3 instances 90 Doctrine of doubting of a mans owne salvation is against the analogy of faith 91 All sound doctrine tyeth the two tables together 6 Instances 92 All true doctrine leades men unto Christ. 100 Sound doctrine is most contrary to corrupt nature 103 The soundest doctrine most soundly comforteth
of salvation And besides for such as have opportunitie and leisure from their callings it must needs be an unanswerable sinne to neglect or contemne the offer of the meanes of their owne good while they can spend that or more time idly or sottishly or in gaming sporting vaine companionship complement or the like For here is not only a vaine sinfull expence of precious time but a prophane despising of the most sacred ordinance of God which is now as a prize in the hand of a fool but he wanteth heart Were there a true knowledge of Christ offered in the means he would be thankefully received at any time Were there any true love of Christ it would alwayes enioy him whom the soule loveth and delight at any time to beholde him through these grates but he loves him not on the Sabboth that hates him on the weeke-day Were there any hunger after Christ it would find the need of this bread of life on the week-day as hunger findeth need of foode for the body on the Saboth day hunger after Christ wold force him out of his tent to gather this Mannah in the due season of gathering if it were every day to be had Were there a true taste of Christ he would be as sweete to the soule one day as another Did ever man that truly tasted Christ on the Sabboth day preferre earthly things before him in the weeke-day or did ever man prosper by the meanes on the Sabboth that despâ—sed them in the weeke-day Were there true sence of a mans selfe it would not suffer him to bee lesse holy any day than the Sabboth onely it must be more publikely expressed it would not suffer him at any time in the middest of his earthly businesse to be earthly-minded and much lesse to bee so wedged and rivited into earthly distractions as not to bestow an houre in a weeke when God offers a publike helpe to the winding up of his heart towards heaven The objections are idle and of idle men As that there is too much preaching If it be made by Preachers themselves I should marvaile the more because I never heard men of any other trade complaine of too much trading If of private men a man might waite to wearinesse before he should heare them complaine of too much money too much land too much gaine Which plainly evidenceth that Gods word is undervalued and rejected below base profits whereby men pull the brand of Esaus profanesse upon themselves preferring every measse of broth before the birth-right and exchanging with the Prodigall for very huskes the bread of their Fathers house But so much preaching bringeth preaching into contempt say some Yea but what infant contemnes the milke because it sucketh often every day or who contemnes his meate because hee eateth every day who falls out with his apparell because he puts it on every day or who despiseth his wealth because he increaseth it every day and is not Christ in his word propounded our foode our wealth our apparell and all in all unto us Let them also make us beleeve that the light of the Sunne is made contemptible because it shineth every day Or that Daniel brought prayer into contempt when he prayed thrice every day Or David when hee prayed seaven times a day Why may they not as well perswade us that the publicke prayers appointed foure dayes in a weeke brings publicke prayer into contempt as well as preaching once in a weeke But I have no leisure saith the rich man I have many weighty occasions and employments it is for poorer men who have no such distractions to runne after Sermons To whom our Saviour makes a full answer That one thing is more necessary than they all in comparison of which Mary neglects all other things and who dare say that Mary did more than she was bound to doe or that shee did heare onely because shee had nothing else to doe or that shee was blame-worthy whom our Lord commendeth in that for the love of the word shee did neglect all other things 2. It is not indeede want of leisure but want of love and taste of the word that makes this objection for love of any thing will finde time and leisure to enjoy it 3. It is not want of time for no man but hath much more time than he useth well and none but hath much time which he spendeth worse but want of judgement to give priority to things of greatest weight and worth Is any worldly businesse of greater importance than the seeking of Gods favour and the assurance of a mans owne salvation Would any employment never so weighty make a man wholly neglect for a weeke together all meanes of preserving his body and is any so necessary as to make us neglect the health and welfare of our precious soules or canst thou with reason be straiter to thy owne soule on the weeke day than the Lord is to thy body on the Sabboth day He allowes thee to consult with a Physitian for thy body in case of necessity even upon his sabboth and doest not thou allow thy selfe an houre among so many houres in a weeke to consult with thy spirituall Physitian for the helpe of thy soule Might a Iew make a journey on the Sabboth to consult with a Prophet and may not a Christian steppe out of his doores for counsell in the week-day Nay more may a Iew performe a worke of mercy to a beast on the Sabboth day as to helpe it out of a pit or to drive it to water and must not a Christian doe so much for his soule on the week-day as they for the body of a beast on the Sabboth 4. It is not want of time but want of well husbanding the time that gives rise to this objection for he that employeth his time wisely shall never need to complaine for want of time especially for the maine businesse of his life A good husband will be sure to set out time for the chiefe points of husbandry and so will a good husband for his soule but hee that trifles out his time in unnecessaries must needes want it in necessaries And indeede they be not such necessary duties as they are pretended which engrosse and eate out mens time but for the most part unnecessary and lombersome employments such as Christ reproves in Martha which for a great part of them might be pared off and parted with were men so wise as to lighten the overburdened ship for the safety of the passengers But if men will grapple and pull upon themselves all the employments they can any way reach and then complaine that they are so distracted with many things as that they have no time left for the one thing necessary It is all one as if a man should roule and moyle himselfe in the clay and then complaine that hee cannot get out his feete 5. Canst thou finde no time for the Lords worke what
are given over to their owne corruptions to commit grosse sinnes which even many civill men would not commit What fearefull sinnes did David moyle himselfe in when the spirit withdrew himselfe the sinnes of adultery carnall pollicy and shifting out of one sinne into another and falling from evill to worse How was Peter given up to lying swearing and forswearing for the time that a Iew might have beene ashamed on him notwithstanding all his former holinesse and gracious confession 4. Change Whereas the spirit being cherished there was a continuall feast in the soule and unspeakable glorious joy now being in part quenched hee brings a racke into the conscience of Gods childe and that conscience which before excused and justified now accuseth and terrifieth the burden of which is so heavie as all the mountaines of the world are light in comparison These terrours of conscience were the deepes out of which David even hopelesse and almost swallowed in the pit of despaire cryed to the Lord Psal. 130.1 5. Change Even the child of God quenching his spirit shall feele the smart and shame of his sinne which shall pursue him and vexe him and hee shall know what it is to exasperate the spirit Davids childe shall dye his daughter shall be defloured Ammon shall be slaine his wives ravished by his owne sonne himselfe driven out of his kingdome by Absolom Oh miserable change by quenching the spirit Fifthly Most men have the spirit of God and some motions but great is the difference betweene a godly man and an hypocrite in the one they are quenched quite in the other for the most part they are cherished and at last perfected As for example First hypocrites have knowledge as well as the godly but they quench it and fight against it therefore all good knowledge quite leaves them in the end but the godly carry their knowledge to heaven with them therefore the one is compared to the light of the Sunne which lasteth all day the other is like a flash of lightning suddenly appearing and suddenly vanishing Secondly hypocrites may be grieved for sin but it is onely and chiefly because of punishment not because of offence and they quench this griefe not willing to torment themselves before the time they runne into merry company and turne off sorrow lest they should disquiet themselves too much with such melancholy whereas the godly nourish godly sorrow and never cease sowing in teares till they reape in joy Thirdly hypocrites pretend great love to God but it is for his goodnesse to them not his goodnesse in himselfe for wages not for service but they utterly quench this love by the love of the world or pleasure or sinne and being grounded on earthly things when they faile it failes If Saul love God for his Kingdome when his kingdome failes his love quaileth too If Iudas love Christ for an Apostles place when that place will not holde him with further credit hee will for gaine betray his Master But the godly love him when he crosseth them and if he kill them they will trust in him much water cannot quench their love Fourthly an hypocrite hath many good motions the worst man living is not without some Balaam hath good desires but covetousnesse quencheth them Saul acknowledgeth his sinne and his sonne David to be better than himselfe but it was a blaze in straw suddenly quenched But the godly for the most part goe from motions to resolutions and so to practise many practises grow to habits and so to perseverance Well is it so such as have any assurance that the spirit is in them must have a speciall watch that they quench him not Then let Christians carefully avoid the meanes of quenching the spirit Quest. Which be they Answ. Three especially I. Fire is quenched when it is suffered to die of it selfe so is the fire of grace quenched 1. whē we use not our graces but let them be idle neither by them procuring glory to God nor good to men As iron let it be as bright as christall cast it by in a corner and not use it it will grow rusty and unprofitable even so will grace And the drowsie Christian though indued with good graces if he waxe idle his heart shall be like Salomons field of the sluggard all overgrowne with mosse and weedes which choake the good seede The health of the body is preserved by exercise so is the health of the soule by the exercise of grace the moth frets the finest garment when it is not worne standing water is sooner frozen than the running streame Secondly as fire dieth of it selfe when wee prepare not or adde not fit matter for the fewell and feede of it so suffer wee our graces to decay when wee neglect such meanes as God hath set apart for the strengthening and confirming of grace the case being with the soule as with the body which is in a continuall decay and needes daily repast or else it dies If a man forbeare his ordinary meales the naturall heate will decay and vigour and health and life and all so will the Christian if hee neglect the word the Sacraments meditation prayer watchfulnesse and the like Thirdly as fire must needes die of it selfe when we take away the fewell by which it should be nourished so is it in the matter of grace looke into the places where the word hath beene powerfully preached but is now removed and see if good things begun be not quite overthrowne and if ordinarily and for the general such people be not more profane than any other Many thinke they can walke many dayes without the strength of a Sermon But it was a miracle that Moses fasted forty dayes and forty nights and let Moses be away but a few dayes he shall surely finde a Calfe made Marke them that absent themselves from the assemblies of Gods people whether they doe not wither or no and fall by little and little into flat Atheisme If thou keepe not thy watch in the Temple if thou look not to the holy lights and fire morning and evening how will the Spirit be kept will thy graces in so great security be still lively While Thomas was absent from the company of the Apostles did hee not lose that manifestation of Christ which might have strengthened his weake and tottering faith and not so onely but grew hee not into a peevish infidelity that hee would not beleeve but upon his owne carnall conditions II. Another meanes of quenching the Spirit that is to be avoided is when the fire of grace is violently smothered by the contrary Sinne is as water to quench the grace of God both our owne and those of others For our owne sinnes First our sinnes of nature doe choake grace for our naturall corruption which the Apostle calls flesh doth ever lust against the Spirit and by reason of this there is never a grace of God in us but it conflicteth and is
was lawfull moderately to mourne but not with such excesse and testimony as was joyned with offence of his people with neglect of his owne danger and with the hazard of publike peace But let us now see David who had failed in not observing circumstances notably graceing himselfe againe in such accurate observance of circumstances as made him refuse a very lawfull action when the circumstance so required 2 Sam. 23.17 Being marvelous desirous to drinke of the water of the well of Bethelem three mighty men brake into the host of the Philistims and drew water and brought it to David to drinke David now had power and neede to drinke it but would not but powred it out upon the ground before the Lord. 1. Because he would testifie his thankfulnesse to God who had both given him such men and also preserved them Hee is not proud of them neither ascribes the happy event to their power or fortitude but to God 2. Because in great wisdome hee would not have his subjects rashly to thrust themselves into such dangers He feedes not their rash confidence but wills them in effect to be diligent in avoiding of danger 3. He would not satisfie his owne desire by the extreame perill of his subjects but if they by such an hazard overcome their enemies hee will overcome himselfe he will shew how deare his subjects lives are unto him The third Rule respecteth the Agent in whom three things are requisite 1. Hee must be a good man a good tree else there will be no good fruit 2. The person must be pleasing in this particular action and that is when it is done by faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. ult Let the action be never so indifferent never so small yea never so good if I doe it with an erroneous or doubtfull conscience it is sinne to me 3. Hee must in doing any thing containe himselfe within his speciall calling 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in that calling to which hee is called For many things are wel done out of duty and office which same things are sinfull done without just warrant and calling Let a thing be never so just if it be done out of a mans way it loseth the beauty and justice Absolom had justly deserved death but Ioab slew him unjustly because hee was warned by David to spare him Now David had the power over his life so had not Ioab Elijah calls for fire from heaven against his enemies and justly 2 King 1.10.12 But if the Apostles attempt it Luke 9.54 they shall justly be reproved because even the best examples are not to be followed without divine vocation or calling For the difference betweene these holy men lay in the matter of their calling Elijah knew what spirit he was off being stirred up by Propheticall instinct and was certaine of Gods will but the Disciples knew not what spirit they were of being stirred by an humane spirit lusting after revenge against the will of God Besides Elijah had a singular spirit and speciall vocation to revenge on Gods enemies But the office of Christ and his Apostles was to save sinners and bring them to repentance To preach the word is a worthy worke 1 Tim. 3.1 but for a shoo-maker or an artizan to undertake it is base and unworthy To baptise the childe of the beleeving parent is most necessary and fit but for a woman or a midwife or private person is neither necessary nor lawfull The fourth Rule concerneth our brother toward whom in all things we must expresse two vertues 1. Charity and brotherly love 2. Care of his edification I. The Rule of charity is in that precept Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Then looke what I would not out of sound judgement have him doe to me I must not doe to him not offering to him what I would not have offered to my selfe The meaning of the Rule is that I must embrace every man with the same kinde of love wherewith I love my selfe although I am not alwayes bound to the same degree For suppose that I be in danger with another friend I can save one of us two and but one here I must save my selfe and not him Object But wee desire in this case that the other should save us and not himselfe and therefore doing as wee would be done unto wee should save him and not our selves Answ. That which we justly desire to be done to us we must doe to others but this is an unjust desire in this comparison for God hath ordained degrees of men for degrees of love first our selves then the houshold of faith first our owne families and then others Object The widow of Sarepta had baked a little floure for her selfe and she bestowed it on Elijah when it would not serve them both Answ. 1. She certainely knew the meale should serve both her selfe and her sonne and also the Prophet partly by divine instinct and partly by Elijahs words 2. She had experience by the miracle that the oyle and floure wasted not but increased as Elijah had spoken 1 King 17.16 II. In doing any action in the sight of others I must have care that I be so farre from scandalizing that I must edifie my brother For suppose a thing be in it selfe indifferent or lawfull yet if I cannot doe it but I must offend him I must forbeare 1 Cor. 8.13 I will never eate flesh while I live before I will offend my brother And Let all things be done to edification Rom. 14.21 But this Rule must be understood with these cautions 1. It must be a weake brother 2. to forbeare indifferent things not necessary duties 3. forbeare onely for a time till he may be instructed if he will 4. in such indifferent things as the life stands not in our forbearance may not impaire our life or health for then it loseth indifferency If now we shall apply many of our actions to these and the like Rules we should see the crookednesse of them which yet we esteeme straight enough See it in some instances I. Men in losses and extraordinary crosses seeke out as they say and commonly and boldly runne to the witch or cunning man and the losing witch is thought a publike good or commodity to the whole Country where he is But lay this action to these Rules or any of them 1. Gods word prohibiteth and threatneth it 2. For Gods presence thou hast runne from God to the Divell and renounced God by depending on Satan for helpe 3. For Gods glory thou couldst not more dishonour him than by so doing 4. For the meanes thou hast renounced lawfull meanes sanctified by God and hast used such as for all worldly gaine should not have beene used 5. Doth it beseeme the Gospell or a beleever to runne in post hast to Satan Is it because there is no God in Israel Did Saul ever doe so till God was gone from him 6. For
indeede Did ever any or can ever any attaine to this perfection Answ. This question brings us to the explication of the fourth thing in the Text How a man may be said to be blamelesse in spirit soule and body in this life Whereto we say No man ever attained to this unblameable perfection of degrees in this life except the first Adam in his innocency and the second Adam who had sanctification in all parts and degrees for Paul a most holy man after regeneration confesseth how farre hee was from perfection Rom. 7. and Phil. 3. But a man regenerate may be said to be blamelesse and throughly renewed 1. In respect of his relation with Christ his head who is made to him sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 and in whom hee is perfectly holy and unblameable Ezek. 16.14 Thy Beauty was made perfect by my Beauty 2. In respect of open and grosse crimes which might impeach the honour of his profession so Zachary and Elizabeth walked in Gods ordinances without reproofe Luk. 1.6 so did Samuel and Iob and other holy men For though no man can be without sinne yet a man may be without crime when after his conversion hee carries himselfe so uprightly as he cannot be noted for any reigning sinne before men 3. In respect of Christian indeavour and inchoation when the beleever labours and aymes at full sanctification in all his faculties and parts for sanctification produceth holy motions in the soule and holy actions in the body See it 1. In the spirit 1. In the soule First the spirit i. the minde and understanding of a sanctified man is indued with a sound and distinct knowledge of heavenly things and he still indeavours to a further measure Psal. 119.33 34. Teach mee give mee understanding c. Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome not to others And it is joyned with a speciall faith applying the promises which maketh his person and worke acceptable Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Vnder the spirit include the conscience in the purging of which the beleever striveth and loseth not his labour For 1. it is a tender conscience and remorsefull for sinne 2 Chron. 34.27 Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law 2. It is calme and peaceable it blameth not nor accuseth seth it selfe but giveth good witnesse first that the person may be assured of his reconciliation with God Rom. 5.12 and 8.36 And secondly that he walketh with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimony of a good conscience that in simplicity and good sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world 1 Ioh. 3.21 If our heart condemne us not we have boldnesse with God The second faculty called the soule here includeth the will and affections in both which this worke of sanctification is begunne and increased 1. In the will when being renewed it is now subject and pliable to God in all things Rom. 7.18 To will now is present with mee not onely in doing but in suffering as 1 Pet. 4.9 in suffering it can commit the soule to God in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour 2. In the affections herein is a change being guided and carried by the minde and will renewed His love is not the olde carnall love of himselfe and the world but a new affection Love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 His hatred which was against God and his Saints is now against the haters of God and things which God hates Psal. 139.21 His joy which was sensuall and earthly is now delightfull in doing the will of God yea in suffering it Rom. 5.3 We rejoyce in tribulation His sorrow which was for worldly losses crosses c. is now for sinne and for the afflictions of Gods people His delights which were in carnall profits pleasures corne wine or prosecuting his lusts are now in Gods countenance in Gods Law in Gods house in Gods Ordinances the Word and Sacraments and in Gods children above all persons as those that are excellent on earth His desires are answerable what ever his former desires were now he desires the presence of God the pleasing of God pardon of sinne softnesse of heart the constant fruition of the meanes of salvation with a blessed successe of them Hee desires the prosperity of Zion the salvation of the Israel of God and the comming of Iesus Christ to his full redemption Thus we see how a sanctified man profiteth and prospereth in the whole inner man But fire within will breake out and so will grace which is like fire and the body shall be a weapon of righteousnesse his outward actions shall be done in an holy manner his whole life is changed 1. For the matter of his actions Gods word is the rule of them all Psal. 119.35 Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight 2. For the manner they are done first in humility Mich. 6.8 Walke humbly with thy God Luke 17.10 Say thou art an unprofitable servant Secondly in sincerity without guile of spirit Psal. 32.2 Thirdly with cheerefulnesse delighting greatly in his commandements Psal. 112.1 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man wisheth in his heart The Lord loves a cheerefull giver Fourthly with courage and stoutnesse Dan. 3.17 We are not carefull â—f this matter our God whom we serve will deliver us Acts 4.19 Peter and Iohn said to the Rulers Whether it be meet to obey God or men judge yee Gal. 2.11 I withstood him to his face 3. For the end first hee will approove his heart to God and lookes not so much to men for his praise is not of man but of God Secondly hee desires to please God in that hee doth Acts 11.23 wâ—th fall purpose of heart cleave unto God Thirdly he doth not good things for his private ends as ease profit credit but even against all these if he be called thereunto The 4. respect in which a beleever may be called unblameable even in this life is in Gods account and gracious acceptation Where himselfe workes and sees such beginnings proceedings and indeavours it is accepted as perfection by meanes of Christs merit promise and intercession Thus Paul saith Rom. 7.17 It is not I that doe evill Whence our Lord pronounceth of his Church that she is all faire and that no spot is in her 5. In respect of that perfect sanctification in all degrees which is growing unto and shall attaine in the day of Christs second comming when every beleever shall be free from all blame and staine and set into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God which now they have onely in desire in in faith in promise in an earnest and inchoation the Lord mercifully accepting them for that they are growing unto And thus we have expounded this worthy petition of the Apostle The summe and substance whereof is this
Rev. 21.6 A tast of that which is delicate makes a man long after his fill 2. By a diligent and constant using the meanes of increase A worldly man because hee loves wealth and money will take great paines for it and be laborious in the meanes Now faith purifieth Acts 15.9 therefore a godly man labours still for the increase of faith the word sanctifieth Iohn 17.17 a property of Saints is they are humbled at his feet to heare his word Deut. 33.3 see Exod. 19.5 6. 3. When we envie not grace to another but rejoyce in it and love it because it is Gods image Iohn 3.30 Hee must increase but I must decrease Moses the more grace himselfe had the more hee wished to others Num. 11.29 Enviest thou for my sake yea I would all Gods people were Prophets 4. True love of holinesse longeth and wayteth and sigheth to put off all the corruption of sinne and attaine that perfect happinesse wherein is perfection of holinesse Rom. 8.23 Wee that have received the first fruites of the Spirit sigh in our selves waiting for the adoption of sons Find in thee this affection to the first fruits here and full fruits hereafter to receive daily strength and increase and thy holinesse increaseth with thy hunger and thirst after it Never was there so happy an hunger the more hungry the more full The fourth Marke is Detestation or dislike of opposites of holinesse which as it increaseth so doth holinesse also Now this is manifest 1. In carefull avoiding things which quench shake or hinder grace and holinesse 1 Iohn 5.18 Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and the evill one toucheth him not 2. By rising into greater dislike of corruption without seeking base extenuations as to say this is a little sinne or a small sinne no every sinne will swell as a toade in his eyes 3. By crying out on the law of the members rebelling against the law of the minde Rom. 7.23 4. By complaining of secret and lesser evills which were never wont to trouble him 5. By ceasing from particular and beloved sinnes as Ephraim said to his idols Get you hence what have I to doe with you Hosea 14.8 my house is taken up already here is no roome for you 6. By the spirit of judgement and burning Esay 4.4 judging and condemning sinne The Spirit keepes an Assize in the soule pronounceth sentence against corruption and kindles a fire to burne up those bewitching evills and a fire of zeale and indignation against them Thou growest not in holinesse who growest not in the measure of hatred of evills answerable to thy former love and liking of them The fifth Marke is Disposition to good duties this is an argument of soundnesse of sanctification 1. When thou canst ever set the Lord before thee walking with God contented and glad to have him witnesse and judge of all both inward sincerity and outward innocency 2. When in all the workes of thy calling thou seekest not so much thine owne things as the things of Christ Phil. 2.21 3. When in the sober use of all Gods creatures thou art led to the contemplation of the Creatour Psal. 8.1 4. If when thou hast performed any good duty in any good measure thou rest not therein but labour more earnestly to doe it better 5. If when thou hast either omitted or slightly performed any good dutie thou be humbled and so bewailest that which is past as thou makest it up in duties behinde Now if these be the markes of proceeding in sanctification how rare is this duty 1. Where is the man that takes up this order of God that begins this worke at the spirit of the minde notwithstanding that God being a Spirit begins his chiefe worke in the Spirit and the law the rule of holinesse being spirituall especially requireth inward sanctity Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem wash thine heart first loathe sinne inwardly and then outwardly Many will mend their lives but let their hearts alone which is all one as to cut off a waste bough and not to strike at the roote to seeke to draine a streame but not meddle with the fountaine 2. Where is the man that having changed his understanding from errour to truth changeth also his will from evill to good Here many faile who see what is good and approove it but themselves are as bad as ever they were 3. How few refine every part of their life and bring all the members within the whole rule who can say I hate all the evill which I loved and all the good which like a swine I trampled under feete offered in the meanes I now in some measure imbrace and practise I was intemperate now sober wanton and foule now chaste and pure a great swearer now I tremble at an oath and so in the rest One that is a foule monster still may reforme some things yea many things yea most but to come to through sanctification casts off many some are just not mercifull some have care of honesty not of godlinesse some are better in some company than in other few have respect to all the commandements 4. How many be there who have made some faire offers of beginning in the Spirit but have ended in the flesh They made men beleeve they had the substance of holinesse and would goe through the businesse but end in meere ceremony nay scarce that but are haters of holinesse Better it had beene for them that they had never beene inlightened never washed never purged than forget they were cleansed Now let him that filthy be filthy still and let him that is holy be holy still Rev. 22.11 The third generall thing proposed is Motives to grow up unto full sanctification I. Motive Consider that whatsoever thou castest thine eyes upon it calls upon thee to proceede in thy sanctification If thou lookest upward to God the further thou proceedest and the greater measure of sanctification thou attainest the more thou art like him and the more is he glorified Iohn 15.8 In this my Father is glorified that ye bring forth much fruite If to the Angels these holy and ministring spirits incessantly expect his charges and unweariably execute the same besides they are joyfull witnesses of thy profiting in grace and holinesse for if they rejoyce at the first peeping of holinesse in thy conversation how joyfull will they bee when it proceedeth to perfection in conversation If thou lookest round about thee to thy brethren thou must bee so farre from offending or scandalizing them that thou must be ready by all good offices to helpe them to edifie them especially by a godly and zealous example these must behold the shine of thy light both for the glorifying of God and their owne direction and encouragement at least thou must be blamelesse in the midst of a naughty generation holding out the word of life Phil. 2.14 15. If to the creatures even the whole world heaven and earth Sunne Moone and stars beasts
not all is well when thou hast gotten grace righteousnesse and holinesse but keepe thy selfe pure for know it is no lesse vertue to keepe grace than to get it Iude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God and againe Keep that thou hast obtained lest another take thy crowne And the rather First because this is the effect of true religion for true religion unspotred and undefiled before God is to keepe a mans selfe blamelesse and unspotted without just crimes in the world and this is to keepe himselfe blamelesse Secondly no part of man can be kept blamelesse without great care and industry Adam in innocency could not keepe himselfe blamelesse as hee was created and much lesse the sonnes of Adam now in corruption No watch is sufficient against that subtill Serpent that windes himselfe into us insensibly every faculty as an eare and every sense as a window lets him into us to come in and spoyle us and therefore it is necessary wee should labour to keepe that we have gotten 3. Excellent and precious things are to be kept most charily mens gold silver jewells and treasures are carefully kept but their lives much more because they are precious unto them But of all treasures our spirits soules and bodies are of most incomparable value nothing so worth keeping as this First what a precious blood was shed for to redeeme them Secondly if these be lost what price can recover them what shall a man give for the recompence Nothing but the blood of Christ tread that under foote nothing can recover it a treasure must be kept most carefully but a godly mans heart is a good treasurie sending out good things A worldlings treasure is without him and that he holds fast but the godly mans treasure is within him he layes hold upon faith and grace in Christ and these hee holdes worth the keeping but for the things of the world they are not worth the keeping in safe custody If they be not kept till the day of Christ they are lost eternally there is no time of keeping them but the present neglect that there is no salvation 4. The necessity of keeping our selves blamelesse is exceeding great 1. If we looke upon our selves in our naturall inclinations to soyle and blacke our selves or whether we looke upon our whole or parts First the whole frame of mans heart is evill the whole naturall spirit imagineth evill continually Gen. 6.5 Secondly and for the parts 1. The conscience is darkened by the blacke darknesse of ignorance and impured by a thousand sinnes of most ugly hue 2. The thoughts which in the day of Gods appearing shall either accuse or excuse Rom. 2.15 are naturally vaine roving and stragling from God 3. The affections which are of great force to good or evill If they be sinfull they are as wings to carry us as slaves to the most barbarous and unnaturall evills and ever pulling us aside to the world and lusts As Cain to hate and murder his innocent brother C ham to lay open his fathers nakednesse Iudas to betray the most righteous Sonne of God But if they bee rightly ordered they are powerfull instruments of excellent duties and as wings to carry us to the high pinnacles of Christianity All excellencies have beene brought out of the strong affections of grace Thirdly Looke upon our selves in the presence of grace the cleanest house will gather soyle if it be not daily swept the brightest vessells take rust if not often scoured and oyled enemies chased will turne head againe trees lopped will grow againe nature expelled returnes againe fire quenched will kindle againe and therefore all watch is little enough Fourthly Looke on our selves in that to which we are called and set apart by grace to be sonnes of God Temples of the Spirit of God mansions for God and Iesus Christ to come into us and suppe with us How carefull are we to cleanse our houses from all filth when we are to give entertainment to an honourable friend whom wee are sure will be ready to pry into every corner as the Lord will surely doe when hee commeth into us This serves to discover the generall errour of men who if they had innocency it selfe could not stand by themselves without watchfulnesse yet can keepe any thing better than themselves their horses their swine cattle their money their wares but very few thinke they neede to be so carefull to keepe themselves They keepe no watch over their thoughts they are free nor over their words words are but winde nor did they ever see their soules and therefore care not to keepe them How carefull are wise men to keepe themselves out of the lurch of the law lest by word or deed they should forfeit any of their outward estate much more their liberty lives c But how carelesse are the same men of keeping themselves out of the lurch of Gods law and out of the actions which forfeit the whole estate of grace the liberty and life of their soules And yet 1. Is not thy charge straighter to keepe thy soule than any thing else 2. Is any thing so exposed to robbers and spoylers so many so vigilant so resolutely bent to mischiefe thee 3. Is any losse so irrecoverable so irrepairable 4. Can any thing thou keepest so fast doe thee good when thou hast lost thy selfe whatsoever thou most carefully keepest else that thou receivest not for thy selfe but for others and wilt thou fondly save all for others with the losse of thy selfe Alas our folly that needes so many warnings and motives for the keeping of our selves Be we incited to keepe our selves blamelesse Wherein observe 1. The generality 2. The time 3. The order 4. The rules First for the generality our Apostle saith the whole man consisting of soule body and the whole spirit soule and body for bonum est ex causis integris malum ex quolibet defectu if any part be blemished the whole is blamed Secondly keepe all or none God will have all or none no polluted part shall get into his presence hee will have no part of a divided man Thirdly the Saints tooke themselves bound to keepe all Above all David will looke to his heart and looke to his thoughts and hee will have an eye to his will I have vowed and will performe and then to his mouth he will keepe that as with a bid and bridle and to his wayes Psal. 39.1 Then he will lift up his hands to the Law and then refraine his feete from every evill way Fourthly The danger of not looking to the whole a thorne in the foote may fester a gangrene in one part is deadly one poyson in the body one part without armour is the ruine of the whole 2. For the time We must now keepe our selves Men thinke they can never be Saints till they come to heaven and professe they cannot bee blamelesse here But our Text saith we must be blamelesse till
pleasures of it too well Demas forsooke the truth to embrace the present world Iudas by the same corrupt affection fell from the Apostleship Ioh. 12.41 Many chiefe Rulers beleeved Christ but durst not confesse him because of the Pharises for they loved the praise of men more than God Oh that we did not so cleerely see the strength of this lett in these dayes wherein so many baulke the way of holinesse and fall backe almost to open profanesse because they neither see many men nor great men yeeld approbation or countenance to such strict courses 2. Shunne lewd society and familiarity with profane persons if we would not fall from our owne stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3.17 18. there is not more strength in any infectious pestilencious ayre to poyson the body than in this poysoned ayre to kill the soule Society with gracelesse men is a very blasting of grace fire is not more apt to burne than we to learne their wayes 4. The labour and paines of holinesse and mortification makes many weary of the good way but consider it is not in vaine to serve the Lord and there is profit in walking humbly before him thy paines shall be abundantly recompenced a small measure of holinesse with an upheaped measure of happinesse Every man will be contented to swallow much paines for a little earthly profit and is the state of heaven worth no labour 5. Persecutions drive many away much seed which comes up faire when the sunne of persecution ariseth withereth away But against this wisdome must cast the costs and prepare to defray the charges of this great building and the same Sunne that dries and burnes up the shallow seede shall set and ripen ours Many heare holinesse reviled and spoyled of her vaile and value they heare this sect every where spoken against and would as farre forget themselves as Peter to heare that voice Thou art one of them and perhaps renounce Christ and profession and all for if even the very Disciples of Christ and all they leave him and fly when afflictions comes neare Matth. 26.56 what marvell if they that want soundnesse shrinke in the wetting 1. But here remember and looke upon Christ Heb. 12.2 who endured such speaking against of sinners not for himselfe but for thee lest thou be weary 2. Hee that is now ashamed of Christ Christ will one day be ashamed of him and then he that will no◠beare the reproach of a blast of words for him shall be filled with an everlasting reproach before men and Angells 3. Sound judgement esteemes it the greatest honour to be highly dishonoured for Christ and his causes Matth. 5.12 Blessed are yee when men revile you and speake all manner of evill against you for my sake rejoyce and be glad great is your reward in heaven Object I could better endure mens words but I shall also sustaine great losse if I should be so precise I should lose my custome trading and profits Answ. Wilt thou receive a religion and not know it to be truth or knowest it to be so and wilt not be ready to confesse and professe it according to thy place and calling even in the middest of the different conceits of men 2. The Saints knowing this to be truth did for it joyfully suffer the spoyling of their goods 3. Put together in the ballance the losse of the world and the losse of thy soule and consider whether is fitter to save if thou cāst not save both For the losse of the world is an abundant recompence promised by a sure pay-master but what recompence is there for the losse of the soule Matth. 16.26 Nay if thou shouldest venture and give thy life for thy profession if God call for it it is no lesse than thou oughtest who oughtest to strive unto blood Hebr. 12.4 and yet this greatest losse were the greatest gaine Thus to lose thy life is to save it and to save it in this case were to lose it III. Procure to our selves and exercise the helpes of perseverance and keepe them neere us as our continuall companions And for this end First let the word of God be deepely rooted in our hearts for this is a speciall preservative from declining Psal. 119.102 I declined not from thy statutes for thou didst teach me Now the word sundry wayes keepes us As first by inlightening us to see our way both to chuse the right way and decline the wrong Psal. 119.105 Thy law is a light and lanthorne to our paths Secondly by comforting and incouraging us in the good way Rom. 15.4 Through consolation of the Scripture wee receive our hope Thirdly by preventing sinne in us Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne Fourthly by keeping out of sin and redressing our way Psal. 119.9 Secondly labour to preserve in thee a love of grace and holinesse let thy scope be in all the meanes of holinesse to gaine not knowledge and illumination onely but sound affection also to grow up in this as well as in that For first as a tree low and deepe rooted is stablished and continued in fruitfulnesse so when faith and grace is deepely rooted in the affection of the heart there will be perseverance Secondly it is not good words good actions or good knowledge that holdes out but good affections will Thirdly what other is the cause of so generall backsliding in the world which is the proper punishment of not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thess. 2.11 Thirdly feare God This is a wellspring of life to make us escape the snares of death Prov. 14.27 and 19.23 Anchora mentis pondus timoris Feare holds the heart steady as the anchor the shippe and joyne thy selfe to such as feare God delight in such as excell in vertue and grace these are able to encourage strengthen direct uphold raise and comfort thee in thy difficulties wearinesse and weaknesse and set thee forward not by their gifts onely but by their example Fourthly be instant in prayer for perseverance so our Text teacheth for it is the Lord that both beginneth and finisheth his owne worke hee not onely sets us in the way but leades us in the way and at length brings us into Canaan Fifthly looke still to the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ as a good servant hold thy selfe in expectation of the appearing so the Text Luke 12.36 Blessed is that servant whom the Master shall finde so doing Doest thou expect him from heaven and is not thy conversation there doest thou expect his comming in glory and meetest not him in grace lookest thou for him as thy head and wilt thou not as a member holde an happy union and fellowship with him expectest thou thence a Saviour and continuest thou not unto the end seeing onely such shall be saved Matth. 10.22 Now the motives to the meanes of perseverance First this is a true signe of a true friend of God who loves at all
times Prov. 17.17 not onely in prosperity but in adversity yea this is the praise of a true friend sound love to Christ is a sparke of Christs love to us of whom is said Iohn 13.1 Whom he loved he loved to the end Secondly this is the praise of true grace which cannot be measured but by the end Then may we praise the Mariner when he hath brought his shippe to the haven and landed his passengers Then praise the valour of a Captaine when hee hath got the victory We praise not all runners for many runne but one takes the prize and that is hee that continues to the end not hee that desists Thirdly there is none but desires that God would be constant to him in his goodnes shew himselfe best at last and thou must then be constant to him in his service for God is with us so long as we be with him but if we forsake him he may justly forsake us 2 Chron. 15.2 If the image have never so golden an head yet if the legges be earth and clay the stone in the mountaine shall breake it to pieces Fourthly who would sowe his field not to reape his seede againe who would not reape his prayers his teares and the dripping seede-time â—f mortification who would not reape his hope his patience and other graces But all reaping is on condition that wee faint not Gal. 6.9 and therefore the Apostle inferres that wee must not be weary of well-doing Object But alas I cannot goe so fast in the good way as sometime I did nor so stedfastly I could heare more fruitfully pray more cheerefully keepe my times with God more carefully bewaile my sinnes more feelingly than now I can Answ. If thou goest on all is well if thou stand not still nor goest backe a sofâ— pace forward goeth farre onely quicken thy selfe by all good meanes for thy better assurance 2. If thou beest sure thou goest to Canaan though thou sometime haltest of a limbe with Iacob through weaknesse yet comfort thy selfe hold on onely see thy heart be not halting Fifthly want wee examples to encourage us wee are compassed with them on every hand 1. Looke to God and he perfecteth all his workes of creation government redemption and salvation Deut. 32.4 2. Looke at Christ he finished the worke he had to doe Ioh. 17.4 hee continued through many afflictions setting the joy before him and despising the shame continued in his obedience till hee came to his consummatum est all is finished 3. Looke to the Saints and neither must we be sloathfull but followers of them who by faith and patience enjoyed the promises Heb. 6.12 Iob would not depart from his righteousnesse while he lived Paules life was not so deare to him as the finishing of his course with joy 4. Looke to wicked men how constant they are and continue in their wicked courses so as all meanes are too weake to pull them out and these shall condemne many a Christian who is so fickle and inconstant in good VERSE 24. Faithfull is hee which calleth you who will also doe it OVR Apostle here answereth a secret objection that the Thessalonians might make How should we be blamelesse untill the comming of Christ seeing we have all Satans power against us and the violence of the world and our selves are in a most changeable condition Our Apostle assures them of perseverance in these words by three arguments none of which are taken from their owne priviledge piety or power but from most sure grounds all seated in God himselfe and they are three First from his faithfulnesse and truth Hee is faithfull Secondly from the effect of his faithfulnesse already begun Who hath called you Thirdly from the conclusion of his worke begun Who will also doe it That is Hee will finish and perfect his gracious worke begun The first Argument prooving their perseverance is from the nature of God Hee is faithfull Here are two questions 1. Quest. Why the Apostle mentions Gods faithfulnesse in this place Answ. 1. To bring to their mindes the promise of perseverance and holde it before their eyes for Gods faithfulnesse ever hath respect unto some promise Now this promise of perseverance is in Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare into their hearts that they may not depart from me and Hosea 2.19 I will marry thee for ever unto me in faithfulnesse And in this promise they must seeke their stedfastnesse 2. To assure them that his prayer for perseverance was a prayer of faith and grounded upon Gods promise for no other prayer can have either comfort or assurance 1 Iohn 5.14 This is the assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth us Matth. 21.22 Whatsoever yee aske if ye beleeve ye shall obtaine it And thus hee teacheth both them and us to frame our prayers if we would speede in our suites namely to looke at the promise before we pray 3. To set God before them in such a manner as they may apprehend him not onely true in himselfe in his word and promises but one that will not frustrate the faith and hope of such as waite and depend upon him but will carry them out to salvation 2. Quest. How must wee conceive God to be faithfull Answ. God is said to bee faithfull foure wayes In himselfe in his decrees in all his wayes and workes in all his words and speeches 1. Hee is faithfull in himselfe by an uncreated faithfulnesse and truth it selfe by one eternall and simple act and differeth from all created truth and faithfulnesse and truth in the creature First because this is the Ocean and full fountaine from whence all the faithfulnesse and truth in men and Angells issue and streame Secondly this is the rule and measure of that and the nearer that their truth comes to this the more compleate it is Thirdly this is unchangeable in the Lord in whom is no shadow of change whereas in the creature it is changeable The Angels that fell were faithfull but soone changed Adam by creation was faithfull to his Creatour but soone changed and departed from it But the Lords faithfulnesse is unchangeable as himselfe is Fourthly whereas that in the creature is at least comparatively imperfect in part and weake in God himselfe it is in most high perfection 2. He is most faithfull in all his decrees for the counsells of the Lord must stand and must certainely be executed both for manner and times and all circumstances as hee hath decreed them Esay 14.24 The Lord hath sworne Surely as I have purposed it shall come to passe See verse 27. 3. Hee is faithfull in all his wayes and workes which all of them are according to those decrees most holy and righteous Psal. 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes As for example Looke on him in the great worke of creation he is a faithfull Creatour 1 Pet. 4. ult In the worke of redemption
of the world what a change is there in a man effectually called He was in the world and of the world hee could follow it as earnestly as any other hee gave the world his heart his hands his thoughts his time his tongue he minded nothing so much as earth he savoured nothing but earth hee spake of nothing else cheerefully hee treasured nothing but earthly things he was unsatiable unmeasurable unweariable in gathering earth earthly things but now God hath called him out of his owne Country as Abraham in which he tooke so great content he is called out of the world Iohn 15.19 Now he is become a stranger at home his heart is estranged from things below his minde is on things above godly thoughts and meditations begin to take him up his affections are weaned that now he aimes and desires other wealth than before his tongue can speake of heavenly things without tediousnesse hee treasures now in heaven and will be a gainer by godlinesse Matthew being called forsakes his unlawfull yea and lawfull gaines for Christ chap. 2.9 Zacheus at a word speaking enricheth himselfe by impoverishing himselfe and making restitution Happy is that man that findes this change in himselfe that he hath got above the world that though hee have the world in his hand yet hee hath cast it out of his heart Never could this be done by the strength of nature never worldling attained it III. In respect of Graces which discover themselves 1. in their kindes 2. in their soundnesse 3. in their growth This grace will appeare in setting forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvelous light 1 Pet. 2.9 By vertue of this holy calling we are sanctified throughout as we have heard in the former verse so as there will appeare First A new life of grace He that onely lived the life of nature but starke dead in respect of the life of God and past all feeling a carcasse without the soule of Gods Spirit stinking in the grave of corruption hath now heard a voice of Christ saying come forth and now the bands of death are loosed a new life of grace succeedes that hee may now say as Christ Rev. 1. Behold I was dead but am alive for ever 2. A new light in the things of God Hee that was blinde and could not see one steppe before him to eternall life hath now his sight restored to him that he can say with the blind man One thing I know that whereas I was blinde now I see the man Iesus hath opened mine eyes Not his understanding onely is restored but his spirituall senses are quickened that now he can taste how good God is he can heare the voice of God he can savour things of God can feele the prickes of conscience and hee whose tongue was tyed from good speech can now speake of the things of God with understanding 3. Grace will discover it selfe in all new affections He that was an hater of God is changed into a deare lover of God which sincere love is made a manifest note of effectuall calling Rom. 8.28 such as are called of purpose are said to be such as love God and this love of God as a sweet perfume rectifies all the other affections it will expresse it selfe in a studious care to please him in all things and in a feare of displeasing him In a constant delight in his word and ordinances being his love-letters in a surpassing joy in all the meanes of our sweete fellowship with him whom before we shunned as an enemy In a love and admiration of his graces wheresoever which are as jewells and pledges of his love In an earnest and fervent desire of immediate fellowship with him whom we love best of all 4. Grace will bewray it selfe in new motions which is a new obedience unto the voice discerned and beleeved even in difficult dangerous costly and selfe-denying duties for alwayes with effectuall calling there goes a power enabling the Christian to the fruitfull practise of the doctrine of godlinesse Acts 3.7 And from the inward obedience of the heart flowes all outward obedience in the life Ineffectuall calling moves not or is not from within but from some externall plummet or can produce leaves rather than fruite or sound fruite but not much nor lasting or in some things not in all as Herod But this moveth and obeyeth sincerely universally constantly Thus will grace discover it selfe in all kindes through the whole man Secondly The graces of effectuall calling discover and distinguish themselves by their soundnesse Hypocrites want soundnesse in the common graces they have and all for want of this change by effectuall calling Ineffectuall calling may beget a kinde of love of God but that is not for himselfe but for wages not as children love their father but as hirelings love a strict master Whereas true love of God attending effectuall calling workes feare of offending him not to be offended by him delights in his presence in his ordinances and love-letters and in his graces as so many jewels and pledges of his love Ineffectuall calling may come to some feare of God but onely by the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 which true love casts out as Israel in the Mount feared revenge But true feare of God saith as Ioseph Hath my Master done this for me and shall I doe this Ineffectuall calling may attaine some zeale for God as in Iehu in Ahabs case but rather against others sinne than his owne and for durance it is but as a blaze in straw as his being unsound lasted not But zeale of effectuall calling hates sinne in another because it hates his owne first Ineffectuall calling may attaine a kinde of love of the brethren but this is neither ordinary nor well grounded it is not for Gods image and it is rather a reverence of good men than love of their goodnesse Herod reverenced Iohn but loved him not neither can that love that is so light and set upon indirect ends and occasions continue but will be easily changed into deadly hatred as Herods was Thirdly The grace of effectuall calling will distinguish it selfe by the growth of it and proceeding in sanctification Hence it is called an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 both in respect of the authour the holy Ghost and of the meanes the holy word sanctified hereto and of the effect because it workes holinesse in heart and sanctimony in life But also in regard of the end to which Saints are called namely by the degrees of holinesse to rise to the perfection of it A counterfeit may be washed over and goe for currant but it wants 1. weight 2. sound 3. substance so counterfeit sanctification wants three things that suffer it not to abide the tryall 1. Vnion with Christ being onely tyed by a thred of profession not set or incorporate into him he hath no substance of Christ in him 2. Righteousnesse
distressed consciences 107 Sound doctrine must be strongly held for 3 reasons 127 Doctrine of faith all grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 343 E. Eare to be shut 5 rules 288 Hearing eare knowne by 3 notes 291 Elias sinned not in calling for fire from heaven but the Disciples did two differences 116 Eye must be watched in 5 things 282 Why we must carefully order our eyes 4 reasons 287 Examples of Scripture warrant not our marriage with IIdolaters 3 reas 162 Examples to uphold our perseverance 4. 330 F. No fall so wofull as to fall from grace 16 False rules of triall of things 6. 73 Ancient Fathers avoided all conformity with heretickes in their externall ceremonies Instances 160 Fantasticall and forreigne fashions of apparell condemned 5 Arguments 122 Faithfull is God 4 wayes 334 Faithfulnesse in the Creator and creature differ in 4 things Ibid. Faithfulnesse required in our promises 339 In our callings 340. In our friendship 341. In communicating our talents 342 Faithfulnesse of God preserveth to salvation all that are effectually called 4 reasons 385 Fearfull is the condition of that man that repines at a powerfull and faithfull Ministry 3 reasons 406 Fire of the Spirit how quenched 3 Fire of grace violently smothered how 22 Folly of those that neglect the assurance of their owne salvation 4 reasons 365 Forefathers way no sure rule of tryall 5 reasons 77 Foure excellent fruits in avoiding petty evills 152 Sweet fruits of well guiding our affections 6. 270 G. Gifts of the Spirit to be observed in our selves for 4 reasons 26 Gifts of God which and how without repentance 390 Godly by the inhabitation of the Spirit both honoured and comforted 9 Godly must be carefull not to quench the Spirit 5 reasons 14 God called the God of peace 3 reas 175 Godlinesse makes no man unpeaceable or turbulent 188 Godly company a meanes of growth in holinesse 3 wayes 213 God to be glorified in our bodies how 273 God must be glorified in our bodies 3 reasons 274 God is most faithfull 4 reasons 336 Glory of Christ now vailed 3 wayes 310 True goodnesse groweth from good to better and so is best at last 227 No good must be held but after tryall 132 Good things must be carefully held and kept for 5 reasons 125 Good actions spoyled in undue circumstances 113 Graces of the Spirit compared to fire in 5 things 3 Grace quenched in what degrees 5 Graces of some kindes not wholly extinct 4 Grace as fire suffered to die of it selfe 3 wayes 20 Grace in others must be excited 3 reasons 37 Grieve the Spirit 4 wayes 25 Growth in holinesse rare 4 proofes 220 Grounds on which the prayers of people for their Ministers must be raised 3. 401 H. Hand to be ordered 5 rules 292 The heart must be kept pure for the pure Spirit of God 10 For keeping the heart 5 generall rules 247 The heart how bounded within Gods limits 3 directions 252 We must hate where the Lord hateth 4 instances 261 Hatred of evill knowne by the practise of the contrary vertue 165 Helpes of perseverance 5. 327 Wee must hold onely that which is good and all that is good 132 Humility in lowest degree pretended by seducers 64 I. Iesuiticall confusion of phrases hath beene the confusion of the world 95 No Iewells to be so carefully kept as our soulâ—s and spirits 2 reas 232 and 4 reasons more 235 Image of God must be gotten not onely into our nature but into our conversation 277 Implicit popish faith refuâ—ed 69 No imperfection hinders Gods faithfulnesse 4 Instances 337 Illumination is not sanctification 4 reas 205 In all indifferent things 〈◊〉 are to avoid all appearance of evill and scandall with 4 limitations 149 Indifferent things to be forborne for edification with 4 cautions 117 The inside to be washed first for 5 reasons 236 Invocation of Saints departed derogateth from the glory of God 97 L. Lawes humane imperfect rules of life for 4 reasons 81 Lots of perseverance to be removed 5. 324 Losse of worldly things no losse to losse of spirituall graces 143 Love our neighbor as our selves with what conditions 116 We must love most where God most loveth 4 instances 260 M. Man by nature more prone to any evill than to the least good 3 reasons 67 Manifold mischiefes which overtake the despisers of Prophecy 5 instances 45 Man of God 1 Kings 13.6 praying in an Idolatrous Temple no warrant for us 4 reasons 157 Marriage with Idolaters unlawfull 4 reasons 161 Marks of effectuall calling reduced to 3 generall heads 370 Meanes of quenching the Spirit 3. 20 Meanes to blow up the Spirit 7. 33 Meanes to embrace Prophecy 5. 48 Meanes of holding that which is good 4. 137 Meanes of maintaining sound peace of conscience 5. 185 Meanes of attaining a full measure of holinesse 209 Meanes to keepe the tongue blamelesse 4. 298 Meanes of perseverance in generall 3. 322 Meanes by which God keepeth his owne 4. 394 Meditations helping the increase of holinesse 1. Concerning God 3 2. Concerning our selves 4 3. Concerning holines it self 209 Meditations to stablish us against persecutions 326 Members must be weapons of righteousnesse how and why 275 Memory how to be kept unblameable in 2 things 245 Men of greatest grace neede the prayers of weaker Christians 3 reasons 398 Merits humane against analogy of faith 91 Merit an ambitious word in reference to man not found in Scripture 100 Ministers must not onely preach but pray for their people 3 reasons 172 Ministery powerfull must be conscionably embraced for 3 reasons 42 Mischiefe of disordered affections 266 Motions of the Spirit much different in the godly and wicked 4 instances 18 Motions of the Spirit to be observed 36 Motives to stirre up the Spirit 4. 33 Motives to carefull use of meanes of quickening the Spirit 3. 38 Motives to full sanctification 6. 221 Motives to perseverance 5. 329 Motives to finde in our selves the sure signes of effectuall calling 4. 383 Monasticall life refuted by 6 reasons 93 Multitude of voices not to be numbred but weighed 56 N. Naamans practise no warrant for us to be present at Idolatrous service for three reasons 158 Name of a Christian hath in it many motives to grow up to full holinesse 226 Necessary duties must be done though all the world be offended 148 Necessity of increasing in holinesse 4 reas 203 Necessity of carefull keeping our selves drawne from our selves in 4 things 233 Necessity of well guiding our thoughts 4 reasons 245 Necessity of well ordering our affections 2 reas 268 O. Obedience of faith all grounded upon Gods faithfulnesse 344 Right objects of our affections in which they must be most vehement and intense 258 Choyse objects for the eye 5. 284 Objections against perseverance answered 304 Objections from infirmities of our prayers answered 400 Outward man must be kept blamelesse 3 reasons 300 P. All peace must be from the God of peace 3 reas 179 No peace to be affected but
fruite And this is the property of such as are planted in the house of our God to flourish in his courts and be more fruitfull in their age which is cleane against the course of nature Psal. 92.13 Such therefore as seemed to come on but within a while their righteousnesse is as the morning dew or fall backe and wither who are worst at last as evill men must be were never good Were they ever good that are so soone remooved to another Gospell even in dayes of peace to whom Christ was preached of whom professed into whom they were baptized or what hath bewitched them to such apostacy Gal. 3.1 Were they ever good who in stead of reading prayer and sermons formerly frequented are growne to cards dice drinking swearing and a distaste of faithfull Preachers and sermons Were they ever good that hate goodnesse or to heare of fulnesse of holinesse or of their owne idlenesse Alas empty tubbs here was never any thing but a sound no soundnesse at all V. Motive Consider how wee are affected in inferiour things and shame our selves for want of the like affection for the increase of better things than they 1. We never thinke our grounds our orchards our gardens our cattell fruitefull enough If a man have a peece of land that brings forth but a small croppe he will be at paines and cost to make it more fruitfull Alas shall wee have more care of our grounds than of our hearts to make them fruitfull and yeelding to the laud and praise of the great husbandman Or thinke we our hearts lesse barren than the worst conditioned ground Let this provoke us if we have gotten our hearts to bring forth thirty folde to labour them till they bring sixty fold and let them not rest there till they yeeld an hundred fold This Christ commends to us in that good ground Matth. 13.8 This the Apostle calls for 1 Thess. 4.1 to exceede more and more 2. In the matter of money and wealth how doe men bestirre themselves to adde to their gaines to make one pound five and from five to ten and so adde hundreds and rise to thousands sucking profit from every thing insatiably as the horse-leach How thrifty husbands 1. forecast to get and plod to increase their stocke 2. Carefully save that which is gotten avoiding expences much more excesses 3. Having got a good portion yet still desire and seeke more for hee would have none before him in wealth if hee had his minde 4. Lay out part or whole of that he hath for a greater gaine Should not wee be now as thrifty for our soules as for our bodies Is not a stocke of grace better than a stocke of goods Who but a doting worldling would not thinke wisdome better than wealth and a graine of holinesse better than a talent of earthly happinesse Is a graine of grace so precious and is not an eternall weight of it worth our sweate and labour Why doe wee not as thrifty Christians awaken our dull spirits to forecast with the wise Virgins to get such store of this oyle as to carry us through to the wedding chamber Should wee neede to be stirred to save that which wee get so hardly avoiding the expences and sinfull excesses which eate out our stocke and prodigally waste our estate in grace Why stand wee still having found a little veine of golde namely of grace much more precious than golde and not holde on our labour to finde the rich mine which it leadeth unto Why doe not wee with the wise Merchant resolve to lay out our whole estate for this pearle Or should wee hide our talent in a napkin and not lay it out or employ it seeing by use and returne it increaseth It would grieve a man to see so many good husbands for the world to be such starke unthrifts for their soules VI. Motive Consider we the meanes that God hath affoorded us for our growth in sanctification 1. Gods readinesse and care to fit us for the duty so as no want is in him for while hee pleaseth to continue any meanes unto us hee shewes his readinesse though wee faile in using the meanes to bring us to the end seeing hee supplieth meanes of growth he is ready in them to adde more grace This blessed meanes is the sweete liberty of the preaching of the Gospell by which he offereth to make our hearts of evill good of good better he offereth by it not onely to worke faith where it is wanting but to adde to faith that which is wanting to it and so to bring it to certainty and assurance So also the assistance of his Spirit in prayer Spirituall guides and Pastors and the example of the godly as a cloud going before us Why should we frustrate God and our owne soules of the end of so happy meanes 2. Our owne reckoning and account which will bee expected answerable to such meanes Luk. 12.48 To whom more is given of him shall more be required so to whom God affoords more meanes of holinesse hee expects more fruite of holinesse Never any Nation never any Age was before us no nor neare us in the glorious meanes Never had our fathers that light that constant Ministery those encouragements those precepts those many examples which we enjoy they counted the crummes of our table liberall fare To heare the prayers read in English made them weepe for joy To have a peece of Scripture translated was the hazard of their lives We reade of some that did give a whole loade of hay for a few chapters of Saint Iames in English Two or three could not conferre together of any good thing in those tyrannous times but they might have scaped farre better for felony Yet oh the holinesse the honesty the zeale and grace of those godly men whose crowne is that they were as farre afore us in grace as wee are before them in meanes If ever Age could blush ours might be it And as the Land in generall so this place hath beene before other places in constant and glorious meanes what our growth is the world sees very unanswerable to them very unthankfull to God for them Capernaum needed nothing but Christs great workes to condemne her Looke upon her and learne in time to loathe her unthankfulnesse That your spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse NOw we are by the assistance of God to proceede unto the second petition in this prayer for full holinesse in speciall by enumeration of parts Where for the meaning of the Apostle we have considered already 1. What are these parts 2. How are they said to be blamelesse In that the Apostle prayeth how that they might be kept blamelesse hence we learne That Christians must not onely labour to attaine a full measure of grace but also to keepe it So it is as commendable to keep our selves blamelesse as to make our selves blamelesse 1 Tim. 5.22 the Apostle exhorteth Timothy Keepe thy selfe pure thinke
and ill successe of their Ministers that faile them in this duty of prayer Thy prayers might have upheld him or helped them out of trouble out of frailty 5. Such as pray not for their Ministers deprive themselves of the blessing and happy fruite of that Ministery the more earnestly people pray for their Pastours the more assurance of good and happy fruite may they expect from their Ministery and often of their Ministers themselves who are worthily removed from an unworthy people that never prized them for their workes sake First This serves to reprove inconsiderate men who by neglect of this duty signe themselves to be out of the communion of Gods people they care not whether their Minister stand or fall sink or swimme leave him to himselfe take no notice of his labours trialls sufferings his person his worke his wages is no part of their care they have no hand lift up for him to God or men but perhaps both against him These are at least inconsiderate 1. That the blessing and benefit of a good Minister is invaluable and must be begged of all those that must share in the benefit One of the speciall clauses of the new Covenant is that God will give Pastors according to his owne heart and wil he give such a speciall gift to such as prize it not nor praise him for it 2. They consider not the weight of the calling the charge of soules for which who is sufficient The rage of Satan and all wicked men against this great worke never sleeping but alwayes hindering the free passage of the Gospell both with open fury and secret devises The many sharpe assaults that these leaders of Gods armies against the Prince of darknesse and his forces are exposed unto often in the forlorne hopes not onely bestowing their lives and strength in preaching the Gospell but often being bestowed for it and die to seale it with their blood Did they consider this they would pray in Peters words Acts 4.29 Lord grant thy servants that they may speake boldly thy word 3. They consider not how deepely themselves are interessed in the welfare and happy estate of their Ministers Is not the fall of the Minister commonly the ruine of the people Can the shepheards be smitten and the sheepe not be scattered Can vision faile and people not perish Can a watch-man of a Citty or Castle be corrupted or surprized by the enemy and the Citty be safe Or can a man be an agent or accessary in the corrupting and surprizing a Captaine set to keepe a Fort without treason to his Prince Even so hee that prayes not for the prosperity of every good Minister shewes himselfe in enemy to the Church and no friend to his owne salvation Secondly To reprove that cursed generation of men who in stead of praying for the prosperity of the Ministery and Ministers who being sent of God in mercie are a principall blessing 1. They repine and grieve as if some heavie scourge or plague were come upon them as the Divells did at Christs coming because they were tormented before their time It was never merry with them since there was such running and thronging after preaching now they cannot sit at ease nor have roome to bring their beds with them nothing is such a corrasive unto their hearts as to see Gods blessing and successe of a godly Ministery and the people of God flocking after his owne Ordinance This was the dust and daggers in the Pharises and hypocrites in Christ his time that they could profit nothing but that the world runne after him Iohn 12.19 Oh that such men would seriously consider that 1. Whosoever esteeme this excellent blessing a burden a plague it shall be so to them It offers it selfe now as a blessing but shall turne to the most intolerable plague that can befall them even a witnesse a bill of inditement aggravating their damnation burdening them with plagues and curses easelesse and remedilesse 2. There is not a more proper note of a Divell incarnate and a man in state of damnation than to envie and grieve at the grace of God at the prosperity successe and growth of the Gospell The Divells proper sinne Ye are of your Father the Divell his workes ye doe 3. The time hastens on thee when in terrours of soule and agonies of heart thou shalt wish one Sermon one word of comfort and know by the want of the blessing the benefit of it but perhaps shalt never finde opportunity Thirdly others in stead of praying for their Ministers curse them revile them slander them runne to the Rulers every week to disturbe them as if they were loath to be too farre behinde the Divell or not to be chiefe instruments in the ruinating of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ. Thus those that are bound to pray for their Ministers that they may be delivered from absurd and unreasonable men are most ready to make a prey and spoile of them But doubtlesse they are wicked and gracelesse men neare to a curse a wonder their steely hearts feare not some extraordinary judgement and messenger of Gods wrath every moment 2 King 2.24 When little children in their play cursed and reviled the Prophet Elisha beares came out of the wood and destroyed them how much lesse can the aged escape who teach their children by example to revile and scorne the Prophets and servants of God Fourthly others will not revile them but can spy wants and imperfections in them as indeede there is in the best can sit as Iudges on his person cast him off for one weake in gifts colde in his doctrine carelesse in his life and so turne him off But when did they pray for him that God would enable him to the worke of his Ministery that God would bestow the Spirit to deliver the word so as he might save his owne soule and them that heare him And if they faile herein are they not guilty of all his defects which they complaine of Surely would they spend as many earnest prayers for him as they doe words to taxe and disgrace him who knoweth whether the Lord might not open his heart and mouth for their comfort and profit And what reason hath the Lord to minister comfort and benefit by a man when it is never desired Thou findest no sweetnesse nor comfort in a Minister thou prayest for none How canst thou finde without seeking Secondly for instruction Seeing our want and sinne heretofore let us reforme our selves and provoke our selves to so needfull a duty daily to commend our Ministers to the grace of God as Paul and Silas were by the Church Acts 15.40 The first ground and to doe it aright 1. Wee must love them heartily our prayer must flow from love where prayer must be earnest love must be earnest first even as the love of fathers begetting us and breeding us up to Christ 1 Cor. 4. true love and prayer are ever inseparable it is impossible for a man to