Scripture in the Church and speakes not as a man but as a Iudge 3. The word hereafter must judge all things Iohn 12.48 therefore it is meete that it should judge them here and try them 4. No man will deny but that the Oracle in the time of the Law was a most sufficient and certaine rule in all cases because it was the lively voice of God himselfe But the Scriptures are titled to be the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lively Oracles Acts 7.38 Because though they were not delivered by lively voice yet by immediate inspiration from God and must be as Oracles to us in all doubts as David made them the men of his counsell Bellarmine here objecteth and saith that the Scripture is a Rule indeede but a partiall one or rather a briefe Commonitory to be eeked partly by Tradition and partly by the help of the Church I answer 1. Wee are content to leave that honour with them to write and speake most basely of the Scripture to set up their owne Traditions But the very light of Nature is against them herein for the Philosopher himselfe maketh it the part of a wise Law-giver to conteine as much in the Law as is possible and leave as little as may be to the liberty of the Iudge Now shall Wisedome it selfe Christ himselfe who hath the fountaines and treasures of wisedome prescribe a law to his Church which must be imperfect unlesse it be eeked by Tradition and by the helpe of a supposed Iudge For the Iudge of the Church is not the Pope Christs pretended Vicar but Christ himselfe the Popes destroyer 2. The very writing of the Scripture was to this purpose that the hazard might be prevented which the truth were in if it should spread it selfe by report onely and passe from hand to hand by Tradition as formerly it had done 3. The state of the Church of the New Testament should by this account be worse than the Old the Patriarkes should have had a more perfect word than we for they were taught and ruled by immediate revelation and infallible voice and if we should hold truth as trailed through the corruptest ages of the world and the unfaithfull hands of men we should be farre behinde them and the Apostle was out when he said Wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.19 that is a surer word of the Prophets 4. He hath lost his reason that will deny but that the first and chiefe Truth must be the rule and measure of all the rest and hee hath lost all religion that will deny that of all Truths behoofefull for salvation the Scripture is the principall and first the perfection of which David avoucheth Psal. 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect and Paul 2 Tim. 3.15 It is able to make the man of God perfect to every good worke Out of all this exposition ariseth this point of Doctrine That every Christian is bound in whatsoever thing he is to doe or beleeve first to try it by the touch-stone of Gods word Acts 17.11 the men of Berea are commended for searching the Scriptures to see whether the things spoken by the Apostles were so or no. 1 Ioh. 4.1 Try the Spirits And the same Commandement is in the Law Deut. 13.2 to try the Prophets not by events but by Doctrine if it were agreeable to the word This is that warinesse commended so often by our Saviour Christ as Matth. 7.15 I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have received and avoid them And for practises herein see Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes c. that yee may proove what is that good that acceptable will of God Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. Let every man proove his owne worke and then shall hee have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another And why 1. Because there shall alwayes be false Teachers in the Church who shall easily misleade us into errour if we try them not This is the Apostles argument 1 Ioh. 4.1 Try the Spirits Why For saith hee many false Prophets are gone out into the world We reade of a lying Spirit in the mouth of 400 Prophets and in the New Testament that false Apostles came as they had beene the Apostles of Christ for if the Divell can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light no marvell if his Ministers can doe so More particularly the word of God witnesseth 1. That they shall come under Satans standart in great troupes 2 Tim. 4.3 Heapes of Teachers So wee reade that in the first foure hundred yeares after Christ which was the prime of the Church there arose 88 severall kindes of false Teachers seducing from the faith and mightily prevailing against the Church 2. That they shall come armed with all arts to deceive first they shall pretend simplicity they shall come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves that is come in the habit of true Teachers being indeed false Apostles and deceitfull Teachers If Elias and Iohn Baptist come in rough and hairy garments the false Prophets also will weare a rough garment to deceive Zech. 13.4 Secondly for their Doctrine they shall alledge Scripture as the Divell did to overthrow Christ They shall obtrude errour under pretence of deepe learning as the sect of the Nicholaitans called their heresie profound learning but by the holy Ghost called the depth of Satan Rev. 2.24 So the Popish Doctours at this day pretend all the Fathers to be on their side all Schoolemen all Antiquity and Mysticall Divinity shut up in secrets and vaults of darke and unwritten Traditions when indeede it is a very cave of darknesse and the depth of the Divell Thirdly for their Authority they shall pretend themselves to be some great men as Simon the Sorcerer said he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8.9 Angelicall Doctours Seraphicall Doctors the onely men of Authority Christs Vicars Peters Successours great Cardinalls on whom are set all the pillars of the state of the Church Catholikes and Catholike Doctours and the like yea sometimes they come armed with great signes and lying wonders pretending mighty miracles as Simon Magus did Acts 8.10 But alas What miracles did Calvin and Luther shew Romish Priests abound in miracles they cure strange diseases and cast out Divells c. Which indeede God may suffer them to doe sometime by sorcery sometime by jugling and knavery for a plague upon the unthankfull world which cared not to receive the truth in love as was foretolde 2 Thess. 2.9 10. For this purpose God sent them strong delusions Fourthly for their behaviour they shall pretend great humility Col. 2.18 Oh they dare not goe to God but by Mediatours Saints and Angels they must use much bodily affliction in chastising and whipping themselves as Baals
the waters of Israel with them of Damascus Are not Arbanah and Pharphar rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel And had not his servants beene wiser than he to perswade him to so small a thing his reason had returned him home without his errand Men thinke it reason to professe religion but so far as they may thrive prosper by it to trust in God but so far as they see him and as he leaves a pawne behinde him to favour religion and religious persons when the times favour them But they see no reason to forsake themselves to hate father and mother to part with their profits their lands liberties or lives and they never thought them wise men that for such conceits would so easily part with so precious things And what is the reason but because they never became fooles that they might be wise and because their religion is not now regulated by the proper rule of religion but of corrupt and naturall reason Against this use these considerations first how can corrupt reason be a perfect rule being made so crooked as it is and so contrary to the straight rule of the Scriptures and the greatest resister of conversion Nicodemus cannot see how an olde man can be borne againe and so disclaimes the Doctrine of Regeneration the blinde eye of naturall reason puts no difference between the light of the Sunne and darknesse nor the blind Samaritane betweene water of life and well water Secondly naturall reason is too short a rule and how it can it be a perfect rule because not onely made so crooked as it is but seeing if it were entire it is not able to comprehend many Mysteries of the faith and of the Gospell that must be ruled reason if entire yet it is too short for such mysteries as are above reason faith though it goes by the way of reason yet it goes farre beyond reason And no marvell for reason cannot reach many secrets in nature Eccles. 11.5 Thou knowest not the way of the winde nor how the bones grow in the wombe Who ever gave a reason of the Loadstones drawing iron of the fig-tree taming a wilde bull of the little Remora fish that aresteth a ship passing swiftly on full seas of the dying of the corne in the earth before it can live and much more must it grope as in the darke and shut up it selfe as an owle eye against the shine of mysteries in grace How absurd and contrary to reason is the creation of all things out of nothing nature cannot beleeve it but faith must Heb. 11.3 The conception of a Virgin without hand of man The resurrection of dead bodies almost infinitely transmutated That life must be fetched out of death heaven out of hell that losses for Christ is gaine that not kisses but killings are love that death is advantage Philosophers laugh at these things Acts 17. So the life of reason is cleane contrary to the life of faith Thirdly the rule must goe before the thing ruled but reason must be an attendant to follow faith not an usher to goe before for the malepertnesse of reason is the raiser and feeder and ever hath beene the mother and nurse of all errour and heresies Carnall reason raised up Anthropomorphits who conceive of God every way as a man brought Images into the Churches hatched that monster of Transubstantion and all Popery And whence are our new Pelagian positions quickned in the profound mysteries of election and predestination but because we must with our candle drowne the light of the Sunne and receive into our spoone the deepe sea and Ocean The Apostle Paul gives faith unto that which reason cannot reach and cryes out Oh the deepnesse but proud reason must be a straine beyond Paul and must comprehend all this deepnesse in the slat and shallow of it selfe Thus wee see the unfitnesse of this rule reason must know her place and not presume to checke or prescribe to faith if Hagar will contest with Sarah shee must be cast out of doores 2. Some make the way of their fathers the rule of their religion and courses as the musled and misled Papists who depend on their Predecessours as Ruth upon Naomi there is no intreating of them to depart where they are gone thither will these where they dwell there will these where they die there will these and there they will be buried likewise the olde Idolaters Ier. 44.17 who would still offer sacrifice to the Queene of heaven because their fathers did so the case was over-ruled by the former ages So the Papists refuse knowledge will heare no Sermons come to no Church because their forefathers did no such thing which is altogether absurd Against which consider first how absurd it is in religion for what is this else but to consult with flesh and blood in the matter of our faith which Paul in the matter of his religion refused to doe Gal. 1.16 Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood c. hee held it unmeete and absurd in the matters of God to conferre with men Secondly it is absurd in reason as if a sonne were bound to pull out his eyes because his father was blinde or hee must poyson himselfe because his grandfather was so Thirdly it is attended ever with a seduced conscience the very prop of false religion and studde of superstition as in blinde Papists and Iewes for come to these blinde seduced consciences and demaund of them thus why will not you goe to Church or take the oath of Allegiance or the like Oh say they my conscience will not suffer mee just as the Iewes conscience would not suffer them to goe into the Common Hall lest they should be defiled Ioh. 18.28 yet in the meane time their conscience could suffer them to accuse arraigne and condemne the innocent Son of God They made great conscience of putting the thirty silver peeces into the treasurie but none at all of giving thirty peeces to betray Christ. So these conscionable Catholikes make no conscience of Treasons of Equivocations of blowing up of Parliaments and the like And what a rule is that which Turkes and Infidels can truly alledge for their religion who suck in their impious Alcoran with their mothers milke from their forefathers which the Samaritanes alledge for their mixture Iohn 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this Mount And this all limbes of Antichrist alledge for themselves which a man may frame unto and be without all religion As these bragge of Peter and Paul and of bones and relickes of Saints and Martyrs But for the Doctrine of faith of religion of holinesse and a good conscience they quite cast off Fourthly this is contrary to the rule which calls us from our forefathers to it selfe Ezek. 20.18 I said walke not in the statutes of your forefathers but walk in my statutes and judgements and doe them and he complaines of that stubborne and rebellious generation
discourses their idle complements their service of pleasure and unfruitfull spending of their time now they storme against the rule and the hand that holdes it here is a rule indeede that would make them as despised as he is despised of them that calls them from their vanities Our Ministery in generall holds in judgement the Scripture as the rule and that they ought to tie themselves to this rule but when this rule would tie them to instant teaching to carefull walking as examples to the flocke to prepare the people as a pure Virgin for Christ oh it tyes them too strait their conceits and gifts call them to higher things other affaires withdraw them as for diligent preaching they leave that to the inferiour sort that have nothing else to tend and no livings to trouble them But shall the word be a rule to our judgement and not to our practise Shall it be a rule for us and for our rights and shall it not be a rule for our duty and office Let all men know and consider first what a judgement of God it is to give up men to walk after the lusts of their own hearts as is noted of the Gentiles Ephes. 2.3 Secondly the rule chargeth us to affect all things in God and for God nothing above him nothing against him nothing like him Thirdly to feare the departure from the rule as the greatest evill because that is onely simply evill 5. Some depend upon the persons of some great men whom they reverence and holde in admiration What are not such and such great men and learned men in high degrees and preferments yet they doe thus and thus they are of another judgement and practise too and if it were not right they would not doe it And so they dangerously compare themselves with wicked men digest their oathes vanity pompe But consider first what a plague it is for great men to be carried along by flatterers who rivet them in their wickednesse by applauding them As Dionisius the Tyrant had flatterers about him who like dogges would licke up his spittle and commend it to him to be as sweete as Nectar Secondly no example can make that good which the rule judgeth evill Thirdly all persons must be tryed by the rule not the rule by any person Even the Apostles must be followed so farre as they goe by rule and follow Christ no further This is the difference betweene the Papists and us they receive no Doctrine no nor the Scriptures but so farre as warranted by Fathers and Councels we receive no Fathers nor Councels but so farre as they are warranted by the Scriptures For Let God be true and every man a lyer Is this our judgement and shall we slippe from it in our practise Fourthly there is no more compendious way to lose the truth than to walke by this rule of examples If truth had gone by persons who would not have taken part with 400 false Prophets men in great favour with the King and Queene all against one poore Micaiah esteemed the Kings enemy yet he alone held the rule This was the cause that puld all the Iewes into the guilt of Christs death they admired their Rulers and Rabbies as great and learned men having the key of knowledge and so easily and freely consented to that fearfull sinne which the Sunne was ashamed to beholde Fifthly in all imitation of men we must follow the light side of the cloud not the darke side for why are the falls of Saints else recorded but to shew that all examples are defective and measurable by the rule Sixthly the onely perfect example of our rule was Iesus Christ whom we must follow we are commanded to be perfect not as Abraham Moses David c. but as our heavenly Father whose absolute perfection shineth in his Sonne who is the ingraven Image of his Fathers person Now as the best picture must needes be that which is drawne from the lively face rather than that which is drawne out of another picture so must this which wee take from Iesus Christ himselfe who was the true idea and counterpaine of our Rule here described 6. Some make Successe their rule and walke by that as they that say If my course were not good God would not blesse me as he doth and if I sinne God would not be silent or if I sinne and God be silent he either sees not or regards not or will spare me and I shall ever escape reckoning Whereas first the rule telleth us Psal. 50. These things hast thou done and I held my peace but I will reproove thee and set thy sins in order before thee And Eccles. 9.2 The same event is to the good and the bad to him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath Many runne to witches and sorcerers and thinke it warrantable from the successe they finde some reliefe and some help and God would give no such successe if it were unlawfull Whereas it is just with God that such as runne to the Divell shall meete with the Divell to their further delusion Others runne to stage-playes and enterludes because they teach some good lessons and may edifie as well as Ministers by Sermons Oh profane mouthes who have cast away the rule which is farre from sending them to the stewes to learne chastity or to Atheists to learne religion or to learne vertue and good manners in the schoole of vices where things are expressed and acted which ought not to be named among Christians Secondly this rule telleth us that Gods patience shall not violate his justice nor forbearance is no payment hee will not beare the sword in vaine Thirdly no man easily forgets his owne name the Lord will not forget his justice but must returne to every man according to his owne workes Fourthly as thou hast thy time so surely will God have his when thy measure is heaped up and thy Epha is full although thou maist thinke with Agag the bitternesse of death is passed yet the Lords sword will come and hew thee in peeces Against all these crooked and distorted rules the Scripture shewes first that Christianity is no ranging course or a running at randome but a life led by rule Secondly this rule is expresly set downe Phil. 3.16 So farre as we are come let us proceede by one rule Thirdly there is a promise to all that walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 As many as walk by this rule peace shall be on them mercy and on all the Israel of God that is the rule of Gods word which is to Christians as the pillar of the cloud and of the fire to the Israelites Fourthly it is evill to them that forsake this rule As a sonne left unto himselfe is the shame of his Father So the sonnes of God running their owne wayes and despising the counsells of God are a shame to their Father a reproach to their Fathers house the Church a dishonour to their profession and
ruine to themselves The second use is an use of instruction If wee must try all things then must we learne to get wisdome rightly to apply the rule to every particular which is to be regulated 1 Cor. 2.13 Comparing spirituall things with spirituall for to try is nothing else but to apply the rule or touch-stone to the thing to be tryed And when I speake of wisdome I meane that spirituall wisdome whereby the spirituall man comparing spirituall things with spirituall discerneth all things This man led by the Spirit acknowledgeth Christ and followes him in all things takes faith his companion and sets in his eye Gods glory the end and scope of all things Quest. Can you helpe us to some directions or Rules by which we may be guided in this application which is the onely difficulty now to be opened in this Treatise Answ. Yes and these Rules are of two sorts 1. Generall Preparative 2. Speciall Practicall The generall or preparative Rules to application are foure 1. We must be industrious to know and be acquainted with the Scriptures in their right sence of them whether historicall and litterall or allegoricall and figurative For this is to have our Rule at hand and in our hand without which it must be with us as with the Sadduces of whom our Lord said Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures And because true Scripture is not in words and sillables but in the true sence of it wee must be carefull not to rest in the words without the true signification of them The Papists heare our Saviour saying of the Sacramentall bread This is my body and sticking to the words and applying them without the sense runne into infinite absurdities and errours on one hand and so the Lutherans on the other Against both which wee may not unfitly mention one of the two rules of Augustine in his bookes of Christian Doctrine Si praeceptiva locutio videtur flagitium aut facinus jubere aut utilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata est It is not a proper but a figurative speech which seemes either to injoyne a thing unlawfull or to hinder a lawfull So this speech of our Lord Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have not life in you seemes at the first to impose on us a kinde of cruelty therefore it is figurative So Augustine 2. If we would be fit for this tryall we must lay up and hide in our hearts such Scriptures as wee understand that they may be neare us to serve our severall uses The Prophet David professeth that hee had hid the word in his heart that he might not sinne against God And Mary was commended that shee pondered all the sayings concerning Christ and hid them in her heart A Carpenter or Mason whose worke is squared or laid by rule is never without his rule in his hand or at his backe so should it be with Christians 3. We must absolutely submit our judgement to the word of God without reasoning or disputing though it be never so difficult and dangerous unto us for what is else the use of a rule but to rule Abraham left his owne Countrey and went he knew not whither at Gods commandement Heb. 11.8 One would thinke this were folly in Abraham but that the Scripture acquits him and saith he did it by faith And in a more difficult commandement hee rose earely went three dayes journey to kill his onely sonne whom he loved and reasoned no cases but went Good Moses would weigh the word of God in his owne ballance fixing his eye rather upon the impotency and impossibility of the meanes than upon the strength of Gods word which cleaves the hardest rockes therefore he sinned in striking the Rocke when God bade him onely speake to it and for it was barred out of Canaan 4. We must ayme at an absolute conformity betweene the whole word and our whole man This Rule takes place above all mens rules and lawes which rule the outward man but this the inner man the soule and the conscience the heart and the will yea the affections and thoughts which in regard of mens lawes are free but the word captivateth every thought and brings it into subjection 2 Cor. 12.5 It rules the whole outward man also our speeches and actions even the least our lookes and behaviours our callings and conditions our sports and recreations and as David saith of the Sunne Psal. 19.6 there is nothing hid from the heate and discoverie of it so nothing in man is exempted from the rule of the word We must therefore bring our practise thereto and thinke it not enough to be a rule in it selfe unlesse it be a rule to us also And lay this for a ground in our soules that there must be a proportion betweene the rule and the thing ruled Now we come to the speciall rules for the application of this Rule And they concerne 1. Doctrines 2. Actions and Practise Rules for the Tryall of Doctrines are sixe First all Doctrines must be brought to the analogy of faith and squared thereby Rom. 12.6 Whether wee prophecie let us prophecie according to the analogy of faith By analogy of faith the Apostle meaneth the measure of faith and Doctrine which is indeede the holy Scripture the heads of which Doctrine or the summe of which faith is contained in the Creede the Decalogue and the Lords Prayer If any Doctrine agree not with these which are the key and rule of faith it is unsound and to be rejected As for example 1. The Church of Rome teacheth that the bread in the Sacrament is turned into the very body flesh blood and bone of Christ which was borne of the Virgin We hold the cleane contrary Now bring this Doctrine to the analogie of faith that teacheth that Christ was born of the Virgin true man with a true humane nature like ours in all sinne things sin onely excepted visible circumscribed palpable in one place only at once as is ours that teacheth that he ascended into heaven in that humane nature and there fitteth at the right hand of God untill his second comming and therefore cannot be really and locally in the Sacrament 2. Romish Doctrine teacheth that a man may merit by his good workes remission of sins and eternall life they establish the merit of mans workes in the matter of justification we utterly exclude them Bring we this Doctrine to the analogie of faith The ten Commandements say The Lord sheweth mercy to thousands that love him and keepe his commandements If the reward be given by mercy then not for the merit of the worke done The Lords prayer teacheth us to pray for forgivenesse of debts and therefore we are farre from meriting The same prayer teacheth us to pray for every morsell of bread Is it not madnesse to thinke wee can merit the kingdome of heaven if we cannot merit a morsell of bread The Creede
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
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
I am Truth not Custome so Christians must frame themselves to Truth what ever the Custome be Custome we say is a tyrant but Truth must be our King and Guide and it is the part of a wise Christian to row hard against the streame of bad Customes wherof the world is full 2. For the example of great men it had beene good for Peter to have tryed the example of the Rulers in their dealing against Christ before hee had denied and forsworne him their example as little patronized him as themselves Well said Augustine Non debemus semper probare quicquid probati homines urgent sed judicium Scripturarum adhibere an illae probent We must not still approve whatsoever worthy men urge us unto but take with us the judgement of the Scriptures whether they approove it or no. 3. Suppose they be as good as great and as great as the Apostles yet must wee follow them no further than they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 4. For the example of multitudes it is a good saying of the Father Wee are not to number the voices wee have on our side but to weigh them and it often comes to passe that the great part overcomes the better part And as I approove of Diogenes his wisdome who thought he should doe best when he did least what the common people did so I am sure out of the word that that course of life is most acceptable to God which is most contrary to the fashion of the world Quest. 4. What if any thing come with Authority and have the image and subscription of Cesar upon it must that be presently admitted without further question Answ. 1. Every soule must be subject to the higher powers and that for conscience sake but not without a conscience rightly enformed and guided onely so farre forth as God be not disobeyed nor his truth disparaged 2. We acknowledge with Tertullian and reverence the Emperour as one that is the second man under God and inferiour unto God onely And give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars but so as we give unto God the things that are Gods 3. It was the errour of the unbeleeving Iewes against Iason and the brethren Acts 17.7 These men doe against the decrees of Cesar saying there is another King one Iesus For wee may not doe against the decrees of Cesar yet we must say there is another King one Iesus whose decrees are of absolute authority and Cesars so farre as they crosse not his 4. No man blames his neighbour that brings a peece of money to the touch and weights though it have Cesars image and superscription upon it It is no disloyalty but wisdome and warinesse to try the Kings coyne there being so many slippes and counterfeits Thus wee see that nothing either in doctrine or manners can come so strongly armed with Civill or Ecclesiasticall Authority but it must passe the tryall before we can hold it as good and currant Now of the third generall Who must try all these things Answ. Our Apostle writeth to a whole Church and to every particular Christian in it Object What hath every Thessalonian without restraint granted him a power to censure and judge of Doctrines in all points of faith manners Is it not enough for a common man to give his consent to the Church and to beleeve as the Pastors beleeve Answ. Indeed so the Church of Rome teacheth and namely the Rhemists on 1 Ioh. 4.1 corrupting a most expresse text where the Apostle wisheth and commandeth every Christian to Try the Spirits But nothing is more plaine in Scripture than that people ought judicially to examine the Doctrine of their Pastors before they give it entertainment as afterward we shall more clearely proove But the Papists and the Rhemists on that place say Is it not absurd that every particular person by himselfe and of himselfe should take upon him to examine and controll Doctors and Doctrines I answer It were absurd if of himselfe or by himselfe onely hee should try them but for himselfe every Christian must and by such rules as God hath appointed to discerne whether a Doctrine be of God or no unto which not onely Doctrines of Pastors but of Councells Fathers and Popes are to be subjected unlesse we will take sowre for sweet and darknesse for light Hence it is that every Christian should have his senses exercised to discerne good and evill Heb. 5.14 That every man should abound with knowledge and judgement to discerne things that differ Philip. 1.10 That every man should be perswaded in his owne proper minde Rom. 14.5 And every sheepe of Christ discernes Christs voice and will not heare the voice of a stranger because he is able to try and discerne that too Iohn 20.4 5. The fourth generall remaines By what must this tryall be made Answ. Every triall is made by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or direction We try the soundnesse of solid things by weights and the ballance of liquid things by liquid measures wee try figures by line and rule and the kindes of mettall by the touch-stone Wee must therefore finde out some weight or rule or touch-stone to try the soundnesse and kinde of Doctrines concerning faith or manners Now there can be no perfect ballance or exact rule for the tryall of all things but onely the word writted Esa. 2.3 The law out of Zion and the word from Ierusalem must be Iudge among the Nations and chap. 8.20 all appeales must be made to the law and the testimony or else there is no light to be had Christ himselfe for his doctrine stood to the judgement of Scripture Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me And Paul subjected his Doctrine to the same rule Acts 28.23 And good reason For 1. The Scripture hath all in it that a sufficient rule should have It is 1. declarative 2. directive 3. explorative 1. It is of the nature of God who is the measure of all things and immediatly derived from him and so the first cause the rule of all that follow concerning Gods worship 2. It is full of direction for any thing that is to be beleeved or done as the Artificers rule directs his worke and hand 3. It is sufficient to try and proove all things when they are done as the touch-stone tries the mettall or the square tries the work squared In all which respects it is like the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount after which he was to frame the whole Tabernacle and by which he might try it being framed That as nothing was in the Tabernacle which was not in the patterne so may nothing be with us which is not agreeable to the patterne of Scripture called the patterne of wholsome words 2. By what should causes be tryed but by the Lawes of the Body Civill where they doe arise But looke what the Law is in the Common-wealth the same is the
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
the directions the Scripture doth afford us which be of two sorts and both of them within that in Iob 31. that because the eye is a most swift messenger unto the soule and most slippery as Iob make a covenant with thine eyes not to behold vanity And because all thy watching is too little for so quicke a member pray the Lord that he would turne away thine eye from beholding vanity Psal. 119.37 Wherein is this watch I. To pull away thine eyes from unallowed objects First beware of an hypocriticall deceitfull eye as in Prov. 6.12 there is one that twinkleth with his eye this is an eye quick-sighted to deceive his brother See thine eye be single as Christ teacheth that is such an eye as may discerne to doe that thou doest that it be just 2. by just meanes 3. doe it with all thy heart uprightly 4. within compasse of thy calling and if thou canst get this single eye the whole body will be likewise single II. There is a lustfull or an adulterous eye 2 Pet. 2.19 we reade of unchast persons that have eyes full of adultery First there be them that have eyes full of spirituall adultery gazing upon Popish pictures and images which they hang up in their houses as alluring harlots corrupters of the heart which is an opening of the doore to idolatry and a signe of a man willing to be deceived But the eyes of the Church are as doves eyes Cant. 1.14 chast and pure not gazing upon idolatrous pictures Secondly corporall adultery that delight in lascivious pictures filthy portraitures of naked men and women in whole or such parts as may incite the corruption of heart and feede it with contemplative adultery we neede bring no oyle to this flame the more lamentable it is that the Divell hath got such pictures into request in this wanton and unclean age for where can a man goe where he may looke off them which a manifest signe of adulterous eyes 2. Such are their eyes who are adulterous living pictures that so attire and disguise themselves to lay open their nakednes beyond all modestie to ensnare the eyes senses of others say not thou thinkest no hurt in it except thou be sure others thinke no hurt by it 3. Such are their eyes that reade lascivious and wanton bookes teachers of adultery and lewdnesse that frequent stage-playes with their beastly acts and actions wherein all gates and walls are cast open to the Divell beware of this eye by which death and poyson enters into the heart III. There is a covetous eye which is not satisfied with riches Eccles. 4.8 neither doth hee say for whom doe I thus labour this eye defraudes the soule of pleasure and is an evill sicknesse As Ahabs who was discontented with a kingdome for want of Naboths vineyard There be three things that never say enough the horse-leach the fire and the grave and adde the fourth a covetous eye which as Iobs Elephant Iob 40. thinkes hee can swallow the whole flood Iordan Let a covetous man have but a moate of dust or earth in his eye what trouble is it to him yet he thinkes to thrust a whole Country could he get it into his eye and see never the worse Take heed of this covetous eye there is no greater an enemy to faith and contentation or any good exercise than it is IV. There is an envious eye Matth. 20.15 Is thine eye evill because mine is good such an eye as Satan cast upon the happinesse of man when hee was fallen from his owne Take heede of this sore eye that cannot abide the light Basil saith that whereas many evills are in it yet onely one good thing goes with it it is the greatest plague to him that hath it V. There is a sleepy a dull and a negligent eye not open or quicke to behold with fruite and profit the noble workes and actions of God whereas God hath made the eye of a round figure and of quicke motion that it might easily move it selfe any way or every way in viewing the workes of God in beholding the afflictions of his people and the necessities of his brethren The second thing wherein we must be carefull in watching the eye is to labour to holde and fixe the eyes upon allowed and profitable objects As 1. God made our eyes to looke upward and hath given mans eye one muscle which the beasts eye wants that it should not fixe it selfe as theirs upon the earth yea hath compassed the eyes with browes and lids to fence them from dust and earth that though we looke sometimes on the earth yet the least dust or earth should not get into them Psal. 123.2 to shew that our eyes should be lifted up unto him and in seeing his creatures behold himselfe 〈◊〉 â—hem Esay 40.26 Lift up your eyes aloft and behold who created all these things the invisible things of God his power divinity and eternity were made visible to the very Gentiles by things created Rom. 1.20 And shall Christians onely looke on these things as they to make our selves inexcusable shall we looke upon the Sunne and not on him that made it 2. Let us fixe our eyes on the workes of God in and for his Church for the strengthening of our faith and confidence as Iohn 2.23 they that saw the workes of Christ Many of them beleeved in his name seeing the workes he did For the Lord doth nothing for or against his Church but according to his truth revealed in the word the Lord doth no worke in his Church either of judgement or of mercy but they are as it were the very commentaries of the Scriptures and therefore all the workes of God that wee can behold in or for his Church doe notably stirre up our faith in him 3. God hath allowed us our eyes to behold our brethren to behold their graces to see their good example to affect embrace and encourage them to imitate them to glorifie God for them thus our eyes should imitate the eyes of God which are upoÌ„ the just to affect protect reward them Yea we must holde our eyes upon our brethrens misery to pitty releeve them we must not turne our eyes from our owne flesh as the unmercifull Priest and Levite did from the wounded man who were condemned by the pittifull Samaritan 4. Our eyes weâ—â— given us not onely to be organes of sight but to be fountaines of teares in beholding both our owne sinne and misery and the sinne and wretchednesse of our brethren The Iewes eye beholding the brazen Serpent was a watery and mournefull eye because hee was stung by the Serpent so ours much more whose sting and paine is mortall and inward And can we beholde any creature and not see in it the expresse prints and markes of our owne sinne which still must adde to our griefe And for others Good Lot was vexed daily to see the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites and Davids
truth according to Chrysostomes rule Haereticorum haereticissimi qui claudunt januas veritati Chrysost. Secondly on this ground wee must lay all our practise and obedience of faith Both in respect of the object of faith and the manner of mans o-obedience 1. For the object We must therefore beleeve the whole word of God contained in the Law and Gospell because it is of the nature of God himselfe immediatly flowing from that eternall truth and faithfulnesse conceived in the minde of God who is unchangeable This is the argument of the Scripture Because by faith we give him the honour of truth and we set our seale to God that he is faithfull Ioh. 3.33 And thus he also honours us to give witnesse to his faithfulnesse and contrary not mingling the word with faith we make him a lyer namely so farre as wee can because we beleeve not the record that the Father witnesseth of his Sonne and this is the ground why we must beleeve the Scripture to be the word of God because wee doe beleeve it to be true and faithfull as he is faithfull 2. For the act because Satan himselfe beleeves historically the Scripture and acknowledgeth Gods faithfulnesse in it we must specially apply the parts of the word to our selves First the promises all which because he is faithfull he will performe to a thousand generations not onely beleeving them true in themselves but even to us else wee deprive our selves of them seeing he promiseth nothing to unbeleevers Yea not onely beleeving and applying them but on the same faithfulnesse of God grounding the hope and expectation of all those promises which thy faith hath already apprehended For what is it else but this faithfulnesse in God that makes our hope never leave us ashamed Where had Sarah strength to conceive and bring forth a sonne being past age but because shee counted him faithfull that had promised Hebr. 11.11 That is she knew that whatsoever God had promised he would faithfully performe and Heb. 10.23 Let us keepe fast the profession of our hope for faithfull is he that hath promised Secondly we must also beleeve his threats for though he use sometimes lenity and patience to vessels of wrath yet his faithfulnesse suffers not the least jote of them to be unaccomplished Zeph. 3.5 The just Lord is in the middest of her early even early will he bring forth judgement and will not faile Hath the faithfull Lord covenanted wrath with the sinner Hearest thou his word let fly plagues as thicke as haile against the transgressours and thinkest thou to escape Was his faithfulnesse never yet impeached and shall it be so for thee Hearest thou that a large booke of curses comes flying into the house of the swearer and darest thou sweare and into the house of the thiefe and darest thou be unjust Surely if God have not lost all his faithfulnesse thou shalt certainly finde it this is the act of faith 3. For the manner of obedience of faith when the eye of the soule is once lifted up to behold this faithfulnesse of God it will bestirre it selfe with diligence in well-doing By this argument the Apostle inciteth the Iewes Hebr. 6.10 God is not unfaithfull to forget the labour of your love and Matth. 10.42 The giving of a cup of colde water hath promise of a recompence and his faithfulnesse will make it good No just Prince can forget the faithfull service of his subject Ahashuerosh at length remembred Mordecai his good service much more will our God who is faithfull Eccles. 9.15 Wee reade of a poore man who by his wisdome delivered the Citty but hee was forgotten in that Citty But God because hee is faithfull is never so forgetfull of him that doth good in the world Vpon this ground we must lay all our prayers of faith so our Apostle here in the Text for Gods faithfulnesse onely gives us confidence of obtaining our suites Our owne unfaithfulnesse in the Covenant might choake us in our suites and stoppe our mouthes and cover our faces with shame But it is Gods faithfulnesse that undershores us seeing his promise hath bound him to be found of all them that seeke him truly Therefore Daniel 9.16 in the name of the Church having disclaimed all their owne righteousnesse bindeth God from all his displeasure Lord according to all thy righteousnesse let thy wrath be turned away from thy Citty and Sanctuary This will answer all the objections wee can make against our owne prayers Object I am unworthy to pray or be heard and my prayer is as unworthy as my selfe Answ. True but Gods faithfulnesse gives worthinesse to both Object But my sinnes hinder good things they are a partition wall and stoppe my prayers Answ. Begge remission of sinnes beholde hee is faithfull and just to forgive thee 1 Iohn 1.9 Object I have no comfort of my prayer nor deserve any Answ. Cast thy selfe on this faithfulnesse of God trust thy selfe with him Commend thy selfe unto him as to a faithfull Creatour 1 Pet. 4.19 Object But I see no meanes or way of escape or deliverance Answ. Pray as David Psal. 31.1 Deliver me oh Lord according to thy righteousnesse that is that faithfulnesse whereby thou defendest thine owne children according to thy promise Object But I see nothing but present death on every side and am even cast on my death-bed creeping into the grave Answ. Now behold this faithfulnesse and be safe it will make thee in peace and silence to commit thy selfe wholly to him in life and death Psal. 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit for thou hast redeemed me oh Lord God of truth Vpon the same ground lay a sound profession of faith Sound profession stands in two things 1. A constant profession of truth 2. Pure and upright conversation To uphold both these behold Gods faithfulnesse Is God so faithfull in his word and promises let us then boldly confesse and constantly embrace his faithfull word 1. Because it is of the nature of God truth and faithfulnesse it selfe Why should wee be ashamed to holde out this faithfull word as many Politicians be what neede a man be ashamed of the truth Remember what Truth hath said Hee that is ashamed of me in my sayings before men I will be ashamed of him before my Father and his holy Angels 2. How dare men fall off from the truth of the Gospell to Popery or profanesse after the knowledge of it what change is in the truth that they should change their mindes and turne from it Have not we a sure word of the Prophets and Apostles 2 Pet. 1.19 which is as immutable and unchangeable as God himselfe is 3. How venterously doe men goe on in their sinne notwithstanding the light of the word checking their consciences reprooving their wayes as if some part of the faithfulnesse of it should be abated to them Is it not an eternall word that endureth for ever as God doth of which not one jot can
power of the holy Ghost and in much assurance whereby they answered the calling verse 5. and chap. 2.13 they received it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God Thirdly it is such a calling as must hold out unblameable This is a severing of the elect from the world to become members of Christ by faith Ioh. 15.19 2 Quest. How knew the Apostle they were chosen and effectually called for God onely knowes who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Answ. God onely knowes who are his by himselfe and from himselfe but men may also know to whom he pleaseth to reveale it 2. God onely knowes who are his ex priori by seeing and searching the heart and trying the reines Ierem. 17.10 But though hee know onely by the roote men may know by the fruite Mat. 7.27 3. God knowes onely by the judgement of certainty infallibly but ordinary men can know onely by the judgement of charity 4. God knoweth his collectively that is the whole university of his chosen and no meere man or creature can in this sence know who are Gods Now for the Apostles knowledge of their effectuall calling know First that the Apostles had a gift Apostolicall whereby they were enabled sometimes to discerne the finall estates at least of some particular men but this was by extraordinary revelation This is not here meant Secondly our Apostle here walketh not onely by the judgement of charity but of certainty for he saith not we hope or charitably conceive but we know ye are the elect of God 1 Epist. 1.4 Thirdly hee attained this certaine judgement of their effectuall calling by the same ordinary meanes whereby ordinary men may also be perswaded of their effectuall calling and consequently of their salvation Quest. By what ordinary meanes did the Apostle discerne it Answ. 1. He saw it in the instrumentall cause of their effectuall calling and their carriage towards the same chap. 1.5 they were not onely called by the voice of the Gospell but they answered that call for the Gospell was not to them in word onely but in power in the holy Ghost and in much assurance 2. He saw it in the effects of the Gospell manifest in them as in their effectuall faith patience hope diligent love which are assured and infallible tokens of effectuall calling verse 3. chap. 1. 3. In the sound and sincere affections changed by the Gospell such as are joy in the holy Ghost patience in afflictions yea joy in suffering the afflictions of the Gospell chap. 1.6 4. In their Christian and holy conversation they followed the examples of the Apostles and set themselves as examples to all that beleeved in Macedonia and Achaia chap. 1. verse 8. Now what is it to be a sound Christian but by faith to be set into the head and by love into the body of Christ and by hope into the very fruition of the glory purchased by Christ from which alone the Apostle concludeth them to be the elect of God verse 4. chap. 1 Now by the same ordinary way may every Christian yea and ought to know his owne effectuall calling for else First those exhortations were vaine 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your calling sure Secondly either should we want the Spirit or the Spirit should be wanting in his office who is therfore given that by him we might know the things given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 one of the first whereof is our effectuall calling Thirdly the change by effectuall calling is so great as it were strange it should not be discerned it is a setting of prisoners to libertie Luke 4.18 Can a man come out of a dungeon of ignorance infidelity and snares of sinne and be restored to so glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and not discerne it It is the opening of blinde eyes Acts 26.18 Can a blinde man be restored to sight and not know it Iohn 9. One thing I know saith hee that was blinde that whereas I was blinde now I see It is the quickening of the dead and raising of the buried in their graves Can hee that is dead cold Lazarus be raised to life after foure dayes and move and walke and doe all the actions of life and not know it Can a man be quickened with heavenly life and move and walke towards heaven and not know it May not a beleever know his owne faith and thereby his calling which ever goes with inward calling Mark 9.24 Lord I believe helpe my unbeliefe hee discerned in himselfe the first motions of conversion and faith Fourthly Can a man have any comfort of any action or duty of Christianity for which hee wants a calling how could he assure himselfe of comfort and acceptance in any thing if he be not sure he is come to Christ and have yeelded himselfe to his voice and call Quest. But may a man alwayes know the time of his calling and conversion or may hee know himselfe at all times after to be effectually called Answ. 1. Though some may know the very time of their conversion and answer to Gods call yet it is folly to be curious to know the day or houre of it It is all that the Scripture requires that we may know our selves truly called of Iesus Christ although we know not precisely the time when Neither be foolishly censorious that another is not converted because he cannot point the very time of his conversion I know a tree was planted because I see it growne greene and fruitfull though I know not the time and houre nor yeare when Consider first it is often with Gods children as with ours who are so weake and fraile in the birth that they know not whether they are born nor for long time after discerne that they are borne yet afterwards they come to know their life and birth And so may Gods childe in the instant of the new birth for weaknesse and impotency not know it Secondly the Spirit bloweth where it listeth but knowest thou the way of the winde or how the bones grow Eccles. 11.5 The way of the winde is unknowne in this that a man cannot justly determine the first moment of the first blast of it so cannot a man sometimes directly set downe the precise time of his conversion This freedome of the Spirit allowes him to winde himselfe secretly into our hearts and to come stealing upon us sometime without any noyse as Christ came in upon his Disciples the doore being shut Thirdly the casting in of this grace into our hearts is compared by Christ Marke 4.26 to the casting of seede into the ground so is the kingdome of God as if a man should cast seede into the ground should sleep rise up and the seed should spring and grow but he knowes not how Which plainly sheweth that although the Spirit may come rushing in with a mighty noise of wind as Acts 2.1 yet he is most free to come in what manner he pleaseth