it to glorifie GOD or to whine Prayse from men Et eris mihi magnus APOLLO Thirdly To know our owne Election and Regeneration is difficult therefore to know other mens impossible o 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make your Calling and Election sure It is a taske of much toyle and paines such diligence else had not beene enioyned by the Apostle p 2. Cor. 13.5 Prooue your selues whether you be in the faith examine your owne selues hee doubles the exhortation to intimate that it s not a single search will serue to procure assurance and weigh but these Reasons First our willingnesse to bee deceiued and flatter our selues in nothing more then in our spirituall estate Secondly the small measure of Grace comparatiuely to the masse of corruption dwelling in our members Thirdly that counterfets of sauing Grace approching so neere the nature of it As to discerne a graine of Mustard seed in a heape of chaffe or in a masse of other seeds neere of kin vnto it so difficult is it to discerne grace in our owne hearts Fourthly the whole bodie of sinne must be mortified euery member of the old man mortified in a measure q 2. Pet. 1.5 8 9 All graces accompanying saluation in their number though not in their degree complete must be had and discerned to be had of him that will be sure of his Election and Calling Fiftly to which if we adde consideration of our partiall declinations frequent interruptions of the exercise of Gifts receiued the ebbing and flowing of Grace in our hearts together with the experience of all Gods Children that are truely such wee shall see it is no idle mans imployment to procure and maintaine assurance of his owne Election And shall we thinke it so easie to discerne another mans The taske is easie if Master Traske say true permit we our selues to the inspection of him or his disciples we shall presently attaine that assurance that with so many sighes and grones and strong cryes and teares we scarce at last procure in any measure of infallibiltie or vndoubtfull certaintie Fourthly Consider the manner of ascending to assurance of Election and Saluation wherein I may iustly suspect these men are yet vncatechized the conclusion will easily appeare It is by discourse the ground whereof GODS Spirit layes downe in Scripture in generall Propositions The assumption is made by our owne spirits assisted and sanctified by the Spirit of God Suppose thus r Rom. 8.14 17. They that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and heires annexed with Christ I am led by the Spirit of God I therefore a Childe of God and Heire of Saluation in like sort Christ is ſ Heb. 5.9 Authour of Saluation to all that obey him I obey him therefore to mee is Christ Authour of Saluation The proposition we are assured of certitudine fidei the assumption only certitudine experientiae out of that taste we haue had of Gods goodnesse and experience of his Spirits power in sanctfying vs. Can I feele and experimentally know the impressions of Gods Spirit on another mans heart taste I the sweetnesse another feeles in Gods infusion of his loue into his heart by the Holy Ghost giuen vnto him Is my Conscience witnesse of GODS wayes to another mans soule or of the actions of another mans heart If not where is mine infallible knowledge of another mans Election and Regeneration That t Hose 2.17 Manna is absconditum that is saith an Ancient the sweetnesse felt of Christs dwelling in the soule is not seene of any but felt of the Eater the name on the white stone none knowes but hee that receiues it the benefit of adoption is not knowne but by experience Fiftly I would now tell him out of Ieremie how u Ier. 17.9 deceitfull the heart of man is aboue all things who can know it but that hee hath forestalled mee professing that in this iudgement he hath not to do with the heart but with the Spirit that sanctifieth the heart But Good Sir will you discerne so infallibly the Spirit sanctifying the heart and not see the heart he sanctifieth fidem tuam No that is not the meaning But this knowledge hee receiueth not from mens hearts but from the Spirit that searcheth the hearts and tryes the reines From the Spirit I demand speaking to him in the Word or by secret inspiration Non redoles sed oles I assure you you smell strongly of the Euthusiasme of Anabaptists Familists the fathers of your Faction And of the question thus farre It remaines now to bee enquired whether Paul speakes after Iudgemēt of infallibility not rather of that of charity Of that of Charitie only was and is my resolution The Reasons these The certainty and firmenesse of perswasion expressed in the terme of knowledge he extends to all in this Church of Thessalonica for for them all he giues thankes Verse 2. And was his perswasion so infallible of all in this Church A strange Church visible was in this Citie and such I dare say as the earth neuer yet affoorded since men were multiplyed on it wherein was no x Mat. 3.12 13 26. Chaffe mingled with the Wheate no y Aug cont Epist Parmen lib. 13. cap 3. Tares amongst the good Corne. Nunquid in agro dici potest quid paleis ad Triticum quando eadem radice portantur Nunquid in area vbi paritèr triturantur Sed vtique in horreo quid paleis ad Triticum said Saint Augustine sweetly The priuiledge of Heauen it is as of Gods Granarie to receiue Wheate only without Chaffe In the Field they grow together in the floore they are threshed together the separation is not made till they come to the Granarie In the Arke was a Cham in Abrahams Family an Ishmael in CHRISTS Schoole amongst the twelue z Ioh. 6.70 a Deuill incarnate Let him beleeue that lists in Thessalonica there were none in the Church but who were of it and that Pauls certaintie of euery of their election was infallible not subiect to error If this reason perswade not that other will enforce Cap. 3.5 Lest the Tempter had tempted you and our labour should be in vaine It should seeme then he was something fearefull of their Apostasie and iealous lest that might befall them that hee mentions to the Corinthians that they a 1. Cor. 15.2 had beleeued in vaine Can wee thinke hee would feare the vtter Apostasie of any whom infallibly hee knew to be elected was hee to learne trow we that b Matt. 24.24 the Elect cannot possibly be so deceiued when as he teacheth so peremptorily that c 2. Tim. 2.19 foundation stands sure and the d Rom. 11.29 gifts and calling of God are without repentance and reuocation It remaynes then that his knowledge here professed was probable only not infallible If to any the terme seeme strange that a perswasion possibly erroneous should be stiled
Iustice and Charitie and is as carefull to giue d Mat. 22.21 vnto God the things that are Gods as vnto CaeSAR and Neighbour what belongs vnto them Thirdly Ciuilitie stayeth for most part in Negatiues in abstinence from euill thinkes it Charitie enough not to impaire the wealth of the Neighbour though his estate be not supported by any worke of Liberalitie and Mercie In Religion sufficient it seemes to professe dislike of Poperie though they bee vtterly ignorant in Rudiments of Orthodoxe Faith grounds of pure worship of God True holinesse teacheth not onely to eschew euill but e 1. Pet. 3.11 to doe good And though it know Abstinence from euill a necessary branch of Christianitie yet hath learned withall that the life of true Vertue stands in action Fourthly Ciuilitie reacheth not beyond the outward man the Pharises principle is knowne f Mat. 5. Adultery in the fact is onely forbidden that in the thought and affection free Sanctification goes ouer the whole of the whole man the g 1. Thess 5.23 whole Spirit and Soule and Body is thorowout sanctified And these are some differences twixt Sanctitie and Ciuilitie See if from the other Cousin restrayning Grace wee may be able to discerne it First Restrayning Grace if it bee onely restrayning hath in it painefulnesse inward discontentment at the bridle God puts into their mouthes GODS Word is Bands his Law h Psal 2.3 as Cords as stomakefull Horses are kept in with the bridle yet some at the Bit that restraines them So The heart truly sanctified is desirous to be restrayned yea if it were possible to haue inclinations to euill vtterly abolished This they count their misery not that flesh is bridled but that it hath so much libertie i Rom. 7.23 to rebell against the Law of the minde Secondly Men restrayned only not sanctified desire to extend their libertie as farre as possibly may bee with any colour or shew of lawfulnesse the thing once yeelded lawfull they seeme niceties not to be stood vpon to enquire after expediencie or with what limits and bounds they are lawfull in action Those Scriptures and Preachers please best that seeme most to promise and permit Libertie A man truely sanctified chooseth rather k 1. Cor. 6.12 to subsist within his bounds then in any degree to exceede limits of lawfull Libertie And is of his minde that said It is better to liue where nothing then where all things are lawfull Thirdly No small difference ariseth out of the Grounds of their abstayning from euill which in the restrayned are feare or sense of Gods wrath of Magistrates Sword Infamie and the like Sometimes some one Master-lust which they desire to feed are loth to crosse for whose sake they curbe their other inordinate affections that they breake not out into outrage as Augustine saith the ancient Romans were restrayned from Intemperance Iniustice Couetousnesse by that infinite Lust they had after glory and large Dominions Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 12. Caeteras cupiditates huius vnius ingenti cupiditate presserunt The sanctified man eschewes euill because it is euill and displeasing vnto God whose loue hee hath had so plentifull experience of he feares the Lord and his l Hos 3.5 goodnesse trembles at his offence because m Psal 130.4 of his mercy The loue of Christ as it after a sort constraynes to duetie so restraynes from euill Fourthly the restrayned when meanes of restraint are once remoued grow licentious none more as longing to quench their long thirst after euill when n Iud. 17.6.18 19. there was no King in Israel and the people left to doe euery man what seemed good in his owne eyes then fall these bridled hypocrites to vnbridled lusts Sodomie Idolatrie what not The sanctified are a law vnto themselues as some expound the place The Law is not giuen o 1. Tim. 1.9 to the righteous he needs it not as a bridle by the terrours of it though as a Directer by the Doctrine These are some helps to discerne truth of sanctification from the counterfaits of it in Ciuilians and men restrayned There is annexed hereto a second effect of their Ministerie and power thereof their full assurance their much full assurance Whereof of the diuine Truth of the Gospell taught them by Paul and his Associates They make it of two sorts first generall secondly particular of whether the Text must be vnderstood is a question I thinke of both Where the question is whether this vndoubtfull and full assurance of the Truth of the Gospell be peculiar to Gods chosen Thus I thinke wee may resolue by distinguishing the degrees of the minds assent in this kind thus they are the first is called commonly Suspicion more fitly coniecture a lighter inclination and propension of the mind to the Gospell as possibly or probably true the second Opinion â—herein the mind is strongly swayed to thinke it true but not without some feare of the contrarie Thirdly the third they call Faith a firme and vndoubtfull perswasion of the Truth of the Gospell which also hath its latitude not only in the point of adherence but in this of assent Here we reade of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much fulnesse of assurance in other places of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little faith Thus I thinke Though the minds of Castawayes and vnsanctified men may be possessed with settled opinion of the Gospels Truth and so conuinced thereof that they are not able reasonably to contradict it yet that p Col. 2.2 riches of assurance of the vnderstanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of Christ is peculiar to Gods chosen I may erre but these reasons sway me first It is wrought by q Phil. 1.9 experience and sense of the truth thereof Secondly imparted by the Spirit of God r 1. Ioh. 5.6 It is the Spirit which testifieth that the Spirit is Truth Thirdly the fruit of it me thinks euidenceth it to wit firme adherence and cleauing to the goodnesse apprehended in that Truth such as that no violence of persecutions is able to remoue As touching that other which they call particular it is so peculiar to Gods chosen that no Reprobate partakes in it to riches and much fulnesse of assurance few euen of Gods children ascend To further vs to that generall full assurance these are helps affoorded to Gods children first the solid Å¿ Rom. 15.13 comfort and consolation this Gospell affoords the conscience pressed with sense of Gods wrath due for sinne Secondly that rauishing of the affections to loue of this Truth so strange and supernaturall that whereas there is scarce any antipathie in nature greater then that betwixt t Rom. 8.7 mans heart in nature and the Word of God now a man is so affected with it that the dearest bloud is parted withall rather then the least jot of the Truth of the Gospell Thirdly that change so admirable it works in the whole
Phil. 2.5 not his affection To count the afflictions of his Church after a sort our x Act. 9.4 owne Secondly They that make themselues merry with the miseries of their brethren count it a chiefe melody to see and heare the maladies of others when y Hest 3.15 SHVSHAN is in greatest perplexitie HAMAN is in the height of his iollity How many of the same spirit amongst vs triumph in the greatest miseries of their brethren that miserie of miseries a wounded spirit there are that can sooner make matter of exprobration then means of compassiō it is the fruit they say of following Sermons How euer it be true It is a z Heb. 10.31 fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God and wonderfull intolerable to wrestle with his wrath in the Conscience yet farre more heauy token of his implacable displeasure is it to liue senslesly in sin and not to be remembred with some afflictions Truely said HIEROME Magna ira est quando peccantibus non irascitur Deus It is cause of trembling when the Lord comes to a Psal 89.32 visite our offences with the rod and our sinnes with scourges but much more grieuous that he threatens by HOSHEA I will not visite their daughters when they are harlots Medicus si cessabit curare desperat Yea see how the Scripture teacheth vs from the afflictions of Gods children to inferre a farre more miserable estate of the wicked If Iudgement begin at the house of God b 1. Pet. 4.17 what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel I begin to plague the c Iere. 25.29 Citie where my name is called vpon and shall yee goe free If the d Prou. 11.31 righteous bee recompensed in the earth how much more the wicked and the sinner doth he so chasten the infirmities of his children what will hee doe to the presumptions of his enemies c. Remember what Salomon aduiseth in this case e Prou. 24.17 18. Reioyce not no not when thine enemie falleth neither let thy heart be glad when hee stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it disple se him and so he turne away his hand from him to thee Thirdly They that adde affliction to them whom the Lord hath wounded Giue gall for meat and vineger to quench thirst as the Iewes to our Sauiour make more bitter the afflictions of Gods children first by insolencies secondly f 2. Sam. 16. exprobations thirdly questioning sinceritie Let all such barbarous and inhumane natures remember what Dauid prayes vnto such not out of a reuengefull affection but by propheticall instinct g Psal 69.24.26 27. Powre out thine indignation vpon them and let thy wrathfull anger take hold vpon them Adde iniquity to their iniquity and let them neuer come into thy righteousnes For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten Heare what Obadiah threatens to such a people h Obad. 15. As thou hast done so shall it be done to thee thy reward shall returne vpon thine owne head Let Gods people be exhorted to beware this inhumanity and as we desire to partake comfor from God so not to withhold it from the afflicted Reasons hereto inducing First it is the end why the Lord hath beene pleased to Minister comfort to vs that we i 2. Cor. 1.4 might be able to comfort others with the same comfort wherewith our selues haue beene comforted of God Secondly The comfort we Minister to others is reflected vpon our owne soules In spirituall things no man is a loser by communication No man loseth knowledge by instructing the ignorant nor abates his owne zeale by inflaming the zeale of others nor impaires his owne comfort but increaseth it by Ministring comfort to the distressed Thirdly God himselfe becomes our debter by promise to k Psal 41.1 2. recompence it into our bosomes Fourthly The soules of the afflicted l 2. Tim. 1.16.17 shall blesse thee The matter or meanes of comfort followeth with these words Obser The best comforts are they that are drawne from doctrines of the Scriptures m Rom. 15.14 Scripture-comforts are the comforts indeede Scripture-comforts exceed all others in three specialties First they are more solid because more true the very pith and marrow of comfort is contained in Scripture there is that the weary soule may rest and build vpon This saith DAVID is my n Psal 119.50 comfort in mine affliction o Psal 119.52 Thy word hath quickned me I p Psal 119.92 remembred thy word O Lord and receiued comfort Secondly more vniuersall Some miseries there are for which the Heathen found out and penned some shallow comforts But how many be there which they could neuer find salue to cure that miserie of miseries a wounded spirit how miserably do they comfort No maruell they knew not the storehouse of comfort the Mediatour Christ Iesus q Rom. 5.10 that died to reconcile vs vnto God Thirdly More effectuall What words but these haue the Spirit of God promised to make them effectuall to the consolation of the afflicted This r Isai 59.21 Word and the Spirit goe together The holy Ghost the Comforter seales it vp to the Soule and ſ Rom. 5.5 sheads Gods loue abroad in our hearts And if we shall a little enter comparison betwixt the Comforts extant in the writings of Men and those propounded in the Scripture wee shall see how vtterly vaine and of no worth those are in comparison of these To speake to the point Paul here treats of Tully and Seneca haue many large Discourses tending to yeeld comfort in the death of friends The summe of all they say is this Eâ lege nascimur Death is ineuitable none can auoid it foolish therefore for a man to grieue for it Againe it is exitus communis none scapes it and here they lay on load with histories of Cities Kingdomes Monarchies that haue come to ruine Thirdly sometimes they demurre whether any thing of Man remaine after death imagining no other Immortalitie but in the mouthes of men by commendation either they are not and then are not miserable or if they bee yet herein stands their blessednesse their soules are ridde from the prison of the bodie What are the comforts Scriptures affoord in this case t Rom. 8.3 39. Death separates not from the loue of God brings u Reuel 14.13 rest from Labours leades to the x Phil. 1.23 presence of Christ yea of the very bodies teach truly their death is but a sleepe See in another particular Outward afflictions and vexations what comforts haue they Forsooth either they are fatall and cannot be auoided or else fortuitous and therefore to be contemned Compare the Scriptures they are swayed by the prouident hand of a louing Father that first y 1. Cor. 10.13 tempers them to our strength secondly vseth them as meanes to z Heb. 12.11 mortifie our sinnes to a 1. Cor. 11.32 preuent damnation Thirdly they
the persons thus seemingly neglected The Image of GOD the onely Load-stone of gracious affections perhaps in them hath more naeues and blemishes They make not so streight steps to their feet perhaps are after a fort t 2. Pet. 2.13 spots and blots in our Assemblies and too foule blemishes of their holy Profession I say not for particular infirmities they should bee excluded from our loue u 1. Pet. 4.8 Loue couers a multitude of sinnes Yet may not such bee offended if in such case they see not like manifestation of entyrest loue Austine August de doct Christ that thinkes our loue should bee equall to all in respect of the affection yet allowes a difference to be made in the effects thereof Wherefore it shall behooue them to wipe away those spots wherewith they blemish the amiable beautie of Gods Image that drawes affections of his Children And for vs all let it bee our care to labour for as much eminence in Grace as wee desire to haue in Gods Childrens loue The second thing here obseruable is how to Paul The man by whose Ministery they were conuerted the specialtie of their affection was carryed Where worthy our notice is the affection of a people that hath tasted the power and comfort of the Ministery Obser How deare to such those Ministers are by whom they haue receiued Comfort Conuersion Confirmation a Rom. 10.15 Their feete are beautifull The peoples dearest things their b Gal. 4.15 right eyes their c Rom. 16.4 liues are not thought too deare for them Examples LYDIA and the Iayler Vse So that they carry with them blacke markes of vnregenerate men and such as neuer tasted the power and comfort of our Ministery to whom our persons and Ministerie is so odious and except God giue them repentance for this besides all their other sinnes of reprobation Marke such men and tell mee if you finde them not the most prophane and ignorant in the Congregation And doe you wonder if to such men our persons be odious If Christ himselfe were on earth to preach vnto them I doubt not but hee should taste like measures as we yea as himselfe did at the hands of the Iewes Obser As we to see you So should there be recursus gratiarum an intercourse and exchange of kindnesse betwixt Minister and people Saint Paul cals for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That seeing d 2. Cor. 6.12 13 his heart was enlarged they should not bee straightned in their bowels Vse In this case I wish the complaint were not too iust on both parts Ministers of the people paynes they thinke they take neuer enough though they spend their strength Recompence other then words or kinde lookes they receiue from few I say as Paul If e 1. Cor. 9.11 you reape their spirituall things is it much to impart your carnals The people againe plaint as much of their Ministers they will haue their due but care not to doe their dutie There should be recursus gratiarum They are vnthankfull people that receiuing benefit of our Ministery returne no recompence of their loue and kindnesse And they are vnconscionable Ministers that take the hyre of Labourers and liue as Loyterers VERS 7. Therefore Brethren wee were comforted ouer you in all our affliction and distresse c. THE effects of this good tydings in the Apostle follow to bee treated the first is comfort and a kinde of sweetning the newes of their faith brought to his afflictions Obser Of all comforts the people can affoord to their Ministers there is none like this their holy courses continued See how Paul amplifies it It comforted him in all his afflictions put a new kind of life into him filled him with ioy vnspeakeable Like affection hee expresseth when exhorthing to vnitie he presseth it by this issue f Philip. 2.2 his ioy should bee fufilled q. d. still hee should thinke something lacking to his ioy whiles discords and such like fruits of the flesh bare sway in the people and as if nothing could bee added to his ioy if they walked as became the Gospell so speakes he With like minde Saint Iohn professeth Hee had no g 3. Iohn 4. greater ioy then to heare of his Children how they walked in the Truth As to a Father discreet and kindly affected no comfort is greater then the gracious demeanour of his Children I say then as PAVL h Philip. 2.2 Fulfill our ioy make our liues comfortable sweeten the bitternesse of our afflictions with your constancie in holy courses I dare say it is neyther your ciuill courtesie nor protection nor liberalitie nor any thing that can yeeld vs halfe the solace that the sight of your holy behauiour Wonder you at it First Gods Glory which wee hold more precious then our liues is hereby aduanced Secondly The assurance of our Calling our Crowne hangs after a sort hereon Thirdly The profit will bee yours whiles by this meanes wee are i Heb. 13.17 encouraged with more cheerefulnesse to doe our dutie As it euen k Ier. 20.8 9. kils our spirits to labour without fruit If these things mooue not oh yet let the comfort of your owne soules sway you Our ioy is something by your obedience yours will bee more l Psal 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Once try the sweetnesse m Gal. 6.16 and peace that is felt in holy Courses Now heare how great cause haue we to complaine of a barbarous affection in our people Therefore running to the excesse of Ryot because they know it is Gall and Worme-wood to our soules Alas Brethren what haue wee deserued so ill at your hands that you should thus delight in our discomfort that spend our strength to saue your soules This account make how euer the griefe is ours for the present the horrour at last will be yours yee shall find it true that Abner speakes in his monition to IOAB n 2. Sam. 2.26 Surely it will be bitternesse in the latter end VERS 8. For now we liue if yee stand fast in the Lord. THE second effect life we liue if ye stand fast And not otherwise Life hath diuers degrees Hee liues that hath but breath or heat left in him more hee that hath vse of sense and motion Vita is vitalis when it is led with cheerfulnesse and ioy of heart Paul was aliue when he said o Rom. 7.9 he dyed but his life was as death discomfortable and bitter to him Enuie p Iob 5.2 stayes the silly one He liues in that death but is as dead because hee enioyeth not himselfe That the sense is this our life is liuely through the comfort wee feele in your perseuerance Some helpe we haue here for fuller vnderstanding of the sixt precept Wee vsually scant the sense of GODS Commandements whence it is that we so much fayle in humbling our selues for our transgressions and rest contented with meere ciuilitie crying out of
is it of Man that sleepeth Some Heretiques made question and at length resolued the separate soules cast into a dead sleepe to remaine without action till the generall Resurrection which if they would limit to the organicall actions of the Soule that without commerce with the bodie cannot be exercised the strife were ended But Experience hath taught vs the Soule hath her immateriall acts which without bodily organs shee is enabled to exercise First wee see it in the streightest tie of the Sences by Sleepe Thinking Meditating Discoursing Secondly yea the most perfect actions of the mind are what time it hath least commerce with the bodie In f 2. Cor. 12.3 4. Extasies Paul had his greatest Reuelations and Iohn in his g Reuel 11.10 rauishment saw his most heauenly Visions Thirdly perhaps also that h Reuel 5.12 place of Iohn implyes that separate Soules haue their imployment in lauding and praysing God and the Lambe Limit therefore this sleepe to the Bodie whence I thinke it is that our Graues are called i Isai 57.2 our Beds wherein our Bodies not our Soules rest from their labours Reasons of the resemblance are thus conceiued first for that it rests from all toyle and trauell and sense of euils secondly because it riseth againe by the power of God thirdly and is as easily reuiued by the voice of God as the liuing man is awaked out of his shallowest slumber So that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that teach the Bodie to be resolued by death into its first principles without hope of restoring to life What then trow we is the Resurrection promised They say Tertull. de Resurrect Carnis of the Soules But Tertullian well obserued They fall not being immortall therefore haue no need nor are capable of Resurrection And that the Bodies also shall rise againe that same societas operarum as hee termes it is abundant conuiction Partners they were with Soules in doing good or euill must therefore participate in the reward or punishment Secondly And how fitly hence flowes Pauls exhortation To keepe meane in mourning As men without hope He meanes of Resurrection to glorious life and a better condition after death The Periphrasis of Gentiles and all aliens from the Church of God accorded by the like Eph. 2.12 how fittingly applyed to their state iudge by these Reasons first they were without Christ the ground of hope secondly out of the Church the place of hope thirdly without the Couenant the reason of all our hope and beleeuing Vse So that the Opinion sauours of more pitie then iudgement that giues Gentiles out of the Church hope of saluation whether by light of Nature as some or by secret and extraordinarie Inspirations as others haue dreamed First I wonder then the Prophets Dauid and Moses so much magnifie Gods grace to Iewes before Christs comming in k Psal 147.19 20. giuing to them his Statutes and entring with them Couenant of Peace and Saluation Secondly And why is that Blessing so much amplified to vs Gentiles since Christ l Act. 14.27 that to vs also God hath opened the doore of Faith and made vs m Ephe. 2.13 neere by the bloud of his Sonne I say rather as the Apostle n Rom. 15.9 Let vs Gentiles of these times prayse God for his mercie whom he hath regenerated to a o 1. Pet. 1.3 liuely hope in Christ Iesus hauing left desperate so many Generations of our Fore-fathers VERS 14. For if wee beleeue that Christ died and rose againe c. THe last reason pressing moderation of sorrow is here couched taken from certainty of resurrection to life Of it hee layes two grounds First the resurrection of Christ Secondly the Power of God withall limits out the persons to whom this blessing belongs The Article of resurrection I meane not here to insist on but so farre onely as it receiues strength from the resurrection of Christ Christ is risen Therefore vs also shall God bring againe from the graue Quest How followes the Argument It might be his priuiledge as being the Sonne of God and hauing in himselfe Diuine Vertue to quicken his body Answ First Probable at least it is made by the resurrection of Christ p Heb. 2.17 Man like to vs in all things sinne onely excepted Gods power in raysing Christ from the dead hath made manifest a possiblity of returning from death to life Secondly if withall wee consider our vnion with Christ by the Spirit whose heauenly influence and Diuine Vertue in raysing our soules to spirituall life all liuing members in his body haue experience of a necessitie wee shall see of our being raysed from death to fellowship of his glory Thirdly his resurrection is vndoubtfull pledge to vs of our q Rom. 4.25 Iustification and full discharge from guilt and punishment of sinne that alone keepes vs vnder the Dominion of death and debarres from entring the glorious presence of God So strangely followes the Argument from the resurrection of Christ to the rising againe of Christians euen as many as are by the Spirit members of his body So that if any desire to know himselfe a sharer in the resurrection of the Iust this let him first learne to know whether hee bee one with Christ that vnion death dissolues not yea shall force the graue to render vp the bodies of Saints that where the Head is r Ioh. 17.24 there may the members be also Signes of this Vnion First Experience Å¿ Phil. 3.10 Rom. 6.5 of the vertue and power of Christs resurrection enliuing our soules to all gracious and holy conuersation Secondly the Sympathie and fellow-feeling we haue of t Rom. 12.15 the weale and wo of our fellow-members in the body of Christ u 2. Cor. 11.29 Who is afflicted and such burne not They haue no fellowship with Christ whom IOSEPHS afflictions touch not neerely and to whose greatest merriments the remembrance thereof puts not a pause The persons to whom belongs fellowship in this blessed resurrection are described Such as sleepe in Iesus that is That continue in that blessed vnion and fellowship with Christ vntil death and in death To such is the blessing pronounced To that condition x Reuel 14.13 Reuel 2.10.26 are the promises limited In such y Heb. 10.38 as withdraw themselues Gods soule hath no pleasure their former righteousnesse is forgotten z Gal. 3.4 their passiâ—ns and patience all become vaine vnto them Vse Our care let be a Reuel 3.11 to hold fast what we haue receiued the beginning of our subsistence in Christ Helpes auaileable First Feare of our owne infirmity in which respect we may say as SALOMON b Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alway Such feare first how carefull makes it to flie all occasions that may withdraw our hearts from God! Secondly how conscionable to vse all holy meanes of preseruation in that blessed condition Secondly
that we might from the sweetnesse of the taste here vouchsafed vnto vs frame this kind of reasoning to our selues If the taste of this happinesse be so sweet Oh what shall the fulnesse be If this glimmering light of Heauenly knowledge when we see but as in a Glasse darkely be so delightfull what shall it be to see the Lord face to face and to know him as hee is If our weake obedience and the first fruits of the Spirit be so comfortable that wee highlier prize it then all the treasures of the World what shall the perfection of Holinesse be When there shall be no Deuill to tempt no Concupiscence to entice no Flesh to lust against the Spirit no Law in our members to rebell against the Law of our mind If the communion we haue here with Christ in his Word and Sacraments be so ioyous that we are of Dauids mind x Psal 84.10 One day in the Lords House is better then a thousand in the Tents of vngodlinesse and thinke it more honour to bee a Doore-keeper in the House of God then to reigne in the Tabernacles of the wicked what shall it be to enioy the immediate Presence and Glorie of God our Father Christ our Redeemer the holy Ghost our Comforter c. To which if wee adde the consideration of the vnchangeablenesse of that estate what can be added to that measure of happinesse We shall sayth the Apostle be euer with the Lord. Obser So then the blessed state of Gods children after this life is vnchangeable and euerlasting That inheritance y 1. Pet. 1.4 is incorruptible vndefiled and that fadeth not away That life is z Dan. 12.2 euerlasting that Sabbath a Isai 66.23 is perpetuall that glory is eternall that ioy lasts for euermore There be three things eminent in the state of glory aboue that of Gods children in this life First perfection Secondly perpetuity Thirdly immutability We see now but in a glasse imperfectly b 1. Cor. 13.12 then face to face wee haue now c Rom. 8.23 the first fruits onely of the spirit the d 2. Cor. 1.22 earnest penny of our redemption then the full measure according to the measure of such creatures We haue now peace of Conscience but alas how often interrupted with vnspeakeable horrour Now reioyce we with e 1. Pet. 1.8 ioy vnspeakeable and glorious but times fall out as with Dauid that we need pray f Psal 51.12 Restoring the ioy of the Lords saluation There is peace without trouble ioy without sorrow Foelix securitas secura foelicitas saith BERNARD foelix aeternitas aeterna foelicitas saith Augustine Vse 1 Herewith g 2. Cor. 4.16 18. solace wee our selues in all afflictions yea though they seem to threatē vs with death It is a blessed change we make by dying in the Lord or for him Giue hopelesse men leaue to tremble at death whose portion is in this life Let Gods children sealed with his Spirit lift vp their heads for ioy in their dissolution as Simeon sings his Nunc dimittis * Ambros de bono mortis cap. 2. quasi necessitate quadam teneretur in hâc vitâ non voluntate saith Ambrose Vse 2 Secondly Leaue to moderate mourning for the dead though neuer so neare Hicron that die in the Lord. Lugeatur mortuus sed ille quem gehenna suscipit quem tartarus deuorat in eius poenas eternus ignis aestuat saith Hierome intending to put measure to a mothers sorrow Vse 3 Thirdly h 2. Tim. 4.8 Loue and long for and i 2. Pet 3.12 hasten vnto the second appearing of Christ Fourthly Know hence that the miserable estate of the Vse 4 damned in Hell is also vnchangeable and euerlasting It was Origens errour and the Chiliasts that within one thousand yeeres after the resurrection there should bee a yeere of Iubile for the damned in Hell a yeere of release out of their torments I maruell then why Abraham said They k Luk. 16.26 cannot come from you to vs. Why our Sauiour said That l Mar. 9.44 worme dies not that fire goes not out why hee calls that fire m Mat. 25.41 euerlasting * Bernard meditat cap. 3. Procul à beata Paradisi patriâ exulati cruciabuntur in gehennà perpetuâ nunquam lucem visuri nunquam refrigerium adepturi sed per millia millium annorum in inferno cruciandi nec inde vnquam liberandi vbi nec qui torquet aliquando fatigatur nec qui torquetur aliquando moritur sic enim ignis ibi consumit vt semper reseruet sic tormenta aguntur vt semper renouentur Bernard And I wonder how else their punishment answeres to their sins they sinned saith THOMAS in aeterno suo Iust therefore that they should be tormented in aeterno Dei Their desires to sinne were euerlasting saith Gregorie is it not iust their punishment should be euerlasting Euen now in hell continues their impenitency and can we thinke the sinnes may bee pardoned that are not repented Lastly the Maiestie they offended is infinite some infinitenesse then there must be to answere the violation of that infinite Iustice it cannot be in the weight lest the creature be abolished It must bee therefore in the continuance VERS 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words THe inference out of this whole Treaty touching the state of the dead in Christ wherein consider first the duetie inioyned Comfort one another the meanes of comfort with these words The points obserueable are these First The duety we owe to the afflicted that is comfort n 1. Thes 5.14 Comfort the feeble-minded Man that is in miserie o Job 6.14 should be comforted of his friends but that men haue forsaken the feare of the Almighty Reasons 1 First compassion Sympathy that should be betwixt vs in respect of our neere linking together in the body of Christ If a thorne be in the foot the backe bowes the eye is busie to prie into the hurt the hands doe their best to plucke out the cause of anguish euen we are p Ephe. 4.25 members one of another therefore said PAVL q 2. Cor. 11.29 Who is afflicted and I burne not Reasons 2 Secondly We our selues are r Heb. 13.3 yet in the body and may suffer what others now feele Reasons 3 Thirdly ſ 2. Cor. 2.7 Sorrow saith the Apostle is a gulfe how many swallowes it vp for want of comfort Example see in Iobs friends Barzillai c. Defectiue in this duty are first all men insensible of others sorrowes whom the afflictions of Gods children touch not They drinke wine in bowles saith AMOS but t Amos. 6.6 8. no man is sorry for the affliction of IOSEPH Therfore the Lord hath sworne by himselfe that he doth abhorre the excellency of IACOB and hate the Palaces thereof How can we be assured we are quickened by the Spirit of Christ that haue u
the Gospel It is of two sorts first generall whereby we beleeue the Doctrine of the Gospel in generall secondly particular whereby we beleeue it as true to vs. Of the first sort yee may conceiue the faith of the Eunuch being yet a Nouice q Act 8.37 I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God Of the second that of Paul Christ loued r Gal. 2.20 me and gaue himselfe for me Both these haue their vse in Christian Warfare one laying the ground of Comfort the other applying it to our selues Temptations yee shall see assaulting in both kinds the Deuill labouring to make vs Infidels in the generall that he may make vs incredulous in the particular Example In Cyprians dayes he stirred vp Nouatus to broach this Heresie That pardon of sinnes purchased by Christ belonged not to any denying Christ through feare of persecution though afterwards repenting a dangerous and discomfortable Ground the Mind giuing credence to that error and persisting therein the Conscience guiltie of that sinne apprehends nothing but horror and astonishment Not much vnlike are those we haue experience of at this day Thoughts of Atheisme and Blasphemie cannot stand with grace no not though abhorred mourned for striuen against A false conclusion giue way in that generall all comfort in thy particular failes thee Al. Omissions of knowne duties cannot stand with sanctification A false conclusion except it be mollified Of Asa it is said He remoued not the high places f 2. Chron. 15.7 yet was his heart vpright with the Lord all his dayes There be other infirmities besides that of ignorance out of which such omissions may proceed Thus in the generalitie wee see how Faith is oppugned withall how necessarie Faith and the right information thereof in the generall is for comfort Like thinke we of the particular for let generall grounds be neuer so firmely beleeued except with like firmenesse Faith can assume the Conscience is all-out as comfortlesse Euery temptation suppose to bee a secret Syllogisme Wherein sometimes we haue the Proposition corrupted after the Assumption assaulted that the Conclusion follow not to the comfort of Conscience In the question of Adoption Example whether we bee the sons of God thus reasons the mind for comfort of Conscience Whosoeuer are t Rom. 8.14 led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God I am led by the Spirit of God Ergo I am the child of God Sometimes the Proposition is assaulted by Satan it must thus be vnderstood whosoeuer in euery particular action is led by the Spirit of God he onely is the child of God yeeld him but this to corrupt the principle thy conscience must assume the negatiue Sith u Iames 3.2 in many things wee sinne all and inferre the conclusion discomfortably Or suppose thou haue wisedome to vphold the Proposition as Paul hath directed that it is meant of those that in x Rom. 8.1 course of their life follow the Spirits guidance though in particulars the flesh preuaile then assaults he thee in the Assumption permits by no meanes to bee assured of our guidance by the Spirit of God So that we see how necessary against the euill Day it is to fortifie our selues with faith generall and particular By the way obserue how professedly the Church of Rome sets her selfe to hinder all solid comfort of the soule in temptation First Allowing vs no sound ground for generall saith the mâ—â—ters whereof wee must take on trust from them without daring to y Act. 17.11 search the Scriptures whether the thing be so out of which what faith can arise more then meerely humane Secondly accusing yea accursing the very endeuour of speciall faith as presumptuous allowing vs onely a coniecturall opinion and probable hope that it may be we are such and so qualified as they that shall bee heires of saluation What a paper brest-plate frame they vs of such faith to keepe out z Ephe. 6.16 the fierie Dartes of the Deuill Leaue them The second part of the Brest-plate is Loue of God and of our Neighbour The nature of this gracious affection is best knowne by sense Thus yet conceiue a description of it by effects first wel-wishing secondly adhering thirdly desire of vnion with the person loued The kinds of it they make two first Concupiscentiae whose maine scope in louing is the good of the louer secondly Amicitiae when wee loue whom wee loue for his owne sake without respect to our owne priuate Of this sort is that we owe to God and men It steads vs in the Spirituall Conflict first as an Euidence secondly by its Operation As an Euidence the very presence of it is a marke of our adoption and a 1. Ioh. 3.14 translation from death to life so that if euer the Conscience be fifted about the maine whether wee be in state of grace or not this gracious affection presents it selfe to the eye of Conscience to stay it from doubting Secondly by the Operation which ye may thus conceiue it causeth vs to cleaue close to what we loue and sets such a price thereon b Cant. 8.7 that nothing will cause vs to part with it Suppose the temptation be to forsake the Truth of Religion perhaps vpon such allurements as Domas was misse-led withall thus Loue teacheth to reason The truth of Gods Word I haue found to be Gods c Amos 1.16 power to my conuersion the same hath been d Psal 119.50 my comfort in trouble sweetnesse I haue found in it such as the Honey-combe cannot afford How shall I forsake this Truth c. The Helmet is Hope that is the firme expectation of the good things God hath promised and not yet exhibited the maine whereof is the end of our Faith the saluation of our Soules It is of two sorts first the hope of the Hypocrite which is as Iob sayth as the Spiders web with euery blast of temptation beaten downe inasmuch as it hath no sure foundation nor euidence to rest on secondly the hope of the Righteous that e Rom. 5.5 neuer makes ashamed The stead it doth vs in temptation is such that Paul calls it the f Heb. 6.19 Anchor of the Soulo Thus conceiue how There are certaine blessings which God hath promised Christ purchased yet we possesse not saue onely in title g Phil. 1.6 as To perfect the good worke begun to the Day of the Lord Iesus h 1. Cor. 1.8 To confirme vs blamelesse to the end To i Rom. 16.20 tread downe Satan vnder our feet c. The cases oft fall out that we feele nothing lesse then what is promised perhaps declining in stead of growing in grace weakening rather then establishing of faith c. the cunning Deuill working vpon aduantage of our sense labours thereby to ouerthrow our faith Here now is the vse of Hope expecting aboue reason and sense the blessings promised considering the faithfulnesse and power of the
1. Tim. 5.6 are dead while they are aliue and as our Sauiour They z Ioh. 3.18 are condemned alreadie For such if for any is that a Isai 30.33 Tophet prepared the burning whereof is fire and much wood which the breath of the Lord as a streame of brimstone kindleth and for euer keepes burning Secondly To these are added those that as Stephen speaks of Iewes alwayes b Act. 7.51 resist the holy Ghost and labour to suppresse the holy motions suggested by him How oft doe I perswade my selfe the worst men vnder our Ministerie heare that voice behind them This is the way walke yee in it and as Agrippa are c Act. 26.28 almost perswaded to become Christians But see the cursed vnthankfulnesse of men wilfully setting themselues to repell such motions those sweet inspirements of Gods holy Spirit they call I would I might say ignorantly fits of melancholy I am sure profanely qualmes of deuotion And then haste to their cursed companie and no lesse then abominable courses to chase away those qualmes of conscience Oh wonderfull mercy of God offered to such mens soules had they grace to consider and accept it How iustly may the Lord say to them as he speaks to Israel d Hosh 13.9 Your destruction is of your selues and as to Ierusalem e Isai 5.4 What should he haue done more that he hath not done Teaching them by his Word wakening them by his Rod inuiting them by his bountie offering himselfe to them by his Spirit whiles they desperately forsake their owne mercy The issues vsuall of such men are First that their hearts grow thereby more obdurate Secondly the life more brutish and abominable Thirdly else fall they into agonies of conscience such as wherin they perish through euerlasting despaire Thirdly A third sort there are and they are much amongst vs men that vnder pretence of discretion and seeing more into the state of Religion then at first entrance they could see abate of their feruour and as they now terme it violence of gracious affections seeming to conceit there may be a nimium of deuotion men may be ouer-forward and zealous A Sermon now and then doth well euery weeks hearing is not so necessarie studie of Scriptures is good at leisure times as it were for recreation we be not Angels but Men and there is a reason in all things euen in religiousnesse if men could hit on it I confesse there is a kind of deuotion wherein men may be too feruent but that deuotion is superstition a kind of zeale whereof may be a nimium but that is f Rom. 10.2 zeale not according to knowledge yet beware I beseech you you giue not the Lord the least occasion to complaine of you as of the Angell of Ephesus that you haue left your first loue and take heede this temperatenesse and discretion as it is called degenerate not into g Reuel 3.16 luke-warmenesse the worst temper that can be of our Religious affections Feare to bee noted of backe-sliding Tremble to lose the least measure of Gods gracious gifts to abate any thing of the heat and feruour of sanctified affections It is a step towards quenching but to slake the fire of Gods Spirit in our hearts Meanes of cherishing and keeping in life our spirituall gifts First exercise and imployment Secondly h 1. Tim. 1.19 Good Conscience and holy obedience which while some neglect they make shipwracke of faith Thirdly humilitie in Bernards iudgement is conseruatrix virtutum Fourthly i Heb. 10.25 Forsake not assemblies of Saints neglect no meanes sanctified to worke establishment How may the motions of Gods Spirit be distinguished from Diabolicall delusions Satanicall suggestions are oft subtilly contriued cunningly coloured that lying spirit sometimes dares counterfeit the Spirit of truth Scarce euer was heretique so phantasticall or impudent but pretended guidance by the Spirit of God Anabaptists teaching to despise Authoritie to vilifie all other ordinances of God pretend I know not what instincts and reuelations from the Spirit of God Montanus tells of a strange Paraclete that inspired him and guided to publish his damned errors Meanes of discerning First Isai his watch-word let it be our rule k Isai 8.20 Deut. 13.2 3. To the Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is euidence that there is no light in them Secondly The gift of Prophecie as of miracles is now ceased in the Church God deales not now as in former times by extraordinary instinct or inspiratiō His charge is To l Reuel 22.11 adde nothing to the words of IOHNS Prophecie vnder paine of addition to be made to our plagues Thirdly If the matter of the suggestion be euill either in the whole kind or by circumstance it is no Diuine motion but either a m Iam. 1.14 concupiscentiall phantasie or a n Iob. 13 2. Diabolicall delusion Fourthly Euer be iealous of all motions leading thee beyond thy calling or measure of gifts The rules are o Rom. 12.6 Sapere ad sobrietatem and p Psal 131.1 not to meddle with things too high It is glorious to exercise the Ministerie but examine thy gifts Excitements to enter that function without gifts thou mayest well thinke are but suggestions of pride VERS 20. Despise not Prophecyings THe duetie he prescribed tends in the holy practice of it to preserue the life and vigour of Gods Spirit in vs. The sense conceiue thus Of Prophecie we find two sorts First Extraordinary that stood partly in foretelling things to come by immediate reuelatiō partly in interpreting Scriptures with vnerring spirit In regard of which function those whom the Lord extraordinarily stirred vp in the old Testament some also in the New were called Prophets Of which sort if now were any they ought to haue their extraordinary respect There are I know that arrogate such a lumen Propheticum and reckon it amongst the markes of their Church But if q Reue. 22.18 nothing may be added to the Prophecie of Iohns Booke it should seeme the Lord hath therein fully reueiled whatsoeuer is necessarie to be knowne touching state of the Church to the end of the world and then what needs a new light of Prophecie Secondly Another ordinary intimated by the Apostle with whom to Prophecie in this kind is r 1. Cor. 14.2 to speake vnto men to Edification Exhortation Comfort In our vsuall language we call it Preaching Therefore termed by PAVL Prophecying perhaps because the matter of preaching in those dayes was the Scriptures in MOSES and Prophets in opening and applying whereof the seruants of God were then conuersant And of such prophecyings would Paul be vnderstood His prescript in respect of preaching is not to despise it That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies highest reuerence and esteeme most conscionable attendance due to this ordinance of God In pressing that duetie I haue beene forestalled by the paines of my reuerend Symmysta whom I
after some smattering knowledge and seedes of Grace receiued despise meanes sanctified of their growth and establishment and will needes bee their owne keepers Paul speakes not but thunders against such g Heb. 10.25 as forsake the Assemblies of Saints Secondly How should this restrayne contemptuous Vse 2 insultings ouer others weakenesse behinde vs as they seeme in the measure of Grace First For alas h 1. Cor. 4.7 Who is it that discernes vs or what haue wee that wee haue not receiued And if receiued why boast wee In Gods discriminating vs from others in the measure of gifts cause wee haue of thankefulnesse none of pride when beginnings increase continuance of Sanctitie are meerly of God Secondly Our merits of Grace no more then theirs of vs it is true as of any Wee were in times i Titus 3.3 past disobedient serued lusts and diuers pleasures Thirdly In Nature as vncapable of all holy instincts as any Fourthly Our infirmities in first enterance as great as others Fiftly And our hinderlings haply may ouertake and out-strip vs in holy practice There remaynes the extent of Sanctification which is prayed to the whole of man and whatsoeuer faculty or part God hath allotted to the entyrenesse of his Nature Thus sorted by the Apostle The Spirit Soule and Body The Spirit vnderstand the intellectuall part of the Soule Paul cals it elsewhere The spirit of our minde the Soule the appetite and sensuall faculties common to vs with brutes the Body the outward man the instrument and organ of the Soule To these all and the whole of them Paul prayes increase and preseruation in Sanctity The points intended to our notice are two First There is no part or faculty of mans Body or Soule not that which may seeme most pure and excellent but needs to be sanctified Therefore is Pauls exhortation To be renewed in the k Ephes 4.23 Spirit of our minde in the most pure and spirituall part of the Soule And if it also haue beene depraued by the Fall of Adam how needes it not restoring by the Grace of Christ Defects in the vnderstanding are noted foure principall l Ephes 4.17 18 First Ignorance grossest ignorance in things that concerne Gods Kingdome Secondly Vanitie and no lesse then dotage about things that cannot profit m 1. Cor. 12.14 Thirdly Impotencie to know the things of the Spirit of God Fourthly n Rom. 8.7 Enmitie against the Law of God professed quarrelling against the Gospell and prophane befooling of Gods Wisedome in choice of meanes for mans Saluation And if the minde haue so farre degenerated how may the will be thought to keepe her first integritie so that Grace shall not need to alter but onely to excite or assist it That Cordurum in the Prophet which he cals not plumbeum or ferreum o Ezech. 36.26 but lapideum it is nothing else to Austine but mans will obstinate in euill obdurate against all goodnesse There were that taught the corruption deriued from Adam to stay only in the inferiour parts of the soule the appetite and sensualitie Mentior if I thinke not Papists most of that minde so Philosophically conceit they the Combate betwixt flesh and Spirit to import little more then that conflict Heathens obserued betwixt Reason and Appetite Generally it goes current that the higher faculties are infeebled only Grace alters not their qualitie but assists their infirmitie Contra. First Why then prayes Paul Sanctification to the spirit of man Secondly How perswades hee indeuour of Renouation in the spirit of our minde Thirdly Notes Enmitie in Natures Wisedome against Gods Law Fourthly And placeth something p Gal. 5.20 fleshly in the vnderstanding The purest part must be sanctified is therefore depraued in the quality and constitution of it The second point offered to our obseruation is that where truth of Sanctification is vouchsafed the whole of man partakes it no part or power of Body or Soule but feeles vertue of Gods Spirit purging corruption fastening impressions of holy Qualities Old things are passed away q 2. Cor. 5.17 Behold all things in the new Creature are become new And sure it is The Grace of Christ is euery whit as large as the sinne of Adam what it hath wounded Christs Grace hath salued that his power may appeare as great to saue as Adams was to destroy It may be this power of Gods sanctifying Spirit appeares not alike euidently in euery part yet hath euery particle his seasoning with Sanctitie Whereby true Sanctitie is discerned First from that Mocke-grace-Ciuilitie harbouring in the minde grossest Ignorance and Vanitie tolerating r Mat. 5.21 27. lasciuious wrathfull prophane affections Carefull of nothing saue of plausible outward carriage and demeanour in the eies of men Secondly From halting Hypocrisie rigorously handling sinnes it cares not for Å¿ Mark 6.11 20. tendering their dearling and with wantonnest indulgence cockering it Thirdly From pretended purity of heart while the tongue runs ryot in filthinesse rayling blasphemy the eyes are full of adultery the hands of rapine and violence c. May wee thinke the fountaine cleane that streames out such filthinesse or any these party-Deuils to bee perfect Saints By Pauls rule he is no Saint that is not wholly sanctified he hath sanctity in no part that is not sanctified in euery part VERS 24. Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it THe second part of the Conclusion deliuering sweet consolation assuring them of obtayning the blessings prayed for the parts are two First an assertion God will doe it Secondly confirmation of the auouchment by a double reason First from the propertie of God hee is faithfull which implies his promise Secondly from the action of GOD begunne and continued in Pauls apprehension a pledge of Gods purpose to perfect and preserue them because he calls them Prayeth Paul for that which hee is assured the Lord will doe Belike then Gods promises and purposes that are of surest accomplishment must be furthered to accomplishment by prayer and such like meanes as God hath sanctified t Luk. 24.26 What more certayne then Christs returne to his glorie his humiliation being finished yet with what instance u Ioh. 17.5 prayes he of his Father his owne and his Churches glorie The x Reuel 22.17 20. Spirit and the Bride say Come though Amen hath testified that he will come quickly No man can thinke it strange that viewes First the qualitie and constitution of Gods decree touching grace and glorie so ordered that it is not absolute for the end but includes the meanes God hath chosen vs to saluation shall we say as those desperate howsoeuer we liue In no sort but y 2. Thes 2.13 through sanctification of the Spirit and Faith of the Truth Thence is that reasoning of the Apostle from Gods purpose touching the end to our necessarie vse and application of the meanes The Gentiles God decrees to saue No matter would a miscreant
The thing whereof the certaintie is is the Proposition whereto the Assent is giuen The certaintie the Assent it selfe Necessarily must these be distinguished for it is possible to be vndoubtfully and fully perswaded euen of what is false as Paul was vndoubtfully perswaded that he l Act. 26.9 ought to doe many things against the Name of Christ his perswasion was certaine in respect of the Assent yet the thing vtterly false And euen in iudgement of charitie there may be a firmenesse of perswasion and assent though no truth in the Proposition assented vnto Infallible certaintie implyes both these first firmenesse and fulnesse of assenting Secondly certayne and necessarie truth of that which wee are thus firmely perswaded of Cortitudinem Subiecti Obiecti That of Charitie may imply some firmenesse of perswasion imports not certayne and necessarie truth of that whereof the perswasion is Whether this Distinction hath any footing in the Scriptures is the next inquirie The first member is acknowledged by the Antagonist Let vs see whether the other may not find footing there They denie the Lord that m 2. Pet. 2.1 bought them and bring vpon themselues swift damnation after what iudgement speaks S. Peter of infallibilitie or of charitie I know the man is as much abhorrent from that Distinction of sufficiencie and efficacie of Christs death as from this of infallibilitie and charitie in point of iudgement I presume also he holds that none of Christs redeemed are damned yet of some damned saith Peter the Lord bought them expressing that perswasion the Church had of them before their Apostasie Where grounded but on that rule of Charitie n 1. Cor. 13.5 7 to beleeue all good things of others in whom wee see no euidence of the contrarie Compare Act. 8.13 Heb. 10.29 the same Peter expressing the ordinarie measure of certaintie we haue of other mens sinceritie vseth a word importing though not want of firmenesse of his perswasion yet possibilitie of falshood in the thing By SILVANVS a faithfull Brother to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o 1. Pet. 5.12 as I suppose And reasons he had enow so to suppose The man hauing so largely approued himselfe to the Church of God only because in the thing he might erre a terme is selected implying possibilitie of his erring in the person yet sufficiently expressing such firmenesse of perswasion as Charitie following outward euidences might gather touching his fidelitie Like see Philip. 1.6 7. Collat. wee haue seene the sense of the termes and in part the footing this Distinction hath in the Word of God Of whether sort was Pauls iudgement here professed Of infallibilitie saith the vpstart Prophet Traske and thence is his collection That one may know anothers election or that one that is the Child of God may infallibly know the regeneration of another of whom I desire first to know the quantity of his Conclusion whether is it vniuersally or particularly to be vnderstood may all know the election of all or is it the priuiledge of a few I purpose not to quarrell about his making election and regeneration all one I will take his latter clause as a limitation or explanation of the former that his meaning shall be the Elect not before regeneration but after may know the election of others namely after they are once effectually called meanes hee all the Regenerate or some Certainly his reasons conclude as well for all as some as well for weake Nouices while they are weake as for stronger men that haue receiued his Spirit of discerning euen these be they neuer so weake are subiects of one Kingdome Citizens of one Citie Children of one Father Seruants of one Houshold Members of one Body or if there be any other similitude more liuely expressing our neere coniunction in the body of Christ as well agree they to Babes in Christ as to stronger men like say wee of the Commandements To put difference to loue the brethren c. so that his giddie disciples need no longer hang on him as their Oracle to know their election for any Nouice in his Schoole may as fully reueale to them that their names are written in the booke of Life Truth is it is neither generally nor particularly true but vniuersally false that any man without extraordinarie reuelation knowes the election of another Let vs heare his Reason first is from the neerenesse that is betwixt vs we are subiects of one Kingdome Citizens of one Citie Children of one Father therefore one may infallibly know the election of another Obiect They that are so neerly linked together as subiects of one Kingdome branches of one Vine members of one Body c. may infallibly know the election and regeneration each of other But the elect regenerate are thus neerly linked together Ergo. Answ The Proposition is vtterly false this neernesse of our coniunction is no sufficient cause of infallible knowledge of election or regeneration more then of the persons thoughts speeches secret actions one of another Why may I not as well reason thus They that are Citizens of one Citie branches of one Vine members of one Body may know infallibly the persons names secret actions speeches thoughts each of others But the p Heb. 12.23 Spirits of the iust made perfect in heauen all Gods people dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth are thus neerly linked together therefore they may know the persons names secret actions speeches one of another And so it shall no longer be true that Isay hath q Isai 63.16 ABRAHAM knowes vs not and ISRAEL is ignorant of vs nor need Papists any longer talke of a speculum Trinitatis or relation of Angels or toyle themselues to deuise a meane of conueying our prayers mentall or vocall vnto the Saints departed we haue all in a short compendium the nighnesse of the bond dead and liuing Saints are linked as members in one body therefore may know each others wants thoughts actions as well I dare say by this Argument as we one the election regeneration of another Sir let me know of you sith the Argument it selfe affoords not by any vertue in it your Conclusion How it is more auayleable to enforce knowledge of election then knowledge of mens persons actions c. linked in this bond or where you find Gods Spirit declaring the vnion and communion with the Father and Sonne and one with another inferre as you doe that therefore wee may thus infallibly know each others election The dueties of loue compassion r 1. Cor. 12. 14. communicating gifts c. each to others benefit I find in Scripture sometimes inferred from this ground the infallible knowledge of each others election or regeneration I find no where enforced out of our neere coniunction The second reason taken from predictions of Prophets It was prophecied that the Elect regenerate should infallibly know each others election therefore they may infallibly know each others election That
Consequence is firme Quest But where haue we the Antecedent Ezech. 44. v. 23. They shall teach my people the difference betweene the holy and prophane and cause them to discerne betweene the vncleane and the cleane Answ But first the man is deceiued in stiling this a prophecie It is no prediction of what shall be but a prescription of what should be as appeares to any man comparing the Verses foregoing and following Vers 21 22. as that they shall marry no widdow nor drinke wine c. foretelleth nothing but prescribes Lawes whether to Priests of Iewes or Ministers of the new Testament or Pastors in the Church of the Iewes in the time of their restauration is questioned amongst Interpreters Secondly but the questions are first whether this discerning be betwixt things cleane and vncleane or betwixt persons cleane and vncleane Secondly whether of cleannesse Legall and Externall or Leuiticall or of cleannesse Internall and Morall Thirdly if of persons cleannesse and vncleannesse whether of their Actions or State These things so different and various as they are should mee thinks not thus confusedly bee shuffled together hee is not ignorant I thinke though ignorant enough that there were of beasts ſ Leuit. 11. some cleane some vncleane as well in respect of sacrifice as of priuate vse for eating wherein this Iudas lying Rabbin is become so curious that he can reuiue the old ceremoniall prohibition against eating Swines flesh and yet so cautelous for his owne skinne that he though an Hog-hater yet is no louer of Circumcision But to proceed with our Distinction there was of persons likewise an vncleannesse Leuiticall 13.14 by leprosie flux touching of a dead corps and the like if of this cleannesse and vncleannesse of things the Text be vnderstood what is the discerning hereof to the infallible knowledge of election if of persons in respect of Legall and Leuiticall cleannesse or pollution how toucheth this the question sith these things might bee discerned by sense and the person legally defiled might yet be regenerate the person legally cleane an vnregenerate Castaway But yeeld we it spoken of Ministers and people of the new Testament in typicall termes of the Law there is yet nothing inferring power of infallible discerning election or regeneration of others we can teach the people what is true what is false what is orthodoxe what hereticall what pious what impious in doctrine what is holy what vnholy what good and euill in manners and so teach them that they may infallibly iudge of these differences of things the Scripture hauing prescribed a forme of wholesome doctrine But followes it thence that they may infallibly know each others regeneration In no case yeeld it spoken of persons there is a cleannesse of the outward life there is a cleannesse of the heart as there is a t 2. Cor. 7.1 filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Idolaters Fornicators vniust persons c. that are such habitually in their outward life wee teach to bee vncleane and to haue u Ephes 5.5 1. Cor. 6.9 10. no part nor inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God while they are such yea particular acts of these foule sinnes make them vncleane quoad nos till such time as they haue testified repentance yet God forbid wee should thinke euery particular act of vnholinesse to euidence a nullitie of sanctification In like sort where wee see the life outwardly reformed care to depart from euery knowne euill to doe euery good dutie of pietie sobrietie iustice charitie though there be some intercurrent infirmities we teach Gods people to esteeme them holy but is this estimate so infallible that they may not erre therein or is the cleannesse of the outward life an vndoubtfull euidence of the cleannesse of the heart in Gods sight and I wonder what other euidence but the actions this man and his Sectaries haue to iudge of regeneration by which if they may be so cunningly dissembled as no eye of man can exactly put difference twixt them and the same in Israelites indeed that also laid for ground that Salomon hath x 2. Par. 6.30 Thou only O Lord knowest the hearts of the children of men how is the discerning infallible and such as wherein we cannot be deceiued Quest His second prophecie is that in Malachi Cap. 3.18 Then shall yee returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Therefore the regenerate Elect may infallibly know the election regeneration each of other Answ And why not as well therefore very Reprobates may infallibly know the election of others for to these speaks the Prophet that in respect of their promiscuous enwrapping in common calamities resolued it was vaine to serue the Lord Vers 14 15. A day should come when the Lord should make it apparent to the eyes of very Castawayes and Atheists that y Psal 58.11 doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that iudgeth the earth then should they change their minds and say how euer they counted the life of Gods children madnesse yet now they see by experience in the day of the Lords retribution Light is laid for the righteous and ioyfull gladnesse for the vpright in heart Most and best Interpreters vnderstand the place of the day of generall Iudgement all consent that the people discerning twixt righteous and vnrighteous are those Atheists mentioned Vers 14. and the thing they should discerne the happy estate of Gods children and their felicitie not directly their election and regeneration Good Sir if yee haue not by singularitie quenched all feare of God in you tremble thus to play with the Scripture and to peruert it to your owne and other mens destruction The third reason as hee cals it from the lesse to the greater If we can know common Graces then much more true Graces But common graces wee may know Ergo. Answ Mallem CERBERVM metueret quà m haec tam inconsideratè diceret I had rather this man were affraid of a rosted Pigge then that hee should prate thus idlely It seemes hee hath heard of some such logicall Argument but trow you if he were examined he knew how it proceedes is your comparison of things or probabilitie a Barbarian I dare say I am vnto him Heare a reason cast in the same mould If a weake Nouice may know the principles of the beginnings of Christ then may he know the deeper Mysteries of Faith If he be fit for Milke much more for strong meate Negatiuely your Argument would follow well If you vnderstand not points of Catechisme much lesse profounder points of Faith Compare you the probabilitie and verisimilitude of the two then know it is not lesse but more likely you should discerne common Graces of knowledge vtterance tongues c. then those speciall that accompany saluation there being more meanes in your Disciples to manifest in you to discerne those then these
the holy Ghost and in much assurance as yee know what manner of men wee were amongst you for your sakes THree of Pauls euidences swaying charitie to iudge them Elect are here set downe First the power of his Ministerie Secondly the gift of the Holy Ghost connexed with it Thirdly the fruit of the Spirit full assurance of the Truth of the Gospell witnesses whereof he makes their owne hearts whereto he appeales for record Obser The prudence of PAVLS charitie is here worth our notice beleeuing nothing but by euidence Instructing our charitie to like wisedome in iudgement to be guided by reasonable euidences inioyning vs to beleeue no more of others then probable euidence may induce vs compare Heb. 6. vers 9. 2. Ioh. 1. vers 4. Philip. 1. vers 6 7. It is said indeed of charitie y 1. Cor. 13.7 It beleeueth all things is easie of beliefe and readie to be perswaded any good thing of another yet is it not foolishly credulous without reason and against euidence to thinke the profane holy When Peter saw in Simon Magus the signes of hypocrisie all his charitie would not affoord him commendation of sinceritie I perceiue saith hee for all this flourish thou hast made of Faith z Act. 8.23 thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie And Paul himselfe that by precept and practice so much commends charitie and in charitie credulitie yet sticks not to say of Hymenaeus and Alexander they a 1. Tim. 1.19 20. had made shipwracke of Faith for hee had no reason to beleeue Faith could bee there where was no conscience nor care of holinesse It is a strange kinde of charitie I haue heard of in Vse 1 some men perswaded that though Pagans and Infidels shall be damned yet not any Child of the visible Church shall perish a strange rule for charitie to walke by in iudgement of Election to bee borne in the Church is now become a marke infallible of Election to life what is then become of that of IOHN BAPTIST there is not onely Wheate but b Matt. 3.12 chaffe in the floore whose portion is vnquenchable fire It is not to be doubted but the Children of the Church haue some of them c Matt. 11.23 24. greater damnation then many Aliens that know not God Secondly not much vnlike is their errour and imprudence Vse 2 that for outward conformitie sake to workes of Religion in like blindnesse of loue allow to those they fancie opinion of soundnesse yea of zeale also for God A religious zealous Gentleman for a frequent hearer of Sermons though in the meane time the tongue be taynted with common swearing the body with foulest vncleannesse the hands with violence and oppression I say not much of other things but thus I thinke I may iudge A common outragious swearer hath no soundnesse in him of the feare of God d Iam. 5.12 Sweare not at all said the Apostle lest yee fall into hypocrisie as if the custome of swearing did cast out all sinceritie and the ouer-much familiaritie with the Name of GOD in that kind emptie the heart of all feare of his dreadfull Name and made vs meere Formalists in Religion Thirdly this also affoords vs iust Apologie and answere Vse 3 to that vsuall imputation of censoriousnesse and rash iudgement charged on vs by profanest men when wee pronounce onely the sentence passed by GODS Word vpon their actions forsooth we must as Abraham beleeue aboue hope and iudge quite contrary to our euidence We must beleeue the heart is chaste when the mouth fomes out nothing but filthinesse and speech not to be named we must thinke they haue faith of the firmest that haue no knowledge nay despise instruction that they are sorry for their sinnes if they say so though we see in them practice such as Salomon speakes of making sports of sins and triumphing that they can do mischiefe But hath not our Sauiour taught vs to iudge of the fountaine by the streames of the affections by speeches and actions e Mat. 12.33 34 35. Can a good tree bring forth bad fruit affords a purified heart nothing but filthy and vncleane actions Let good be good euill euill And thus thinke though Charitie be not causlesly suspicious yet neither is it foolishly blind The euidences themselues now follow First is the power of Pauls Ministerie Our Gospell was not in word only but in power Their Gospell they call metonymically their preaching of the Gospell as Rom. 2.16 It is said to bee in word only when the sound thereof rings in the eare or at most reacheth to the vnderstanding working therein some literall notices and apprehension of the things taught In power when it pierceth into the heart and preuailes with the affections so farre as to worke a change of the whole man and to f 2. Cor. 3.18 transforme him into the Image of God This vertue and power of the Gospell goes with PAVL as a marke of Election is so questionlesse where it preuayles to Conuersion In the power and preuayling of GODS Word may seuen degrees bee distinguished First Conuincing Secondly Terrifying Thirdly Thorowly humbling Fourthly Delighting Fiftly Restrayning Sixtly Partially reforming Seuenthly Thorowly renewing First It is powerfull to conuince when it so farre preuailes with the Iudgement and Vnderstanding that the Hearers cannot but confesse it is true that is taught and dare not open their mouthes to contradict it Thus farre preuailed Stephen with Libertines and Cyrenians by cleere euidence of Truth that they were not able to g Acts 6.10 resist the Wisdome and Spirit by which he spake And APOLLOS mightily h Acts 18.28 conuinced the Iewes shewing by Scriptures that Iesus was that Christ Secondly To terrifie when passing from the vnderstanding to the Conscience it strikes it with horrour and feare of wrath due for sinne So vertuall was the speech of Paul a Prisoner in the heart of his Iudge that hee i Acts 24.25 trembles to heare him treate of Temperance Iustice and the Iudgement to come Thirdly Thorowly to humble when all k 2. Cor. 10.5 high thoughts of selfe-righteousnesse are cast downe and the guiltinesse of sinne feelingly acknowledged men yeelding themselues culpable of eternall condemnation the issues whereof are l Acts 2.37 perplexities and remedilesse feares in some vtter and final desperation as we haue instance in m Gen. 4.13 Cain Fourthly To delight when the heart is affected with some kind of sweete taste and rellish in the good Word of God and is taken with some kind of reioycing and delight therein as we read of those n Mat. 13.20 temporary beleeuers to whom may be added those the Apostle saith o Heb. 6.5 taste the good Word of God Hence followes desire somewhat eager to be farther acquainted therewith till such time as persecution ariseth for the Gospell Fiftly To restraine when it becomes a bridle to withhold and curbe the head-strong inclination
though the truth is the exercise of both is so coniunct that it is hard for the Christian in whome they are to distinguish which hath the precedencie in time that it may haue place here that our Sauiour hath the a Luk. 17.20 Kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation but as the Corne b Mar. 4.26 27 growes vp man knowes not how First And weigh but these reasons Godly sorrow for sin c 2. Cor. 7.17 the cause of Repentance presupposeth Faith perswasion of Gods loue and readinesse at least to pardon our sinnes For can a man â—â—eue for the offence of God as it his offence without perswasion of Gods loue to him in Christ some of d Heb. 12.17 ESAV his teares may drop from his eyes that apprehends God onely as a terrible Iudge Ingenuous sorrow and hearts griefe is peculiar to them whom God hath bestowed his Spirit e Psal 51.12 of ingenuitie and Adoption to seale them to the Day of Redemption Secondly And see whether all the f 2 Cor. 7.11 fruits of Repentance reckoned vp by the Apostle presuppose not Faith and perswasion of Gods loue Thirdly Why am I long to wash an Aethiopian whether is our vnion with CHRIST or our Renouation first in Nature Haue wee His Spirit to renew vs before we are made members of his body or is this vnion wrought without Faith For shame gull not Gods people with those Crudities of your addle braine teach them the practice of Faith and Repentance busie not their heads with these Niceties that breed g 1. Tim. 1.4 endlesse questions rather then edifying in the faith My conclusion I resume Conuersion is an inseparable attendant and fruit of sauing Faith Conuersion vnderstand the turning of the whole man from all sinne to all Righteousnesse The whole man Paul distinguisheth into these three members the h 1. Thess 5.23 Spirit Soule and Body in all and euery of these is this Change wrought to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it brings man from hatred of GOD to loue of God from contempt of God to feare of God from ignorance of God to knowledge of him So from loue of sinne to hatred of sinne from hatred of Righteousnesse to loue of Righteousnesse from delighting in sinne to grieuing for sinne from practice of iniquitie to practice of Pietie c. Not only from sinne to Righteousnesse but from counterfeit righteousnesse to vnfained Righteousnesse There is malum opus and malum operis Euill workes and i Isai 1.16 euill in good workes The Conuert puts away not only his euill workes but the euill that is in his workes the grosse faultinesse that before Conuersion claue to his best workes Thus conceiue it brings a man from meere sinnes to contrary k Dan. 4.27 vertuous practice from an euill manner of doing good duties to a forme more holy Suppose First from Seruilitie to Ingenuitie Secondly from Formalitie to Sinceritie Thirdly from Ciuilitie to true inward Sanctitie First In meere Naturalists is obserued a seruile kinde of abstayning from euill only for feare of wrath a mercenary kind of performing good duties only for hope of reward The same men conuerted are swayed by loue of God to depart from euill fearing to sinne not only for wrath but in respect l Hos 3.5 of Gods goodnesse Inclined to well doing not only for reward but for Conscience of dutie glory m Mat. 6.16 of the Commander and n 2. Cor. 5.14 thankefulnesse to his mercy Secondly In fleshly Hypocrites is easily obserued a forme of godlines none more formally frequeÌ„t in Prayers and Sacrifices nor seemingly stricter obseruers of o Isai 1.14.15 New-moones and Sabbaths Conuersion so alters these Formallists that they now more study to bee then to seeme religious Thirdly Politicall righteousnesse was in some Heathens is in some Christians vnrenewed wrought partly by naturall Conscience partly by ciuill Education Sobrietie and Iustice they are obseruers of in a sort for prayse of men that scoffe at Pietie and studie of true Puritie in GODS Children The heart once turned to God feelingly accounts Ciuilitie dung p Phil. 3.7 8 10. and drosse and longs after experience of the vertue of Christs death to mortifie the sinnes were formally restrayned only the power of his Resurrection to quicken their hearts to newnesse of life Whether this Conuersion presupposeth not Faith etiam inimici sint Iudices Vse Our wisdome it shall bee by this fruit of faith to try the Truth of it and in this tryall let eye bee had especially to these two things First to the Captaine or Darling sinne neuer thinke thy selfe a Conuert indeed till the corruption that most swayed in thee before calling grow specially lothsome and detestable vnto thee Secondly next to thy grounds of departing from euill thy manner of performing holy duties By that said in the explanation thou mayst direct thy selfe whether thy feare of God be seruile or ingenuous thy seruice mercenary or son-like thy Pietie formall or sincere c. And of their act in generall thus farre they turned the Text further intimates First the termes of their turning from what to what they turned from Idols to God Secondly the end or consequent of their turning to serue God where is subioyned a description of GOD by two attributes in opposition to Idols the liuing and true God Of the first It is required what an Idoll is Answ The most generall and compendious description of an Idoll strictly taken is this An Idoll is a false god The Antithesis in the Text applaudes the description God to whom they turned is the true God Idols from which they turned are thereby intimated to bee false gods So Paul elsewhere in stead of Idols puts their Periphrafis they are such as by q Gal. 4.8 Nature are not Gods Idols are of two sorts First Creatures whether imaginary or reall inuested in Gods properties actions or worship Secondly the true God falsly conceiued Of the first Thus vnderstand whatsoeuer it is besides the true God whereto men ascribe Diuine properties actions or worship that is to them an Idoll or false god there be that to Christs humane Nature attribute power to be euery where present to fill Heauen and Earth his humane Nature is by this meanes made an Idoll because being a Creature it is clad with that Diuine Propertie Immensitie Scotus to Angels giues this power without outward euidence or reuelation to know the secrets of mens hearts Angels are by this meanes made Idols because being but creatures they haue assigned them a Diuine propertie to see in r Mat. 6.4 secret to discerne Å¿ Ier. 17.10 thoughts and to try the reynes Like thinke when Diuine worship inward or outward is giuen to any thing besides Iehouah What euer that is it is made an Idoll Images adored with Diuine Worship Saints inuocated by this meanes are made Idols because Gods Worship is giuen them And these yee may call
and full deliuerance from sinne and miserie Well therefore may wee make this hopefull expectation of Christs comming to Iudgement a worke and fruit of Faith See we the second branch wayting the Lords leysure and that with heartie contentment This is apparently a fruit of Faith whether we consider First the generall description of it as it is in practice of Saints Secondly or the great opposites of contentment which onely Faith masters He that beleeues i Isai 28.16 makes not haste that is is contented to wait the Lords leysure for deliuerance proportionally for all blessings that he hath promised but weigh especially the many impediments of contentment wee shall confesse it is a worke of extraordinarie faith comparing the miseries Gods children here feele with the freedome Christs comming brings with it First what a vexation is it to Gods children to dwell in the world as k 2. Pet. 2.8 LOT in Sodome where what they see and heare is welnigh nothing but vanitie and vexation of Spirit l Psal 120.5 6. Wo is me said DAVID that I am constrayned to dwell with MESHECH and my Soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace When withall a man considers what accompanies Christs second comming separation m Mat. 25.32 of Goates from the Sheepe gathering all that n Matt. 13.41 offends out of his Kingdome must it not be acknowledged great faith that works contentment Secondly adde vnto this consideration of other afflictions the portion of Gods children in this life though when we compare them with the glorie that shall be reuealed we cannot but say with AVGVSTINE Hic vre hic seca vt in aeternum parcas yet when we meditate the promise of o Apoc. 14.13 resting from our labours and p 21.4 hauing all teares wiped from our eyes doe we not sometime wish in our weaknesse that Will of GOD for protracting our troubles altered and what but Faith can calme our discontentment Thirdly but that miserie of miseries the remaynes of sinne the rebellion of nature against grace whom doth it not in a holy manner discontent who blames Paul if hee q Rom. 7.24 crie out for deliuerance or any for hastening of our full deliuerance who had not rather if the Will of GOD were so presently exchange necessitie of sinning for necessitie of obeying infirmitie for power imperfection for perfection of righteousnesse yet Faith teacheth to rest contented with this Will of God and what but Faith can doe it and this perswasion that euen this delay workes some way to our good Thirdly the last thing in this wayting is Continuance in Gods seruice notwithstanding afflictions be our portion and the promised recompence so long delayed I should haue faynted in my affliction but that r Psal 27.13 I verily beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the liuing And looke to the present condition of GODS Saints it shall be found oft such that they must beleeue one contrarie in another that there is a reward for the righteous when they feele nought else but miserie that God forsakes not when hee forsakes What can make vs in that state hold out our holy courses but Faith and perswasion of GODS Truth and loue and power to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that wee can aske or thinke yea contrarie to all that wee can see or feele And this made Paul say Wee Å¿ 2. Cor. 5.7 walke by faith not by sight Vse Let vs by this as by former euidence examine truth of our faith It is a precious vertue where it is in soundnesse but in opinion of it how many are deceiued In the last particular let vs lay our search Let mee say to you as Paul to AGRIPPA King AGRIPPA beleeuest thou the Prophets Beloued Christians beleeue you in the Lord Iesus I would I could answere my selfe for you as Paul doth for Agrippa I know you beleeue But this once I know as SALOMON Euery man will boast of his owne righteousnesse of his faith t Prou. 20.6 but where may wee find a faithfull man a true Beleeuer I will tell you how you shall know them Seest thou a man holding his course steddy in Christian practice though hee meet with afflictions neuer so many for the hope sake layd vp for vs in Heauen say of him in thy Charitie That man hath faith feelest thou in thy selfe that stedfast and vowed resolution though the Lord should prolong thy life to the Comming of his Sonne to Iudgement and in all that time presse thee with afflictions yet for that hope sake so farre from enioying thou resoluest to cleaue to thy God blesse God for the gift of faith to thee I dare say it is u Philip. 1. vlt. giuen to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Search euery man his heart how in this particular it is affected Infirmities in practice wee shall find many resolution in the mayne if wee finde Lord what comfort haue wee I leaue it to euery mans serious examination wishing to you all this peoples measure of Faith in hopefull expectation patient wayting for Christs Comming firmest resolution to breake thorow the temptation of long delay notwithstanding afflictions that accompanie Gods seruice Obser The place is whence Christ expected to come where he yet resides is next intimated from Heauen Obser Belike then this Iesus is now resident in Heauen and so shall be in respect of his humanitie till x Act 3.21 the time of consummation The Heauens must contayne him till the time that all things bee restored y Col. 3.1 Aboue Christ now sits at the right hand of his Father from z Phil. 3.20 Heauen wee looke for the Sauiour And is it not strange men in so many things orthodoxe should dreame of Christs bodily presence perpetuall vpon Earth And that his humane Nature as his Deitie fils Heauen and Earth what then is become of that himselfe spake in the dayes of his flesh The poore yee shall haue alwayes with you a Mat. 26.11 Me not alwayes And It is expedient for you that I b Iohn 16.7 goe away How is it that the Scriptures send vs to seeke him in Heauen and thence to expect him Forsooth visibly hee is in Heauen inuisibly euery where Belike then his Ascension into Heauen is nothing but his vanishing out of our sight hee neuer left the Earth but only vanished like some Phantasme out of his Disciples sight Let vs bee content with the simplicitie of Scriptures and seeing they teach vs to looke for him from Heauen thence let vs exact him His description followes First by his adioyned raysing from the dead inserted as an establishment of that hope notwithstanding his death Secondly but specially by his effect as comfortable as any is or can be to vs naturally the Children of wrath Wherein consider wee First his action deliuerance or rescue Secondly the propertie he hath in it Iesus who deliuereth Thirdly the persons
though wee reach not that height of Faith and Obedience that wee desire and striue for Vs our Iesus hath deliuered From what misery from the wrath to come A phrase of speech not frequent in the Scriptures what it comprizeth let vs heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously Our Sauiour seemes to explaine it when he termes it the g Mat. 23.33 damnation of Hell vnder it comes vsually poena damni poena sensus the losse of the good things prepared for the righteous the painefull euils whereinto the damned are plagued h Mat. 25.41 Perpetuall separation from the glorious presence of God and his Saints irrecouerable losse of those ioyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued a little of them felt in this life the taste of them in peace of Conscience and ioy of the Holy Ghost how seemes it a little Heauen vpon Earth how tortures it Gods Child for an houre to lacke how much more dolefull is the perpetuall and hopelesse losse of them that they all incurre who share not in this Deliuerance as our Sauiour said i Luk. 13.28 What wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth followes then in the damned to see ABRAHAM ISAAC and IACOB and all the Prophets clad in the glory of Gods Kingdome and themselues shut out of doores To leaue what they lose consider what they feele torments and anguish intolerable see how Gods Spirit hath pleased to expresse them Though no earthly thing be sufficient to expresse the anguish of it yet resemblances are chosen of things most bitter to sense thereby to acquaint vs something with the grieuousnesse of it To mans sense nothing more sharpe then fire of fires none more scalding then that of Brimstone It is fire fire of Brimstone k Apoc. 21.8 a Lake that burnes with fire and Brimstone for euer before the Throne of God It were something yet though the paine bee extreme if there were hope either of end or mitigation But these torments admit neyther they l Iude 7. suffer the vengeance of eternall fire they goe cursed into euerlasting fire the Worme dyes not and the fire goes not out The Tormentors are Spirits therefore immortall the tormented as immortall in body and Soule the fewell neuer fayles a m Isai 30.33 Riuer of Brimstone there is continually streaming for euer to keepe it burning the breath of the Lord is as Bellowes to blow it Yet if some intermission or mitigation might be obtayned it were something but heare the Glutton in Hell I am horribly tormented in this flame but so much water as n Luk. 16.24 in tip of the finger LAZARVS might beare to coole his tongue is begged and not obtayned Mercilesse Abraham may some Wretch say nay mercilesse Glutton to the pore Lazar and more mercilesse to his owne soule It is iust with God there should bee o Iam. 2.13 Iudgement mercilesse to such as would shew no mercy to their brethren nor to their owne soules The extent of the torment makes it yet more grieuous No part free eyther in soule or body open their eyes what see they but Deuils to torture them or other damned tormented with them perhaps Wiues and Children through their negligence or cursed example brought into the same place of torments Open their eares what heare they but bitter weeping and wayling howling and yelling after the manner of Dragons for the great wrath of GOD iustly fallen vpon them would they flye they are in Prison in Chaines in Darknesse Would they dye they cannot they are immortall Would they supplicate to the Iudges hee is iustly inexorable he called and they refused therefore he p Pro. 1.26 now laughes at their destruction Would they thinke of any thing to cōfort them they haue no leasure for torments their sinfull pleasures remembred torture their Conscience the good things inioyed adde much to their anguish What should I say more If a man can thinke of any thing that may be tormenting if of any circumstance that can aggrauate torment thus let him thinke it is little all too little to expresse the torments and anguish that comes vnder this terme of the wrath to come From this wrath to come our sweet Sauiour our blessed Iesus hath deliuered vs. To grow towards some profitable vse-making of this point let vs something more particularly inquire who they are that come vnder this Vs the rather for that this Grace for the very enioying of it is thought so vniuersall that the prophanest Miscreant dares prattle of his portion in it Vs say Libertines whosoeuer are members of the Church vs all that are in the Church visible That were well for Capernaites And yet saith our Sauiour Easier shall it bee for Sodome and Gomorrhe at the Iudgement then q Mat. 11.24 for Capernaites though members of the Church visible And it is not to bee doubted but that as the grace offred and contemned hath beene greater to men in the Church so haue they heauier damnation then many out of the Church Briefly vs that beleeue vs hee hath deliuered from the wrath to come vs that obey him hee is Authour of saluation to all r Heb. 5.9 that obey him vs that he hath purged to be ſ Tit. 2.14 a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes vs hee hath deliuered from the wrath to come For all faithlesse disobedient impenitent Sinners on them t Iohn 3 36. the wrath of God abides for euer And bee u Ephes 5.5 6. not deceiued you Remorslesse Whoremongers Couetous Idolaters for these things sake comes the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience q. d. Ye may perhaps flatter your selues with hope of impunitie in respect of your outward prerogatiues yee are baptized so was Iudas yet x Ioh. 17.12 a child of perdition yee are hearers of the Word coozen not your soules with that Sophistrie There were that heard Christ y Luk. 13.26.27 teach in their streets and yet were shut out of Gods Kingdome Thou hast preached to others so mayst thou and z Matt. 7.22 yet thy selfe be a Cast away In a word what euer thy priuileges are if a child of disobedience impenitently such on thee comes this heauie wrath of God Will you see how many sorts of sinners the Scripture excludes from sharing in this deliuerance a 1. Cor. 6.10 No Whoremonger hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God No impenitent Whoremonger And what is hee better that with a high hand cōmits Whoredome blusheth not at it glorieth in it as in a point of manhood yee haue a Catalogue of the damned Crue mentioned by Saint Iohn you would wonder some of them should deserue that stile In the forefront are the b Reuel 21.8 fearefull such as for feare of men shrinke from holy Profession and practice I would to GOD our moderate Professours would thinke of it May I not
it when he exhorts n 1. Pet. 2.9 to shew forth the vertues of him that called vs out of darknesse So that to walke worthy of God is so to demeane our selues that the Image of God may as much as is possible shew forth it selfe in vs and that wee may expresse the nature of God whose people wee professe our selues Obser Such should bee the measure of a Christian mans life to come as neere as may bee to the nature of God so runnes the exhortation to be o 1. Pet. 1.15 16 holy as he is holy p Luk. 6.36 mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull for First wee professe our selues his children Secondly herein stands no small part of our happinesse to resemble his Maiestie That nature of GOD hee hath acquainted vs withall First by those attributes hee assumes to acquaint vs therewith Secondly by their liuely resemblance in the person of our SAVIOVR called therefore as some thinke the expresse q Heb. 1.3 Image and Character of his Fathers person Vse How ill they sute with this line of life that professe themselues Gods people and yet liue in vncleane lust let them iudge that know how pure a Spirit the Lord is Those also that exercise crueltie iniustice liue in maliciousnesse and enuie turbulent vnquiet and restlesse spirits How answere they to the nature of God that stiles himselfe r 2. Cor. 1.3 the Father of mercies and GOD of pittie that is iustice and loue it selfe and delights in no stile oftner then to be called the God of Peace The reason annexed because hee hath called vs to his Kingdome and Glorie wherein were it not I haue stinted my selfe to that was publike deliuered these particulars might not without profit be insisted on First the Agent Secondly Action Thirdly Terme Now it sufficeth to obserue the high dignitie of euery one effectually called hee is by calling intitled to the Kingdome and Glorie of God Therefore Paul calls this calling Å¿ Philip. 3.14 the high or supernall calling not because the Caller is heauenly but because the honour to which wee are thereby aduanced is indeed sublime Hence also it is termed t Heb. 3.1 the heauenly Vocation not so much for that the Authour meanes and manner are heauenly but because the state whereto wee are brought is heauenly and glorious This is that the Apostle in such an heape of wordes amplifies when hee saith Wee are come to the Mount u Heb 12.22 23. Sion the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first-borne and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust men Not that wee haue now full fruition of the glorious Deitie but First the vse of Scripture is sayth Austine to enunciate things that shall bee in the present or preter time to signifie certaintie of accomplishment in time prefixed Secondly withall wee haue present title thereto x Gal. 4.1 2. As the Heire in his nonage is Lord of all in title though vse is not permitted till time appointed by his Father Thirdly And we are now vnited with God in CHRIST and made one body with the whole Church Triumphant and Militant First This glorious aduancement of the Children of Vse 1 God should me thinkes solace all outward abasures they suffer from the malignant World What though wee be counted the skumme and off-scouring of the World amongst men that know not the worth of our high Calling in Christ Iesus Could wee as Paul turne our eyes from things Temporall to things Eternall wee should see glory such as no Kingdome of the Earth is able to afford vs and say SALOMON in all his Royaltie was not dignified as the meanest amongst Saints Secondly Our wisedome it shall be to examine our title to this glorious Kingdome Gods Kingdome is vsually distinguished into the Kingdome of Grace and the Kingdome of Glory they differ not so much in realties as in the manner of administration The Kingdome of Glory is swayed immediately by God himselfe that of Grace by meanes the Scepter of his Word yet so as that whoso is here admitted into the Kingdome of Grace hath title to the Kingdome of Glory Our being in Kingdome of Grace wee best discerne First By the Guide that rules vs. Secondly The Law or Rule we walke by The Guide is Gods Spirit The Rule the Word of God These two are so inseparably linked together that neyther without other comforts any thing As y Rom. 8.14 many as are Gods sonnes are led by his Spirit and as many as are guided by GODS Spirit are ruled by his Word Whereto adde Thirdly The contempt of earthly things in comparison of the gracious estate of Gods people howsoeuer afflicted as thou seest instance in z Heb. 11.25 Moses VERS 13. For this cause also thanke wee God without ceasing because when yee receiued the Word of God which yee heard of vs yee receiued it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue HItherto of the helping of causes in the Apostles selfe to the preuayling of his Ministerie followes another in the people their reuerent and respectfull behauiour in hearing explayned in this Verse wherein are considerable First Their demeanour towards the Word Secondly Pauls manner of mentioning it with thankesgiuing Thirdly The fruit of their so holy receiuing the Word it wrought effectually c. For this cause we thanke God Obser A great blessing of God it is to a Minister when hee fals on a people reuerently affected to the Word in his Ministerie A comfort worth all other comforts that can betyde a Minister from his people and therefore mentioned by the Apostle not without thankesgiuing a fauour that the Lord hath denyed to many his choice seruants Ieremie heauily complaines him of this that when a Ier. 20.8 hee spake to the people in the Name of the Lord Gods Word was turned to him to matter of reproch And how vnwelcome thinke yee was that tydings to EZECHIEL that b Ezech. 2.3 hee should goe to a rebellious house a people that should resist against the Word and Spirit of God Hence it is that the Lord when he would comfort his Seruants and animate them in their Ministerie nourisheth them with hope of such a blessing As to Isay for his comfort against the multitude of dull eares and grosse hearts it is promised There should c Isai 6.13 be a tenth that should return And howsoeuer it be true we haue our reward secundum laborem not secundum prouentum as Bernard comfortably obserues yet what matter of dismaying is it to a Minister to labour without apparent hope of d 1. Cor. 9.2 this seale to his sending the conuersion of the people to the obedience of faith Vse Me thinks then where the operation is giuen vs it is that should most be
owne corruption and fleshly concupiscence alwayes i Gal. 5.17 fighting against Grace sometimes k Rom. 7.23 leading vs captiue clogging vs in euery good dutie till wee begin to thinke such rebellion in our members such dulnesse in best performances cannot stand with sinceritie Fourthly Diuine tentations The Lord himselfe sometimes l Iob 13.26 writes bitter things against vs withdrawes the sense of his loue m Psal 51.12 the ioy of his saluation in such sort that whoso iudgeth of himselfe by his sense must say as Dauid the Lord hath forsaken him All these strong oppositions against faith shew how necessary for the strongest and most couragious confirmation and comfort is Vse They know not therefore their owne hearts that boasting of I know not what strength and perfection of faith despise the Ordinances of God set apart to our confirmation and growth in grace Preaching and Sacraments c. are either for Aliens or Nouices in faith These are come to such perfection that they now need no more of our Ministerie to confirme them To whom may I not say as Isaack to Iacob with vnexpected speed bringing his Venison How hast thou found so soone my Sonne Behold Gods Children of longer standing and more experience complaine them heauily of doubtings and infidelitie and notwithstanding daily vse of Gods Ordinances and striuing against sinne finde it hard at times to maintayne so much as endeuour of perfection in faith and mourning for infidelitie Dare they answere as Iacob The LORD hath brought it to their hands I dare say of such as boast of perfection and contemne Gods Ordinances they lye as Iacob God hath not wrought it Onely the Deuill hath deluded them Our perfection is to acknowledge imperfection he is perfect in Pauls minde that n Philip 3.14 15. acknowledgeth himselfe imperfect and striues to that marke Secondly But yeeld thy faith as firme as was Abrahams art thou sure it shall so continue It is good to prouide against possible dangers and in that respect to vse meanes of confirmation Those meanes are first continued vse of Gods Ordinances Hearing Reading Sacraments Prayer c. Ministers are giuen you not only to gather you into the Church but to continue you therein and o Ephes 4.12 13 to build you onward to perfection Secondly carefull obseruance of all Gods fauours in former times vouchsafed Keep Record and Register of all Pledges and euidences of Gods loue how hee hath giuen issue out of temptations as p 2. Cor. 1.10 Paul q 1. Sam. 17.37 Dauid c. Thirdly Store thy selfe with knowledge of the Word of God Make thy memory as the r Mat. 13.52 Storehouse of the wise Scribe filled with holy sentences of Law and Gospell that against euery temptation thou mayst haue what ſ Ephes 6.17 to oppose Fourthly Tye thy selfe precisely to obedience the studie of Sanctitie Faith relyes not on our works yet I think with Lombard Hope and Faith also ariseth out of our works and is furthered thereby I say not by their worth but by their presence Obedience is the best euidence faith can follow in applying Gods promises made to vs in Christ Vainly in respect of comfort doth any man meditate the generall promise that is not able to assure himselfe that they belong to him And that assurance growes from our obedience and t 2. Pet. 1.10 sanctification VERS 3.4 That no man should bee mooued by these afflictions for your selues know that we are appointed thereunto For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation euen as it came to passe and yee know HOw necessary comfort and confirmation was for this people Paul here preuentingly sheweth in respect of the afflictions had befalne him whereout hee knew Satan would worke his own aduantage amongst the people Wherewithall hee interlaceth arguments to preuent wauering in that respect First From consideration of the ordinance and appointment of God where the argumēt lyeth not so much in the ineuitable necessitie as in the conformitie that should be in vs to euery will and appointment of GOD. Secondly from his prediction Reason they had none to be mooued with these afflictions It was no more then they were forewarned of and taught to expect where the prediction is amplified by the concordant euent it so came to passe That no man should be mooued c. The word signifies to be drawn away by flattery or to yeeld to flatterie The Apostle supposed and foresaw how the Deuill would take occasion in these afflictions by flattery to insinuate himselfe into the minds of Gods people by promise of more ease by a cōtrary course to draw them from soundnesse of Faith and Pietie Such a milde Artifex is Satan leauing no course vnassayed to withdraw from the faith In dayes of prosperitie by terrour of afflictions In times of tribulation by flatterie and promising more ease His flattering insinuations conceiue these their likes First hee beares vs in hand that the course attended with crosses cannot be that which most pleaseth God hee is no step-father to his children it is likely if our wayes pleased him our very enemies should be at peace with vs. See Ier. 44. Secondly or else it is suggested there is no prouidence taking notice of things well or ill done vpon earth at least u Mal. 3.14 no profit gotten by the seruice of God Thirdly if neither of these succeed yet ease is pleasing to flesh and bloud hee knowes wee are Epicures by nature of voluptuous disposition of Issachars mind rest is good c. Vse Arme wee our selues against this flatterie and insinuation of Satan he is more to be feared cum mulcet quà m cum terret First learne in wisedome to measure the goodnesse of Faith and Pietie rather by the comfortable end then the pleasing beginnings Secondly and know the reward of Religion stands not chiefly in blessings of this life but First in x Gal. 6.16 inward comforts Secondly y Mar. 10.30 graces of Gods Spirit Thirdly heauenly happinesse Wee are thereto appointed So is the Ordinance of God that z Act. 14.22 through tribulation wee must enter into his Kingdome Reasons of the Ordinance if any demand First the Lord by this meanes would settle vs in perswasion and hope of a better life after this which made Paul say that the tribulation of Gods Saints in this life is an a 2. Thes 1.5 argument demonstratiue of a Iudgement to come Secondly withall inflame desire and longing after that happy estate so fares it with most and best of Gods children the ease of this life abates their egre pursute of the things that concerne his Kingdome And it is remarkable in the Lords courses when his children haue beene most fleshed in the things of this life and begunne to surfet of prosperitie he hath mingled to them a cup of bitternesse visited with affliction See Gen. 14.12 Thirdly there is a
Desperate of his strict Iustice Wisdome would teach to fit our meditation to our present state See it in a duty that may seeme most easie suppose hearing the Word of God It is not as is thought a worke of euery Ideot and idle Foole to be a hearer to heare as wee ought requires skill more then ordinary to tye our minds to attention that they may bee free from wandering to apply our affections to the quality of what is taught that when we heare matter of feare our hearts may f Isai 66.2 tremble at the Word of God when matter of griefe they g Neh. 8.9 may mourne when matter of comfort reioyce c. Such skill requires euery Christian Dutie to the Regular performance of it that wee may well conclude of Christianity It is the Science of Sciences euen an Art of liuing well Vse They erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of Godlinesse that thinke it a skill most obuious to bee a Christian a worke of one houre or two in the last sicknesse to furnish themselues for Heauen Though in manuall Sciences he is not thought his Crafts-master that hath not serued a seuen yeeres Apprentiship yet to the exactest skill of Christianity seuen houres yea moments are thought sufficient Surely if any where here that hath place that the great Phisician once spake Ars longa vita breuis Compendiums they haue framed to themselues here as in other Sciences To loue God aboue all our Neighbour as our selues This is h Mat. 7.12 the Law and the Prophets To feare God and keep his Cōmandements i Eccl. 12.13 this is the whole of man But foolish men that consider not the infinite particulars which these comprize And that it is the least halfe of a Christian k Iohn 13.17 to know though exactly the heads of Dutie To loue God comprizeth his worship outward inward l 1. Iohn 5.3 keeping of all and euery his Cōmandements To loue our Neighbour exercise of m 1. Cor. 13.4 5 Patience Kindnesse Mercy euery good grace and office wherein we may do good to Brethren Willingly would I perswade our people if it might be of the skill no lesse then artificiall requisite to Christianity not to deterre them by the difficulty but to reforme their negligence and to excite their industry And if they would but seriously consider that part of this Art that stands in speculation they would easily acknowledge it to be no idle mans occupation to bee a Christian To know necessaries of Gods Nature and Will can wee thinke it obuious when as Dauid hauing long trauelled in the Word of God with an extraordinarie Spirit yet prayes illumination that hee n Psal 119.18 might see the wondrous things of the Law Who euer sounded the depth of any one Commandement to know all particulars of duetie therein comprized Who so quick-sighted as to vnderstand thorowly particular circumstances of knowne dueties Dare any arrogate prudence so exact as to obserue them regularly in all his practice Thou knowest thou must pray but knowest thou how thou must pray To pray is not to vtter a Petition which a Parrat may doe but thou must pray with o 1. Cor. 14.15 vnderstanding with p 2. Chron. 6.29 feeling of wants with q Iam. 1.6 faith to be heard with feruencie of affections the practice of all these how full of difficultie to guide affections of wrath feare ioy griefe c. Heathens obserued to require much prudence may not Christians more to their Christian moderation That I be not infinite It will be sufficient if I may but conuince our people that Christianitie is an Art that the practices thereof require skill more then ordinarie that once euinced I hope those out-cryes against ouer-much teaching will cease for suppose you know all we are able to teach you for substance of faith and practice yet to learne skilfull practice of them the wisest amongst vs may not blush to goe to schoole To possesse his Vessell in holinesse and honour The particular wherein Paul requires this skill is the preseruing of Chastitie in his phrase the possessing of our Vessell in holinesse What is the Vessell saith AVGVSTINE * August cont Iulian. Pelagian lib. 4. cap. 10. lib. 5. cap. 7. the Wife the Woman or wife is the r 1. Pet. 3.7 weaker vessell Al the body the vessell or instrument of the soule Al the instruments of generation 1. Sam. 21.5 The vessells of the yong men are cleane that is their bodies or instruments of generation That first interpretation S. Austine fell into by this occasion Dealing against Pelagians in the question of Originall sinne and the manner how it is conueyed to posteritie he was thus vrged by Iulian The soule is created pure the body propagated by a lawfull act of generation in the marriage bed for that bed ſ Heb. 15.4 is vndefiled by what chinks creeps in this infection of Nature Saint Austine answeres that howsoeuer the vse of the marriage bed be for the substance of the act vndefiled yet may impuritie insinuate it selfe through intemperance and ouer-much feruor of delight Truth is there is as well Coniugall as Virginall chastitie which stands not only in keeping our faith inuiolate to the wife of our Couenant but also in the temperate and moderate vse of the marriage bed And I am halfe of his mind in this whatsoeuer in that act is not either for procreation or preuention of Fornication comes of euill Rather by the vessell vnderstand the body Not that the heart hath libertie to lust so the body be kept from the act of vncleannesse t 1. Cor. 7.9 burning lusts are commanded to be remedied but so speaks he fittingly to reforme opinions corrupt and monstrous that to the u 1. Cor. 6.13 body was permitted a kind of libertie so the heart were kept pure from that vncleannesse Possesse that is keepe and rule the body in holinesse vnderstand it chastitie and freedome from pollution by vncleane lust Honour of the body stands in two things First x Col. 2.23 Health and chearfulnesse Secondly dedication of it to the holy Ghost as y 1. Cor. 6.19 a Temple for him to dwell in and an z Rom. 6.13 instrument to be vsed to the glorie of God The summe is this that not the heart only but the body also must be preserued in chastitie a 1. Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies and soules they are both the Lords his Creatures his purchase both bought with the price of his bloud It seemes the Corinthians were carried away with that errour to thinke pollution of the body almost indifferent The bodies they thought should not rise againe therefore it was not much materiall to what vncleannesse they were abused yet saith the Apostle First the body is for the Lord dedicated in creation to the glorie of the Maker and by Redemption to Christ Secondly the Lord for the body
to redeeme it Thirdly our bodies are members of Christ Fourthly Temples of the holy Ghost Fiftly parts of Christs purchase How can we thinke it free to abuse them to his dishonour Our dutie is to purge from all filthinesse as well of flesh as spirit of body as of soule Vse Not thinking it enough after the profane prouerbe to keepe our hearts to God but knowing that in our bodies God requires to be glorified The people of Corinth as in the point of fleshly Fornication so in that of Idolatrie seemed to hold a kinde of indifferencie for the outward man They might be present at Idoll-feasts and sacrifices so they reserued their hearts and consciences vnto God Our people in like cases are alike indifferent Talke they may merrily that is filthily so they thinke no harme though euen of Idle words our Sauiour said we are countable Bernard Epist 1 Quod si de ot ioso quantò districtiùs de verbo mendaci mordaci iniurioso de elato vel lasciuo de adulatorio aut detractorio iudicabuntur It remaynes to point at the rules of Aâ—te in this kinde auayleable First diligent guard of senses especially b Iob 31.1 Ambros de Ioseph Patriarch cap. 5. the eyes the first darts of lust are of the eyes The second of words c Pro. 2â— 33 Gen 19.6 7. Thine eye shall looke vpon strange women and thy heart shall vtter lewd things Secondly flie societie of adulterous wantons d Pro. 5.8 Come not neere the doore of her house e Gen. 39.10 IOSEPH hearkens not to his Mistris to be in her companie Thirdly sober vse of meats and drinks f Ezech. 16.49 fulnesse of bread occasioned that height of vncleannesse in Sodomites Fourthly faithfull and industrious imployment of our honest vocations Dauids g 1. Sam. 11.2 idlenesse seemes the first occasion of his lust And in Sodome was abundance of vncleannesse by meanes of h Ezech. 16.49 abundance of idlenesse Fiftly Prayer to God whose gift it is his i 1. Cor. 7.7 speciall gift especially in single life Sixtly diligent heed-taking to occasions that in experience we haue obserued to be the bellowes of Concupiscence Seuenthly if none of these serue to preserue virginall Chastitie a comfortable remedie God hath prouided To k 1. Cor. 7.2 auoid Fornication let euery man haue his owne wife He is a Monster in lust whom that remedie reformes not VERS 5. Not in the lust of Concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God NOt in the lust of Concupiscence Rather thus Not in the pâ—ssiâ—no lust Lust is lust be it neuer so moderate when once it growes to violence and notable disturbance of Reason then it becomes Passion In the breach of this Precept degrees are distinguished First the foming out of lasciuious thoughts and wanton desires delighting the sensuall appetite Secondly the ardencie and burning heat of such desires which Paul elsewhere calls l Rom. 1.27 burnings and here passions Thirdly eager seeking occasions to vent our passionate lusts Fourthly the breaking of them out into execution The Apostle seemes not to tolerate so much as ardencie of lust and almost to intimate they cannot vnremedied stand with good conscience Obser We may here obserue a difference of corrupt affections in Gods children and in men vnregenerate some stirring they haue in the most sanctified ordinarily they are not passionate saue in the vnregenerate Vnlawfull and rash anger may arise in Gods children passionate wrath furie and rage is not ordinarie with them Motions of enuie haue beene found in Gods children as in Iosuah for Moses in m Num. 12.1 Aaron and Miriam against him but passionate spitefulnesse such as in Cain in Haman n Hest 5.13 that grew sicke of enuie is not common in Saints Lasciuious and wanton lusts haue their stirrings perhaps in the most holy but passionate lusts such as we reade of o 2. Sam. 13.2 Ammon are not ordinarie with them When we were in the flesh p Rom. 7.5 the passions of Concupiscence wrought in our members Now we are in Christ q Gal. 5.14 We haue mortified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof Quest How may we know them to be passions Answ First by their violence when they grow so headstrong that they admit no moderation nor permit so much as to consult and deliberate about their suppressing Secondly when their violence is increased by opposition It was lust outragiously passionate in Sodomites that was r Gen. 19.9 more inraged by Lot his meekest admonitions Thirdly Passions are restlesse and fill with discontentment till they breake out into executions as in Achab Haman Ammon Cain c. We haue men professing the feare of God in some affections so intemperate and full of passion that they giue iust cause to be iealous of their mortification In their wrath they must needs giue vent and by bitter speeches disgorge the venome of their spite Such affections are passions I like them not in Christians They Å¿ Gal. 5.24 that are Christs haue mortified the flesh at least in the passions thereof The Stoicks said Passions are not incident into a wise man Nor are such passions ordinarie in a true Christian As the Gentiles c. Gentiles in common phrase of Scripture signifie all people not of the seed of Abraham Of Gentiles there are two sorts First Gentiles by nature Secondly Gentiles in state Gentiles by nature we are all that come not from the loynes of Abraham Gentiles in state are such as continue in the state of Gentilisme not yet admitted into the Couenant of Abraham nor called into the Church of this latter sort Paul would be vnderstood It is the reason of the Apostle to disswade lasciuiousnesse therein liued Gentiles that knew not God the more detestable should the sinne be amongst Christians Obser Vngodly examples are permitted to increase detestation of euill not to incourage to imitation Impious courses of impious men should make impietie more abominable Imitation we are sure makes vs culpable before God not only of like sinnes personally committed but in a degree of all sinnes of like nature by others committed The t Matth. 23.35 bloud of all Saints from ABEL to ZACHARIE comes vpon that generation of Iewes with what iustice may some say I thinke because their crueltie argued approbation of like sinne in their bloudie Progenitors To walke in the wayes of wicked men what is it but to approue them the fact proclaimes we thinke like actions of others good and warrantable Vse It were to be wished our people had learnt to make this vse vngodly examples to detest lewd practices because in vre amongst wicked men But alas how are they miscarryed to thinke the better of euill because practised by the most and greatest though they cannot but acknowledge the men are euill Thinke these best vses of lewd examples First grieue at the dishonour of God and the vngracious courses of men made
And if the Lord for such abominations plagued heathen that knew him not how much sorer vengeance hath he in store for Christians to whom he hath so clearely reueiled himselfe by his Word Their Periphrasis followes Which knew not God The vsuall circumscription of Gentiles as Ier. 10. vlt. Psal 79.6 Gal. 4.8 c. And yet Paul tels vs that to very heathens God had made himselfe knowne k Rom. 1.20 The inuisible things of God his power and Godhead Gentiles were not ignorant of Neuer was Nation so barbarous but had some notices of a Deitie In some of their writings excellent sentences are found expressing the nature and attributes of the Godhead Plato thus describes Deus viuens immortale sibi sufficiens ad foelicitatem aeterna substantia Causa omnis boni in Naturâ Of his prouidence they haue learned discourses extending it to all particular euents euen to permission and ordering of euils notable disputes sending to vphold the iustice of God in that which to many seemes confusion that there be righteous to whom it comes after the worke of the wicked and wicked to whom it falles after the worke of the righteous How reconcile we Distinctions are many First after the meanes Knowledge of God is twofold First by his workes which all Gentiles had Secondly by his word that the prerogatiue of the Church Secondly God is knowne First as Creator so Gentiles knew him Secondly as Redeemer in Christ so they knew him not they were l Ephe. 2.12 without Christ the m Rom. 15.20 Name of Iesus not heard amongst them Thirdly knowledge is of two sorts First one effectuall n 2. Cor. 3.18 that transformes vs into Gods image Secondly the other ineffectuall standing onely in speculation without efficacie and power in the soule and Conscience The summe is By the workes of God they knew him so far as the creatures could reueale him by his Word they knew him not that was the priuiledge of the Church As Creatour and Gouernour of the world they knew him as Redeemer in Christ they knew him not Lastly some imperfect and ineffectuall notices they had of the Godhead such as depriued of excuse knowledge effectuall and powerfull to reforme they had not And hereof would the Apostle be chiefly vnderstood The description conceiue to bee propounded causally The Gentiles liued in the passion of lust no maruell the cause is euident they knew not God Ignorance then is a master a mother-sinne Pull it thou pullest all sin There is no sinne into which an ignorant man in the point where his ignorance lies is not ready to fall See if the Apostle say not is much o Ephe. 4.18 Aliens from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them p 1. Cor. 12.2 they were carried to dumbe Idols as they were led Through q 1. Tim. 1.13 ignorance it was that PAVL blasphemed persecuted oppressed the Church of God That Iewes crucified the Lord of glory A sinne so fertile of sinnes is this of ignorance that the wonder is more to see an ignorant man restrained from any sinne then running into foulest abominations Our indeuour should be the more to come out of this so dangerous a snare of the deuill and as Paul prayes r Colos 1.9 to be filled with all knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding Reasons many haue bene often pressed This of the Apostle let not be forgotten that it is the mother not of deuotion but of abomination That ignorants are kept from grossest sinnes is of Gods prouidence withholding temptations were they tempted no question to them they would run with as great greedinesse as they doe to those wherin they now wallow They knew not God Some knowledge they had of God but ineffectuall to reforme them that knowledge is esteemed ignorance Erroneous and vnfruitfull knowledge is in esteeme as no knowledge in truth no better then ignorance If any man seeme to know neglecting vertues hee ſ 2. Pet. 1.3 is blind and cannot see farre off his knowledge is as no knowledge First in respect of any honour that comes to God all is as one Disobedience whether in ignorance or knowledge dishonours God Secondly in regard of their comfort all is as one no more comfort hath such a man in his t Ioh. 13.17 idle knowledge then the verriest Idiot in his ignorance Learne we that haue receiued to know God to shew the power of our knowledge in holy practice If any say he knowes God and keepes not his Commandements hee is a lyar and there is no truth in him Gods grace hath bene marueilous to vs in the meanes of knowledge happie were we if wee were not defectiue in that that neereliest concernes our comfort But how iustly may wee complaine as Seneca on like occasion Postquam docti prodierunt boni desierunt and we haue learnd to dispute not to liue Disputants we haue many amongst Christians moe then practicke Moralists Curious foules labouring for knowledge onely that they may know and in company of learned be able to mainetaine discourse Oh brethren what auailes it to haue all knowledge though it were Angelicall and not to haue obedience to know as Angels and liue as diuels Can such knowledge saue vs shall it not rather aggrauate condemnation If yee know u Ioh. 13.17 happie are yee if yee doe if ye know and doe not wo worth the time that euer yee knew Gentiles which knew not God So should ignorance bee a sinne peculiar to Gentiles Therefore Gods Spirit so euery where makes it their peculiar description x Iere. 10.25 Psal 79.6 Not to know God As if it were almost the difference specificall discerning Heathens from Christians I could wish it were now with Christians as it seemes to haue beene generally in Pauls time that ignorance were a sinne peculiar to Heathens And that this description did not as well befit our people as euer it did the Heathen But who sees not that it agreeth as well to our multitude as euer to Gentiles yea that many Heathen know more of the Godhead then men that haue long liued in the Church of God bearing themselues as Christians Heathenish Christians or worse then Heathens that haue not learnt of God so much by his Word as Gentiles knew by view of the creatures Of such I dare be bold to say When Heathens and Pagans Turkes and Infidels goe to heauen then shall such Christians y 2. Thes 1.8 as know not God and disobey the Gospel VERS 6. That no man goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the auenger of all such as wee also haue forewarned you and testified A Second particular of sanctification belonging to the eighth precept is here specified prescribing vs abstinence from breaches and violations of iustice commutatiue Wherein considerable are First the sinnes to be auoided Ouer-reaching and fraud Secondly Reasons pressing care to auoid them First of the sinnes which
with rebellion of knowledge with ignorance of feare with seruilitie yea and with securitie As it is absurd to say there is no faith where is some doubting so all as vnreasonable to affirme there is no filiall feare no Grace at all where is any feare of God in respect of his vengeance God is auenger The Apostle seemes to anticipate the secure thoughts of the vniust and fraudulent promising themselues impunitie amongst men either by cunning conueyance and concealement or by defect of Lawes or partialitie of Magistrates Let this yet bee meditated saith the Apostle God is the auenger of all such Where mans iustice faileth God with his vangeance makes supplie that iniustice may not scape vnpunished ACHAB and Iezabel had in Israel authoritie without controll who should punish their oppression of Nabeth The Lord takes the cause into his owne hand and there is blood for blood and an vtter extinction of ACHABS posteritie Hence is Salomons aduise Rob not the poore because he is poore Let not his pouerty encourage thee to oppression l Pro. 22.22 23 The Lord will plead his cause though men be negligent And Enter not into the field of the fatherlesse for their m Pro. 23.10 11. Redeemer is mightie though themselues bee impotent hee shall plead their cause against thee Ambros de Nabat Iezraelit cap. 1. Nabathe historia tempore vetus est vsu quotidiana saith Saint AMBROSE Non vnus ACHAB natus est sed quod peius est quotidiè ACHAB nascitur nunquam huic soeculo moritur Vncontrollable authoritie how easily degenerates it to tyrannie till the poore haue scarce any dwelling left vnto them Their power masterlesse on earth makes them forget that they also haue a Master and Iudge in heauen As if prouidence now slept because discipline of Church and Common-wealth sleepeth Consider it all yee that forget God and thinke the Redeemer of the oppressed is mighty neuer more ready to auenge the cause of the innocent then when amongst his Vicegerents it is most neglected A notice necessary for all times all sinners in all sinnes most for dayes of impunitie in sinnes most sleighted by the sonnes of men Impieties there are many of no small enormitie of little regard in this vntoward generation Fornication and Adultery sinnes of greatest haynousnesse in state of most Kingdomes passeth as matter of iustest toleration and what through defect of Lawes or conniuence of Magistrates or hope of concealement profane is the liberty of Adulterers Yet that of the Apostle should me thinks be meditated n Heb. 13.4 That Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge howsoeuer partiall mens proceedings are howeuer cunning the Adulterers secrecie For Kingdomes haue yet beene so happily cautelous as to preuent so much as by enacted penalties the abuse of Gods Name by common and vaine swearing This language of Hell is grown familiar as lust in Sodome amongst old and yong Princes and people Yet me thinks we should remember how direfull the threatning is how certaine the execution o Exod. 20.7 The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine How might we hope to haue freest sinnes in gracious measure restrained if this little notice of the Apostle might be as Frontlets betweene our eyes that where mans iustice fayleth God with his vengeance makes supply VERS 7.8 For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also giuen vnto vs his holy Spirit THe words conteine new reasons for the generall exhortation to the studie of sanctity First as some think frō the Author as others from the end of our calling Secondly from the foulenesse of the sinne in case we be found negligent the contempt reacheth vnto God Thirdly from the rich bounty of God in giuing his Spirit vnto vs. God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse c. The Christian calling warrants to no man vncleannes leads vnto holines Therefore it is the vsuall stile p 2. Tim. 1.9 the holy calling because it leades to holinesse and though it find vs not holy yet it makes vs so And if there bee any terme therein seeming to tend vnto licence yet so it is mollified and explained that vncleannesse is still excluded see Gal. 5.13 And see how euery thing in it sauours of holinesse the q 1. Pet. 1.15 Caller is holy the meanes and r Ioh. 17.17 instrument holy the Spirit the immediate worker the fountaine of all holinesse Vse So that they are imputations no lesse then blasphemous charged vpon the profession and calling of Gods people that it should teach or approue vncharitablenes couetousnesse licencious loosenesse c. Why hath Satan filled mens hearts to lie against the holy Ghost I had almost said to blaspheme him in the highest degree How hath hee cursed to the pit of Hell all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit How is hee ſ Ephe. 4.30 grieued with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked How restlesse makes he t 2. Sam. 24 10. conscience in the least stepping aside of them he hath sanctified and proclaimed them all hypocrites that calling on the Name of the Lord depart not from iniquitie As many of vs as desire to know our selues partakers of the Heauenly Vocation let vs bee carefull to u 2. Cor. 7.1 purge from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit to bee x 1. Pet. 1.15 holy as hee that hath called vs is Holy Profane persons as Esau scoffing at the studie of Sanctitie in Gods children haue no part in this prerogatiue but such only as are called to be Saints As little Libertines that turne the Grace of God into wantonnesse and from some beginnings of seeming holinesse receiued incourage themselues to licentiousnesse First Illum nation which yet y Heb. 6.4 Castawayes are partakers of so farre as to become z Mat. 7.22 Prophets and Teachers in the Church of God Secondly Compunction contrition teares for sinne which had place in the Traytour a Mat. 27.3 Iudas in profane Esau Thirdly Partiall and Temporary reformation To which euen b Mar. 6.20 Herod ascended and those cursed reuolts That c 2. Pet. 2.20 21. turne backe from the holy Commandement giuen vnto them VERS 8. Hee therefore that despiseth c. THe second reason inferred out of the former it implies the contempt of God because it is he that calleth to holines Ergo conceiue the Apostle to preoccupate what ignorance might obiect Obiect They are men by whom wee are called Solut. It is God that calleth though by mans ministery Therefore he that despiseth despiseth not men but God Contempt of Ministers in their regular prescripts stayes not in the persons of Ministers but reacheth to the Maiestie of God As the contempt of an Ambassadour toucheth the King whose Ambassadour he is Therefore said our Sauiour d Luk. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me The reason is because
toucheth them not at least tactu qualitatiuo so as to alter the disposition of their hearts and their propension to holinesse Answ Suppose it true first yet are not Caueats needlesse to men stablished in Grace as being preseruatiues against securitie and sanctified meanes to further perseuerance secondly but let it withall be remembred there are gifts of the holy Ghost incident vnto Cast-awayes Illumination Restraint c. some steps and degrees to Sanctification they also haue their taste of the Heauenly gift of the good Word of God of the Powers of the world to come dispositions and the inchoate habits of true Sanctification they are truly made partakers of who yet many of them fall away And let their fearefull relapsings be our feares and encrease our care to depart from Iniquitie VERS 9.10 But as touching brotherly loue yee need not that I write vnto you For yee your selues are taught of God to loue one another And indeed yee doe it towards all the Brethren which are in all Macedonia But we beseech you Brethren that yee encrease more and more HItherto of those two branches of Sanctitie Chastitie and Iustice A third is here specified Brotherly loue wherein are considerable first the dutie it selfe secondly the manner of propounding thirdly the reason why the Exhortation is so carried Touching this maine part of Holinesse loue of Brethren the surest euidence of our c 1. Iob. 3.14 translation from death to life the d Ioh. 13.35 Cognisance of a Disciple if it be enquired what it is thus conceiue it to be that fauourable and well-wishing affection that is in Gods children one towards another for Grace sake It implieth three things first loue of brethren secondly as brethren thirdly in brotherly manner First The speciall obiect of this loue are the brethren vnder that name come all that are e 2. Pet. 1.1 partakers of like precious faith and Spirit of adoption with our selues Not but that some degrees and offices of loue are due to enemies and aliens but the specialtie of affection is carried to such as are actually Gods children Secondly The Load-stone of this loue is their Brotherhood Disciples are loued f Mat. 10.42 eo nomine because they are Disciples Gods children because they are his children stamped with his Image sealed with his Spirit Thirdly The Modus is Brotherly that is first It is naturall and kindly flowing from inward propension and selfe-inclination needs no outward allurements or prouocations to procure it The very name of a Brother is potent enough to draw affections Secondly Impartiall whether poore or rich c. except where naturall affections are quite extinct the bowels yearne after brethren Thirdly Intire and feruent nothing breakes the bond of brotherly loue Proportionally thinke of Christian amitie in men partakers of the Spirit of adoption The euidences and fruits of it are first tenderest compassion and fellow-feeling of miseries secondly succouring their distresses and chearefull g Rom. 12.13 distributing to their necessities thirdly sociall conuersing together for mutuall comfort and edification So was the custome of ancient Saints and those were the times when Grace thriued in Gods children Now I know not how Brethren haue almost forgotten that they are Brethren and euery man stands aloofe when necessitie requires their succour My brethren these things ought not so to be We are all children of one Father partaking the same Spirit of adoption haue one hope of the same heauenly inheritance and that shared for the measures of it according h Mat. 25.34 35 40. as our loue and the workes thereof are more or lesse abundant The nature of the dutie is thus the exhortation to it we see carried Rhetorically the Apostle Orator-like insinuating himselfe and entering their bosomes as it were in transcursu With like artificium wee see him almost i 2. Cor. 9.1 wresting from Corinthians their contribution when Rhetorically he seemes to passe by that which his desire is to presse with greatest instance And how perswasiue with k Act. 26.27 28 Agrippa was that acknowledgement of his present faith Truth is the good opinion of him that perswades is more then many Arguments alluring and perswasiue with euery ingenuous disposition Withall wee must heed the differences betwixt flatterie and this holy Rhetorique First Flatterie ascribes good things where they are not This pious Rhetorique will see ground for commendation Secondly the flatterers aime in commendation is his owne commoditie These heauenly Orators therefore insinuate that they may lead on the people to constancie in good duties Like prudence is requisite in vs to prouoke to holy duties take notice of and commend the good that is in any thou knowest not what heartening prudent commendation may be vnto him The Lord himselfe lets passe no good thing in any though clouded with infirmities without laudatorie notice of it See Apoc. 2. 3. The harshnesse of many in their censures readier to vilifie the best things then to couer their imperfections how many hath it kept from entertaining holy courses If any be for the present alien though not without apparent hope of reclaiming he is straightwaies censured as another Elymas l Act. 13.10 enemie to all goodnesse and child of the Deuill Yea where Charitie cannot but discerne Seeds and beginnings of Grace except they haue presently attained the perfection of others all is as nothing But if by infirmitie any haue fallen though but in a particular all his former righteousnesse must be forgotten and in the sinne he hath done or not done but is fancied to haue committed he must die to our good opinion Learne wee to acknowledge and cherish by commendation the smallest good things in any wee know not how we may preuaile to lead on to perfection it is naturall to all men to be led with prayse And Gods Spirit tempering himselfe to our naturall inclination forgets not m Philip. 4.8 by that argument to perswade to holinesse For ye are taught of God to loue The reason why he is so sparing in pressing this maine part of Sanctitie is here subioyned Because they were taught of God to loue one another which also he euidenceth by their fact they did it to the brethren in Macedonia The inference of Enthusiasts and such like Phanaticall spirits hence is this that there is no necessarie vse of the externall Ministerie to Gods children because as the Apostle here affirmes they are all taught of God by his Spirit Yet if we consult with the same Apostle first he teacheth the Ministerie necessarie till such time as we are made n Eph. 4.12 13. perfect in Iesus Christ secondly chargeth not to o 1. Thess 5.20 despise Prophecie nor to forsake the Assemblies of Saints Because first decayes of Grace are incident into the most sanctified secondly dulnesse of Spirit growes vpon the most feruent thirdly forgetfulnesse of things best known creepes vpon the most mindfull fourthly and who can say he hath
attained perfection Sith then to helpe all these defects the Ministerie is ordained and by it the Spirit is effectuall who shall dare separate what God will haue ioyned together Answers to the Argument are thus framed first the Apostle must be vnderstood coÌ„paratiuely not as meaning they had no need of his commonefaction but not such need as men auerse from charitie Examples we want not of Sentences many in shew simple and vniuersall yet to be vnderstood ex parte and in comparison If yee were blind yee should haue p Ioh. 9.41 no sinne that is none in comparison not simply none Christ sent me q 1. Cor. 1.17 not to baptize but to preach the Gospell not so much to baptize as to preach Secondly though to instruct them as ignorants was needlesse yet to admonish and excite them as deficient in the measures of loue was not vnnecessarie and thereto tends the correction subioyned Obser Leauing them we take the Obseruation affoorded vs by the Apostle thus Gods teaching is alwayes effectuall and perswasiue it workes what it prescribes God teacheth two wayes first outwardly by his Ministers that is not alwayes thus effectuall secondly inwardly by his Spirit the degrees are two first enlightening the mind to know what by his Ministers he propounds secondly effectuall inclining the will and affectons to embrace and prosecute the duties knowne Euery one that hath heard and r Ioh. 6 45. hath learned of the Father commeth vnto Christ that is beleeueth in him Haec gratia à nullo duro corde respuitur August de praedestinat Sanct. cap. 8. God putteth his Law in their hearts and writeth it in their inward parts and so causeth them to walke in his Statutes Ezech. 36. How the Lord preuailes thus with the will of man is questioned betwixt vs and â—alâ—e Pelagians It pleaseth them that the Lord propounds to vs only pleasing obiects August in Ioan. traectat 26. fit to allure the will as when a shepheard shewes a greene bough to a sheepe or a father nuts and such like pleasances to his child fit to allure them As if there were some fitnesse in nature to be allured with spirituall things and the propension to bee affected with them were not of Gods meere inspiâ—ement and infusion First then said Paul amisse It is God that Å¿ Phil. â— 13 workes in vs to will and doe Secondly and vainely prayeth God to t Heb. 13.21 worke in vs what is wel-pleasing in his sight Thirdly as vnfittingly hath Moses taught the naturall u Gen. 6.5 inclination of the heart to be onely euill Fourthly and Paul put x Rom. 8.7 enmitie betwixt wisdome of the flesh and the Law of God Fiftly the heart saith Ezekiel must be y Ezech. 36.26 27. changed by the Spirit of God before we can walke in the Lords Statutes Sixtly and by old Schoole-Diuinitie the habits of Faith Hope and Charitie are infused rather then drawne out of the power of the soule And this is Gods teaching whereof the Apostle here speakes the giuing of Gracious abilities to doe that which is pleasing in his sight and not onely the exciting of the naturall power of the will and alluring it by pleasing obiects as Semipelagians dreame What euer the maner is the effect and fruit is ablenesse to doe and actuall doing what the Lord thus teacheth So that if any would know whether hee bee taught of God the surest euidence of election and our being within the couenant of Grace his Gracious abilities to holy dueties must be examined It is true of all such that Paul speakes of himselfe they z Phil. 4.13 can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth them and in comfortable measure practise whatsoeuer the Lord prescribes knowing beleeuing louing obeying the truth So that it is meere hypocrisie that pretends absolute disability Abilitie is of two sorts First complete which is not incident into this life Secondly Competent for acceptation whereof all taught of God are made partakers First a Heb. 13.18 desiring in al things to liue honestly Secondly b Act. 24.16 endeuouring to keepe good conscience before God and man Thirdly c Iob 1.1 eschewing euill and working righteousnesse Fourthly and d Mar. 9.24 mourning for defects in obedience VERS 10. But wee beseech you Brethren that yee increase more and more THe exercise of loue in this people hath beene commended lest the commonefaction might seeme vnnecessary the Apostle corrects himselfe that they might not seeme to haue attained perfection or in no respect to want admonition There is in this verse something tending to their prayse as that to the Brethren of Macedonia their loue was extended something also wherein their defect is noted that to Macedonians onely their countrimen their loue was limited wherefore they are exhorted to increase more and more Obser The increase of charitie may be doubly conceiued It growes first extensiuely secondly intensiuely Extensiuely when it enlargeth it selfe to more persons then at first imbraced Truth is charitie the larger and wider it is the better Therefore yee may obserue restrained charitie alwayes to heare ill in Scripture as in Pharises limiting their loue e Mat. 5.43 to friends and such as were able and willing to f Luk. 6.34 retaliate kindnesse As on the contrary Abrahams beneficence is hereby amplified that it was almost g Heb. 13.2 promiscuous Not but that in some offices and measures of loue some may haue preeminence but vtterly it is a fault amongst vs if any especially of Gods people be excluded Reasons First the neerer wee come to our h Mat. 5.45 paterne in louing the more commendable is our charitie Secondly and to be impartiall in loue is no small euidence that our loue is without dissimulation Vse Be iealous of loue limited to men eminent in Grace or dignitie or linked vnto thee in amitie or cohabitation Some preferment let them haue in measures of loue Yet thinke first the meanest in Christs body are fellow members i 1. Cor. 12.22 and necessarie Secondly and no beleeuer is now k Ephe. 2.13 an alien Thirdly and Religion makes vs l Rom. 12.16 Psal 119.63 equall if it findes vs not so Intensiuely Charitie is conceiued to grow when the feruour of it is increased Such adding to the degrees of Grace receiued is necessary in all gifts most in charitie As being first m 1. Cor. 13. tot most fertile of all good fruits Secondly strongest bridle to corruption Thirdly that which seasoneth all other gifts and dueties Meanes to increase it first Labour to n Ephe. 3.18 comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length of the Loue of God The more plentifull our apprehension of Gods loue to vs is the more are our hearts enlarged to loue God and his Saints Secondly Emptie thy heart of selfe-loue the bane and breakenecke of Christian Charitie Thirdly Be not curious
Affections Their vertues Morall are exercised all about moderating the appetite and affectuous part of the Soule Vse Our Christian endeuour should be hither bended that rectified Reason or rather Grace and Religion may bridle our turbulent and head-strong Affections Wherefore Gods Spirit is pleased so highly to commend this temper He that ruleth his spirit saith Salomon is better q Pro. 16.34 then he that winneth a Citie and Contra Whoso hath no r Pro. 25.28 gouernment of his spirit is like a Citie broken downe that hath no walls A Meditation if any other meet for vs this part of Sanctitie being so generally neglected insomuch that we see many hungring and thirsting after knowledge of God in other parts of their life walking holy and blamelesse yet I know not how pleasing themselues and almost iustifying the inordinate motions of their tumultuous Affections In Wrath especially it is obseruable how small occasions kindle it and when it is growne to a flame no place left for Right Reason or Religion to sway it nor is the gentlest remembrance admitted though it be as that of the Lord to Ionah Å¿ Ion. 4.4 Doest thou well to be angrie Remember wee whose prayer it was that our t 1. Thess 5.23 whole spirit and soule and bodie might be kept holy and blamelesse And of these generalls thus farre Obser The particular wherein this prudent moderation is required is sorrow for the dead in Christ and it is so carried in the Apostles Exhortation as if he would teach Immoderate mourning for the dead in Christ to be for Christians most vnseemely The Saints before vs laboured herein to set bounds to Affection and to cut off occasions of excesse in that kind Abraham mournes for Sarah euen vnto weeping yet fearing lest hee should forget his measures desires to burie u Gen. 23.4 her out of his sight Aegyptians mourne for IACOB seuentie dayes Ioseph his naturall sonne x Gen. 50.3 10 onely seuen dayes Not that hee was lesse kind but more Christian-like prudent The Lord interdicts his Israel those Heathenish Rites of y Deut. 14.1 Balding and Cutting themselues for the dead And our Sauiour intimates dislike of Iewish z Mat. 9.23 Minstrelsie for increase of Sorrow Affection he thought in that case needed not the spurre but the bridle rather Indeed we read of some Saints excessiue in this kind Dauid weeping for his Absolon as Rachel for her children and would not be comforted But first both it is noted as his infirmitie and secondly in Austines iudgement August de doct Christ lib. 3. c. 21. contr Faust Manich. lib. 22. cap. 66. he bewayled not so much his sonnes death or his owne Orbitie as the punishments whereinto his soule so incestuously adulterous so vnnaturally murtherous should in likelyhood be plunged Non orbitatem doluit in eius interitu sed quia nouerat in quas poenas tam impiè adultera parricidalis anima raperetur And Bernard Bernard Planxit meritò Dauid super parricidâ filio cui perpetuo sciret obstructum exitum de ventre mortis mole criminis Thirdly And what if Dauid thus mourned for Absolons damnation Better hopes haue Christians of Christians that sleepe in the Lord. Such as make excesse of sorrowing for them most vnseemely For first how argues it ignorance in that point wherein a Christians ignorance is most shamefull the blessed state of Gods children after death And how giues it occasion to Gentiles to traduce vs when we bewayle as vtterly lost and extinct those whom we professe to liue with God Cyprian de Mortalitate Spâ—â— nostra ac fidei praeuaricatores sumus saith Cyprian Simulata ficta fucata videntur esse quae dicimus Secondly And what ods in this behalfe betwixt hopefull Christians and hopelesse Heathens while wee equally giue reines to sorrow and macerate our selues with like comfortlesse griefe Vse Our wisdome it shall be to set some reasonable limits to our sorrow for those of whom we haue reason to be perswaded that they sleepe in the Lord. Let not the Monition seeme vnnecessarie Affections are violent especially hauing shew of lawfulnesse to set them forward More frequent are the slips of Saints in things for their matter lawfull then in those that are simply vnlawfull Conscience euen of good men sets it selfe loose hauing plea of lawfulnesse for the action Herein Affection growes no lesse then tumultuous being able to warrant it selfe by instinct of Nature practice of Christ and his Saints Truth is the custome of Mourning but Stoickes none condemned howbeit saith Bernard the spirituall man that iudgeth all things Bernard de considerat lib. 3. and is iudged of no man preuents all his attempts with this three-fold consideration first whether it be lawfull secondly whether decent thirdly whether also expedient Secondly And we are not ignorant things lawfull in their kind may through neglect of due circumstances proue sinfull in the doer Eating and drinking are lawfull and necessarie yet excesse therein is censured of Gluttonie No wise man euer condemned Recreations as euill in their whole kind yet immoderate vse of Sports is little lesse then Epicurisme And sorrow for the dead hath example of Saints yea of our Sauiour to warrant it Pauls Mandate is more a Rom. 12.15 Flere cum flentibus howbeit excesse in lamentation makes it sinfull in Christians And here also hath place that Caueat of the Apostle b 2. Cor. 2.7 lest any be swallowed vp of ouer-much sorrow Meditations auaileable this way are these First of the blessed state of Gods children deliuered from the burthen of the bodie Cyprian de Mortalitate who thinks it not his gaine Saeculi laqueis non teneri nullis peccatis vitijs Carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris augentibus venenatis Diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Who is not of Pauls mind To be dissolued and to be with Christ is c Phil. 1.23 best of all such d Reuel 14.13 rest from their labours and their workes follow them Thus thinke as S. Cyprian aduised Desiderari eos debere non plangi nec accipiendas esse hîc atras vestes quando illi ibi instrumenta alba iam sumpserunt Secondly That argument which with Ephesians in like case preuailed why should it not sway with vs c Act. 21.14 The will of the Lord be fulfilled Let vs not make such Idols of our selues or ours as for their deaths so comfortable to grow discontented at the Lords appointments Thirdly And if that Heathen could say Praemittimus non amittimus Why thinke not Christians much more Seneca They lose not their friends but send them before Thus of the maine matter in the Text. In our passage let vs notice the Epithete giuen to the death of Gods Saints they die not but sleepe their death is a sleepe Vsuall in Scriptures See Ioh. 11. Act. 7. What
saith Austine in his Apologue or Storie of him fallen into the Ditch to vse meanes to come out of it then to know how wee came into it What should I belong One of the first occasions of Poperie growing to such height was this doting about curious questions wherewith their Schoolemen pestered the World The Deuill vsed that policie to diuert mens mindes from things reuealed and necessary so long that they lost almost all truth in the Church of God It were endlesse to mention all take instance in that one point of Angels That there are such heauenly Spirits and that they are d Heb. 1.14 deputed to the Ministerie of the Church c. the Scripture plainly reuealeth This knowledge sufficed not but they fell to Disputations about the time of their Creation whether it were before or with the visible World whether on the first day or when they were created Touching their Orders what and how many they were their number whether more fell or stood whether they did occupie a place and so whether many might be in one place at one time and how many might sit on a Needles point and six hundred such like needlesse points And in this policie the Deuill is not slacke to this day after we haue seene by lamentable experience the wofull fruits of it Touching the point of the Text when the Day of Iudgement shall bee how many haue taken in hand curiously to inquire boldly to determine not the Age only but almost the Yeere and Day wherein the Lord shall come And how often heare wee the question amongst men carelesse to goe to Heauen yet curious to inquire whether we shal there know one another not Let vs bee admonished to take notice of and preuent this policie of Satan Remember what Moses hath e Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong vnto God things reuealed only to vs and our Children Our Nature is maruellous curious and delightfully prone to Nouelties and matters of secrecy It is not the least part of our f Ephes 4.17 mindes vanitie I beseech you consider that in things necessary and plainly reuealed there is sufficient to exercise our wits and to weare out our liues were our bodies of Iron our yeeres as those of Methusalem our acritie as that of Salomon Lastly consider the issue of such curiositie it breeds nothing but g 1. Tim. 1.4 questions without end to no edification of our selues or others Quest You need not that I write vnto you Was it then a point vnnecessary why doth Paul teach it was it necessary how needlesse then to write vnto them Answ First God his Spirit is not vnacquainted with points of Rhetorike such Ironicall preteritions are something h 2. Cor. 9.1 1. Thess 4.9 frequent in Scripture Secondly vnnecessary it was not in it selfe for it is a point of Scripture-Doctrine whereof all is i 2. Tim. 3.16 profitable But somewhat vnnecessary to bee newly taught to this people Quest Why then written to them Answ Know that these passages of Scripture though directed to particular Churches by name yet were intended to the vse of the whole Church in all times Though therefore in respect of this people alreadie instructed in this point the mention might seeme needlesse yet necessary was it for the Church that of it should be extant plentifull testimonies in Scripture Thirdly How euer needlesse to mention to them by way of instruction yet not for farther confirmation and settling their iudgements in that point of their knowledge Obser From his practice insisting in a point wherein hee acknowledgeth their exactest knowledge learne we that it is not vnprofitable for vs to be remembred after a sort newly instructed in points wherin our knowledge is most exact Therefore we see the Apostles themselues thiâ—ke it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to insist in things wherein they acknowledge the knowledge of the people Paul is perswaded that the Romanes are k Rom. 15.14 filled with knowledge able also to admonish one another neuerthelesse writes boldly to put them in remembrance Saint Pâ—ter to like purpose is not negligent l 2. Pet. 1.12 to remember them of those things they knew and wherein they were established Our Sauiour insists in some points of the Law m Mat. 7.12 of Nature which are as Iude speakes knowne n Iude 10. naturally and presseth them not without instance Heare some Reasons First euen in points knowne there may bee forgetfulnesse in the time of vse In times of temptation memorie often failes in things otherwise knowne ad vnguem In matters of practice how oft are our best knowne rules forgotten the Philosopher hath a saying generally true Omnis malâ—â— ignorâ—ns hee meanes of that ignorance which hee cal particular what through passion and head-strong violence of affections hee lackes vse of his knowledge when he consents to lewdnesse Secondly besides in nothing is our knowledge so exact but something may bee added to the distinctnesse of our vnderstanding There are many appertinencies to the Articles plainlyest reuealed and most perfectly vnderstood wherein the wisest need not scorne to receiue farther information That wee are iustified by Faith and by it alone Example wee are most of vs fully instructed but how Faith iustifies whether as an act or as a qualitie or as an instrument how many thinke you doe not yet vnderstand Thirdly Adde vnto this that there may corruptions grow vpon vs in the points of our most perfect vnderstanding there are some parts of duety o Iude 10. knowne naturally and therein saith IVDE there be that corrupt themselues Vse Foolish then is that nicenesse in many hearers that cannot endure plaine points wherein they are already instructed to bee so much as lightly mentioned or but pointed vnto Tell vs they say what wee know not these things we haue heard often and know sufficiently A speech sauouring of arrogancy and such as an humble spirit would tremble to vtter what Article of faith what one precept in the Morall law is it of which a man may say there is nothing comprised in it but he vnderstands to the full Dauid had long trauelled with an extraordinary spirit in the studie of the Word of God yet saw he still some p Psal 119 18. wonders in it which hee could better admire then conceiue Secondly Remember who said q Iob. 13.17 If yee know these things happie are yee if yee doe them Thy taske is not ended when thou knowest there is something more required to make thy knowledge comfortable Thou knowest thou shouldest not sweare But hast thou gotten that command of thy tongue that thou canst bridle it from vaine othes so planted Gods feare in thy heart that thou hast learnt as SALOMON r Eccle. 9.2 to feare an othe Thou must giue vs leaue to remember thee of Gods commaundement that thy Conscience may bee wrought vpon and thou driuen from practice of sinne against Conscience or be left inexcusable at
no bodily creature or qualitie purer a fit Embleme for the sanctity that becomes Gods people wonderfull pleasing and delightfull to sense fitly signifying felicitie Children of Light by an Hebraisme such as to whom God hath granted the meanes of knowledge and sanctification and made them effectuall to your inlightning and sanctification And of the Day It is added to amplifie the blessednesse of their estate There is light in crepusculis the cleare light is that of the Day q.d. God hath beene pleased to graunt you in the meanes and power of them not a glimmering Light and obscure insight into the secrets of saluation but after a sort perfection of grace and illumination so that yee see and see cleerely the things that concerne your peace he hath freed you not onely from the night but euen from the darkenesse of ignorance For the particle of vniuersalitie thus conceiue it First either to haue reference to the meanes of knowledge Secondly or else to be spoken after the iudgement of Charitie Hitherto of the sense The points obserueable here are these First The blessed state of Gods Church now in dayes of New Testament as in other respects so for the plenty clearenes of reuelation and knowledge granted vs by the Gospel I say not God was euer wanting to his Church in a competencie of knowledge but sure it is that light the Iews had coÌ„paratiuely was but as of the dawning ours as the cleare light of the Day Propheticall Scriptures saith Peter are as the light of a o 2 Pet. 1.19 candle shining in a darke place The light we now haue is as that of the Day-starre S. Paul speaking of the mysterie of the Gospel saith It p Rom. 16.25 was hidden from the beginning of the world till these last times What is his meaning Say some From Gentiles not from Iewes Rather thus comparatiuely hidden being neuer so cleerely made knowne to the sonnes of men q Ephe. 3.5 as it is now reuealed to Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit It were long to instance in particulars How are almost all things presented vnto Iewes in cloudie Ceremonies The very maine points of Faith and Saluation taught them almost only by ceremonious resemblances As Paul sayth of them in another respect God dealt with them as with children in their r Gal. 4.2 3. minoritie and non-age not onely in loading them with a heape of ceremoniall rudiments but in the means and measure of knowledge making them all in comparison to vse the Apostles phrase but children in vnderstanding Quest And thinke wee the knowledge of Gods children in these dayes so much exceeding Answ First If we respect the meanes the oddes I dare say is as great as betwixt the Twy-light and Noone-day Secondly if we consider the fruit of the meanes as great is the difference if we shall make the termes of comparison equall I say not euery of Gods children vnder the New Testament exceedes euery of them vnder the Old not euery Minister now euery one then But compare People with People Ministers with Ministers in their seuerall Degrees so I thinke wee shall find it true Some Abraham perhaps a man of extraordinarie spirit might be found amongst them to haue exceeded our People as in Faith so in Knowledge But compare their Vulgus with our many the oddes is exceeding great So not euerie of our Ministers may be compared with their Prophets their gifts and spirit were aboue the ordinarie but compare our ordinarie Ministers with their Priests and Leuites our Apostles and Euangelists with their Prophets and Patriarchs our Light will appeare as the cleare Day theirs but as of the Dawning Vse It instructs vs to thankefulnesse whom the Lord hath reserued for these times of so cleare Reuelation vs especially of the Gentiles in diuers respects A double benefit is therein reached vnto vs. First Consider the Rocke out of which we were hewne our Fore fathers the Gentiles from whose loynes wee all descended Time was when it was the Iewes Priuiledge onely to know God by his Word Å¿ Psal 76.1 In Iurie saith DAVID is God knowne his Name is great in Israel Hee t 147.19 20. shewed his Word vnto IACOB his Statutes and Ordinances vnto Israel he dealt not so with Gentiles neither had Heathens knowledge of his Lawes God by his Creatures made knowne to them his inuisible Properties the vtmost issue and effect of that Reuelation was to u Rom. 1.20 depriue them of excuse Here then if there were no more wee Gentiles haue cause to prayse God for his Mercie Had wee liued in the dayes before Christ a thousand to one wee had perished euerlastingly for want of sauing knowledge of God in Iesus Christ Secondly But see yet a further Blessing layd vp in store for vs. Howsoeuer to Iewes hee then graunted a measure of Knowledge Reuelation and all Grace sufficient for their Saluation yet such a measure as is now vouchsafed vnto vs Iewes themselues though Gods beloued people enioyed not x 2. Cor. 3.18 We all with open face behold the glorie of God shining in the face of Iesus Christ And if this perswade not to thankfulnesse what may Sayth our Sauiour to his Disciples on this ground y Matth. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see c. Many Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see the things that yee see and haue not seene them I say not onely in respect of the euents which they beheld onely a farre off and saluted in the Promises but in respect of the measure of Knowledge and Reuelation graunted vs vnder the Gospel Secondly A second vse generall the Apostle makes Rom. 13.12 That the Night being past and the Day at hand we should cast away the workes of Darkenesse and put vpon vs the Aâ—mour of L ght A shame it should be to vs in these dayes of so cleare Light and Reuelation to be found in the deedes of Darkenesse z Eph. 4.17 18. Walking as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minds hauing their Cogitations darkened being Aliens from the life of God through Ignorance that is in them And marke it well ye shall see how strongly the Inference flowes from this ground This account we may well make First Our sinnes are now all excuselesse we haue now a Ioh. 15.22 no cloake for our sinnes What will our people plead for themselues before the great Iudge of Heauen and Earth for their Infidelitie Blasphemie Disobedience in all kinds Perhaps as fooles they b Eccl. 4.17 knew not that they did euill or as Paul excuseth the Iewes c 1. Cor. 2.8 Had they knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of Glorie Now sure if any be ignorant it is because they shut their eyes against the cleare Light of Truth shining vnto them As Paul speakes If d 2. Cor. 4.3 our Gospel be now hid it is hid to them that perish not through defect of meanes but
my deare brethren in your holy indeuours thus comfort your selues Heauen and earth shall passe away but Gods Counsels shall stand Gods appointments are peremptory and he hath ordained vs to obtaine saluation The matter subiect followeth Vs. PAVL then belike knew himselfe to bee within compasse of this ordinance vnto life May wee not thence inferre that it is possible for Gods children to know their election No say Papists and others many except you make your conclusion particular of such as haue Pauls spirit and reuelation It was the priuiledge of Paul men of his ranke to know it and that knowledge they had by extraordinary reuelation Audio But how appeares it by any euidence of Scripture that Paul knew it by any other then the ordinary fruits and effects of election And according to that ground I thinke we may make the conclusion generall that sith all Gods children haue like euidences they may haue also like assurance of election We yeeld they had their priuiledge in the measure and degree of assurance the reason is plaine they had their priuiledge in the measure of common euidences Faith Loue Obedience Sanctity Yet sith the same euidences bee in a measure graunted to Gods children of meaner ranke allow them their measure also of certaine assurance The state of the question thus conceiue of certeintie in assent and perswasion they make three sorts one Naturall which ariseth from demonstration so know wee the truth of principles Another Supernaturall as that first of cleare euidence Secondly of Propheticall vision Thirdly of adherence A third they call Morall arising from grosse and figurall signes probable coniectures inclining our minds to one part rather then to the other as probably or possibly true and this is that measure or degree of certeintie which onely they allow to the ordinary rate of Gods children in the point of their election See we whether a degree of infallible certeintie bee not possible to all First The charge runs generally to all f 2. Pet. 1.10 Concil Trident. To make their calling and election sure and they were wont to cry Anathema to him that shall say Gods precepts are not possible by grace to be fulfilled Secondly Sundry parts of Scripture are penned purposely for this end that not Apostles onely but all Gods children g 1. Ioh. 5.13 might know they haue eternall life Did Gods Spirit misse his end in the inspiration Thirdly The Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God is giuen to this end h 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might know the things that are giuen vs of God accordingly He i Rom. 8.16 testifieth that we are the sonnes of God Fourthly The fruits and effects of election whence the assurance ariseth take place in all Gods children k Act. 13.48 Faith Hope Sanctification c. What should let to ascend from the effects to knowledge of the cause Fiftly The dueties which God requires in respect of saluation and all acts of his grace thereto tending he exacts of all l Col. 1.13 Thankesgiuing laying downe life for his glory sake that hath so freely chosen and redeemed vs. Sixtly The necessitie of all Gods children requires it in respect first of m Luk 12.32 afflictions secondly of temptations And how can we thinke it the priuiledge of a few Quest Forsooth they tell vs first The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it Answ The heart knowes it owne motions their Schoolemen acknowledge a reflection of the mind vpon it selfe The things of man the n 1. Cor. 2.11 spirit that is in man knowes secondly especially o Rom. 8.16 helped by the Spirit of God Obiect There are they say certaine counterfeits of grace so neere a-kinne to the current that euen the wisest may erre in the discerning of them Answ First that proues a difficulty no impossibility Secondly Gods Spirit hath stored vs with Characters and markes of difference infallible Obiect Perseuerance is vncertaine Answ How I wonder when first promised by the Father Secondly purchased by the Sonne Thirdly ratified and p 2. Cor. 1.20 21 22. sealed by the holy Ghost Vse Let vs leauing these Academickes whose profession is to doubt of all things resolue of nothing sith God hath pleased not onely to ordaine vs to life but to affoord vs the fauour to be acquainted with his ordinance q 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make our calling and election sure to our selues Euidences amongst many take these two fruits and effects of this ordination to life First r Eph. 1.5 Adoption that gracious act of God the Father choosing vs in Christ to be his children knowne best first by ſ 1. Ioh. 3.1 right pricing and esteeme of this high fauour of God It is something to t Eph. 3.18 comprehend the length breadth height and depth of the loue of God Secondly Crosses sanctified in respect of their vse and fruit the smart common to children and bastards the u Heb. 12.7 11. fruit peculiar to the sonnes and daughters of God Thirdly x 1. Pet. 1.17 filiall feare of that gracious Father that hath chosen vs to be his children A second euidence of election y 2. Thess 2.13 is Sanctification The parts whereof thus conceiue first a care z 2. Cor. 7.1 to purge our selues from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Secondly a constant endeuour to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God The end of the Ordinance followeth amplified by Antithesis Not vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation Not vnto wrath Obser It should seeme then there are some that are ordained to wrath The Collection is ancient and hath allowance euen from some Papists Negando quòd nos posuit Deus in iram affirmationem insinuat quòd reprobos posuit Deus ad iram Caietane As there are vessels of Mercie ordained to glorie so vessels of Wrath a Rom. 9.22 prepared to destruction Obiect That is true say some but prepared they are by themselues not by God Answ First What meanes the Apostle then for clearing of Gods Iustice in this point of Reprobation to flye to the Lords absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and power ouer his Clay The Answer had beene at hand to satisfie any mans reason They prepared themselues to destruction God ordained them not to wrath Secondly how apparent is it that the Apostle there speakes of Gods actions onely His Act it is to loue IACOB and hate ESAV to haue mercie and to harden whom he will If that be not plaine enough what say we to that of SALOMON He hath b Pro. 16.4 made the wicked for the day of euill and that of IVDE c Iude 4. Descripti ad hoc Iudicium Touching the cause mouing the Lord whether there be any other then the will of God as the foresight of Infidelitie c. is a question on this occasion not so pertinently disputed The Text leads vs to acknowledge
out the way to Heauen and teach it vnto vs. Sufficiently in all times taught he it to his Church before euer Christ was incarnate inspiring the Prophets Quest If they shall say Christs liuely voyce was more effectuall Answ Let that bee granted yet was it onely to them that heard it His teaching by liuely voyce reached not to vs for whose saluation notwithstanding hee descended equally as for theirs Secondly Besides this whereto serued the death of our Sauiour hauing in his life abundantly manifested the way that leades into Heauen Thirdly What oddes betwixt Christ and his Saints in their life and death excepting only some more perfection in Christ then in them Euen their deaths afforded vs exempla Patientiae saith Leo but not dona Iustitiae There is a second opinion partly Popish placing the mayne of Christs mediation in this that hee merited for vs Grace to fulfill the Law and so to merit saluation at Gods hand That Christs merit hath purchased vnto vs Grace to liue holily we deny not but that such Grace as whereby wee might merit saluation is in Scripture vnheard of This we find First That our u 1. Pet. 2.5 Sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ Secondly That our seruices shall bee rewarded for the promise sake of the Father and the merits of his Sonne But that his merit hath transferred such dignitie to our workes that they should become x Rom. 8.18 worthy of the glory that shall be reuealed we find in no Scripture This still wee find our best workes haue First Their blemishes Secondly Their interruptions Thirdly The most eminent amongst the Saints y Psal 143.2 not daring to present their best workes to be iudged without mercy How then by meanes of Christ The Apostle answeres In that he dyed for vs. In which words we are to consider first their Scope secondly Christs Fact He died for vs thirdly the end and fruit of his Death That we might liue together with him Obser The Scope is to perswade to care of holinesse by this as a second reason because Christ died for vs. The Obseruation is this Christs death is as well an instruction to holinesse as meritorious of saluation Paul learned from thence to liue not to himselfe z 2. Cor. 5.15 but to the glorie of him that died for him and propounds it as matter a Rom. 6.11 of mysticall imitation to all Gods people Well weighed how forcible incentiues affoords it to holinesse First It most liuely sets out the horror and haynousnesse of sinne and the fiercenesse of Gods wrath against it more then all Iudgements God euer executed vpon the world of the vngodly They are fearefull Iudgements and to be trembled at that we are remembred of by Peter and Iude the downe-fall of Angels drowning of the old World firing of Sodome and Gomorrhe c. and such as seriously meditated cannot me thinkes but make vs tremble and quake But of all euidences of Gods wrath against sinne none like this the death of his Sonne if we consider first how deare he was to his Father secondly how excellent his Person thirdly how bitter and full of agonie his Passion fourthly how holy harmelesse separate from sinners himselfe was in himselfe knowing no sinne by experience or personall practice but vnder-going onely the punishment due to sinnes of his Chosen Euerie of these circumstances in the death of Christ set forth Sinne to vs in his colours and should make vs sweare our selues enemies to the workes of Darkenesse Secondly In it we see the wonderfull b Eph. 3.19 and vnmeasurable loue of Christ to our soules which passeth knowledge a c 2. Cor. 5.14 compulsorie argument to PAVL to liue to the glorie of his Redeemer Vse How fearefull then is the abuse of Christs death amongst our people making it their greatest encouragement to licentiousnesse So that we may truely say the abuse of Christs Death damnes more then the Death it selfe saues Saith PETER To you that beleeue Christ crucified is a stone elect and precious but vnto the disobedient d 1. Pet. 2.7 8. a stone of stumbling and rocke of offence A stone of stumbling indeed and rocke of offence especially through abuse of the meditation of his Death The Iewes indeed stumbled at it but by another occasion and the Gentiles thought it foolishnesse the one expecting a glorious estate of the Messiah in the World the other deeming it a foolish and absurd thing to expect Life out of Death Glorie to issue out of such extreme Contempt But our people perswaded as they would seeme of the validitie thereof to procure remission and saluation stretch the vertue of it farther then euer it was intended in such sort that the enforcement of holinesse seemes absurder from no ground then this Because Christ died for vs. Rather sith Christ died for vs what needes such nicenesse Let vs feed our selues without feare our sinnes are expiated by the Death of Christ To whom me thinks I may say as Moses to Israel e Deut. 32.6 Doe you thus requite the Lord O people foolish and vnwise and protest with Paul to men of that spirit f Gal. 5.2 Christ shall profit them nothing Let all Gods people be exhorted so to vse the Meditation of Christs Death that it may be to them an incentiue to holinesse It is a blessed Soule that so vseth it and reapes as comfortable assurance as any can be that he hath share in the merit of it when the Meditation is thus powerfull to g 1. Pet. 4.1 worke Mortification and care to depart from euill It is said of Dauid hee once in an effeminate humour longed to drinke Water of the Well of Bethleem three of his Worthies breake thorow the hoast of Philistims to saue his longing But when it is brought hee trembleth to taste it because it was the bloud of them that fetcht it h 2. Sam. 23.15 17. Be it farre from me O Lord that I should doe the Is it not the bloud of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues So it may be thy licentious nature may long to taste of the pleasures of sinne but me thinkes when thou shalt consider as DAVID It is the bloud of thy Sauiour that that cost him his dearest bloud to expiate and kill it in thee thou shouldest say as hee Be it farre from me O Lord Is it not the bloud of the Sonne of God that made his Soule an offering for sinne to purge me to be of his peculiar people zealous of good workes As touching the Fact it selfe Christs dying for vs because it falls fitlyer to be largely treated in another Text I spare to insist on it The fruit and end of it followes That we might liue together with him that glorious life which hee now liues at the right hand of his Father and that whether wee sleepe or wake that is liue or die So then Obser How-euer God disposeth of
the state present of his children their saluation is certaine whether they liue or die this they are or may be assured of liuing holily in this World they shall liue happily with Christ in the World to come Vpon like Grounds Gods Decree and Christs Death is Pauls glorious Triumph in the name and person of all Gods children Therefore i Rom. 8.38 39 neither life nor death no State or Creature shall separate from the loue of God or depriue of Saluation And that of the same Apostle k Rom. 14.8 Whether wee liue or die wee are the Lords And see how solid the foundations of this Assurance is built first on Gods Decree secondly on Christs Death Can any hinder the Lords Appointments or frustrate the vertue of the Death of Christ Vse Let it teach vs all the practice of that high point of Dutie l 1. Pet. 4.19 Resigning our selues to the Lords absolute disposing in our outward estate whether it shall be by life or death As m 1. Sam. 3.18 ELI as n 2. Sam. 15 26. DAVID It is the Lord let him doe whatsoeuer seemes good in his eyes Am I assured that neither shall hinder my saluation Then though the Lord prolong my life to see neuer so many euils though hee call to suffer death neuer so vntimely or full of torture me thinkes I cannot but say as they The Lords will be fulfilled Sometimes it falls out that life to Gods children seemes a burthen So did it to o 1. King 19.4 Elias seeing the miserable deprauation of all things in the Kingdome of Israel and the implacable furie of that Monster Iezabel So to p Iob. 6.9 10. Iob suspecting his strength in such extremitie of Afflictions Sometimes Death especially violent affrights euen to amazement It is indeed the most terrible of all painefull euils Consider we in either temptation what Paul here teacheth What euer our lot shall be whether Life or Death our Saluation is certaine founded on Gods vnchangeable Decree purchased by the precious Bloud-shedding and Death of Christ If Life be perplexed in miserie yet hee whom thou hast trusted is able to keepe what thou hast committed vnto him If Death seize thee whether naturall or violent it cannot separate whether wee sleepe or wake die or liue wee shall liue together with him that died for vs. VERS 11. Wherefore comfort your selues together and edifie one another euen as also wee doe THe words containe another Precept subordinately seruing to the practice of the duties of Sobrietie Watchfulnesse c. formerly inioyned In them obseruable are first the Duties secondly the Persons to whom they are inioyned thirdly the necessitie and ground of the Duties fourthly the mollification of the Precept The Duties are to comfort and edifie The word translated Comfort signifies indifferently to comfort to exhort to entreat That of Edifying is metaphoricall and signifies first to build vp thence it is translated to signifie any furthering or promoting of another or our selues in grace or gracious practice by Instruction Admonition Exhortation c. Obser The Dutie then is of all Gods people to further each other by all holy meanes in gracious courses To the People it is said q Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another dayly to the People commanded To r Heb. 10.24 prouoke each other to Loue and good Works to the People belongs that of Iude Å¿ Iude 20. Edifie one another in your holy Faith And long before t Leuit. 19.17 To rebuke their Neighbour and not suffer him to sinne Practice of Saints is ancient Before-time it was wont to be said in Israel u 1. Sam. 9.9 Come let vs goe vp to the Seer c. It is true that in the manner of performing something there is in all these peculiar to Ministers Thus conceiue this mutuall edification to differ from that wee call Ministeriall First the one is with Authoritie the other out of sociall Charitie Secondly to doe these things in the Congregation is so peculiar to the Ministerie that he is guiltie of x Heb. 5.4 vsurping the honour of AARON that intrudes vpon it yet in the Familie and priuate Conuersation the Duties belong to all Vse Two sorts of people are here reproued first of them that what in them lies destroy rather then build rather quench then further grace in others The Rulers in Christs time had made an Ordinance y Ioh. 9.22 That whosoeuer ioyned to Christ should be cast out of the Synagogue I make no question but Gods Decree was as peremptorie for the Ordainers to cast them out of his Kingdome Christ I am sure cries heauie Woe to such as z Luk. 11.52 neither entred themselues nor suffered those that would And but that I know all haue not Faith and that the World cannot receiue the Spirit of God a man might make question whether these were the dayes of the New Testament I meane for the behauiour of the multitude It was prophecied of those dayes a Zach. 8.21 Mic. 4.2 They should one prouoke another to pietie The Prophecie is fulfilled in those whose hearts God hath seasoned with Grace whoso hinders it giues euidence he hath no part nor portion in this businesse How full is euery Congregation of feoffing Ishmaels that labour by reproches and like persecutions to discourage those they see comming onward to Christ It is true of these times that the Prophet complained of in Israel Whoso walketh vprightly makes himselfe not a reproch onely but a prey And which is prodigious me thinkes in Parents to whom what should be so precious as the soules of their children rather then they shall share in the Inheritance of the Saints their temporall Inheritance shall be aliened from them Woe and a heauie Woe to such b Mat. 18.6 How much better were it that a Mill-stone were hanged about their necke and they cast into the Sea A second sort is of men sinning by carelesse neglect of these Duties thinking it well and enough for them that they hinder no mans progression in grace And surely such are the times generally that he seemes to deserue the repute of a good man that doth no euill though he doe no good Quest Forsooth c Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his owne burthen and whereto serue our Ministers Answ God hath layd this charge vpon euery mans Conscience to admonish and exhort the Precept is not only to turne but to d Ezech. 18.30 cause others to turne and the sinnes of others which thou art bound to hinder by not hindering become thine The duties in publike concerne the Ministers But is it for nought that yee are called a Kingdome e Reuel 1.6 of Priests and haue all receiued f 1. Joh. 2.20 an Oyntment from the Father Bee all exhorted to more conscience of these duties First Our neere coniunction in the Body of Christ requires it There is in the naturall body amongst the members
doubt not but there may bee found amongst men carnall some euen louing respect to the person of a faithfull Minister as perhaps for that they are wel-vsed in their payments and that which chiefly drawes the brutish multitude the feeding of their bellies Perhaps the gifts GOD hath bestowed on some may draw not only reuerence but loue to their persons In all this yet they haue no comfort except the worke bee it that drawes affection He that can say I loue a Minister because hee teacheth me to know God because hee informes mee of dutie and reprooues my steppings aside that is the man that hath comfort in his loue What thinke you then of them to whom the worke is the thing that is most odious To say nothing of the baser people whose complaint professed is that the merrie World is gone since preaching came vp euen amongst them that would seeme wise this is heard sometime as reason of their lesse loue They could loue the Minister well were it not for his double diligence in preaching His honestie and peaceablenesse and learning they seeme to loue the worke is that they professe to hate Oh cursed state of such mens soules I conclude it thus He that loues not a Minister euen for admonition and reproofe sake hath no comfort in his loue Iewes heare with patience Stephens narration his reproofe is Gall and Worme-wood h Acts 7.54 Therefore they gnash with their teeth and stone him And be at peace among your selues The dutie concernes the people not onely towards their Ministers though some so conceiue but each towards another Peace is of three sorts First Fayned as that of Iudas Secondly Inordinate as that of Herod and Pilate Thirdly Christian the bond and limit whereof is Sanctitie A dutie euery-where commended vnto vs Heb. 12.14 Iames 3. Psal 141. And so how many i Ephes 4.4 5 6 Vnities the Apostle remembers vs of that wee might bee perswaded to this vnity of mindes and affections It were long to number the reasons the Scripture giues to presse the study and indeuour of it It is good and pleasant k Psal 133.1 how good and pleasant some things are good that are not pleasant as patience and tolerance of euils Some are pleasant but not good as Epicurisme Vanitie and voluptuous Liuing some neyther good nor pleasant as Enuie a torturing euill But of Peace and brotherly Concord saith DAVID It is good and pleasant It were long to tell how God delights to stile himselfe The l 2. Cor. 13.11 God of Peace how Christ came m Ephes 2.14 to make our Peace How the Gospell is called the Gospell of Peace Gods Children n Luke 10.6 Children of Peace Would God wee could once frame our selues to liue at Peace I meane Peace with Holinesse For of vnholy peace I say as HIEROME Melius est dissidium pietatis ortum causâ quà m vitiosa Concordia And that those vnquiet spirits amongst vs would once turne themselues to more amiable courses of Vnitie Surely I must needes say I sometimes thinke with DAVID My soule hath too long dwelt with them that are Enemies vnto Peace and cry Wo is mee that I am constrayned to dwell with Meshech I am loth to say as PAVL Vtinam excindantur that trouble vs but I pray GOD giue them more peaceable spirits or else as hee If any delight to dwell in Meshech I would for my part hee had a Tabernacle there But sure so long as those three Enemies to Peace bee found amongst vs wee must neuer expect it First o Pro. 13.10 Pride by which saith SALOMON men make contention whiles euery man delights to seeme somebodie a ruler euen of those that God hath set ouer them The Sheepe in Iudea were wont to follow their Shepheard Their guize in England is to goe before him It is as true of the Mysticall as of the Naturall Sheepe The second is Selfe-loue and this in things of this life is still the Mother and Nurse of Contentions whiles euery man vrgeth extremitie of right and parts with no penny profit to purchase this peerelesse blessing of Peace p Gen. 13.9 Thus did not ABRAHAM The third is busie meddling in things that concerne vs not Saint Paul doth not for nothing couple these two together q 1. Thess 4.11 Studio to bee quiet and doe your owne businesse Curiositie is a turbulent euill They are restlesse spirits that are so busie and meddling with things impertinent to them Bee exhorted I beseech you in the Apostles wordes r Philip. 2.3 4. to doe nothing by contention and vaine glorie labour for Humilitie Looke not euery man on his owne things but on the things also of another Doe your owne businesse In a word If it bee possible as much as in vs lyes ſ Rom. 12.18 let vs haue Peace with all men so the God of Peace shall be with vs. VERS 14. Now wee exhort you Brethren warne them that are disorderly comfort the feeble-minded support the weake be patient toward all A Heape of duties are here couched together foure in number the three first haue speciall respect to some particulars The fourth concernes vs in respect of all The particulars Pauls prudence prescribes fittingly to the state and quality of the persons In euery of them consider we First The dutie Secondly The persons to whom it must bee performed The first duty is admonition the persons to whom it belongs are the disorderly See who they are Interpreters think the Metaphor borrowed from the custome of War wherein euery Souldier hath his station is assigned to his ranke from which when he swarues he becomes inordinate So conceiue they the Apostle to intimate that God hath assigned to euery of the Church his speciall place and calling wherein to serue God wherein when they grow dissolute and transgresse their limits they violate the order that the Lord hath prescribed In the next Epistle the Apostle seems to explain what he meant by the inordinate they were such t 2. Thess 3.10 as transgressed the rule prescribed by him for better ordering of outward life Ioyne all together wee shall finde foure sorts of inordinate walkers First of them that haue no speciall station or calling in Church or Common-wealth wherein to serue God Secondly Such as are dissolute or negligent in their vocation Thirdly Those that intrude vpon other mens callings Fourthly Such as transgresse wholesome ordinances established for better ordering of common life Touching the first sort liuing without particular calling The order set downe by the Lord himselfe for assignement of euery one to his speciall vocation is as ancient as the World Adam in Paradise is appointed u Gen. 2.15 to dresse the Garden It is Ambrose his obseruation out of Philo * Ambros de Paradiso cap. 4. Though Paradise in respect of the fertility of the place needed no husbandry yet because the first man was to bee a Law to his
sort willingly putting from them that fruit of the Spirit ioy in the fauour and free grace of God That though the Lord hath done wonderfull things for their soules deliuered them from power of darkenesse mortified their corruptions sanctified them by his Spirit yet macerate their soules with sorrowes and pine away in perplexed feares of the wrath of God from which they are deliuered What is it that should thus perplexe a Childe of God truely fearing his Name and desiring in all things to liue honestly Is it their past sinnes they are no sooner repented but they are forgiuen and so esteemed as if they had neuer bin committed Is it their present imperfections They are couered with the perfection of Christs obedience Is it the rebellion of their hearts That issues not from them but from k Rom. 7.20 sinne dwelling in them Is it doubt of perseuerance That is founded on how many pillars that shall neuer bee shaken Gods l Iohn 10.29 power and promise Christs merit and intercession Gods Spirits vertue and continuall subministration Is it afflictions They m Rom. 8.28 worke to our good Is it Death n Heb. 2.14 Christ hath ouercome it Is it Iudgement It is o Rom. 8.33 God that iustifieth Is it Damnation There is none to them that are in Christ To conclude thou canst thinke of nothing that can be true cause of sorrow to thee being in Christ not walking after the flesh but after the Spirit p Psal 43.5 Why art thou then cast downe my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee Trust in the Lord he is the helpe of thy countenance and thy God q Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say Reioyce He is not thorowly thankefull for Gods fauours whom they affect not vnto reioycing And let that bee a second point of notice from this Text that Gods fauours ought to affect vs euen to reioycing So is the Precept r Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say Reioyce he doubles the mandate to shew the necessitie of the dutie The end of Leuiticall Festiuities was this It is in truth the top of Thankefulnesse arguing not onely our sense of Gods fauour but our right prizing and valuation of his blessings Who feeles himselfe affected with Ioy for a benefit of no esteeme with him And who but a man conceiuing some singular sweetnesse in the fauours of God can bee affected with them vnto reioycing Therefore the Lord sometimes permits vs to sense of the want of them that in the restoring we might find fuller comfort Ber. in Cantic Serm. 68. Sweetly said BERNARD Placet cunctis securitas sed ei magis qui timuit lucunda omnibus lux sed euadenti de potestate tenebrarum iucundior Transsisse de morte ad vitam vitae gratiam duplicat It is his opinion that though Angels in Heauen haue their Ioy in that God was pleased to preserue them in the state of Blessednesse yet more full is the Ioy of Gods Children the sonnes of men that once fell from their happinesse and are againe restored by the death of Christ Lamentable is the coldnesse of our affections in enioying the fauours of God that howsoeuer wee can sometimes say God a thanke yet euen his prime fauours such as accompany Saluation few are so farre affected withall as to reioyce in them It were well wee did not sometimes murmure against him for the small measures of Grace bestowed on vs. It seemes little to vs to Å¿ Marke 9.24 see our infidelitie and striue against it though that argue the presence of Faith except wee obtayne full victorie against all doubtings Little we thinke it that wee haue a t Nehem. 1.11 desire to feare Gods Name though euen for that Nehemiah layes clayme to the promise of God except wee be quite rid of all securitie and euen seruilitie in our feare Little that wee haue receiued a desire in all things to liue honestly though that in Pauls acknowledgement be the u Heb. 13.18 marke of a good Conscience except also our abilities to doe good bee answerable to our will Oh Brethren consider These little gifts are great fauours if we consider our no merits at the Giuers hands yea our deseruings of the contrary Be admonished to acknowledge them according to their worth and to make euen the lest testimonies of Gods fauour occasions to thee of reioycing x Mat. 25.23 Hee shall neuer bee ruler ouer much that is not faithfull in his little Neuer let him looke for perfection that rightly prizeth not the beginnings of Grace in his heart But much more damnable is that discontentment at sundry prime blessings tending to life and godlinesse to be seene in our multitude It was in Pauls esteeme a chiefe Blessing granted vnto Iewes that to y Rom. 3.2 them were committed the Oracles of God A speciall fauour God promiseth it to his Church To z Ier. 3.15 giue them Pastours after his owne heart to feed them with knowledge and vnderstanding Saith the Euangelist of it vouchsafed to ZABVLON and NEPHTHALI It is a Mat. 4.16 as light to them that haue long sitten in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death O wretched Miscreants they that cry out vpon this blessing and fauour of God as of some great vengeance and as Gadarens preferre their swinish affections and brutish pleasures before the sacred Word of God that should bee to vs as to IEREMIE b Jer. 15.16 The very ioy and reioycing of our hearts Wonderfull is Gods patience in mens prouocation I should else wonder that hee had not long since sent vpon vs c Amos 8.11 that famine in the Prophet not of bread and water but of hearing the Word of God Quest Lastly would any know how he may prouide to haue this holy Ioy alwayes conuersant with him Answ Three Graces of God there are especially auayleable this way First Faith Secondly Hope Thirdly Constant Obedience Faith giues vs title to the promises to Christ his Merits Righteousnesse Kingdome If that faile vs in the exercise yet hope sustaines the Soule while it beholds the blessings in the promise certaine though not yet exhibited Obedience constant and vninterrupted qualifies vs after a sort to receiue the Promises and as an euidence furthers vs in expectation of the Blessings Neyther Faith nor Hope are founded on our Obedience but the exercise of both is furthered by Obedience in such sort that longer then thou holdst on conscionably thy course of holy Obedience thou canst neyther bee assured of Gods Fauour nor on any sound euidence except his Blessings promised Bernard de Verb Apost non est Regnum Dei c. ser 2. Sic fatui filij ADAM praecipiti saltu iustitiam transilientes pacem rem finalem in principium conuertere peruertere vultis Nemo enim est qui gaudere non velit Non stabit non erit istud quia
haue erst named honoris causa and cannot sine planctu remember Onely so much as circumstances may occasion further to notice I insist on Call to mind with me the commendation giuen by the Apostle to this people how hee professeth vndoubtfull perswasion of their election in regard of their rich measure of faith patience sanctitie become famous through the world exemplary to neighbour Churches and how to this people so euery way gracious beyond comparison he presseth necessitie of attending to prophecie the note thus kindly floweth What euer our measures of Grace may be how rich soeuer we be in faith and charitie our duetie still is to attend to preaching DAVID a man of Propheticall gifts and spirit ſ Psal 84.2 yet longs after Gods presence in the Tabernacle perswaded in all likely-hood that though the Lord might worke mightily in his heart by his priuate Meditations when not contempt but necessity detained him from the Congregation Yet that viua vox of the Prophets had in it aliquid latentis energiae MARIE long after her conuersion t Luk. 10.39 41. sits at our Sauiours feete to heare the gracious words proceeded from his mouth Where Martha her sister receiues her checke for not attending this vnum necessarium Take view of the vses it hath to men most inlightened and sanctified it will appeare without controuersie First Consider that howsoeuer in our first conuersion corruption of nature receiues the death-wound by this sword of the Spirit yet still remaines there aliquid amputandum something to be cut off and mortified We erre saith Bernard Bernard super Cantic ser 58. how much soeuer wee haue profited in mortification if we thinke our sinnes quite dead and not rather suppressed Velis nolis habitabit intra fines tuos Iebusaeus subiugari potest sed non exterminari The Apostle complaines him heauily of u Rom. 7.20 sinne dwelling in him euer fighting sometimes preuailing against grace And though it be true our priuate helpes of Fasting Prayer Diuine Meditation c. are of some force to abate the furie of Concupiscence yet in mortifying corruption this liuely x Heb. 4.12 two-edged sword of the Spirit the Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers hath the preeminence of efficacie Secondly Euen to discouery of sinnes after greatest renouation it hath also necessary vse The y Iere. 17.9 heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things who can know it There are secret corners therein many wherein wickednesse lies lurking z Psal 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth Oh clense mee saith DAVID from my secret from my vnknowne sinnes If this were true of Dauid a man of so excellent spirit such a diligent examiner of his heart vpon his bed who of vs may say hee sees euery corrupt propension of his heart and needs not daily profit in knowledge and discouery of his corruptions wherto though priuate looking into the a Iam. 1.25 perfect law of libertie be much auaileable yet the liuely b 1. Cor. 14.25 discouerer is Prophecie that is it that vnbowels corruption and best displayes the hidden nakednesse of the old Adam Thirdly How many are the errors and steppings aside of the most sanctified by actuall sinnes In c Iames 3.2 many things wee sinne all Fac vt non corruerim said HIEROME Hieron Certè offendi non in vno sed in pluribus God hath indeed sanctified afflictions to this end to reduce vs from our wanderings and hath giuen vs euery one into our bosomes Conscience to bee a remembrancer of our doings amisse yet neither crosses nor conscience haue power comparable with preaching to procure our reuocation So many vses hath it to Gods children in respect of the remanents of corruption See if not as many for behoofe of grace receiued As first for establishment and confirmation of our gracious estate For alas whose heart doth not tell him his owne infirmities Whose faith so constant as admits no wauering or resolutions so firme that sometime flagger not Or holy practice so stable that admits no interruption And though God hath bound himselfe by couenant to d 1. Cor. 1.8 to confirme vs blamelesse vnto the end And his free e Psal 51.12 Spirit be the principall stablisher of vs in grace yet his meane and instrument is this of Prophecie especially That was the reason Apostles where they had planted Churches returned in person f Act. 14.22 to confirme the Disciples hearts not resting contented to deale by letters Secondly Besides though the Spirit of sanctification cannot quite be extinguished in the hearts of Gods children yet may the liuelihood and vigour of his operations be abated The Apostle was perswaded of Hebrewes such things g Heb. 5.9 as accompanied saluation yet complaines of dulnesse growne vpon them in hearing And that Timothie to whom he giues so excellent commendation yet had neede of a remembrancer h 2. Tim. 1.6 to stirre vp his gift Reading hath his force this way yet the quickener indeed is the liuely voyce of a Preacher Thirdly Certaine abatements of the measures of Grace there are incident into the most sanctified abatements I meane of the very habite of Grace The Angell of Ephesus left his i Reuel 2 4. first loue we also admit our decaies and declinations For this end hath God ordayned the Ministery Not only for gathering of the Saints but for k Ephes 4.12 repare of those breaches tentation hath made vpon his Church Fourthly If these Reasons perswade not sufficiently necessitie of this Ordinance for the best and most sanctified yet I presume the Heresie of Perfectists is farre from vs. No man may say hee hath attayned perfection when so l Philip. 3.13 great an Apostle professedly disclaymes it In the easiest part of Christianitie that stands in knowledge and vnderstanding who dare clayme perfection when Dauid after so long daily studie of the Law of GOD professeth to m Psal 19.18 see wonders past his comprehension and Paul proclaymes of all men himselfe not excepted they know n 1. Cor. 13.9 but in part In matter of practice how farre shorter come wee when the most wee dare professe is that o Rom. 17.18 to will is present with vs. Fayne wee would trust p 1. Pet. 1.13 perfectly on the Grace of God but our incredulous hearts with-holden by Satan permit it not Fayne cast off the sinne q Heb. 12.1 that hangeth on fast and presseth downe sore that wee might runne with ioy the race that is set before vs but such a masse of coruption wee feele clogging vs that we can scarce hold on a Snayles pace to the Kingdome of Heauen So then whether we respect the sinne that dwels in vs or the Grace we haue receiued we see there is necessary continuall attendance to prophecie euen for the greatest amongst the Saints of God First for discouery of secret and vnknowne sinnes Secondly For increase of
Mortification Thirdly For Reuocation and renewing our Repentance after our falls And in Grace First That our weaknesse may bee confirmed Secondly Our dulnesse excited Thirdly Our decayes repayred Fourthly Our wants supplyed till wee become perfect men in Christ Iesus whereto this the helpe most auayleable r Ephes 4.11 12 13. PAVL and Å¿ 1. Pet. 2 2. PETER being witnesses Opposite to this Doctrine and Dutie we find sundry rankes of men First Anabaptists and such like phantasticall Enthusiasts that pretending I know not what familiaritie with the Spirit of God and trusting to his immediate inspirations vilifie Preaching Reading Prayer Sacraments all parts of the Ministerie Obiect The Scripture read or preached is a dead Letter Inkie Diuinitie Sacraments empty Pageants and representations of the death of Christ without likelihood The Spirit is he that quickeneth Answ Freely wee confesse the actuall efficacie of Word and Sacraments to depend vpon the operation of the Spirit of God they are all to vs dead and liuelesse except hee be pleased graciously to worke with them what else should bee the reason that where the same Word is preached with like power of the Minister it is in some hearers powerfull to conuert and comfort in others hath no efficacie at all But LYDIAS heart t Acts 16.14 Gods Spirit opened to attend the rest attend not because hee opens not Yet First hath it by Gods Ordinance a fitnesse to worke u 1. Thess 2.13 mightily it is liuely and x Heb. 4.12 mightie in operation As y Ier 2â— 9 the Hammer that breakes the stone and no lesse then fire operatiue Secondly Yea ordinarily the Spirit workes not but by this instrument wherefore Paul stickes not to call Ministers Cooperarios z 1 Cor. 3.9 Dei and wee are said to a 1. Tim. 4.16 saue them that heare vs. Thirdly And what should be the reason the Lord in the Couenant is pleased to ioyne together his Spirit b Esay 59.21 and his Word Saue only to signifie that the ordinary operations of his Spirit are c See Acts 10.44 Gal 3.2 by this instrument And howsoeuer hee may bee pleased sometimes to worke aboue his order yet not at all on such as despise this Ordinance So that what euer pretences they make of the Spirit who despise Prophecie it is not the Spirit of GOD whereby they are inspired but the Spirit of the World by which they are deluded Secondly Our people also wee see seduced though not with the spirit of Enthusiasts yet with a prophane and desperate spirit And their resolution is to leaue all to the Lords disposing hee that made them let him saue them they without the meanes euen where GOD vouchsafeth them expect Saluation how else were their Fathers saued Answ How was d Deut. 9.9 MOSES and e 1. King 19.8 ELIAS preserued without food forty dayes forty nights It was by an extraordinary worke of Gods Power shewing himselfe able to worke without and aboue meanes And so it may bee God dealt with his Children liuing in times of Popish darkenesse hee wrought aboue his ordinary But should wee not thinke him madde that expecting extraordinary preseruation without foode after the example of Moses and Elias would attempt a Fast so extraordinary Like thinke here This once wee know for truth where God giues meanes ordinary for Saluation hee violates f Act. 8.29 9.6 11. not his order They tempt God to their owne destruction that neglecting the meanes expect a worke extraordinary in their Saluation Thirdly There is yet a third sort and they are much amongst vs so prophane and godlesse that they sticke not to blaspheme this sacred Ordinance of God and therefore to contemne it because it is they say occasion of dissension and strife and none worse then they that runne after Sermons Oh I beseech you Brethren tremble at such Blasphemies as to thinke the Word of God the Gospell of Peace the Word of God so pure that thereby wee g Iohn 17.17 are sanctified should of it owne Nature breed either Discord or Disobedience the Nature of it is to meeken sauage affections and it is h 2. Cor. 10.5 mightie through God to subdue euery vile thought to the obedience of Christ And where it takes place in hearts of men None are more eyther i Iames 3.17 pure or peaceable It is true there follow it often strifes and dissensions where it is powerfully taught but where is the Reason In the Nature of the Word or was euer any heard exhorting to discords or prophanenesse The Cause are the turbulent spirits and prophane hearts and Hypocrisie of Hearers When Paul came to Ephesus to preach the Gospell All the k Act. 19.25 29 Citie was in an vprore but was the fault in the Apostles preaching Or rather in the peoples superstition and cursed Couetousnesse And though it bee true there are that make Religion it selfe Cloke for Villanie shall Gods Ordinance bee blâ—â—â—â—d that coÌ„demnes Hypocrisie Rather the deuillish dissembling of men that mâ—king shew of godlinesse l 2. Tim. 3.5 deny the power there 〈◊〉 their liues Fourthly To these succeed such as hauing receiued some glimmering Light of the Truth and perhaps some dispositions towards Sanctification beginne presently to vilifie this Ordinance in iudgement and practice necessary they say it is to worke conuersion not so for increase or confirmation Therefore forsake they the Assemblies and are betaken to their priuate Meditations and deuotions And yet said PAVL m 1 Cor. 14.22 Prophecie is for them that beleeue and the Ministery ordayned not only to gather the Church but to build it n Ephes 4.12 13. to perfection and whoso forsakes o Heb. 10.25 26. the Assemblies let him beware hee prooue not an Apostate Grieuous haue beene the falls of many by this occasion such as a man may tremble to thinke of and let their harmes bee our warnings Lastly if for men of best gifts it bee so necessary how much more for Nouices Weaklings Aliens If a people so eminent and eximious in Faith and Sanctitie may not neglect Prophecie how should the ignorant and vnsanctified depend on it that they may partake the liuely power thereof to Saluation Such Idiots wonder at men of knowledge they are frequent in hearing The saying is Scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem In experience the more ignorant and gracelesse the more contemptuous towards preaching poore soules that see not how miserable and bitter a thing it is to liue in state p 2. Thes 1.8 of ignorance and disobedience The Lord in mercy giue them eyes to see hearts to vse meanes to q 2. Tim. 2.26 come out of the snare of the Deuill To close vp all let mee adde a reason or two to set edge on the exhortation First consider how the contempt of this ordinance makes all other our seruice of God abominable yea curseth all other meanes
make inquirie Qui credente mundo ipse non credit Augustin de Ciuitat Dei magnum est ipse prodigium In Gods Church gathered by the doctrine of the Scriptures to examine whether Scriptures be the Word of God what were it but to question principles and to make our selues prodigious in absurditie And when we feele sensibly the effects of sinne originall who but a Monster as Pelagius would question Natures deprauation Secondly presume not to search beyond reuelations Pauls rule is k Rom. 12.4 to be wise to sobrietie MOSES conclusion l Deut. 29.29 that only things reueiled belong to vs that made PAVL m Rom. 11.33 admire what he was not able to comprehend whose prudent humilitie if it were entertayned would put end to most Arminian and Vorstian conceits These and like cautions obserued the people are permitted yea inioyned to examine what is doctrinally propounded to them Vse 1 So that they of Rome apparently vsurpe authoritie more then the Lord euer granted to any Church ordinarie requiring of the people caecam fidem and after determination of the Church once passed definitiuely allowing no examination of whatsoeuer they propound to be beleeued or obeyed wherein see if they arrogate not more then euer did Apostles or Prophets yea or the n Ioh. 5.39 Arch-Shepherd of our soules ISAY calls the people o Isai 8.20 to the Law and Testimonie Saint Peter commends their prudent p 2. Pet. 1.19 attendance to the word of Prophets our Sauiour permits himselfe and his doctrine q Ioh. 5.39 to tryall by Scriptures This is the prerogatiue of the Church of Rome only as was that of Pythagoras to be beleeued vpon their bare word Dixit Ecclesia and there must all inquiries of Gods people rest A man would wonder else to see so many prodigies of Errour goe currant amongst the people so vtterly against Scripture and common sense They are wise in their generation forestalling the minds of the people with that preiudice it is vnlawfull to dispute the determinate conclusions of the Church Laying that also for a ground that they are the only true Church of God vpon earth what maruell if incestuous Marriages murther of Princes or if there be any other Monster of opinion or practice contrarie to wholesome doctrine which is according to Godlinesse passe currant with the people in esteeme legitimate No lesse defectiue in this dutie are our credulous multitude Vse 2 hand ouer head admitting whateuer by their teachers is propounded vnto them forsooth their guides shall answere for them if haply they misse-leade them But haue they not heard Ezechiels proclamation the bloud of them that perish by default of the Watchman God shall require at his hands r Ezech. 3.18 yet die the people in their sinnes and that of our Sauiour When the blinde leades the blinde blinde Pastor blinde People not ſ Matt. 15.14 the Guide only but the people fall into the pit Another sort there are And they ouercarried with reuerence Vse 3 of some mens persons and gifts in matters of Faith and iustest scruples of conscience content themselues with naked iudgement of them whose persons they haue in admiration a Rule currant they thinke it for iudgement and conscience that thus thinks such a reuerend Minister thus therefore they beleeue and practice In matter of ceremonie I am sure the bare opinion of some Ministers to whom our irregulars haue inclosed sinceritie out-faceth Authoritie and beares downe Reason without reason afore it Alas that reasonable men should be so vnreasonable and pretended conscience so blinde as to warrant it selfe vpon the erroneous iudgement of men and that Sic dicit homo should sway vs in these things without or against Sic dicit Dominus Our wisedome it shall be to make vse of the libertie God hath giuen vs that we erre not by too much credulitie nor reiect Truth through ouer-much preiudice and stiffenesse in opinion The rule of triall demanded Papists assigne vs the Churches determinations But First if they also be subiect to trialls as we see by our t Matth. 5.27 15.4 5. Sauiours practice how may we thinke them the rule and measure of Truth Regula is not regulatum Secondly if Councells be not priuiledged from possible errours and haue erred de facto as Diuines haue fully euidenced how may wee thinke their sentence authentique and so selfe-credible as thither vltimately to resolue our faith What then may more safely be made our rule then that which Peter calls the u 2. Pet. 1.19 most sure word of Prophets so was x Iob. 5.39 Christs Precept so y Act. 17.11 Beraeans practice so Constantine at the Councell of Nice will haue all other preiudices and authorities set apart and calls for that Codex Dei to be the vmpire of all their controuersies I enter not the question who shall be the Interpreter The Scripture I know as it came not from a priuate spirit so is z 2. Pet. 1.20 21 not of any priuate interpretation It selfe is Text and Glosse in matters necessarie opening it owne obscurities These few rules only collected thence I commend to GODS people to guide their examinations First Gods ayme in our saluation is the a Ephes 1.12 glorie of his rich Grace the b Rom. 3.27 abasing of mans pride In the course of saluation what doctrine crosseth those ends doubtlesse is not of God Secondly Euangelicall Truths tend all to settle conscience in c Rom. 5.1 solid peace through assurance of Gods loue suspect those doctrines as not Euangelicall that hold Conscience on the racke and prescribe not right meanes of peace with God Thirdly All heauenly doctrine both of Law and Gospell tends to mortification of euill Concupiscence teacheth d Tit. 2.12 to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to walke soberly iustly godly in this present world Be iealous of all doctrines leading to carnall libertie they are not of God that are enemies to sanctitie Followes the next branch of dutie Hold fast that which is good The order of these prescripts deserues our notice affoording mee thinks kindly this Conclusion That prudent examination must order our resolutions neither may we euer peremptorily settle our resolutions before wee see our warrant whereon to resolue Paul hath like exhortation to the Romanes to cleaue to that which is good yet before aduiseth to e Rom. 12.2 9. prooue what the good and acceptable Will of the Lord is A point worthy our notice in this head-long and head-strong generation abounding with so many peremptory and pertinacious spirits pitching their resolutions without care of information and in matters most disputable impatient of dispute or contradiction I would haue them first consider of what spirit it sauours to be thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f 2. Pet. 2.10 selfe-willed It is Gods mercy to such men in weightiest matters to giue them sound Iudgement whither else might their stiffenesse carrie them
r 1. Cor. 5.10 must wee goe out of the World But familiarly to vse such what is it but First to harden them in euill Secondly Without calling to frequent their company is to hazzard thy selfe to infection Thirdly To wound fame at least by this shew of euill occasioning beholders to censure vs as fauourers of their lewd courses Costly and gorgeous attyre is not to all men at all times vnlawfull The High Priest amongst Iewes had his Vestiments of the costlyest and our Sauiour blames not SALOMON Å¿ Mat. 6.29 for his clothing in Royalty But beyond compasse of ability to array our selues is Prodigalitie aboue our Calling no lesse then Pride at least a shrewd species and appearance of it I cannot oft enough repeate that Canon of Bernard so much vse hath it in the life of a Christian All our actions and intendements should be preuented with this triple consideration First An liceat Secondly An deceat Thirdly An expediat Things lawfull in themselues may be vnseemely for our state and calling vnbehooueful also to benefit of others Thinke vnlawfull for thee whatsoeuer implyes eyther inexpediencie or indecorum Secondly And must the showes of euill be auoyded how much more should the euils themselues bee abhorred Is the shew of Idolatry so euill how much more accursed is Idolatry it selfe Is it so euill to seeme couetous much more to bee so seeme wee neuer so liberall or religious Cursed Hypocrites there are many scrupulous of nothing but the showes of euill so their outside be painted no matter how full of rottennesse their inwards are Let them but seeme deuout others shall haue leaue to expresse the power and life of Godlinesse Let them not seeme prophane they t Titus 1.16 will be abominable disobedient and to euery good worke as reprobate But is it euill to seeme euill much more to be so By seeming euill thou woundest Fame by being euill thou piercest Conscience and exposest thy soule to the wrath of God Thirdly From all appearance Greater or lesse Therefore from euils all be they neuer so small There is a kind of Libertinisme coasting nearer vpon prophanenesse then what the Apostle here interdicts vs and it is much amongst men A generation we haue whose whole out-cry is against precisenesse and strict care to flye from euill Enough they thinke it to shunne grossest sinnes with lesser the Lord will beare It is our too much nicetie once to scruple them First Let vs consider the greatest appearance and shew onely of euill is lesse euill then the least euill that is euill in realtie yet must all shewes of euill be auoyded Secondly u Mat. 5.19 The breach of the least Commandement makes vs lesse then nothing in the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdly Little sinnes haue often great consequences draw after them greater in case they be neglected Nemo repentè fit pessimus Fourthly At least by their multitude they prooue pernicious AVGVSTINE * Aug. in Ioan. Item in Psa â—29 Bernard Tunc leue dixeris c. Minutae sunt guttae quae flumina implent minuta sunt grana arenae sed si multa arena imponatur premit atque opprimit Hoc facit sentina neglecta quod facit fluctus irruens paulatim per sentinam intrat sed diu intrando non exhauriendo mergit nauim Fiftly And can we call it little wherewith Christ is offended for which we must be brought to Gods Iudgement Seate when it is so fearefull to fall into the hands of the liuing God Let vs all bee exhorted x Heb. 12.13 to make straight steps to our feete to walke accurately and y Ephes 5.15 exactly according to our rule to hate z Iude 23. the garment spotted of the flesh Prouiding for Conscience by eschewing euill for Fame by auoyding the shewes of euill And of the matter and substance of the Epistle hitherto VERS 23. And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and bodie bee preserued blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. THE Conclusion of the Epistle remaynes Wherein wee haue first a Petition put vp vnto GOD on behalfe of this people wherein summarily the Apostle prayes God to worke in them what hee had exhorted vnto progresse and perseuerance in Sanctitie The points obseruable are First That hee prayes Secondly What hee prayes His fact and the matter of it From his fact praying God to effect what hee had exhorted vnto we learne That the vertue and power of all exhortation of the whole Ministerie depends on the blessing of God PAVL planteth APOLLO watereth It is a 1. Cor. 3.6 God that giues the increase First what else shuld be the reason why the same word preached by the same Minister in the same euidence of the Spirit and power becomes vertuous in some to their amendment and eyther hardens others or at least amends them not Why b Acts 16.14 Lydia alone amongst that multitude beleeues the preaching of Paul Why c Esay 6.13 a tenth only returnes at Esay his preaching the rest are hardened Is it mans will only that puts this difference or rather the grant or denyall of the Grace of God In Lydiaes case Luke giues the reason of her attention God opened her heart In the Disciples our Sauiour d Mat. 11.25 God hid those things from the wise and prudent and reuealed them vnto Babes Secondly If nothing else this yet is sufficient euidence meanes weakest in the eye of Reason are often mightiest in operation In playnest obseruation the greatest Clerkes haue not alwayes beene the most fruitfull Ministers Men comparatiuely of weakest parts for Learning and other indowments GOD hath made his chiefe instruments to inlarge his Church that it might euer bee true that Paul hath God chooseth the e 1. Cor. 1.27 weake and foolish things of the World to confound the wiser and more mighty Thirdly And the weakest kinde of preaching most voyde of that which men call learning and ostentation f Cor. 1.21 the foolishnesse of preaching hath had greatest vertue in the hearts of the people In all experience the preaching most admired for depth and profoundnesse hath beene respectiuely most barren for this end I thinke That the g 2. Cor. 4.7 power might bee knowne to bee of God The weaker the instrument the more euident is the power of the principall worker More euidently appeared God Authour of victory to Gideon in that with a h Iudg. 7.20 21 few Pitchers and Lampes hee discomfited the Host of Midian then if the Armies of Israel had accompanied him to the Battell A man might easily see it was another breath then i Iosh 6.20 that of Rammes Hornes which ouerthrew the wals of Iericho by the sillinesse of the meanes vsed to that purpose First The meditation admonisheth to ascribe glorie of our Conuersion or whatsoeuer benefit we haue receiued by the Ministerie to that God of all grace
whose sole worke it is What is Paul what Apollos what the best gifted Minister but k 1. Cor. 3.5 A Minister by whom we haue beleeued and that as the Lord gaue to euery man The fault of Corinthians is noted in this kinde neglecting prayse of the Grace of God they fell to admire the gifts of their Teachers I would it were theirs onely and that our people had not persons of men in too much admiration so that the same Word of GOD vttered in like power and sinceritie of affection through preiudice seemes not the same in diuers mens mouthes But whiles wee stay thus on view and admiration of our Teachers gifts we detayne from God the glory of his rich Grace I say then as Peter to the men of Israel Why l Acts 3.12 locke yee so earnestly on vs as though by our owne power and holinesse wee haue made you whole the weapons of our warfare are mightie but m 2. Cor. 10.5 through God And this blessing it is only that makes the Gospell in our mouthes Gods power to our Saluation Secondly It instructs vs to the right course of profitable teaching and hearing To ioyne to our hearing and exhortation Prayer for Gods blessing First The complaint of Ministers is as was that of ESAY They n Esay 49.4 haue laboured in vaine and spent their strength See now successe or fruit of their labours in longest instance of preaching It may bee the reason stickes in the people God sometimes sends vs not so much to conuert as to harden In that case wee haue no cause of discouragement First God is glorified as well in the Iust hardening of Reprobates as in the Saluation of his Chosen Secondly And we are in both a o 2. Cor. 2.15 sweet sauour to God But take heed the fault sticke not in our selues that though perhaps wee haue beene instant in preaching yet our dissolutenesse hath beene too palpable in praying GODS blessing vpon our indeuours Secondly Amongst people also the course is vsuall to deriue the blame of their Non-proficiency from themselues to their Teacher Eyther hee is too profound or too plaine too cold or too hote too dissolute or too exact one way or other the fault must be the Ministers that the people are not bettered When as all this while the blame rests in themselues that they haue beene negligent in preparation forgetting to pray Gods blessing vpon their attention God will euer bee knowne to bee giuer of all Grace And hath therefore ordayned the vse of Prayer in his Church not as a meanes to informe him of our wants but as an acknowledgement and testification of that Principle of Saint IAMES p Iames 1.17 That euery good giuing and euery perfect gift comes downe from aboue descending from the Father of Lights To excite to this dutie let that be considered Gods Word hath euer his Worke. If it mollifie not it hardens if it conuert not it will one day confound The matter of Pauls Petition is First their Sanctification Secondly Their preseruation Both amplyfied by their extent both in the subiect and in time I pray God sanctifie you throughout The worke of Sanctification the Lord had graciously begunne in this people so much euinceth Pauls plentifull commendation giuen them for most parts of Sanctitie so that apparantly he beggeth of God what hee had exhorted vnto Their progresse and preseruation in the state of Grace Whence is the note Not beginnings only but increase and continuance in Sanctitie is the Worke of God He that beginnes the good worke the q Philip. 1.6 same perfects God is the Authour of all Grace it is he that calleth r 1. Pet. 5.10 makes perfect stablisheth strengthneth settleth vs. Whether meerely or mixtly is the question Pelagians anciently saw no necessitie of GODS gracious worke in vs. Sufficient they esteemed it for GOD to command and shew what is to be done that vouchsafed it rested in the power of mans Nature to doe what God prescribes To meere Nature they thought possible duties supernaturall as to vs in this state seeme Faith and Repentance Contra. Å¿ Iohn 6.44 No man can come to mee saith our Sauiour except my Father which sent mee draw him Christ chargeth on Nature not vnwillingnesse onely but impotencie to beleeue in him Paul not want only of knowledge but t 1. Cor. 2.14 disabilitie to know things of the Spirit of God In a word Is Nature strong enough Why then pray Saints ayde of Gods Grace Pray they necessarily assistance of Grace Nature then is insufficient There be that part stakes betwixt Grace and Nature Nature is weake and must bee assisted wounded but not to death As Christ of the Damosell so these of Nature u Mat. 9.24 Shee is not dead but sleepeth Excite Nature it workes with Grace to the first Conuersion perhaps without it to the increase of Sanctitie yet First saw the Lord in mans heart naturall no propension x Gen. 6.5 saue onely to euill Secondly Paul nothing but y Gal. 5.17 reluctation against Grace in men sanctified Thirdly Leaue holiest men to themselues as the Lord did z Chron. 32.31 Hezekiah c. What shew they but prophanenesse and vanitie Fourthly And said not Paul of himselfe now sanctified that a Rom. 7.18 in his flesh that is in that which remayned Naturall in him dwelt no good thing how then abilitie to cooperate with Grace It is true wee are Operis quodammodo socij per consensum audacti agimus but as instruments only in vertue of the principall Agent It is mans will that prosecutes his minde that vnderstands the things of the Spirit of God but the principle moouing both is supernaturall the abilitie to mooue to any thing pleasing God meerely from his Grace Pauls inference is b Philip. 2.12 13. With feare and trembling to Vse 1 worke out our Saluation sith will and worke beginnings increase continuance in Sanctitie are wholly and alone of God Presumptuous aboue measure is mans confidence in abilities receiued First aduenturing vpon the most dangerous occasions if not of Apostasie yet of declinings in holy practice the most leprous company is not feared for infection The c Deut. 7.3 4. neerest societie with Idolaters against which God especially giues vs caueat lest they withdraw vs from God how many dare venter vpon First Said Salomon in vaine Walke not in the way with Sinners Their attempt is to d Pro. 4.14 16. cause vs to fall Secondly Wee haue seene foule faultings of great Saints by that occasion That of e Nehem. 13.26 SALOMON whom may it not make tremble Thirdly And though wee haue promise to be preserued from euill yet is that protection f Psal 91.11 in vijs only not in praecipitijs Fourthly And if Nature of it selfe bee prone to euill how dare wee by occasion helpe forward that propension Secondly No lesse is their pride and tempting of God that
say though the Gospell be neuer preached vnto them Paul otherwise z Rom. 10.13 14. Therefore to them also must the Gospell be preached See also 1. Tim. 2. The same euidence the significations of GODS will and purpose two wayes hath God manifested to vs his purpose touching the saluation of his Church First by Promise Secondly by Precept His Promises signifie what he will doe His Precepts prescribe what we must doe that his promises may be to vs fulfilled To his Church hee promiseth to forgiue their sinnes withall giues vs command a Act. 3.19 to repent and beleeue that our sinnes may be done away when the time of refreshing shall come his promise is to saue his Children their duetie yet b Act. 2.40 to saue themselues from the vntoward generation I forbeare much proofe rather apply it to vse Reprouing not without indignation the profane opinion and practice of men that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and in a desperate resolution vpon a mistaken ground neglect all holy meanes of furthering Gods gracious purposes to their execution If God will saue them he will saue them what needs such nicenesse in matter of obedience If he will sanctifie them hee will sanctifie them though meanes of sanctification be neglected How strange and profane is this abuse of the grace of God that what hee propounds to encourage vs to vse the meanes he hath sanctified we should so farre peruert as to make our chiefe excitement to contemne them How should it incourage vs to labour for the meat that perisheth not to know our labour shall not c 1. Cor. 15.58 be in vaine in the Lord How animate vs to d Heb. 12.1 runne with ioy the race that is set before vs because we run not on e 1. Cor. 9.26 vncertainties In things of this life nothing so much excites our industrie as assurance of good issue How falls it that in matters of saluation it should dull our indeuours We cannot passe doome on any during this life nor sentence the vilest miscreants as Reprobates howbeit of men thus reasoning we may safely say They haue yet no euidence of their election to Life Let Gods people all be admonished to beware how they admit thought of sundring what God would haue ioyned together Let this euer be noted one difference betwixt Faith and Presumption Faith hauing promise of a blessing vseth with precisest care meanes ordered to obtayne it Presumption so builds on the promise that it regards not meanes of accomplishment See Act. 27.25 31. The substance of the Consolation God will doe it that is will sanctifie you throughout and preserue you blamelesse in that gracious estate The Conclusion here affoorded vs is Whom God beginnes to sanctifie he continues to sanctifie and preserues euer in the state of sanctitie The collection say some is naught except wee limit it to the Elect. Belike then it is possible for Reprobates to be sanctified Let that Conclusion be examined First f Ephes 1.4 Sanctification we finde Scriptures to make as properly a fruit of election as saluation Secondly so to appropriate it to Gods Chosen that it is made the vndoubtfull g 2. Pet. 1.10 marke of election How is it signe of election if incident into a Reprobate Thirdly the Spirit of sanctification promised onely to the Elect the h Joh. 14.17 world cannot receiue him Fourthly the heauenly inheritance appropriated to Gods Chosen yet extended to i Act. 20.32 all that are sanctified Fiftly And I wonder by what meane is this blessing procured to Cast-awayes Not by their owne merit for who giues God first Neither may wee thinke the Lord so prodigall of this fauour as to cast it away on them whom hee hath cast from his Loue As for Christs merit and intercession by which alone it is purchased to the Elect therein hath the k 2. Ioh. 17.9 world no portion What place then for such limitation We resume the Conclusion propounded in largest sense and thus make good the truth of it l Phil. 1.6 He that beginnes the good worke will perfect it to the day of Iesus The Lord will m 1. Cor. 1.8 confirme you to be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ For our fuller comfort wee haue Gods promise his Faithfulnesse and Truth laid to pawne shall we doubt of his faithfulnesse What promise of GOD made to the Church seemed it neuer so n Rom. 4.17.18 improbable or impossible in the eye of Reason euer fayled of due accomplishment Obiect It is true may some say God is faithfull and true so we be not vnfaithfull Answ First Not only so saith the Apostle but God is true though o Rom. 3.4 euery man be in part vnfaithfull The vnfaithfulnesse of men doth not abrogate the Truth of God Secondly God promiseth not only the mayne blessings but the meane graces promiseth to inable vs to performe what he requires to be performed of vs hee commands to walke in his feare promiseth so p Ier. 32.40 to put his feare into our hearts that we shall not depart from him commands to pray and make knowne our wants vnto him promiseth to powre vpon vs q Zach. 12.10 the Spirit of grace and deprecation Commands to keepe his Commandements promiseth to r Ezech. 36.27 cause vs to walke in his Statutes So forcibly flowes our Consolation from the faithfulnesse of the Promiser See if from the fact of God mentioned by the Apostle it runnes not as fluent Hee calleth you therefore will doe it God calleth three wayes First Operando Secondly Loquendo Thirdly Spirando By his Workes his Word and his Spirit First by his works of Creation and Prouidence hee calls alowd to the sinnes of men that they should Å¿ Act. 17.27 28. seeke after and acknowledge that God that made the world and the fulnesse thereof for the vse of men that t Act. 14.15 16 17. giues raine and fruitfull seasons and filleth our hearts with ioy and gladnesse The issues and effect of this calling is only to depriue of excuse Secondly To this therefore hath hee added in his Church his Word and Ministerie thereof therein inuiting all that heare it to Repentance and Saluation withall shewing the way and meanes of reconciliation and peace with God But this also is often through mans hardnesse u Heb. 4.2 and infidelitie ineffectuall to saue Thirdly Therefore is the Spirit sent also together with the Word by secret motions and instincts exciting our hearts to accept so great saluation offered in the Gospel And of his calling are two degrees First Inuitement Secondly effectuall perswasion Inuitement hath place in many cast-awayes children of perdition haue their holy motions and heare that voyce behinde them x Isai 30.21 Here is the way walke yee in it Wretched caytiffes that quench Gods Spirit resist the Holy Ghost and smother violently the sweet motions and instincts wherwith he inspires
them Hereto therefore he ads in those whom he purposeth to saue effectuall perswasion preuayling with their hearts to entertaine the Grace offered and framing them to the obedience of the Will of God Of this calling it is truly sayd it is pledge to vs of our profection and preseruation in Grace Therefore makes Peter no question but making y 2. Pet. 1.10 our calling sure we make our election and saluation sure and Paul deliuering vs like consolation elsewhere buildes on the same grounds z 1. Cor. 1.8 9. First God is faithfull Secondly That hath called you to the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ The Text explained hath fully prooued the conclusion I meane not on this occasion to make long stay in confuting the Doctrine of the possible Apostasie of the Saints The heads of Reasons brought to maintaine it I touch onely First Cautions many wee haue giuen vs to looke to a 1. Cor. 10.12 our standing to feare to beware how b Heb. 3.12 wee fall from the Grace of God Answ First these shew a possibility of reuolting in respect of our weakenesse and the power of meanes assaulting vs tend to admonish not to presume of our owne strength but to relie on the power and promise of God This hinders not our resting securely on the faithfulnesse and power of the promiser whereon depends our stablenesse in Grace See 1. Pet. 1.5 Secondly they imply a possibility conditionate onely not absolute suppose thus it is possible to fall from Grace except our care be to stand But this cautionatenesse in Gods children is as certaine in their performance as the iniunction is in the precept Whoso is borne of God c 1. Ioh. 5.18 keepes himselfe and that euill one toucheth him not 1. Ioh. 5.18 Thirdly they are meanes effectuall to worke what they prescribe Humilitie feare trembling to depart from the liuing God Obser Secondly Paul intimates experience testifies some Sanctified to haue fallen away Answ Of men Sanctified after the Homonymie of the word Scripture notes diuers degrees First some Sacramentaliter so all d Heb. 10.29 Baptized are said to be Sanctified because of their e Tit. 3.5 washing in that lauer of Regeneration and their consecration in Baptisme to the Seruice of God Secondly some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that receiue some parts materiall of Sanctification f 2. Pet. 2.18 Illumination outward Reformation c. Thirdly some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of disposition as those that are said to g Heb. 6.4 5. taste the heauenly gift powers of the world to come Fourthly some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the opinion and h 2. Pet. 2.1 charitable Iudgement of men Fiftly some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In truth receiueng the habited gifts of Sanctitie of these onely is our conclusion of others the testimonies and experiences alledged vnderstood Obiect Thirdly Lastly the foulest falles of God Saints are produced which how may we conceiue to stand with Sanctification Answ Such sinnes could not stand with the exercise or act of Grace yet well ynough with the habite of Sanctitie as the vnreasonable and brutish behauiour of a man in his drinke stands not with the vse yet well ynough with the facultie of Reason So that notwithstanding these oppositions the conclusion stands firme for the certaine progresse and preseruation in sanctity of all that God hath begun to sanctifie How full of sweet comfort and consolation is it vnto Gods Saints wrestling with corruption and many a vile thought headstrong in rebellion incountred with principalities and powers seeing in themselues nothing but weakenesse and frailest infirmitie Know all such to their comfort God is faithfull and his promise is to i Act. 20.32 build further to preserue blamelesse to giue the inheritance to all them that are sanctified Hath God begun his good worke He k Phil. 1.6 will perfect it to the day of Christ. Here also hath place that saying of MOSES Perfecta sunt opera Dei This onely haue we eye vnto that our euidence be sound for the beginnings we are assured of our progresse and preseruation For euidence we need not wander beyond the Text so fully it affords them First The Grace of Sanctification spreads ouer the whole of man The mind erst blind in the things of God notable to conceiue them quarrelling at the prescripts of the Law befooling the simplicitie of the Gospell is now inlightned to see into the mysteries of Gods Kingdome approoues the equitie and goodnesse of the Law admires Gods wisedome reueiled in the Gospel The will naturally so froward and auerse from goodnesse so thirstingly inclined to wickednesse is now as insatiably desirous of Heauenly Graces propense l Rom. 7.18 beyond ability to obedience The eyes that before wandered after vanitie prie now for occasions to glorifie God The vntamed tongue set on fire on hell to lie and raile and curse and blaspheme is now restrained from so rotten communication inures it selfe to gracious speech such as m Ephe. 4.29 may minister grace to the hearer c. The whole spirit and soule and body is now so altered and renewed that a man becomes a maruell to himselfe a n 1. Pet. 4.4 wonderment to the world with whom hee erst ran to the same excesse of riot Beloued Christians thus if it be with vs we haue more then ciuilitie wee haue that sanctitie that seales vs to the day of Redemption Let euery man enter new search of his heart ransacke it to the bottome anatomize the whole man take suruiew of his whole spirit and soule and body that if any corner he finde corruption raigning hee may striue to mortifie it Vainely shall we flatter our selues in opinion of sanctitie except wee bee in measure o 2. Cor. 7.1 purged from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit A second euidence pointed at by the Text is our calling our continuall calling out of the power of darkenesse The act is continued as Pauls word imports God calleth continually those whom he sanctifieth blesseth all holy meanes vnto them so that they euery day more and more are deliuered from bondage to corruption Sure it is sanctification is not perfited in an instant as sure that by what meanes it is begun by the same it is increased and continued so that the man truely sanctified findes a continuall blessing vpon his hearing meditation Praying Conference Contemplation of the Creatures Afflictions or if there be any other meanes that God hath sanctified to call vs into his marueilous light Make it the touchstone of our seeming sanctitie wee haue many of vs beene of long standing in holy profession we are dayly hearers of the Word of God frequent in vse of that Sacrament It shall behooue vs to prouide that our proceedings be answerable to our means that the more we heare the more we grow out of ignorance get more power ouer our corruptiōs I dare not say but Gods children truely
First the Brethren Secondly all the Brethren Thirdly the rite or Ceremony with a kisse whose qualification is expressed it must be Holy Greete or salute Not much vnlike is that custome amongst vs to send commendations to those wee wish well vnto thereby signifying our louing remembrance and heartiest well-wishing to those that are deare vnto vs. From Pauls fact desiring by such courtesie to haue his loue manifested to the people of God we learne that In Christian loue it sufficeth not that the heart be kindly affected except we giue due testimonie of our well-wishing to the Saints of God What Iames speakes of faith thinke spoken of loue Shew me thy Faith thy loue by thy Workes SALOMON requires to shew our selues friendly Christians of old time were carefull in this kind whence in Church Primitiue grew their f Iude 12. loue-feasts as well to testifie as to procure loue and hence the ceremonie heere mentioned to salute with a kisse continued till dayes of Iustine Martyr Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. in customarie vse before their approching to the Lords Table thereby to testifie their heartiest and vnfeigned well-wishing and reconcilement each to other Tertullian de oratione Tertullian blames the omission of that rite growne vpon the Church in times of their solemne fastings and Prayers then they withdrew that Osculum pacis when in Tertullians iudgement it was most conuenient and necessary Truth is the Nature of this affection is as of fire it can by no meanes be conceiled but breakes out and will find vent There is a kind of loue which Salomon calls g Prou. 27.5 secret open rebuke he preferres before it When men pretending I know not what feruency of affection to the Saints of God liue yet as strangers each to other And as men ashamed of that Cognisance of Christians content themselues to wish wel pray good to the Church of God society friendly familiarity so euery where commended as auaileable to cherish Grace they purposely decline Consider First how neerely it concernes vs to preserue reputation of Christians to giue testimony of our loue and hearty well-wishing to the Saints Hereby saith our Sauiour h Ioh. 13.35 all men shall know that yee are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Meanes hee onely of inward affection How can that manifest vs to the eyes of the world Except there be added visible testimonies of our beneuolent affection Secondly We cannot be ignorant how much discouragement it brings to Nouices in Grace to see themselues slighted by such as professe the faith The i Act. 6.1 Grecians seeing their widowes neglected grew to murmuring Thirdly If none of these mooue yet let the practice of worst men in their carnall affections sway vs. How willing are they the world should notice their brotherhood and consent in euill It is the shame of Christians to secret their loue to the children of God The persons are the Brethren the Saints of God to these he desires the testimonies of his intimous loue limited to these all extended The points are two First Though loue in some offices must bee extended to all yet are there offices to bee limited to the Saints In loue are foure things First Beneuolence Secondly Beneficence Thirdly Complacentia Fourthly Familiaritie From our beneuolence and well-wishing may none be excluded seeme they for the present neuer so vile k 1. Tim. ◠1 Prayers must be made for all euen for enemies of the Church And for Beneficence the charge runnes generally Doe good to all l Gal. 6.10 A Specialtie in these must be reserued to Saints yet may none be simply excluded from them As touching that Complacentia contentment and pleasance taken in men and that which flowes from it Familiaritie they are so peculiar to Saints that they cannot without suspition of vnsoundnes be extended to Aliens Dauids protestation m Psal 16.3 All my delight is in the Saints on earth and in such as excell in vertue And I am n Psal 119.63 a companion of all that feare thee and keepe thy Statutes And I haue not haunted o Psal 26.4 with vaine persons nor sate in the assemblie of mockers The charge is With such eate not p 2. Cor. 6.17 separate your selues c. And that neerest loue and testimonies thereof should thus bee limited to Saints euinceth First our neerest coniunction with them in the body of Christ by the bond of the Spirit There are neighbours in Nature by Cohabitation in Affection in Grace Besides that most of these proximities may haue place in the Saints of God how neerely hath the Lord combined vs in the body of Christ vnder one head and quickned vs by the same Spirit Secondly though enemies may not be excluded from our loue yet who makes question but friends must be preferred in the measure of louing To SAVL an enemie DAVID shewed kindnesse But his soule q 1. Sam. 18.13 claue to the soule of IONATHAN Men in nature are enemies only Saints are friends to Saints Thirdly their merits of vs are far greater then any can be of Aliens By their Prayers and spiritual gifts and holy example they may be furtherances to vs in the way to life Iustifiable therefore against all cauils of gracelesse and malicious men is this prudence in Charity Generally wee see men that most hate societie with the Saints of God are first that finde fault with their strangenesse in matter of familiar conuersation Reason they thinke they haue sufficient to hate their holy faith and profession that they see them so partiall in their affections How could I wish they were such as with whom Gods children might with comfort conuerse But first if that be a precept of Gods Spirit Not r 1. Cor. 5.11 to eate with that brother that is a fornicatour or otherwise scandalous Secondly if Pauls charge be ſ 2. Thes 3.6 to withdraw from euery Brother that walkes inordinately Thirdly If Dauid and Ieremie held it part of their righteousnesse t Iere. 15.17 Not to sit in the assemblie of mockers with what warrant may Gods children make such their familiars Fourthly and alas what may a man expect to heare or see in such societie other then Lot in Sodome Onely what may u 2. Pet. 2.8 vexe a Righteous soule Fiftly it is not for nothing Salomon aduiseth to be so charie of our company Lewd examples are infectious Lewd mens indeuour x Pro. 4.16 to draw Gods people to their owne excesse of riot Lastly Gods precept Saints practice call vs alwayes to y Gal. 6.10 limit the specialtie of our loue the testimonies of our intire affectiō to the houshold of faith Reproueable rather is that promiscuous charitie as it is pretended to be in too frequent vse amongst men professing the feare of God whose friendliest kindnesses run without difference to all as well Aliens as Brethren that know no oddes betwixt the Church of