but with salt hath lost the savour to be trodden under foote by men cānot but be as grievous in the eyes of men as it was to Abraham to cast his sonne Ismael with Agar his Mother out of doores Gen. 21. 11. Our Saviour that perfectly knew the wayes of the hearts and spirits of men put his finger upon this sore in that passage Luke 5. 39. No man having drunke old wine straight way desireth new for he saith the old is better Mens opinions and thoughts with their semblable practises in matter of Religion may well be compared to wine because they are the great cheerers of their soules and consciences And our Saviour affirming that men that have drunke old wine seldome or never love to change their diet suddenly seemes to imply these two things besides what lieth in the plaine superficies of the letter First that men that never dranke old wine that is that were never principled nor grounded in any way of Religion at all as that never were ingaged or interressed in their judgements touching any particular controversie in Religion may sooner be brought to drink new i. e. may with lesse reluctation and trouble with lesse reasoning and disputing and for the most part with lesse shame and sorrow bee perswaded to embrace and professe the truth then those that have beene built up and comforted in a false way of Religion and beene fast tied to the wrong end of a controverted point by their credits and reputations in the world Jn which respect that saying of Epiphanius takes place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man had better beleeve nothing then that which is contray to the truth Secondly that many who are for a time extremely opposite and averse from entertaining better thoughts and opinions in things appertaining unto God then their owne are because of the newnesse and strangenesse of them may yet in time after they have conversed a while with them and look'd them in the face againe and againe bee brought to relent yea and espouse them and open the bosome of their affections judgements and consciences unto them with joy and gladnesse But this by the way My advise therefore for the present is onely this that when thou risest up as a man of zeale and courage to plead the cause of the Gospel in any kinde against any enemie thereof thou shewest thy selfe a man of wisdome and judgement also making a difference in thy zeale betweene things that differ in their nature as much as light and darknesse as Heaven and Earth Take heede of binding up hay stubble wood in the same bundle of defence with silver Gold and precious stones And know this that as the Apostle speakes of a knowledge amongst professors in his dayes that was falsely so called 1. Tim. 6. 20. it had the name but not the nature worth and substance of knowledge So hath it beene found in all ages that where ever the body and substance of the Gospel hath come it hath in time still gathered much drosse and refuse and loose matter about it and that not onely by the malice of enemies but by the weakenesse and injudiciousnesse of the best friends of it which hath still beene counted treasure too and gone under the name of the Gospel as well as the truth it selfe But I must not now prosecute this caution any further I feare J have over-prefaced my discourse already Jf I have transgressed the rule of discretion J will be sure to observe the rule of charity in the close and cordially pray for the building up in the knowledge of the onely true God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ by the reading of this and all other peices consecrated to that high and glorious service Thine in all thou desirest in the Lord. I. G. Coleman-streete 1640. THE CHRISTIANS INGAGEMENT for the Gospel Jude verse 3. That you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints CHAP. I. The scope and coherence together with the sense meaning of the words cleared and the Doctrine to be handled raised and propounded 1 AS David speaketh to the securitie comfort and joy of Israel the Church of God Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psal 121. 4. So on the other hand may it also be said for the awaking of Israel himselfe that hee may neither slumber nor sleepe either more or otherwise then may stand with his safety that hee that seeketh the destruction of Israel neither doth he either slumber or sleep your adversarie the Divell saith Saint Peter what sitteth still or sleepeth no but like a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may dovoure Hee cannot come at all to devoure them some keepe themselves that the evill one toucheth them not as Saint Iohn speaketh they have an eye upon him as well as he upon them they carefully avoid all occasions of evil which are as it were medium tactus to the Divell meanes without which the Divell can hardly come to touch any man in this kinde or to fasten either pawe or teeth upon him The Lion though he rageth and roareth never so terribly cannot come to prey upon all the beasts in the wildernesse § 2. 2. Now because Sathan would not willingly runne thus up and downe for his living to pick out here a man and there a man to devoure or prey upon Hee counteth this but small gaine and little better then losse of time an allowance altogether unproportionable to the vastnesse of his devouring greedinesse hee therefore spreads his nets to take whole companies and congregations of soules at once to destroy men by whole Townes Cities Nations and Kingdomes §. 3. 3. To bring to passe a designe of this nature a project of such an accursed and dismall consequence as this there is no way more direct and compendious then to procure the fountaines of living waters of which all joyntly together drinke or the bread of life upon which all feede to bee poysoned to convey death into the pot this is a way of quick dispatch with the poore soules of men if hee can procure such a project as this to be advanced in any part of the world where there is any necessity or occasion for him to desire to doe it I meane where God hath a Church or where truth of religion is planted Hee needs not now runne up and downe seeking whom or which man he may devoure he may sit still and devoure whole multitudes at once without seeking further for them If the waters be poysoned the Fisherman needs not be carefull of his bait how he may deceive the fish they will come to his hands alone and lie dead upon the top of the waters hee may take them up as he please §. 4. 4. When in any place the truth of God is universally tainted with pernicious and damnable errours the soules of men are there unto Sathan as the Figge trees with their first ripe Figges Nahum the 3. 12.
if they be shaken they will fall into the mouth of the eater little tempting will serve to effect the ruine and destruction of the soules of those men that have no better no more wholsome nourishment wherewith to be fed then either the Doctrines of Divels our traditions of men The Apostles of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ even in their dayes discovered Sathan close at his worke labouring by his Agents and Factors to undermine the spirituall peace and salvation of the Churches of God by corrupting those wholsome streames of saving knowledge which in plentifull manner issued forth from the Sanctuary from Jesus Christ in the flesh into the world And accordingly their care was both to withstand him themselves for their times with all their power also to leav a deep and waightie charge behinde them upon all Churches to beware of so dangerous an enemie especially in so dangerous a Machination and attempt §. 5. 5. This very thing seems to bee the full and adequate motive that moved this Apostle Iude to frame and addresse this Epistle to all Christians wherein he might exhort and quicken them to bee very carefull to preserve the word of their peace and salvation yea indeed of the peace and salvation of the world to preserve it in the glorious puritie of it that so it might continue a word of salvation and bee as able at the last as it was at the first to save all their soules or as he doth expresse himselfe in the words of the text That they would earnestly contend for the Faith that was once delivered unto the Saints §. 6. 6. For the meaning of which words to dispatch that very briefly I shall for the present onely need to shew you first what I conceive to bee meant by Faith what the earnest contending for the faith here spoken of meaneth wee shall see afterward and secondly what the meaning and waight of that latter clause is which was once delivered to the Saints For the word Faith it is a tearme the holy Ghost useth for many purposes and in divers significations onely two I finde pretenders for this place First by Faith some understand that grace or habit of faith by which these men were justified which indeed is the most common proper acception And thus the meaning would be that Christians should earnestly contend to maintaine and make good that precious grace wrought in the heart upon which their eternall peace and safety depends against all that may indanger the life and power of it §. 7. 7. Secondly this word Faith is often by a figurative expression taken for the Doctrine of Jesus Christ by which the grace or habit of faith is wrought in men in an usuall form of speech wherein the better to expresse the efficacie and vertue of the cause wee tearme it by the name of the effect it selfe which it produceth especially when the effect is great and glorious and hath a speciall dependance upon such a cause so that without it it could not be produced This is an emphaticall speech to commend the excellencie of the vertue of such a cause As if a Physitian should come to a sicke man and bring his receipt in his hand and shewing it to the Patient should say this to him here is your recovery here is life and health for you This kinde of speaking is the highest expression of the vertue and efficacie of that which hee administreth so we finde that the holy Ghost to commend the excellent power of the Scriptures or word of God very usually cals them by some or other of the names of those glorious and blessed effects which they produce and raise in the hearts of men and whereby they become of infinite advantage to the world Thus Iohn 4. 22. the word of God is called by our Saviour salvation for salvation is of the Iewes that is the word of God by which the salvation of the world is effected is from the Jewes as Paul saith to them were committed the Oracles of God So Heb. 2. 2. How shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation that is so great meanes of salvation So Solomon Prov. 4. 13. commends wisedome to men thus keepe her for shee is thy life that is the meanes by which thou must live Thus Moses concerning the Doctrine that he had delivered to the people from God told them that it was not a vaine word concerning them but that it was their life that is the onely meanes to prolong the dayes of their peace Deut. 32. 47. and so wee finde the glorious Gospel or Doctrine of Jesus Christ often expressed by this great and excellent effect of it saith thus Gall. 1. 22. Hee who persecuted us in time past now preacheth the faith that is the Gospel or Doctrine of faith which he destroyed So againe to name no more places in that of Paul Phil. 1. 27. a place of very neere affinitie with this in the text that yee continue in one spirit in one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel or rather as the originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 striving together with the faith that is with the Doctrine of the Gospel for this Gospel it selfe strives and quarrels with the world and Paul would have the Philippians to joyne with it and to side with it and assist it against the world that seekes the destruction and subversion of it §. 8. 8. I finde the former signification of the word preferred by some expositors but there are these reasons lie strong against it which also make way for and confirm the later first from the text it selfe First in the beginning of the verse hee faith hee would write unto them about the common salvation now the particular habituall faith of men is onely about their owne private salvation my contending to preserve my particular grace is little or nothing concerning the generall salvation of the Church But my contending for the maintenance of the truth of the Gospel is Secondly in the later clause of the verse it is said that this faith which they are exhorted earnestly to strive for was once given or as the word in the originall giveth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivered unto the Saints Now justifying faith in no propriety of speech can bee said to be delivered to the Saints such faith indeed may bee said to be the gift of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing delivered to the Saints neither in any congruity of speech could be Thirdly this sense is most agreeable with other Scriptures that speake after the same manner whereas the other sense that contendeth for justifying faith can hardly be paralleld §. 9. 9. The other clause followeth which was once delivered to the Saints I conceive these words are added in the clause of the exhortation as a reason or motive to presse the exhortation by therefore hee would have them contend for
by the great and infallible Iudge of all questions and controversies the Lord Christ himselfe 2. His resolution upon it not to disturbe or in errupt her in this her choyce in these words which shall not bee taken from her Both these breasts are full of milke and spirituall nourishment and would gladly unlade their treasures into your bosomes as well the one as the other But I shall entertaine your Christian and patient attention at this time with the opening and handling of this one observation onely from the former branch Christs approbation of Maries choyce The minding and improving opportunites for heaven is a thing of high and special acceptatiō with God The Lord loves none better than those that love themselves best in this way Hee that is upon the highest termes of resolutions for Heaven he he is the man in whom the soule of the God of Heaven chiefly delighteth hee that can let the world passe by not be moved nor stirred at it but will be on fire to lay hold on Eternall life when that comes in his way hee is the man that shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heaven by the great King of Heaven himselfe First for the opening of the Doctrine I will with all convenient brevity shew these two things 1 What these opportunities for Heaven are and what I meane by them 2 What I meane by the improvement of them For the first in the Generall it is to be considered that there is nothing that be falls us in this present world good or evill nothing that befalleth other men if the knowledge there of comes unto us nothing we thinke nothing we speake or do in any kinde nothing that other men thinke speake or doe if it falls within the sphere of our knowledge but by a strong hand of grace and spirituall wisdome may be converted to a spirituall use and be compelled and forced to doe service for Heaven A gratious and wise heart knowes how to subdue all the wayes of God and all a mans own wayes and all the wayes of other men and put them under this tribute Amongst all the wayes of the providence and dispensation of God in the administration of the affaires of the world there is none so drye or barren but there is somewhat of God in it there is some ingredient or other either of his wisedome power justice goodnesse faithfulnes or the like which by servent and intense consideration may be drawne out as a spirituall extraction and be found as light prepared for the soule For there is not the least beame of glimmering of this light the least shining of the knowledge of God upon the face of the soule but it is of precious influence and concernment for heaven This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God c. Ioh. 17. 3. The Heaven and happinesse of the creature depends upon the happinesse of the Creator So againe there is nothing we can thinke desire love feare or the like nothing wee speake or doe but if wee minde it there is some taste and relish in it of the frame of the heart within some disposition or other is acted and consequently is manifested by all these Now every degree of this light also every touch or streyne of the knowledge of our selves directly tends to enlarge and strengthen our knowledge of God as might be shewed at large but that wee have no leasure now for digressions and therefore is a gale of wind also to fill our sayles for Heaven And lastly there is nothing wee can see or heare or know concerning other men as either spoken intended or done by them Whether it be that which is righteous holy and good or otherwise wicked sinfull and vile but that we may see the truth of the Scriptures acted as it were before us therein which testifie in every place as of the manner law and properties of spirituall wisedome grace and holinesse on the one hand so likewise of ignorance vanity and profanenesse on the other So that I say there is nothing in this world wee can meete withall in any place or at any time either from God or from our selves or from other men be they things whose faces seeme to stand quite another way and no point of the Compasse towards Heaven which yet by a strong hand of grace as was said and by a dexterity of spirituall wisdome may be turned about and be made faire advantages and oportunities for Heaven But howsoever I would not in the Doctrine propounded altogether exclude such opportunities as these which are but generally remote and of inferiour importance Yet I chiefly intend those that are more proper and direct and that have a neare affinity with heaven that are opportunities prepared as it were and made to our hand and need only using And such are 1. The Ministery of the Gospell especially in the hand of a Minister that is faithfull and enabled of God to bring forth life and immortality into light by the Gospell when wee have no reall hindrance or cause of absence as by sicknesse weaknesse or some other indispenceable occasions c. this is an opportunity for Heaven of the first Magnitude To which we may adde in the second place the administration of the Sacraments wherein wee may feed upon the great and holy things of Jesus Christ by other senses as wee do by hearing in the ministrie of the Word especially the Sacrament of the Supper where hee that is our life as the Apostle speaketh the great Captaine of our salvation presents himselfe and his dearest love unto us in those elements of bread wine whereunto uniting himselfe Sacramentally they goe down together bread and wine into the body and Christ unto the soule Thirdly another great opportunity for Heaven is the presence and company of holy men especially such as are able to draw waters of life for us out of the wels of salvation as Esay speaketh that are able out of the good treasure of their hearts as our Saviour calleth it are able to furnish us with all variety of spirituall necessaries Fourthly when God meets with us in the likenesse or appearance of fire I meane in any great or remarkeable tryall this is a speciall opportunity for Heaven also now is there a time or season wherein to be made partakers of his holinesse as the Scripture speakes the fiery chariots of afflictions are still sent for our hearts to carry them up into Heaven Againe fifthly When God on the other hand appeares unto us as hee did unto Moses and to the Elders of Israel Exod. 34. 10. with the likenesse of a Saphir stone under his feete and as the Heaven when it is cleare when he causeth his Sun of prosperity to shine upon us whether spirituall or temporall and doth things for us whether in the affaires of this world or of that which is to come which wee looked not for when either hee lifts us up from the dust of the
the faith for the truth of the Gospel the Doctrine of salvation because this Doctrine was or hath beene once delivered to the Saints That is because God of his infinite mercie and compassion to men did once by speciall revelation convey the same to holy men beloved of God chosen for that purpose whom hee made feoffees in trust for their times to convey it safe to their posterity that so it might passe from generation to generation amongst the Saints in the Church of God to the worlds end the present generation being still bound by the same bonds that the first Immediate receivers of it from God were to preserve it pure and entire from all corruptions and so to bee transmitted as a precious inheritance to succeeding generations §. 10. 10. That particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once may admit a double signification and it carries a full emphasis with it both wayes There is not any losse of the maine scope of the holy Ghost whether way we take it First the more usuall and familiar meaning of the word is by once to understand but one time in opposition to the word often or more then once and thus the weight of the motive will bee as if he had said you must therefore contend for the Faith for this faith hath beene once given to the Saints by God and will be no more namely by any such speciall and immediate revelation therefore now you have the words of eternall life it stands you in hand with all your might to keepe them because if you suffer them to bee taken from you there are no more Christs no more sonnes of God to bring them downe againe from heaven out of the bosome of the Father to the world or Secondly the word once signifies as much as throughly perfectly to purpose sufficiently c As where it is said Christ dyed once for sinne the full and proper meaning of the place is not that Christ died one time for sinne that comes off but coldly but hee died once to sinne that is hee died to purpose his death was enough and enough for the abolishing of sinne for ever Rom. 6. 10. And so often in the Scripture elsewhere if wee rather chuse this signification of the word the meaning will fall thus you ought therefore to contend for the faith seeing it was once delivered that is fully and perfectly yea and peremptorily delivered by God unto the Saints so that hee meant not to deliver it the second time As if he had said to the Saints in the delivery of it looke to it there is the word of your peace and eternall life there it is compleat and perfect I meane to make no more worke of revealing it againe unto you if you suffer it to perish or to be taken from you and therefore faith Iude it stands you in hand to hold it fast though it cost you blowes both significations I conceive would be put together to give full weight to the place §. 11. 11. The words thus opened 2. things in generall are to be observed First an exhortation Secondly a motive seconding the exhortation The exhortation in the first words That you contend for the Faith the motive in the later which was once delivered unto the Saints In the exhortation we have these particulars First the parties exhorted you Christians beleevers Secondly the duty it selfe whereunto they are exhorted that is to contend or strive Thirdly the manner how to strive earnestly Fourthly and lastly the possession as it were or matter of consequence about which they are to strive the Faith In the later the motive pressing the exhortation 2. Particulars likewise First the Author of that precious treasure for which they were so earnestly to contend who is not here expressed because this is readily understood namely God himselfe It was God by whom this Faith was given or delivered Secondly the delivery or making over of this treasure from the Author or first possessor of it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given and delivered Thirdly the parties to whom this conveyance was made or that were infeoffed the Saints Fourthly and lastly the speciall provisoe or Item in the conveyance or delivery in the word once it was so fully and perfectly delivered that it never needed more nor indeed ever should be delivered againe in any such manner §. 12. 12. These particulars are sufficient to multiply points of observation but because wee have leasure now to prosecute but some one point at the most I therefore put those of the first Generall into one and the consent and harmonie of divine truth which they make up together is this The Doctrine That it is a speciall and weightie dutie lying upon all Christians whatsoever to stand for the truth of the Gospel to the uttermost of their power Remissenes and indifferencie will bee better borne at our hands in other matters of dutie rather than in this if the truth of God be invaded or set upon by the enemies of truth every man in his ranke and order must come forth to helpe the Lord against the mightie against the Prince of darknesse who labours to turne this great truth of God into a lie And will turn it if he be let alone and out of this light of the Gospel draw his owne darknesse if hee be not withstood by men of wisedome and resolution CAP. II. The method of the discourse briefly propounded with some discovery of the enemies of the truth who occasion the maine necessity of contending first §. 1. FOr the managing of this point to your best edification wee shall first shew you what the occasion of this generall muster of Christians throughout the world is or what enemies they are that seeke to oppose and destroy this truth what it is that imposeth upon Christians this great necessity of contending for it Secondly for more security and fuller evidence of the Doctrine That Christians must at any hand contend for this Faith wee may call in more witnesses from the Scriptures to speake to the point Thirdly some reasons and grounds would bee considered which will be as so many motives to perswade and presse the dutie upon us Fourthly wee may consider the manner of this contention and shew by what weapons this warrefare is to be atchieved and performed Fifthly and lastly conclude with some words of application §. 2. 2 For the first the enemies of the Faith in this sense or Doctrine of our salvation in generall are two First Sathan Secondly wicked men First Sathan he is an old adversarie to the truth of God as God is to him These two are contrary one to another like Ephraim and Mannasse Ephraim against Mannasse and Mannasse against Ephraim so Gospel is against Sathan and Sathan against Gospel Sathan hee goes about seeking whom he may devoure and the Gospel that goeth about seeking whom it may save and rescue out of his hand the Gospel seekes to destroy Sathan indeed but no
others except such as are willing to bee destroyed and as Salomon saith love death Prov. 8. and this destroying which Sathan feares from the Gospel is the true fountaine of that implacable enmitie he beares against it he knowes except hee can some wayes destroy it it will destroy him §. 3. 3. It is said Heb. 2. 14. That Christ suffered death that by such suffering he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill It is a new or further destruction to the Devill to bee throwne out of mens hearts and lose his interest in the precious soules of men this is his tumbling downe from heaven like lightning Luke 10. This was a secōd heavē to him after he was throwne downe from the third heaven and the best hee was now capable of to bee honoured and served like the most Highest in the hearts of sinfull blind and miserable man Now as it was the power of God to throw him down from the third heaven so it was the weakenesse of God the death of God being made man that fetched him downe from the second heaven out of the hearts of men And it is as much against his nature and inclination as tormenting a destruction to him to lose this second heaven as it was his first and therefore he is said to fall from this heaven like lightning That is fully against his nature and inclination with the greatest reluctancie and torture of spirit as it is the greatest naturall torment as wee may say to fire whose naturall inclination and motion is constantly upwards towards the circumference to bee compelled and forced downewards towards the center and the more pure the fire is as lightning is of the purest kinde it includs still the greater repugnancie to the nature of it to be forced downewards §. 4. 4. Now if it bee the death of Christ indeed that fetcheth Sathan downe like lightning from this heaven off his power and throne that hee hath gotten in the world yet doth it not this immediately without some other advantage as it is not a bullet or powder that batters the walles of the Citie or Castle at such a distance or cuts off the lives of so many men but by the advanrage of the enemie or Cannon so is it this same Gospel of truth that utters as it were and vents the death of Christ up and downe the world in that effectuall and saving manner according to which it worketh this is as the Hysope that sprinkles that bloud upon the consciences of men §. 5. 5. So that Sathans aimand project is to disable the Gospel from the performance of such a service to make it wholly unusefull for the dispencing of the death of Christ unto men in a saving way This hee knowes well enough will be done by corrupting the truth of it if the straight wayes and paths of it bee much perverted and made crooked the holy spirit will bee grieved and take offence at it and being a spirit of truth will refuse to goe forth with a lie or to worke by it as the Lord told the people by Ezekiel 28. 18. They had defiled their Sanctuary by the multitude of their iniquities defiled it that is made it unfit for an habitation for him so great and holy a God and therefore hee would prophane it too as hee saith in another place that is hee would dwell no more there nor delight to manifest his presence any more to them there then in any other prophane and common place in all the world so if the Gospel bee defiled with mixture of errours and tenets and opinions of men the holy Ghost will loath and abhorre it and prophane it also and doe no more towards the salvation of men by the Gospel so corrupted then by any other prophane learning and writing whatsoever Sathan I say knowes this better then men doe or indeed care to doe and therefore hee is still busie to wring and wrest Gospel truths and because Sathan is still the Author of this worke the primus motor when any thing is stirr'd or shaken of the simplicitie and truth of the Gospel though the immediate actors above ground bee men hence it was that Paul with that severity Acts 13. 10. Set a black brand upon Elymas the Sorcerer calling him the child of the Devill because he still perverted the right wayes of the Lord those in the Scripture are called the children of the Divell that resemble him in his disposition and worke as all confesse therefore it is the indeavour and worke of Sathan to oppose the truth §. 6. 6. A second sort of enemies to the Faith in this sense given that is the truth of the Gospel are all wicked men in generall without exception That of our Saviour is not onely true here and there but it is a universall truth and layes hold upon the foure corners of the world hee that doth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. one said well that verbum Dei was lucerna ad quam fur deprehenditur the word of God was a light or candle by which the thiefe was taken no thiefe that meanes to steale but hates the light that should discover him true this evill affection against the truth doth not breake out in all some mens hearts are not so full as others It doth not ruine over our of every vessell neither hath it alwayes that malignancie in it to breake out at the lips and hands of men nay it is not at all to bee doubted but many evill men may and doe support it for carnall ends CAP. 3. A further discovery of the enemies of the truth §. 1. But there are some sorts of wicked men that are more dangerous enemies to the truth in this sense then others and from whom the ruine and subversion of it is more to bee feared men that have ends of their owne and not simply so for all carnall men have these but further are much intent and zealous in the advancement of such ends men whose motions eccentricall to the course and motions of the Gospel and yet are active and vigorous in their motion These are men who threaten great danger to the truth of God §. 2. 2. The reason is cleere because the bent and inclination and levell of the Gospel is in the straightest line that can be imagined to bee laid for the advancement of God and his glory and his Christ and not at all for the carnall ends and purposes of men It was never framed to serve turns The high-way of the Gospel lyeth through the midst of mens fruitfull and pleasant fields through their Gardens and Orchards and Vineyards yea many times through the middest of their palaces and stately houses through the middest of mens honours and preferments estates pleasures reputations c. and so if it bee sufferd to goe forth in its owne spirit and take the way it selfe desireth and chuseth it will make great spoyle of mens carnall advantages It will tread and
all men that they may prevaile no longer that so the Gospel may runne and bee glorified men must take and beare the outrages and insolencies of such against the truth and doe by them as Hezekiah did with the letters of Rabshakeh Isaiah 37. 4. he spread them before the Lord and pray'd and wept over them And if God will not doe it upon other tearmes let importunitie be let loose and set upon him that will doe it though nothing else will though hee were an unjust Judge neither regarding himselfe nor his own glorie nor the good of his poore creature yet this would overcome him This is a meanes that is to bee plyed on all hands night and day Divers particulars more might bee given in by way of direction in this kinde but if men bee sound within and upright hearted towards the truth their owne reines and consciences will sufficiently teach us what is to bee done for the maintenance of it upon all occasions FINIS A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FVNERALL OF M rs ABBOTT IN St. STEVENS CHURCH IN Coleman-street London By IOHN GOODWIN Pastor of S. Stephens Coleman-street LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Peter Cole and are to be sold at the signe of the Glove and Lyon in Corne-hill neere the Royall Exchange 1641. A FVNERALL SERMON Luke 10. 42. Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not bee taken from her THe words in their dependance are part of an answer given by Christ to a kinde of expostulation or contestation made with him by a woman whose name was Martha against her sister called Mary The case in a word was this Our Saviour Christ whether voluntary or invited is neither easie nor much edifying to determine comes guest-wise to visit a family when hee knew hee should finde a little nest as it were of his friends together Mary and Martha two sisters and Lazarus the brother That God which had made them of one house had made them of one minde also in that house and this minde wherein they agreed and were as one was the best and blessedest minde of all they were one in the faith and love of Jesus Christ Notwithstanding the two sisters however they accorded well and were both as one in the maine they were both doubtlesse children of the same light yet it seemes they were of somewhat differing dispositions or apprehensions rather for the disposition ariseth from hence in some particulars Examples of which kinde of differences we see daily amongst those that are not onely truely but even eminently godly and religious Martha the elder sister as is more generally thought though Mary be first named Iohn 11. 1. her apprehensions gave her that shee should expresse her affections to her cleare Lord her present guest upon the highest best termes by bestirring her selfe about his entertainment and taking care that all things might fall right here Mary on the other hand had another conceit and that more spirituall and of a further reach with her that she should best commend her selfe and her affection unto him by being his guest and feeding upon those lips of his which were a tree of life to feed many by setting her selfe downe at his feete to heare his preaching as the text saith Now Martha apprehending without all controversie that shee was the woman at this time and imployed about that which was fittest to bee done upon such an occasion and that her sister was carelesse and forgetfull of what best became her and withall as it should seeme being a little jealous that her entertainment might suffer some losse and prejudice and not fully answer that curious plat-forme according to which shee had projected it because there was none but her selfe to order and looke after the carriage of it Martha I say being strengthened with these apprehensions comes to Christ and addresseth her selfe unto him in these words Master carest thou not that my sister hath left me to server alone bid her therefore that shee helpe me Shee made little question but that Christ had beene of her minde and would have taken her part in this gentle quarrell against her sister Only shee thought that being taken up in discourse he did not minde or observe the matter between them and therefore she would bee a remembrancer unto him and comes and pleades her owne insufficiencie to have things as shee desired to have them for his entertainement and suggests that if hee pleased to speake to her sister to helpe shee was at very good leasure to doe it To this request of Martha to have her sister away from Christs feete from hearing his word our Saviour returnes this unexpected answer Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not bee taken from her Martha Martha the duplication of the word sheweth that his spirit was stirred within him upon the motion and that his answer was serious and earnest in a high degree Thou carest and art troubled c. as if hee should say thou findest many things to take up thy time and trouble thy selfe about that might well bee spared and left undone and no man hurt or the worse for it and in the meane time forgettest and dost not consider that one thing which is of Soveraigne necessity indeed But Mary thy sister shee remembers it she considers what it is to learne the mysteries of heaven and to take hold of the opportunities of eternall life And therefore howsoever thou thinkest thou hast espied a Moate in her eye and blamest her for doing what she doth yet I discerne her eye to bee single and her sight cleare and must approve of what she hath done Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not bee taken from her Of which part of the answer there is a double exposition usually given according to the one the sense fals thus Maries part is therefore the good part and wisely chosen because it shall for ever continue with her shee shall follow this her imployment in heaven where she shall bee taken up and exercised in the contemplation of God and of the great things of his glory all the dayes of eternity This is the interpretation that the Jesuits and Popish Expositors generally magnifie upon this place onely to vilifie and beate downe as not onely their manner but profession also is the interpretation which Calvin gives which yet doubtlesse is the best and truest and delivers out the sense thus Mary hath chosen the good part which c. As if hee should say in as much as Mary hath done wisely and made a good choyce for her selfe it shall not be taken away from her by me I shall no wayes put her by it or advise her to make any other choyce instead of it Thus wee have the coherence together with the sense and meaning of the words In which words thus apprehended wee have these two things considerable 1. The approbation of Maries choyce